Author Bio Katie Brockman is a personal finance and retirement writer who enjoys geeking out about 401(k)s, budgeting, and Social Security. When she's not providing unsolicited financial and retirement advice to anyone who will listen, she enjoys reading, drawing and painting, and walking dogs at her local animal shelter. Whether you're a seasoned investor or are just getting started, it's hard to go wrong with exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These are baskets of securities bundled together into a single investment, and they can be a smart addition to your portfolio. Not all ETFs are created equal, however, and some are riskier than others. Balancing risk and reward can be challenging, because ETFs with much higher-than-average returns often come with a substantial amount of risk.