It took Amgen three quarters to allow my brokerage house to allow myself the choice of continuing to receive a check or purchess more shares... The last four quarters I have changed it back to a payout because I've been dumping it into Amarantus, either way I pay taxes on that money, it doesn't bother me at all because my goal it to pay one million in taxes every year! I have never seen a tiered dividend pay out, I would think that it would be a form of discrimination? JMO