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

And older Americans have legitimate reasons for this worry, even if they have dutifully saved for their golden years. That\s because the traditional ways people manage retirement may no longer provide enough income to meet expenses- and with people generally living longer, the principal retirement savings is exhausted far too early in the retirement period.

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 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.

Today's retirees are getting hit hard by reduced bond yields-and the Social Security picture isn't too rosy either. Right now and for the near future, Social Security benefits are still being paid, but it has been estimated that the Social Security funds will be depleted as soon as 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.

Community Trust Bancorp (CTBI Quick QuoteCTBI - Free Report) is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.71 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.36%. This compares to the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 1.84% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.42%. The company's annualized dividend growth in the past year was 2.17%. Check Community Trust Bancorp dividend history here>>>

Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) is paying out a dividend of $0.12 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 3.63% compared to the REIT and Equity Trust - Retail industry's yield of 4.12% and the S&P 500's yield. The annualized dividend growth of the company was 5.13% over the past year. Check Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. dividend history here>>>

Currently paying a dividend of $0.32 per share, Alpine Income (PINE) has a dividend yield of 7.03%. This is compared to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 4.12% and the S&P 500's current yield. Annualized dividend growth for the company in the past year was 3.64%. Check Alpine Income dividend history here>>>

But aren't stocks generally more risky than bonds?

It is true that stocks, as an asset class, carry more risk than bonds, but high-quality dividend stocks not only have the ability to produce income growth over time but more importantly, can also reduce your overall portfolio volatility relative 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.

You may be thinking, "I like this dividend strategy, but instead of investing in individual stocks, I'm going to find a dividend-focused mutual fund or ETF." This approach can make sense, but be aware that some mutual funds and specialized ETFs carry high fees, which may reduce your dividend gains or income, and defeat the goal of this dividend investment approach. If you do wish to invest in a fund, do your research to find the best-quality dividend funds with the lowest fees.

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.