A covered call ETF holds a basket of dividend-paying stocks while simultaneously selling call options on those same holdings.
In return, you get paid a premium. That premium is extra income on top of your regular dividends.
Covered call funds work best when stock prices are stable or rising slowly. If the stock price shoots up dramatically, your shares might get called away at the strike price. You miss out on that extra gain. That’s the one caveat to covered call ETFs - you cap your upside.
M.photostock/iStock via Getty Images
If you’ve been building a dividend income portfolio like I have, you’re probably familiar with the satisfaction of watching dividend checks arrive month after month. But what if there was a way to amplify that income without