TFSA: How to Create $500 in Income Each Month for Retirement

Find a great dividend stock, and you could be looking at growth and income that produces a powerhouse of passive income.

| More on:

The Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) has been a strong passive-income provider since its introduction in 2009. Since that availability, investors have been given the opportunity to contribute year after year. Now, there is a total of $88,000 in contribution room if you were at least 18 in 2009.

If you’ve been contributing since that time, then, you may have a bunch of cash sitting around doing nothing. That’s certainly not what the TFSA is meant for. Instead, if you’ve diversified your investments and are looking for a stream of passive income, there is a chance to create $500 in monthly income starting quite soon.

A worker drinks out of a mug in an office.

Source: Getty Images

A stock to consider

First off, let’s identify a strong opportunity for investors who want to see their passive income grow to $500 per month. For that, we’ll need a solid monthly dividend provider with more room to grow. That’s why Sienna Senior Living (TSX:SIA) is a great option.

Sienna stock focuses on long-term-care facilities and senior living. These are areas providing investors with immense amounts of growth in the years to come. That’s thanks to an aging baby boomer population and the generations who will need more help in the years to come as they age.

There is already high demand for these properties, making Sienna stock an excellent choice with its foot already firmly in place. Yet shares are down 12% in the last year, offering investors a chance to lock up a dividend yield at 8.15% as of writing. And it’s already shrinking, with shares climbing 6.65% in the last three months.

How to create $500

Let’s say you’re an investor that plans to max out contributions over the next few years. That would mean contributing about $6,500 each year to your TFSA. Furthermore, you have about $20,000 you want to put into passive-income streams, so we’ll use Sienna stock as an example here.

The goal is to create $500 per month, or $6,000 in annual passive income. To do this, you’ll want to invest in Sienna stock each year and see conservative growth in that time in both share price and dividend. We’ll say that Sienna stock grows at 2% per year, as the last few years have been quite difficult due to COVID-19 impacts. The dividend, meanwhile, has risen by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) at 0.44%—conservative growth but growth, nonetheless.

Here is how long it would take to reach $6,000 in annual passive income, starting with a $20,000 investment.

YearShare PriceShares OwnedAnnual Dividend Per ShareAnnual DividendAfter DRIP ValueAnnual ContributionYear End Stock PriceNew Shares PurchasedYear End Shares OwnedNew Balance
1$121667$0.94$1,566.98$21,570.98$6,500$12.24659.022326.02$29,637.38
2$12.242326.02$0.94$2,186.46$31,823.84$6,500$12.48696.033022.05$40,510.29
3$12.483022.05$0.95$2,870.95$43,381.24$6,500$12.73814.693836.73$53,752.24
4$12.733836.73$0.95$3,644.89$57,397.13$6,500$12.99780.974617.7$67,541.93
5$12.994617.7$0.96$4,432.99$71,974.92$6,500$13.25825.135442.83$82,907.91
6$13.255442.83$0.96$5,225.12$88,133.03$6,500$13.51867.886310.71$99,858.09
7$13.516310.71$0.97$6,121.39$99,858.09$6,500$13.78915.927226.63$112,479.47

After seven years, investors would have over $6,000 in annual passive income, or $500 monthly. Plus, they would have a total portfolio of $112,479.47 from these conservative results. And that’s after investing a total of $65,500 over those seven years!

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

Concept of rent, search, purchase real estate, REIT
Dividend Stocks

This 10.4% Dividend Stock Pays Cash Every Single Month

Timbercreek’s 10%+ monthly yield is being supported by a growing mortgage book, even as it cleans up older problem assets.

Read more »

middle-aged couple work together on laptop
Dividend Stocks

How to Make Money in a TFSA With Dividend Stocks

Dividend stocks can deliver income as well as capital gains for patient TFSA investors.

Read more »

TFSA (Tax free savings account) acronym on wooden cubes on the background of stacks of coins
Dividend Stocks

A TFSA Pick Yielding 6.9% With Dependable Cash Payments

Unlock the potential of your TFSA by understanding its investment opportunities and tax benefits for Canadians.

Read more »

runner checks her biodata on smartwatch
Dividend Stocks

A 4% Dividend Stock That’s Quietly Becoming a Top Pick for 2026

Sun Life offers a 4%+ dividend backed by strong earnings, making it a quieter 2026 income pick.

Read more »

Person holding a smartphone with a stock chart on screen
Dividend Stocks

This Canadian Stock Is 23% Cheaper Today, But It’s a “Forever” Hold

This beaten-down Canadian stock could be a rare chance to buy a long-term winner at a discount.

Read more »

a person watches a downward arrow crash through the floor
Dividend Stocks

The First 2 Stocks I’m Buying if the Market Crashes

If the market crashes, these two reliable dividend stocks are at the top of my buying list for steady income…

Read more »

Colored pins on calendar showing a month
Dividend Stocks

This Canadian Dividend Stock Pays 7.1% and Never Misses a Month

This unique Canadian stock isn't just a top high-yield pick; it's also been consistently increasing its dividend in recent years.

Read more »

Paper Canadian currency of various denominations
Dividend Stocks

3 Canadian Stocks That Are Winning as the Loonie Falters

When the loonie weakens, TSX winners are often companies with U.S.-dollar revenue and costs that don’t rise as fast.

Read more »