One of the best months of dividend income to report. As dividend investors, we love the quarter ends, due to being the most popular month, as well as an even better month for those that have mutual funds and/or ETFs. The busy season is slowly slowing down, gosh I wish it would end, but dividend income always keeps me at least going for the time being.
Dividend Income
I received a total of $1,498.12 in dividend income in March. This is a solid increase from last year, which I will talk about in the next section. There were really no surprises, only one changed the quarter the pay, as it relates to timing, and everything went smooth. The 401(k), Health Savings Account (HSA) and all dividends are automatically invested/reinvested and helps take the emotion out of timing & making a decision. Also, to find out why I max out my 401(k) and HSA – please refer to the 3rd part of my tax series, as that describes the magnitude of benefits to increase the amount you can invest due to reduction in taxes.
Here we have a solid 30 different entities sending checks to me this month (Up from 27 last year). The fact that I’m up 3 positions last year, actually surprises me. The new faces are Delta (DAL), DowDuPont switching here (DWDP) and Kroger (KR). So many different companies and it’s cool seeing that 24 companies were in my taxable account too! Further, I purchased Dominion (D) two different times and that dividend will churn for me by the end of the second quarter.
Similarly, I have split out between the individual stock amounts and the retirement accounts, as the ” – R” indicates a retirement account dividend (or the furthest column to the right). I separate these two, as I like to know what portion of my dividend income is coming from those retirement accounts that I cannot touch until 59.5 (barring any other usage rule I could use). Here, it shows that I received a total of $599.84 (up from $457.42 last year) or 40% of my income from retirement accounts and the other 60% was from my individual taxable account portfolio. Additionally, this shows from retirement accounts that I’m all ready for my set it and forget it mentality to keep that income going. To see my portfolio – one can go to our portfolio summary page.
Dividend Income Year Over Year Comparison
2017: 
2018: 
So what are the differences here? To start and I noted, that DWDP moved to the quarter end vs. an “off-month”. Lastly, Delta (DAL) dividend has been introduced and am hoping that continues to grow by a significant double digit growth for the future. Then, Kroger’s (KR) dividend is coming full circle as well. Year over year, the dividend income increase was 22.43%. I wonder if June’s dividend income summary will be better than this one. If that’s the case, December’s could be a real treat. I will gladly accept a 20% increase each year, as next year, at the same pace, this could be $1,827.
I won’t go into details about the dividend increases. Realty Income (O) was the only one for me and they increased their dividend 0.23%. This did not impact my forward income by a significant amount.
Dividend Income Conclusion & Summary
The name of the game is to learn and act in the right manner to what you have learned. The plan is to maximize every dollar for investment opportunities and live a balanced life. My hope is that my month of dividend income above shows the community that one can use dividend income as a revenue engine to take back control of your life. Dividend investing, once you learn the right way, becomes easier to do and starts to make quite a bit of sense : )
As I discussed with my updated – normal monthly expenditures at the moment, this dividend income would cover over 100% of my average $984 monthly expense for my house, including utilities. This is very nice knowing that my dividend income covers the month of expenses, and them some; which the goal is to have that happen each month! In similar fashion – all of the investing from last year and moves this year, shows that my aim to save 60% of my income, and making every dollar count, has allowed promising results already this year.
Another month down and it was a fun, record-setting March! I am sure there are many more who established new highs for the month and even for your lifetime, to this point. If only each month could be like this, but that’s what makes this a journey. I am excited to read the comments and thank you, the community, for stopping by; as you are helping me on my journey to financial freedom!
Congrats on covering all your monthly housing expenses! That is a very big move and definitely a step in the right direction! It shows that hard work pays off and I’m sure it adds some comfort to your life knowing that you can afford to cover your monthly expenses with dividend income alone. I can’t wait to see what progress you guys make the rest of the year!
Diligent –
The comfort of knowing the hard work, high savings rate and sticking to the dividend investing strategy continues to amaze me. Each year, this gets bigger – sure there is more capital, but most of the names I mention aren’t receiving fresh capital – just dividend reinvestment and growth rates at it’s finest. Hope they continue to perform : )
-Lanny
Clearly kickin’ butt and takin’ names here Lanny. I love to watch the dividend income grow. It’s just a lot of fun and very satisfying. Tom
Tom –
Thank you for the comment. Huge names, names that are paying more dividends from two things (for the most part), mainly, dividend reinvestment and dividend growth. Couple those two with “time” and damn – you get a fine product.
-Lanny
Keep that growth going. Almost breaking that $1500 mark, so close! You are for sure making every dollar count and work for you. Nice to see the tax advantage accounts paying off as well and adding to your numbers. Great month/ quarter.
Daze –
Thank you for the comment! Trying to squeeze each dollar as much as possible, sometimes it’s nice to have more dollars though, right?
-Lanny
Nice! Another solid month! Similar size portfolio as mine – but you are yielding much higher returns each month…
Once my Funds are transferred to ETFs/Stocks It should be very similar! keep up the great work
Jordan –
Thank you, and hey – if you have strong dividend growth rate – yours will get juiced up in no time!!
-Lanny
BANG! That’s an awesome amount of dividend income for not having to do anything!
Tawcan –
Bang, BANG! What a wild ride, ride? It’s crazy thinking that this is where the income is consistently at, during the quarter ends. If only this is what we see every month : ) You are destroying it, so I’m just trying to catch up!
-Lanny
Lanny,
Nice work! The consistent compounding growth dividends contribute as well as the consistent infusion of fresh capital is just downright fantastic. I nearly hit the 4 digit mark myself with dividends received in March.
PIV
Vortex –
Thank you!! It is critical from time and perseverance. Also – the savings rate doesn’t hurt, as well. Hell yeah on the 4 digit mark. Give it more time and you will crush over it. Congrats PIV, excited to check it out.
-Lanny
Lanny,
Hot damn, almost $900 in taxable – immediately useful money. That is huge, that is FU money in the making.
– Gremlin
Gremlin –
So wild thinking that is immediately available – GREAT call out. FU MONEY FOR DAYS!!!
-Lanny
Doing all the right things to get results like these. As we all know, companies change their payout schedules form time to time which can skew results higher or lower but the end result is an annual year over year game which is the main goal. Nice to see new names added to your portfolio. Been a while since I bought anything new. Just adding to my current holdings. Loved seeing those D picks ups recently. I’m on board. Keep up the awesome work. You are well on your way!
DivHut –
Thank you for your comment, as always. You are crushing it DH and you are slowly picking up accidental high yielders, I feel like, consistently. I’m the one who hasn’t purchased much this year! What a market it has been!
-Lanny
Holy Cow! Nearly $1500 in dividend income for the month! That is incredible Lanny! Aren’t quarter ending months great? 🙂 Congrats Lanny! Very impressive! 🙂
MDD –
I LOVE quarter ends – the reinvestment is gosh darn powerful. I should track what the impact reinvestment does to the forward income each month. Appreciate the comment and motivation!
-Lanny
Woot woot
That is a serious income! Congrats Lanny. So many solid companies paying ya to boot!
Up n up!
Cheers
PCI –
Thank you – time and perseverance does the trick. Automation helps too : )
-Lanny
I’m not familiar with Vinix. What is that?
Dan –
Thanks. That’s the mutual fund from Vanguard offered through the 401(k) at work. Two times per month, spread throughout the year, part of my pay goes to the 401(k), at a maximum level. Hence why it is massive! Let me know if you have other questions.
-Lanny
Sweet! That’s a nice chunk of change, Lanny. Excellent YoY growth, too. 22+% is no small feat with such a large portfolio, so congratulations on that front. Your portfolio really seems to be picking up some steam… proof positive that you are making the right moves.
I really like that dividend from LMT… one of your larger positions, no? Keep crushing it!
EngDiv –
Thank you very much for your comment. It does have steam – LMT has been one of my long time and bigger positions – I’ve owned them for almost 10 years now! Love them!
-Lanny
WOW! – 1500$ is killing it. With an income like that i would be able to cover all my expenses at the moment. Patience and frugal living pays off in the end. Just a few more years and your dividend income in March will be well over 2k….
March 2018 was a new record month for me too.
https://dividendsolutions.wordpress.com/2018/04/04/dividend-income-march-2018/
I like the mix of companies that paid you. I’d love to have JNJ, PFE and NSC in my portfolio.
Greets
DividendSolutions
Unreal!!! The growth you are experiencing recently has been incredible. Keep up the great work!
ADD –
Thanks – dividend investing is a real thing!! And… I LOVE IT!!
-Lanny
Lanny, nice work with the 20%+ increase y/y. I always love seeing such big increases on these bigger months. It really lets you know that what you’re doing is totally working.
Time –
Thank you, thank you! Trying to keep it going, as much as I can. I agree, I can feel it and see it working and damn I’m lucky, you know? AH… need to keep going!
-Lanny
Amazing amazing. Although I also set a record, that cheap change compared to these monster dividends! Congratulations Lanny!
Mr Robot –
Not about how big – but the fact that you are in it, making moves and that you are setting records too. That’s what it is all about MR!
-Lanny
Congrats Lanny on a successful and record breaking month. I just noticed that MCD paid you dividends. I just picked up McDonalds in my portfolio. But that’s a nice increase from last year and you’re well on your way to making $2000 in a month. Keep those dividends rolling in Lanny.
Gosh Damn Joe Rogan! Almost $1500 from one month is beautiful. Keep up the great work Lanny. One hell of a month and quarter! Doin work!
Holy Moly Macaroni Lanny!
That $1,498.12 is freaking amazing, better yet it’s enough to cover your monthly expenses! That’s such a great feeling I bet!!!
I bet it’s times like this where it feels great knowing you could quit everything and live off your dividends, but in the back of your mind (mine at least) “oh, if I save a bit more, I’ll have even more money for retirement” wahoo!
As always, thanks for sharing your awesome success!
-Andrew
Holy cow, this is just getting crazier by the month! Well done, you are at the same as Jason Fieber. Why are you not retired yet in Thailand? 😉
It is always great to see the power of dividend investing even in fluctuating markets like this. Awesome job Lanny!
DFG