Here's an eye-opening statistic: older Americans are more afraid of running out of money than of death itself.
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.
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 effect of this drop in rates is substantial: over 20 years, the change in yield for a $1 million investment in 10-year Treasuries is over $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
Dividend-paying stocks from low-risk, high-quality companies are a smart way to generate steady and reliable attractive income streams to replace current low risk, low yielding Treasury and bond options.
For example, AT&T (NYSE:T) and Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) are income stocks with attractive dividend yields of 3% or better. Look for stocks like this that have paid steady, increasing dividends for years (or decades), and have not cut their dividends even during recessions.
One approach to recognizing appropriate stocks is to look for companies with an average dividend yield of 3% and positive average annual dividend growth. Numerous stocks hike dividends over time, counterbalancing inflation risks.
Here are three dividend-paying stocks retirees should consider for their nest egg portfolio.
PSEG (PEG) is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.47 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.21%. This compares to the Utility - Electric Power industry's yield of 2.96% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.8%. In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.88 is up 4.44% from last year.
Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP) is paying out a dividend of 0.9 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 4.14% compared to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 4.19% and the S&P 500's yield. Taking a look at the company's dividend growth, its current annualized dividend of $3.6 is up 5.88% from last year.
Currently paying a dividend of 0.44 per share, Schweitzer-Mauduit (SWM) has a dividend yield of 4.08%. This is compared to the Tobacco industry's yield of 4.65% and the S&P 500's current yield. Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.76 is up 2.33% from last year.
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 thinking, "I want to invest in a dividend-focused ETF or mutual fund," make sure to do your homework. It's important to know that some mutual funds and specialized ETFs charge high fees, which may diminish your dividend gains or income and thwart the overall objective of this investment strategy. If you do want to invest in fund, research well to identify the best-quality dividend funds with the least charges.
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.
Generating income is just one aspect of planning for a comfortable retirement.
To learn more ways to maximize your assets - and avoid pitfalls that could jeopardize your financial security - download our free report:
Will You Retire a Multi-Millionaire? 7 Things You Can Do Now
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Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (NYSE:PEG): Free Stock Analysis Report
Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. (SWM): Free Stock Analysis Report
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (RHP): Free Stock Analysis Report
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Zacks Investment Research