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How to Maximize Your Retirement Portfolio with These Top-Ranked Dividend Stocks

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Believe it or not, seniors fear running out of cash more than they fear dying.

And unfortunately, even retirees who have built a nest egg have good reason to be concerned - with the traditional approaches to retirement planning, income may no longer cover expenses. That means retirees are dipping into principal to make ends meet, setting up a race against time between dwindling investment balances and longer lifespans.

Your parents' retirement investing plan won't cut it today.

In the past, investors going into retirement could invest in bonds and count on attractive yields to produce steady, reliable income streams to fund a predictable retirement. 10-year Treasury bond rates in the late 1990s hovered around 6.50%, whereas the current rate is much lower.

That means if you had $1 million in 10-year Treasuries, the difference in yield between 1999 and today is more than $1 million.

And lower bond yields aren't the only potential problem seniors are facing. Today's retirees aren't feeling as secure as they once did about Social Security, either. Benefit checks will still be coming for the foreseeable future, but based on current estimates, Social Security funds will run out of money in 2035.

So what's a retiree to do? You could cut your expenses to the bone, and take the risk that your Social Security checks don't shrink. Or you could find an alternative investment that provides a steady, higher-rate income stream to replace dwindling bond yields.

Invest in Dividend Stocks

As a replacement for low yielding Treasury bonds (and other bond options), we believe dividend-paying stocks from high quality companies offer low risk and stable, predictable income investors in retirement seek.

Look for stocks that have paid steady, increasing dividends for years (or decades), and have not cut their dividends even during recessions.

Going beyond those familiar names, you can find excellent dividend-paying stocks by following a few guidelines. Look for companies that pay a dividend yield of around 3%, with positive annual dividend growth. The growth rate is key to help combat the effects of inflation.

Here are three dividend-paying stocks retirees should consider for their nest egg portfolio.

Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY - Free Report) is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.57 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.52%. This compares to the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry's yield of 0% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.67%. The company's annualized dividend growth in the past year was 5.56%. Check Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

Park Hotels & Resorts (PK - Free Report) is paying out a dividend of $0.15 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 4.82% compared to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 4.52% and the S&P 500's yield. The annualized dividend growth of the company was 1400% over the past year. Check Park Hotels & Resorts (PK - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

Currently paying a dividend of $0.1 per share, TIM S.A. Sponsored ADR (TIMB - Free Report) has a dividend yield of 4.23%. This is compared to the Wireless Non-US industry's yield of 0.89% and the S&P 500's current yield. Annualized dividend growth for the company in the past year was 23.45%. Check TIM S.A. Sponsored ADR (TIMB - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

But aren't stocks generally more risky than bonds?

Overall, that is true. But stocks are a broad class, and you can reduce the risks significantly by selecting high-quality dividend stocks that can generate regular, predictable income and can also decrease the volatility of your portfolio compared to the overall stock market.

An advantage of owning dividend stocks for your retirement nest egg is that numerous companies, particularly blue chip stocks, raise their dividends over time, helping alleviate the impact of inflation on your potential retirement income.

Thinking about dividend-focused mutual funds or ETFs? Watch out for fees.

If you're interested in investing in dividends, but are thinking about mutual funds or ETFs rather than stocks, beware of fees. Mutual funds and specialized ETFs may carry high fees, which could lower the overall gains you earn from dividends, undercutting your dividend income strategy. Be sure to look for funds with low fees if you decide on this approach.

Bottom Line

Whether you select high-quality, low-fee funds or stocks, seeking the steady income of dividend-paying equities can potentially offer you a path to a better and more stress-free retirement.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMY) - free report >>

Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. (PK) - free report >>

TIM S.A. Sponsored ADR (TIMB) - free report >>

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