The Motley Fool·2026-01-01 09:44Core Viewpoint - The article suggests that 2026 could be dubbed the "Year of Making Reliable Passive Income," with an investment of $122,100 in three high-yield dividend stocks potentially generating $10,000 in passive income [1]. Group 1: Ares Capital - Ares Capital (ARCC) is highlighted as a strong investment option, with an investment of $40,700 expected to yield approximately $3,875 in dividend income in 2026, based on a forward dividend yield of slightly above 9.5% [3][4]. - Ares Capital is the largest publicly traded business development company (BDC), required to return at least 90% of its income to shareholders as dividends to maintain tax exemptions [4]. - The company has a strong track record, having either grown or maintained its dividend for 65 consecutive quarters, equating to 16 years [6]. Group 2: Energy Transfer LP - Energy Transfer LP (ET) is another recommended investment, with a potential passive income of $3,325 from a $40,700 investment, based on a distribution yield of nearly 8.2% [7]. - The company has consistently increased its distributions since Q3 2021 and targets annual distribution growth of 3% to 5% [8]. - Energy Transfer's financial position is reported as the strongest in its history, with a manageable debt load and a comfortable distribution coverage ratio [10]. Group 3: Pfizer - Investing $40,700 in Pfizer (PFE) could yield an additional $2,800 in passive income in 2026, based on a forward dividend yield of around 6.9% [12]. - Pfizer has a long history of dividend payments, having increased its dividend for 16 consecutive years and paid dividends for 345 consecutive quarters [12]. - Despite projected revenue stagnation and challenges such as a patent cliff and lower-than-expected COVID-19 product revenue, Pfizer is expected to maintain its dividend due to solid free cash flow and management's commitment to dividend growth [14][15].