Estimate your future dividend income, the effect of reinvesting dividends, and how your portfolio could grow over time. Enter your own numbers below.
Your estimate after 20 years
Hypothetical projection with dividend reinvestment. Not a guarantee.
Ending total value
$103,584
Annual dividend income (year 20)
$4,055
Year 1 income: $350 before tax
Average monthly income
$338
In year 20
Quarterly income
$1,014
Paid quarterly: about $1,013.67 per payment
Total dividends earned
$34,659
Total contributed
$34,000
Initial investment plus contributions
Ending shares
945.49
At $109.56 per share
Yield on cost (final year)
11.93%
Starting yield: 3.50%
Growth over time
Total value (shares + any cash dividends) Total contributed
With vs. without DRIP (same inputs)
Measure
With DRIP
Without DRIP
Ending total value
$103,584
$82,258
Final-year income
$4,055
$2,331
Ending shares
945.49
532.11
Without DRIP, dividends are counted as uninvested cash that earns nothing.
How this was calculated
You start with 200 shares at $50.00, paying $1.75 per share a year (a 3.50% yield), split into 4 quarterly payments. Each payment equals shares held × annual dividend per share ÷ 4. Each payment buys more shares at that month's projected price. The dividend per share rises 5.0% at the start of each year and the share price changes 4.0% a year, applied evenly month by month. You add $100 at the end of every month, buying shares at that month's price.
Year-by-year projection. Values are end-of-year estimates, rounded for display.
Year
Dividend / share
Share price
Shares
Dividends
Contributions
Total value
Yield on cost
1
$1.75
$52.00
230.85
$377
$1,200
$12,004
3.37%
2
$1.84
$54.08
261.94
$453
$1,200
$14,166
3.65%
3
$1.93
$56.24
293.31
$535
$1,200
$16,497
3.93%
4
$2.03
$58.49
325.05
$625
$1,200
$19,013
4.23%
5
$2.13
$60.83
357.21
$724
$1,200
$21,730
4.53%
6
$2.23
$63.27
389.88
$832
$1,200
$24,666
4.84%
7
$2.35
$65.80
423.11
$951
$1,200
$27,839
5.17%
8
$2.46
$68.43
456.99
$1,081
$1,200
$31,271
5.51%
9
$2.59
$71.17
491.59
$1,223
$1,200
$34,984
5.88%
10
$2.71
$74.01
526.99
$1,378
$1,200
$39,004
6.26%
11
$2.85
$76.97
563.28
$1,549
$1,200
$43,357
6.67%
12
$2.99
$80.05
600.54
$1,735
$1,200
$48,074
7.11%
13
$3.14
$83.25
638.86
$1,940
$1,200
$53,187
7.58%
14
$3.30
$86.58
678.34
$2,165
$1,200
$58,733
8.08%
15
$3.46
$90.05
719.08
$2,411
$1,200
$64,751
8.61%
16
$3.64
$93.65
761.18
$2,681
$1,200
$71,284
9.18%
17
$3.82
$97.40
804.75
$2,978
$1,200
$78,379
9.80%
18
$4.01
$101.29
849.91
$3,304
$1,200
$86,088
10.46%
19
$4.21
$105.34
896.78
$3,662
$1,200
$94,469
11.16%
20
$4.42
$109.56
945.49
$4,055
$1,200
$103,584
11.93%
What this dividend calculator does
This tool projects how a dividend-paying investment could produce income and grow over a period you choose. It starts with what you own today, applies the dividend yield, dividend growth, share price growth, and contributions you enter, and shows the result year by year.
It works as a dividend income calculator, a dividend yield calculator, and a DRIP calculator in one: switch dividend reinvestment on or off and the results show both outcomes side by side. Everything runs in your browser. Your numbers aren't sent anywhere or saved, and you don't need an account.
How to use the calculator
Enter your holding as a dollar amount or a number of shares, plus the current share price.
Enter the dividend as a yield (%) or as an annual dividend per share ($), and choose how often it's paid.
Add your growth assumptions for the dividend and the share price. Leave them at 0% to keep things constant.
Optionally add regular contributions and a dividend tax rate.
Choose how many years to project and whether to reinvest dividends.
Press Calculate dividends. Edit any value and calculate again to compare scenarios, or press Reset to return to the example values.
Inputs you need and where to find them
Initial investment or shares
The current value of your position, or the number of shares you own. Your brokerage statement shows both.
Share price
Today's price per share, from your brokerage or any market quote.
Dividend yield or dividend per share
Listed on your brokerage's holding page or the company's investor relations dividend history.
Payout frequency
How many regular payments are made each year. Check the dividend history.
Dividend growth rate
Your estimate of how fast the dividend will rise. A long-term historical average is a common starting point.
Share price growth
Your estimate of yearly price change. Use 0% to isolate dividend effects.
Contributions
Money you plan to add each month or year.
Tax rate
An approximate rate on dividends. Use 0% for tax-advantaged accounts.
How dividend income and reinvestment are calculated
The calculator simulates every month of the period using these formulas:
Dividend per share from yield: annual dividend per share = yield × share price
Dividend per share in year n: starting dividend × (1 + dividend growth)n − 1
Each payment: shares owned × annual dividend per share ÷ payments per year
After tax: net payment = payment × (1 − tax rate)
DRIP: new shares = net payment ÷ that month's share price
Share price: grows by (1 + price growth)1/12 each month, compounding to the annual rate
Contributions: buy shares at the end of each month or year, after that month's dividend
For example, 100 shares at $50 paying $2.00 a year (a 4% yield) once a year produce a $200 payment. With DRIP, that buys 4 more shares, so next year's payment is 104 × $2.00 = $208. That growing payment is the compounding effect. The DRIP guide walks through it in more detail.
What each result means
Annual dividend income
Dividends received in the final year of the period, after any tax rate you entered.
Monthly and quarterly income
The final year's income divided by 12 and by 4. These are averages, whatever the actual payout schedule.
Total dividends earned
The sum of every payment over the whole period. Shown before and after tax when a tax rate is entered.
Ending total value
Shares owned at the end × projected share price, plus any dividends kept as cash when DRIP is off.
Ending shares
Your starting shares plus shares bought with contributions and, if DRIP is on, reinvested dividends.
Yield on cost
Final-year dividends (before tax) ÷ total money you contributed. It shows income relative to what you actually put in.
Factors that can change your dividend income
Dividend cuts and suspensions. Companies can reduce or stop dividends at any time, especially when earnings fall. A high payout ratio leaves less room for error.
Share price changes. Reinvested dividends buy fewer shares when prices are high and more when they are low, and the value of your holding moves with the market.
Taxes. In a taxable account, dividends, including reinvested ones, are generally taxed each year. See how dividends are taxed.
Fees. Fund expense ratios and any plan or trading fees reduce returns. The calculator doesn't deduct fees, so reduce your growth assumptions to account for them.
Payout frequency. More frequent payments compound slightly faster with DRIP and change the size of each payment. See payout frequency.
Limitations of dividend projections
Every projection here assumes constant rates: the same dividend growth, price growth, and tax rate every year. Real markets don't behave that way. The calculator also doesn't model fees, inflation, specific payment dates, cash interest, capital gains taxes when you sell, or the timing differences between the ex-dividend date and payment date.
Results are rounded for display, and small changes in assumptions can produce large differences over long periods. Use the calculator to compare scenarios and understand how the pieces interact, not to predict what will actually happen. It does not provide investment, financial, or tax advice. See the full disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this dividend calculator?
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The math is exact for the assumptions you enter, but the assumptions themselves are estimates. Real dividends, share prices, and growth rates change from year to year, and dividends can be cut or eliminated. Treat the results as one possible scenario, not a forecast.
Should I enter a dividend yield or a dividend per share?
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Either works. If you know the dollar amount a company pays per share each year, enter that. If you only know the yield, enter it with the current share price and the calculator converts it: dividend per share = yield × share price.
What does yield on cost mean in the results?
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Yield on cost is the final year's dividends divided by the total amount you contributed (your initial investment plus any additions). It shows how much income your original money produces after years of dividend growth and reinvestment.
Why is the monthly income figure an average?
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Monthly income is the final year's annual income divided by 12. If your investment pays quarterly, you'd receive larger payments four times a year rather than the same amount each month.
Does the calculator include taxes?
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Only if you enter a dividend tax rate. That single rate is deducted from every payment before it's reinvested. It does not model tax brackets, qualified vs. ordinary dividends, or capital gains when you sell.
Can I model a dividend cut or a falling share price?
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Yes. Enter a negative dividend growth rate to model a shrinking dividend, or a negative share price growth rate to model declining prices.
Try a few versions of your own scenario: one with conservative growth, one at 0% growth, and one with DRIP switched off. The gap between them shows how much the result depends on each assumption. If you're new to dividends, start with the dividend yield guide, then dividend growth. For decisions about your own money, consider speaking with a qualified financial professional.