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VYM has been one of the most trusted dividend ETFs for years, but a smaller BlackRock rival built on a completely different rulebook has quietly pulled far ahead in 2026, and the yield gap between them may surprise longtime VYM
Building a $100,000 dividend snowball is foundational for financial security and passive income. I detail how I would go about doing so in today's rising rate environment. I also share some specific picks and how to allocate capital on a percentage basis to build the snowball.
A $1M hybrid portfolio can generate sustainable $6,000 monthly income with growth and capital protection elements. The portfolio balances dividend growth (SCHD, VYM), credit, real assets, options, and commodities to diversify income streams and risk. Option ETFs provide high, tax-efficient income but carry NAV erosion risk during prolonged downturns or capped upside in rallies.
Retirees chasing a simple $500 monthly check from VYM run straight into a gap between how yields are calculated and how cash actually lands in your account, and the math gets uncomfortable fast.
Chasing the highest dividend yield feels like a shortcut to $2,200 a month, but the fund that gets you there fastest can quietly steal the raise you were counting on for the next 20 years.
A smart beta exchange traded fund, the Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares (VYM) debuted on 11/10/2006, and offers broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market.
Dividend growth machines that combine attractive current yield and sustainable inflation-beating dividend growth are a core pillar of a retirement portfolio. I detail two such opportunities that look attractive today. I also share some of the risks to keep in mind.
Most financial plans assume the person who built them will always be around to run them. Three ETFs exist specifically for the moment that assumption stops being true.