PFFA holds a diversified portfolio of 188 preferred securities issued by corporations. These preferred stocks function as a hybrid between bonds and common equity, with companies issuing them at fixed dividend rates that flow through to PFFA shareholders as monthly distributions. The fund's largest positions reveal a strategic approach to income generation. Financial powerhouses like Apollo Global Management (NYSE:APO) and KKR (NYSE:KKR) anchor the portfolio with their convertible preferreds, providing stability through investment-grade credits.
Introductory period: The initial fixed-rate phase before adjustments begin. Adjustment period: How frequently the rate can change after the intro period ends. Index: The benchmark interest rate used to calculate future rate changes. Margin: The lender's fixed markup added to the index. Initial cap: Limits how much the rate can increase at the first adjustment. Periodic cap: Limits how much the rate can change at each adjustment. Lifetime cap: The maximum interest rate allowed over the entire loan term.
PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund (NYSEARCA:MINT) offers retirees a 4.6% yield by focusing on short-term bonds that mature in under three years. This short duration strategy aims to deliver steady monthly income while protecting capital from the interest rate swings that punish longer-term bonds. Since launching in 2009, MINT has built a reputation for reliable monthly income, providing the consistency retirees need.
How JSI Generates Income JSI generates income through securitized debt markets that most retail investors never access directly. The fund's portfolio centers on agency mortgage-backed securities from Fannie Mae ( OTCQB:FNMA) and Freddie Mac ( OTCQB:FMCC), which provide government-backed stability while delivering coupons up to 6.5%. Management supplements this core with tactical allocations to asset-backed securities, commercial mortgage debt, and collateralized loan obligations.
JAAA invests exclusively in AAA-rated tranches of collateralized loan obligations. CLOs are structured securities backed by pools of leveraged loans to corporations. The AAA-rated senior tranches sit at the top of the payment waterfall, receiving interest payments first and enjoying the strongest credit protection. These loans carry floating interest rates tied to benchmark rates, meaning the fund's income rises and falls with prevailing rates. As borrowers pay interest, that income flows through to JAAA shareholders as monthly distributions.
iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF ( NYSEARCA:PFF) offers investors a 6.4% yield by investing in U.S. preferred stocks and income-producing securities. With $14.2 billion in assets and an 18-year track record since 2007, PFF provides monthly income through a diversified portfolio of preferred securities issued primarily by financial institutions and REITs. The fund charges a 0.45% expense ratio and maintains no leverage.
The term "7/6 ARM" breaks down like this: "7" = The number of years the interest rate stays fixed at the beginning of the loan. "6" = How often the rate can adjust after the fixed period - in this case, every 6 months.. This structure is part of a newer generation of ARMs that adjust twice a year after the initial fixed term. For example, a 7/1 ARM (common in the past) adjusted once per year, but most modern ARMs now use a 7/6 format.