Is the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF a Safe Dividend Play for Retirees?
Key Takeaways
If you're looking for ETFs, a good first stop is typically an S&P 500 index fund. After all, the benchmark index includes 500 of the largest American companies across every...
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3 min read
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investment
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July 10, 2025
11:00 AM
The Motley Fool
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If you're looking for ETFs, a good first stop is typically an S&P 500 index fund
After all, the benchmark index includes 500 of the largest American companies across every industry, and it has a track record of dering an annual average return of 9% over its history
However, retirees often need more stability than what the S&P 500 offers, which is why they tend to seek out lower-risk investments such as dividend stocks and bonds
One choice among dividend investors is the Schwab U
Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD 0
The fund's goal is to track as closely as possible the Dow Jones U
Dividend 100 Index, which offers a high yield and quality screen that should be very attractive to retirees
Image source: Getty Images
What's in the Schwab U
With net assets of $68 billion, the Schwab U
Dividend Equity ETF is one of the larger ETFs available to investors
It has a low expense ratio of just 0. 06% and holds 100 stocks as of this writing
The biggest sector in the ETF is energy, which makes up 21. 1%, ed by consumer staples at 19. 1% and healthcare at 15
Companies in all three of those sectors are well known for often paying dividends
Currently, the top three holdings are Texas Instruments, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips
Each stock represents 4. 3% of the fund as of this writing, and they're are solid dividend payers
Texas Instruments offers a 2. 6% dividend, while ConocoPhillips and Chevron pay 3. 8%, respectively
Dividend Equity ETF itself pays a dividend yield of 4. 0%, which is significantly better than the S&P 500's 1
Dividend Equity ETF performed historically
Dividend Equity ETF has a solid track record of generating positive returns, but it has underperformed the S&P 500 since its inception in 2011, as you can see in the chart below
However, the chart also shows how the Schwab U
Dividend Equity ETF is less volatile than the S&P 500
In 2022, when the S&P 500 suffered through a bear market, the Schwab ETF experienced a more muted pullback because it lacks exposure to the high-file stocks that soared during the pandemic and then crashed in 2022
This reduced volatility is yet another reason for more conservative investors and retirees to consider the Schwab ETF
Is SCHD right for you
For retirees and others looking for a safe dividend ETF, the Schwab U
Dividend Equity ETF looks a good bet
There are other dividend ETFs available, but SCHD has emerged as one of the most choices thanks to its diversification across sectors and a track record of growth balanced with stability
Add to that the high yield and low expense ratio, and it becomes why this Schwab ETF is a great starting point for retirees.
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