How to use the calculator
- Choose whether you enter holdings as shares or as the amount invested.
- Add up to 15 stocks and ETFs: start typing a ticker or company name and pick it from the list. The line under each one shows its price and yearly dividend per share.
- Open Advanced to set a tax rate on dividends if you hold them in a taxable account.
How your income is calculated
For each holding, yearly income = shares × the yearly dividend per share. For stocks the dividend per share is the current forward rate, the latest regular dividend at its yearly pace; for ETFs it is the total paid over the last 12 months, because fund distributions vary.
The monthly calendar repeats the pattern of the last 12 months: each dividend is placed in the month of its ex-dividend date and scaled so a holding’s year adds up to its current rate. You are paid on the pay date, usually a few weeks after the ex-date, so the cash may arrive a month later than shown.
Income in 5 years grows each holding’s dividend at its own 5-year dividend growth rate (limited to ±20% a year) with the same number of shares. Reinvesting the dividends would make it larger; the dividend & DRIP calculator shows that effect for one holding.
Example
A $10,000 position in a stock trading at $100 with a $3.00 yearly dividend holds 100 shares and pays $300 a year: a 3% yield, or $75 a quarter. If the company has raised its dividend by 6% a year for the last five years and keeps doing so, the same 100 shares would pay about $401 a year in five years.
Building a steady monthly income
- Mix payment months. Most US stocks pay quarterly, often in one of three cycles (Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct, Feb/May/Aug/Nov or Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec). Holding companies from each cycle fills every month.
- Monthly payers, such as some REITs and many bond and income ETFs, smooth the calendar.
- Yield and growth together. A lower yield with steady dividend growth can pay more in a few years than a high yield that doesn’t grow. Compare the “5Y growth” column.
Common mistakes
- Treating the yield as guaranteed. Companies can cut dividends, especially in recessions, and fund distributions change with interest rates.
- Chasing the highest yield. A very high yield often signals that the market expects a cut. Check the payout ratio in the stock screener.
- Forgetting taxes in a taxable account. Set your rate under Advanced.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my dividend income?
Multiply the number of shares by the yearly dividend per share for each holding and add them up. The calculator fills in each dividend from Quotelinks data, so you only enter tickers and shares.
What is portfolio dividend yield?
Your yearly dividend income divided by the current value of the holdings. A $50,000 portfolio paying $1,500 a year yields 3%.
How is the monthly dividend calendar estimated?
It uses the ex-dividend dates of each holding's payments over the last 12 months and assumes the same months next year, scaled to the current dividend rate. Actual pay dates are usually a few weeks after the ex-date.
Can I enter dollar amounts instead of shares?
Yes. Switch "Enter holdings as" to Amount invested; the calculator converts each amount to shares at the latest closing price.
Where does the dividend data come from?
From the same end-of-day data as the Quotelinks stock and ETF pages: the latest close, the dividend per share (forward rate for stocks, last 12 months for ETFs), the 5-year dividend growth and the recent ex-dividend dates.
How many dividends do I need to live on?
Divide the yearly income you need by your expected portfolio yield. For $40,000 a year at a 4% yield you would need about $1,000,000 invested; at 3% about $1,333,000.
Can I put this calculator on my website?
Yes. It is free for any site. Use the embed code generator at the bottom of this page, copy the code and paste it into your page. Please keep the credit line with the two links under the calculator.
Related calculators
- Dividend & DRIP CalculatorFuture dividend income, yield on cost and how much reinvesting dividends adds.
- Dividend Discount Model CalculatorFair value of a dividend stock with the Gordon growth or two-stage model, and the growth priced in.
- Stock Return Calculator With DividendsTotal return, price return and the part added by dividends for any stock or ETF between two months.
- Graham Number CalculatorBenjamin Graham’s fair value from earnings and book value, with the margin of safety and his tests.
See all free investing calculators, or add live stock quotes to your site with the free stock widgets.
Add this calculator to your website
The calculator is free to embed on any website, personal or commercial, and works on WordPress, Blogger, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Ghost and plain HTML. Choose the options, copy the code and paste it into your page.
Preview: this is how the calculator and the credit line will look on your page
Free for personal and commercial websites. Please keep the “by Quotelinks” credit line under the calculator visible and unchanged, and don’t modify the calculator or present it as your own. The <script> line is optional: it sizes the frame to fit the calculator; if your platform removes scripts, the calculator still works at the fixed height. Dividends can change or be cut; the figures use current dividend rates. For illustration only, not financial advice.