There are various ways that Australians can invest in ASX shares for passive income. We can invest in our own names, through a company, a trust, superannuation and so on.

Investing for passive income through superannuation makes sense for various reasons, with the low tax rate being a key benefit.

Keep in mind that the net income we receive from our investments is what we receive after taxes. It’s possible that an Australian working full-time could lose a third of their passive income to tax, or more, depending on their tax rate.

Based on that, investing in superannuation is a more appealing prospect due to that lower tax rate.

Super has a lower tax rate in the accumulation phase compared to normal individual tax rates for a full-time earner. In retirement, the tax rate could be 0%.

Every Australian’s tax position is different, so I’ll just talk about targeting a certain income level, without mentioning tax any further.

How much is needed in superannuation for $5,500 of monthly passive income?

Receiving $5,500 per month of dividends translates into $66,000 annually. I’m sure most Australians would love to receive that level of dividends each year without needing to do any ongoing work for it, assuming they don’t already receive that much each year.

A key question is deciding what sort of investments Australians want to own and the dividend yield attached to those stocks.

For example, a portfolio with a dividend yield of 6.6% can be half the size of a portfolio with a dividend yield of 3.3%.

For example, if a portfolio is $1 million in size with a 6.6% dividend yield, it would create $66,000 of annual passive income. If a portfolio had a dividend yield of 3.3%, the portfolio would need to be $2 million in size to make the same level of income.

If the portfolio had a dividend yield of 5%, the portfolio would need to be $1.32 million in size to generate an average of $5,500 per month of monthly passive income.

The final dividend yield we’ll look at is 4%. It would take a portfolio value of $1.65 million to unlock $66,000 of annual dividends.

The sorts of ASX dividend shares I’d look at

There is a wide range of ASX dividend shares available for superannuation investments, investing in our own name or other structures.

Some of the lower-yielding stocks I’d look at are Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL), L1 Long Short Fund Ltd (ASX: LSF) and Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV).

Some of the mid-range yielding stocks I’d consider for passive income include WCM Quality Global Growth Fund (ASX: WCMQ), Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF) and Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP).

Among the higher-yielding ASX dividend shares I’d consider are WCM Global Growth Ltd (ASX: WQG), Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW), Dexus Industria REIT (ASX: DXI), Future Generation Australia Ltd (ASX: FGX), Future Generation Global Ltd (ASX: FGG) and PM Capital Global Opportunities Fund Ltd (ASX: PGF).

The post How much is needed in superannuation to target a $5,500 monthly passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Future Generation Australia, Future Generation Global, L1 Long Short Fund, Rural Funds Group, Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, Wcm Global Growth, and Wcm Quality Global Growth Fund. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Lovisa, Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Rural Funds Group, Telstra Group, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Lovisa and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Investment property has long been one of Australia’s favourite ways to generate wealth and income. 

However a new report from Global X has shed light on how a changing market is causing many investors to reassess that strategy.

Key market changes 

Rising interest rates, falling home prices and the Federal Government’s changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax (CGT) concessions are reshaping the economics of property investing. 

According to Global X, investors are increasingly turning to alternative sources of income, particularly exchange-traded funds (ETFs). 

ETFs offer access to dividends, bond yields and infrastructure income without the costs and complexity of owning property.

The shift is already showing up in the data.

The latest ABS Lending Indicators report revealed that investor housing activity weakened significantly in the June quarter. The number of new investor loan commitments fell 8.6%, while the value of investor loans declined 10.2% to $37.1 billion. That was by far the largest fall among major borrower groups and marked the sharpest quarterly decline in investor lending since 2022.

While property investors are pulling back, money is flowing strongly into income-focused investment products.

Property is becoming less attractive 

Global X highlighted that residential property has traditionally rested on two pillars: rental income and capital growth. Today, both are facing headwinds.

Borrowing costs remain elevated, reducing the cash flow generated by investment properties. Meanwhile, Australia’s housing market is beginning to lose momentum. Cotality’s national Home Value Index fell 0.7% in July, the largest monthly decline since December 2022. Major banks are reporting that mortgage applications have also fallen by as much as 20% since Budget night, highlighting weaker investor appetite.

Additionally, The Federal Government’s changes to negative gearing and CGT have added another layer of pressure. 

While investors once relied on generous tax benefits to enhance after-tax returns, the reduction of these incentives means many are now taking a closer look at whether property still delivers the income and return profile they need.

These factors are pushing income investors towards a different asset class. 

Income ASX ETFs

According to Global X’s latest ETF Market Scoop, Australian investors allocated a record $6.8 billion into ETFs in July alone, making it the strongest month on record for the industry. 

The report also revealed which type of ASX ETFs investors found most appealing.

Income-focused ETFs attracted a record $1.8 billion, including a record $1.4 billion into bond ETFs.

This surge suggests investors are actively seeking income opportunities outside traditional property investments.

Unlike residential property, income ETFs can provide diversified exposure to dozens or even hundreds of underlying securities through a single investment. Depending on the strategy, investors can access income from government bonds, corporate bonds, listed infrastructure, dividend-paying companies or a combination of these assets.

For investors accustomed to relying on rental income, these products offer an alternative source of regular cash flow without tenant management, maintenance costs, land tax or the need to take on large amounts of debt.

Investors seeking income-oriented ASX ETFs have several options to consider: 

• Global X S&P/ASX 200 High Dividend ETF (ASX: ZYAU)
• Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Fund (ASX: HVST)
• Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: HYLD). 

The post The property market is cooling: Here’s how income investors are adapting appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Expert names 2 top ASX ETFs to buy today
• This ASX income ETF yields 4.3% and pays monthly dividends
• 3 of the best dividend ASX ETFs right now for passive income
• Why I’d buy these 2 ASX ETFs for $10,000 a year in passive income
• $10,000 invested in these dividend ETFs will bring how much passive income?

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX ETFs, or exchange traded funds, provide a handy one-stop-shop for Aussie investors seeking to gain exposure to a basket of stocks with a single investment.

Rather than having to research and buy multiple stocks, you can get that diversity, and more, from an ETF.

Below we look at two ETFs that DP Wealth Advisory’s Andrew Wielandt recently issued buy recommendations for (courtesy of The Bull).

ASX ETF offers international stock exposure

The first ASX ETF Wielandt has a bullish outlook on is Betashares Global Royalties ETF (ASX: ROYL).

“ROYL is a diverse exchange traded fund operating across a number of countries, including the United States, Canada, Brazil and Denmark,” he said.

“It holds about 40 companies, with investments including ARM Holdings PLC, Texas Pacific Land Corporation and Wheaton Precious Metals at August 11, 2026,” he added.

Summarising his buy recommendation on ROYL, Wielandt concluded:

ROYL focuses on companies earning royalty and intellectual property income. What appeals is relatively steady returns compared to other cyclical investments. The company posted a return of 15.59% after fees in the past 12 months to July 31, 2026.

Which brings us to…

Exchange traded fund with an ESG bent

The second ASX ETF Wielandt recommends buying will hold particular appeal to investors who place a high value on companies’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.

The fund in question is the Munro Climate Change Leaders Fund Active ETF (ASX: MCCL), which Wielandt noted that he holds in is own self-managed super fund.

“This exchange traded fund holds a concentrated portfolio of companies aiming to benefit from decarbonisation during the next decade,” he said.

According to Wielandt:

The ETF holds between 15 and 25 positions involved in clean energy, clean transport and energy efficiency. The fund posted a return of 16.9% for the 12 months to July 31, 2026. However, given its highly concentrated nature, it’s important to note that returns can be volatile.

In our view, MCCL can also be considered an investment in the future and can be part of a balanced portfolio.

A bonus passive income ETF

If it’s passive income you’re targeting, then you might want to look into the BetaShares Australian Dividend Harvester Fund (ASX: HVST).

This ASX ETF gives investors instant exposure 40 to 60 high-yielding, blue-chip ASX shares.

And HVST pays out dividends every month, so your next income payout is never too far away.

As at 31 July the HVST had 12-month trailing yield of 5.6%, 63% franked. Taking those franking credits into account, the grossed-up yield comes out to 7.1%.

The post Expert names 2 top ASX ETFs to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX ETFs to buy as the market gathers strength: expert
• 3 of the best dividend ASX ETFs right now for passive income
• Why I’d buy these 2 ASX ETFs for $10,000 a year in passive income
• $10,000 invested in these dividend ETFs will bring how much passive income?
• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $6,000 monthly passive income?

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.