How to Use Your TFSA to Earn $561/Year in Tax-Free Income

With a little strategy, patience, and the right investments, your TFSA can be a passive income powerhouse.

Amy Legate-Wolfe

Author Bio Amy became interested in investing in 2018 after having her first daughter. After receiving a masters degree in journalism from Western University, she became frustrated that the finance industry remained a confusing place for Canadians like her: new parents, millennials, and other young people who needed to understand their finances. Now, Amy focuses on tech companies and renewable energy for growth opportunities, coupling that with long-term investing strategies and equities. She also provides investors with a daily newsletter, Canada Stock Digest, for daily market updates. Her work can also be found at Canada's National Observer, where she writes on the business side of climate action. Before joining Motley Fool Canada, Amy wrote for major news organizations including HuffPost, CTVNews.ca, and CBC. When she’s not researching investing strategies, Amy’s time is pretty much monopolized by her two wild daughters, but in what little spare time she has she loves to do yoga, go on walks with her dog, and travel with her husband. Social Media Follow Amy on LinkedIn and Canada Stock Digest. Favorite Investment Quote “October: This is one of the particularly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August and February.” – Mark Twain

Published October 16, 2024 8:50 am EDT

Your Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is an incredible tool for growing wealth in Canada, especially if you’re focused on generating passive income. Imagine earning thousands of dollars a year in returns and dividends, all without having to worry about taxes chipping away at your earnings. Sound too good to be true? It’s not! With a little strategy, patience, and the right investments, your TFSA can be a passive income powerhouse.

senior man smiles next to a light-filled window — Source: Getty Images

Invest in stocks

One of the most straightforward ways to start earning passive income in your TFSA is by investing in dividend-paying stocks. These are companies that regularly share a portion of their profits with shareholders. Stocks that offer stable dividend payments and are great options to consider. Since your dividends in a TFSA are tax-free, all that extra income stays in your pocket. The best part? These payments are usually made quarterly (sometimes monthly), so you’ll have a regular stream of income without having to sell any shares.

Yet not all dividend stocks are created equal. Some companies not only pay dividends but also consistently increase those payouts over time. These dividend growth stocks can be the key to boosting your passive income year after year. Stocks have a history of raising dividends annually, which means your income grows, too. Reinvesting those dividends by purchasing more shares can create a snowball effect, compounding your returns over time.

Diversify

Exchange-traded funds (ETF) are another great option for generating passive income in your TFSA. Dividend-focused ETFs offer exposure to a variety of high-dividend stocks. This way, you’re not reliant on just one company for your returns. Instead, you’re invested in a collection of stocks, which spreads your risk and provides more stability. Plus, the dividends you receive from the ETF will still come in tax-free!

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are also a popular choice for TFSA investors looking for consistent passive income. REITs pay out regular dividends, often monthly, making them ideal if you want to receive income more frequently. By holding REITs in your TFSA, you avoid paying tax on those monthly payouts.

Strategies: Dollar-cost averaging and reinvesting dividends

To maximize your TFSA’s potential for passive income, consider using a strategy called dollar-cost averaging. This involves investing a set amount of money into your TFSA at regular intervals, regardless of market conditions. Over time, this can help smooth out market volatility and give you more shares for your money during market dips. This steady accumulation of investments will increase your ability to generate dividends and grow your tax-free wealth.

Also consider reinvesting your dividends. Instead of withdrawing the dividends you earn, use them to buy more shares of the same stock or ETF. Many companies and funds offer dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) that automatically reinvest your dividends at no extra cost. This not only increases your share count but also accelerates your portfolio’s growth, leading to higher dividends in the future.

Where to invest

Sienna Senior Living (TSX: SIA) is a great option for generating passive income in your TFSA thanks to its stable dividends. The company has a forward annual dividend yield of 5.7%, which means you’ll receive that in regular, tax-free income.

Sienna’s focus on the senior living and long-term care sectors provides resilience in its business model, ensuring steady revenue growth even in challenging market conditions.

In its most recent earnings report for Q2 2024, Sienna reported that same-property net operating income (NOI) grew 18.5% year over year. This includes a 26.6% increase in its long-term care segment, driven by increased government funding and higher occupancy rates.

Let’s say you’ve forgotten to invest your contribution room in your TFSA for the past three years. You’d have $19,500 ($7,000 for 2024, $6,500 for 2023, and $6,000 for 2022) to add to your account.

If you invested just half that in Sienna, you could buy 597 shares. ($9,750 to invest / $16.34 recent share price)

And here’s how much you could earn from that investment from dividends alone.