noob index fund question

[asauer]

For those that invest in Vanguard index funds- in my reading it seems that you don't actually get dividends from this.  Do you only "make" money when you sell your shares?

[dougules]

Most of them do actually give quarterly dividends, and this quarter's will probably come out later this month.   

[Rocket]

My VTSAX and VTBLX both give dividends. 

[sol]

Dividends can be set to reinvest automatically, or deposited to a cash account for withdrawal.

[dougules]

If you plug the symbol for the fund into Google, it will probably bring up a chart.  In the corner of the chart you'll see "Yield (ttm)"  That's what the fund has paid out in dividends over the past year as a percentage of the current price.   I wouldn't worry about dividends, though.  Worry about diversification, then worry about earnings per share.  Earnings are earnings whether they're retained and reinvested or given as dividends. 

[asauer]

Very helpful!  Thanks all!

[forummm]

https://personal.vanguard.com/us/funds/snapshot?FundId=0585&FundIntExt=INT#tab=4

Click on the "Distributions" tab. Dividends for broad market US index funds are about 2% now. Total international is a little higher.

You can look up any fund you are interested in and it will give you the info for that fund.