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What is the journal entry to record a dividend payable?

As soon as the Board of Directors approves and announces a dividend (on the declaration date) , the company must record a payable in the liability section of the balance sheet. Cash dividends are paid out of the company’s retained earnings, so the journal entry would be a debit to retained earnings and a credit to dividend payable. It is important to realize that the actual cash outflow doesn’t occur until the payment date.

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