Informed Investing

10 sources covering 12 truly passive dividend ETFs, Dividend Kings, QDVO vs QQQI tactical covered calls, passive income investing key concepts, STAG Industrial monthly income REIT, VOO vs IWM comparison, Fidelity FENI international ETF, and high-yield stock picks

10 sources covering safest monthly dividend stocks, JNJ/PG slow dividend growth, RISR interest rate hedge ETF, dividend pyramid portfolios, Goldman Sachs earnings analysis, 10 portfolio mistakes, TSLX BDC buy-the-dip, XLKI tech income ETF, and best covered call ETFs of 2026

10 sources covering international dividend ETFs, P&G vs Colgate, UnitedHealth Dogs of the Dow, recent dividend raises, SCHD vs options income, QQQI compounding, weekly dividend ETFs, and $500K retirement framework

Energy dividend safety (Chevron vs ConocoPhillips), 5 dividend stocks at 52-week lows (Microsoft, Main Street Capital, Nike, Novo Nordisk, Mastercard), YieldMax SOXY case study with margin strategy, $200K allocation advice from Reddit, FDVV+SCHD pairing, JP Morgan ROCQ ETF spotlight, dividend growth ETF portfolio sections

Energy dividend safety (Chevron vs ConocoPhillips), 5 dividend stocks at 52-week lows (Microsoft, Main Street Capital, Nike, Novo Nordisk, Mastercard), YieldMax SOXY case study with margin strategy, $200K allocation advice from Reddit, FDVV+SCHD pairing, JP Morgan ROCQ ETF spotlight, dividend growth ETF portfolio sections

Income ETF stress testing (QQQY/YBTC traps vs DIVP/MLPD quality), undervalued stocks (Mastercard, Williams Companies, AbbVie), EPRT net lease REIT, Nike at 5-year lows, buy-and-hold-forever ETFs from $1.8M portfolio, Treasury ladder alternatives, covered call ETF expansion, Franklin Resources dividend

Covered call ETF debate (JEPI/SPYI/XYLD/NAV erosion), YieldMax DDDD doubling SCHD yield, doubling dividend income with covered calls on TROW/PRU, undervalued picks (ARES down 50%, Colgate-Palmolive), 10 bad dividend habits, starter portfolio basics, VTI during selloffs, dividend aristocrat passive income

We break down comeback stories from Target and Moderna, build a $50K beginner income portfolio with STK/SPYI/IDVO, honestly assess YieldMax high-yield ETFs, explore disruptor options strategies on SoFi and Reddit, and evaluate whether CVS is a value play or a trap.

Today's episode covers the great rotation as wealthy investors shift from tech into gold, international equities, and small-cap funds. We break down the JEPI vs SCHD debate, expose yield traps like QYLD and PDI, and dig into the Kimberly-Clark/Kenview merger opportunity. Plus: REIT picks STAG Industrial and NNN, Brompton's Cash Flow Kings strategy, and why DIVO's selective covered call approach beats the competition on risk-adjusted returns.

Topics covered:

In this episode, we break down 9 institutional analyses covering: • **De-Risking Playbook** — 5 scenarios: AI bubble fears, job insecurity, retirement danger zone, risk tolerance reassessment, recession fears. Buffered ETFs (PMAY, BALT), defensive sectors, quality bonds • **BIZD Yield Under Pressure** — 9.3% yield but rate cuts compressing BDC floating-rate loan income. ARCC yield dropped 11.1% to 10.3%. BIZD down 15% in price, offsetting income • **International Outperformance** — VEA returned 30.4% in past year, 3 bps fees. JPM projects 7.5% annual returns vs 6.7% for S&P 500. Currency tailwind with euro at $1.15 • **Trinity Capital Deep Dive** — TRIN 14.3% yield, 106% coverage, interest rate floors, sub-1% non-accruals. Internally managed, low software exposure. But thin margin if rates keep falling •...

Portfolio de-risking in 5 scenarios, BIZD 9% yield under rate cut pressure, international developed markets outperforming US (VEA), Trinity Capital 14.3% BDC yield, OVL overlay ETF beating S&P, CAIQ auto-callable income ETFs, JPI/DIVO/PDI comparison (PDI return-of-capital problem), Morningstar 3 dividend picks (APD/FIS/RHHBY), Q1 2026 ETF winners led by energy

In this episode, we dig into a massive stack of April 2026 market research covering the paradigm shift in passive investing. Topics covered: - REIT Dividend Quality: The ALPS Active REIT ETF Elite Eight (CUBE, GLPI, VICI, SPG, Realty Income) and why only 28 of 72 REITs maintained dividends over 15+ years - SPHD's Breakout Quarter: 6.5% surge in Q1, outpacing the S&P 500 by its largest margin since March 2021 - Valuation Reset Opportunities: S&P 500 worst quarter since Q3 2022, forward P/E compressed 17% - Salary Replacement Math: How much you actually need at 3%, 4%, and 7-8% yields to replace a $60K paycheck - International ETFs...

SCHD up 11-13% YTD dominating indexes, dividend growth stocks at discount (Nike/Starbucks/P&G/General Mills), 7 crisis-proof dividend stocks since 2008, high-income ETFs without NAV decay (DIVO/GPIX/SPYI), OMAH Berkshire income ETF total return reality check, BondBlocks fixed income alternatives (PCMM/XEMD), Dividend Kings for retirement portfolios

Q1 income ETF flows surge 50%, NEOS covered call strategies for $7200/month income, $100/day dividend machine blueprint (SPYI+EPR+DIVO), InfraCap small cap and MLP income funds, VYMI international dividend exposure, Chevron vs ExxonMobil energy debate, Kimberly-Clark Dividend Aristocrat analysis, 5 facts for holding through market panic

Goldman Sachs 5 energy dividend picks, Realty Income REIT analysis, 12% yielding CEFs with perfect streaks, Sanofi pharma deep dive, P&G Dividend King under pressure, 1973 bear market retirement lessons, VOO compounding math

Today we cover seven big dividend themes:

CPG food stocks tanking with 7% yields, YieldMax high-yield ETF retrospective, $179K portfolio update, $240K/year income goal strategy, VICI Properties REIT analysis, SCHG vs SCHD growth vs dividends debate

8 sources covering monthly dividend stocks (MAIN/EPR/SMA), Nike turnaround play at 71% off highs, WEEK T-Bill ETF beating money markets, weekly dividend ETF performance rankings, covered call ETF income mechanics, SCHD 2026 reconstitution (31% turnover, energy reduction, UNH/PG additions), 5 undervalued consumer staples using dividend yield theory, and four-pillar bear market retirement income strategy

10 sources covering covered call ETFs across 5 categories, ultra-high-yield stocks (ARCC/ET/STWD), General Mills at 15-year low, Bitcoin dividends (STRC), gold/silver ETFs during Iran War, 7 under-the-radar ETFs, dividend portfolio tracking tools, bargain dividend growth stocks (MSFT/CTAS/V), deeply discounted picks (MARZ/VICI/ADP), and VOOG growth ETF analysis

10 sources covering income ETF sustainability (DCR framework), defensive dividend stocks (HD, PEP, VDC), Western Midstream Partners insider buying, covered call ETF strategies (ICAP), gaming REITs (GLPI, VICI), VIG 223% returns, RTX dividend analysis, private credit risk

SCHD just went through its 2026 reconstitution - we break down the sector shifts, new holdings, and what it means for dividend investors. Plus: Dividend Kings PG and JNJ as safe forever-holds, whether high-yield S&P 500 stocks like Campbell's and Kraft Heinz are traps or opportunities, covered call ETFs QQQI and GPIQ as retirement income engines, why Social Security uncertainty makes building a dividend parallel paycheck critical, VOO vs SPY vs IVV cost comparison, Watsco as an 11% undervalued compounder, and why Starbucks is a hold despite turnaround hopes.

This week we dig into beaten-down Dividend Kings like Target, Hormel, and Kimberly-Clark that could be 2026 bargains. We compare VT vs VOO for global diversification, break down the MAIN vs ARCC vs Realty Income debate for retirement income, rank covered call ETFs like SPYI and QQQI, and lay out simple 3-ETF portfolio strategies for both growth and income investors.

Today we dig into 18 companies raising their dividends, from Salesforce to American Express, and separate the real compounders from the yield traps. We break down a fascinating GPIX back-test showing only a 6% total return difference between full DRIP and zero DRIP over two years. Plus, a Reddit stress test that filtered thousands of stocks down to 271 slowdown survivors, the bull case for ADP at a 36% discount, defensive staples for oil shock protection, options income ETFs crossing $150B in assets, and an outdoor advertising REIT that tripled the S&P 500.

BlackRock retirement ETFs, healthcare dividend stocks, dividend vs growth math, portfolio tax efficiency, JEPQ compounding, AI infrastructure dividends, crypto income ETFs, consumer discretionary dividends, dividend growth compounders

14 sources covering Vanguard income ETFs, overlooked high-yield ETFs, energy dividends if oil hits $100, covered call ETF strategies, affordable dividend stocks under $20, and investor anxiety about building income

Goldman Sachs top energy picks with oil above $100, the truth behind XOMO 30% yield, SCHD deep dive, DRIP reinvestment math, biggest dividend raises of 2026 from Dominos to Dell, 12-year portfolio lessons, and PAA pipeline analysis.

In this episode, we dive into the 2026 dividend investing landscape. SCHD is having a breakout year with 12% YTD gains as investors rotate from volatile tech into defensive income plays. We explore the zero-DTE covered call revolution with TDAQ and how JEPI/JEPQ have grown to $80B in assets. The Bogleheads vs income investors debate gets a fresh look with a Reddit thread sparking pushback on total return orthodoxy. We spotlight dividend workhorses like Hormel, Federal Realty, Kimberly-Clark, Bank of Nova Scotia, and Realty Income - all with 50+ years of consecutive payouts yielding 4%+. Plus, we go high-yield ETF shopping with funds...

VOO vs SPY vs SPLG fund selection, covered call ETF rankings (DIVO #1, SPYI #2, JEPI #3), NAV erosion alternatives using cash-secured puts, SCHD income math, Pfizer value trap debate, and quick hits on DKS, OneMain Financial, preferred stocks, and VT reinvestment.

This week we break down SCHD massive March 23 reconstitution — energy dropping from 20% to 12%, financials surging to 15%. Plus: how to screen BDCs down to 7 survivors in a falling-rate world, why dividend growth math crushes high-yield traps 3x by year 20, the Dividend Kings yielding 4%+, cleaning up your retirement junk drawer, and why LyondellBasell rallied 54% AFTER cutting its dividend.

Topics covered:

We synthesize 12 sources from March 2026 covering the full spectrum of dividend investing. Topics: crash-resistant portfolios, BDC reality check, yield traps, Chevron dividends, EDIV emerging market risks, Rayonier timberland REIT, new covered call ETFs, Qualcomm, Exxon Mobil, and dividend growth vs high-yield math.

This week we dig into SCHD's massive 2026 outperformance driven by energy and defense sectors, compare the after-tax income from Section 1256 funds like SPYI and QQQI versus ELN-based JEPI and JEPQ, explore recession-resistant consumer staples picks including KMB, GIS, and MDLZ, review the Vanguard income trifecta of VYM, VDE, and VNQ, debate the split analyst sentiment on Realty Income, and tackle the age-old question of whether individual stock picking can beat a quality dividend ETF.

Episode 12 of the Informed Investing podcast dives into the biggest dividend stories of the week. We break down SCHD's stunning 2026 outperformance ahead of its March reconstitution, explore whether BDCs like Hercules Capital and Main Street are still worth their premium valuations, and examine the jaw-dropping yields from energy shipping stocks like Nordic American Tankers and Frontline.

We also tackle the heated Verizon rally debate, look at Mondelez as an overlooked consumer staples value play, dissect the rapid evolution of covered call ETFs (including BMO's new target yield series), and clear up common confusion around ex-dividend dates and...

Episode 12 covers the biggest dividend investing topics of the day:

Episode 11 covers the Realty Income debate, energy dividends amid geopolitical tensions, covered call ETF portfolios, the YieldMax controversy, PepsiCo pricing power, and cash management strategies.

We break down the NASDAQ 100 income ETF showdown (QYLD vs JEPQ vs GPIQ vs QQQI), explore YieldMax semiconductor ETFs, examine Morningstar's top dividend growth picks, debate SPY vs VOO, and map out strategies for turning a nest egg into a retirement income machine.

Deep dive into NASDAQ 100 income ETF showdown, YieldMax semiconductor ETFs, retirement income strategies, and the SPY vs VOO debate.

In this deep dive, we tear apart the mechanics of building a true passive income machine. We cover:

We break down the covered call ETF rankings (JEPI vs SPYI vs QYLD), reveal a tax-efficient dividend blueprint, expose 5 dividend traps to avoid, analyze energy ETFs on the oil spike, and review real portfolio strategies for building durable income.