Tracking dividends

Dividend tracking is a core feature of TrackMyShares, helping income-focused investors monitor their passive income streams.

Dashboard dividend summary

Your dashboard shows key dividend metrics:

Annual dividend income

The estimated yearly dividend income based on your current holdings and their declared dividends. This updates as:

• You add or remove holdings
• Companies announce dividend changes
• Share quantities change

Dividend yield

Your portfolio's weighted average dividend yield, calculated as:

Portfolio yield = Total annual dividends ÷ Total portfolio value

Viewing dividends per holding

Click on any holding to see its dividend information:

• Dividend yield — Annual dividend as percentage of share price
• Annual dividend — Expected dividend per share per year
• Payment frequency — How often dividends are paid (monthly, quarterly, etc.)
• Last payment — Most recent dividend date and amount
• Next payment — Expected next payment date

Note: Dividend data depends on company announcements. Not all stocks have complete dividend information available.

Dividend payment schedule

Different stocks pay dividends on different schedules:

Frequency	Common examples
Monthly	Some REITs, bond ETFs
Quarterly	Most US stocks, many ETFs
Semi-annual	Many Australian stocks
Annual	Some companies, certain ETFs

TrackMyShares shows the payment frequency for each holding so you can plan your income.

Dividend yield explained

Dividend yield tells you how much income a stock generates relative to its price:

Dividend yield = Annual dividend per share ÷ Current share price × 100

Example

A stock paying $4 annual dividend, priced at $100:

• Yield = $4 ÷ $100 × 100 = 4%

What's a good yield?

This depends on your goals and market conditions:

• 0-2% — Growth stocks, often reinvesting profits
• 2-4% — Balanced stocks, moderate income
• 4-6% — Income-focused stocks
• 6%+ — High yield, potentially higher risk

Warning: Very high yields can indicate a falling share price or unsustainable dividends. Always research before investing.

Dividend income projection

TrackMyShares estimates your future dividend income based on:

• Your current holdings and quantities
• Declared dividend amounts
• Expected payment dates

This helps you plan for expected income throughout the year.

Accuracy

Projections are estimates based on current data:

• Companies can cut, raise, or skip dividends
• Special dividends may not be included
• Currency conversion uses current rates

Ex-dividend dates

The ex-dividend date is important for dividend investors:

• Buy before the ex-dividend date to receive the dividend
• Buy on or after the ex-dividend date, and you won't receive the dividend

TrackMyShares shows upcoming ex-dividend dates for your holdings so you can plan purchases.

Franking credits (Australia)

For Australian investors, many dividends come with franking credits (imputation credits), representing tax already paid by the company.

• Fully franked — Maximum tax credit attached
• Partially franked — Some tax credit attached
• Unfranked — No tax credit

TrackMyShares includes franking information where available, which is important for tax reporting.

Dividend reinvestment

Some investors reinvest dividends to buy more shares (DRP/DRIP). While TrackMyShares doesn't automate this, you can:

1. Record the dividend as received
2. Record a buy transaction for the reinvested shares
3. Track your growing position over time