Free dividend calculator · Investing in Public

The Dividend Coverage Tracker

Most dividend calculators tell you what your portfolio is worth. This one answers the question that actually matters: how much of your life do your dividends already pay for?

  • Free, no signup
  • About 60 seconds
  • Saved in your browser
01

What does it cost to be you?

$ /mo

Rent or mortgage, food, insurance, car, the works. Rough is fine — you can sharpen it later.

02

What do your dividends pay you?

$ /mo

One number, straight off your brokerage statement. Don't overthink it — a close estimate gets you the same insight.

Want to see which part of your portfolio pays your bills? and the bar splits by bucket.

03

What are you building toward?

Optional
$ /mo

Puts a second marker on the bar so you can see your bills and your goal at the same time.

Share your number

Post it, send it to whoever you're building this with, or keep it as a marker to beat next quarter.

Your share card shows up here once you've added your bills and your dividend income.

Keep your number

Your numbers save to this browser automatically. They won't follow you to another device, and clearing your browser data wipes them. Want a copy, plus a nudge in 90 days to check where you're at? Drop your email.

Subscribing attaches your Coverage Number, monthly dividend income and monthly bills to your signup so the follow-up email can tell you where you started.

The math

Three numbers, no black box

Everything on this page is simple arithmetic on what you typed. Here's every formula, using the example numbers.

01

Coverage Number

dividends per month ÷ bills per month

$250 ÷ $4,500 = 5.6% of your bills, paid by dividends.

02

Days covered

Coverage Number × 30 days

5.6% × 30 ≈ 1.7 days of every month you no longer work for.

03

The gap

yearly shortfall ÷ assumed yield

($4,500 − $250) × 12 = $51,000 ÷ 4% = $1,275,000 more invested to cover everything.

The milestone ladder

Every rung is part of a month you don't have to work for

100% is the finish line, but nobody starts there. The first rung is the hardest one to reach, and it's the one most people never do. Your spot lights up as you type.

    Questions

    The honest answers

    What is a Coverage Number?

    It's the percentage of your monthly bills your dividends already pay. If your dividends pay you $250 a month and it costs $4,500 a month to be you, your Coverage Number is 5.6%, which is about 1.7 days of every month, paid for.

    Where do I find my dividend income?

    Most brokerages show an estimated annual income figure for your account. Enter it with the per-year toggle and the tracker divides by 12 for you. No estimate available? Add up the dividends you actually received over the last 12 months.

    Should I enter dividends before or after tax?

    The tracker uses whatever you give it. Dividends in a taxable account get taxed, so if you want the honest version of your number, enter what you keep after tax.

    How is the gap calculated?

    It takes the yearly shortfall between your bills and your dividends and divides it by the yield you assume. A higher yield shrinks the gap on paper, but high-yield funds often pay distributions that can be cut or can include return of capital. The 4% default is a starting assumption, not a recommendation.

    Is my data saved or sent anywhere?

    Your numbers are saved in this browser only. No account, nothing uploaded. If you choose to subscribe with your email, your Coverage Number, monthly dividend income and monthly bills are attached to that signup so the follow-up email can tell you where you started.

    Is this financial advice?

    No. It's arithmetic on numbers you enter. It doesn't know your taxes, your timeline or your risk, and it doesn't fetch live market data. Use it to see where you stand, then do your own research.

    Keep going

    The other two tools I actually use

    Build the pile, decide how to split it, then turn it into income. This tracker is step three.

    Step one · Build the pile

    The First $100,000 Calculator

    Put in what you've invested and what you add each month. Get the month you cross six figures.

    See your date →     Step two · Decide the split

    The Investing DNA Worksheet

    Five questions decide how your money should split across Growth, Dividend Growth and High Income.

    Find your split →     Read

    My 3-bucket portfolio

    The Growth, Dividend Growth and High Income buckets this tracker splits your income into — and why I run it this way.

    Read the post →

    Not financial advice. This tool is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It performs arithmetic on numbers you enter — it does not verify them, does not fetch live market data, and does not evaluate whether any investment is suitable for you. Mikey Moran is not a financial advisor, broker, or tax professional. Dividends and fund distributions are not guaranteed and can be reduced or eliminated at any time. Distribution rates are not the same as dividend yield, and some distributions include return of capital, which lowers your cost basis and defers tax rather than eliminating it. Past income is not a prediction of future income. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Always do your own research and consult a licensed professional before making any investment decision.