The High-Quality Dividend Plays Still Paying Investors 4% and Up

"In the stock market, the 4% dividend yield is a number that feels good enough to be table stakes for anyone who wants to really earn a significant amount of money and change their financial status before or during retirement. As savings accounts and treasury yields drop below 4%, looking for payouts from quality companies has become more important than ever."

"Of course, the keyword here is quality, as you can find 10% yields without looking too hard, but those come with significant risk. The goal is to identify high-quality dividend plays that combine established players in this space with dividend-focused funds that have proven they can sustain and grow payouts across different market cycles. These five holdings represent a diverse way to capture 4%+ yields under sustained conditions, and some of them are definitely household names with balance sheets that are very strong."

"A staple of the dividend world, Verizon Communications ( NYSE:VZ), is a classic story in that it pays you quarterly like clockwork, and the business model is super simple, as communication is the bedrock of how we interact in the world today. Verizon generates cash flow from both its wireless and broadband networks, which in turn fund its dividends and future infrastructure investment."

A 4% dividend yield serves as a practical benchmark for building significant retirement income as savings accounts and treasury yields fall below 4%. Quality is essential because very high yields often accompany substantial risk. The objective is to identify high-quality dividend stocks and funds that can sustain and grow payouts through market cycles. A diversified mix of holdings can deliver consistent 4%+ yields, with some paying monthly and others quarterly to provide reliable income. Holdings should have strong balance sheets or structures that return cash to shareholders while supporting distribution sustainability. Verizon offers a 6.78% yield with a 58.32% payout ratio and modest dividend growth.

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