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3 Top Dividend Stocks to Maximize Your Retirement Income

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Strange but true: seniors fear death less than running out of money in retirement.

And retirees have good reason to be worried about making their assets last. People are living longer, so that money has to cover a longer period. Making matters worse, income generated using tried-and-true retirement planning approaches may not cover expenses these days. That means seniors must dip into principal to meet living expenses.

Retirement investing approaches of the past don't work 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.

In addition to the considerable drop in bond yields, today's retirees are nervous about their future Social Security benefits. Because of certain demographic factors, it's been estimated that the funds that pay the Social Security benefits will run out of money in 2035.

How can you avoid dipping into your principal when the investments you counted on in retirement aren't producing income? You can only cut your expenses so far, and the only other option is to find a different investment vehicle to generate income.

Invest in Dividend Stocks

Dividend-paying stocks from low-risk, high-quality companies are a smart way to generate steady and reliable attractive income streams to replace low risk, low yielding Treasury and bond options.

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.

Park Hotels & Resorts (PK - Free Report) is currently shelling out a dividend of $1.7 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.47%. This compares to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 3.98% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.6%. The company's annualized dividend growth in the past year was 1400%. Check Park Hotels & Resorts (PK - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

PNM Resources (PNM - Free Report) is paying out a dividend of $0.39 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 3.53% compared to the Utility - Electric Power industry's yield of 3.53% and the S&P 500's yield. The annualized dividend growth of the company was 5.76% over the past year. Check PNM Resources (PNM - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

Currently paying a dividend of $1.1 per share, Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP - Free Report) has a dividend yield of 3.58%. This is compared to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 3.98% and the S&P 500's current yield. Annualized dividend growth for the company in the past year was 900%. Check Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP - 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 upside to adding dividend stocks to your retirement portfolio: they can help lessen the effects of inflation, since many dividend-paying companies (especially blue chip stocks) generally increase their dividends over time.

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

If you prefer investing in funds or ETFs compared to individual stocks, you can still pursue a dividend income strategy. However, it's important to know the fees charged by each fund or ETF, which can ultimately reduce your dividend income, working against your strategy. Do your homework and make sure you know the fees charged by any fund before you invest.

Bottom Line

Regardless of whether you select high-quality, low-fee funds or stocks, looking for a steady stream of income from dividend-paying equities can potentially lead you to a solid and more peaceful retirement.


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PNM Resources, Inc. (PNM) - free report >>

Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (RHP) - free report >>

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

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