Earning an income from traditional interest-bearing assets like term deposits is becoming increasingly difficult.

Right now, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) is offering 1% per annum yields on 12-month term deposits. This is broadly in line with what other banks are offering.

This means that even if you invested $1 million into these term deposits, you’d only get $10,000 of income from them.

Fortunately, the Australian share market is home to a number of ASX dividend shares which offer vastly superior yields.

Three dividend shares which I think would be great as part of a balanced income portfolio are listed below. Here’s why I would buy them:

Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR)

Dicker Data is one of my favourite ASX dividend shares. It is a wholesale distributor of computer hardware and software which has consistently grown its earnings and dividends at a solid rate for many years now. This looks set to continue in FY 2020 with management intending to increase its full year dividend by 31% to 35.5 cents per share. This represents a 4.5% fully franked dividend yield.

Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO)

Another dividend share to consider buying is Rio Tinto. It looks well-positioned to deliver strong profits in the near term thanks to sky high iron ore prices and its world class and low cost operations. Last month analysts at Morgans suggested that Rio Tinto’s shares could offer a fully franked ~8.5% FY 2021 dividend yield.

Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY)

A final option for income investors to look at is the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF. It invests in a wide range of high yielding dividend shares. This includes mining giants, the banks, and many other blue chip favourites. I like this exchange traded fund because of the diversity it gives investors. Which, as we have seen during the pandemic, is very important to have. I estimate that its units offer a forward dividend yield of at least 5%.

More reading

• ASX 200 closes higher, banks keep rising
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• ASX 200 down 0.35%: UBS upgrades NAB and Westpac, Qantas soars again
• Is the Westpac share price too high?
• Why today might be a good day to buy NAB and Westpac shares

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Dicker Data Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Forget term deposits and buy these high yield ASX dividend shares appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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I’m a big fan of buy and hold investing and believe it is one of the best ways for investors to grow their wealth.

To demonstrate how successful it can be, every so often I like to pick out a number of popular ASX shares to see how much a single $20,000 investment 10 years ago would be worth today.

This time around I have picked out the three ASX shares that are listed below:

Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

Aristocrat is a gaming technology company which has been a strong performer over the last decade. This is thanks largely to the popularity of its poker machines and the emergence of its lucrative and fast-growing digital business. Combined, they have underpinned strong earnings growth and market-beating returns for investors. Over the last 10 years its shares have generated an average total annual return of 21.9%. This would have turned a $20,000 investment into $145,000 today.

Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

Thanks to its successful expansion throughout Australia and in several international markets, this pizza chain operator has been growing its earnings at a very strong rate over the last 10 years. This has led to Domino’s shares generating an average total return of 29.9% per annum over the period. Which means that a $20,000 investment in its shares in June 2010 would now be worth a cool $275,000. The good news for shareholders is that Domino’s is aiming to grow its store footprint materially over the next five years. I believe this could lead to further strong returns over the next decade.

Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD)

Despite losing almost a third of its value since hitting its high in December, this airport operator has still been a great place to invest over the last decade. Increasing international tourism from China and the United States and growing ancillary revenues have underpinned solid income and distribution growth since 2010. This has led to Sydney Airport’s shares beating the market with an average total return of 13.1% per annum over the period. This would have turned a $20,000 investment into $68,500 today.

More reading

• ASX 200 down 0.35%: UBS upgrades NAB and Westpac, Qantas soars again
• Why Kogan, NAB, Qantas, & Sydney Airport shares are racing higher
• These top ASX dividend shares could be perfect for income investors
• 3 large cap shares beating the ASX 200 this year
• 3 of the best ASX shares to buy with $3,000 right now

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post How to turn $20,000 into $275,000 in 10 years with ASX 200 shares appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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It’s tempting to just hold cash when there’s market volatility rather than buying ASX shares.

That’s certainly been on my mind in 2020 as we saw the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) quickly turn from record high into a bear market.

So, should we all really be holding cash and waiting for the market to fall further?

Time to buy ASX shares or hold more cash?

Let’s start with the good things about holding cash.

For one, it’s safer. Cash is about as safe an investment as they come which can be good if you’re nervous about the share market.

Another benefit of cash is that it provides a buffer while times are tough. Many Aussies are facing the prospect of low or no wages in the short-term which means cash may be king right now.

There’s also the chance to stockpile cash and buy ASX shares cheaply. Most of the big market crashes in recent years have taken 12-18 months to actually reach rock bottom.

Despite falling lower in February and March, the ASX 200 has rebounded strongly. This could mean there are further falls to come as economic data and corporate earnings deteriorate.

However, holding cash isn’t necessarily the ‘safe bet’ you might think.

Firstly, there’s the opportunity cost. If you sit on the sidelines, you might miss out on potential gains.

That’s been obvious from the recent ASX share market rebound. If you sold your holdings in mid-March, you might have had to buy back in at a higher price rather than just riding the wave.

Secondly, there’s plenty going on to support the share market right now. This includes the central banks lowering interest rates as well as continued government stimulus packages pumping money into the economy.

If ASX shares don’t crash as you expect, you could miss out on potential gains. Even if they do crash, you might still have been better off buying and holding for the long-term.

Foolish takeaway

It’s easy to become spooked and consider holding more cash when ASX share prices are volatile .

While cash isn’t itself a bad thing and can be good to have a safety buffer, it may not be wise to go all-in.

It’s important to remember your long-term time horizon and not panic-sell at the first sign of ASX share price falls.

If you’re really that worried about your short-term gains or losses, maybe you’re not ready to invest in shares.

Another option could be to hold defensive healthcare or energy shares, such as CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) or AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL), to ease some of of your nerves.

More reading

• Is 2020 a good time to get a credit card?
• Are Macquarie Group shares worth investing part of $3,000 into this June?
• What the 10 largest companies in the world have in common
• Why is it so hard to outperform the ASX 200 index?
• ASX 200 closes higher, banks keep rising

Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Should you buy ASX shares or hold cash right now? appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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