Dividend & Income Investing

Build a portfolio that pays you.

1. How Dividends Work — A dividend is cash a company pays its shareholders out of its profits. Here is how dividends are declared and paid, how often they arrive and how they are taxed in 2026.
2. Dividend Yield vs. Dividend Growth — A high yield pays more today; a growing dividend can pay more tomorrow. Here is how to calculate yield, why fast-growing dividends can overtake high yields and how real companies compare.
3. Payout Ratios & Dividend Safety — A dividend is only as safe as the cash behind it. Here is how payout ratios, free cash flow and debt reveal whether a dividend can last, and why the highest yields are often traps.
4. Ex-Dividend Dates — The ex-dividend date decides who gets the next payment. On that day, the stock price typically drops by about the dividend amount. Here is why, and why buying just for the dividend rarely works.
5. Dividend Reinvestment — Reinvesting dividends buys more shares, which pay more dividends, which buy more shares. Over decades, that loop can make a big difference. Here is how reinvestment plans work and what to watch for.
6. Building an Income Portfolio — An income portfolio aims to pay you steady cash while keeping up with inflation. Here is how dividend stocks, REITs, bonds and cash fit together, with 2026 yields for context.