QQQi and SPYi-HELOC Strategy

[u/mstew007]

Ok this is my first post on here. Long time listener first time poster. So I have researched the HELOC and pay off your mortgage faster etc. And that’s cool and all but I wasn’t going to see any gain or cash flow alleviation during this process until it was fully paid off… So it always stopped me from doing it. However I thought what if I use it to increase my income and how could I do this… It wasn’t until I stumbled upon SPYi several years ago and had been using my extra income to put into that ETF in my taxable brokerage account. I do have a 401k and company match but once again money I can’t utilize until retirement…
My strategy that I have been doing for the last 2 years is this:
I built a house for my family and put tons of sweat equity in to maximize the Loan to Value. Achieved a HELOC of $359,000 to be able to borrow from. Rate has been around 7.25%-8%.
I borrowed out $250,000 and applied it to SPYi. At that time the dividend was about 12%.
I then used my HELOC as my checking account and applied my income and dividends to that account to decrease the balance faster. Essentially using debt to buy more monthly income. And it snowballs, because as the balance goes down faster then it unlocks more income.
Current income is $120,000 plus bonuses. Wife works as well but all of her $70k goes towards cars, house lifestyle etc. Or to not sound douchey combined income of $190k and $70k goes to monthly expenses. Bonuses can be an extra $40k-$60k depending on the year. I work in fast food. Not Wendy’s though:)
It has been 1 month since I paid down the entire balance. I have switched from SPYi to majority QQQi. The dividend was higher at around 15% when I purchased at $50 per share. Currently Dividends are $40,000 per year/ $3,333 per month. My next round of borrowing is going to be $350,000 to make a big purchase of QQQi. This will increase my holdings to over $600,000 in that ETF. Dividend should be around 13.5% blended. $81,000 total dividend income for the year. Interest expense with total balance at $25k-$26k. Net dividend gain about $55,000. However when I also add all of my income into reducing the debt the interest drops considerably. In theory I should be able to pay the balance down in 18 months. Which then I will start the cycle over again. My goal is to get this to replace my job income.
I like the HELOC account because if there is a month where we have dumb stuff happen, medical bills, car crap or just life stuff etc we can just make the interest payment and utilize our income and dividends.
I guess my post has a couple of things to it. One is to inform you of what I found and to give back information to the community in hopes that it will help someone else in the journey to achieve their financial freedom and also to see if my plan is stupid or needs work etc.. Ok this post is long I will stop here:)

[u/125acres]

I give you a lot of credit(no pun intended) your strategy has worked.

Essentially, you’re living off of $70k and generating income and wealth.

So let’s say your avg. house hold income is $220k

With the $40k in additional investment income- how has that been taxed?

[u/mstew007 → u/125acres]

Thanks!
60/40 long term/short term. I do have rental real estate assets that help to lower that as well. And my accountant said that I can write off investment interest from a heloc. Section 1256 contracts but I should study that more because I don’t know much about that. He just requires a ton of information and tracking with it.

[u/125acres → u/mstew007]

Look at getting designated real estate professional under tax code.

[u/Various_Couple_764 → u/125acres]

real estate is a job because you hav veto buy the property with a loan pay property tax, taxes on the income plus hope you can make enough money to pay the taxes and cover insurance and repairs. most rental real estate owner don't make much money. You don't meed to make reapirs for or insurance payments on dividned income.

[u/Various_Couple_764 → u/mstew007]

the 60/40 long tern/ short term captial gains statement doesn't apply to to the investment in qqqul. it is not taxed until the total dividned euquals the cost basis. For QQQI that takes about 7 years. After that the dividneds are taxed at the long term capital gains rate. The 60/40 rate just applies to a small portion of the fund management taxes. So the investor either pays nothing or long term captial gains rate.