TFSA Investors: How to Earn $100 Each Month for Retirement

If you’re looking for stable growth and monthly passive income, consider this ETF that can load up your TFSA over the next decade.

| More on:
money cash dividends

Image source: Getty Images

The Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) when introduced in 2009 was actually meant to be a retirement portfolio to create tax-free income in retirement. However, since then, it’s been turned into a financial goal creator, and it seems as if everyone has forgotten about the benefits to retirement.

If you’re looking to create some extra cash in retirement, the TFSA can certainly be one of the best options to start an income stream. But how do you even start?

Today, let’s look at how you can get there.

Got some savings?

If you have some savings set aside, then use them. There are still some stocks out there that remain down — in fact, quite a few are down — but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them. Over time, the market trends upward. So, let’s say you’re looking to put your savings to work over the next decade.

That could mean you’re in retirement. It could mean you’re nearing retirement. But whatever the case, if you’re looking to create passive income each month of $100, you’re going to need to be consistent in your investments.

Use your savings to put a lump sum towards a strong stock that provides monthly passive income right now. From there, add monthly investments that could increase it over time. Then after a decade, you’re sure to reach that $100-per-month mark.

A stock to consider

One stock I would consider is iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF (TSX:XEI). Shares are down 3.5% in the last year, currently offering a dividend yield of 5.18%. This comes from investing in the largest dividend producers in the country, with a management team there to set you up for dividend success.

Shares of the exchange-traded fund (ETF) are up about 26% since coming on the market about a decade ago. While that isn’t huge growth, it’s stable growth, with few drops in the market, unless there is a crash. Furthermore, you can still look forward to your dividends coming in at that point.

Over the last decade, shares have increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.4%, with its dividend CAGR at 2.86%. So, let’s see what it would take to create that $100 per month.

Bottom line

Reaching $100 per month will mean creating $1,200 in annual passive income. To do that, we’ll start with an investment that we add to each year. That will mean putting aside cash month after month and potentially investing as you go. You’ll also invest dividend income as you go to create that $100 per month sooner. This is what that might look like based on historical performance.

YearShare PriceShares OwnedAnnual Dividend Per ShareAnnual DividendAfter DRIP ValueAnnual ContributionYear End Stock PriceNew Shares PurchasedYear End Shares OwnedNew Balance
1$24226$1.22$276.62$5,699.72$1,000$24.5851.94277.95$6,976.40
2$24.58277.95$1.26$350.22$7,326.62$1,000$25.1753.64331.59$8,676.74
3$25.17331.59$1.29$427.75$9,104.49$1,000$25.7755.40386.99$10,532.16
4$25.77386.99$1.33$514.69$11,046.85$1,000$26.3957.39444.38$12,561.37
5$26.39444.38$1.37$608.80$13,170.17$1,000$27.0259.54503.92$14,778.94
6$27.02503.92$1.41$710.53$15,489.47$1,000$27.6761.82565.74$17,200.03
7$27.67565.74$1.44$814.67$18,014.70$1,000$28.3364.05629.79$19,829.24
8$28.33629.79$1.49$935.33$20,767.57$1,000$29.0166.71696.50$22,702.83
9$29.01696.50$1.53$1,065.65$23,768.48$1,000$29.7169.53766.03$25,834.22
10$29.71766.03$1.57$1,202.67$27,036.89$1,000$30.4272.41838.44$29,239.60

If you purchased 226 shares today at $24, that would mean an investment of $5,424 as of writing. You’ll then reinvest $1,000 annually each year for 10 years. By then, you’ll have $1,202 in annual passive income, coming out as about $100 each month. Plus, you’ll have a $29,239.60 portfolio in the ETF by then.

Should you invest $1,000 in Ishares S&p/tsx Composite High Dividend Index Etf right now?

Before you buy stock in Ishares S&p/tsx Composite High Dividend Index Etf, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor Canada analyst team just identified what they believe are the Top Stocks for 2025 and Beyond for investors to buy now… and Ishares S&p/tsx Composite High Dividend Index Etf wasn’t one of them. The Top Stocks that made the cut could potentially produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider MercadoLibre, which we first recommended on January 8, 2014 ... if you invested $1,000 in the “eBay of Latin America” at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $21,345.77!*

Stock Advisor Canada provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month – one from Canada and one from the U.S. The Stock Advisor Canada service has outperformed the return of S&P/TSX Composite Index by 24 percentage points since 2013*.

See the Top Stocks * Returns as of 4/21/25

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Amy Legate-Wolfe has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

More on Dividend Stocks

Forklift in a warehouse
Dividend Stocks

Why Mullen Group is a Must Buy With $5,000 in May 2025

This top Canadian stock continues to be a top choice from analysts, and more growth could be on the way.

Read more »

Investor wonders if it's safe to buy stocks now
Dividend Stocks

BCE Finally Cut its Dividend: Is This a Turning Point for the Stock?

BCE (TSX:BCE) stock has finally done it, but the path ahead may still be met with great volatility.

Read more »

3 colorful arrows racing straight up on a black background.
Dividend Stocks

Why Chemtrade Stock Jumped 10% This Week

Chemtrade stock remains one of the top and safest dividend stocks out there. Here's why.

Read more »

Canadian dollars are printed
Dividend Stocks

How I’d Use $7,000 to Build a Dividend-Growth Machine in My TFSA

These TSX dividend stocks have resilient payouts and can help generate a tax-free passive income of about $455 per year.

Read more »

calculate and analyze stock
Dividend Stocks

I’d Put $7,000 in This Canadian Dividend Legend Immediately

There are great dividend stocks to buy, and then there's this Canadian dividend legend that every investor needs to buy.

Read more »

Hand Protecting Senior Couple
Dividend Stocks

How I’d Build a $30,000 Retirement Portfolio With 3 Top Dividend Stocks

These three dividend stocks have to be some of the best options. Not just for now, but decades to come.

Read more »

A close up color image of a small green plant sprouting out of a pile of Canadian dollar coins "loonies."
Dividend Stocks

2 Canadian Dividend Knights Set to Boost Payouts in 2025

Blue-chip TSX dividend stocks such as Enbridge and TC Energy are positioned to grow their payouts again in 2025.

Read more »

think thought consider
Dividend Stocks

2 Top TSX Dividend All-Stars to Buy Now

These two Canadian dividend giants are the sort of dividend all-stars long-term investors want to own to create viable passive-income…

Read more »