3 Top-Ranked Dividend Stocks: A Smarter Way to Boost Your Retirement Income

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.

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

That means if you had $1 million in 10-year Treasuries, the difference in yield between 1999 and today 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.

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

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.

One way to identify suitable candidates is to look for stocks with an average dividend yield of 3%, and positive average annual dividend growth. Many stocks increase dividends over time, helping to offset the effects of inflation.

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

First Industrial Realty Trust (FR) is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.50 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.05%. This compares to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 4.82% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.47%. The company's annualized dividend growth in the past year was 20.27%. Check First Industrial Realty Trust dividend history here>>>

PPL (PPL) is paying out a dividend of $0.29 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 3.07% compared to the Utility - Electric Power industry's yield of 2.76% and the S&P 500's yield. The annualized dividend growth of the company was 5.83% over the past year. Check PPL dividend history here>>>

Currently paying a dividend of $0.68 per share, Sun Life (SLF) has a dividend yield of 4.30%. This is compared to the Insurance - Life Insurance industry's yield of 1% and the S&P 500's current yield. Annualized dividend growth for the company in the past year was 8.54%. Check Sun Life dividend history here>>>

But aren't stocks generally more risky than bonds?

Overall, that is true. But stocks are a broad class, and you can reduce the risks significantly by selecting high-quality dividend stocks that can generate regular, predictable income and can also decrease the volatility of your portfolio compared to the overall stock market.

A silver lining to owning dividend stocks for your retirement portfolio is that many companies, especially blue chip stocks, increase their dividends over time, helping offset the effects of inflation on your potential retirement income.

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.

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First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (FR): Free Stock Analysis Report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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