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How does a check for an extra $5,000 sound?
President Donald Trump has promised one to every American adult. But there’s a catch: Republicans have to retain control of Congress and Senate before his proposed “Trump dividend” can move forward.
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“If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000,” Trump said (1) at the GOP’s midterm convention in Dallas. Even then, Congress would still have to approve the payment. No checks have been authorized.
Now, a new Emerson College Polling survey is raising questions about whether Republicans can clear the first hurdle.
The poll found (2) that 53% of likely voters plan to support a Democratic congressional candidate in November, compared with 42% who plan to support a Republican. Trump’s approval rating stands at 39%, while 58% disapprove — his worst approval rating of this term.
“This is very bad,” said Matt Taglia, senior director of Emerson College Polling, in an interview with Forbes (3). He warned that Trump’s standing “could prove really really tough for Republicans in the midterm elections.”
The numbers among voters most eager to cast a ballot were even more striking. Of those who said they were very excited to vote, 60% planned to support the Democrat on their ballot, versus 38% for the Republican.
“That is a devastating number,” Taglia said. “This could be a bloodbath for Republicans in November.”
Voters also delivered a troubling verdict on Trump’s handling of the economy: 60% said his policies are making it worse, while only 28% said they are making it better.
Taglia’s assessment of what those numbers could mean for Trump’s party in November was blunt: “These are disastrous results for Republicans. It could get really ugly.”
For Americans waiting on Trump’s dividend, the stakes are clear. If Republicans lose either chamber, they would fail to meet the condition he set for the payment. Even if they win, Congress would still have to approve it. The proposal could cost more than $1 trillion, and Trump has yet to provide a detailed plan to pay for it.
That’s a lot that needs to happen before any $5,000 check reaches your mailbox. In the meantime, here are two ways to pursue income without waiting on Washington.
Build your own dividend stream
Trump’s dividend is tied to one election. In the investing world, a dividend is a slice of a company’s profits that gets paid back to shareholders — typically on a quarterly basis.
Owning dividend-paying stocks allows you to collect passive income without selling your shares — and it can be surprisingly satisfying. As John D. Rockefeller, one of the richest Americans in history, once said (4), “Do you know the only thing that gives me pleasure? It’s to see my dividends coming in.”
While stock prices can rise and fall, companies with a strong track record of paying — and growing — dividends offer investors a steady cash flow. Over time, those increases could compound into a powerful income stream.
If you’d rather not pick individual stocks, dividend-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer a simple alternative. These funds hold a basket of dividend-paying companies, providing instant diversification across industries. Many also offer automatic reinvestment, allowing investors to compound their returns over time without lifting a finger.
The beauty of ETF investing is its accessibility — anyone, regardless of wealth, can take advantage of it. Even small amounts can grow over time with tools like Acorns, a popular app that automatically invests your spare change.
Signing up for Acorns takes just minutes: All you have to do is link your cards, and Acorns will round up each purchase to the nearest dollar, investing the difference — your spare change — into a diversified portfolio.
With Acorns, you can invest in a dividend ETF with as little as $5 — and, if you sign up today with a recurring investment, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you begin your investment journey.
Earn rental income without becoming a landlord
Real estate is another popular way to generate recurring income. Simply put, when you own a rental property and tenants pay rent, you earn a steady monthly cash flow.
It’s also a popular hedge against inflation, as property values and rental income tend to rise alongside the cost of living.
However, while real estate investing has clear benefits, being a landlord comes with its challenges. Managing a property involves finding and screening tenants, collecting rent and handling maintenance and repair requests (out of your own pocket) — and that’s assuming you can save enough for a down payment and get a mortgage to buy the property in the first place.
The good news? You don’t need to buy a property outright — or deal with leaky faucets — to invest in real estate today. Real estate investment platforms like mogul offer an easier way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class.
As a platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, mogul gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or late-night tenant calls.
Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team handpicks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. In other words, you gain access to institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.
Each property undergoes a rigorous vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10% and 12% annually. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.
Sign up for an account and browse available properties here to start investing today.
Diversity into multifamily real estate
Another option is to leverage multifamily real estate investing. The advantage of investing in multifamily real estate — which includes anything from duplexes or triplexes all the way up to apartment buildings — is that they can offer multiple income streams from a single asset, arguably making them a more resilient investment.
In fact, Al Brooks, the vice chair of Commercial Banking at JPMorgan Chase, said that “I think multifamily housing is absolutely where you want to be as an investor,” according to a 2025 report (5) prepared by the company.
Accredited investors can now tap into this opportunity through platforms such as Lightstone DIRECT, which gives accredited investors access to single-asset multifamily and industrial deals.
Lightstone DIRECT’s direct-to-investor model ensures a high degree of alignment between individual investors and a vertically-integrated, institutional owner-operator — a sophisticated and streamlined option for individual investors looking to diversify into private-market real estate.
With Lightstone DIRECT, accredited individuals can access the same multifamily and industrial assets Lightstone pursues with its own capital, with minimum investments starting at $100,000.
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Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
Associated Press (1); Emerson College Polling (2); Forbes (3), (4); JPMorgan Chase & Co. (5)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
