My Financial And Personal Goals For 2026

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Friday, January 9th. The calendar year 2026 is already well under way. We're in a nice warming trend right now here in Central Wisconsin, with the high temperature set to reach 36 degrees Fahrenheit later today. Needless to say, I will be getting outside a bit today.

With that weather update aside, I'll be briefly outlining my goals for 2026. Without further ado, let's get into it!

My Financial Goals For 2026

1. Generate At Least 25% Growth In Net Dividends Collected

As I indicated in last week's Review of 2025 Goals blog post, I collected $5,982.13 in net dividends in 2025. This was up 25.1% over what was received in 2024. I'm going to be running back this goal for 2026.

Granted, it will require higher fresh capital contributions on my end to replicate this year as my capital base and passive income base continues to grow larger. The good news is that I'm cautiously optimistic that my income will be moderately higher in 2026 as well. Even with somewhat higher expenses than 2025, this should help me to grow my net dividends collected by over 15% from capital contributions. The remaining 10% can realistically come from dividend raises and reinvestment.

In my view, this strikes the balance between being an ambitious yet achievable goal.

2. Grow Net Annual Forward Dividends By 25%

Accordingly, I'm also aiming to grow my net annual forward dividends by 25% or more from my base of $6,740 heading into the year. This means I need to end calendar year 2026 with at least $8,430 in net annual forward dividends to go into 2027. Such a goal won't be easy to accomplish but it should be doable.

Personal Goals For 2026

1. Bike 30 To 40 Miles A Week

I'm pleased with my stationary biking routine as it is right now. Thus, I hope to stick with it for the duration of 2026, just as I did throughout most of 2025. This is a goal that will required sustained and consistent effort (three to four days a week of exercise), but it's something I'm confident that I can achieve.

2. Lift Weights Four Times A Week

I will be standing by my goal to lift weights four times a week in calendar year 2026 as well. For me, this is a nice mix of maintaining/building muscle and still manageable enough for me to accomplish my financial and professional goals.

3. Publish A Blog Post Each Week

Once again, I'm going to be running back my goal to publish one blog post a week. Just as I have done for more than seven years, by God's grace, I believe I can keep the momentum going on this front in 2026.

Concluding Thoughts:

That's it for today. My goals are in place for the year. Now, it's just a matter of putting in the work, achieving them, and having fun along the way!

Discussion:

What are your goals for 2026?

Do you believe any of your goals will be harder to attain than others?

I appreciate your readership and look forward to your comments below!

Review Of 2025 Goals

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Friday, January 2nd. The calendar year 2025 has recently concluded. In other words, it's out with 2025 and in with 2026. The high temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach 16 degrees today, so it certainly feels like January!

With that in mind, I'm going to take a moment to summarize how I did with attaining my goals in 2025. Let's jump into it!

Financial Goals For 2025

1. Generate At Least 25% Growth In Net Dividends Collected - Pass

In 2025, I received $5,982.13 in net dividends. This represented a 25.1% growth rate compared to the amount collected in 2024. So, I just barely achieved this goal. My allocation of roughly $30,000 in fresh capital and dividend raises were factors in this higher dividend income.

2. Grow Net Annual Forward Dividends By 25% - Fail

Heading into 2026, my net annual forward dividends are approximately $6,740. That equates to a 23.6% growth rate versus the $5,455 in net annual forward dividends at the start of 2025. So, I fell just short of hitting this goal.

Overall, I'm pleased with my progress on this goal for the year, though. The key element that held me back from achieving this goal was my bout with pneumonia back in March. If it wasn't for a little more than a week of missed work and modest medical bills, I would have narrowly surpassed my goal.

Personal Goals For 2025

1. Bike 40 Miles A Week - Mostly Pass

Throughout much of 2025, I did bike 40 miles a week or at least came close. As I alluded to earlier, there was a time when I was sick with pneumonia and recovering from it that I obviously didn't exercise. Outside of that and easing back into my routine, I met this goal.

2. Lift Weights Four Times A Week - Mostly Pass

Once again, I generally stuck to my goal of doing light weight training four days a week. I didn't end up finishing the year doing three sets of 12 reps of various motions with 20 lb dumb bells, however.

3. Publish A Blog Post Each Week - Pass

Having published 52 blog posts in 2025, I met my goal of publishing one blog post each week. For over seven years now, I have done so on this blog. God willing, I will keep this going in 2026 and in the years that follow.

Concluding Thoughts:

For the most part, 2025 was a decent year. I mostly met or surpassed four out of my five goals for the year. This blog post won't be published until Tuesday, January 6th, but I hope that everybody's New Year is off to a great start!

Discussion:

How was your 2025?

Did you achieve your goals?

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!

December 2025 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Friday, December 26th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of 37 degrees Fahrenheit today. For this time of year, that's fantastic. So, I'll probably spend at least some time outside later.

Earlier this week, I celebrated the seven-year anniversary of my first article being published to Seeking Alpha. I still can't believe that what started out as a way to potentially earn free stock on Robinhood through referrals evolved into what would eventually become a career in equity research for me. I'm so blessed and humbled to wake up doing what I love everyday!

With that aside, I'm going to be briefly diving into my net dividend income for December 2025. Without further ado, let's jump into it!

Net Dividends Topped $700

In December 2025, I collected $708.24 in net dividends (including ADR fees for BAM in my taxable account and the $10 annual fee for my Capital Income Builder mutual fund). Sequentially, that's up 13.6% versus the $623.20 in net dividends received in September 2025. Backing out an extra $85.73 in net special dividends collected from my Capital Income Builder (CAIBX) mutual fund, net dividends were relatively flat during the month. Further accounting for the timing of PepsiCo's (PEP) dividend payment (to be paid in the first week of January), net dividends collected would have grown by 4.8% sequentially.

Relative to the $655.90 in net dividends logged in December 2024, this was also up 8% over the year-ago period.

I received $369.73 in net dividends from 40 companies in my Charles Schwab portfolio. This was about the same as it was in September. The additions of dividend payments from Carlisle Companies (CSL) and Equinix (EQIX) almost entirely offset the timing of PEP's dividend payment.

My net dividends collected from CAIBX were $181.45 (net of the annual fee). A higher share count and the special dividend paid each December were responsible for the sequential growth.

I received $136.42 from 14 companies within my Fidelity IRA account. Once again, the timing of PEP's dividend payment slightly lowered my net annual forward dividends.

Finally, my net dividends collected were $20.64 from seven companies in my Webull portfolio. Dividend hikes from Broadcom (AVGO), Visa (V), and Lockheed Martin (LMT) contributed to this modestly higher amount.

Concluding Thoughts:

The calendar year 2025 was another year of strong progress for the portfolio. Passive income grew by 25.1% over calendar year 2024 (more details to come in next week's blog post). Overall, I'm very grateful to be in this position and looking forward to 2026.

I hope everybody has a great close to 2025 and an even better start to their 2026!

Discussion:

How was your December 2025 for dividend income?

Did you receive any first-time dividends during the month?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

December 2025 Dividend Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Friday, December 19th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is expected to reach a high of 18 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about what I would expect for this time of the year.

Now that I have completed all of my anticipated stock purchases for the month, I will be going over my purchases for December 2025. Without further ado, let's jump into it!

Dividend Stock Purchase #1: Meta Platforms (META)

My first dividend stock purchase for the month was one share of Meta Platforms at a cost of $642.07 a share. Interested readers can find my investment thesis in my December 2025 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. My net annual forward dividends grew by $2.10, which equates to a 0.33% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Purchase #2: Microsoft (MSFT)

The next dividend stock purchase for December 2025 was one share of Microsoft at a price per share of $487.68. Curious readers can check out my investment thesis in my Seeking Alpha article co-produced with Treading Softly (Scott Kaufman) or my April 2025 Stock Purchases blog post. This purchase added $3.64 to my net annual forward dividends, which works out to a 0.75% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Purchase #3: Novo Nordisk (NVO)

My third dividend stock purchase that I made for the month was 10 shares of Novo Nordisk for $48.49 apiece. Intrigued readers can also read my investment thesis in my December 2025 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post linked earlier. My net annual forward dividends rose by $15.26, which is equivalent to a 3.15% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Purchase #4: ONEOK (OKE)

The next dividend stock purchase for December 2025 was nine shares of ONEOK at a cost of $73.62 a share. Once again, interested readers can peruse my investment thesis in my December 2025 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. This transaction lifted my net annual forward dividends by $37.08, which equates to a 5.60% net dividend yield.

Bonus Dividend Stock Purchase #1: Automatic Data Processing (ADP)

Another purchase that I made during the month was two shares of Automatic Data Processing at a price per share of $255.50. Curious readers can find my investment thesis in my September Seeking Alpha article. My net annual forward dividends grew by $13.60, which works out to a 2.66% net dividend yield.

Bonus Dividend Stock Purchase #2: Philip Morris International (PM)

The next dividend stock purchase for December 2025 was two shares of Philip Morris International at a cost of $149.04 a share. This transaction boosted my net annual forward dividends by $11.76, which is equivalent to a 3.95% net dividend yield.

Bonus Dividend Stock Purchase #3: VICI Properties (VICI)

Finally, I completed a purchase of five shares of VICI Properties at a price per share of $28.36. Intrigued readers can find my investment thesis in my January 2026 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. My net annual forward dividends grew by $9, which equates to a 6.35% net dividend yield.

Concluding Thoughts:

In December, I allocated $4,152.05 in net capital (including dividend/special dividend/long-term capital gain reinvestment from CAIBX and its $10 annual fee). These purchases boosted my net annual forward dividends by $120.64, which works out to be a 2.91% net dividend yield.

Dividend raises during the month upped my net annual forward dividends by $21.236 in December 2025 (not including a nearly $10 downward adjustment in net annual forward dividends from BTI, GSK, and NVO due to less favorable exchange rates). That's how my net annual forward dividends grew from roughly $6,615 heading into December to over $6,740 heading into January 2026.

Have a safe, healthy, and relaxing Christmas, everybody!

Discussion:

How was your month for capital deployment?

Did you start any new position(s) in December 2025?

I appreciate your readership and look forward to your comments below!