Forecast dividend income from your stock portfolio. Enter your holdings and see projected annual and monthly dividend payments, yield on cost, and payout schedules across thousands of dividend-paying stocks.
Use Forecasting to project portfolio income with dividend growth, DRIP, and DCA scenarios. Use Company Dividend History to research reported dividends per share and ex-dividend dates for a ticker, independently of your holdings. Historical distributions are observations, while forecasts depend on assumptions and are not guaranteed.
How to use
Add your holdings using the ticker, share count, and average cost inputs. The tool will fetch live dividend rates, payout ratios, and free cash flow data to score each position's safety. Use the Dividend Payment Calendar to see which months you'll receive income. Adjust per-holding growth rates and toggle DRIP reinvestment to customize your projection. Set an Annual Goal to track how close you are to financial milestones like $1,000/month in passive income.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I look up a company's dividend history without owning its stock?
Yes. Select Company Dividend History and enter a ticker. The lookup does not require a portfolio or sign-in. Historical events come from Yahoo Finance and show ex-dividend dates, not the dates cash reached an investor's account. Coverage depends on the provider, and historical amounts may reflect provider adjustments.
Are historical dividend totals the same as my dividend income?
No. Company history shows distributions per share. Your income depends on the shares you owned and eligibility for each distribution. Annual totals are grouped by ex-dividend year; the current year and years cut off by the selected history window are partial. A company's previous distributions do not guarantee future dividends.
What is dividend forecasting and how is income projected?
Dividend forecasting estimates your future passive income from dividend-paying stocks based on current rates, assumed growth, and optional DRIP reinvestment. For each holding, the tool applies your chosen annual growth rate compounded over the selected horizon (1–10 years). With DRIP enabled, reinvested dividends buy additional shares, accelerating growth over time.
What does the dividend safety score mean?
The safety score (0–100) assesses how sustainable a company's dividend is. It primarily uses the payout ratio (dividends paid as a percentage of earnings) and free cash flow. A score of 70+ is considered Safe, 40–69 is Caution (elevated payout or weak cash flow), and below 40 is At Risk (high probability of a dividend cut). A 5-year dividend growth history can add a small bonus to the score.
How do I read the Dividend Payment Calendar?
The calendar shows estimated payment months and amounts for each holding based on historical ex-dividend dates. Months highlighted in amber are 'thin' — they receive less than 50% of your monthly average income. The Income Smoother section suggests stocks that pay in those thin months to help you create a more even monthly income stream.
What is DRIP (Dividend Reinvestment Plan)?
DRIP stands for Dividend Reinvestment Plan. When enabled for a holding, the projected dividend payments are automatically used to purchase additional shares at the estimated future price, rather than being paid out as cash. This creates a compounding effect that can significantly accelerate income growth over longer time horizons.
What is yield-on-cost and why does it matter?
Yield-on-cost (YoC) is your current annual dividend income divided by the original price you paid per share — not the current market price. For example, if you bought a stock at $40 and it now pays $3/year in dividends, your yield-on-cost is 7.5% even if the market yield is only 3%. YoC is displayed in the Dividend Health table and shows the true income return on your original investment, rewarding long-term dividend growth investors.
How does the Income Smoother work?
The Income Smoother analyzes your dividend calendar and identifies months where income falls below 50% of your average monthly income. It then suggests specific stocks that pay dividends in those thin months — along with how many shares you'd need to close the gap. This helps create a more consistent monthly income stream without over-concentrating in any single sector.
Are holdings shared between the Dividend Forecasting page and the Portfolio Builder?
Yes. Both tools share the same local holdings list stored in your browser. Adding a stock here automatically makes it visible in the Portfolio Builder's dividend view, and vice versa. No account is required to track holdings, though multi-year projections, growth rate customization, and DRIP require a free account.
The information on this page is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional financial advice.