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:
A worker drinks out of a mug in an office.

Source: Getty Images

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 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

voice-recognition-talking-to-a-smartphone
Dividend Stocks

How to Turn Losing TSX Telecom Stock Picks Into Tax Savings

Telecom stocks could be a good tax-loss harvesting candidate for year-end.

Read more »

Business success of growth metaverse finance and investment profit graph concept or development analysis progress chart on financial market achievement strategy background with increase hand diagram
Dividend Stocks

2 Dividend Growth Stocks Look Like Standout Buys as the Market Keeps Surging

Enbridge (TSX:ENB) stock and another standout name to watch closely in the new year.

Read more »

a person watches stock market trades
Dividend Stocks

For Passive Income Investing, 3 Canadian Stocks to Buy Right Now

Don't look now, but these three Canadian dividend stocks look poised for some big upside, particularly as interest rates appear…

Read more »

Dividend Stocks

Got $7,000? Where to Invest Your TFSA Contribution in 2026

Putting $7,000 to work in your 2026 TFSA? Consider BMO, Granite REIT, and VXC for steady income, diversification, and long-term…

Read more »

Young adult concentrates on laptop screen
Dividend Stocks

A Beginner’s Guide to Building a Passive Income Portfolio

Are you a new investor looking to earn safe dividends? Here are some tips for a beginner investor who wants…

Read more »

container trucks and cargo planes are part of global logistics system
Dividend Stocks

Before the Clock Strikes Midnight on 2025 – TSX Transportation & Logistics Stocks to Buy

Three TSX stocks are buying opportunities in Canada’s dynamic and rapidly evolving transportation and logistics sector.

Read more »

some REITs give investors exposure to commercial real estate
Dividend Stocks

The Ideal Canadian Stock for Dividends and Growth

Want dividends plus steady growth? Power Corporation offers a “quiet compounder” mix of cash flow today and patient compounding from…

Read more »

Dividend Stocks

2 Easy Ways to Boost Your Income (Including Buying Telus Stock)

Telus (TSX:T) and another timely dividend play that's worth checking out for a yield boost!

Read more »