How Much Would the Average Worker Need to Invest to Replace Their Salary With Dividends? Here's the Math.

To replace the median U.S. salary of $62,000 through dividends, an average worker would need approximately $2 million invested. Using growth-oriented S&P 500 ETFs with ~10% annual returns, this requires $1,500/month over 25 years, $900/month over 30 years, or $500/month over 35 years. Social Security benefits could reduce these amounts by about 40%, though future benefit cuts are a concern.