Can you live off REIT income?
Reinvesting REIT dividends can help retirement savers grow their portfolio's investment, and historically steady REIT dividend income can help retirees meet their living expenses.
REITs' average return
Return a minimum of 90% of taxable income in the form of shareholder dividends each year. This is a big draw for investor interest in REITs. Invest at least 75% of total assets in real estate or cash.
Over time, the cash flow generated by those dividend payments can supplement your Social Security and pension income. Perhaps, it can even provide all the money you need to maintain your preretirement lifestyle. It is possible to live off dividends if you do a little planning.
So, are REITs the magic shortcut to becoming a millionaire? Not quite. But they can be a powerful tool to build your wealth over time, like a slow and steady rocket taking you towards financial freedom.
For investors seeking a steady stream of monthly income, real estate investment trusts (REITs) that pay dividends on a monthly basis emerge as a compelling financial strategy. In this article, we unravel two REITs that pay monthly dividends and have yields of 6% or more.
Invest in Dividend Stocks
A stock portfolio focused on dividends can generate $1,000 per month or more in perpetual passive income, Mircea Iosif wrote on Medium. “For example, at a 4% dividend yield, you would need a portfolio worth $300,000.
Risks of investing in REITs include higher dividend taxes, sensitivity to interest rates, and exposure to specific property trends.
And if you've got a large portfolio totaling more than $1.1 million, your dividend income could come in around $50,000 per year. By then, there could be other dividend-focused ETFs to choose from.
Stocks in the S&P 500 index currently yield about 1.5% on aggregate. That means, if you have $1 million invested in a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund that tracks the index, you could expect annual dividend income of about $15,000.
Avoiding REIT dividend taxation
If you own REITs in an IRA, you won't have to worry about dividend taxes each year, nor will you have to pay taxes in the year in which you sell a REIT at a profit. In a traditional IRA, you won't owe any taxes until you withdraw money from the account.
Do rich people invest in REITs?
Wealthy individuals may invest in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) for a variety of reasons, including diversification, income generation, and potential tax benefits.
| Company (ticker symbol) | Sector | Dividend yield |
|---|---|---|
| KKR Real Estate Finance Trust (KREF) | Mortgage | 14.0% |
| Two Harbors Investment (TWO) | Mortgage | 14.0% |
| Ares Commercial Real Estate (ACRE) | Mortgage | 13.8% |
| Brandywine Realty Trust (BDN) | Office | 13.6% |
REITs make their money through the mortgages underlying real estate development or on rental incomes once the property is developed. REITs provide shareholders with a steady income and, if held long-term, growth that reflects the appreciation of the property it owns.
REITs and stocks can both pay dividends, usually on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis. Some investments will also offer special dividends, but they're unpredictable.
While a 90% annual dividend payout is required by law and IRS regulation, different REITs pay on different schedules within that requirement. How often are REIT dividends paid? Law requires that REITs pay required dividends at least once annually; however, many REITs pay quarterly or monthly.
With a REIT, you earn a share of the income the properties produce without having to buy, manage or finance them—making it a truly passive real estate investing option. REITs can be a good option for people who want to invest in real estate outside of their retirement accounts, but don't want to be a landlord.
- Idea 1: Invest in Dividend Stocks. ...
- Idea 2: Invest in Real Estate. ...
- Idea 3: Rent Out a Property. ...
- Idea 4: Invest in Peer to Peer Lending. ...
- Idea 5: Build an Online Business. ...
- Idea 6: Create an Online Course.
- Dividend stocks.
- Dividend index funds or ETFs.
- Bonds and bond funds.
- Real estate investment trusts (REITS)
- Money market funds.
- High-yield savings accounts.
- CDs.
- Buy a rental property.
The value of a REIT is based on the real estate market, so if interest rates increase and the demand for properties goes down as a result, it could lead to lower property values, negatively impacting the value of your investment.
Can You Lose Money on a REIT? As with any investment, there is always a risk of loss. Publicly traded REITs have the particular risk of losing value as interest rates rise, which typically sends investment capital into bonds.
Are REITs bad for taxes?
Individuals can currently deduct 20% of the pass-through income coming from REIT investments. This can incentivize you to invest in a REIT right now as you may pay significantly less in taxes than you would have before this benefit was provided. There is no guarantee that this tax benefit will be extended beyond 2025.
Over time you'll find that your investment portfolio's base capital can, indeed, grow to hit your target. Making $1,000 per month in dividends will take patient investing – whether you're buying stocks or funds – or a lot of up-front capital. But with the right mix of yield and patience, you can get there.
But the truth is you can get a 9.5% yield today--and even more. But even at 9.5%, we're talking about a middle-class income of $4,000 per month on an investment of just a touch over $500K.
To generate $5,000 per month in dividends, you would need a portfolio value of approximately $1 million invested in stocks with an average dividend yield of 5%. For example, Johnson & Johnson stock currently yields 2.7% annually. $1 million invested would generate about $27,000 per year or $2,250 per month.
Dividend stocks hold a universal appeal, capturing the interest of both everyday investors and billionaires. Take Warren Buffett, for example. He's a strong advocate for dividend stocks and consistently incorporates a wide range of these equities into his investment portfolio each quarter.
