Warren Buffett wouldn’t worry about cash if he retired with just $1M. Here’s why and how to copy his strategy

Core Viewpoint - Achieving a 3% dividend yield, as preferred by Warren Buffett, is increasingly challenging for passive investors, but diversification into other asset classes or conducting personal research may help surpass this threshold [1][5]. Dividend Yield Trends - The average dividend yield has been declining, with the S&P 500 currently offering approximately 1.1%, remaining below 3% since the 2008 financial crisis [3][2]. - Companies have shifted focus from dividends to buybacks over the years, influenced by the rise of high-growth technology firms that prefer reinvesting cash [2]. Investment Strategies for Higher Yields - To achieve a 3% yield, investors can explore various strategies, including: - Securing high-yield accounts for uninvested cash, which can offer competitive yields [8]. - Investing in ETFs like the iShares Core High Dividend ETF (HDV), which currently offers a 3.5% yield, potentially generating $35,000 annually from a $1 million investment [11]. - Targeting corporate bonds, such as the iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG), which has a yield over 6.2%, allowing for approximately $62,000 in passive income from a $1 million investment [18]. - Considering private credit funds like the Arrived Private Credit Fund, which has a historical yield of 8.1%, providing a competitive alternative to high-yield savings accounts [19]. Financial Advisory and Research Tools - Utilizing platforms like Vanguard for low-cost investing and advisory services can help tailor investment strategies to individual financial goals [13][14]. - Research platforms like Moby can assist investors in making informed decisions, with stock picks outperforming the S&P 500 by an average of 11.95% over the past four years [16][15].