By Christopher Liew, CFA at The Motley Fool Canada
Tax-free growth is the salient feature of the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA). There is no income requirement to open an account, yet every user can create a personal cash flow machine. There’s even a simple way for Canadians to earn $500 a month tax-free from a TFSA.
The TFSA has limitations, including an annual contribution limit; for 2026, the maximum is $7,000. Still, generating a $6,000 annual income stream is achievable with a methodical approach that harnesses the power of compounding.
However, it will take several tranches of the annual contribution limits to accumulate enough shares to sustain the desired payout. You will also count years toward reaching $500 per month, but the effort is well worth the time.
Simple way options
The $500 monthly income depends largely on the dividend yield and the amount of investment. Ideally, an average portfolio yield of 5.5%, 6.5%, and 7.5% requires a capital outlay of $109,090, $92,307, and $80,000, respectively. You can consider a multi-stock portfolio and mixed industries to mitigate the risk.
Peyto Exploration & Development (TSX:PEY) and Slate Grocery REIT (TSX:SGR.UN) are strong candidates if you seek a monthly income machine. Since both stocks pay monthly dividends, you can reinvest them 12 times a year to accelerate the compounding of principal.
Assuming the average dividend yield of 6.3% remains constant, you would need 1,935 shares of PEY and 2,891 shares of SGR.UN over time to generate $500 monthly. At their current share prices, the combined total investment is $95,012. The timeline is approximately 11 years with a steady contribution of $7,000 per year.
Energy upside
Peyto operates in Alberta’s Deep Basin, producing unconventional natural gas. The $5 billion energy company is highly profitable, with only 2020 as a losing year in the last 26 years. In 2025, earnings rose 49% year-over-year to $418.6 million. It was the first time that earnings surpassed $400 million in a year. PEY trades at $24.55 per share and pays a 5.4% dividend.
Peyto commits to maximize the profit from every dollar of shareholder capital deployed and to return the profits to shareholders as dividends. According to management, the low-cost structure helps bring stability to earnings. Also, by aligning the recording of financial hedges with the physical product sales, Peyto’s earnings volatility is reduced.
Long-term stability
Slate Grocery is a defensive holding. The $2 billion real estate investment trust (REIT) owns and operates grocery-anchored real estate in 23 U.S. states with growing markets. Out of the 115 total properties, 96% are grocery-anchored. The portfolio’s weighted average lease term (WALT) is 4.3 years. At $16.43 per share, the dividend offer is 7.3%.
In 2025, rental revenue and net income increased 2% and 6% year-over-year to US$213.4 million and US$53.5 million, respectively. Its CEO, Blair Welch, believes that strong fundamentals, combined with the resilience of consumer spending on food and essential goods, provide long-term stability to Slate’s portfolio of grocery-anchored real estate.
Make it happen
The TFSA makes it possible to achieve a financial pipe dream like earning $500 every month. Steady yearly contributions, a longer time horizon, and a pair of resilient monthly dividend payers are all you need to make it happen.
The post A Simple Way for Canadians to Earn $500 a Month Tax-Free From a TFSA appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.
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Fool contributor Christopher Liew has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Slate Grocery REIT. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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