34-Year-Old Saying 'Bye Bye Work' After Reaching $2,400 Per Month in Dividend Income: Top 8 Stocks in His Portfolio

Should you invest in dividend stocks or chase capital gains through growth stocks? That debate will likely remain unsettled for decades. But many achieve their financial goals by prudently investing in safe and reliable dividend stocks and ETFs. 

About one year ago, a dividend investor shared his success story on /Dividends, a Reddit community of income investors with 600,000 members. The investor said he was 34, served in the air force for 12 years and worked as a defense contractor for four years.

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"I lost my flight status due to medical issues and hated the desk job they gave me. Thanks to having rental properties, I figured it was a good time to move on for the sake of my mental health. Worked out well, because my defense contractor job was amazing … but with the drawdown we all got laid off this year."

The investor, who titled his post “bye-bye work," said he got an 80% VA disability rating, owns several rental income properties and decided to retire early.

According to a screenshot of the portfolio the Redditor shared, his portfolio’s total dividend yield was around 4.52%. The investor said his total portfolio worth was $700,000, including non-dividend stocks. He estimated the total worth of his dividend portfolio to be "600’ish." Doing the math based on this dividend yield, the dividend portfolio’s total value is over $620,000.

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The investor was repeatedly asked how he achieved this major milestone at the young age of 34. He explained that he had several real estate properties and lived frugally to save up.

Answering another question about his achievement, the investor said:

"I feel very blessed. I lived very frugally to get here and had quite a bit of luck for real estate timing," he said.

Throughout the discussion, the investor emphasized the importance of financial discipline:

"I came from poverty and only have a high school diploma. While I served, my favorite thing to do was help other military members appreciate the beauty of financial independence, instead of buying expensive cars at a young age. Putting numbers behind the advice always seems to be that light bulb moment for people."

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However, it's important to note that he won't be relying entirely on this $2,400-a-month dividend income during his retirement. He said, "most of my money" is in real estate.

"I’m already making 25k tax-free from VA disability and 83k pretax from rental income," he added.

Let's take a deeper look at the biggest holdings of the investor by examining his dividend portfolio details.

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF Shares (VTI) was among the top holdings of the investor. VTI tracks the total stock market, exposing investors to small-, mid- and large-cap stocks. About 69% of the fund is allocated to large-cap stocks. Its portfolio includes more than 3,600 stocks. Among the top holdings of the ETF are Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Meta Platforms, Amazon. In the comments section of the discussion, someone asked the Redditor for advice. Here's what he said:

"Depends on your age. You can’t go wrong with just doing VTI honestly."

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF VOO is another broader market ETF that was part of the investor's portfolio earning $2,400 monthly. However, the investor said his cash-secured put (CSP) option on VOO "didn't turn out as planned."

That likely means the investor sold PUT options on VOO, hoping the fund's stock price would stay above the strike price until the option expired. However, the stock price may have fallen below the strike price before the option expired.

VOO tracks the S&P 500 index and yields about 1.2%. It pays quarterly dividends.

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Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF 

Someone asked the Redditor making $2,400 per month in dividends about his biggest positions. He named SCHD among his top picks. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF SCHD tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index and gives exposure to some of the top dividend stocks trading in the U.S., including Home Depot, Coca-Cola, Verizon, Lockheed Martin, Pepsi and AbbVie, among many others. Since SCHD's holdings are mostly conservative dividend payers, it's suitable for investors close to retirement looking for consistent dividend income.

Realty Income

With a 5% dividend yield and 30 years of consecutive dividend increases, Realty Income Corp O has become a top dividend pick for many investors, especially after the first rate cut. Last month, Scotiabank increased its price target on Realty Income Corp O to $64 from $61 and maintained its Sector Perform rating.

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF 

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF JEPI was a key part of the Redditor's portfolio, earning about $2,400 in monthly dividends. JEPI makes money by investing in large-cap U.S. stocks and selling call options. It is ideal for those looking for exposure to defensive stocks.

Altria Group

Altria Group Inc. MO was among the top high-yield dividend stocks in the investor’s portfolio, contributing to the $2,400 a month income. The stock yields over 8% and has gained about 20% this year.

Arbor Realty Trust 

The Redditor said he had a "small amount" of Arbor Realty Trust Inc. ABR shares in his portfolio. Arbor Realty Trust is a mortgage REIT with a dividend yield of over 11%. 

WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund

WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund USFR invests in U.S. treasuries with floating rates. The fund yields about 5% and pays monthly dividends. 

Wondering if your investments can get you to a $5,000,000 nest egg? Speak to a financial advisor today. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you up with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.

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