How to Maximize Your Retirement Portfolio with These Top-Ranked Dividend Stocks - December 02, 2019

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.

For example, 10-year Treasury bonds in the late 1990s offered a yield of around 6.50%, which translated to an income source you could count on. However, today's yield is much lower - currently under 2% and probably not a viable return option to fund typical retirements.

The impact of this rate decline is sizeable: over 20 years, the difference in yield for a $1 million investment in 10-year Treasuries 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.

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 and Coca-Cola 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.

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.

Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.36 per share, with a dividend yield of 3.3%. This compares to the Retail - Restaurants industry's yield of 0% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.82%. In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.44 is up 9.09% from last year.

CyrusOne (CONE) is paying out a dividend of 0.5 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 3.21% compared to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 4.15% and the S&P 500's yield. Taking a look at the company's dividend growth, its current annualized dividend of $2 is up 8.7% from last year.

Currently paying a dividend of 0.49 per share, NTT Docomo (DCMYY) has a dividend yield of 3.59%. This is compared to the Wireless Non-US industry's yield of 2.59% and the S&P 500's current yield. Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $0.98 is up 4.63% from last year.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Get Your FREE Guide Now The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (CAKE) : Free Stock Analysis Report CyrusOne Inc (CONE) : Free Stock Analysis Report NTT DOCOMO, Inc (DCMYY) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.