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

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.

Retirement investing approaches of the past don't work 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.

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.

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

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.

Norwood Financial Corp. (NWFL Quick QuoteNWFL - Free Report) is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.32 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.82%. This compares to the Banks - Northeast industry's yield of 1.95% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.41%. The company's annualized dividend growth in the past year was 3.33%. Check Norwood Financial Corp. 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 3.65% compared to the REIT and Equity Trust - Retail industry's yield of 4.4% 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 $1.16 per share, Target (TGT) has a dividend yield of 3.03%. This is compared to the Retail - Discount Stores industry's yield of 0.59% and the S&P 500's current yield. Annualized dividend growth for the company in the past year was 1.82%. Check Target 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.

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'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

Pursuing a dividend investing strategy can help protect your retirement portfolio. Whether you choose to invest in stocks or through low-fee mutual funds or ETFs, this approach can potentially help you achieve a more secure and enjoyable retirement.