Earning $1,000 a week in passive income might seem like a lofty goal — especially if you're starting from scratch.
But with time, patience, and the power of compounding, it certainly is achievable through investing in ASX shares.
Let's have a look how you could build a portfolio that generates $52,000 per year in dividends — even if you're starting at $0 today.
Start with growth
When you're starting with $0, the priority isn't chasing yield — it is building wealth.
That means focusing first on high-quality ASX growth shares (and ETFs) that offer long-term capital growth potential.
This phase is all about growing your base investment so that one day, you have enough capital to produce the income you need.
Assuming an average annual return of 10%, consistently investing even modest amounts can deliver big results over time.
For example, by investing $1,000 a month and reinvesting all returns, you could build a portfolio worth just over $1 million in approximately 23 years.
Reinvest
During this accumulation phase, it's important to reinvest all dividends rather than spending them.
Dividend reinvestment plans (DRPs), which many ASX shares offer, allow you to automatically convert payouts into more shares — further accelerating your portfolio's growth.
If they aren't available, you can just reinvest your funds manually into new ASX shares or existing positions.
Over time, the effect of reinvested dividends becomes a powerful force in your portfolio, especially as your investment base grows into six figures and then beyond.
Transition to passive income
Once you've reached a portfolio balance of $1 million (or $1.04 million to be precise), you can start to shift your investments from ASX growth shares to reliable dividend-paying companies and ETFs.
With this amount, a 5% average dividend yield would generate approximately $52,000 of passive income a year — the equivalent of $1,000 per week — without the need to sell any shares.
We don't know what ASX dividend shares will be the ones to buy in 23 years, but if it were today, you might look at the likes of BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN), or the big four banks to build a suitable income portfolio.
Alternatively, you could turn to the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY). It provides broad exposure to high-yielding local stocks.
Foolish takeaway
It is possible to generate $52,000 of annual passive income from ASX shares — even if you're starting at zero.
The key is to begin with a growth mindset, invest regularly, reinvest dividends, and let compound returns work for you. Once your portfolio is large enough, you can switch to income mode and put your feet up and watch the money roll in.
