How to earn $1,900 in passive income with just $10,000 in savings

I think the ASX offers some world beating opportunities for passive income investors.

| More on:
A man wearing only boardshorts stretches back on a deck chair with his arms behind his head and a hat pulled down over his face amid an idyllic beach background.

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

Got $10,000 in savings and looking to turn that into a $1,900 annual passive income stream?

That may sound like a lofty goal. But it's quite achievable if you invest in the right basket of ASX dividend shares.

Now to get $1,900 a year in extra income from an initial $10,000 investment implies a 19% dividend yield. So, barring a stroke of excellent good fortune, you're unlikely to achieve that in year one.

But by tapping into the power of compounding you could be enjoying that passive income landing in your bank account sooner than you may think.

Below, we'll look at three top ASX dividend stocks you might wish to consider. But do keep in mind that a properly diversified portfolio will hold more than just three stocks. While there's no magic number, 10 is a decent yardstick. That will help to lower the overall risk of your ASX dividend portfolio.

Also, remember that the yields you generally see quoted are trailing yields. Future yields may be higher or lower, depending on a range of company-specific and macroeconomic factors.

With that said…

Three ASX dividend stocks for passive income

The first company I'd buy for passive income is the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank stock Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ).

ANZ paid a partly franked final dividend of 94 cents per share on 22 December and will pay the interim dividend of 83 cents per share on 1 July. The ASX 200 bank stock traded ex-dividend on 13 May, so we're a bit late to score that payout.

With a full-year payout of $1.77 a share, ANZ trades on a partly franked trailing yield of 6.1% at Friday's closing price of $29.18. The ANZ share price is up 28% in 12 months.

The second company I'd buy for passive income is ASX coal stock Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL).

Over the past 12 months, Yancoal has paid two fully franked dividends, totalling 69.5 cents a share. At Friday's closing price of $6.27 a share, Yancoal trades on a fully franked trailing yield of 11.1%. The Yancoal share price is up 39% in 12 months.

And the third dividend stock I'd buy for passive income is ASX 200 mining giant Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG).

Fortescue shares delivered a fully franked final dividend of $1.00 a share on 28 September and an interim dividend of $1.08 a share on 27 March for a 12-month payout of $2.08 a share.

At Friday's closing price of $24.37, Fortescue shares trade on a fully franked trailing yield of 8.5%. The Fortescue share price is up 21% in 12 months.

So, how long will it take before we can sit back and enjoy $1,900 a year in passive income without touching or initial capital investment?

To the maths!

Assuming you buy an equal number of each of these three ASX dividend stocks, you could expect to earn a yield of 8.6%.

That would see your $10,000 of invested savings return $860 a year in passive income. Or slightly less than half our goal of $1,900.

With an 8.6% yield, you'll need to build that investment up to $22,093 before you can withdraw $1,900 a year without drawing down that capital.

Which means you'll need to be a bit patient and reinvest those dividends at first.

Now atop the dividends, I'd also expect Fortescue, Yancoal and ANZ to continue to deliver share price gains over time. However, I wouldn't expect them to deliver the same kinds of outsized gains they have over the past 12 months. But I think that an accumulated annual gain (dividends plus share price appreciation) of 10% is realistic, if not conservative.

Tapping into the power of compound interest, that would see your initial $10,000 in savings grow to $22,182 in eight years.

Then, you can sit back and enjoy an extra $1,907 in annual passive income.

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

More on How to invest

A woman sits in a quiet home nook with her laptop computer and a notepad and pen on the table next to her as she smiles at information on the screen.
How to invest

How to build a $100,000 ASX share portfolio starting at zero

Want to build a big portfolio? Here's the easiest way to do it.

Read more »

A man holding a sign which says How do I start?, indicating a beginner investor on the ASX
How to invest

Start buying shares in December with a spare $500? Here's how!

The best time to start investing is right now.

Read more »

Suncorp share price Businessman cheering and smiling on smartphone
How to invest

How to invest your first $1,000 in the share market the smart way

My first investment would look something like this if I were starting again.

Read more »

Beautiful young couple enjoying in shopping, symbolising passive income.
How to invest

The smart way to make a $25,000 passive income from ASX shares

This could be the smart way to make your money work for you.

Read more »

Happy young couple saving money in piggy bank.
How to invest

$20,000 in savings? Here's how you can use that to target an $8,000 yearly second income

Having $20,000 saved is more powerful than most people realise. Not because $20,000 can produce an income today, but because…

Read more »

A smiling woman with a handful of $100 notes, indicating strong dividend payments
How to invest

How to turn $50 a week into a six-figure ASX share portfolio

Small investments could grow into big wealth with this strategy.

Read more »

Excited couple celebrating success while looking at smartphone.
How to invest

Why today's cheap ASX shares could double my money during the next bull market

These shares could be the ones to buy if you are looking for undervalued options.

Read more »

A businessman compares the growth trajectory of property versus shares.
How to invest

The 10-year wealth plan: how to turn small savings into life-changing results

Building wealth doesn't need to be hard. Here's a simple plan you can follow.

Read more »