Improve Your Retirement Income with These 3 Top-Ranked Dividend Stocks

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.

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

For many years, bonds or other fixed-income assets could produce the yield needed to provide solid income for retirement needs. However, these yields have dwindled over time: 10-year Treasury bond rates in the late 1990s were around 6.50%, but today, that rate is a thing of the past, with a slim likelihood of rates making a comeback in the foreseeable future.

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.

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

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.

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.

Federal Agricultural Mortgage (AGM) is currently shelling out a dividend of $1.50 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.47%. This compares to the Financial - Mortgage & Related Services industry's yield of 0% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.52%. The company's annualized dividend growth in the past year was 7.14%. Check Federal Agricultural Mortgage dividend history here>>>

Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores S.A. (AVAL) is paying out a dividend of $0.01 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 3.30% compared to the Financial - Investment Management industry's yield of 1.51% and the S&P 500's yield. The annualized dividend growth of the company was 12.92% over the past year. Check Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores S.A. dividend history here>>>

Currently paying a dividend of $1.12 per share, BNP Paribas SA (BNPQY) has a dividend yield of 6.90%. This is compared to the Banks - Foreign industry's yield of 3.1% and the S&P 500's current yield. Annualized dividend growth for the company in the past year was 9.08%. Check BNP Paribas SA 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.

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.

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

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