COLA Disappointments and Social Security Risks: Millions of Americans rely mostly on Social Security in retirement. But this can create serious financial risks. The average Social Security benefit in 2025 is only $2,015 per month, roughly $24,000 per year. For most retirees, that replaces just 40% of their pre-retirement income. And there’s more risk ahead. in the next decade. As baby boomers retire, the program may run out of funds. If Congress doesn’t act, benefits could shrink. Relying solely on Social S ...

Core Insights - The article highlights the attractiveness of certain exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that offer yields significantly higher than the S&P 500 average, which is currently at 1.2% [2][4]. Group 1: Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF - The Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF provides a yield of approximately 4%, which is more than three times the S&P 500 average [4]. - This ETF has a low expense ratio of 0.17% and focuses on international markets, with 43% of its holdings in European stocks, 26% in the Pacific region, and 22% in emerging markets [5]. - The ETF contains over 1,500 stocks, with no single stock exceeding 2% of the total portfolio, which mitigates risk associated with individual stock performance [6]. Group 2: Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF - The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF focuses on U.S. dividend stocks and has around 100 stocks in its portfolio, suggesting a more selective investment approach [9][10]. - This ETF yields 3.8% and has a very low expense ratio of 0.06%, with a beta of 0.79 indicating lower volatility compared to the Vanguard fund [13]. - Despite a 1% decline this year, the Schwab ETF has generated approximately 30% returns over five years, excluding dividends, making it a solid long-term investment option [14].

Core Insights - Vanguard is recognized as a leading ETF provider due to its mutual ownership model, which allows fund shareholders to own the funds and Vanguard itself [2] - The company operates at cost, resulting in a significantly lower average expense ratio of 0.07%, compared to the industry average of over 0.40%, leading to substantial long-term savings for investors [3] - Vanguard manages over $8 trillion in assets, offering a wide range of passively managed index funds that provide comprehensive market exposure [4] Fund Summaries - **Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI)** targets high-yielding stocks in developed and emerging markets outside the U.S., with a focus on financials, consumer staples, and energy. It has an expense ratio of 0.17% and a 30-day SEC yield of approximately 4%, providing geographic diversification with over 1,500 holdings [5][7] - **Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT)** offers exposure to major players in the AI sector, with top holdings including Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, which together account for about 45% of assets. The fund charges an annual fee of 0.09% and has a 30-day SEC yield of 0.42%, covering over 300 companies in the tech space [8][10] - **Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (VBR)** focuses on small U.S. companies with depressed valuations, charging a low expense ratio of 0.07% and offering a 30-day SEC yield of 2.03%. The fund holds over 800 stocks, providing diversification and targeting sectors like financials and industrials [11][13] Investment Strategy - The combination of these three funds provides a balanced approach to investing, offering international income, domestic growth, and contrarian value exposure, which can complement each other across different market cycles [14]

Core Insights - The VanEck Morningstar International Moat ETF (MOTI) is designed to provide broad exposure to the Foreign Large Value ETF category, launched on July 13, 2015 [1] - The fund aims to match the performance of the Morningstar Global ex-US Moat Focus Index, which tracks 50 attractively priced companies outside the U.S. with sustainable competitive advantages [5] Fund Overview - Managed by Van Eck, MOTI has accumulated over $200.66 million in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - The fund has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.58% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.76% [6] Holdings and Sector Exposure - Baidu Inc. constitutes approximately 3.2% of the fund's total assets, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co L and Barry Callebaut Ag also among the top holdings [7] - The top 10 holdings represent about 27.28% of total assets under management [8] Performance Metrics - As of October 23, 2025, MOTI has gained roughly 27.33% year-to-date and approximately 18.35% over the past year [9] - The fund has traded between $29.35 and $38.68 during the past 52 weeks [9] Risk Assessment - MOTI has a beta of 0.74 and a standard deviation of 16.92% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [10] - The fund holds about 61 stocks, effectively diversifying company-specific risk [10] Alternatives - For investors seeking to outperform the Foreign Large Value ETF segment, other ETFs such as Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI) and Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF (FNDF) are recommended [11][12] - VYMI has $12.79 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.17%, while FNDF has $18.13 billion in assets with a 0.25% expense ratio [12]

Core Insights - The Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF (RODM) debuted on February 25, 2015, and provides broad exposure to the Foreign Large Value ETF category [1] Fund Overview - RODM has accumulated over $1.22 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Foreign Large Value category [5] - The fund is managed by Hartfordfunds and aims to match the performance of the Hartford Risk-Optimized Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) Index [5] - The index seeks to reduce concentration risks related to country, currency, and individual companies in developed markets outside the US [5] Cost Structure - RODM has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.29%, making it one of the cheaper options in its category [6] - The fund offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.44% [6] Holdings and Sector Exposure - The top holding, Orange Common Stock Eur4.0 (ORA), constitutes approximately 1.12% of the fund's total assets, followed by Heidelberg Materials Ag Common Stock (HEI) and Fairfax Financial Hldgs Ltd Common Stock (FFH) [7] - The top 10 holdings account for about 10.1% of total assets under management [8] Performance Metrics - As of August 26, 2025, RODM has increased by approximately 26.23% and is up about 21.41% year-to-date [9] - The ETF has traded between $28.07 and $35.70 over the past 52 weeks [9] - RODM has a beta of 0.71 and a standard deviation of 13.47% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [10] Alternatives and Market Position - RODM is positioned as a viable option for investors looking to outperform the Foreign Large Value ETF segment [11] - Other ETFs in the space include Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI) with $11.87 billion in assets and Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF (FNDF) with $17.37 billion [12] - VYMI has an expense ratio of 0.17%, while FNDF has an expense ratio of 0.25% [12]

Core Insights - The Invesco RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF (PXF) is a smart beta ETF that provides broad exposure to the Foreign Large Value ETF category, launched on June 25, 2007 [1] Fund Overview - PXF is managed by Invesco and has accumulated over $2.16 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [5] - The ETF aims to match the performance of the FTSE RAFI Developed ex-U.S. Index, which tracks large developed market equities based on fundamental measures such as book value, cash flow, sales, and dividends [5] Cost Structure - PXF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.43%, which is competitive within its peer group [6] - The ETF offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.01% [6] Holdings and Sector Exposure - PXF's top holdings include Shell Plc (2.11% of total assets), Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, and Totalenergies Se [7] - The top 10 holdings account for approximately 11.29% of the total assets under management [8] Performance Metrics - The ETF has returned approximately 30.26% and is up about 24.57% year-to-date as of August 25, 2025 [9] - PXF has traded between $46.22 and $61.20 over the past 52 weeks [9] Risk Assessment - PXF has a beta of 0.82 and a standard deviation of 15.70% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [10] - The fund holds about 1,147 securities, providing effective diversification against company-specific risks [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the Foreign Large Value segment include Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI) and Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF (FNDF), with assets of $12.01 billion and $17.59 billion respectively [12] - VYMI has a lower expense ratio of 0.17%, while FNDF charges 0.25% [12]

Group 1: Core Insights - The Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF (FNDF) is a smart beta ETF that provides broad exposure to the Foreign Large Value ETF category, having debuted on 08/13/2013 [1] - FNDF is managed by Charles Schwab and has accumulated over $17.26 billion in assets, making it the largest ETF in its category [5] - The fund aims to replicate the performance of the Russell RAFI Developed ex US Large Co. Index (Net) before fees and expenses [5] Group 2: Cost and Performance - FNDF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.25%, positioning it as one of the cheaper options in the ETF space [6] - The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.91% [6] - As of 08/22/2025, FNDF has increased by approximately 27.41% year-to-date and 18.74% over the past year, with a trading range between $32.25 and $42.27 in the last 52 weeks [9] Group 3: Holdings and Risk - FNDF's top holdings include Shell Plc (2.28% of total assets), Samsung Electronics Ltd, and Totalenergies (TTE), with the top 10 holdings accounting for about 11.8% of total assets [7][8] - The fund has a beta of 0.78 and a standard deviation of 15.58% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [10] - FNDF consists of approximately 947 holdings, effectively diversifying company-specific risk [10] Group 4: Alternatives - Other ETFs in the Foreign Large Value segment include iShares International Select Dividend ETF (IDV) and Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI), with assets of $5.79 billion and $11.85 billion respectively [12] - IDV has an expense ratio of 0.49%, while VYMI has a lower expense ratio of 0.17% [12]

Core Insights - The First Trust Dow Jones Global Select Dividend ETF (FGD) is a smart beta ETF launched on November 21, 2007, providing broad exposure to the Foreign Large Value ETF category [1] - The ETF aims to match the performance of the Dow Jones Global Select Dividend Index, which is a dividend yield weighted index of 100 stocks from developed markets [5] Fund Overview - FGD has accumulated assets of over $862.53 million, positioning it as an average-sized ETF within its category [5] - The fund's annual operating expenses are 0.56%, which is competitive with peer products [6] - The ETF has a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 4.64% [6] Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, FGD has increased by approximately 32.41%, and it has risen about 27.32% over the last 12 months as of August 21, 2025 [9] - The ETF has traded between $21.80 and $29.06 in the past 52 weeks [9] - FGD has a beta of 0.76 and a standard deviation of 14.83% over the trailing three-year period, indicating it is a low-risk investment [10] Holdings and Sector Exposure - The top 10 holdings of FGD account for about 16.52% of total assets, with Spark New Zealand Limited being the largest holding at approximately 1.97% [7][8] - The ETF holds around 105 different stocks, effectively diversifying company-specific risk [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the Foreign Large Value segment include the Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI) and the Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF (FNDF), which have significantly larger asset bases of $11.88 billion and $17.35 billion, respectively [12] - VYMI has a lower expense ratio of 0.17%, while FNDF charges 0.25% [12]

Core Insights - The JPMorgan Diversified Return International Equity ETF (JPIN) offers broad exposure to the Foreign Large Value ETF category and debuted on November 6, 2014 [1] - JPIN is managed by J.P. Morgan and aims to match the performance of the FTSE Developed ex North America Diversified Factor Index [5][6] - The ETF has a significant asset base of over $349.27 million, making it an average-sized ETF in its category [5] Fund Characteristics - JPIN utilizes a rules-based approach that combines risk-weighted portfolio construction with multi-factor security screening based on value, quality, and momentum factors [6] - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.37%, which is competitive within its peer group [7] - JPIN's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 3.93% [7] Holdings and Performance - The top 10 holdings of JPIN account for approximately 4.55% of its total assets, with notable holdings including Hana Financial Group Inc, Woori Financial Group, and Sk Hynix Inc [8][9] - As of July 23, 2025, JPIN has increased by roughly 22.75% and is up about 17.6% year-to-date [10] - The ETF has a beta of 0.72 and a standard deviation of 14.50% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [11] Alternatives and Market Position - JPIN is positioned as a reasonable option for investors looking to outperform the Foreign Large Value ETF segment, but there are alternative ETFs available [12] - Notable alternatives include the Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI) and the Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF (FNDF), which have larger asset bases and lower expense ratios [13]

Core Insights - The Vident International Equity Strategy ETF (VIDI) is a smart beta ETF launched on October 29, 2013, designed to provide broad exposure to the Foreign Large Value ETF category [1] - VIDI has amassed assets over $366.37 million, making it an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - The fund's annual operating expenses are 0.61%, which is relatively high compared to other options in the market [7] Fund Management and Index - VIDI is managed by Vident Financial and seeks to match the performance of the Vident International Equity Index, which emphasizes risk management and growth potential across developed and emerging economies [5][6] - The index combines principles-based country and securities selection [6] Performance Metrics - VIDI has shown a year-to-date increase of approximately 22.72% and a one-year increase of about 24.74% as of July 22, 2025 [10] - The fund has a beta of 0.80 and a standard deviation of 15.76% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [11] Holdings and Sector Exposure - The top 10 holdings of VIDI account for approximately 7.25% of its total assets, with Cash & Other representing about 0.89% [8][9] - The fund effectively diversifies company-specific risk with around 258 holdings [11] Alternatives and Comparisons - VIDI may not be suitable for investors looking to outperform the Foreign Large Value ETF segment, with alternatives like Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI) and Schwab Fundamental International Equity ETF (FNDF) being more favorable options [12][13] - VYMI has $11.01 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.17%, while FNDF has $16.54 billion in assets with a 0.25% expense ratio [13]