Here's something you don't hear every day: someone actually pulling the plug on their corporate job because their investment income eclipsed their salary. But that's exactly what happened to a 40-year-old dividend investor who recently shared his story online.

After 15 years at the same company, the investor found himself burned out and lacking the "passion" to continue. The difference this time? His dividend portfolio was churning out more than $14,000 monthly, enough to surpass his regular paycheck. After talking it through with his wife, he put in his two weeks.

"A lot of emotions come with this, but the freedom and time with family is priceless," he wrote. "Income goal is combo of income strategy ETFs and contractor work."

The timing is interesting. Peter Oppenheimer, chief global equity strategist at Goldman Sachs (GS), recently told Bloomberg that dividend growth is likely to be a major factor driving equities higher in 2026. With concerns mounting about stretched tech valuations and a potential AI bubble, investors are increasingly looking at dividend stocks as a way to diversify their portfolios.

So what exactly is in this portfolio generating $14,000 a month? The investor's holdings lean heavily on high-yield dividend ETFs that pay out monthly or weekly. Here's what he's been holding.

Roundhill NVDA WeeklyPay ETF

The Roundhill NVDA WeeklyPay ETF (CBOE: NVDW) is designed to deliver 1.2 times the weekly price return of Nvidia (NVDA), while distributing weekly cash payments to investors. The fund carries a distribution rate around 42%, though it's down 15% year-to-date. Weekly distributions mean you're getting paid 52 times a year instead of the traditional quarterly schedule.

Roundhill Hood WeeklyPay ETF

Following a similar playbook, the Roundhill Hood WeeklyPay ETF (CBOE: HOOW) provides 1.2 times the weekly total return of Robinhood Markets Inc. (HOOD). As of December 2, this fund showed a distribution rate of 47% and was up 10% for the year. Like its Nvidia counterpart, it pays weekly distributions.

NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF

The NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (QQQI) was among the investor's core holdings. This fund gives exposure to Nasdaq 100 companies while generating income through covered call options on the index. Selling covered calls is a popular strategy for income-focused investors because it collects premium income in exchange for capping some upside potential.

NestYield Dynamic Income ETF

NestYield Dynamic Income ETF (EGGY) focuses on large-cap U.S. stocks and produces monthly income using a covered call strategy. The fund targets an ambitious average annual yield of 25%. Its portfolio includes some of the market's hottest names: Applovin Corp (APP), Broadcom Inc. (AVGO), Nvidia (NVDA), Micron Technology Inc. (MU), Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) and Vistra Corp (VST).

The NEOS Russell 2000 High Income ETF

The NEOS Russell 2000 High Income ETF (CBOE: IWMI) takes a similar approach but applies it to small-cap stocks. The fund invests in the Russell 2000 Index and implements a call option strategy to generate monthly income. It currently has a distribution rate of 14%, which is more modest than some of the other funds in this portfolio but still substantial compared to traditional dividend stocks.

Nicholas Crypto Income ETF

For crypto exposure with an income twist, the Nicholas Crypto Income ETF (NYSE: BLOX) invests in crypto-related stocks and funds, then sells options on those holdings to generate income. Its top positions include iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA), Hut 8 Corp. (HUT), Cipher Mining Inc (CIFR), IREN Ltd (IREN) and Riot Platforms Inc. (RIOT).

YieldMax NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF

Rounding out the portfolio is the YieldMax NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF (NYSE: NVDY), which generates income by selling call options on Nvidia. This fund sports the highest distribution rate in the bunch at 58%, but it's also been hit hard this year, down 39% year-to-date. That's the tradeoff with these high-yield option income strategies: you collect enormous distributions, but you sacrifice capital appreciation and can face significant drawdowns.

It's worth noting that these aren't your grandfather's dividend stocks. Traditional dividend investors typically focus on blue-chip companies paying 2% to 4% annually. This portfolio takes a completely different approach, using options strategies and leverage to juice yields into the double and triple digits. The distributions come partly from returns of capital rather than purely from company earnings, which has different tax implications and sustainability considerations.

Whether this strategy works long-term depends on market conditions, volatility levels, and how the underlying stocks perform. But for this particular investor, it generated enough income to walk away from a 15-year career. That's the dream, even if the path to get there involves more complexity and risk than most dividend portfolios.