Do You Pay Taxes on Dividends Reinvested? (2024)

Do You Pay Taxes on Dividends Reinvested? (1)

Investing in dividend stocks can create a nice stream of passive income. Instead of receiving payouts as cash, you can also use dividends to increase your holdings by reinvesting them to purchase additional shares of stock. Among other benefits, reinvesting dividends can help you avoid brokerage fees. However, even when you don’t receive dividends as cash payouts and reinvest them in additional shares, you still must pay taxes on them. For personalized tax planning assistance, work with a financial advisor.

What Is Dividend Reinvestment?

When you reinvest dividends paid by some shares and exchange-traded funds, you use the dividends to buy more shares of stock instead of receiving the dividends as cash payouts. For example, say you own 100 shares of Stock ABC and it pays a $1 quarterly dividend. You could have that $100 dividend deposited as cash into your brokerage account. Or you could choose to use the dividend to purchase $100 worth of additional shares of Stock ABC.

Reinvesting dividends can represent a savvy investment strategy. As one benefit, it taps the power of compounding. The reinvested dividends buy you additional shares and if the share price increases over time, your portfolio value grows. In addition, if Stock ABC pays an increasing dividend each year, reinvesting those rising dividends can further augment your wealth.

Many investors set up their portfolios so that dividends get automatically reinvested. This also brings into play the beneficial effects of dollar-cost averaging, which can reduce the average cost you pay for shares. As yet another benefit, purchasing shares via dividend reinvestment can also avoid brokerage commissions and fees. Not surprisingly, given these benefits, many investors employ strategies that call for reinvesting dividends.

How Reinvested Dividends Are Taxed

Do You Pay Taxes on Dividends Reinvested? (2)

Investors who reinvest dividends have to keep some special considerations in mind when it comes to taxes. The IRS considers any dividends you receive as taxable income, whether you reinvest them or not. When you reinvest dividends, for tax purposes you are essentially receiving the dividend and then using it to purchase more shares. So even though the dividend doesn’t pass through your hands in cash form, it’s still considered taxable income.

However, dividends may not get taxed like regular income. For tax purposes, dividends fall into two categories – qualified and non-qualified. Each category gets taxed differently. Qualified dividends have to meet IRS holding period requirements. They get taxed at the lower long-term capital gains rates. Non-qualified dividends, also called ordinary dividends, get taxed as ordinary income. That generally means paying a bigger tax bite.

Reporting Reinvested Dividends

You must report both qualified and non-qualified reinvested dividends on your tax return. To help you accurately report these amounts, your brokerage will send you Form 1099-DIV. This tax form details your dividend income for the year and breaks it down between ordinary dividends, qualified dividends and capital gains distributions.

When the time to prepare your tax return arrives, take the dividend amounts from your 1099-DIV and enter them on your Form 1040. Report qualified reinvested dividends on line 3a. Enter amounts for non-qualified reinvested dividends on line 3b. If you have more than $1,500 in ordinary dividends, you must also complete Schedule B and attach it to your Form 1040.

Avoid Taxes with Retirement Accounts

While you can’t avoid taxes on reinvested dividends completely, a way exists to keep from having to pay taxes on reinvested dividends the year you receive them. To do this, simply hold the dividend-paying securities in a tax-deferred retirement account such as a 401(k) or IRA.

Contributions to these accounts may be tax-deductible, so your dividend reinvestments escape taxation at the time you make them. After that, your money grows tax-free over time. You do pay taxes on the reinvested dividends and earnings later when you withdraw funds in retirement. But in the meantime, you can reinvest dividends tax-free.

Bottom Line

Do You Pay Taxes on Dividends Reinvested? (3)

While reinvesting dividends can help grow your portfolio, you generally still owe taxes on reinvested dividends each year. Reinvested dividends may be treated in different ways, however. Qualified dividends get taxed as capital gains, while non-qualified dividends get taxed as ordinary income. You can avoid paying taxes on reinvested dividends in the year you earn them by holding dividend stocks in a tax-deferred retirement plan.

Tips for Investing

  • Consult a financial advisor if you need help determining the taxes owed on reinvested dividends. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
  • SmartAsset’s Investment Return and Growth Calculator helps guide your saving and investment decisions by showing you the projected growth of your investment portfolio over time.

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Do You Pay Taxes on Dividends Reinvested? (2024)

FAQs

Do You Pay Taxes on Dividends Reinvested? ›

While reinvesting dividends can help grow your portfolio, you generally still owe taxes on reinvested dividends each year. Reinvested dividends may be treated in different ways, however. Qualified dividends get taxed as capital gains, while non-qualified dividends get taxed as ordinary income.

How do I avoid paying taxes on stock dividends? ›

You would not owe tax on dividends from stocks held in a retirement account, such as a Roth IRA or 401(k), or a college savings plan, such as a 529 plan or Coverdell ESA. There are exceptions to this tax immunity, though.

Is reinvesting dividends a good idea? ›

Dividend reinvestment is a great way for an investor to steadily grow wealth. Many brokers and companies enable investors to automate this process, allowing them to buy more shares (even fractional ones) with each payment and compounding their returns, which can add up over time.

How much dividends are tax free? ›

Qualified and ordinary dividends have different tax implications that impact a return.4 The tax rate is 0% on qualified dividends if taxable income is less than $44,625 for singles and $89,250 for joint-married filers in the tax year 2023.

What type of dividends are not taxable? ›

Interest dividends from state or municipal bonds aren't typically taxable on the federal income tax level unless you're subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). This income is usually reported in box 12 of Form 1099-DIV.

Can you reinvest dividends and not pay taxes? ›

The IRS considers any dividends you receive as taxable income, whether you reinvest them or not. When you reinvest dividends, for tax purposes you are essentially receiving the dividend and then using it to purchase more shares.

How much tax do I pay on dividend? ›

8.75% for basic rate taxpayers. 33.75% for higher rate taxpayers. 39.35% for additional rate taxpayers.

Is there a downside to dividend investing? ›

Despite their storied histories, they cut their dividends. 9 In other words, dividends are not guaranteed and are subject to macroeconomic and company-specific risks. Another downside to dividend-paying stocks is that companies that pay dividends are not usually high-growth leaders.

Is there a fee for reinvesting dividends? ›

What Is Dividend Reinvestment? If you reinvest dividends, you buy additional shares with the dividend rather than take the cash. Dividend reinvestment can be a good strategy because it is: Cheap: Reinvestment is automatic—you won't owe any commissions or other brokerage fees when you buy more shares.

How to reinvest profits to avoid tax? ›

7 ways to minimize investment taxes
  1. Practice buy-and-hold investing. ...
  2. Open an IRA. ...
  3. Contribute to a 401(k) plan. ...
  4. Take advantage of tax-loss harvesting. ...
  5. Consider asset location. ...
  6. Use a 1031 exchange. ...
  7. Take advantage of lower long-term capital gains rates.
Jan 20, 2024

How to avoid tax on dividend income? ›

If your total dividend income is less than Rs. 5,000 in a financial year, then TDS will not apply to your interest income received. 2. You can submit Form 15G/15H to the company or mutual fund declaring that your total income for the financial year is below the taxable limit.

What are the highest paying dividend stocks? ›

Top 25 High Dividend Stocks
TickerNameDividend Yield
ARCCAres Capital9.01%
HIWHighwoods Properties7.97%
WHRWhirlpool7.83%
ENBEnbridge7.48%
6 more rows
May 10, 2024

Do dividends count as capital gains? ›

Dividends can be classified either as ordinary or qualified. Whereas ordinary dividends are taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividends that meet certain requirements are taxed at lower capital gain rates.

How to avoid double taxation on dividends? ›

Retain earnings: If the corporation doesn't distribute earnings as dividends to shareholders, earnings are only taxed once, at the corporate rate. Pay salaries instead of dividends: Shareholders who work for the corporation may be paid higher salaries instead of dividends.

What is the 60 day dividend rule? ›

To qualify for the lower tax rates, the taxpayer must now hold the dividend-paying stock for at least 61 days during the 121-day period (instead of the current 120-day period) beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date – the first date that the buyer will not be entitled to receive that dividend.

What is the 45 day rule for dividends? ›

The 45-Day Rule requires resident taxpayers to hold shares at risk for at least 45 days (90 days for preference shares, not including the day of acquisition or disposal) in order to be entitled to Franking Credits.

How do you live off dividend paying stocks? ›

You can periodically sell some of your investments to supplement the dividend income. As long as you keep the withdrawal rate at or below 4%, your money should last for decades. To apply the 4% rule, divide your income requirement by 4% to calculate your targeted portfolio size.

How do you make money off of stocks that don t pay dividends? ›

How do you make money from stocks that don't pay dividends? The two ways to profit from stock investing are capital gains and dividends. If dividends aren't an option with the stock, then your only profit potential is from capital gains.

What can offset dividend income? ›

If your losses are greater than your gains

Up to $3,000 in net losses can be used to offset your ordinary income (including income from dividends or interest). Note that you can also "carry forward" losses to future tax years.

How long to hold stock to avoid tax? ›

If you hold a stock for one year or longer, your gain will be taxed at the long-term capital gains tax rate. But if you hold a stock for less than one year before selling it, your gain will typically be taxed at your ordinary income tax rate.

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