AT&T is one of the largest telecom companies in the US. After spinning off WarnerMedia in 2022 and cutting its dividend, AT&T has stabilized its payout at $1.11/year. High yield makes it attractive for pure income investors, though dividend growth has been absent. The company is focused on debt reduction and fiber network expansion.
Is T a good dividend investment in 2026?
T offers a 6.24% forward yield with a 58% payout ratio. With a safety score of 75/100, the dividend appears safe. The 5-year dividend CAGR of -8.2% is modest — investors should weigh current income against growth alternatives.
T DRIP calculator — what's the difference?
With DRIP on a $10,000 investment over 10 years, your T portfolio grows to $9.1K vs $9.3K without reinvestment — a DRIP bonus of $-225.01. This is the compound interest effect in action.
T dividend growth history & forecast
T has grown its dividend by 0% over the last year and -8.2% annually over 5 years. At this pace, an investor who holds for 10+ years will see their yield on cost grow substantially above the current 6.24% — illustrating why dividend growth stocks are powerful long-term wealth builders.
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🌍 T Yield by Country & Account Type
Real after-tax yield depends on where you live and how you hold T.
Gross yield
6.24%
Tax rate
15.00%
After-tax yield
5.30%
Real yield (−CPI)
2.50%
Account/Country
Tax Rate
After-tax Yield
Real Yield
$10K Annual Income
🇺🇸 Roth IRA / 401k
0%
6.24%
3.44%
$624 / yr
🇺🇸 US Taxable (15%) ✓
15%
5.30%
2.50%
$530 / yr
🇺🇸 US Taxable (20%)
20%
4.99%
2.19%
$499 / yr
🇬🇧 UK ISA
0%
6.24%
3.44%
$624 / yr
🇬🇧 UK Taxable
8.75%
5.69%
2.89%
$569 / yr
🇨🇦 TFSA
0%
6.24%
3.44%
$624 / yr
🇨🇦 CA Taxable
25%
4.68%
1.88%
$468 / yr
🇦🇺 Super (pension)
15%
5.30%
2.50%
$530 / yr
🇦🇺 AU Taxable
30%
4.37%
1.57%
$437 / yr
🇩🇪 DE Taxable
26.375%
4.59%
1.79%
$459 / yr
🇫🇷 FR Taxable
30%
4.37%
1.57%
$437 / yr
Real yield = after-tax yield minus US CPI of 2.8%. Click any row to select. US withholding tax (30%, reducible by treaty) applies to non-US residents holding US stocks in taxable accounts.
🎯 T Income Goal & Break-Even
Dividend Break-Even
50yr+
Years for dividends to repay your full T investment price of $17.80/share (🇺🇸 US Taxable (15%) · 15.00% tax)
$10K invested · 10 Years
Dividends earned (DRIP)
$4.1K
Lost to inflation (~2.8% CPI)
−$2.5K
Real purchasing power gain
$1.7K
How much do I need to invest in T for:
Shares needed
25,438
Capital required
$452,796
Monthly income
$2,000
Based on current dividend of $1.11/share/yr · 🇺🇸 US Taxable (15%) · static projection (no growth assumed).
📅 T Dividend Payment Schedule
T pays quarterly — 4 times per year. Next ex-div: Jan 8, 2026.
Jan
💰
Feb
Mar
Apr
💰
May
Jun
Jul
💰
Aug
Sep
Oct
💰
Nov
Dec
10 shares
$2.36 / payment
$9.44 / year after tax
100 shares
$23.59 / payment
$94.35 / year after tax
1,000 shares
$235.88 / payment
$943.50 / year after tax
📊 T vs Telecom Sector Benchmarks
How T compares to typical Telecom sector averages.
Dividend YieldT: +6.24% vs sector avg 3.00% ✓ Better
Payout RatioT: 58.00% vs sector avg 58.00% ↓ Below avg
T━━ Telecom avg: 58.00%
⚠️ Disclaimer: All projections are for educational purposes only. Dividend payments, stock prices, and growth rates are estimates based on historical data. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is not financial advice — consult a qualified financial professional before investing. Data sourced from public financial records and updated regularly.