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Build a Monthly Dividend Portfolio with Three Quarterly ETFs

You don't need monthly payers to get paid every month. Combine three quarterly ETFs with staggered payout months and you get a dividend calendar covering all twelve months.

The principle — staggered payout months

US quarterly ETFs typically fall into three groups: Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct, Feb/May/Aug/Nov, and Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec payers.

Pick one from each group and at least one dividend arrives every month. A common mix is one high-yield, one dividend-growth and one covered-call fund.

Adding monthly payers

Monthly payers like JEPI act as the base salary of the mix, smoothing the month-to-month variation on top of a quarterly ladder.

Their distributions often fluctuate, so check the recent payout history and model conservatively.

Checklist

Before committing, verify at least the following:

  • Payout months actually alternate (check the dividend calendar)
  • The after-tax monthly average reaches your target
  • You are not concentrated in one fund or strategy
  • Distributions look sustainable (no repeated cuts)

Track the total in the app

Once the ladder is built, the remaining work is tracking. Save each fund's shares and dividend per payment in Dividend Paycheck and the after-tax monthly total is calculated for you — visible on the home widget every day.

This article is for information only and is not a recommendation of any security or investment advice.

Your dividend calendar, totaled automatically

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