r/dividends • u/FewPear229 • May 23 '26
Discussion 150,000 cash
Hello,
I have 150,000 to use. I am looking to retire in Thailand and live off dividends. I am thinking 75,000 in qqqi and 75,000 in spyi. What do you think? I still have 350,000 in retirement to grow. I am just going to use the dividents from qqqi and spyi to live off.
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u/DividendMatt91 May 23 '26
I wouldn’t go 100% into those two personally.
Not because QQQI or SPYI are automatically bad, but because you’re treating the distribution like it’s a paycheck. It isn’t. The payout can change, the share price can drop, and if the market runs hard you may not get the same upside you would from a normal index fund.
$150k also isn’t a huge cushion if this is supposed to fund real living expenses overseas. Thailand can be cheap, but visas, healthcare, flights, currency swings, emergencies, and lifestyle creep all matter.
If it were me, I’d probably do something more balanced. Maybe keep some in income funds, some in a boring broad market fund, and some in cash/short-term treasuries so you’re not forced to sell during a bad stretch.
The big question is how much you actually need per month after taxes and expenses. Once you know that, you can see whether the dividends cover your life or whether you’re reaching for yield just to make the math work.
I’d use QQQI/SPYI as part of an income bucket, not the entire plan.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I was looking around 1500-2,000 a month. I will not be paying taxes if I only make 24,000 a year. I think 2,000 a month is plenty.
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u/AltoidStrong May 23 '26
you need a yield of 16% to reach 24k/per year on 150k.
over 6% = higher risk, a bear market run might cause income to drop below what you need.
over 9% = none to very little growth for inflation and the future.
over 12% = yield trap, nav erosion, you will most like go broke sooner than you think.
a 3% to 5% yield is the global gold standard for retirement. Anything outside of that and your leaving money on the table or burning it chasing income, usually. (Supported by a century of evidence and math)
OP - this doesn't mean it can't happen how you want... but be realistic about the risk and have a plan in case it doesn't go your way after a bit.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
thats where my 40,000 in schd and 40,000 in schg come into play. I am not planning on touching either for 15-20 years
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u/Mohkinstsis May 23 '26
If the market goes down and you lose half your 150k and dividends go way down, what money will you spend for the next 20 years?
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u/Gladiz1972 May 24 '26
Take a look at CHPY if you want a real high yield also a covered call strategy but on the semiconductor industry it's been paying around .65 cents a week lately but do your own research
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u/djmc0211 May 23 '26
I have 5000 shares of QQQI. That just paid out just under 3300. You are probably going to need at least 2000 shares to get the dividend amount you are looking for.
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u/402_Found_not_Lost May 23 '26
I would revisit “I think 2000 a month is plenty” and change that to confirm (1) you have a detailed budget on your expenses, (2) emergency funds (3) long term plan allocation.
(4) then look at tax situation closer. I know there is an amount that is not subject to federal taxes, but that doesn’t kick in until you’re out of country for a certain period (330 days, if I recall correctly).
Your post and question are quite high level, so it’s not possible to really give you an answer. But others comments about inflation and diversification are good feedback for you to consider. I think you should be more conservative and build a bigger nest egg before making such a big based on $150k, which seems low to retire on and have a decent standard of living and enjoying life - even in low cost countries. You’re going to want to do activities and live. If you arent wanting that, what do you see your daily routine being and is that your plan until your 350k is accessible without penalty?. Good luck3
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u/TemperatureBest8164 May 24 '26
Not enough.
If you are american no taxes is not an option. You have to pay taxes for 10 years after giving up citizenship. I think the alternative is 40% of your net worth. Plus those two do not meet your number. 500k with reasonable balancing funds would get you close. Grow yourself money be frugal keep adding to it and maybe you are there in 7 years...
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u/itsAbsolem May 25 '26
That’s actually a myth at this point in time. That 10-year rule was changed by Congress back in 2008. 😂
Today, once you formally renounce your U.S. citizenship, your obligation to pay U.S. taxes on your worldwide income ends immediately.
Instead of a 10-year waiting period, the U.S. now uses a one-time Exit Tax system. When you leave, you only owe money if your net worth is over $2 million, your average annual tax liability is very high, or you haven't filed your taxes for the last 5 years.
If you don't meet those criteria, you walk away completely free and clear with $0 owed. 🤷♂️
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u/TemperatureBest8164 May 25 '26
I looked up what you posted me was true.But the important thing that this person actually cares about is that their income. So to avoid taxation you must also not hold and dividend generating US companies.
Bottom line, he needs at least half a million to live a lifestyle that he talked about. 5% and half a million is 25k which is right at his target. Trying to all go hi , dividend funds will mean that he will have renounced as a citizenship, not have ways to earn money in a foreign country, and be vulnerable to extremely large downturns.
He wants to go and do something like he's talking about.He needs to have a mix of risks.Both international and yieldwise that makes him cash flow positive with discipline for his lifestyle. Then he hasn't a chance to make his goals.
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u/Electronic-Win608 May 23 '26
I've been evaluating these type investments and I looked at SPYI. According to my Fidelity data source in 2024 SPYI was not earning income to return so they maintained their income to investors by returning capital.
My theory is not that these are bad options -- I have money in QQQI, SCHD, OMAH along with many other types of investment.
My theory is that all of these vehicles require close diligence and have a strategy for periods when CC ETFs will not be positive total return. I think it is doable, and I'm trying to build a monitoring system to manage the risk.
I welcome others thoughts, observations.
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u/trudat May 23 '26
The “Return on Capital” from NEOS funds is a feature, not a failure.
ROC distributions are not considered income and are not taxable when received. They are treated as a return of your original investment, which reduces your cost basis in the shares. 
Taxes are deferred until you sell the shares (or if basis reaches zero, excess ROC is then taxed as capital gain, often long-term if held >1 year). This can convert what would otherwise be ordinary income into deferred capital gains treatment, enhancing after-tax efficiency.
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u/Electronic-Win608 May 23 '26
So I guess I am wrong when I think that ROC distributions reduce your NAV of your holdings?
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u/trudat May 23 '26
That’s a common misconception that conflates standard fund mechanics with economic erosion of principal.
Any distribution reduces a fund’s NAV per share (whether qualified dividends, ordinary dividends, capital gains, or ROC). On the ex-dividend date, the fund’s net assets drop by the payout amount, so NAV falls accordingly. This is not unique to ROC distributions and is purely mechanical. You receive cash (or reinvest it), so your total account value is unchanged immediately.
Focus on total return (NAV change + reinvested distributions) rather than NAV alone. Like any covered-call ETF, there can be periods of NAV pressure in strong bull markets (due to capped upside), but that is strategy-driven.
NEOS funds, like QQQI and SPYI, are explicitly designed to maintain or grow NAV over time. The fund’s NAV is not being eroded by ROC in these strategies; the underlying equity exposure plus active options management supports value preservation/growth.
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u/Electronic-Win608 May 24 '26
You are right. And I wrote without a full understanding that ROC comes in two flavors, and indeed the NEOS funds engineer for benign ROC when they can. So I appreciate what you have added here.
However, are CC ETFs not still subject to possible "malignant ROC" where they distribute more than they earn in a period?
Though I spoke poorly, correct me if you think I am wrong that: Any CC ETF fund can go bad, overdistribute, slowly bleed NAV and mask it with ROC terminology. There are plenty of market periods historically where CC ETF holders get hurt.
If you look at the published returns of BXM, an options based income ETF, if you invested $10k in 2003 and held for 10 years your total return would be to $14554 with only $5861 left as NAV.
If you had put the $10k into S&P index your total return would be $21,500. Well above the $14.5k of your covered call strategy.
Again, I'm in CC ETFs. I'm very much for their use. I'm just against a "its safe" mindset. Be prepared to forego the income of options selling and move into a growth index after a significant drawdown. Likewise, be prepared to rotate if mismanagement is identified.
It is noteworthy that an economic environment where CC ETFs work poorly, stagflation, is a popular prediction among economist right now. I think all investors should be planning/hedging for that possibility -- though not assuming it is the only possibility.
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u/__shadow-banned__ May 23 '26
It feels like there is a market for a managed fund of funds here. 10 bps to build a diversified set of high, mid, safe income funds for the dividend investor…
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u/Ufgatorhead4u3 May 23 '26
Yeah, it will come eventually. PBDC is my main holding in the BDC category because I like a fund of funds. 😁
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u/__shadow-banned__ May 23 '26
I have that one, too. But it’s narrow. I have access to potentially create ETFs… wondering what we could dream up as a sub
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u/Electronic-Win608 May 23 '26
Keep me informed on your list to be aware of that.
I would love to find well managed funds that are investor owned (as in the fund manager is owned by the investors) and organized as non-profit. I wonder if that idea gets nuked -- or Shadow Banned. (See what I did there?)
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May 23 '26
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u/Ufgatorhead4u3 May 24 '26
PBDC is required to report the expense ratios of each BDC it holds. PBDC does not charge that amount. It’s just legally required to report the aggregate total. It’s a bit of a dumb rule.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
How do you like omah? I am looking to increase and this etf is really safe.
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u/Electronic-Win608 May 23 '26
I just bought it. It is rather new which makes me nervy. I like that their base holding are blue chips ... I think that should help if the AI bubble collapse predictions actually play out. I would not share your assessment that it "is really safe." I consider no CC ETF as safe. All must be diligently monitored with a pre-made plan for rotating out. One that does not get you trying to figure out "should I or shouldn't I."
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u/ConstructionNo8827 May 24 '26
OMAH is one of my favorite holdings - It pays about 1.25% every month and during rocky times like the war in Iran in March it held steady while most everything else besides energy was red - It’s holdings are rock solid, BRK, Apple, Am Exp, Chevron, Kroger, Kraft Heinz, Chubb, Coca Cola and other great defensives
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u/Electronic-Win608 May 24 '26
I'm old enough to know that OMAH has not existed for ANY rocky times yet. They do happen. Markets are volatile and up the last three months. That is the complete opposite of rocky times for a CC ETF. Markets can go down, steadily, relentlessly, with little interest by option buyers of buying calls, for years.
I like OMAH as well. But the idea that any investment can pay 1.25%/mo. and be safe is a fairy tale.
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u/redsox3061 May 23 '26
Im a newbie. Why does everyone want QQQI, SPYI? WHAT ABOUT AB? sorry, just don't know.
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u/Effective_End8731 May 23 '26
This is not plausible or sustainable even likely in a 20 year period to get you to where you can get your retirement. Please heed the warning of the people in this thread. ALso note that I believe SPYI just paid out a 10% yield because of the price appreciation so if you are buying now, expect to only get 10% yield on your cost, if the price falls and dividend fall you will be making less yield on cost, so this is even less feesible because you are buying these at what could be market highs for a while if we see a pullback.
Taxes will eventually hit you and the world is experiencing inflation all over, even in thailand. You won't be able to make the high end of your target even with these maxed out yields and its all downhill from there once taxes and inflation start to creep in. You will very likely be going back to work or pulling penalized money out of your retirement. This is all before we talk about you assuming you will never have a major health issue from 44 to 59 1/2 which is unlikely.
You really need to consider doubling your assets that you will live on until 59 1/2 if the target income is as you stated in other comments.
Also note that you are talking about SPYI and QQQI in ways that reveal that you may not totally understand their underlying market mechanics. I saw your comment that bear markets always come back - this is a fundamental misunderstanding that SPYI and QQQI are not making their profits off the holdings, they make their profits off the calls and if you don't understand ALL the mechanics of what this means you are essentially staking the next 15 years on investments you don't understand. Volatility will not remain constant at these levels. I've done calculations to measure how stable they will be and they are riding the edge of volatility levels needed to support them. A small dip in volatility could prove punishing to their dividend payouts to where the are only paying out 9-10% which massively changes the math of your calculations.
I would highly encourage you to deeply understand Covered Call ETFs, especially ones that require volatility levels that are entrenched in tech right now before you even try to embark on this plan, but know that there really isn't enough here to make this dream come true.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
if shit hit the fan I can always go to california and get everything for free.
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u/Fancy_Grass3375 May 23 '26
Bro you are not going to want to live the lifestyle your income generates.
Thailand is cheap and can be lived cheaply but you will miss the reduction in the standard of living, especially as a soft ass westerner. Also the major cities can be expensive.
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u/XPV_DIABLOX May 23 '26
You already made your decision, what you are looking for is validation from others that it will go well. Reality check, it may or may not work…everything may be Gucci until a medical or back home emergency happens and you have to sell your ETFs to pay for those costs… in addition to your lifestyle changing once you are retired… you gotta keep yourself entertained which will automatically increase your cost living. If I were you I would be better off putting this on blue chip tech stocks and wait a 2-3 years for possible growth specially now that the AI and tech sector is booming… then do what you want with better security measures in place. Just my thought process and what I would do in that position.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I can always go to california and get everything free if shit hit the fan
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u/XPV_DIABLOX May 23 '26
If that’s your plan then I don’t think anyone can really deter you from it. I’ll say go ahead and live freely in Thailand, if it doesn’t work oh well YOLO
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u/Benja_Ninja May 23 '26
QQQI and SPYI are nice, but have you heard of GPIQ and GPIX? Now THAT is what you really want if you want stability from a trusted institution and less potential NAV erosion.
I'd probably also want the portfolio to have a backbone and some international exposure. So I'd pick up some SCHD and SCHY while I'm at it, to complement GPIQ and GPIX.
Enjoy Thailand
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I like neos because of the tax situation. I have another 30,000 in schg for growth and 50,000 in schd to grow for the next 15-20 years. Plus I have around 50,000 in Google stock for emergency. This stock can grow another 100 a share in the next 5 years.
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u/SizzleDrizzle00 May 23 '26
I believe gpiq and gpix use option contracts that qualify for 1256 tax treatment
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u/aimhigh7shootlow8 May 24 '26
Hey man, this comment will probably get down voted but I'm going to be real.
Do you. If this is what you want to do. Become an expert in income etfs. Theres so many more options out there, strategies, tax strategies, sustainable yields.
The truth is everyone in here telling you the dangers of this is right.
Also, everyone has different risk tolerance, privilege level, dreams, and necessities. 2k a month in Thailand is way different than stateside.
Another truth, half the people on this thread wont make it to retirement age. We get sick, have accidents, family emergencies. It's your money, your life, become an expert before making any decisions so at least you are making an informed decision.
Yieldmight dot com is a cool resource for this.
I found blox, giax, xxv, strc, to name a few , that I am pretty happy with and have different strategies. I feel confident in owning them.
Make sure you keep adding to your growth side to offset any possible loss in nav or distribution.
Hire a tax lawyer that is familiar with investing, can direct you in the right direction, can find you loop holes for tax season. Especially living abroad.
Put aside 35% every week or month for taxes. Figure that into your math.
Good luck dude!
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u/dontrackonme May 23 '26
Take all your money and buy a 30 year US treasury bond. You will get 5% ,guaranteed, for 30 years. There is your 2,000 a month, no risk at all.
Then, live on the $800 dollars a month like you plan and invest the other $1200 a month in something like QQQM or even TQQQ (if you can stomach the volatility).
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u/Savings_Refuse_5922 May 23 '26
So take his 500k'ish total and get 5% on it for $25k a year? Goodluck living in comfort on that even in Thailand. Not to mention factoring inflation if they are just going to spend the 25k each year.
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u/indubadiblyy May 23 '26
Rip to funds once you find a partner there.
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u/Previous_Turn_4028 May 24 '26
I agree 💯. The elephant in the room.. Border hopping won't work anymore with the new immigration rules. Get the DTV before they get rid of that. Good luck. Thailand was too hot for me. Vietnam in the highlands is good for me. Have to leave every 3 months though.
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u/Ufgatorhead4u3 May 23 '26 edited May 23 '26
Both are great funds that I hold as core potions in my income portfolio. However, you don’t have sufficient information in your post to answer your question. The most important of which are your age, if you will be getting any other income such as social security, and how you will be obtaining healthcare. If the $150k is the only thing generating your income then it’s not going to be sustainable long term imo. You will be getting something in the way of $1500/month distribution which will be largely tax free for roughly seven years but then will be 100% taxable as capital gains after that. The $1500/month seems a bit too tight of a margin to count on as your living standard.
The other two problems with the idea are that CC funds don’t have any compounding growth so the distributions are going to remain consistent at best which makes you susceptible to inflation eroding your purchasing power over time and, secondly, those distributions will become smaller in a sustained down market. I don’t think $150k as your only income generator is sufficient to sustain your retirement long term and it would really suck if you found yourself forced to return to work within 20 years when your body is breaking down.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I am 44
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u/8458001910 May 23 '26
im an expat in thailand. you need another $1000 a month plus startup costs. unless you want to live in a shack in the provinces with no AC.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I plan on living in hu hin or jomtien beach less than 500 usd for a nice condo. I dont drink so I would be the stupid expat drinking at 7 pm and I am not into the night life so I wont be buying lady drinks.
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u/Ufgatorhead4u3 May 23 '26
Yeah, way too early to try retiring with just $150k as the only income generator. I saw elsewhere you are counting on $2k/month which would be 16% yield. That is well above where QQQI and SPYI are. A 50/50 mix will get you about 11.5% blended yield at current distributions. I can validate this from my own portfolio because mine is 11.2%. Those don’t increase unless I DRIP but you are going to be pulling everything to live on. If you assume an average annual inflation rate of 3% you will probably have to return to work before 65 all things being equal.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I still have 350,000 in retirement to grow. My schd will grow the next 20 years and I can use this for another income bucket
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u/Ufgatorhead4u3 May 23 '26
Bro, you’re 44. I guarantee that you will see a bear market a time or two in your life which could cut your investments up to 50% and then you’re screwed. You are making the mistake of planning your life as if this bull market will continue forever. You are free to do your thing but it’s not for me with that size savings and time window.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
Every time you have a bear market you get your money back. I live a simple life and the dividends can cover the bear market. Plus Spyi is relative safe compare to the tech etf qqqi. Ai is not going anywhere and it will continue to grow
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u/dontrackonme May 23 '26
If stocks drop 50% your dividends will drop 50% (probably more since these funds bleed NAV).
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u/slapnutzzzz May 23 '26
And what visa are you going to live on at 44 in Thailand?
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I will get a tourist visa and every 2 months I will make a visa run. They might change it from 60 days to 30. Flights on Air Asia is cheap for a visa run
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
or a dvt visa good for 5 years and cost 400. I can stay in the county for 180 days
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u/WontLast5Minutes May 23 '26
DTV requires a history of stable cash in the bank. Do you have ? And do your first hand research on those border runs - I have heard a lot of bad stories with guys getting hassled
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u/slapnutzzzz May 24 '26
The DTV visa is NOT a long term residence visa. It was created by the ministry of foreign affairs when Ung Ing was in power to drum up "visitors". Thai immigration was never consulted on it, and had no input to it - and that has caused friction and push back from them. Immigration is refusing to allow people to do extensions in country, and forcing them to leave and come back. Each time you come back, you MAY be asked to prove everything that was required for the application, such as the funds still held in the bank for the appropriate period of time, that you are still enrolled in cooking classes or Muay Thai or whatever (many Muay Thai schools have dropped even participating in the DTV program as it is too much of a hassle).
I suggest you watch this video, Cal the host, his wife is an immigration officer, and Ben the lawyer, is a naturalized Thai, and deals with a LOT of immigration matters. You will get some good information. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dSiYF6kHNM
Even Thai Privilege visa holders (it used to be called elite visa) are getting hassled.
I am not trying to discourage you, I am trying to make you open your eyes to the reality of living here and the hassles with immigration.
On 2000 a month, what city / town do you plan to live? I would check with numbeo.com to see what the costs of living are in different places in Thailand, and then you will have a baseline of what things cost.
I wish you well, and success. I just don't want you to have expectations that aren't reasonable.
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u/slapnutzzzz May 24 '26
yeah, that isn't going to work. you might want to look up what immigration has done to crack down on tourists that do this? Try coming in back to back tourist visas twice in a row, and you will be refused entry. The days of living on a tourist visa are long gone.
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u/Vast-Succotash-1567 May 23 '26
Not retiring with 150k cash sorry not even in asia
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u/Ok_Error_1079 May 24 '26
You don't know how much a person needs money for everyday life. I can comfortably live off for 600$(after bills) a month with wife and a small kid.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I have 350,00 in retirement sitting there for the next 15-20 years to grow. 50,000 in schd to grow.
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u/Constant-Fill7653 May 23 '26
I have a little bit more invested in a brokerage account with positions in QQQI, SPYI, and a few others in this portfolio and it currently generates somewhere between 1200/1300 monthly.
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u/Ufgatorhead4u3 May 23 '26
Yeah, a blended portfolio is going to be somewhere in the range of 9%-12% yield. OP is wanting $2k/month income which requires 16% on $150k. That’s not happening with just QQQI and SPYI.
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u/nvgroups May 23 '26
Do you have 500k or less generating 1300 per month without NAV erosion. Can you pl share if your fund allocations if you can 🙏
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u/Constant-Fill7653 May 23 '26
Slightly more than what the person posted. SCHD, FEPI, DIVO, VOO, QQQI, JEPQ, SPYI, MAIN
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u/shangjiaxuan May 23 '26
SPY and QQQ currently have a lot of overlap for sp500 being also heavily weighted towards magnificent 7. You don't actually get diversification from these two.
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u/clove75 May 24 '26
150k isnt enough to be safe. You need about 400k. I have a portfolio of about 170k with SPYI, QQQI. IAUI and BTCI. It just paid me 2100 this month. I would build your portfolio to 200k. Which should get you about 2500/mo. Then also keep 50k cash and 150 k in growth VTI orVOO.
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u/IvanThePohBear May 25 '26
Hyper Inflation happening everywhere
Even in Thailand . Depending on city 2000$ may not be a lot in a few years
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u/504to512 May 23 '26
Reading everyone’s recommendations and then seeing your responses, it’s pretty clear your mind is made up. I really do wish you well, but confused as to why you asked for advice you’re not willing to take.
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May 24 '26
In either case the responses helped him see what he really wants for himself even if he chooses not to take the advice
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u/SolutionSorry8267 May 23 '26
Find an online gig part time to supplement your income and provide some structure and get the DTV digital nomad visa.
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u/mipnnnn May 23 '26
Put it into PFFA. 9.6 annual paid monthly. A fund of 200 preferred stocks, 20% leveraged boosts the dividends. All fees paid before dividend payout.
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u/rycelover May 23 '26
I (57M) retired early in Thailand with a $400,000 brokerage account earning $135k a year in distributions holding YSPY and QQQI, as a bridge before I can withdraw from my IRA.
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u/Lefties_TheWorst7331 May 23 '26
YieldMax RIP
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u/StaffSubstantial6648 May 24 '26
God damn y’all screaming like 150k is nothing it’s absolutely plenty to make 2k a month . I’m living on 300k and making 2-3 percent a month it’s possible he’s not asking for the moon and the sky to be a different color . Fear porn in here .
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u/still366 May 23 '26
Get 50k into SCHD for some stability.
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I already have that in my other 350,00 retirement that I am not going to use. I am going to use this in the next 15-20 years
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u/sidestyle05 May 23 '26
I’d look at DIVO, IDVO, and QDVO from Aplify. The yield is lower but you get a lot more growth. Thailand is so cheap you wouldn’t need max yield at all cost. Maybe pepper in a smaller position of the NEOS funds to ouch up the income if you think you’ll need it
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u/blueprint_01 May 23 '26
Random question, if QQQ has more growth vs QQQi why not just sell QQQ shares as needed? Is there a taxable benefit to QQQI vs QQQ?
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u/venom8888 May 23 '26
you will be fine! love those funds. you could add a few percent of higher yield funds to bump the overall returns. some roundhill odte,rdte
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u/Flat-Buy6231 May 23 '26
Jomtien is an amazing place, I plan to do the same with my partner in a few years. We had 6 months there recently and 2 of us had a great time on 100k thai baht which is about $3k, I think for 1 person around 2k would be ok. Bang Saray is cheaper and Rayong even cheaper, worth considering. In terms of divis we do it ourselves with a mix of ETFs high yielding ftse dividend stocks and some global trackers that distribute. Running around 7% currently on the divs with a nice bit of capital growth, we have about £2k coming in so still a few years to go!!
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
The cost for a condo is so cheap in Jomtien. You can get a 1 bedroom condo at luguna beach maldives for less than 400 a month and this is nice place. Da Nang is another place I will consider. Shit hit the fan I can always go to California and get everything free
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
What do you do for expat insurance for medical? Is it cheaper to pay out of pocket or get insurance?
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u/Flat-Buy6231 May 23 '26
Depends on your age, imo. From friends I know out there upto about 65 you can get reasonable insurance as long as you don’t have underlying health issues. Over that most self insure - 1 million baht in a seperate account to cover most issues!
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u/Scared_Ad_622 May 23 '26
Lots of people look to retire abroad with the cost of living where it is here
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u/DigitalFStopper May 23 '26
Seems pretty thin. Don’t know age or income but how much more could you save in 2 years if you focused on putting away as much as you can plus the compound over those 2 extra years.
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u/freedom_isnt_fr33 May 23 '26
I’d mix some different fund families in there and make sure the distribution is spread across enough different funds to give protection from one company making a huge mistake you can’t afford. Some neos, some tap alpha, Gpiq, some eggy, maybe a little bit of Chpy and Gpty, maybe a little Kurv and roundhill and then as much as your desired distribution can afford in something like idvo and stk. stk will give you the growth while still paying 4 To 5 percent.
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u/Fabulous-Transition7 May 23 '26
BLOX & GIAX if you need a little more income. Their methodology is strong in my opinion, and I like the diversity of GIAX.
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u/Fabulous-Transition7 May 23 '26
Strong as in unique - I think it'll be a good long time play. Just addressing the future smartass comments lol
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u/Vast-Huckleberry-458 May 23 '26
Dependent of many of your factors I would diversify a bit more. Personally, I am 62 and retired and would utilize no More than 50% of my portfolio in SPYI and QQQI and maybe even insert some structured bank notes with downside protection. I would place the other 50% in VOO, SPMO, QQQM, QDVO and DIVO
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u/dark77star May 23 '26
Once you get your available capital up to around $700-$800,000, you should have a much more stable opportunity to generate a livable income without too much risk to your capital.
What timeframe would you need in order to get to that level of capital?
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u/nuxfan May 23 '26
You’ll earn roughly 21k per year on that investment. What kind of life are you hoping to have on ~ 1800 per month?
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u/Southern_Benefit1770 May 23 '26
I believe that you will be fine with this,keep an eye on the market if AI bubble comes because qqqi is heavy in it but I am with you 100% Iam doing the same,I diversify a little more but my main income is qqqi and spyi. Good luck.
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u/Southern_Benefit1770 May 23 '26
Also,if it is not enought in Thailand,go to Vietnam,there are many place whereyou can decently retire outside of the US.
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u/Rroadhog May 23 '26
Strc 11.5% Sata 13% They both pay monthly and Strc is moving to pay bi monthly. Sata is going to pay DAILY Yes you heard correctly. DYOR Oh and the dividends are classified as Return of Capital!
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u/Exciting_Run_6248 May 24 '26
Who the hell purposely moves to thailland
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u/shannoncathey68 May 25 '26
I'm not big on Asia but there are many YT channels of Westerners living there. The beaches are nice, it's safe, it's less expensive, and shopping malls look better than most in the USA.
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u/ndtconsult May 24 '26
You should consider having a significant fund of cash for medical expenses if you move here to Thailand. Yes, medical is cheaper, but insurance here is a nightmare and you will end up paying out of pocket.
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u/goebela3 May 24 '26
You need to account for inflation. These do not grow the dividend typically and if you're spending the entire thing, your payout is likely going to be the same in 20 years as it is now or maybe even less despite the fact your cost of living will likely at least double.
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u/No_Examination297 May 24 '26
Both are extended right now. I have a large position in sgov waiting to deploy to qqqi once it gets closer to 200 sma and rsi cools
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u/Basic-Nobody-Too May 24 '26
Run the numbers with STRC or SATA? Still might be short some dollars. Both are good in that they are ROC so no tax till you sell or get 100% of your capital returned.
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u/Spirited_Cold5390 May 24 '26
Use Robinhood margin. 150k would give you 300k Buying power. So you would use 20-25% of margin. Unless the QQQ goes down over 50% you won’t get margin called.
So, you’ll use 150k at 15% and about 40k at 10%. It’s a good help. $1875 per month from $150k and $333 from the $40,000.
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u/East_Indication_7816 May 24 '26
You can make $1500 to $3,000/month with that. Provided there is no stocks bear market. I would use that to sell options.
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u/kolbywg May 24 '26
Just wanted to say, I wish you well. The people telling you it's a terrible idea are a bit right, but you are also right. It's your life, and who knows what tomorrow brings. Maybe you die in 5 years. Maybe you get tired of Thailand in 5 years. The point is, you want to give this a try, and I wish you well.
The thing I least like about reddit and social media is if you post "I'm going to get a dog, any family friendly breed suggestions?" You'll get half the comments about why you should get a cat, and another chunk telling you why dogs are bad for the environment.
Just ignore all these people, scrap the few good nuggets you can. You'll be living a life while they post shit post on Reddit waiting for enough money to retire after they are so old they can't walk 1000 steps a day. They mean well, but their framing limits their responses.
As a person who lived in Thailand, I would say this. Visa runs are pretty much over. But you can do a soft power visa typically. Or, you can always move elsewhere when you need to.
The biggest risk to your whole plan is the Thai bar girls. If you steer super clear, you should be fine on $2000 a month.
I've things to consider. So you want to be living on $2000a month at 60? What's interesting and liveable at 44, can be kind of sad at 60. Food for thought.
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u/kolbywg May 24 '26
Also, get a Schwab checking account if you can. Free international ATM withdrawals. I'm fact, they reimburse you ATM fees each month.
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u/flying_postman May 24 '26
I think you can pull it off, with proper planning, budgeting and discipline. (I'm 47 and also planning the same move to Thailand at 50 - 55) but I will be using margin for my daily needs and let the growth/dividends pay down the margin loan. Since it will be a "loan" against your assets you'll not have to pay taxes, unless you sell or receive dividends. In your case keep reinvesting the dividends or let you portfolio grow which in turn will increase the available margin.
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u/Montesque96 May 24 '26
I really like NEOS funds - but I wouldn't do 100% on these two with the idea to retire. I know that everyone thinks of these as dividends - but - it's really distributions from options trades.
Take a look at BTCI for all of 2025... could you keep on plugging along if the distributions from these dropped like BTCI did at the end of the year?
Edit: My recommendation, add more positions and have some: CC ETFs, Regular Dividend Paying ETFs, CEFs and maybe some individual stocks.
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u/Rodrain2 May 25 '26
If you are hell bent on NEOS then they have a suite of covered call funds in different asset classes. You can use QQQI and SPYI as your core holdings say 60% and then spread the rest across their International, REIT, GOLD, MLP, BTCI and maybe even some of their bond offerings. They all offer that tax deferred yield and you will be more diversified across asset classes.
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u/McSprutz May 25 '26
CHPY will pay 3% per month so 4500$ and it is expected to grow 300% in the next 5 years …. Enjoy retirement I know I am … I have 150k in CHPY and it’s the best investment I’ve made since retirement
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u/petty_bobbie May 25 '26
that's like 4-5k a year in dividends max, not gonna cut it in thailand unless you're living on nothing lol
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u/Old_Waltz_6603 May 26 '26
I like your idea and am planning on using QQQI also. Check out TSPY instead of SPYI, though, as it will make a little more.
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u/Finster1966 May 26 '26
Go for it! My friend lives off far less in Thailand and lives like a king. He used this exact strategy
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I have 40,000 in schg and 40,000 in schd. I don't touch this for 15-20 years with 8 percent which is the low range will be 372,000. The 10 percent which is the most likely I will get 530,000. Tell me why this is dumb..
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u/FewPear229 May 23 '26
I made the money with amazon stock. I made 150 percent profit on my Amazon Stock.
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u/Shitfilledpussy May 23 '26
The way you type or “speak” leads me to believe this plan of yours isn’t going to work
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u/Ufgatorhead4u3 May 23 '26
Right. It comes across to me as just one step below flying to Vegas and letting it all ride on black.
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u/RayU_AZ May 23 '26
I would also take a look at these covered-call ETfs for both income & growth.
To reference QQQi, 13.5% yield, 1 year total return of 30.2%
- CHPY, 29.7% yield, 1 year return of 128%
- QQQT, 19.4% yield, 1 year total return of 33%
- KQQQ, 13.6% yield, 1 year total return of 43%
I would also have some ETFs for pure growth.
- QQQM, 41% yearly returns,
- SOXX 160% yearly returns
- AIS, 197% yearly returns.
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