Forget Retiring on Just Social Security. This High-Yield ETF Could Supercharge Your Monthly Income

"If you retire on just Social Security today, you may be looking at a monthly benefit of $2,071 on average. That's the typical retiree benefit today, and it accounts for the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment Social Security got in 2026. On an annual basis, that amounts to almost $25,000 in Social Security. And while that's not a small amount of money, it's also not a particularly large sum to live on."

"When it comes to generating investment income in retirement, you have choices. You could maintain a portfolio of different stocks. But that requires you to keep tabs on those companies individually and rebalance on a regular basis. The nice thing about investing in ETFs is that you get to own a bunch of different assets with a single investment. ETFs are much easier to manage because you really don't have to do much, provided you're happy with the funds you've chosen."

"JEPI invests in large-cap U.S. companies within the S&P 500 index. These are all established businesses. And while that doesn't mean their value won't fluctuate, it also means you have the relative protection that comes with larger companies. However, unlike other income ETFs, JEPI doesn't just hold a large collection of stocks. It also sells call options against its equity holdings that investors pay a premium for. Think of those call options as an extra income stream that you might get to benefit from."

The typical Social Security retiree benefit is $2,071 per month in 2026 after a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment, equating to roughly $25,000 annually. That amount may be insufficient as sole retirement income, so supplementary investments are commonly recommended. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide diversified exposure in a single, easier-to-manage vehicle compared with individual stock portfolios. The JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPI) holds large-cap S&P 500 companies and supplements dividends by selling call options on its holdings to collect premiums. The option-writing strategy generates extra income but does not eliminate market risk and can limit upside potential.

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