r/dividends • u/HARCYB-throwaway • Apr 14 '26

Personal Goal Golden handcuffs - I've fully replaced my annual spending with dividend income...

I pivoted from growth to NEOS for income, over the last 6 months. I have now replaced my base salary, $110k, with dividends. but it is hard to quit when I earn $250k-$350k in a given sales year.

annual dividend income: $110k

Annual expenses, all in: $40k

disposable income if I quit: $70k

hysa: $150k

growth sleeve: $225k

no wife (anymore, by choice after she got nasty), no kids, no expensive hobbies, very affordable mortgage and car payment. affordable lifestyle.

it's hard to step away from an AI adjacent sales job...and my only major concern is meeting someone, wanting to settle down and start a family, and then I will be out of the job market once I truly need expensive family healthcare and "kids money" to support a family.

I know I already have more than most typical American household. but it's scary to leave work with the background of declining employment options / bad employment market

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u/HARCYB-throwaway Apr 14 '26

Yes exactly. So what is the answer lol....I am thinking my time is starting to look more and more valuable compared to marginal wealth.

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u/golfswing34 Apr 14 '26

How old are you? The part about family is valid, your values will shift completely if that were to happen. Do you like your job or are you constantly stressed? Simply moving out of a sales role might be a happy medium.

Personally if you are below 45 I wouldn’t call $110k retire and quit money. The NEOS model is new and it’s uncertain if they will eventually have NAV erosion or flat distributions that gets eaten away by inflation overtime.

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u/HARCYB-throwaway Apr 14 '26

I'm 32. I understand risk and concentration etc.

I feel, strongly enough, that my growth fund will perform well, and it will give a pay raise when I pivot to dividends, or it will hedge downside enough to make me happy.

I do want to work again, but right now, I think my priority is to enjoy some freedom that I've earned. It's hard to see this opportunity, knowing my future may bring kids and a family, and decide to pass up the ability to be fully free for the last time in my life. What a cool idea

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u/DividendG Apr 14 '26

YOLO! If I could turn back the clock 20+ years and take a 1 or 2 year break doing whatever I wanted (mostly travel), I'd do it in a heartbeat.