Can you retire a millionaire with ETFs alone?
Investing in the stock market is one of the most effective ways to generate long-term wealth, and you don't need to be an experienced investor to make a lot of money. In fact, it's possible to retire a millionaire with next to no effort through exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
You can become a millionaire with just four investments. That may sound too easy, but it's true. And you don't even need to think too hard about the investments you choose. Four Vanguard exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are enough.
It's an investment company owned by the investors who hold its various funds, which means Vanguard serves investors first and foremost. You can absolutely build a million-dollar portfolio from a diversified portfolio of Vanguard ETFs.
Billionaires don't just buy individual stocks. ETFs can have excellent wealth-building potential over time, as well. Billionaire investors like Warren Buffett and others are often known for their stock-picking abilities, and for good reason.
ETFs offer several advantages for IRAs. They often have lower expense ratios compared to mutual funds, which can result in higher long-term returns for your retirement savings.
You can make money from ETFs by trading them. And some ETFs pay out the money the ETF makes to investors. These payments are called distributions.
As a result, the broad-market index has an excellent historical track record of generating wealth. Over its history, the S&P 500 has generated an average annual return of 9%, including re-invested dividends. At that rate, even a middle-class income is enough to become a millionaire over time.
It's extremely unlikely you'll earn 10% returns every single year, but the annual highs and lows have historically averaged out to roughly 10% per year over several decades. Over a lifetime, it's possible to earn over half a million dollars with just $100 per month.
This chart shows that a monthly contribution of $100 will compound more if you start saving earlier, giving the money more time to grow. If you save $100 a month for 18 years, your ending balance could be $35,400. If you save $100 a month for 9 years, your ending balance could be about $13,900.
| Symbol | Name | Dividend Yield |
|---|---|---|
| NIKL | Sprott Nickel Miners ETF | 19.95% |
| MSFO | YieldMax MSFT Option Income Strategy ETF | 19.64% |
| PYPY | YieldMax PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF | 19.28% |
| TLTW | iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond BuyWrite Strategy ETF | 18.76% |
Does Warren Buffett use ETFs?
Warren Buffett owns 2 ETFs—this one is better for everyday investors, experts say.
ETFs are subject to market fluctuation and the risks of their underlying investments. ETFs are subject to management fees and other expenses. Unlike mutual funds, ETF shares are bought and sold at market price, which may be higher or lower than their NAV, and are not individually redeemed from the fund.
- Cash and Cash Equivalents. Many, and perhaps most, millionaires are frugal. ...
- Real Estate. ...
- Stocks and Stock Funds. ...
- Private Equity and Hedge Funds. ...
- Commodities. ...
- Alternative Investments.
Nearly all leveraged ETFs come with a prominent warning in their prospectus: they are not designed for long-term holding. The combination of leverage, market volatility, and an unfavorable sequence of returns can lead to disastrous outcomes.
ETFs are investment vehicles that allow 401(k) participants to invest in a diversified portfolio of assets. However, ETFs lag behind mutual funds in 401(k) plans because their intraday trading features and tax benefits, while appealing to some investors, seem to appear less attractive to others.
Experts agree that for most personal investors, a portfolio comprising 5 to 10 ETFs is perfect in terms of diversification. But the number of ETFs is not what you should be looking at.
Thankfully, there are some stock ETFs that do pay dividends on a monthly basis. They're definitely in the minority, but there are enough where you can actually build a pretty diversified portfolio using just monthly pay stock ETFs. Whether stock ETFs pay monthly dividends usually comes down to the issuer.
ETFs make a great pick for many investors who are starting out as well as for those who simply don't want to do all the legwork required to own individual stocks. Though it's possible to find the big winners among individual stocks, you have strong odds of doing well consistently with ETFs.
Passive ETFs provide investors with greater flexibility to execute a buy-and-hold strategy compared to active funds. Passive investing advocates believe it's difficult to outperform the market, so they aim to match its entire performance rather than beat it.
“Beyond entrepreneurship, no conventional career path — even medicine, law, or engineering — generates a million-dollar income for a newcomer in only a year.” So, aside from a lucky crypto investment or a windfall of some sort, Kellzi said becoming a millionaire is highly improbable.
How much was $10,000 invested in the S&P 500 in 2000?
Think About This: $10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the beginning of 2000 would have grown to $32,527 over 20 years — an average return of 6.07% per year.
According to our calculations, a $1000 investment made in February 2014 would be worth $5,971.20, or a gain of 497.12%, as of February 5, 2024, and this return excludes dividends but includes price increases. Compare this to the S&P 500's rally of 178.17% and gold's return of 55.50% over the same time frame.
For example, if an investment scheme promises an 8% annual compounded rate of return, it will take approximately nine years (72 / 8 = 9) to double the invested money.
Imagine you wish to amass $3000 monthly from your investments, amounting to $36,000 annually. If you park your funds in a savings account offering a 2% annual interest rate, you'd need to inject roughly $1.8 million into the account.
The table below shows the present value (PV) of $3,000 in 20 years for interest rates from 2% to 30%. As you will see, the future value of $3,000 over 20 years can range from $4,457.84 to $570,148.91.
