Here's a revealing data point: older Americans are scared more of outliving wealth than of death itself.

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.

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.

While this yield reduction may not seem drastic, it adds up: for a $1 million investment in 10-year Treasuries, the rate drop means a difference in yield of 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

We feel that these dividend-paying equities - as long as they are from high-quality, low-risk issuers - can give retirement investors a smart option to replace low-yielding Treasury bonds (or other bonds).

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

One approach to recognizing appropriate stocks is to look for companies with an average dividend yield of 3% and positive average annual dividend growth. Numerous stocks hike dividends over time, counterbalancing inflation risks.

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

Carlyle Group (CG Quick QuoteCG - Free Report) is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.35 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.18%. This compares to the Financial - Investment Funds industry's yield of 4.01% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.59%. The company's annualized dividend growth in the past year was 7.69%. Check Carlyle Group (CG Quick QuoteCG - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

Southside Bancshares (SBSI Quick QuoteSBSI - Free Report) is paying out a dividend of $0.36 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 4.91% compared to the Banks - Southwest industry's yield of 0% and the S&P 500's yield. The annualized dividend growth of the company was 2.94% over the past year. Check Southside Bancshares (SBSI Quick QuoteSBSI - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

Currently paying a dividend of $0.35 per share, Tapestry (TPR Quick QuoteTPR - Free Report) has a dividend yield of 3.16%. This is compared to the Retail - Apparel and Shoes industry's yield of 0% and the S&P 500's current yield. Annualized dividend growth for the company in the past year was 16.67%. Check Tapestry (TPR Quick QuoteTPR - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

But aren't stocks generally more risky than bonds?

Yes, that's true. As a broad category, bonds carry less risk than stocks. However, the stocks we are talking about - dividend -paying stocks from high-quality companies - can generate income over time and also mitigate the overall volatility of your portfolio compared to the stock market as a whole.

Combating the impact of inflation is one advantage of owning these dividend-paying stocks. Here's why: many of these stable, high-quality companies increase their dividends over time, which translates to rising dividend income that offsets the effects of inflation.

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.