You can sell the stock whenever you want, but you need to own it on the date of record to get a dividend. That means you need to buy it BEFORE the ex-dividend date.
Yes, but trade date must be PRIOR to ex-div date (even immediately prior is ok). If trade date is just before ex-div date (e.g. one day before), however settlement date is after (for example, three...
My bet is that ownership of shares is determined at the close of markets on the stated date and if you sold it during the day, you would not collect the dividend.
The ex-dividend date is the date on which a stock no longer trades with it's most recent dividend. Stocks purchased on the ex-dividend date will not settle in time for the record date (date in which...