Dividend Calculator
Project what a dividend stock or fund pays you over time. Switch between reinvesting dividends (DRIP) and taking them as cash, add dividend growth, and see how the income compounds year by year.
Optional extra cash invested at the end of every year.
After 20 years
Year one, for comparison
Without reinvesting, year 20 income would be $1,011. Reinvesting adds $1,291 a year by then.
Annual dividend income, reinvested vs cash
How the math works
Each payout is the dividend per share times the shares you hold. With reinvesting turned on, that cash buys more shares at the current price, so the next payout is a little bigger. Turned off, the cash is counted as income and the share count only changes when you add money.
The dividend per share rises once a year by the growth rate you set, and the share price drifts every period by the price growth rate. Yield on cost is your final year's income divided by everything you invested, which is why long held dividend growers can end up yielding far more on the original money than the headline yield suggests.
What DRIP means
DRIP stands for dividend reinvestment plan. Instead of receiving dividends as cash, they automatically buy more shares, often fractional ones, with no commission. Most brokers let you switch it on per holding. The calculator's reinvest option models exactly that, and the chart shows the gap it opens up against taking the cash.
FAQ
Where do I find the dividend yield?
Any quote page lists it. It is the annual dividend per share divided by the share price. If you know the dividend per share instead, divide it by the price and enter the result as a percentage.
Is reinvesting always better?
For growing the position, yes, since reinvested dividends compound. If you need the income to live on, taking cash is the point. Many people reinvest while working and switch to cash in retirement.
Are dividends taxed when reinvested?
In a taxable account, yes. Reinvested dividends are taxed the same year as cash dividends. Inside a retirement account they are not taxed until withdrawal, or not at all in a Roth. The calculator does not subtract taxes.
What are realistic growth numbers?
Established dividend growers often raise payouts 5% to 8% a year, and share prices tend to follow earnings over long periods. Higher yields usually come with slower growth. Try a few combinations rather than trusting one set of assumptions.