What does a person have to do to collect dividends?

To collect dividends, a person must first purchase shares of a company's stock before the ex-dividend date, which is the cutoff date for eligibility. After owning the shares, they must hold them until the dividend payment date. Dividends are typically paid out in cash or additional shares and are distributed based on the number of shares owned. It’s also important for the shareholder to ensure that the company has a history of paying dividends, as not all companies distribute them.