We are the Dividend Diplomats. Two guys in their Mid-20’s in a race to gain more time now before we hit 59.5 years of age for the “normal” retirement age. You can see our goals at the linked page. The Dividend Diplomat journey began in a 1997 Toyota Celica that was struggling over the 200,000 mile mark on our way to Clearfield, PA… One individual had over $1.5K in projected dividend income and the other had more money in his pocket than projected dividends in his portfolio, and let’s just say – most people don’t hold that much cash, if you catch my drift.
This is when the journey truly began, a nice 3.5 hour conversation from two CPAs in a beater of a car talking about breaking free from the chains of working as a CPA. We both were fired up, eagerly talking investing strategies and that is when the one Diplomat began his preaching on the Dividend Investing topic and how it takes the nonsense out of the ridiculous world of investing and suddenly made it very clear on the strategy to truly build a cash flowing, incoming thriving portfolio. Here is where we will describe who we are in a short brief as well as a longer story from where we have come from and where we are about to go. Thank you for visiting our site, as we update you on or purchases, stock analysis’, goal status, portfolio updates and, of course – our dividend income monthly breakdowns. Let’s all try to learn and push each other to new lengths to fully reach financial independence, here we go!
Lanny
- Age: 26
- Born: Akron, Ohio
- Where did you graduate?: The University of Akron – B.S. Accounting (2009) and MBA-Finance (2011)
- First Stock/Investment Owned: T. Rowe Price 2040 Fund
- Date of your first purchase: February 9, 2009
- Top Dividend Producing Stocks: Total (TOT) and Shell (RDS.A)
- Current Overall Yield: 3.53%
Bert
- Age: 25
- Born: Cleveland, Ohio
- Where did you graduate?: THE Ohio State University (BSBA- Accounting in 2011) and Case Western Rerserve University (MAcc in 2012)
- First Stock/Investment Owned: Bank of America
- Date of your first purchase: February 9, 2009
- Top Dividend Producing Stocks: BP (BP) and GSK
- Current Overall Yield: 3.74%
Good luck to both of you. You’re already ahead of the game!
Thanks Arizona trader. These are the most critical years to be investing, especially in dividend growth stocks. We are just trying to get closer and closer to financial independence!
Hi, I’ve just found your blog and I’m looking forward to reading more. I’m not currently a dividend investor as I’m concentrating on growth. However I will need to covert my portfolio to one which pays out well when I (hopefully) retire in a few years time so I need all the tips I can get 🙂 Good luck yourselves.
This is really really inspiring, I found you guys on seekingalpha and trace you down here.
I want to write a article about you guys on my blog( I blog in Chinese but I have 8K followers, not sure how many people may come here) . What you guys ‘ve been doing is really cool.
Dan Xu,
Thank you! We appreciate you coming along and would be honored – want to send us a direct message/Email?
-Lanny/Bert
Hi,
I’ve been a long time reader of blogs such as yours and they are very inspiring. As such, I recently jumped into the blogging community to hopefully inspire others like you have with me. With that being said, you guys have a nice blog here and I look forward to reading for years to come. Being a 27 year old investor myself your blog resonates with me as we are both looking at long term dividend investing as a way to generate passive income to enjoy a nice retirement. Also, our portfolio’s are relatively the same size so it will be fun watching them grow! Good luck to you in 2015!
Scott
Hey guys Im actually in a similar position as you guys, would you mind if I also used the 60% challenge on my blog as well?
Absolutely! We would be honored if you used the 60% challenge. We will make sure to share links along the way. Best of luck to you during your challenge, let’s see how well you stack up against the two of us!
hi good day, how are you?
I have a question that I can’t seem to find anywhere! If you are dividend growth investing inside 401k and Roth iras, let’s say in 10 years you want to start taking dividend contributions as cash, how would you go about that? Would you have to roll all hundreds of thousands into a roth and receive tax free dividends?
To my knowledge you cannot accept income from dividends inside your 401k, so how to plan for the end game??
Index funds have the roth ladder conversion, what’s the end game for dividends?
Hi guys, i’m stoked i stumbled across this blog. I’m 28 and seem to be chasing the same goals as you both, its helpful to bounce ideas off other people and see how others analyze entering the market. Question on brokerages…who do you both use? I’m trying to determine best functionality vs price and have struggled to really make a distinction thus far. Any input greatly appreciated!
Zach
Great story, can’t see where you guys go from here.
It’s nice seeing some fellow Clevelanders traversing the financial world!
Hi,
I found your blog (dividenddiplomats.net) in Google and it’s very nice blog. We are working on behalf of a company and interested for Sponsored posts for your blog. I assure that my article was 100% unique and informative.
Are you interested ?
Please let me know if you are interested.
I am waiting for your kind reply.
Thanks
Shelly
Hi Bert Lanny
Love what you guys are doing.
I was wondering if you could share with me your template(s) so I too can start to track my portfolio.
Thank you both very much
Owen(Ireland)
Owen – want to shoot us a message to our email? It is our name @ gmail!
Just found you guys by “accident” Google-ing some dividend investment stuff. Love the site, and it’s so encouraging to see other 20-somethings full force on investments, person finance, etc. February 2017 is going to be the month I start dividend investing! Looking forward to combing through site in detail. Cheers!
Zach –
Love the post and pumped you were able to stumble upon us. This is what it’s all about – passion, consistency and doing whatever it takes to invest & increase this form of income to freedom. Congrats on starting up and let us know if you have any questions that we could help with along the way.
-Lanny
Thank you for the time both of you put into this site. I am like both of you only buying dividend stocks. I am different in one way. I only buy when I think they are cheap and sell when I make over 20 percent on a stock. I have bought Target,syy,hrl gis and others. Last week bought Q com . I have bought and sold some more than once or twice like Tyson. If it gets back close $55 I will buy it again. What do you think? I always like to hear what is in the bargain bin . Thanks again for your insight.
I’ve been a passive reader for so long and you guys have been an inspiration. Good luck to both of you! Godspeed!!
Hi, this is quite impressive, at the age of mid 20’s you guys are doing really a great job.
Keep up the good work. Wish you all the very best. 🙂
Came across your site while reading getrichbrothers.com
Sounds like you guys are on the right track.
Always good to see what is working for others.
Take care
Hello,
I hope this message finds you well! I am interested in a sponsored post on your site and I was wondering how much it costs.
Looking forward to reading your response!
Best regards,
Tiberiu Iavorenciuc
Dear Lanny and Bert
I am checking your website and profiles, and I found them amazing. I want to tell you about an interesting proposal for increasing profits and sharing content, expecting you get interested and contact me forward.
Hi Lanny and Bert, great to meet fellow dividend bloggers. I’d like to send you a quick email for a blogging collaboration if you are interested, I can be reached here: kanwal [at] simplyinvesting [dot] com
Hello Diplomats!
Great blog and wish I had started as young as you guys did – you’re both on the way to a stress-free financial life!
Question for Lanny: Why RDS.A instead of RDS.B? RDS.B has the tax treaty with the USA, preventing your dividends from the 15% dutch withholding tax…
Great job here fellas keep it up!!
Buckeyes ! …………….I assume you are O-H-I-O fans …………….
O…H!
Bert even went to The Ohio State University!
Hi,
I want to publish one guest post on this website. Please let me know cost.
Thanks,
Bhavesh
Hey guys, was checking out the site, love how you emphasize the long term value in dividend stocks!
I’m on the licensing team at Benzinga, we’re the largest news and data vendor in the North American brokerage/research space.
Thought our Dividend Calendar could automate your data needs? Would love to chat if you think it would help.
Talk soon,
James
Hi Bert & Lani,
I just noticed you post the stocks you own. I appreciate you being upfront. Nothing to hide. A couple things I like about your you tube channel is your just a regular couple of guys investing in dividend paying stocks. I joke with you both occasionally but I’m also serious dividend investor. I’d like to email you a copy of my stocks in one of my brokerage accounts and maybe you can pick it apart on your channel sometime. I’m billy Johnson on you tube but my real name is mark by the way a little about myself I’m part Italian and part Jewish I retired in the Philippines and love it here.
Hi, i invested just recently in Vanguard ETF VOO.After reading your article on “Seekingalpha” with investing in the ETF VYM.I’m now wondering if i should also pick up the VYM ETF fund.Being it’s so similar but produces better Dividends.Any thoughts or ideas ?
Thank you
Gary –
You cannot go wrong with VOO! VYM, I would say, is for someone looking for a slightly reduction in risk (less possible overall return possibly) but with higher current income, since the yield is > 2x VOO. Make sense?
-Lanny
Greetings,
Izzah Khan here from Increase Rev, I work as an Ad Opt Expert. We are interested in obtaining ads space on
dividenddiplomats.net. Would you be willing to run our ads on your website?
Awaiting your response.