Over the past decade, passive income strategies have made a prominent name for themselves in the investing community. The name says it all: passive income. Once you have conducted the appropriate due diligence, you essentially just need to wait for the checks to start coming in. However, for one reason or another, there are those that are still skeptical of passive income strategies. Whether or not this is ignorance or trepidation, there is only one thing you can do to overcome any reservations you may have: education. The more you learn about passive income, the more inclined you may be to exercise one of its strategies.
There are, however, several misconceptions that serve to confuse investors. Unfortunately, it is these misconceptions that are preventing many investors from realizing truly passive income and potentially limitless wealth building opportunities. Nine misconceptions, in particular, could be putting your investment efforts in jeopardy? So what are they? Perhaps even more importantly, how can you navigate them to realize the potential your investing business really has?
At some point in life, passive income becomes the ‘Holy Grail’ for every investor. For some, passive income strategies have an impact early on. For others, it comes mid-life – in an effort to prepare for the unexpected. Then there are those that don’t start pursuing it until retirement is in sight, and panic sets in. Unfortunately, there are so many myths surrounding passive income that individuals can take detours down the wrong rabbit holes for years. So what are some of the misconceptions about passive income that need to be busted?
1. How little savings it takes to generate sufficient passive income
BankRate.com suggests that individuals need at least $250,000 in retirement savings in order to receive just $1,000 a month in passive income. Clearly, some will struggle to save that much, and few will be able to live on such little income – especially when you take inflation and currency devaluation into consideration. This calculation is based on a 5% withdrawal rate, which is also a similar rate of return mortgage lenders will use in crediting investment income when applying for a loan. While this might sound low to some, it may be incredibly generous given how much many have actually lost on other investments. The fact remains, passive income investments don’t require as much money as many think.
2. How much you need
Many individuals may be seriously overestimating how much money they need to start investing in passive income properties. It is true that it may require millions for some to retire. However, as Harvard Business has recently reported; if investors focus more acutely on income versus nest egg size, they may achieve more with less. This is specifically true for those that intelligently use leverage. In real estate, for example, you can quickly scale to controlling millions of dollars in property, and their cash flows.
3. It takes a lot of work to generate passive income
Generating passive income requires upfront work. Some say achieving passive income is actually quite an active pursuit. Some paths may be. But then they may not be truly passive income investments. Acquiring a passive income producing investment can be very simple, even if there are many others behind the scenes doing a lot of work to vet, package, and manage that investment.
4. It means getting something for nothing
While some have degraded the meaning of passive income with cheesy ,get-rich-quick type schemes, it doesn’t mean getting something for nothing. Whether it is investing hard earned capital, sweat, time, or providing a service such as housing, there is a lot given to create passive income. Each party provides something of high value, even if the end product means simply buying income property.
5. It’s easy to make passive income online
Well, it can be. It can certainly be easier to make money online compared to many other things. However, making money online can take individuals on many detours, which end up costing them a lot more than they planned. Of course it is possible. For example; some blogs and real estate companies do make millions over the web, but they have invested in content, design, and strategy.
6. I have to be invested in the stock market
The stock market may be a valid place for some individuals to park some of their retirement portfolio, and they may even find reasonable dividends sometimes. However, it can also result in huge losses. That said; there are plenty of individuals that have built passive wealth and income without investing in stocks.
7. Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding can be a tool for investing and increasing income returns, but it is still horribly understood by most. Many of the best crowdfunding campaigns don’t offer returns at all. Promoting your own campaigns can help gain leverage, but success is often a lot more work and money than most realize. Most might be better sticking with direct private lending, or simply direct investment.
8. Non-performing notes are an easy path to passive income
Non-performing mortgage notes can make great investments. They can offer nice gains, and sometimes even be made performing and generate passive income for years. However, by their very nature, and the reason they are so deeply discounted, is because they are already failing to deliver on the income they were supposed to.
9. Starting a business means passive income
It can. If it is structured right. Owning a company, like a real estate business, can throw off passive income. However, this is distinctly different from the intense work it takes to open and manage a mom and pop shop.
Passive income is critical, and fortunately it doesn’t have to be as illusive as these points make it seem.
