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
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
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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FAQs
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.
How do I avoid paying taxes on reinvested dividends? ›
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.
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? ›
Your “qualified” dividends may be taxed at 0% if your taxable income falls below $44,625 (if single or Married Filing Separately), $59,750 (if Head of Household), or $89,250 (if (Married Filing Jointly or qualifying widow/widower) (tax year 2023). Above those thresholds, the qualified dividend tax rate is 15%.
Are reinvested dividends taxed twice? ›
Dividends are taxable regardless of whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in the mutual fund that pays them out. You incur the tax liability in the year in which the dividends are reinvested.
Can dividends be reinvested without tax? ›
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.
How much tax will I pay on dividends? ›
Outside of any tax-sheltered investments and the dividend allowance, the dividend tax rates are: 8.75% for basic rate taxpayers. 33.75% for higher rate taxpayers. 39.35% for additional rate taxpayers.
Are dividends taxed higher than capital gains? ›
After the sale of a capital asset, your gains become part of a taxable income. The tax rate for capital gains is higher compared to dividends. Also, short-term capital gains and long-term capital gains have different levels of tax liability.
Does dividend count as income? ›
Income that is within your dividend allowance counts towards your basic or higher rate limits and may therefore affect the amount of personal savings allowance that you are entitled to, as well as the rate of tax you pay on dividend income that exceeds your allowance.
Other drawbacks of dividend investing are potential extra tax burdens, especially for investors who live off the income. 3 Once a company starts paying a dividend, investors become accustomed to it and expect it to grow. If that doesn't happen or it is cut, the share price will likely fall.
At what age should I stop reinvesting dividends? ›
When you are 5-10 years from retirement, stop automatic dividend reinvestment. This is when you transition from an accumulation asset allocation to a de-risked asset allocation. In Summary: When in accumulation, reinvest dividends. When in transition or drawdown, don't!
Is there a fee for reinvesting dividends? ›
With a DRIP, an investor's cash dividends and capital gains distributions are reinvested into their account automatically, helping them accumulate more shares of the same stock, at no charge. And because DRIPs are automatic, they can save investors time.
How to not pay taxes on dividends? ›
You may be able to avoid all income taxes on dividends if your income is low enough to qualify for zero capital gains if you invest in a Roth retirement account or buy dividend stocks in a tax-advantaged education account.
What stock dividends are not taxable? ›
If shares are held in a retirement account, stock dividends and stock splits are not taxed as they are earned. 1 Generally, in a nonretirement brokerage account, any income is taxable in the year it is received.
How to get dividend tax free? ›
All the dividend income received are taxable and the TDS rate of 10% is charged if the dividend income paid is in excess of Rs. 5000. If the investor's annual income is below the exemption limit then he can submit the form 15G/15H for not deduction of TDS.
Can I sell stock and reinvest without paying capital gains? ›
You and other investors who want to avoid paying tax on stocks that have appreciated, will “sell” (in actuality contribute) and reinvest, through a swap. This process involves swapping your appreciated shares for a diversified portfolio of stocks of equivalent value, effectively deferring capital gains tax.
Do I have to pay taxes on dividends less than $10? ›
The IRS does not require 1099 Forms in cases where the interest, dividends or short-term capital gain distributions are under $10. However, the IRS does require individuals to report these amounts under $10 on their tax returns.
At what age do you not pay capital gains? ›
Capital Gains Tax for People Over 65. For individuals over 65, capital gains tax applies at 0% for long-term gains on assets held over a year and 15% for short-term gains under a year. Despite age, the IRS determines tax based on asset sale profits, with no special breaks for those 65 and older.
