What's The Difference Between Passive And Residual Income?

There's a lot of buzzes these days about passive and residual income. But what is the distinction between the two, and which one is better for you? Find out in this post!

Residual Income

There's a lot of discussion about the distinction between active and residual income. Some people think that passive income is any money you don't have to work for. Others claim that it's only viable if you have a consistent stream of rewards from an investment or business project that you're not directly involved in.

So what's the real difference between the two? For starters, let's define each term:

Passive Income: What exactly is passive income? Passive income is any type of earnings that arrive to you without your direct engagement. Interest from investments, rental profits, and even book royalties are all examples of passive money. It's considered passive if it doesn't need your involvement to produce.

Residual Income: This is defined as earnings that continue even after you've stopped working. This could come from things like annuities, business ventures that require little to no upkeep, or intellectual property like patents or copyrights. Even if you're not actively involved in generating this income, it's still considered residual because it continues to come in even after you're no longer working.

So what's the difference between the two? In short, it boils down to whether or not you're actively engaged in generating income. If you are, it's active income. If you're not, it's passive.

Residual income is anything that you make from working. This includes money earned from a job, self-employment, freelancing, or any other activity in which you're directly making an income.

Passive Income, on the other hand, is any income that you're not actively working for. This could be from investments, rental properties, or other sources. The key here is that you're not directly engaged in generating this income.

So which one is better? That depends on your goals and lifestyle. If you're looking for a hands-off way to make money, passive income may be the way to go. If you're okay with putting in some work up front, residual income can provide a steadier stream of earnings.

Conclusion

It's important to remember that both passive and active income can be useful in achieving your financial goals. The key is to find the right balance for you. However, many people confuse these terms. Passive income is money made while doing nothing, such as interest on a savings account or stock dividends.

Residual income is what you make after putting in the initial effort, such as an online course that continues to generate money even after you've stopped working on it. On the other hand, passive income doesn't require continuous work but does provide less consistent returns. Both can help achieve financial goals, but it's important to know the difference so you can choose the right strategy for your own needs.