Dividends are payments that companies distribute to shareholders from their profits. When you own stock in a company that pays dividends, you receive a share of those payments—usually in cash or additional shares. This category covers how dividends work, the different types companies use, and what happens to your money when you receive them.
The articles here answer practical questions: how dividend payments are calculated and scheduled, what the tax treatment looks like for different account types, how dividend reinvestment works, and what factors affect whether a company pays dividends at all. You'll learn the mechanics behind these payments and how they fit into different investment strategies.