Which of the following is a qualified dividend according to tax standards?

A qualified dividend is defined by specific criteria set forth by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For a dividend to be classified as "qualified," it generally needs to be paid by a U.S. corporation or a qualified foreign corporation, and the stock must have been held for a specific period.

In this case, the correct answer refers to dividends from a corporation that is a tax-exempt organization or a farmer's cooperative during the corporation's tax year. It's important to note that dividends from tax-exempt organizations may not usually be considered taxable to the recipient. However, farmer's cooperatives can sometimes distribute dividends which qualify for favorable tax treatment under certain circumstances, meaning they can be treated as qualified dividends. This is rooted in legislation that allows certain cooperatives to distribute these kinds of dividends to their members, even though they may be operated as a tax-exempt organization.

Understanding the classification of dividends allows taxpayers to properly assess their tax liabilities and potentially reduce the tax burden by recognizing which dividends qualify for lower tax rates.