From 24/7 Wall St. · Ryne Mauck · · 1m 30s
Spouse Age Gap and Retirement Planning
Spouse age gaps create retirement risks. These 3 ETFs help money outlive both spouses.
In brief
Spouse age gaps create retirement risks. These 3 ETFs help money outlive both spouses. Three ETFs (QQQM, VIGI, BIV) address retirement planning for couples with age gaps to ensure funds last longer. Originally reported by 24/7 Wall St..
Spouse Age Gap Risk
Most couples plan for one retirement horizon without realizing they have two, leaving surviving spouses financially exposed for decades.
Three ETFs for Longer Life
Three ETFs address the second retirement deadline: Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM), Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIGI), and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF (BIV).
Two Retirement Horizons
A portfolio designed for the older spouse’s remaining years can be too conservative for the younger spouse who still draws income long after.
RMDs and Age Gaps
If your spouse is less than 10 years younger, you use the standard Uniform Lifetime table for required minimum distributions, not the Joint and Last Survivor table.
QQQM for Long-Term Growth
QQQM tracks the NASDAQ-100 with a tech tilt, up 22.06% yearly and 103.5% over five years, but has fallen 4.12% in the past week.
VIGI for Rising Income
VIGI tracks S&P Global Ex-U.S. Dividend Growers, paying $2.0882 per share with quarterly payouts rising from $0.199 in 2016 to $0.5337 in 2026.
BIV for Stability
BIV holds intermediate-maturity U.S. bonds, distributing $3.297204 per share monthly with distributions rising from $0.253103 in 2025 to $0.273826 in 2026.
Trade-Offs for Longevity
QQQM concentrates in tech, VIGI has uneven payouts and foreign currency swings, and BIV’s prices fall when interest rates rise.
Here's the gist
Three ETFs (QQQM, VIGI, BIV) address retirement planning for couples with age gaps to ensure funds last longer.
