The first month of 2026 is in the books, and the "Desidividend" strategy has officially shifted into high gear. While 2025 was about consistency, 2026 is about scale. We are starting the year with a massive Year-over-Year (YoY) jump that sets the stage for our most ambitious goal yet.
The Core Numbers
January 2026 Income: $881.63
January 2025 Income: $675.94
YoY Growth: +30.4%
2026 Annual Goal: $26,654.83
January Performance Summary: Quality Meets Yield
This month’s success was driven by a "Barbell Strategy." On one side, we have our Dividends Aristocrats and stalwarts providing the floor. On the other, our New Guard of high-yield income producers is providing the growth.
1. The Stalwarts (Consistent Growth)
Our core positions showed why they are the heartbeat of this portfolio. Altria (MO) continues its dominance, contributing over $117 across various tranches. Realty Income (O) saw a significant jump to $15.49, reflecting both dividend hikes and our consistent accumulation. JPM and WMT also posted strong double-digit growth compared to last year.
2. The New Guard (The 2026 Accelerators)
The strategic pivot into high-income derivative and yield-max style funds has radically changed our January baseline. New contributors like HOOY ($67.51), PLTY ($40.43), and TSLW ($48.42) added over $260 to the monthly total. This income is specifically designed to bridge the gap toward our new $26,654 annual target.
Visualization: 2026 Kickoff Progress
| Month | 2026 Goal (Weighted) | 2026 Actual | Status |
| January | $2,221.23 | $881.63 | Running Start |
While we are 3.3% toward the annual goal, January is typically one of our smaller months. Reaching nearly $900 in a "low" month is a phenomenal sign for the heavy-hitting months like March and June.
Strategy Outlook: Road to $26.6k
To hit our $26,654.83 goal, we need to average roughly $2,221 per month. However, because our portfolio is back-loaded into the quarter-end months (Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec), we are currently ahead of the pace required to beat last year’s performance.
The focus for February will be monitoring the "Yield Max" volatility and ensuring our core positions like CSCO and BNS continue to DRIP effectively.
