Interested in dividends or dividend investing? Does the idea of collecting checks for the rest of your life, generating passive income sound appealing? Do you wonder how a company determines the total dividend payout? This ultimate guide to dividends was designed as part of our guide to investing in stock to help answer all of your questions and walk you through the basics step-by-step, from how to select investments to enrolling in dividend reinvestment programs.

• • 01

     The Step-By-Step Guide to Understanding Dividends

    

    If you are new to dividend investing, or just want a refresher course, this step-by-step guide is the perfect place to start. It explains the three dates that matter to dividend holders, cash dividends, property dividends, special one-time dividends, stock dividends, taxation policy, dividend payout ratios, dividend yield, and how dividend reinvestment programs work. It is your one-stop place to get a great education for new investors. Discover everything you need to know about dividends and dividend investing …

• • 02

     What Is Dividend Investing?

    

    Dividend investing is a special strategy based upon building a collection of so-called “safe” blue chip stocks with big, fat dividend yields that generate money throughout the year.  Dividend investors get joy from seeing regular cash deposits roll into their brokerage account, bank account or get mailed to them.  Take a few moments to learn the characteristics some investors believe are part of good dividend stocks …

• • 03

     Should I Just Buy the Highest Dividend Stocks for My Portfolio?

    

    If you are a dividend investor, you can’t just pick the stocks with the highest dividends.  That may seem counterintuitive, but there is often a reason high dividend stocksappear so attractive. This can include problems in the underlying business, a dividend payout ratio that is much too high and threatens future growth, or a debt-to-equity ratio that makes investors believe the company can’t survive.  And that is just the beginning! Take a few moments to discover some things to consider when finding the highest dividend stocks for your investment portfolio …

• 04

   Why Don’t All Stocks Pay Dividends?

  

  With research proving that dividend stocks outperform non-dividend stocks, why don’t all companies pay cash dividends on their shares? In this special, Determining Dividend Payout, you’ll finally understand some of the reasons a company’s Board of Directors may decide to hold off on dividends and instead reinvest in the business, pay down debt, or acquire another firm. Find out the reason not all stocks pay dividends …

• 05

   If a Stock Doesn’t Pay Dividends, How Can It Be Worth Anything?

  

  If a stock doesn’t pay dividends, how can it be worth anything? This is a question I often get from new investors and so to help you really get down into the details and understand non-dividend paying stocks, I created a story that will make this topic easy to grasp. It starts with a fictional company, American Apple Orchards, Inc. I’ll show you how, despite paying no dividends, it could still make its owners millionaires …

• 06

   Should I Prefer Cash Dividends or Share Repurchases?

  

  Which is better for you as an owner of a business – cash dividends or share repurchases? This is an extremely important question because one method is more tax efficient, but the other requires less trust in management. To find out the important things you should ponder when deciding on a dividend paying stock, take a moment to briefly consider the following …

• 07

   How the Dividend Tax Works and the Dividend Tax Rates

  

  The dividend tax sometimes confuses new investors because there are “qualified” dividends and “non-qualified” dividends.  This overview explains how the dividend tax works and the individual dividend tax rates that may apply to the money you earn from your stocks or other cash generating assets.  Help to keep some more cash in your pocket by taking the time to read this article.

• 08

   What Is the Dividend Trap? How Can I Avoid It?

  

  Sometimes, you find a stock that appears to be offering huge cash dividends, paying dividend yields that are several times the rate available at your local bank. Take a moment, calm down, and proceed with extreme caution. You may have just spotted a dividend trap. Find out how to avoid dividend traps …

• 09

   Proof That Dividend Stocks Perform Better than Stocks With No Dividends

  

  Respected professor Dr. Jeremy Siegel has proven in his research that 99% of the gain investors experience after inflation comes entirely from reinvested dividends. In this special feature, you’ll see how that’s possible, discover shocking statistics on just how rich investors of the past have become by owning dividend stocks, and Siegel’s “principle of investor returns”, which he believes is responsible for a stock outperforming the market. Find out why boring dividends could be your new best friend …

• 10

   How to Use Dividends to Recover from Big Losses

  

  If you have suffered a devastating blow to the value of your investments, 401(k), or stock portfolio, you may be able to use the combined power of dividends, dividend reinvestment, and dollar cost averaging to rebuild your assets over the next five to ten years. This article was designed to help you understand the process and point you in the right direction to take back control of your tattered finances. Learn how to rebuild your portfolio and recover from losses with the help of dividends …

• 11

   Why Do Dividend Stocks Tend to Fall Less During Market Crashes?

  

  Did you know that a portfolio full of dividend stocks is likely to fall less during a market crash than non-dividend paying stocks? To find out the four reasons this is true, take a moment to read this great explanation …

• 12

   Using Dividend Yields to Tell if the Stock Market is Undervalued or Overvalued

  

  One strategy used by professional investors involves comparing dividend yields to other investments to determine if the stock market is expensive or cheap. It will take you less than thirty seconds to learn, yet empower you to better understand the risks you are taking when buying individual stocks or index funds. Learn how to use dividend yields to value stocks …

• 13

   How the Financial Press Misleads Investors on the Role of Dividends

  

  Did you know that stock charts have one fatal flaw that can mislead you and cause you to arrive at bad investing decisions? In fact, stock charts may be responsible for the rise of what I like to call the capital gains cult. New investors mistakenly focus on rising share price, not understanding that most long-term gains come from dividends that are reinvested into additional shares of stock. Over time, the power of compounding leads to you owning a much larger percentage of the company, even if the share price has only moved a few percentage points each year. You deserve to know the truth. Take a moment to read how the reporting system is gamed against you and why focusing on total return can lead to better results …

• 14

   Your Step-By-Step Guide to Putting Together an Income Investing Portfolio

  

  If you ever dreamed of living off your money, dividends are a big part of making that dream a reality. This ten-page, step-by-step guide is filled with insightful information about how to begin putting together a collection of assets that will bring enough money into your life for you to live off the interest, dividends, and rents you receive instead of having to sell your labor for a paycheck. Start living the dream by learning about income investing …

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