To get $6,000/year ($500/mo) from $50,000, you need a 12% yield.
This is aggressive. You cannot do this with SCHD (3%) or JEPI (8%). You need to lean into the "Accelerator" tier (Tier 4).
The Aggressive Ladder
50% SPYI ($25,000): The S&P base. Pays ~$250/mo.
50% QQQI ($25,000): The Nasdaq booster. Pays ~$290/mo.
Total: ~$540/Month.
The Warning
This portfolio is 100% Equity Risk. If the market crashes, your $50k could become $35k. However, if you are young and adding money, this high income can be reinvested to buy more shares at cheaper prices (Dollar Cost Averaging on steroids).
Step 2: The Pivot
Once you hit $100k, we recommend pivoting some of this into DIVO or JEPI to stabilize the ship. But when you are starting small, concentration gets you to the goal faster.
This article was last audited by our Research Team on 2026-01-03. We cross-reference all yield data with official prospectus filings and FactSet. Unlike automated screeners, we manually verify "Return of Capital" classifications to ensure your tax-efficiency data is accurate.
No Pay-to-Play
DivAgent does not accept payment from ETF issuers, fund managers, or public companies to feature their products. Our Risk Tier Ratings (Tier 1 to Tier 5) are mathematically derived from volatility and drawdown metrics, not editorial opinion.
*Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only. Dividend yields are backward-looking and heavily influenced by share price movement. Past performance of a covered call strategy does not guarantee future results. Always consult a generic financial advisor before making portfolio decisions.