T This study aims to examine the effect of board of directors\\\' characteristics, financial ratios (return on assets (roa) and free cash flow), and corporate tax on dividend payments, measured by dividend yield (dy) and dividend payout ratio (dpr), while using firm age and board size as control variables. the study employs secondary data from companies listed on the indonesia stock exchange (idx) during the 2020–2024 period. using a purposive sampling method, 117 observations were obtained from 30 companies that met the sampling criteria. the hypotheses were tested using panel data regression analysis with eviews 9 software. the findings indicate that board characteristics, financial ratios, corporate tax, and the control variables have varying effects on dividend payments. board age, female board representation, and corporate tax have a positive and significant effect on dividend yield (dy). board ownership, board nationality, board meeting frequency, firm age, board size, return on assets (roa), and free cash flow have a positive effect on dy but do not have a significant effect on dividend payout ratio (dpr). conversely, board age, female board representation, board ownership, board nationality, board meeting frequency, and corporate tax do not significantly affect dpr, whereas firm age, board size, return on assets (roa), and free cash flow have a positive and significant effect on dpr. the results of this study provide practical implications for both corporate management and investors. for management, the findings may serve as a basis for formulating optimal dividend policies by considering the factors that influence dividend payments. for investors, the results offer useful insights for evaluating firms before making investment decisions to maximize potential returns.