Watan-Did you know there are different types of income that can help you build wealth or live the life you’ve always wanted? By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll know the sources of income that millionaires have.
Basically, if you want to achieve financial independence, you need to know about these types of income, understand where they come from, and make the most out of them.
Don’t forget that generating money and improving your quality of life depends solely on you. Therefore, you must do everything in your power to successfully boost your finances.
Sources of Income That Build Wealth
Knowing the types of income that can enhance your financial intelligence while transforming your bank accounts forever is extremely important and prudent.
It’s a matter of familiarizing yourself with them and understanding how they work so they can work for you and not against you.
Below, we’ll share the most popular types of income—those that could significantly grow your bank account in the short, medium, or long term—and ultimately help you achieve financial freedom.
1. Active Income
These are the most common and traditional sources of income. Experts also consider them to be highly stable.
Here, you simply trade your knowledge and time for money. In other words, you work for a company and receive a monthly payment for your services.
In essence, these steady streams of money translate into income derived from work.
While they can provide financial security and comfort, it’s important to understand that full-time jobs leave little room for launching profitable businesses.
Key Advantages
- These types of income can be very beneficial if you live in a prosperous (economically stable) country.
- You receive a regular, punctual monthly payment, meaning you’ll have a fixed income month after month.
- If you excel at your job, you could receive a raise, translating to more money flowing into your accounts.
Disadvantages
- Often, you only receive enough money to cover your basic monthly expenses.
- To increase your cash flow, you’d have to work overtime, hold two jobs, or freelance.
- Job income can be risky—if the economy crashes or the company you work for faces issues, you could lose your job.
- By the end of the month, you may not have much left for investing.
Practical Examples
- You graduate from college and get a job.
- Jobs that don’t require professional degrees, such as being a cashier or salesperson in a store.
- Specializing in masonry and starting your own business as a self-employed worker.
2. Portfolio Income
With this type of income, millionaires generate money through capital gains.
This means they build wealth through investments made over their lifetime.
Purchasing stocks or investing in bonds are common strategies they use to strengthen their financial position.
Keep in mind that if those stocks or bonds increase in value, you’ll benefit or profit from their positive returns.
Advantages
- You generally earn money in a short period of time.
- It works optimally when the economic environment is stable and prosperous.
- You can earn money without much effort or time.
- You can make short-term investments with good returns.
Disadvantages
- Portfolio income is often risky, especially for people who aren’t very familiar with the financial system.
- Earnings depend on the economy of the country you reside in.
- High taxes often apply, even if you make a significant profit.
Practical Examples
- Buying a company’s stock at a specific price and selling it at a higher price.
- Investing in real estate, particularly deteriorated properties, improving them, and selling them at a higher price for significant profits.
3. Passive Income
This is one of the most profitable and attractive types of income for building wealth while engaging in other activities.
Simply put, they’re ideal for generating money on autopilot. As a result, you’ll have more time to enjoy life or explore other sources of income.
According to a Forbes report, there are three major mechanisms for generating passive income (where constant or recurring work is not required):
- Making investments.
- Building assets.
- Sharing assets.
Advantages
- These assets generate cash flow regardless of whether you’re actively working on them.
- You receive money consistently while having the freedom to engage in other activities or acquire more assets.
- The money earned can be reinvested, and the best part is you remain the original owner.
- You can have other types of income simultaneously.
Disadvantages
- You need a high level of financial knowledge, along with patience and intelligence, to make the most of these income sources.
- Some of the most lucrative passive income opportunities require significant initial effort.
Examples of Passive Income
- Rental properties that generate cash flow through rent.
- Writing a book and earning royalties through Amazon sales.
- Copyright royalties.
- Creating digital products and monetizing them.
Diversify Your Income and Improve Your Finances
Most people are unfamiliar with the fundamentals of portfolio and passive income, especially those used to earning money from a fixed job.
But the truth is, times have changed, and there are now many options available to help you diversify your finances and build wealth like millionaires do.
Today, you can earn money without having a fixed job—and even combine various types of income to expand your wealth in the long run.