dividend stocks

Most Americans aren't saving anywhere near enough money to live out their golden years comfortably. Odd are, you're one of them. If so, here are a few ways you can realign your finances and plans with reality ... before it's too late.

Betting on companies that are both profitable and have a long history of increasing their dividend payments is as good an investment strategy as you'll find. These 10 fit that bill.

Like most investing, you're not protected from market meltdown, and there's always the risk of missing out on a star.

With the Dow surging past 13,000, capital gains fans are sitting pretty, and a Barron's poll of financial experts says dividend stocks are the place for the smart money to be. But all the exuberance is masking several reasons why it's actually time to get out of those popular equities.

A few weeks ago, we asked DailyFinance readers for their best tips for putting your financial house in order. We've covered saving and spending wisely. Now, we move on to another key to long-term financial security: making your money work for you.

Apple investors should be some of the happiest folks on Wall Street, and for the most part, they are -- except when it comes to dividends. Here%u2019s why shareholders still are unlikely to get any of Apple's ever-growing cash hoard.

Macy's is raising its earnings outlook for the fourth quarter and full year due to a strong holiday season and says it will double its quarterly dividend to 20 cents a share. The retailer is also increasing its share repurchase program by $1 billion. The announcements came as the department store operator reported Thursday that a key measure of its December sales rose faster than analysts had expected.

In 2011, the S&P 500 Index went nowhere. In fact, it lost a little. But you don't have to suffer just because stock prices stay flat -- if you buy companies that pay strong dividends, like these 4 options in the defense sector.

For the first time since 2009, Social Security recipients will get a COLA increase in their checks in 2012. But that 3.6% bump probably isn't going to cover the real rise in your expenses. So where should you invest to find that extra income?

A retiree named Bob is confronting a dilemma many of his peers face: His nest egg is parked in safe cash investments, like certificates of deposit, and earning barely any interest. What can he do to get a better return? Laura Rowley looks at an increasingly popular alternative.