SUMMARY

Todd Akin shares his three-step secret to retiring early via high-yield YieldMax ETFs ULTY and MSTY, leveraging margin, hedging for sideways movement, and compounding gains for over $800,000 annual dividends and 22% returns.

STATEMENTS

• The secret to investing in ULTY and MSTY involves three components to achieve financial independence and retire early.
• ULTY and MSTY, high-yield dividend funds from YieldMax, enable earning over $800,000 annually in dividends while outperforming markets at 22% year-to-date.
• Using margin safely in brokerage accounts amplifies income from these funds without excessive risk, as dividends pay down debt quickly.
• Maintenance requirements for ULTY are 50%, necessitating careful monitoring to avoid margin calls and preserve withdrawal access.
• Sideways movement in ULTY and MSTY charts is ideal for margin users, minimizing volatility while collecting high distributions.
• Hedging ULTY positions with options protects against downside drops, as seen in recent corrections.
• For MSTY, using inverse ETFs like WINTER neutralizes risks tied to Bitcoin's volatility.
• Selling conservative, long-term options on Bitcoin generates premium income, lowering effective cost basis and margin exposure.
• Cornerstone funds provide sideways movement with 20% annual dividends plus monthly NAV gains of up to 19.5%.
• Compounding capital gains through strategies like the "triple C's" and double-leveraged Mag 7 names drives long-term wealth growth.
• Position sizing at around 10% in ULTY limits losses and allows dollar-cost averaging on dips.
• Reinvesting only Cornerstone dividends maximizes benefits from its premium boosts, not those from ULTY or MSTY.
• Negotiating down margin interest rates via scripts saves significant costs and is now a paid guide.
• Discord and SMS alerts for Cornerstone rights offerings enable timely exits to avoid drops.
• Total returns for MSTY since inception reach 336% when factoring in dividends, countering erosion claims.
• Outperformance relies on indexing largest holdings like the Mag 7 via YieldMax and leveraged vehicles.
• Available withdrawal buffer of $400,000 withstands over 20% market corrections without margin calls.
• Delveraging during downturns using volume 7 techniques allows rebounding stronger than indexes.
• E*Trade checking card enables spending margin equity freely, mimicking wealthy borrowing practices.
• Capital gains from sold options and leveraged funds provide reliable growth beyond dividends.

IDEAS

• Margin acts as a second account multiplier for yields, turning 85% ULTY distributions into amplified safe income.
• Sideways price action in high-volatility funds like ULTY transforms options premium volatility into steady cash flow.
• Hedging with targeted inverse ETFs like WINTER for MSTY creates near-neutral Bitcoin exposure without full downside.
• Selling long-term puts on Bitcoin lowers margin debt instantly by received premiums, reducing interest burden.
• Cornerstone's 20% dividend plus 19.5% monthly NAV drip compounds faster than traditional indexes during uptrends.
• Rights offerings in Cornerstone signal precise entry/exit points, turning potential drops into buying opportunities.
• Negotiating brokerage margin rates twice can slash costs, making debt nearly interest-free for dividend payers.
• Zero DTE covered calls risk outperform attempts but fail long-term without diversification like this strategy.
• ULTY's 50% maintenance is high yet safer than past 100% real estate funds that crashed irreparably.
• Total ULTY/MSTY returns hover at 20-23% realistically, far below headline yields but sustainable for FIRE.
• Discord communities evolve from alert tools into full ecosystems for tracking portfolio moves in real-time.
• Books like "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" inspire self-taught strategies over following influencers.
• Double-leveraged Mag 7 vehicles capture index upside while YieldMax extracts income from the same names.
• Available withdrawal as a buffer metric ensures lifestyle freedom even in 20%+ corrections.
• Bundling e-guides with phone access filters serious learners, reducing redundant queries.
• Options hedging scored thousands of percent gains in crashes, proving defensive power.
• DRIP only select funds like Cornerstone to capture premium boosts without diluting high-yield focus.

INSIGHTS

• True retirement power lies in balancing headline yields with realistic 20-23% returns via margin amplification, not chasing 85% illusions.
• Sideways movement isn't stagnation but a margin dream, converting volatility into predictable dividend streams without erosion.
• Hedging transforms high-risk ETFs into stable income engines, neutralizing drawdowns that plague unhedged aggressive plays.
• Premiums from conservative option selling provide safer capital gains than direct leverage, lowering volatility around debt.
• Maintenance monitoring is the unsung hero of margin use, preserving liquidity for real-world spending like the ultra-wealthy.
• Compounding via niche strategies like triple C's unlocks "eighth wonder" growth, blending income with traditional riches.
• Position sizing at 10% ensures dips become opportunities, turning market chaos into disciplined accumulation.
• Rights offering alerts democratize timing, allowing retail investors to sidestep institutional traps in funds like Cornerstone.
• Negotiating rates personalizes brokerage costs, revealing how self-advocacy yields more than passive investing.
• Diversifying within indexes—Mag 7 leverages plus YieldMax—mirrors pro portfolios without needing massive capital.
• Community tools like SMS trades shift from education to execution, fostering collective outperformance.
• DRIP selectivity maximizes hidden boosts, proving not all reinvestments equally fuel long-term freedom.

QUOTES

• "The big secret to using Misti and Ulti and retiring early on Yield Max funds is you want sideways movement."
• "My dividends will pay it back in less than one year."
• "We're trying to stay retired. We're not just trying to make a lot of money or wow people with our dividends."
• "Sideways movement. That's what you want with margin usage, sideways movement."
• "Compounded returns are the eighth wonder of the world. It's how you really grow your wealth."
• "If you just keep collecting the dividends, a 20% dividend times 5 years, you cash flow 100%."
• "Watch your maintenance. With Ulti, the maintenance is 50%."
• "We're up about $10,000 thanks to the other capital gains vehicles that we use in my portfolio."

HABITS

• Monitors maintenance requirements daily to ensure margin safety and high available withdrawals.
• Negotiates margin interest rates periodically with brokers to minimize costs.
• Delvers positions during market downturns to avoid calls and rebound stronger.
• Sells conservative long-term options weekly for premium income and reduced volatility.
• Tracks position sizes strictly, limiting high-volatility holdings like ULTY to 10%.
• Uses E*Trade card for seamless spending of margin equity on daily expenses.
• Alerts community via Discord and SMS for timely rights offerings and trades.

FACTS

• ULTY offers an 85% yield but realistic annual returns around 22-23% after distributions.
• MSTY has delivered 336% total returns since inception, including dividends.
• Cornerstone provides 20% annual dividends plus up to 19.5% monthly NAV gains.
• Margin grants 4x purchasing power per dollar deposited in brokerage accounts.
• A $400,000 available withdrawal buffer withstands over 20% market corrections.
• Selling options on Bitcoin generated $25,000 upfront premium for five contracts at $70 strike.
• ULTY experienced the largest drawdown among YieldMax index funds in recent crashes.

REFERENCES

• YieldMax ULTY and MSTY funds.
• Cornerstone funds and rights offerings.
• E-guides volumes 1-7 on margin, hedging, options, and deleveraging.
• Marcos Miller's collaborative video on YieldMax returns.
• Bloomberg article featuring portfolio performance.
• Discord chat room for alerts and portfolio tracking.
• SMS membership service for trade alerts and rights offerings.
• E*Trade checking card and brokerage.
• "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" by Jesse Livermore.
• YouTube membership videos for portfolio insights.
• Website: unconventionalwealthideas.com.
• Inverse ETFs: WINTER, YQQQ, potential SLTY.
• Leveraged vehicles: TSLL, APPU, double Mag 7 names.
• Triple C's strategy in volume 7 e-guide.

HOW TO APPLY

• Assess your brokerage for margin eligibility and negotiate interest rates using a dedicated script to start with low-cost debt.
• Allocate a small margin portion (e.g., 30% of equity) to ULTY or MSTY, monitoring 50% maintenance to maintain $400,000+ withdrawal buffer.
• Select funds exhibiting sideways movement like ULTY charts over five years to minimize volatility while collecting weekly distributions.
• Hedge positions by purchasing options on ULTY for downside protection or WINTER inverse for MSTY to neutralize Bitcoin drops.
• Sell conservative long-term puts on correlated assets like Bitcoin, targeting strikes below current prices to collect premiums and lower cost basis.
• Reinvest only Cornerstone dividends into its DRIP for 19.5% monthly NAV boosts, using cash from others for lifestyle or further dips.
• Delver during corrections by trimming leveraged holdings, then re-enter at lows announced via alerts for compounded rebounds.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Master sideways funds with safe margin, hedges, and option premiums for sustainable $800K dividend retirement.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Start with e-guides on margin basics before deploying any debt to avoid common pitfalls.
• Limit ULTY exposure to 10% of portfolio for controlled risk amid high maintenance.
• Pair MSTY with WINTER hedges to capture Bitcoin income without full volatility.
• Sell long-term options conservatively, focusing on premiums over short-term trades.
• Join alert services for rights offerings to time Cornerstone entries and exits precisely.
• Negotiate brokerage rates immediately after account setup for ongoing savings.
• DRIP selectively in growth-oriented funds like Cornerstone to amplify monthly gains.
• Diversify into double-leveraged Mag 7 vehicles for index-aligned capital appreciation.
• Monitor available withdrawals weekly to ensure correction resilience.
• Avoid all-in strategies; prioritize position sizing for long-term FIRE sustainability.
• Read classics like "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" for timeless trading wisdom.

MEMO

Todd Akin, a self-taught investor who retired early from the 9-to-5 grind, reveals his blueprint for financial independence through high-yield ETFs like YieldMax's ULTY and MSTY. In a candid YouTube live, he boasts over $800,000 in annual dividends from a $1.6 million account, amplified by strategic margin use to achieve 22% year-to-date returns—outpacing broader markets. Akin's approach centers on three pillars: leveraging margin safely, embracing sideways price action, and hedging for stability, all while compounding gains through selective reinvestments. He emphasizes that headline yields like ULTY's 85% are misleading; real returns hover at 20-23%, sustainable only with disciplined risk management.

Central to his strategy is margin as a "second account" multiplier, granting four times purchasing power per dollar deposited. Akin uses just 30% of his equity this way, with $460,000 in debt that dividends repay in under a year. He negotiates rates down repeatedly—now a paid e-guide tactic—and watches 50% maintenance requirements on ULTY to keep a $400,000 withdrawal buffer, enough to weather 20% corrections without calls. During past flash crashes, he delvers via techniques from his volume 7 guide, rebounding harder than indexes. This allows seamless spending via an E*Trade card, echoing how tycoons like Elon Musk deploy debt for freedom.

Sideways movement emerges as the "big secret" for margin investors, turning volatile assets into steady income machines. ULTY and MSTY charts show minimal directional swings, ideal for collecting distributions from options premiums without erosion. Akin contrasts this with riskier zero-DTE calls that invite margin calls; instead, he favors funds like Cornerstone, a 20% yielder with sideways tendencies plus 19.5% monthly NAV drips. Rights offerings, flagged via his Discord, signal drops for timely exits—members who miss them regret it. MSTY's 336% total returns since inception debunk NAV decay fears, proving volatility can fuel tax-free growth until sales.

Hedging safeguards this setup against sudden plunges, as ULTY suffered the worst drawdown among YieldMax peers in recent turmoil. Akin buys options for ULTY protection—scoring thousands of percent in crashes—and pairs MSTY with the WINTER inverse ETF to offset Bitcoin's wild rides. Future tools like a potential SLTY could fully neutralize risks. For growth, he sells conservative long-term puts on Bitcoin, pocketing $25,000 premiums per five contracts at $70 strikes, slashing margin by $50,000 and cost basis to $20. These moves lower volatility while participating in upsides, blending defense with offense.

Compounding capital gains rounds out the formula, making Akin "old-fashioned rich" beyond dividends. He deploys "triple C's" from his guides, alongside double-leveraged Mag 7 vehicles like TSLL and APPU, trimmed meticulously for 50%+ annual pops in Cornerstone. Positioned at 10% in ULTY, he dollar-cost averages dips without overexposure. DRIP only Cornerstone for premium boosts—up to 37% some months—while cashing others for life. This indexed core, focused on top holdings, avoids gimmicks.

Akin's one-man operation, from e-guides to SMS alerts, fosters a community leading the FIRE movement. Testimonials flood his channel, with admins easing Discord's 24/7 buzz. He warns against all-in bets, urging bundles for phone access to filter queries. Outperforming sustainably, Akin invites emulation: email for guides, subscribe for trades, and read Livermore's "Reminiscences" for inspiration. In a market of hype, his method proves quiet discipline retires you early—sideways, hedged, and compounded.