by Ian Cooper

If you’re thinking of retirement, nearing retirement or you’re already there, one of the last things you want to worry about is money.

So, why not have your money make you money starting today?

One of the best ways to do that is by investing in passive income and growth, which investors can accomplish with Vanguard exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Not only do these ETFs offer a good deal of diversification, but they can also help lower your overall risk compared to investing in an average security.

Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF 

There’s also the Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD), which tracks the performance of 100 high-yielding dividend stocks chosen by yield and five-year dividend growth rates.

With an expense ratio of 0.06%, the ETF tracks the total return of the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend Index. It also yields 3.37%, which is about three times the S&P 500’s dividend yield, and has holdings in Amgen, AbbVie, Home Depot, Cisco Systems, Broadcom, Chevron, UPS, and Coca-Cola, to name just a few.  Since January, the ETF rallied from about $27.50 to $31.65.

Its last dividend of just over 27 cents was paid on December 15. Before that, it paid just over 26 cents on September 29. And before that, it paid just over 26 cents per share on June 30. 

Schwab U.S. Large Cap Value ETF

With an expense ratio of 0.04% and a yield of 1.93%, the Schwab U.S. Large Cap Value ETF (SCHV) holds a portfolio of large-cap value stocks, including Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Exxon Mobil (XOM), JP Morgan Chase (JPM), Home Depot (HD), AbbVie (ABBV), Pfizer (PFE), and Merck (MRK), to name a few.

It pays a quarterly dividend. Its last dividend for just over 16 cents per share was paid on December 10. Before that, it paid just over 14 cents on September 29. And before that, it paid just over 14 cents per share on June 30.

Since 2026 began, the ETF has run from about $29.50 to $32.

Vanguard Energy Index Fund ETF 

With an expense ratio of 0.09% and a quarterly dividend, the Vanguard Energy Index Fund ETF (SYM: VDE)tracks the returns of energy sector stocks.

Some of its top holdings include Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Williams Cos., and EOG Resources. In addition, the ETF just paid a dividend of just over 93 cents on June 30. Before that, it paid a dividend of just over 94 cents per share on March 27.

Giving the ETF a boost is strong global energy demand, particularly for electricity – especially with an explosive artificial intelligence story. In fact, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global demand for electricity is set to grow at an annual rate of 4% through 2027.