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<B><P ALIGN="CENTER">UNITED STATES</P>


<P ALIGN="CENTER">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</P>


<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">Washington, D.C. 20549</P>


</FONT><FONT SIZE=5><P ALIGN="CENTER">FORM 8-K</P>


</B></FONT>


<B><P ALIGN="CENTER">CURRENT REPORT</P>


<P ALIGN="CENTER">Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of </P>


<P ALIGN="CENTER">The Securities Exchange Act of 1934</P>


</B>


<P ALIGN="CENTER">Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 23, 2004</P>





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<U><P ALIGN="CENTER">CHARTER FINANCIAL CORPORATION</U></TD>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)</FONT></TD>


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<U><FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">United States</U></FONT></TD>


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<U><FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">000-33071</U></FONT></TD>


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<U><FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">58-2659667</U></FONT></TD>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">(State or other jurisdiction</DIR>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">(Commission</FONT></TD>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">(IRS Employer</FONT></TD>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">of incorporation)</DIR>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">File Number)</FONT></TD>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">Identification No.)</FONT></TD>


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<U><FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">600 Third Avenue, West Point, Georgia</U></FONT></TD>


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<U><FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">31833</U></FONT></TD>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">(Address of principal executive offices)</FONT></TD>


<TD WIDTH="30%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=19>


<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">(Zip Code)</FONT></TD>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">Registrant's telephone number, including area code</FONT>: <FONT SIZE=2>(706) 645-1391</P>


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<U><FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">Not Applicable</U></FONT></TD>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)</FONT></TD>


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<FONT SIZE=2><P>Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):</P>


<P>[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)</P>


<P>[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)</P>


<P>[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))</P>


<P>[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))</P>





<P>______________________________________________________________________________________________________</P>


<P>&nbsp;</P>


<B><P>&nbsp;</P>


<P>&nbsp;</P>


</FONT><P>Item 8.01&#9;Other Events</P>





<P>&#9;</B>On December 23, 2004, Charter Financial Corporation (the &quot;Company&quot;) announced that its board of directors has declared a special dividend of $2.00 per share of common stock, payable February 1, 2005, to stockholders of record on January 14, 2005.  A copy of the press release dated December 23, 2004, is attached as Exhibit 99.1.</P>


<DIR>


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<DIR>


<DIR>


<DIR>


<DIR>





<B><P>Item 9.01&#9;&#9;Financial Statements and Exhibits</P>


</B><P>(c)&#9;&#9;The following exhibit is furnished with this Report:</P>


<P>&#9;&#9;<U>Exhibit No.</U>&#9;<U>Description</P>


<DIR>


<DIR>





</U><P>99.1&#9;Press release issued by the Company on December 23, 2004.</P>


<FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"></P>


<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">&nbsp;</P>


</FONT><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">&nbsp;</P>


<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">&nbsp;</P></DIR>


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<B><P ALIGN="CENTER">SIGNATURES</P>


</B><P>Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.</P>





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<P>&nbsp;</P>


<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Dated:  December 23, 2004&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;CHARTER FINANCIAL CORPORATION</P>





<P>&nbsp;</P>


<P>&nbsp;</P>


<P>By:  <U>/s/ Robert L. Johnson</P>


</U><P>Name:  Robert L. Johnson</P>


<P>Title:  President and Chief Executive Officer</P>





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<P>&nbsp;</P>


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<B><P ALIGN="CENTER">EXHIBIT INDEX</P>


<P ALIGN="CENTER"></P>


<P ALIGN="CENTER">&nbsp;</P><DIR>


<DIR>


<DIR>


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</B><U><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Exhibit No.</U>&#9;<U>Description</P>


</U><P>99.1&#9;Press release issued by the Company on December 23, 2004</P>





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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CHARTER FINANCIAL CORP/GA", "cik": "0001136796", "assigned-sic": "6035", "irs-number": "000000000", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-33071", "film-number": "041224262"}, "business-address": {"street1": "600 THIRD AVENUE", "city": "WEST POINT", "state": "GA", "zip": "31833", "phone": "7066451391"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "600 THIRD AVENUE", "city": "WEST POINT", "state": "GA", "zip": "31833"}}
UNITED STATES
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 23, 2004
CHARTER FINANCIAL CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
United States
000-33071
58-2659667
(State or other jurisdiction
(Commission
(IRS Employer
of incorporation)
File Number)
Identification No.)
600 Third Avenue, West Point, Georgia
31833
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code
:
(706) 645-1391
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Item 8.01	Other Events
On December 23, 2004, Charter Financial Corporation (the "Company") announced that its board of directors has declared a special dividend of $2.00 per share of common stock, payable February 1, 2005, to stockholders of record on January 14, 2005.  A copy of the press release dated December 23, 2004, is attached as Exhibit 99.1.
Item 9.01		Financial Statements and Exhibits
(c)		The following exhibit is furnished with this Report:
Exhibit No.
Description
99.1	Press release issued by the Company on December 23, 2004.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Dated:  December 23, 2004				CHARTER FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:
/s/ Robert L. Johnson
Name:  Robert L. Johnson
Title:  President and Chief Executive Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.
Description
99.1	Press release issued by the Company on December 23, 2004