Here's an eye-opening statistic: older Americans are more afraid of running out of money than of death itself.

Also, retirees who have constructed a nest egg have valid justifications to be concerned, since the traditional ways to plan for retirement may mean income can no longer cover expenses. Some retirees are now tapping their principal to make a decent living, pressed for time between decreasing investment balances and longer life expectancies.

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

Years ago, investors at or close to retirement could put money into fixed-income assets and depend on appealing yields to generate consistent, solid pay streams to fund a comfortable retirement. 10-year Treasury bond rates in the late 1990s floated around 6.50%, but unfortunately, those days of being able to exclusively rely on Treasury yields to fund retirement income are over.

The effect of this drop in rates is substantial: over 20 years, the change in yield for a $1 million investment in 10-year Treasuries is over $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 can retirees do? You could dramatically reduce your expenses, and go out on a limb hoping your Social Security benefits don't diminish. On the other hand, you could opt for an alternative investment that gives a steady, higher-rate income stream to supplant lessening bond yields.

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.

A rule of thumb for finding solid income-producing stocks is to seek those that average 3% dividend yield, and positive yearly dividend growth. These stocks can help combat inflation by boosting dividends over time.

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

Prosperity Bancshares (PB Quick QuotePB - Free Report) is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.56 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.57%. This compares to the Banks - Southwest industry's yield of 0.28% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.57%. The company's annualized dividend growth in the past year was 1.82%. Check Prosperity Bancshares (PB Quick QuotePB - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

Principal Financial (PFG Quick QuotePFG - Free Report) is paying out a dividend of $0.69 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 3.27% compared to the Financial - Investment Management industry's yield of 2.05% and the S&P 500's yield. The annualized dividend growth of the company was 4.69% over the past year. Check Principal Financial (PFG Quick QuotePFG - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

Currently paying a dividend of $1.1 per share, Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP Quick QuoteRHP - Free Report) has a dividend yield of 3.86%. This is compared to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 4.41% and the S&P 500's current yield. Annualized dividend growth for the company in the past year was 340%. Check Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP Quick QuoteRHP - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

But aren't stocks generally more risky than bonds?

The fact is that stocks, as an asset class, carry more risk than bonds. To counterbalance this, invest in superior quality dividend stocks that not only can grow over time but more significantly, can also decrease your overall portfolio volatility with respect to the broader 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 thinking, "I want to invest in a dividend-focused ETF or mutual fund," make sure to do your homework. It's important to know that some mutual funds and specialized ETFs charge high fees, which may diminish your dividend gains or income and thwart the overall objective of this investment strategy. If you do want to invest in fund, research well to identify the best-quality dividend funds with the least charges.

Bottom Line

Seeking steady, consistent income through dividends can be a smart option for financial security in retirement, whether you invest in mutual funds, ETFs, or in dividend-paying stocks.