Q:
We spent a considerable amount of time in discussing the payment and taxation of corporate dividends. Some of this discussion purely begs the question as to how commonplace dividend distributions are in the United States. Use at least three commercial or journal related websites, ascertain and explain how common dividend distributions are in today's economic climate, mostly since the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009. Thus, ascertain and analyze whether dividend distributions are concentrated in the companies that are openly traded (such as the NASDAQ or New York Stock Exchange) or whether intimately held corporations pay them with equal frequency and/or at the similar rates. In your analysis, make sure that you discuss and consider the several considerations that each kinds of corporation (publicly traded and closely held corporations) balance in evaluating whether to pay dividends, including the tax consequences of doing so.