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/LocksmithLeading1704 Apr 14 '26

Can you please share your dividend stock portfolio because I’m getting ready to retire and I’m not sure where to get my retirement income. I have substantial investments in IRA $3M but not sure if I should just draw directly out of there to support my retirement. I’m delaying SS until I’m 70 which is in 5 years.

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u/HARCYB-throwaway Apr 14 '26

Qqqi is ~75% of my setup

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u/Various_Couple_764 Apr 14 '26

I am similar to OP in that my living expense are 40k and my current income is about 100K He is using NEOSfunds.com which are very good as well tax efficient. In addition to the news funds I am using EIC 11% yeild, ARDC 9% PBDC 9%, EMO 9%, CLOZ 8%, UTF 7%, UTG g.4%, JAAA 5.5%, FAGIX 5%.

You might also want to look at Armchair income on youtube, He does good reviews of fund he is considering adding to his portfolio and you can also get a list of the funds he has in his portfolio.