By Julia Santos · Founding Editor, DividendsTimes
Educational analysis, not personalized investment advice.
If you hold dividend stocks or income ETFs, August is one of the busiest pay months of the year. The August 2026 dividend calendar is already filling up with confirmed dates, and the first checks land on Monday. Below is every date we can confirm right now, a quick refresher on how ex-dates, record dates, and pay dates work, and how to use our live calendar so nothing catches you off guard.
In this article
Confirmed pay dates for August 2026
Two of the heaviest hitters in telecom kick the month off immediately, followed by a strong mid-month cluster that includes a Dividend King, a blue-chip REIT, and a household staple.
- August 3: AT&T (T) pays $0.2775 per share (quarterly). Verizon (VZ) pays $0.69 per share (quarterly).
- August 14: AbbVie (ABBV) pays $1.685 per share (quarterly). Realty Income (O) pays $0.2695 per share (monthly). Colgate-Palmolive (CL) pays $0.52 per share (quarterly).
- Mid-August (estimated): Procter & Gamble (PG) is expected to pay approximately $1.06 per share (quarterly). The exact date had not been announced at the time of writing.
For investors who build around monthly cash flow, the Aug 3 and Aug 14 clusters alone can anchor a paycheck-replacement schedule when paired with holdings that pay in the off weeks.
Monthly ETFs: the mid-month wave
Monthly distribution ETFs have become core holdings for income portfolios. Here are the five we track most closely, along with their most recent per-share payments. August distributions typically land between the 15th and the 20th, depending on the fund.
- JEPI (JPMorgan Equity Premium Income): last payment $0.387
- JEPQ (JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income): last payment $0.637
- QYLD (Global X Nasdaq 100 Covered Call): last payment $0.178
- SPHD (Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility): last payment $0.215
- DIA (SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average): last payment $0.149, pays monthly around Aug 17
These amounts fluctuate month to month, especially for the covered-call funds (JEPI, JEPQ, QYLD), which depend on options premium income. Use our dividend calculator to model how different share counts translate into actual monthly income at recent distribution levels.
Ex-date vs. record date vs. pay date
If you are new to dividend investing, the three dates that matter work like this:
- Ex-dividend date: the first trading day on which new buyers will not receive the upcoming dividend. You must own shares before this date.
- Record date: typically one business day after the ex-date. The company checks its shareholder register on this day. If you bought before the ex-date, you will be on the list.
- Pay date: the day cash (or reinvested shares) actually hits your account. This is what the dates above refer to.
The practical rule is simple: buy before the ex-date and you get paid on the pay date. Sell on or after the ex-date and you still collect. Our live ex-dividend calendar shows all three dates side by side for every stock we track so you never have to guess.
Payout sustainability: a quick check
A high yield means nothing if the dividend is not sustainable. Among the high yielders we track, EPS-based payout ratios range widely: Pfizer (PFE) sits at 131%, Chevron (CVX) at 121%, Kimberly-Clark (KMB) at 98%, Altria (MO) at 88%, Verizon (VZ) at 67%, and AT&T (T) at a relatively comfortable 37%. Realty Income (O) shows 265% on an EPS basis, but REITs are properly evaluated on funds from operations (FFO), not earnings per share, so that figure is misleading in isolation.
Across the large US payers in our tracker, the average yield is 3.66% and the average payout ratio among the highest yielders is 88%. Ratios above 100% are not automatically dangerous (cyclical earnings, one-time charges, and REIT accounting can all skew the number), but they do warrant a closer look. Run any ticker through our payout ratio checker to see where it stands relative to its own history.
What to watch this month
The macro backdrop matters for dividend investors more than usual heading into August. The Fed held rates at 3.5% to 3.75% at its July 29 meeting, and hawkish commentary from Chair Kevin Warsh pushed long-dated Treasury yields to 19-year highs. When the 10-year yield climbs, dividend stocks face stiffer competition from risk-free alternatives, and rate-sensitive sectors like REITs and utilities tend to feel the pressure first.
Meanwhile, Brent crude above $90 on escalating US-Iran tensions gives energy dividends a short-term tailwind but raises input costs for consumer staples. New tariff rounds add another layer of uncertainty to margins across multinational payers like Procter & Gamble (PG) and Colgate-Palmolive (CL). None of this changes confirmed August pay dates, but it could influence forward guidance and, eventually, future payout decisions.
For now, the income is arriving on schedule. Keep your calendar current, watch the ex-dates, and let the compounding do its work.
Frequently asked questions
When do AT&T and Verizon pay dividends in August 2026?
Both AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) have confirmed pay dates of August 3, 2026. AT&T pays $0.2775 per share and Verizon pays $0.69 per share. To receive these payments, you needed to own shares before the ex-dividend date, which falls before the pay date.
Do JEPI and JEPQ pay dividends every month?
Yes. JEPI and JEPQ both distribute income monthly, as do QYLD, SPHD, and DIA. The exact per-share amount varies each month because these funds generate income partly through options premiums. Their August 2026 distributions are expected mid-month, typically between the 15th and 20th.
Is Realty Income’s 265% payout ratio a red flag?
Not necessarily. Realty Income (O) is a REIT, and REITs are evaluated on funds from operations (FFO) rather than earnings per share. The 265% EPS payout ratio reflects accounting conventions (mainly depreciation) that make EPS an unreliable measure for real estate companies. Check FFO-based payout ratios for a more accurate picture of REIT dividend sustainability.
Educational analysis, not personalized investment advice.