Investors can find plenty of great exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to generate income. Which Vanguard ETFs offer the highest dividend yields? The SEC yield, by the way, is a metric developed by the SEC to help investors compare funds.

The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF ( SCHD 0.57%), ( JEPI 0.43%), and Vanguard Real Estate ETF ( VNQ -0.07%) are three great ETFs for generating passive income. They pay higher-yielding dividends that have grown over the years.

Its smart to seek income from your investments -- whether it's because you need that income to support yourself in retirement, or whether you want to use it to invest in more stocks. It's also a fine idea to seek that passive income from exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that are focused on dividend-paying shares.