What is passive income?
Passive income refers to money you earn with little or no active effort. It comes from sources other than your full-time job, side hustle, or a contracted client (in the case of self-employment).
In any of those working relationships, youre expected to put in hours or churn out deliverables to get paid. In contrast, passive income doesnt require active labor. Its often thought of as extra cash you can make in your sleep.
Thats the typical mindset when it comes to passive income. However, the truth is that passive income is a modern money myth. Most passive income streams require careful preparation.
Even once theyre up and running, they require occasional attention, so they arent fully passive. One example is rental income, one of the most common passive income streams, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Once a property is rented to a tenant, you dont have to do much beyond collecting rent. Hire a property manager or property management company, and you dont even have to worry about landlord tasks like building maintenance.
However, you first need to acquire a property, get it rental-ready, and keep it that way. That upfront prep work requires an initial investment of money and effort.
Ways to create passive income
Although totally passive income might be a myth, it can still be a practical and worthwhile way to increase your earnings. Here are a few passive income ideas you can use to start building your wealth.
Buy an asset that earns passive income
There are many assets that can generate income without regular input. Portfolio income from investing such as in dividend stocks in the stock market or mutual funds is one example. You can also invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs).
You can also look into short-term forms of passive investment income. Peer-to-peer lending is one example. Online platforms connect you to people who need a loan, for example, to start their own business, allowing you to act as a lender. The returns you get with interest can make this yet another cash flow source.
You might even invest in a business long term, essentially buying a piece of it so you can collect profits.
Create an asset that earns passive income
You dont always have to buy an asset to generate passive income. You can also create your own income-generating asset. For example, if you have niche industry knowledge about a topic, you might share it via a podcast or YouTube channel, which you can monetize. Platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, and Coursera also make it easy to sell courses.
You can also share your insider knowledge by writing an e-book, which you can sell on Amazon. While it may take some time to write, a book can earn passive money once its finished.
Social media is another example of how you can leverage a creative endeavor to make money. If you already have a significant active following, you can use it to generate money through things like affiliate marketing.
Rent an asset that earns passive income
Finally, the most common example of passive income is rental properties. If you buy a property, you can rent it out long term, collecting monthly rent payments that contribute to your overall earned income. Alternatively, you can focus on short-term rentals, using platforms like Airbnb to find tenants.
At this point, its worth noting that any money you earn via passive income is taxable. Rental income needs to be reported on your income tax returns or youll risk getting into hot water with the IRS.
However, note that you can also write off many of the expenses related to your rental property as a result, such as advertising costs or maintenance and cleaning fees.
The reality of passive income
As you can see, a passive income strategy is never 100% passive. These income streams take time, energy, and money to set up.
That said, once you have an additional income stream, you can enjoy greater financial freedom and flexibility. Plus, you can increase your net worth by boosting your income.
Another benefit of such passive activity is that its scalable. You can start small and then go bigger for example, by buying or renting another asset that generates passive income.
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