After 37 years of clocking in and out of work and religiously saving at least 10% annually in my 401K every year, my countdown to financial independence is in sight. Each month is a step closer and let’s look at how this past month is getting me there.
For the month of March I made $6,442.24; an increase of 10.52% versus this time last year. The income would have been more, but Good Friday pushed 6 dividend payouts to April. Well, at least April is shaping up to be a winner!
Regarding raises, I received 7 dividend raises from AMNF, EPR, NEWT, O, QCOM, WPC, & WSM that added $183.95 to my forward annual income.
In regards to my selling and consolidating positions I placed this activity on hold to tend to other matters by rolling over my M1 finance accounts to Fidelity. This took 2 weeks to accomplish with the whole shares coming over in week 1 and then the fractional shares were liquidated and sent to me at the end of week 2. Once lagging dividend payouts are moved over (last one should be May 13) then I will restart the consolidation process.
One other area of investing note for me was my 401K. I have been using that account to establish all my emergency funds and by mid-January I hit all my targets. All new contributions going forward will be invested to generate income and an ETF will be my weapon of choice. I used this opportunity to enhance my portfolio as it was light on international companies and as such have chosen the Amplify International Enhanced Dividend Fund (IDVO) as the new regular investment for my 401K. IDVO made its first payout for me in March and I have a long term ambition to get to $200 per month before I hit retirement.
Last month in my “On the Home Front” section I told you my company lost yet another significant development contract which will inevitably lead to more layoffs. An update on that front and the layoffs are coming sooner than anticipated. We were briefed by our President who said numbers have not been solidified yet but said everyone affected will be notified by May 1. Office rumors and speculation are running rampant among the workers. While I appreciate the transparency, listening to my coworkers talk about it incessantly every day is becoming depressing, distracting, and at times annoying. Wish they would just rip the band-aid off and tell everyone now. If I lose my job then so be it, I have a contingency plan ready to go if it happens.
Enough of me babbling, here are the numbers:
Dividends Received
| Date | Symbol | Company | Amount |
| 3/1/24 | ALE | ALLETE INC | $196.42 |
| 3/1/24 | DIVO | AMPLIFY ETF TR CWP ENHANCED DIV | $126.51 |
| 3/1/24 | IDVO | Amplify International Enhanced Dividend Income ETF | $68.53 |
| 3/1/24 | PNW | PINNACLE WEST CAPITAL CORP | $237.05 |
| 3/1/24 | PSX | PHILLIPS 66 | $33.46 |
| 3/1/24 | SJM | SMUCKER J M CO | $20.86 |
| 3/4/24 | VLO | VALERO ENERGY CORP | $38.52 |
| 3/5/24 | ENB | ENBRIDGE INC COM | $283.97 |
| 3/5/24 | JNJ | JOHNSON &JOHNSON | $213.88 |
| 3/6/24 | SO | SOUTHERN CO | $77.44 |
| 3/7/24 | AMGN | AMGEN INC | $13.95 |
| 3/7/24 | CMI | CUMMINS INC | $48.53 |
| 3/7/24 | DFS | DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES | $18.56 |
| 3/8/24 | UPS | UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC | $402.70 |
| 3/11/24 | CVX | CHEVRON CORP | $36.09 |
| 3/11/24 | IBM | INTERNATIONAL BUS MACH CORP | $169.28 |
| 3/11/24 | SNA | SNAP-ON INC | $45.35 |
| 3/12/24 | MMM | 3M CO | $64.84 |
| 3/12/24 | WBA | WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE INC | $41.10 |
| 3/14/24 | MSFT | MICROSOFT CORP | $83.66 |
| 3/14/24 | OGN | ORGANON &CO | $6.86 |
| 3/14/24 | PRU | PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL INC | $616.72 |
| 3/15/24 | AVA | AVISTA CORP | $172.84 |
| 3/15/24 | BHB | BAR HARBOR BANKSHARES | $63.66 |
| 3/15/24 | EPR | EPR PROPERTIES | $85.49 |
| 3/15/24 | O | REALTY INCOME CORP | $87.20 |
| 3/15/24 | R | RYDER SYSTEM INC | $68.84 |
| 3/18/24 | DUK | DUKE ENERGY CORP | $75.27 |
| 3/20/24 | PSEC | PROSPECT CAP CORP | $98.13 |
| 3/20/24 | VYM | Vanguard High Dividend Yield | $230.87 |
| 3/21/24 | QCOM | QUALCOMM INC | $189.33 |
| 3/22/24 | UL | UNILEVER PLC SPON ADR | $61.26 |
| 3/25/24 | NUSI | ETF SER SOLUTIONS NATIONWIDE NASDQ | $21.45 |
| 3/25/24 | SCHD | SCHWAB US DIVIDEND EQUITY ETF | $985.95 |
| 3/26/24 | XRMI | GLOBAL X FDS S&P 500 RISK | $28.37 |
| 3/26/24 | XYLD | GLOBAL X FDS S&P 500 COVERED | $65.15 |
| 3/27/24 | MAIN | MAIN STR CAP CORP | $100.67 |
| 3/28/24 | BEP | BROOKFIELD RENEWABLE PARTNERS PARTNERSH | $311.28 |
| 3/28/24 | CCI | CROWN CASTLE INC | $42.39 |
| 3/28/24 | CSWC | CAPITAL SOUTHWEST CORPORATION | $117.13 |
| 3/28/24 | CTO | CTO RLTY GROWTH INC | $472.21 |
| 3/28/24 | TROW | PRICE T ROWE GROUPS | $28.06 |
| 3/28/24 | UTG | REAVES UTILITY INCOME FUND | $238.27 |
| 3/28/24 | WM | WASTE MANAGEMENT INC | $54.14 |
Dividend Changes
| SYM | 2024 | 2023 | Difference | % Change | Notes |
| ALE | $196.42 | $180.21 | $16.21 | 9.00% | |
| AMGN | $13.95 | $13.20 | $0.75 | 5.68% | |
| ARCC | $0.00 | $588.39 | -$588.39 | -100.00% | 2024 Payout in Apr |
| AVA | $172.84 | $159.42 | $13.42 | 8.42% | |
| AVGO | $0.00 | $9.61 | -$9.61 | -100.00% | 2024 Payout in Apr |
| BEP | $311.28 | $295.94 | $15.34 | 5.18% | |
| BHB | $63.66 | $56.72 | $6.94 | 12.24% | |
| BP | $0.00 | $10.40 | -$10.40 | -100.00% | Sold Position |
| CCI | $42.39 | $42.39 | 100.00% | New Position | |
| CMI | $48.53 | $45.35 | $3.18 | 7.01% | |
| CMP | $0.00 | $28.65 | -$28.65 | -100.00% | Sold Position |
| CSWC | $117.13 | $96.14 | $20.99 | 21.83% | |
| CTO | $472.21 | $97.37 | $374.84 | 384.96% | |
| CVX | $36.09 | $25.48 | $10.61 | 41.64% | |
| DFS | $18.56 | $15.89 | $2.67 | 16.80% | |
| DIVO | $126.51 | $112.02 | $14.49 | 12.94% | |
| DUK | $75.27 | $70.74 | $4.53 | 6.40% | |
| ENB | $283.97 | $255.49 | $28.48 | 11.15% | |
| EPR | $85.49 | $85.49 | $0.00 | 0.00% | |
| FAF | $0.00 | $171.40 | -$171.40 | -100.00% | Sold Position |
| FAST | $0.00 | $15.10 | -$15.10 | -100.00% | 2024 Payout in Feb |
| GM | $0.00 | $13.55 | -$13.55 | -100.00% | Sold Position |
| IBM | $169.28 | $160.63 | $8.65 | 5.39% | |
| IDVO | $68.53 | $68.53 | 100.00% | New Position | |
| JNJ | $213.88 | $202.94 | $10.94 | 5.39% | |
| KHC | $0.00 | $10.01 | -$10.01 | -100.00% | 2024 Payout in Apr |
| LMT | $0.00 | $28.18 | -$28.18 | -100.00% | 2024 Payout in Apr |
| MAIN | $100.67 | $68.05 | $32.62 | 47.94% | Inc special div |
| MMM | $64.84 | $63.79 | $1.05 | 1.65% | |
| MSFT | $83.66 | $75.65 | $8.01 | 10.59% | |
| NUSI | $21.45 | $16.46 | $4.99 | 30.32% | |
| NWL | $0.00 | $25.56 | -$25.56 | -100.00% | Sold Position |
| O | $87.20 | $10.33 | $76.87 | 744.14% | |
| OGN | $6.86 | $6.43 | $0.43 | 6.69% | |
| PEP | $0.00 | $61.96 | -$61.96 | -100.00% | 2024 payout in Apr |
| PNW | $237.05 | $222.66 | $14.39 | 6.46% | |
| PRU | $616.72 | $561.85 | $54.87 | 9.77% | |
| PSEC | $98.13 | $98.13 | $0.00 | 0.00% | |
| PSX | $33.46 | $32.18 | $1.28 | 3.98% | |
| QCOM | $189.33 | $177.49 | $11.84 | 6.67% | |
| R | $68.84 | $59.68 | $9.16 | 15.35% | |
| SCHD | $985.95 | $498.92 | $487.03 | 100.00% | |
| SJM | $20.86 | $19.93 | $0.93 | 4.67% | |
| SNA | $45.35 | $39.50 | $5.85 | 14.81% | |
| SO | $77.44 | $72.22 | $5.22 | 7.23% | |
| TROW | $28.06 | $26.39 | $1.67 | 6.33% | |
| UL | $61.26 | $60.39 | $0.87 | 1.44% | |
| UPS | $402.70 | $385.12 | $17.58 | 4.56% | |
| UTG | $238.27 | $238.27 | 100.00% | New Position | |
| VLO | $38.52 | $36.72 | $1.80 | 4.90% | |
| VYM | $230.87 | $230.87 | 100.00% | New Position | |
| WBA | $41.10 | $73.51 | -$32.41 | -44.09% | Dividend Cut |
| WEYS | $0.00 | $26.99 | -$26.99 | -100.00% | Sold Position |
| WM | $54.14 | $50.53 | $3.61 | 7.14% | |
| XRMI | $28.37 | $54.32 | -$25.95 | -47.77% | 2023 double payout |
| XYLD | $65.15 | $147.23 | -$82.08 | -55.75% | 2023 double payout |
| M1 Finance | $0.00 | $108.69 | -$108.69 | -100.00% | account closed |
| Total | $6,442.24 | $5,829.00 | $613.24 | 10.52% |
Simple Dividend Growth 
OK, so in May you know. How long is your notice period? Here in Sweden, this depends on the length of employment, so in my case it is 6 months’ notice. Haven’t heard anything yet, but my hope is that I will be fired myself.
+10%, that’s a good salary increase for a single month.
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The law in my state is 2 weeks but my company is 4 weeks. My severance package would be fairly generous at 28 weeks plus any unused vacation (9 weeks for me) so that is a total of 37 weeks.
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👍
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I like IDVO for international exposure. I have a small position in my Roth IRA. The pending layoffs can be really stressful but at least you have a plan in place which hopeful is making it a bit less stressful for you.
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