Preferred Stocks: 8 Easy Ways to 6%-7% Yields

Brett Owens, Chief Investment Strategist
Updated: May 10, 2019

As investors near retirement, they tend to favor bonds, which provide income and less drama than stocks. However, less drama means less potential upside. With retirees living longer than ever before—which means much more time for inflation to eat away at your nest egg’s purchasing power—it’s important to not go too conservative too early in life. And fortunately, today even 65 or 70 may be too early!

One suggested solution for our long life expectancy “problem” is to stay with stocks longer. But stocks can go down as well as up, and a big pullback can inflict permanent damage on a portfolio.… Read more

Forget $1 Million: Here’s How to Retire on a Lot Less

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: May 9, 2019

You’ve no doubt heard the “wisdom” that you’ll need a million bucks to have any hope of retiring.

If you’re like most folks, you’ve probably wondered how you’ll manage to save such a huge stash. Maybe you’ve given up and resigned yourself to working till you’re 100.

I can’t blame you. Because with the rising cost of everything these days, finding an extra seven figures during your working life seems like a massive mountain to climb.

This is why I’m writing you today. I’m going to show you two things:

  1. A plan for saving a million bucks, if you want to, and …
  2. Why you don’t need anywhere near a million dollars in the first place (thanks to three 6.8%-yielding funds that let you clock out on hundreds of thousands of dollars less, without selling a single stock in retirement, to boot!)
Read more

5 Rules for Recession-Proof 15% Returns Per Year (Bull or Bear!)

Brett Owens, Chief Investment Strategist
Updated: May 8, 2019

Did the latest tariff tiff set the stage for the next pullback in stocks? Will this bull market actually die of old age?

The macro picture is dicey and stock valuations are pricey, but we must stay invested. The stock market goes up about two-thirds of the time. Permabears miss out on compounding and it’s not as easy to be a part-time bear as it sounds.

To illustrate this let’s consider a study by Hulbert Financial. The firm looked at the best “peak market timers”–the gurus who correctly forecasted the bursting of the Internet bubble in March 2000 and the Great Recession in October 2007.… Read more

2 “Unicorn” Stocks Yielding Up to 10% and Set to Soar (in any market)

Brett Owens, Chief Investment Strategist
Updated: May 7, 2019

“Brett, where the heck do I find cheap dividends in this market?”

A desperate reader asks this question almost daily.

I’ll be honest: with the market up double digits this year, it’s been tough for me to sift out cheap “pullback-proof” 7%+ payers to recommend. (But not impossible: I’ve turned up two absurdly cheap funds yielding up to 10%; see below.)

“Pullback-Proof” Dividends Are Endangered—But Not Extinct

You probably noticed I said “pullback-proof” a second ago. By that I mean stocks with the secret ingredient everyone craves: high dividends you can pocket without the underlying stock melting away in a meltdown.… Read more

This 9.2% Dividend Is On Sale (11% Off!)

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: May 6, 2019

I’ve uncovered two high-yield closed-end funds (CEFs) that are perfect for this “earnings down, stocks up” market.

I’m going to show you both of these bargain-priced, cash-spinning plays—one of which yields an incredible 9.2%, five times more than the typical S&P 500 stock—shortly.

First, we need to talk about where stocks stand now. Because you’re probably wondering how the market can keep ticking up when first-quarter earnings are actually down from a year ago.

You’re right to be concerned, because it makes zero sense—on the surface. But dig deeper and you’ll see that this is a good news story, and a perfect opportunity for contrarians like us to grab big gains (and dividends).… Read more

Weekly Market Summary: Markets Bounce Around Record Highs

David Peltier, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 4, 2019

An old stock market adage suggests that investors “Sell in May and go away”. The first part of that saying held true, at least for the first couple of days of the new month.

The move was likely driven by profit-taking, as the S&P 500 index ended April, closing Tuesday at a record high. The FOMC also poured some water on the rally Wednesday, as comments with the latest interest rate decision talked down expectations for an interest rate cut.

On the other hand, Friday’s April jobs report was a win for the bulls. The U.S. economy added 263,000 non-farm payrolls in the month, which was well ahead of the estimate of 190,000.… Read more

5 Recession-Proof Stocks That Pay 15% Per Year (Bull or Bear)

Brett Owens, Chief Investment Strategist
Updated: May 3, 2019

We retirees and soon-to-be retirees have a dilemma. The traditional pension is just about gone. Social Security won’t support the lifestyle most of us want. We are left to our own devices.

But even if we do build up a fat balance in a 401(k) or other company retirement plan, how do we make it last? Especially when the bank pays “zero point nothing.” Today, you can’t find anything that pays significant “interest.”

This is becoming a crisis in the US. We are told that stocks provide the best returns over the long term, but retirees need income now. Most retirement investors prefer dividend income to long-term gains, but yields haven’t been this low in decades!… Read more

3 Steps to Big Dividends (and 18% Upside) in 2019

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: May 2, 2019

When it comes to stocks, it takes a strong stomach to bet against the crowd. But the truth is, you can pull in big profits doing just that.

Today I’m going to show you how to push straight through the hype and peer pressure—and cash in.

It’s easy to see how shunning the crowd pays off. Look back at December, the darkest point of last fall’s meltdown. That’s when I recommended ignoring the crash completely and focusing on the gains at hand. This went double if you bought stocks through 7%+-yielding closed-end funds (CEFs).

What happened next? A fast 18% profit:

Savvy Contrarians Hit Paydirt

Fast-forward to today, and we contrarians are in a tough spot: the market’s floating higher, and the party appears to be back on.… Read more

How I’d Turn $100K Into $200K via Safe Dividend Stocks

Brett Owens, Chief Investment Strategist
Updated: May 1, 2019

Got $100,000 sitting in cash? Here’s how I’d double is ASAP with safe dividend stocks.

Option 1: “Grind it higher” with cash flow. Put the money into stocks and funds paying current yields of 7.3% and grab a little bit of upside to boot.

Option 2: Double it in four or five years (turn $100,000 into $200,000!) thanks to yearly total returns of 16.3%.

You choose. The “buy and hope” obsessed folks on Wall Street provide us with these two free lunch options. However, this isn’t an entire buffet! We must choose course one or course two.

So, let’s first figure out how much of a yearly “dividend salary” we’re looking for from this pile of money.… Read more

This Stock Loves a Downturn (and yields 7.4%)

Brett Owens, Chief Investment Strategist
Updated: April 30, 2019

I’m worried about this levitating market. And today I’m going to show you why you need to keep a close watch on your nest egg (and your dividends), too.

Then we’ll dive into my personal plan for preparing for the next market rout. Here’s what sets my strategy apart: we’ll grow your nest egg and your dividend income while building in the downside protection you’ll need in the months ahead.

(I know that sounds contradictory, but I assure you it’s true. I’ll explain.)

A “Groundhog Day” Market

My worry is rooted in one date: January 26, 2018. That’s when stocks first broached today’s levels.… Read more