Here’s What You’d Need to Invest to Generate $100,000 a Year In Retirement

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With around 10,000 baby boomers entering retirement each day, the topic of retirement planning is one that's beginning to become ultra-important for a large swath of investors. Many in this cohort may already be ahead of the game, and looking to optimize their portfolios for retirement. Others may be looking for ways to build up to a portfolio that could potentially deliver $100,000 a year in passive income. That's the kind of "sleep at night" retirement money that, when supplemented by social security, is enough for most Americans to live off of. Buying and holding dividend stocks as a foundation to your portfolio will help give you $100,000 a year or more in retirement.

According to Vanguard the average 401(k) account balance for those over 65 was $272,588. But to generate $100,000 a year in retirement off dividend income, you would need $2 million dollars with an average dividend yield of 5%.

Now if you have any amount to invest in dividends, finding the best dividend stocks that pay and grow their payouts is important to keep up with inflation and support your income off dividend payments.

With that in mind, I'd invite long-term investors looking to build a passive income portfolio to at least consider the following three stocks. These are companies I think have plenty of upside from here, and are currently trading at reasonable multiples relative to the market.

Below are 3 companies that have long track records of paying solid dividends and growing the amount they payout each and every year.

Key Points About This Article:

• Thousands of baby boomers are retiring every day, with many looking to create a portfolio of passive income in retirement to supplement their social security.
• Here are three top passive income plays I think can deliver the kind of dividend income such long-term investors are looking for right now.
• If you’re looking for some stocks with huge potential, make sure to grab a free copy of our brand-new “The Next NVIDIA” report . It features a software stock we’re confident has 10X potential.

Realty Income (O)

The word "REIT" overlayed on top of a stock chart with an arrow pointing up and to the right

Realty Income ( NYSE:O ) is a leading net lease real estate investment trust (REIT). The company is a massive player in the REIT space, with a market capitalization (currently around $54 billion ) that dwarfs most of its competitors.

The company's investment-grade balance sheet includes real estate assets in the U.S. and Europe, providing investors with geographic diversification and exposure to a company with access to various capital markets. This has benefited long-term investors in the REIT, which has grown to an impressive size (holding more than 15,000 properties in its portfolio).

These income-producing properties have allowed Realty Income to provide consistent dividends to its unit holders over time, with a current yield of more than 5.1% . Given the fact this company is structured as a REIT, it must return the vast majority of its net income to shareholders via dividends. So, for those who want to bet on long-term secular trends like rents continuing to rise, this is a great way to do so.

Notably, Realty Income maintained an impressive 29-year streak of annual dividend increases . Accordingly, this is a company that investors looking for passive income growth can rely on for such appreciation. Thus, when doing one's calculations of what it will take to get to $100,000 of passive income annually in retirement, looking out a few years on holdings like this can be helpful.

Coca-Cola (KO)

Coca-Cola Zero cans on a store shelf

Coca-Cola ( NYSE:KO ) is among the top defensive stocks in the market, with its iconic brand continuing to drive steady and consistent cash flow to shareholders. The company has continued to return capital to its owners in increasingly impressive fashion via buybacks and dividend increases over time, and that's a trend that many expect to continue, given the very mature nature of its business.

One of the longest-term holdings of iconic investors like Warren Buffett, Coca-Cola remains a top pick of mine purely due to its stability and defensive posture right now. For those concerned about a potential recession on the horizon (which could be much more catastrophic for retirees or those about to enter retirement), holding companies like Coca-Cola that can weather the storms ahead is generally a good move.

Notably, Coke has seen strong pricing power, with the ability to raise prices faster than inflation in recent years. This has led to rising profitability and high profit margins, with the company raking in $46.5 billion in earnings last year, while retaining $9.1 billion in free cash flow. This allowed the beverage giant to distribute $8 billion in dividends, a considerable sum for those who have been in the stock for a long time.

The company's forward price-earnings ratio is relatively steep at around 23-times, but I do think a good chunk of this multiple has to do with the company's defensive nature. Right now, I think it's worth paying up for this world-class dividend stock which currently pays around 2.7% in terms of dividend yield .

Bank of America (BAC)

Bank of America sign in front of one of the company's branch locations

Bank of America ( NYSE:BAC ) is another long-time Warren Buffett holding, and one I think is worth considering in the context of creating a passive income portfolio. Now, Buffett has been trimming his stake in Bank of America (to a worrying degree, to some) of late. However, this U.S.-based mega-bank leads in US retail deposits and maintains a 25% net profit margin. With a 2.46% dividend yield , BAC stock offers steady passive income, making it a top choice for long-term investors.

A decade ago, Bank of America faced severe backlash due to its role in the 2008 financial crisis, marked by poor lending practices. Under CEO Brian Moynihan, who began in 2010, the bank has rebounded significantly. The company has improved its lending standards, customer service, and digital banking platform. With consistent dividend increases and a yield of 2.5%, Bank of America now offers a strong investment opportunity with a solid balance sheet and low-cost capital access.

The company holds over $3.3 trillion in assets and nearly $2 trillion in deposits, solidifying its financial strength. Revenue grew 11% from 2013 to 2023, and though iconic investors like Buffett are selling, I'd argue there's a reason he loaded up on this stock during the last crisis. Indeed, if we do see a marked decline in the markets, this is a stock I think investors may want to consider jumping at, particularly if the company's yield spikes higher on such a move.

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