❓FAQ
Everything you’d want to know before joining Dividend School.
Click any question to jump straight to the answer.
1. Who writes Dividend School?
I’m Dave Ahern. I’ve been investing in dividend stocks for 16 years, through every major market cycle. Dividend School is where I share what I’ve learned.
I’m a teacher, not a guru. My job is to hand you the same framework I use, show you my work, and help you become a confident dividend investor on your own.
2. What do I actually get when I upgrade to paid?
🎯 5 Buy First stocks — my highest-conviction dividend picks
🏆 5 Best Buys every month — name, yield, thesis, and Buy Below price
🌐 The full Dividend Universe — every stock, thesis, safety score, and fair value
🔬 Monthly deep dive — a full investment case on one stock
Plus instant access to my full library of free resources, and Stock Simplifier included so you can dig into anything I share.
3. How do I log into Dividend School?
Dividend School runs on Substack. Once you’ve subscribed:
Go to www.dividend.school
Click Sign in in the top right (or Subscribe if you haven’t joined yet)
Log in with the email address you used to subscribe
Still stuck? Substack’s own login help is here.
4. How do I update my account information?
You can manage everything from your Substack account:
5. How often will I hear from you?
One premium email every week, on a predictable schedule:
Week 1: Best Buys Now
Week 2: Earnings updates
Week 3: Monthly deep dive
Week 4: Portfolio review and sentiment tracker
I’d rather send you one email a week that’s worth reading than five that aren’t.
6. What’s in the Dividend Universe?
A small, hand-selected list of dividend stocks I’ve researched and track, organized into three buckets:
Buy First (5 stocks) — my highest-conviction picks, the ones I’d buy first if I were starting over today.
Dividend Growers — quality compounders I trust to grow their dividends through every cycle.
High Yield — stocks for income now, with the safety to back up the yield.
Each stock comes with a thesis, a safety score, and a fair value. Every month I also publish 5 Best Buys Now.
7. What is the Buy First list?
The Buy First list is the five stocks I’d buy first if I were building a dividend portfolio from scratch today.
It’s the simplest place to start. If you’re new and feeling overwhelmed by the full universe, anchor your portfolio here and build out from there.
8. What are the Best Buys Now?
Each month I pick the 5 most attractive opportunities in the Dividend Universe at that moment.
For each one you get the name, the current yield, the thesis in plain English, and my Buy Below price, so you know exactly what counts as a fair entry point.
9. What’s in the monthly deep dive?
Once a month I write a full investment case on a single stock: the business, the moat, the dividend safety, the risks, and what I think it’s worth.
It’s the closest thing to watching over my shoulder while I research a company from scratch.
10. How do I know a stock is still worth buying?
Two things travel with every stock in the universe: a safety score and a fair value (the Buy Below price).
When the price sits below the Buy Below price, the stock is in buy range. When it climbs above, it’s one to hold rather than add to. The safety score tells you how dependable the dividend is. Together they answer the only two questions that matter: is the dividend safe, and is the price fair.
11. Are these stock recommendations?
No. Dividend School is education. I share my framework, my universe, and my reasoning, but every investment decision is yours.
I’m not your financial advisor and nothing here is a recommendation. I’m a teacher, not an advisor.
12. What if I’m new to dividend investing?
You’re in the right place. The framework is simple enough to teach, and the universe gives you a starting point.
Use the Buy First list to anchor your portfolio. Read the weekly emails to understand how I think. Most members go from beginner to confident dividend investor within 90 days.
13. Can I just buy Stock Simplifier on its own?
Yes. Stock Simplifier Pro is available as a standalone product for $399/year. If you just want the tool to do your own research from scratch, that’s a great option.
Dividend School is different. You’re not buying a tool, you’re getting my actual dividend universe, my picks, and a premium email every week, with Stock Simplifier included so you can dig into anything I share. For dividend investors, it’s the complete system.
14. How much does it cost?
$299/year, billed annually. Or $35/month.
15. What’s your refund policy?
30 days, no questions asked. If you join and decide it’s not for you, email me within 30 days and I’ll refund every dollar. No forms, no friction.
16. Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel anytime through your Substack account. You’ll keep access until the end of your billing period.
17. Do you offer discounts?
Occasionally. I run promotions for new members and for attendees of my Thursday webinars. The best way to hear about them is to subscribe to the free email list.
18. Can I gift a subscription to someone else?
Yes. Substack makes it simple, just follow these steps.
19. Is there a community?
Yes. Members can join the weekly live Zoom calls and submit questions. The free Thursday call is open to everyone.
The community is one of the things members tell me they value most.
20. What are the free Thursday webinars?
Every Thursday I analyze a real dividend stock live using Stock Simplifier. Free for everyone, bring your questions.
It’s the best way to see if Dividend School is right for you before you join.
21. How can I contact you?
The fastest way is to reply to any email I send. I read everything, even if I can’t always reply right away.
For refund requests or technical issues, just email and put “REFUND” or “HELP” in the subject line.
