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

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.

The tried-and-true retirement investing approach of yesterday doesn't work today.

For example, 10-year Treasury bonds in the late 1990s offered a yield of around 6.50%, which translated to an income source you could count on. However, today's yield is much lower and probably not a viable return option to fund typical retirements.

The impact of this rate decline is sizable: over 20 years, the difference in yield for a $1 million investment in 10-year Treasuries 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.

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.

Bank OZK (OZK Quick QuoteOZK - Free Report) is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.39 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.44%. This compares to the Banks - Northeast industry's yield of 2.95% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.54%. The company's annualized dividend growth in the past year was 8.82%. Check Bank OZK (OZK Quick QuoteOZK - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP Quick QuoteRHP - Free Report) is paying out a dividend of $1.1 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 3.88% compared to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 4.46% and the S&P 500's yield. The annualized dividend growth of the company was 46.67% over the past year. Check Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP Quick QuoteRHP - Free Report) dividend history here>>>

Currently paying a dividend of $0.69 per share, State Street Corporation (STT Quick QuoteSTT - Free Report) has a dividend yield of 3.58%. This is compared to the Banks - Major Regional industry's yield of 3.7% and the S&P 500's current yield. Annualized dividend growth for the company in the past year was 9.52%. Check State Street Corporation (STT Quick QuoteSTT - 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 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'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

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.