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Ex-dividend Date
Term category: Stocks
In 10 words or less:  The date when a stock does not offer its dividend to new investors.

Definition: This is the date when a stock goes ex-dividend, meaning that the person who buys it after this date will not receive the most recently declared dividend. Stocks that are past this date are listed with an "x" in newspapers.

StockJargon Advice: Many people think that they can buy a stock on the day it goes ex-dividend and still get the dividend. This is usually not true. Most brokers have terms where it takes 3 days for your trade to settle and be put in your name. That means you'd have to buy the stock at least 3 days before the ex-dividend date to ensure that you get the next dividend.

Be sure to check with your broker to determine how long it takes for your trades to settle.

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