Invest $12,000 in Woodside stock and get $5,700 in passive income

Reliable dividend shares are everywhere on the ASX. Here's how you could use that to your advantage.

| More on:
A happy construction worker or miner holds a fistfull of Australian money, indicating a dividends windfall

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

It may surprise the average punter, but only $12,000 can send you on your way to receiving thousands of dollars of annual passive income.

Allow me to use reliable ASX dividend stock Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) as an example.

Put a little bit on Woodside stock

Assume that you use your $12,000 to buy a batch of Woodside shares.

Currently 10 out of 17 analysts surveyed on broking platform CMC Invest reckons the ASX energy giant is a buy.

We all know past performance is never an indicator of the future. But just to demonstrate the power of compounding, let's use the numbers we have.

Woodside shares currently hand out an excellent 7.1% fully franked dividend yield.

Then conservatively assume there will be zero capital gain in the coming years, and that the distributions are the only source of returns.

If you can keep those shares growing at 7.1% per year while adding in $400 monthly, chunky passive income is not too far away.

Then reinvest for 9 years

Nine years of that investment regime will see the nest egg grow to $79,981.

After that, instead of reinvesting the dividends, just put the cash in your bank account.

That means from that point you pocket an average of $5,678 of passive income each year.

How good is that!

The point of this hypothetical was to show how starting with just a small amount to invest can quickly grow to an income generating machine.

In reality, you will want to diversify your portfolio, rather than buy only Woodside shares.

Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent shares out there that can deliver you a 7% yield, or 7% growth — or even more.

And don't forget, the above scenario was based on your shares not seeing any capital gains over those nine years.

If you manage the portfolio properly, that will also be unlikely.

Good luck out there.

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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 Dividend Investing

A young woman holds onto her crown as another moves to take it, indicating rival ASX shares
Resources Shares

Can BHP stock regain its dividend crown?

Let’s dig into the passive income potential of this company.

Read more »

Woman chooses vegetables for dinner, smiling and looking at camera.
Dividend Investing

Buy Coles and these ASX dividend stocks

Brokers think these shares are in the buy zone right now. But why?

Read more »

A woman looks questioning as she puts a coin into a piggy bank.
Dividend Investing

An ASX dividend giant I'd buy over ANZ shares for 2024

ANZ would not be my first pick for passive income.

Read more »

Woman holding $50 and $20 notes.
Dividend Investing

Analysts think these high-yield ASX dividend shares are buy in May

Income investors might want to check out these top stocks.

Read more »

A woman relaxes on a yellow couch with a book and cuppa, and looks pensively away as she contemplates the joy of earning passive income.
Dividend Investing

4 excellent ASX dividend shares to buy in May

Analysts have put buy rating on these stocks and are forecasting attractive dividend yields.

Read more »

A man in a suit smiles at the yellow piggy bank he holds in his hand.
Dividend Investing

Buy NAB and these ASX 200 dividend stocks

Analysts have recently slapped buy ratings on these income options.

Read more »

Woman with $50 notes in her hand thinking, symbolising dividends.
Dividend Investing

Here's the Wesfarmers dividend forecast through to 2028

Want to know how big the Wesfarmers dividends might be? Let’s find out…

Read more »

A young female investor sits in her home office looking at her ipad and smiling as she sees the QBE share price rising
Dividend Investing

3 ASX dividend stocks that brokers rate as buys

Should income investors be buying these stocks this week?

Read more »