What if you invested monthly in a Dividend-appreciation ETF (VIG) for 15 years?
This calculates the result of investing a fixed amount monthly into VIG, a US quality ETF of long-time dividend growers, over 15 years using actual price data. It shows the defensive nature of dividend appreciation alongside maximum drawdown and recovery time.
Investment conditions
Asset · VIG (US Dividend-appreciation ETF)
Method · Recurring monthly investment
Period · 2011-07-01 ~ 2026-07-01
Amount · $222 / month
As of · 2026-07-01
Key metrics
These results do not reflect taxes. Based on historical data.
Risk & recovery
As important as returns. This service does not hide maximum drawdown or loss periods.
Maximum drawdown (MDD)
-31.3%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
3months
Months in loss: 3
Recovery period
4months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $40,222 → Final value $113,215 (+181.5%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -31.3%
Why this period and asset
VIG focuses on US quality companies that have raised dividends for many consecutive years. Where a high-dividend fund (VYM) holds stocks that pay a lot right now, VIG leans toward stocks that have steadily grown their payouts. This 15-year window (2011-2026) spans the European debt-crisis aftershocks, the late-2018 selloff, the 2020 COVID crash, and the 2022 rate-hike correction. Firms that keep raising dividends often have solid balance sheets, so relative defensiveness appeared in some sharp declines.
Interpreting the result
A dividend-appreciation strategy weighs the quality of companies that grow their dividends over a high current yield. Monthly investing accumulates more shares during declines, and reinvested dividends layer on compounding over time. Yet the label of quality dividend growers does not prevent drawdowns. Even within these 15 years there were periods of double-digit maximum drawdown, stretches below cost, and waits to recover past highs. Check these three alongside the return in the results.
Caveats & limits
Dividends are subject to dividend tax (e.g., 15% US withholding) and local taxes, and taxes are not reflected in this calculation. Expense ratios, trading fees, and USD/KRW exchange-rate moves also change the outcome. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and this page does not recommend buying any specific security.
Data sources & limits
- Price data source: Yahoo Finance / FinanceDataReader
- Collected on: 2026-07-23
- Effective trading date: 2026-07-01
- Price basis: 复权收盘价(已反映股息与拆股)
- Trading fees and taxes are not reflected — figures are pre-tax.
- Based on historical data; does not guarantee future returns.
Frequently asked questions
Does this result include dividends?
It treats returns on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. Because dividend tax is withheld when received, after-tax proceeds may be lower than the figure shown.
How is dividend tax handled?
Taxes are not reflected. US dividends are typically withheld at 15% and may be taxed locally, so after-tax results are lower.
How does it differ from high-dividend (VYM) or growth stocks?
VIG leans toward quality dividend growers, VYM toward stocks paying more now. Growth stocks differ in volatility and drawdown profile. Use the compare feature to view the same window side by side, including maximum drawdown.
Related scenarios
📋 结果基于历史数据计算,过去的收益不代表未来的收益。
📋 本服务旨在帮助理解投资、供教育之用,并非投资建议。