Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) Dividend
Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) currently pays a dividend yield of 21.82%, distributing $1.42 per share annually ($0.12 per month). The company operates in the Financial Services sector.
CRF has raised its dividend for 1 consecutive years.
CRF dividend at a glance
| Dividend Yield | 21.82% |
|---|---|
| Annual Dividend | $1.42 per share |
| Per Payment | $0.12 |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly |
| Payments per Year | 12 |
| Next Ex-Dividend Date | September 14, 2026 |
| Next Payment Date | October 5, 2026 |
| Payout Ratio | 137% |
| Consecutive Years of Dividend Growth | 1 |
| Sector | Financial Services |
| Implied Share Price (from yield) | $6.49 |
What CRF pays on a $10,000 investment
At a 21.82% yield, $10,000 invested in CRF generates about $2,182.00 per year, or roughly $181.83 every month. Share counts below use an implied price of $6.49, derived from the $1.42 annual dividend and the 21.82% yield.
| Amount Invested | Approx. Shares | Annual Dividend Income | Income per Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | 154.1 | $218.20 | $18.18 |
| $5,000 | 770.5 | $1,091.00 | $90.92 |
| $10,000 | 1,541 | $2,182.00 | $181.83 |
| $25,000 | 3,852.4 | $5,455.00 | $454.58 |
| $100,000 | 15,409.6 | $21,820.00 | $1,818.33 |
These figures assume the dividend and share price stay where they are today. They do not account for taxes, dividend cuts, price movement, or reinvestment. If you reinvest instead of taking the cash, the share count grows each month — see how the dividend snowball compounds.
CRF dividend payment schedule
CRF pays on a monthly schedule — 12 payments a year. The next confirmed ex-dividend date is September 14, 2026, with payment on October 5, 2026. Later rows are projected forward at the same interval and will shift when Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. declares each dividend.
| Ex-Dividend Date | Payment Date | Amount per Share | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 14, 2026 | October 5, 2026 | $0.12 | Confirmed |
| October 14, 2026 | November 4, 2026 | $0.12 | Projected |
| November 14, 2026 | December 5, 2026 | $0.12 | Projected |
| December 14, 2026 | January 4, 2027 | $0.12 | Projected |
| January 14, 2027 | February 4, 2027 | $0.12 | Projected |
| February 14, 2027 | March 7, 2027 | $0.12 | Projected |
To collect a CRF dividend you must own the shares before the ex-dividend date. Buy on the ex-date itself and the previous owner keeps that payment. Read how ex-dividend, record, and payment dates fit together.
How CRF's dividend compares
Across the 713 dividend stocks and ETFs DivTrkr tracks, the median yield is 3.93%. CRF's 21.82% is 17.89 percentage points above that median, ranking 95th of 713 by yield.
Within Financial Services, where we track 119 names, the median yield is 7.26% — putting CRF above its sector. A yield well above the sector norm is worth a second look: it can signal a depressed share price rather than a generous payout.
Its 1-year run of dividend increases ranks 329th out of the 362 names in our data with an active growth streak.
What the numbers mean
CRF pays out roughly 137% of its earnings as dividends. That is a high payout ratio. The dividend is consuming most of reported earnings, which is normal for REITs and some funds but a caution flag elsewhere.
CRF pays monthly, which suits investors who want dividend income to line up with monthly living expenses rather than arriving in quarterly lumps.
Whether these payments are taxed at the lower qualified rate or as ordinary income depends on how long you hold the shares and what kind of company pays them. See the qualified vs. ordinary dividend rules.
CRF dividend FAQ
When is the next CRF ex-dividend date?
The next CRF ex-dividend date is September 14, 2026, with the payment scheduled for October 5, 2026. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive that payment.
What is CRF's dividend yield?
CRF currently yields 21.82%, based on $1.42 in dividends per share over the past year.
How often does CRF pay dividends?
CRF pays monthly, which works out to 12 payments per year of about $0.12 per share.
How much dividend income would $10,000 of CRF generate?
At the current 21.82% yield, $10,000 invested in CRF would produce roughly $2,182.00 per year, or about $181.83 per month, before taxes and assuming the dividend holds.
Has CRF increased its dividend?
Yes — CRF has raised its dividend for 1 consecutive years.
CRF dividend history
DivTrkr holds 350 recorded CRF dividend payments going back to 1987, with 1 consecutive complete year of increases and -7.9% a year of growth over the last five complete years. See the full CRF dividend history — every payment, annual totals and growth by year.
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Track CRF dividends free with DivTrkr — see exactly what your own position pays, and when. Also browse the full dividend calendar or the A–Z list of dividend stocks.