How to use the dividend income calendar planner
- Add a row for each holding with a name, the number of shares and the dividend paid per share each time it pays.
- Choose how often it pays (monthly, quarterly, twice a year or once a year) and the first month it pays.
- Read the headline for the yearly total, then the table of income by month and by holding.
- Use the month table to see which months are light, and copy or download it.
Formula
payment = shares x dividend per share, rounded to the cent
pay months = first month, then every 12 / payments per year months
yearly total = sum of the twelve monthly totals
A quarterly payer whose first month is March pays in March, June, September and December. Monthly payers pay in all twelve months.
Three holdings
Fund A (120 shares at $0.62, quarterly from March) pays $74.40 four times a year. Stock B (75 shares at $0.45, quarterly from January) pays $33.75 four times, and Stock C (200 shares at $0.95, twice a year from June) pays $190.00 twice.
The year totals $297.60 + $135.00 + $380.00 = $812.60. June and December are the largest months at $264.40, and February, May, August and November have nothing, so four months have no income.
Using a calendar
Seeing income by month helps you plan when money arrives, for example to match bills or to know when to expect cash to reinvest. Holdings often pay in different cycles, and a mix can fill most months. The table shows who pays in each month so a gap is easy to see.
The page repeats the amounts you enter through the year. Companies set their own dates and amounts, can change or stop them, and may pay a different amount next time. For projections with growth and reinvestment, see the Dividend Calculator; to compare investments, the Investment Return Comparison Calculator; and to place the income in a budget, the Budget Planner.
What is left out
Taxes, withholding, currency changes, special dividends and the date a payment is actually received are not modeled. Months are shown by name only, without a day.
Assumptions and limits
- The dividend per share is the amount for one payment, not for the year.
- Each payment is rounded to the nearest cent, halves going up, before it is added.
- Payments are evenly spaced from the first month you give.
- Up to 30 holdings can be entered and share counts may have decimals.
- The example holdings are made up to show the layout and are not suggestions.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the monthly average different from the largest month?
The average spreads the year over twelve months. Holdings that pay quarterly or twice a year make some months large and others empty.
How do I enter a yearly dividend?
Choose Once a year and enter the amount per share for that one payment, then pick the month it usually pays.
Does the page include tax?
No. The amounts are before any tax or withholding.
Can I enter a fund that pays unevenly?
Add it as two or more rows, each with its own months and amount.