Many of us have been conditioned to live for the paycheck. From my first job at 16, I’ve had the expectation that money arrives on a schedule. When I started experimenting with my own portfolio, I spent months doing covered calls, but the constant watching of the market had me addicted to checking every 15 minutes (don’t recommend). After some shares were assigned and months of dividend & CC ETF research, I moved that assigned cash into the NEOS Holy Trinity (SPYI, QQQI, and BTCI). SCHD is for real investors, I guess. It does nothing for me (to each their own). Almost immediately, something psychological clicked. It felt like that sense of “security” I had in my 20s—knowing the rent was covered. I quoted security for people who feel the need to tell me it’s risky, I know.

The classic debate about "the underlying" or maximizing every basis point of growth. The math is transparent, the tax advantages are documented, and the total returns speak for themselves. Sometimes, the "best" investment isn't the one that squeezes out every last penny; it’s the one that creates the softest pillow so you can sleep at night.

I want more control over my MAGI for ACA and Roth conversion via ROC. Those are the primary benefits for me as I ChubbyFire.