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Dividend Stocks
Some people believe that the stock market is a zero-sum game. They argue that when an investor buys shares, there’s always a seller on the other end. That’s true, but they fail to factor in dividends. When a company returns capital to investors, it’s no longer a zero-sum game. That’s one reason buying dividend stocks is such a powerful strategy.
This guide shows you the ins-and-outs of dividend investing. You’ll also find our top articles on the subject above… and below, our most recent articles.
Why Invest in Dividend Stocks?
Dividend investing is great way to boost your income. The strategy is a passive approach that’s easy to start. When you buy great dividend companies, you add a steady stream of income to your portfolio.
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- Steady Income
Most dividend companies pay their shareholders quarterly. So investors who build a portfolio of such stocks collect steady income. Spacing out the payment dates can help you meet your expenses throughout the year. This consistency also makes it a popular strategy for retirement. You can replace your work income with dividend income.
- Lower Taxes on Qualified Dividends
The qualified dividend tax rate tops out at 20%. That’s much lower than the top individual tax rate of 39.6%. In addition, if you bring in only dividend income, you can collect up to $38,600 and not have to pay any federal income taxes. Taxes eat away at returns, and this is a great way to pay Uncle Sam less.
- Diversification
Investing is powerful, but don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. With dividend investing, you can add stocks to your portfolio that operate in different industries from around the globe across the Dow Jones, the S&P 500, NASDAQ and more. You can find Dividend Aristocrats that operate in sectors such as… industrials, healthcare, energy, consumer staples and many other areas. If one industry is struggling, your others can help make up any short-term losses.
Compound Your Wealth
Compound interest is one of the most powerful forces for growing your wealth – especially if you own dividend growth stocks.
For example, let’s say you buy $2,000 worth of stock at $50 per share and the yield is 4%. Additionally, we’ll assume the dividend increases 8% per year and the stock rises in line with the historical market average.
If you reinvest the dividend, you’d automatically buy more shares with your payment. Because you’d have more shares, you’d receive more income, which would buy more shares, which would generate more income…
After 10 years, you would have 59.5 shares of stock – 50% more than your original 40 shares. Your $2,000 investment would now be worth $6,215 – more than triple your initial investment. And your yield would be 12% on your original investment.
If you didn’t reinvest, your $2,000 investment would still be worth a respectable $3,882. But that’s $2,300 less than the amount you’d have if you had reinvested that money.
Dividend reinvestment is a great way to supercharge your stock returns. It’s an automated process, and your returns compound the longer you wait.
Read Next: How to Invest in Dividend Stocks
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