Who does not need $1 million by retirement? Nicely, possibly those that are taking pictures for $2 million — as a result of $1 million isn’t prone to be sufficient for many individuals, particularly those that will likely be retiring a decade or three from now. (Inflation can wreck havoc with your retirement plans, so remember to issue it into your retirement planning.)
Since Social Safety is not probably to supply most or all of what we’d like — the typical month-to-month retiree profit test was $1,975, or near $24,000 for the yr as of December — most of us needs to be diligently saving and investing for retirement.

Picture supply: Getty Photos.
One notably efficient manner to take action is by way of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) — funds that commerce like shares. Listed below are 9 strong index ETFs to contemplate, every of which tracks a selected index.
ETF |
Expense Ratio |
5-12 months Avg. Annual Return |
10-12 months Avg. Annual Return |
15-12 months Avg. Annual Return |
---|---|---|---|---|
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) (VOO 1.06%) |
0.03% |
14.60% |
13.45% |
N/A |
Vanguard Complete Inventory Market ETF (VTI 1.04%) |
0.03% |
13.96% |
12.89% |
14.13% |
Vanguard Complete World Inventory ETF (VT 1.08%) |
0.07% |
10.51% |
9.59% |
10.00% |
Vanguard Complete Bond Market ETF (BND 0.60%) |
0.03% |
(0.47%) |
1.22% |
2.27% |
Schwab US Dividend Fairness ETF (SCHD 0.72%) |
0.06% |
11.47% |
11.26% |
N/A |
Schwab US Giant-Cap Progress ETF (SCHG 1.16%) |
0.04% |
18.92% |
16.83% |
17.06% |
VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) (SMH 1.37%) |
0.35% |
28.26% |
25.89% |
23.29% |
Know-how Choose Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) (XLK 1.42%) |
0.09% |
19.51% |
20.41% |
19.03% |
Vanguard Info Know-how ETF (VGT) (VGT 1.55%) |
0.09% |
19.41% |
20.80% |
19.37% |
Information supply: Morningstar.com, as of Feb. 4, 2025.
Every of those funds tracks a special index. The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, for instance, tracks the S&P 500 index of 500 of America’s greatest corporations. The Schwab US Dividend Fairness ETF tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100™ Index.
The desk reveals that these funds have both very strong or very wonderful efficiency information. The common annual beneficial properties of 19% over 15 years, for instance, means your funding will enhance in worth greater than 13-fold! Do not count on these sorts of returns going ahead. Certain, you would possibly get them or higher ones, however they are not assured.
For finest outcomes, contemplate spreading your {dollars} throughout a couple of index funds akin to these, whereas including to it over time and aiming to carry for a few years.
You will notice, too, that every ETF sports activities both a comparatively low expense ratio (annual price) or a downright minuscule one. With a 0.03% price, for instance, a stake value $1,000 will value you $0.30 yearly. Charges could make a giant distinction in your general funding outcomes, so favoring investments that may lop off as little as attainable out of your rising place is a great transfer.
This is a little bit info on these ETFs:
- Vanguard S&P 500 ETF: This can be a primary S&P 500 index fund — and, actually, it may be all you want. It is broadly diversified, presents a modest dividend yield with payouts that may enhance over time, and it is much less risky than a few of the extra high-flying ETFs on this listing.
- Vanguard Complete Inventory Market ETF: This fund will plunk your {dollars} in a lot of the complete U.S. inventory market, so it is going to embrace a number of small-cap and mid-cap corporations that do not make it into the S&P 500.
- Vanguard Complete World Inventory ETF: That is a fair broader index fund, aiming to incorporate most shares on the planet. So whereas the earlier two funds are targeted on the U.S., this one consists of many different localities.
- Vanguard Complete Bond Market ETF: For long-term development, it is laborious to beat shares, however there is usually a place for some bond publicity in our portfolios, too. And it is a well-regarded bond fund. It probably will not recognize in worth like a inventory fund will, but it surely presents a hefty dividend, not too long ago yielding 4.6%.
- Schwab US Dividend Fairness ETF: It is at all times good to incorporate dividend payers in your portfolio, and this fund has an incredible monitor document of delivering each earnings and appreciation. It not too long ago yielded 3.64%.
- Schwab US Giant-Cap Progress ETF: This ETF is concentrated on giant, comparatively fast-growing corporations, and its efficiency document displays that. After all, when the inventory market retreats, because it invariably does every now and then, funds akin to this may probably get hit. However long-term traders perceive that over a few years, the inventory market has at all times rebounded from pullbacks and gone on to set new highs.
- VanEck Semiconductor ETF: If you happen to’re notably bullish on varied components of the financial system, you would possibly search out ETFs that target these components. This can be a notably spectacular semiconductor-focused ETF. You may as well discover ETFs targeted on healthcare shares, actual property shares, vitality shares, and lots of different sectors or niches.
- Know-how Choose Sector SPDR ETF: This ETF holds round 70 tech shares, with Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia making up near 40% of its worth.
- Vanguard Info Know-how ETF: That is one other tech inventory ETF with a broader attain, encompassing about 315 shares. Its high three have been the identical because the earlier ETF, making up round 45% of the fund’s worth.
So give these funds some consideration for berths in your long-term portfolio. A number of of them might help you attain a retirement aim of $1 million and even $2 million.
Selena Maranjian has positions in Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Schwab U.S. Dividend Fairness ETF. The Motley Idiot has positions in and recommends Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, Vanguard Complete Bond Market ETF, and Vanguard Complete Inventory Market ETF. The Motley Idiot recommends the next choices: lengthy January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and brief January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Idiot has a disclosure coverage.