$3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year. $36,000 / 6% dividend yield = $600,000. On the other hand, if you're more risk-averse and prefer a portfolio yielding 2%, you'd need to invest $1.8 million to reach the $3,000 per month target: $3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year.

Bonds, stocks, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are four basic types of investment options.

the act of putting money, effort, time, etc. into something to make a profit or get an advantage, or the money, effort, time, etc. used to do this: The government wanted an inflow of foreign investment. Stocks are regarded as good long-term investments.