How to unlock lifelong passive income by investing £20,000 in an ISA

Zaven Boyrazian demonstrates how using an ISA could possibly leave investors £28,000 richer building a long-term passive income portfolio.

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

Close-up of British bank notes

Image source: Getty Images

When investing, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in.

Read More

The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, any form of personal advice. Investments in a currency other than sterling are exposed to currency exchange risk. Currency exchange rates are constantly changing, which may affect the value of the investment in sterling terms. You could lose money in sterling even if the stock price rises in the currency of origin. Stocks listed on overseas exchanges may be subject to additional dealing and exchange rate charges, and may have other tax implications, and may not provide the same, or any, regulatory protection as in the UK.

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

The Stocks and Shares ISA is a miraculous tool for building a passive income. By capitalising on the annual ISA allowance, investors can inject up to £20,000 each year into the stock market without paying a single penny in capital gains or dividend tax.

In the future, this allowance might be higher or lower. Therefore, it’s essential to try and maximise its usage since it doesn’t carry over into the next tax year. But the question then becomes, how to use it effectively?

Eliminating tax from the equation

An investor capable of maximising their annual ISA allowance will most likely be in the higher rate income tax band. This is important because outside of an ISA, they’ll be paying 33.75% tax on any dividends received.

Passive income stocks: our picks

Do you like the idea of dividend income?

The prospect of investing in a company just once, then sitting back and watching as it potentially pays a dividend out over and over?

If you’re excited by the thought of regular passive income payments, as well as the potential for significant growth on your initial investment…

Then we think you’ll want to see this report inside Motley Fool Share Advisor — ‘5 Essential Stocks For Passive Income Seekers’.

What’s more, today we’re giving away one of these stock picks, absolutely free!

Get your free passive income stock pick

To demonstrate how much damage causes the wealth-building process, let’s assume that £20,000 is invested each year over the next decade, yielding 6% in dividends that are reinvested.

Within an ISA where taxes don’t apply, a portfolio would reach a value of roughly £273,187. But in a regular trading account, the impact of dividend tax drags the portfolio’s performance down to £245,142.

In other words, investors using an ISA to build a passive income end up being up to £28,045 richer. And that’s not even taking any capital gains into account.

Of course, I’m ignoring the annual £1,000 dividend allowance in this calculation. But considering it’s dropping to £500 in April 2024, this shrinking tax-free buffer becomes near negligible as a portfolio grows.

Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice. Readers are responsible for carrying out their own due diligence and for obtaining professional advice before making any investment decisions.

Building a sustainable passive income

Buying shares in a low-cost index fund is probably the most prudent for hands-off investors who don’t want to spend time researching and analysing stocks.

Mimicking the performance of flagship indices like the FTSE 100 or FTSE 250 is a proven strategy. However, both don’t offer much in terms of yield, with neither currently above 4%. For investors seeking to maximise their passive income, picking individual stocks can unlock a more substantial payout without substantially increasing risk.

It’s also worth pointing out that building a high-yield portfolio doesn’t always require buying high-yield stocks. Investing in businesses with the potential to steadily grow their dividends over time can push a portfolio’s yield higher. And the firms capable of doing this consistently often end up being some of the most lucrative investments around.

Of course, stock picking isn’t a straightforward process. Beyond a time investment it requires far more emotional discipline, especially when stock prices are in freefall.

It also demands some notable skill in capital allocation. After all, unlike an index fund, investors will have to construct and manage their own portfolio of companies, ensuring everything stays diversified and balanced.

This extra effort isn’t for everyone. But investors able and willing to design, develop, and execute a sound investment strategy could unlock a significantly larger passive income in the long run.

5 Shares for the Future of Energy

Investors who don’t own energy shares need to see this now.

Because Mark Rogers — The Motley Fool UK’s Director of Investing — sees 2 key reasons why energy is set to soar.

While sanctions slam Russian supplies, nations are also racing to achieve net zero emissions, he says. Mark believes 5 companies in particular are poised for spectacular profits.

Open this new report5 Shares for the Future of Energy — and discover:

  • Britain’s Energy Fort Knox, now controlling 30% of UK energy storage
  • How to potentially get paid by the weather
  • Electric Vehicles’ secret backdoor opportunity
  • One dead simple stock for the new nuclear boom

Click the button below to find out how you can get your hands on the full report now, and as a thank you for your interest, we’ll send you one of the five picks — absolutely free!

Grab your FREE Energy recommendation now

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Google office headquarters
Investing Articles

$1bn a day! This S&P 500 share still looks like a stock market bargain after Q1 earnings

The owner of Google and YouTube just announced strong results to the stock market, including another massive $70bn share buyback.

Read more »

BUY AND HOLD spelled in letters on top of a pile of books. Alongside is a piggy bank in glasses. Buy and hold is a popular long term stock and shares strategy.
Investing Articles

3 cheap FTSE 100 stocks with big dividends to consider buying right now

Sector weakness in some FTSE 100 industries has also left some of my long-term favourite stocks offering attractive dividend yields.

Read more »

Growth Shares

Forecast: £1,000 invested in Rolls-Royce shares could be worth this much by next year

Jon Smith talks through both his opinion and analysts’ forecasts when trying to predict where Rolls-Royce shares could head from…

Read more »

Man putting his card into an ATM machine while his son sits in a stroller beside him.
Investing Articles

£5,000 invested in Lloyds shares 5 years ago is now worth…

The price of Lloyds shares has more than doubled over the past five years. However, our writer’s cautious about the…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Up 58% in a year, the BT share price could be the FTSE 100 target to beat in 2025

The BT share price has been steadily climbing back since newish boss Allison Kirkby came on board. Is the new…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

£10,000 invested in Nvidia stock 5 years ago is now worth…

Even after the Nvidia stock falls of the past couple of months, its five-year performance remains stunning. And it could…

Read more »

artificial intelligence investing algorithms
Investing Articles

I asked ChatGPT for the best UK stocks to buy for my portfolio in the market sell-off. Here’s what it said

When Edward Sheldon asked the generative AI app for the best stocks to buy amid the market pullback, he was…

Read more »

Warren Buffett at a Berkshire Hathaway AGM
Investing Articles

Could now be a rewarding moment to buy shares?

Christopher Ruane's looking for shares to buy in a turbulent market. But while he's focused on quality, he's equally interested…

Read more »