How to Invest $20,000 for Passive Income - SmartAsset (2024)

If you’re looking to receive passive income with your investments, there are many ways to do it. While your best choice will depend on certain factors, such as your age and risk tolerance, there are many ways to invest $20,000. The right investment options for you are going to depend on what your goals are for the long haul. You can also work with a financial advisor to help you pick your investment options.

Invest in a Retirement Account

Investing in a retirement account is often one of your best options, especially if you haven’t invested much yet. Retirement accounts, like a 401(k) or individual retirement account (IRA), have tax advantages as an incentive to stash your money in them. That means you get to keep more of your money.

How to prioritize different retirement accounts depends on your situation. Some employers will match your contributions, so it makes sense to at least invest up to the match. On the other hand, IRAs tend to give you more control over your investments. Your situation and investment goals will determine how you should prioritize different retirement accounts. However, these accounts can provide great passive income down the road.

Pay off Debt

You may not consider paying off debt as an investment, but it can be a great move. If you have a lot of debt and receive $20,000 in a lump sum, wiping out your debt could provide the best return. For example, you might have a lot of credit card debt with 15-20% APR. Unfortunately, even the savviest of investors can’t earn returns that high – at least not consistently. Paying off your debt can set you on the right path; not only will it put you in a better position today, but it means you’ll have less interest to pay going forward.

Open a High-Yield Savings Account

If you don’t already have an emergency fund, now is the perfect opportunity to change that. You can use a high-yield savings account to earn passive income on the money in your emergency fund. Of course, having an emergency fund will help ensure you have cash when the unexpected happens. But having cash on hand has the added benefit of allowing you to avoid high-interest debt when these things happen. For example, you can avoid putting big expenses on a credit card, thus accruing more of that debt we discussed earlier.

Invest Using a Brokerage Account

Brokerage accounts are investment accounts you open with a broker, such as an online broker. These brokers often have minimal fees. They can also offer even more freedom than an IRA as they have no early withdrawal penalties. But they also lack IRAs’ tax advantages, so brokerage accounts tend to be best for investing money you’ll need before age 59 ½. Nevertheless, having diversity in your tax strategy can be beneficial. You can withdraw money slowly as your investments grow, providing you with some passive income.

Invest in Dividend Stocks

If you specifically want passive income, you might consider dividend stocks. Dividend stocks often pay quarterly, usually with a yield in the range of 2% to 5%. Stocks that pay dividends tend to be well-known, financially stable companies, so the risk is typically low compared to other stocks. However, you might find a similar (or better) rate with a high-yield savings account when interest rates are high.

Invest in Real Estate

Real estate is one of the oldest forms of investment and can still provide strong returns today. It can also be a great source of passive income. You can’t buy very many houses for $20,000, but that doesn’t mean you can’t invest in real estate. There are many ways to buy shares of real estate today. For example, you can invest in a real estate ETF, a real estate investment trust (REIT) or you can try real estate crowdfunding. You can get started with $1 or perhaps even less in some cases. If real estate is your preferred investment, $20,000 can go a long way in today’s economy.

The Bottom Line

Generally, creating significant passive income takes a lot of time, a lot of money or both. $20,000 won’t create enough passive income to sustain you, but it can give you a great head start. You might choose to pay off debt, open a high-yield savings account or start investing. No best strategy works for everyone; getting started is most important. That way, you start earning passive income with your $20,000 as soon as possible.

Tips for Investing

  • Financial advisors help investors analyze various investment options and can help create a plan of action to meet their goals. Before investing in any passive income investments, consider talking with an advisor to understand how it fits within your portfolio.Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard.SmartAsset’s free tool matchesyou with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals,get started now.
  • When investing your money, it is important to diversify your assets among many different types of stocks and bonds. This helps you gain exposure to multiple sectors of the market and benefit from their growth. Ourasset allocation calculatorhelps you select a profile that’s right for you based on your answers to simple questions.

Photo credit: ©iStock.com/Zolak, ©iStock.com/fizkes, ©iStock.com/MARHARYTA MARKO

How to Invest $20,000 for Passive Income - SmartAsset (2024)

FAQs

How to Invest $20,000 for Passive Income - SmartAsset? ›

Invest in Dividend Stocks

How to use 20k to make passive income? ›

The Best Ways To Double $20,000
  1. Invest In Real Estate. One of the best ways to double 20,000 dollars is to invest in income-generating real estate. ...
  2. Start An Online Business. ...
  3. Invest In Stocks & ETFs. ...
  4. Invest In Small Businesses. ...
  5. Start A Service-Based Business. ...
  6. Try Crypto Investing. ...
  7. Retail Arbitrage. ...
  8. Lend Out Your Money.
Jul 16, 2024

How to generate $100,000 in passive income? ›

But you could also purchase a property, renovate and resell it. Or if you're looking to invest $100,000 for passive income, you might buy real estate and rent it out. While rental income is considered passive income, being a landlord often requires considerable work, which can make it feel like a more active endeavor.

How to invest $20,000 wisely? ›

Some of the options you should consider when investing $20,000 include real estate, brokerage accounts, and index funds. To get personalized investment advice, speak to a financial advisor. They can create a plan and find the best way to help you grow your money.

Is $20000 a good amount to invest? ›

Generally speaking, if you're planning to invest that $20,000 for a goal that's far away — typically five years or more — you can stand to take more risk. If you're unsure when or if you'll need the money, you might opt for low- or no-risk options such as a high-yield savings account or government bonds.

How to flip 20k fast? ›

You can double 20k quickly by “flipping” items. The idea is to buy items for cheap, then sell them for more. Some of the best items to flip include furniture, sports memorabilia, and even websites. Another way to double 20k quickly is by investing in real estate with EquityMultiple.

How can I make $10000 a month in passive income? ›

private job at electronic
  1. The Top 11 Ways to Earn $10,000 in Passive Income Each Month : Make Money Online. ...
  2. Dropshipping: The Gateway to E-Commerce. ...
  3. Using Endorsem*nts to Earn Through Affiliate Marketing. ...
  4. Etsy Print on Demand: Innovation Meets Business. ...
  5. Real estate crowdfunding. ...
  6. Creating and selling digital products.
Feb 10, 2024

How much money do I need to invest to make $4000 a month? ›

Making $4,000 a month based on your investments alone is not a small feat. For example, if you have an investment or combination of investments with a 9.5% yield, you would have to invest $500,000 or more potentially. This is a high amount, but could almost guarantee you a $4,000 monthly dividend income.

How to turn 100.000 into 1 million? ›

4 Ways To Grow $100,000 Into $1 Million for Retirement Savings
  1. An S&P 500 index fund. An S&P 500 index fund isn't going to provide market-beating returns, but it will ensure that you don't fall behind the average. ...
  2. Growth stocks. ...
  3. Dividend stocks. ...
  4. Small-cap value stocks.
Mar 1, 2024

How much money do I need to invest to make $5000 a month? ›

To generate $5,000 per month in dividends, you would need a portfolio value of approximately $1 million invested in stocks with an average dividend yield of 5%. For example, Johnson & Johnson stock currently yields 2.7% annually. $1 million invested would generate about $27,000 per year or $2,250 per month.

What should I invest $20,000 in right now? ›

You can invest in individual stocks, which are shares of ownership in a company, or bonds, which are loans to companies or governments. ETFs (exchange-traded funds) and mutual funds allow you to invest in a basket of securities, providing diversification with one investment.

Where best to invest $20,000? ›

Where to invest £20,000
  • A Stocks and Shares ISA. Money invested in an ISA is sheltered from tax while it grows and there will be no tax to pay when you withdraw money either. ...
  • A Self Invested Personal Pension. Investing in a pension means your money is sheltered from tax while it grows. ...
  • A Trading Account.

Where is the safest place to invest 20k? ›

Pad a retirement account
  • Retirement account options. ...
  • Invest with a robo-advisor. ...
  • Put some money into a brokerage account. ...
  • Invest in real estate. ...
  • Consider peer-to-peer lending. ...
  • Financial goals. ...
  • When you might need the money. ...
  • Potential tax advantages.
Jul 15, 2024

How to double 10k quickly? ›

  1. Flip Stuff For Money. One of the more entreprenurial ways to flip 10k into 20k is to buy and resell stuff for profit. ...
  2. Invest In Real Estate. ...
  3. Start An Online Business. ...
  4. Start A Side Hustle. ...
  5. Invest In Stocks & ETFs. ...
  6. Fixed-Income Investing. ...
  7. Alternative Assets. ...
  8. Invest In Debt.

Is $20000 a lot to have in savings? ›

Depositing $20,000 in a savings account is wise when you have a plan for the money, such as a near-term expense or rainy day fund. For long-term goals, like retirement, you might be better served by opening a brokerage account or certificate of deposit (CD).

Can you live off $20,000 dollars a year? ›

You will need to learn how to budget, however. Living on less than $20,000 a year is not easy, but it is not incredibly difficult either if you take proactive steps to save. You won't have all the toys and clothes of people in a higher tax bracket, but you can live on an income under $20,000 a year.

How to make $5,000 a month passive? ›

For example, owning two rental properties that generate $2,500 per month in rent would produce $5,000 in monthly passive income after paying expenses. Real estate crowdfunding allows investors to pool their money with others to invest in properties. These platforms handle the property management.

How to passively make $2,000 a month? ›

Wrapping up ways to make $2,000/month in passive income
  1. Try out affiliate marketing.
  2. Sell an online course.
  3. Monetize a blog with Google Adsense.
  4. Become an influencer.
  5. Write and sell e-books.
  6. Freelance on websites like Upwork.
  7. Start an e-commerce store.
  8. Get paid to complete surveys.

How much money do I need to live off passive income? ›

Yes, you can live off of passive income. It's easiest to live off of passive income if you live in an area with a low cost of living. To live off of financial investment and cash-equivalent income, you'll need a larger amount of money. To earn $30,000 per year, you'll need $600,000 invested at 5% per year.

Is 20k a lot of money? ›

Meanwhile, you might have a fairly large savings balance to the tune of $20,000. That's definitely a lot of money. And in some cases, that might constitute a really robust emergency fund. But in some situations, a $20,000 emergency fund might also leave you short.

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