Dividends get paid on the dividend payout date.  Dividends are usually distributed on a quarterly basis.

To find the dividend payout date of a stock you can go to yahoo finance and lookup the stock.  You will be able to view the dividend payout date of each stock there.  If you have an online trading account and owned the stock paying the dividend at the close of trading on the day before the ex-dividend date then you will be paid the dividend.