DV
Dividend Vision

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the quirks Dividend Vision obsesses over, minus the corporate fluff.

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General

Do you have a mobile app (iPhone, iPad, Android)?

No, not yet. We may build a dedicated mobile app in the future, but for now Dividend Vision works great in your mobile browser on any device—iPhone, iPad, or Android. Just open the site and you're good to go!

Do you have live market data?

Not yet. But if you want, I can stand outside Wall Street with binoculars and text you updates.

How fresh is the data?

Financial data (prices, yields, distributions) is fetched from multiple sources and synced on a regular cadence—typically nightly for core metrics. News and YouTube content updates several times a day.

We don't have live market data (yet), so think of it as a well-informed morning briefing, not a Bloomberg terminal.

ETFs & Dividends

What assets do you track?

We're currently obsessing over 0 income-focused assets across multiple categories:

  • 0 ETFs
  • 0 Stocks
  • 0 BDCs
  • 0 MLPs
  • 0 REITs
  • 0 CEFs
  • 0 Preferred Stocks
  • 0 Crypto
  • 0 Money Market

Explore and filter these on the Screener and Tickers pages.

Portfolio Tools

How are Event Drawdowns in the Portfolio Forecast Calculated?

Short answer: with our state-of-the-art abacus and a questionable amount of coffee.

Long answer: So you want to model a 50% drawdown in the S&P stretched out over 24 months. That’s the financial equivalent of asking whether you should swan-dive off the balcony or just take the stairs two at a time—both get you to the same place, but the path looks different.

Here are the usual suspects:

1. Straight-line decline (linear)

  • Market loses the same percentage (or dollar value) each month.
  • Example: S&P starts at 5000 → you want it at 2500 in 24 months → subtract ~2.08% each month.
  • Pros: Easy to compute, looks clean on a chart.
  • Cons: Totally unrealistic. Markets don’t glide down like an escalator—they trip, faceplant, bounce, then fall again.

2. Compound percentage decline (exponential)

  • Assume the market shrinks by the same compounded rate each month.
  • Solve (1 – r)24 = 0.5 → about −2.89% per month.
  • Pros: Mathematically legit, losses compound instead of add.
  • Cons: Still fails to capture reality. Real crashes include bursts of panic, sucker rallies, and long sighs of despair.

3. Shock + grind (hybrid)

  • Big initial plunge (say −25% in the first 3–6 months), then a slower erosion the rest of the way.
  • Mimics actual bear markets (dot-com, 2008): fear-induced cliff dive, then a long depressing slog.
  • Pros: Looks and feels like history. Great for stress-testing your emotional fortitude.
  • Cons: You’ll spend hours fiddling with “how big is the big drop,” “how depressing is the grind,” and “do I get a dead-cat bounce?” In short: you’ll end up curve-fitting your apocalypse.

Bottom line: No model is “right.” They just serve up different flavors of financial pain. For our forecasts, we stick with Method #2 (compound percentage decline), because it best balances math with reality… and our abacus seems to like it.

What calculators are available?

We've built several financial calculators to help you plan and project:

  • DRIP Calculator — project compound growth with dividend reinvestment vs. taking the cash.
  • Investment Calculator — model portfolio growth with regular contributions and expected returns.
  • Retirement Calculator — plan withdrawal strategies with inflation, savings rate, and target income.
  • Tax Estimator — estimate the tax impact on your dividend income by filing status and bracket.

Find them all on the Calculators page. No login required—your numbers stay in your browser.

Can I import my portfolio from a broker?

Yes! You can upload a CSV export from Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Vanguard, or E*Trade and we’ll convert it automatically.

How to Export from Your Broker

  • Fidelity — go to Positions, click Download, and choose CSV.
  • Schwab — open the Accounts page, select your account, and click Export.
  • Vanguard — view your Holdings, then use the Download option for a CSV file.
  • E*Trade — navigate to Portfolio, click Download, and save as CSV.

Uploading

Visit the Portfolio Upload page and drag your CSV file onto the upload area (or click to browse). We detect the broker format, normalize column names, strip cash positions and money market funds, and load your holdings into the analyzer.

What Gets Imported

Ticker symbol, number of shares, current value, and distribution rate (looked up from our database). Tickers we don’t recognize are flagged so you can review them before proceeding.

Your file never leaves your browser—all parsing happens locally.

How do I connect my brokerage account with SnapTrade?

You can connect your brokerage account directly from the Portfolio page using the Connect Broker button. This opens SnapTrade Connect, a secure portal where you log in to your broker and authorize read-only access to your holdings.

Supported Brokers

SnapTrade supports a wide range of brokers including Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Vanguard, E*Trade, Robinhood, Interactive Brokers, TD Ameritrade, and many more. The full list is shown when you open the SnapTrade Connect portal.

What Gets Imported

Once connected, we pull your ticker symbols, share quantities, and current market values. This data is loaded into the portfolio analyzer so you can immediately see your dividend income breakdown, risk assessment, and forecasts.

You can disconnect your brokerage at any time from the same menu.

Is it safe to connect my brokerage through SnapTrade?

Yes. SnapTrade is a regulated financial technology provider that prioritizes security at every level. Here’s why you can trust the connection:

Read-Only Access

Dividend Vision requests read-only permissions. We can see your holdings but can never place trades, move money, or modify your account in any way.

You Never Share Your Password with Us

When you connect, you log in directly on your broker’s website (or SnapTrade’s secure portal). Your brokerage credentials are never sent to or stored by Dividend Vision.

Bank-Level Encryption

All data transmitted between your broker, SnapTrade, and Dividend Vision is protected with 256-bit AES encryption in transit and at rest.

Token-Based Authentication

SnapTrade uses secure OAuth tokens to maintain your connection. These tokens can be revoked at any time—either from Dividend Vision or directly from your broker’s settings.

SOC 2 Compliance

SnapTrade undergoes regular third-party security audits and maintains SOC 2 compliance, the same standard used by banks and major fintech platforms.

If you ever want to remove access, click Disconnect on the Portfolio page or revoke the connection from your broker directly. Your data is removed from our systems upon disconnection.

Which brokers are not supported for automatic import?

The following brokers are not currently supported by Plaid for automatic portfolio import:

  • TradeStation
  • Webull
  • Public
  • Ally Invest

You can still use these brokers with Dividend Vision. Export a CSV or spreadsheet from your broker’s website, then drag it into the upload area on the Portfolio page. We auto-detect common broker formats and normalize the data for you. Alternatively, you can enter your holdings manually.

We are actively working to expand broker coverage. If your broker is missing, let us know and we will prioritize adding support.

What is Stealth Mode?

Stealth Mode hides dollar amounts and sensitive portfolio values across the interface—handy for screen-sharing, presentations, or browsing at a coffee shop without broadcasting your net worth.

Toggle it from the settings menu (gear icon) or the portfolio toolbar. Your data stays intact; only the display changes.

What do the risk severity levels (WTF, YIKES, etc.) mean?

Every risk category assigns one of four severity levels based on how concentrated or exposed your portfolio is:

  • WTF — Critical risk. A single position, issuer, or theme dominates your portfolio. Immediate attention recommended.
  • YIKES — Warning. Concentration is building and could become a problem. Time to consider rebalancing.
  • HEADS UP — Caution. Worth monitoring but not yet alarming.
  • CHILL — All clear. Your exposure is well diversified for this category.

These levels apply across all nine risk categories tracked on the Risks page.

What are the three risk sensitivity presets (Strict, Moderate, Loose)?

The sensitivity preset controls how easily a risk flag is triggered. You can switch between presets using the sensitivity menu on the Risks page. The default is Strict.

Concentration risks (Ticker, Income, Issuer, Underlying, Tag)

These categories flag when a single item’s share of your portfolio exceeds a threshold. Values shown are the percentage at which each severity level triggers.

CategorySeverityStrictModerateLoose
Ticker concentrationWTF9%15%25%
YIKES5%9%15%
HEADS UP3%5%9%
Income concentrationWTF9%15%25%
YIKES5%9%15%
HEADS UP3%5%9%
Issuer concentrationWTF60%75%90%
YIKES30%45%60%
HEADS UP10%20%35%
Underlying concentrationWTF9%15%25%
YIKES5%9%15%
HEADS UP3%5%9%
Tag concentrationWTF67%80%90%
YIKES33%50%67%
HEADS UP10%20%33%

Crypto volatility

Flags when crypto-linked holdings exceed a share of your portfolio.

SeverityStrictModerateLoose
WTF15%25%40%
YIKES10%15%25%
HEADS UP5%10%15%

New ETF seasoning (fund age)

Flags funds younger than a certain age. Newer funds have less track-record data.

SeverityStrictModerateLoose
WTF< 6 months< 3 months< 1 month
YIKES< 12 months< 6 months< 3 months
HEADS UP< 24 months< 12 months< 6 months

Low AUM (assets under management)

Small funds are more likely to close or have liquidity issues.

SeverityStrictModerateLoose
WTF< $2M< $1M< $500K
YIKES< $10M< $5M< $2M
HEADS UP< $50M< $25M< $10M

Margin usage

Flags when margin utilization exceeds a percentage of available margin.

SeverityStrictModerateLoose
WTF76%85%90%
YIKES51%65%76%
HEADS UP30%45%60%

Strict is the most conservative—flags appear earlier so you catch concentration before it grows. Loose gives more room before flagging, suited to investors comfortable with higher concentration. Moderate splits the difference.

These thresholds are developer-tuned. If you have better ideas, let us know—we’re always up for sharper defaults.

Is Dividend Vision financial advice?

Absolutely not. We’re more like that loud uncle at Thanksgiving who yells about stocks and still uses AOL.

How often do dividends pay?

Weekly, monthly, quarterly—basically whenever the board spins the “Dividend Wheel of Fortune” and it doesn’t land on “CEO Bonus First.”

Can you predict the future of my portfolio?

Yes. It will go up, down, or sideways. You’re welcome.

Oh right, I almost forgot — we also have a forecasting tool that’s pretty kick ass.

What are portfolio collections?

A portfolio collection groups two or more of your saved portfolios into a single view. When you load a collection, Dividend Vision merges the holdings from every portfolio in that group so you can analyze them side-by-side.

Collections are useful when you hold accounts at different brokerages or want to compare a taxable account against a retirement account. Instead of switching back and forth, a collection lets you see the combined picture — total yield, income projections, sector breakdown, and more — all at once.

How to create a collection

  1. Go to Portfolios and make sure you have at least two saved portfolios.
  2. Open the portfolio switcher (the pill in the top toolbar).
  3. Switch to the Collections tab.
  4. Click New Collection, give it a name, and select the portfolios you want to include.
  5. Load the collection — your merged holdings will appear in the analyzer, forecast, calendar, and other tools.

Each holding row retains a label showing which portfolio it came from, so you can always tell where a position lives.

What’s the safest dividend stock?

The one you don’t own yet.

Why do some tickers have dots (BRK.B, BF.B, HEI.A)?

Some companies issue multiple classes of stock. These class shares are identified by a letter suffix—for example, Berkshire Hathaway Class B trades as BRK.B, Brown-Forman Class B as BF.B, and HEICO Class A as HEI.A.

The dot notation (BRK.B) follows the NYSE convention. You may also see these written with a hyphen (BRK-B) or slash (BRK/B) on other platforms—they all refer to the same security. Dividend Vision displays the dot format to match the official NYSE style.

What games and fun features do you have?

Learning about ETFs doesn't have to feel like homework. We have a few games on the Fun page:

  • ETF Memory Match — flip cards to match tickers with their fund names. Great for memorizing the ETF zoo.
  • Ticker Quiz — a timed quiz that tests whether you can connect tickers to their full names and issuers.
  • ETF Word Finder — a classic word search puzzle hiding real ETF tickers in the grid.
How do I compare ETFs side by side?

Head to the Assets page, select two or more ETFs, and click Compare. You'll get a radar chart and table comparing yield, expense ratio, AUM, distribution frequency, and price.

You can also ask the Ask DV chatbot to compare funds for you in plain English.

Do you know how to hide your assets in the Cayman Islands to avoid taxes?

No, that's illegal. But if you do, let's schedule a totally unrelated lunch to discuss a scuba trip I'm planning.

Charts & Visualization

How to Use Chart Highlights

You can color-highlight specific tickers on the Portfolio Analyze charts to make them stand out.

Choosing Colors

Pick one of the highlight circles — A, B, or C — under Highlights & Labels.

Click the color dot to change that color if you want. Each slot keeps its own custom color.

Selecting What to Highlight

Use the Search tickers to highlight box to find and select one or more tickers.

Every selected ticker appears as a tag below the search box.

You can use more than one color group (A, B, C) at once.

Chart Interaction

Hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click directly on a chart slice or bar to highlight it.

The color used will be whichever A/B/C circle is currently active.

Resetting

Click Reset highlights to clear all highlights and start fresh.

How do I zoom or pan the Portfolio Analyze charts?

Mouse or Trackpad

Scroll up near any chart area to zoom in and scroll down to zoom out. The chart zooms around your cursor.

On a trackpad or touch screen, use a pinch gesture to zoom. The midpoint of your fingers sets the anchor point.

Keyboard

Click the chart once to focus it, then press + to zoom in or - to zoom out. When zoomed, the arrow keys pan the view.

Panning

After zooming, drag with your mouse or a single finger to move around the chart. Arrow keys also nudge the view when you stay zoomed in.

Reset

Double-click (or double-tap) the chart, or press Esc or R, to snap back to the default view.

Controls & Shortcuts

How do slider controls and shortcuts work?

Our sliders respond to both clicks and keyboard shortcuts so you can move quickly without losing precision.

  • Hold the + or - buttons to accelerate the slider after a short pause.
  • Press Page Up or Page Down to jump by ±10 steps.
  • Shift-click the + button to snap instantly to the maximum value.
  • Shift-click the - button to jump straight to the minimum value.
  • Press Home or End to snap directly to the minimum or maximum.
What keyboard shortcuts work on the Portfolio page?

The Portfolio page supports several keyboard shortcuts for power users. These work when you're not focused on a text input.

Chart Types (in Analyze tab)

  • 1 – Donut chart
  • 2 – Radial chart
  • 3 – Yield buckets
  • 4 – Pareto chart
  • 5 – Bubble chart
  • 6 – Treemap
  • 7 – Vortolio treemap

Forecast Navigation (in Forecast tab)

  • – Pan timeline left
  • – Pan timeline right

Tab Navigation

  • u – Manual Entry and Upload Holdings tab
  • b – Build tab
  • a – Analyze tab
  • f – Forecast tab
  • r – Risks tab
  • p – Report tab

Press ? anywhere on the site, or click Keyboard Shortcuts in the gear menu, to see all available shortcuts.

You can also press Ctrl + K (or + K) to open DV Search for quick navigation and actions.

What are the 3 ways to search on Dividend Vision?

Dividend Vision offers three search experiences, each designed for a different workflow.

1. Toolbar Search

The search field in the top navigation bar is always visible. Click or tap it and start typing to find ETF tickers, issuers, site pages, and glossary terms. Results appear instantly as you type, ranked by relevance, and your recent searches are remembered for quick access.

2. DV Search (Command Palette)

Press Ctrl + K (or + K on macOS) to open a full-screen quick-action overlay. You can also double-click (or double-tap) the search icon in the toolbar. DV Search goes beyond simple lookup—it lets you navigate pages, open calculators, toggle themes, launch the guided tour, and more. See What is DV Search? for full details.

3. Ask DV (Pro)

Ask DV is an AI-powered chatbot available to Pro subscribers. Click the chat icon in the top navigation bar to open it. Instead of typing keywords, ask full questions in plain English—like “Which monthly ETFs yield over 8%?” or “Compare JEPQ and DIVO.” Ask DV can also analyze your portfolio, manage your watchlist, and control charts. See the Ask DV section for more.

Quick Reference

Search Type How to Open Best For
Toolbar Search Click the search field in the nav bar Quick ticker / issuer lookups
DV Search Ctrl+K or double-click search icon Navigation, actions, and power-user shortcuts
Ask DV Chat icon in the nav bar (Pro) Natural-language questions and portfolio analysis
What is Voice Mode?

Voice Mode lets you browse Dividend Vision with your voice. Click the microphone button in the top navigation, allow access, and start speaking commands when the indicator shows that we're listening.

Try commands like:

  • "Go to the news page"
  • "Open my portfolio"
  • "Set chart type to Treemap"

Ask DV — Chatbot

What is Ask DV?

Ask DV is DividendVision’s AI-powered chatbot, available exclusively to Pro subscribers. It can answer questions about dividend ETFs, compare funds, analyze your portfolio, manage your watchlist, and even navigate the site for you—all through a natural-language conversation.

Open it by clicking the chat icon in the top navigation bar. You can type your question or use voice input via the microphone button.

What kinds of questions can I ask?

Here are some examples to get you started:

Explore ETFs

  • “What are the top monthly dividend ETFs by yield?”
  • “Show me ETFs from JPMorgan with yield over 5%”
  • “Which ETFs have the lowest expense ratio?”
  • “Find weekly-paying dividend ETFs”

Compare Funds

  • “Compare JEPQ and DIVO side by side”
  • “How does SCHD compare to VYM?”
  • “Show me a table comparing JEPI, JEPQ, and DIVO”

Portfolio & Watchlist

  • “Show my current portfolio holdings”
  • “Analyze my portfolio’s dividend income”
  • “What’s on my watchlist?”
  • “Add SCHD to my watchlist”

Navigate & Control

  • “Go to the news page”
  • “Open the portfolio analyzer”
  • “Set chart type to treemap”

You can also click the ? button in the chat header at any time to see these sample questions and click one to send it instantly.

Are there any limits?

Ask DV is rate-limited to 30 messages per hour per user, and each message can be up to 2,000 characters. The chatbot keeps the last 10 messages in its conversation window so it can follow the thread of your discussion.

Ask DV is focused on dividend investing—it won’t answer questions about individual stock picks, crypto, options strategies, or personal tax advice. It also cannot make trades or modify your portfolio; it has read-only access to your data (except for watchlist changes, which require your confirmation).

Can I recall previous messages with the keyboard?

Yes! Press the Up Arrow key in the chat input to scroll back through your previous messages, and the Down Arrow key to scroll forward again. This works just like a terminal—handy for re-sending or tweaking a question you asked earlier without retyping the whole thing.

You can also type history or command history to see a clickable list of your recent messages. Click any item to reload it into the input field.

Billing

I see a charge from "DVISION" on my credit card. Is that you?

Yes! Charges from Dividend Vision appear as DVISION on your credit or debit card statement. It’s us—not a rogue subscription from a sci-fi channel.

If you don’t recognize the amount, click your avatar in the navigation bar and select Subscription to view your current plan details before contacting your card issuer. Filing a chargeback on a legitimate charge can result in your account being suspended, and nobody wants that.

How do I cancel my subscription?

Click your avatar in the navigation bar, select Subscription, then click Cancel subscription at the bottom of the panel. Your access continues until the end of the current billing period—no hoops, no hassle.

If you change your mind, you can resubscribe anytime. Your data stays with your free account unless you choose to delete your account entirely.

How do I update my credit card or payment method?

Click your avatar in the navigation bar, select Subscription, then click Manage Billing. This opens your billing portal where you can update your card, switch between monthly and annual billing, and view past invoices.

Changes take effect immediately—your next charge will use the updated payment method.

What is your refund policy?

When you cancel, your access continues until the end of your current billing period—you keep everything you’ve paid for.

If you need a refund, reach out to support@dividendvision.com and we’ll work with you on a case-by-case basis.

Account

How do I recover my username or reset my password?

Dividend Vision uses passwordless sign-in via Google or email link, so there is no traditional username or password to recover.

To regain access to your account:

  1. Click Sign In on the home page.
  2. Enter the email address you originally signed up with.
  3. Check your inbox for a sign-in link and click it to log in.

If you signed up with Google, choose the Continue with Google option instead.

If you no longer have access to the email address associated with your account, contact support@dividendvision.com and we’ll help you get back in.