Income Investing Results - July

[dickoncapecod]

My total dividend yield is currently about $18,000 a month. What’s great about it is that I don’t chase yield (I certainly don't chase garbage ETFs) —40% of my portfolio is actually in tech companies with

My total dividend yield is currently about $18,000 a month. What’s great about it is that I don’t chase yield (I certainly don't chase garbage ETFs) —40% of my portfolio is actually in tech companies with very little yield.

Once again, good for you. Congrats on your success. I just don't understand why you decided to post on a thread populated mostly by investors whose goals focus on income, are interested in CURRENT income investment opportunities, and don't own time machines.

 

[Flieger]

No crit, but let me suggest something. Consider adopting a different "chasing" program ASSESSMENT APPROACH before becoming disappointed. I now know my distribution income earned in July. The basic stuff I started with threw off 24.6k. Swapping with an eye to later post-7/11 ex-date opportunities --- and executing on some but not all ---- I added another 3.8k for sure before a more complex AGNC buy-write that will throw off at least 3k. So instead of 24.6k, the PORTFOLIO is throwing off at least 31.4k. I still hold some/some % of assets picked up on swap and have not "reestablished" my month starting position ---- because THAT'S not my objective. But income growth is ---- and BEFORE receiving the distribution income coming soon, my PORTFOLIO is up 2.4% in the past month. Some ex-date swaps were "losers" and some were "winners " but I pay no attention to those details ---- just PORTFOLIO value and PORTFOLIO income. FWIW.....just a different focus.....
Regards, Dick

Let me digest what you’re trying to tell me. Thanks.

Flieger

 

[COcheesehead]

I wonder why some folks get so upset when someone invests differently then they do?

 

[Flyfish1]

just PORTFOLIO value and PORTFOLIO income

Right there with you Dick! I am focused on smart moves to increase the portfolio income. I don't trade as much as some of you but I reinvest excess funds every month to increase income. Or take advantage of some appreciation and reallocate to better CEF's. It's ridiculously fun and profitable. Current portfolio is averaging $34.5k/mo and is up 9% YOY even with substantial withdrawals every month.

 

[Flyfish1]

I wonder why some folks get so upset when someone invests differently then they do?

To be "right".

 

[dickoncapecod]

I forgot to specify an important caveat on my ex-date swap post above: the results I mentioned are EXCLUSIVELY from my IRA, where taxes are not an issue. I very seldom swap in my taxable accounts.
Regards, Dick

 

[Onda]

I forgot to specify an important caveat on my ex-date swap post above: the results I mentioned are EXCLUSIVELY from my IRA, where taxes are not an issue. I very seldom swap in my taxable accounts.
Regards, Dick

I love Newburyport. I am in Cambridge. Maybe we can meet for a coup of cofee one day.

 

[Texas Proud]

I wonder why some folks get so upset when someone invests differently then they do?

Agree... there are many ways to invest and make money... some here has done it with RE... others 100% stock... etc. etc... but as some are saying here the reason you invest can change over time... and is also based on how much you have...

Many years ago I read Suzy Orman was all into Treasuries... seemed strange but she had so much it really did not affect her life... could she have made more? Sure... did she care? Probably not..

 

[dobig]

I forgot to specify an important caveat on my ex-date swap post above: the results I mentioned are EXCLUSIVELY from my IRA, where taxes are not an issue. I very seldom swap in my taxable accounts.
Regards, Dick

Dick which cefs do you hold in your taxable?

I just did swaps today in our retirement and taxable accounts without considering the tax implications.

 

[COcheesehead]

All my CEFs are in deferred

 

[dickoncapecod]

Dick which cefs do you hold in your taxable?

I just did swaps today in our retirement and taxable accounts without considering the tax implications.

Hi. Just PIMCOs I hold everywhere: PDI PHK PFN. Most have been there a couple years.
Regards, Dick

 

[FlyingCircus]

Small fry here: $30K in dividends through 1st 6 months of year. All but $1400 from CEFS. All in TIRAs, almost all reinvested, so growing. That rate represents about 60% of our expenses!
Fortunate to have stumbled upon this CEF approach and community!
FC

 

[Flieger]

No crit, but let me suggest something. Consider adopting a different "chasing" program ASSESSMENT APPROACH before becoming disappointed. I now know my distribution income earned in July. The basic stuff I started with threw off 24.6k. Swapping with an eye to later post-7/11 ex-date opportunities --- and executing on some but not all ---- I added another 3.8k for sure before a more complex AGNC buy-write that will throw off at least 3k. So instead of 24.6k, the PORTFOLIO is throwing off at least 31.4k. I still hold some/some % of assets picked up on swap and have not "reestablished" my month starting position ---- because THAT'S not my objective. But income growth is ---- and BEFORE receiving the distribution income coming soon, my PORTFOLIO is up 2.4% in the past month. Some ex-date swaps were "losers" and some were "winners " but I pay no attention to those details ---- just PORTFOLIO value and PORTFOLIO income. FWIW.....just a different focus.....
Regards, Dick

Ok, I thought through this a little more. I think I am understanding that you would not (necessarily) look to re-establish to your original position(s), assuming that they were meeting the criteria of NOT damaging overall portfolio value?

Flieger

 

[dickoncapecod]

Dick which cefs do you hold in your taxable?

I just did swaps today in our retirement and taxable accounts without considering the tax implications.

Hi. Just PIMCOs I hold everywhere: PDI PHK PFN.

Ok, I thought through this a little more. I think I am understanding that you would not (necessarily) look to re-establish to your original position(s), assuming that they were meeting the criteria of NOT damaging overall portfolio value?

Flieger

Yes...but more to it. I don't ASSESS success of ex-date swaps based on immediate outcomes for individual later ex-dates purchased because it's the whole portfolio that's involved. Your returns are driven not just by what late ex-date CEFs you buy BUT ALSO the performance of what you DON'T own --- having sold it in the ex-swap. Further, while it's nice if a large ex-date CEF MARKET PRICE jumps up immediately, the MEASURE of the trade in isolation is whether the NAV has recovered just before the NEXT ex-date.
BOTTOM LINE: EVERY ex-date swap is a PORTFOLIO modification. Measuring the success of ex-date swaps by focusing on the immediate outcome of HALF the swap trade doesn't catch the complex effects on the entire portfolio. THAT is what I think needs to be watched to measure success.
Regards, Dick

 

[Flieger]

Yes...but more to it. I don't ASSESS success of ex-date swaps based on immediate outcomes for individual later ex-dates purchased because it's the whole portfolio that's involved. Your returns are driven not just by what late ex-date CEFs you buy BUT ALSO the performance of what you DON'T own --- having sold it in the ex-swap. Further, while it's nice if a large ex-date CEF MARKET PRICE jumps up immediately, the MEASURE of the trade in isolation is whether the NAV has recovered just before the NEXT ex-date.
BOTTOM LINE: EVERY ex-date swap is a PORTFOLIO modification. Measuring the success of ex-date swaps by focusing on the immediate outcome of HALF the swap trade doesn't catch the complex effects on the entire portfolio. THAT is what I think needs to be watched to measure success.
Regards, Dick

Were you ever a professor?

The way I am/was looking at success for this is as follows. Note that I am (mostly) using the Short Term (Cash Equivalent) only. I did veer from that this past with DX in/out activity.

1. Current holding ("Primary" ST Income Portfolio Holding) - Current Value (when sold) and Dividend Received (that month)
2. "Div Chase" holding (bought for Div only) - Current Value (when bought) and Div Received (that month)
3. Measure - Current Div, + additional Div from the "Div Chase", +/- any price changes from selling and buying of "Primary" and "Div Chase" funds.

My thinking was to always return to the JAAA/JBBB "Primary" Funds (at least until I decide there is a better one).

A successful "Chase" is that the Measure is positive. That means that what I did (with these particular funds) was better (positive with increased Div $'s and Total net change $'s) than if I did nothing but hold the Primary funds. I think this addresses not considering only half of the swap (bolded in your statement above)? Or maybe I am too dense...

Looking at overall Portfolio I agree is important, but with 20+ other funds I could have a gain (or decrease) in overall Portfolio value while having a net negative "Measure" due strictly to the other funds. Measuring the Overall Portfolio Performance and whatever changes there, to me, is a separate activity.

I still have to digest your statement above. Thanks for the dialog, I'm always eager to learn!

Flieger

 

[Flieger]

So instead of 24.6k, the PORTFOLIO is throwing off at least 31.4k.
Regards, Dick

Additionally to my earlier response, these numbers are so much higher than what I am doing monthly it threw me off. Obviously I am working with a lower "stash".

Looking at it from a percentage view, you have increased your income by 27%.

For me, based on my average monthly Div of $10.5k, that would be an increase of $2.9k to get $13.4k.

I could live with that!

Flieger

 

[COcheesehead]

I track income with a goal of always having that increasing and I track total portfolio value with the same goal. Every once in a while I will track individual moves, but that is just for giggles because as long as income goes up and portfolio goes up over the long term, how much more golden is that?

 

[Flieger]

I track income with a goal of always having that increasing and I track total portfolio value with the same goal. Every once in a while I will track individual moves, but that is just for giggles because as long as income goes up and portfolio goes up over the long term, how much more golden is that?

I am pretty much doing the same. My "background" just has me as a habit creating spreadsheets and tracking changes/outcomes. In some ways I just can't help it.

At the end of the day, I want to first grow my income to account for a growth in "spending/inflation", while second at a minimum maintaining (hopefully growing) my after-spending withdrawal overall portfolio value.

I've achieved the first to an extent, but so far not the second, primarily because I've had some additional spending beyond my plan so far.

Flieger

 

[COcheesehead]

I am pretty much doing the same. My "background" just has me as a habit creating spreadsheets and tracking changes/outcomes. In some ways I just can't help it.

At the end of the day, I want to first grow my income to account for a growth in "spending/inflation", while second at a minimum maintaining (hopefully growing) my after-spending withdrawal overall portfolio value.

I've achieved the first to an extent, but so far not the second, primarily because I've had some additional spending beyond my plan so far.

View attachment 57410

Flieger

I am spreadsheet guy too. I track spending and close out our month when the credit card bill hits. This month it was on the 15th. We had two vacations on the card. It took me until yesterday to make up for the payment and now I am ahead again for the month and the year. It’s just all a game.

 

[Flieger]

So, July month end results.

Div's look pretty much as expected at $13,048.

Cost Basis is up 1.1% in July, that is after/including the living expenses income I withdrew in July. that puts YTD at -0.6%. Am hoping that will come back positive as we move forward.

Flieger

 

[COcheesehead]

YTD, through yesterday, the 30th. I got about another $1200 deposited today. This is all income, no capital gains.

 

[AudiDudi]

Still beating the major indexes.

 

[Flyfish1]

Div. income through end of July for the year: $236,663.66.
Trying to stay ahead of @COcheesehead ...lol

 

[HappilyRetired]

My dividend income for YTD in 2025 totals : $55,569.00. Just started using Divis to live on....will average about $85k per year.
Portfolio up 5.35% overall
ATH - almost! not quite.....

 

[perinova]

My dividend income for YTD in 2025 totals : $55,569.00. Just started using Divis to live on....will average about $85k per year.
Portfolio up 5.35% overall
ATH - almost! not quite.....

Can you explain Divis? I have no idea what that is.