The “yield curve” has inverted—and that could be terrible news for your dividends!

But don’t worry: there’s a “pullback-proof” way to keep your income and your nest egg secure—no matter if there’s stock-market fire behind all this yield-curve smoke.

Below I’ll reveal three stocks perfectly positioned for whatever lies ahead: if the market tanks, they’ll likely trade flat, thanks to their cheap valuations (and sturdy dividends).

And if it all turns out to be hype and the market keeps rolling higher? They’re poised to skyrocket while handing you a 7.1% average payout (with one of these stealth buys even throwing off an amazing 9.3% yield!).… Read more

Oil prices have been locked in a tight range for five years—and I know I don’t have to tell you that this has been a disaster for energy investors.

Oil Fails to Launch

With the benchmark Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) unable to hold its gains for long (let alone recover to pre-crash levels), even the most conservative energy investor has been clobbered.

Why is this happening?

After all, you’d think a growing global population and emerging-market growth would drive up the price of a limited resource like oil. But the tables have turned. I’ll get into why shortly.

These Dividend Payers Are Better Buys Than Oil

For now, though, I recommend that income-seekers go a different route and pick stocks (and closed-end funds [CEFs]) that benefit from cheaper oil and gas—like utilities.… Read more

The domestic stock market averages started April on a positive note and on Thursday, the S&P 500 index achieved its longest winning streak in over a year.

Taking a bit further look back, Bespoke Investment Group noted this week that it’s now been 100 days since the major U.S. indexes bottomed in late December. Highlighted in the following table, Industrial and Technology names have led the average 22% gain in the S&P 500 since then, while healthcare stocks have lagged.

Source: Bespoke Investment Group  

Full Slate of Economic News

In overseas news this week, Theresa May suffered yet another defeat in Parliament, regarding the Brexit process.… Read more

Sometimes investors forget that dividends are funded by actual cash flows.

Consider General Electric (GE), whose outsized yield tempted investors to mistakenly buy shares in this “blue chip” as disaster was unfolding. The stock losses started well before the actual dividend cut and continued on from there:

(Accounting) Imagination at Work

This focus on yield rather than cash happens too often. It’s what prompted me to warn readers about the sky-high yield of Frontier Communications (FTR) a year ahead of its 2017 cut:

A Broken Telecom (and Broken Dividend)

The “not enough cash” problem also prompted me to sound the alarm on L Brands (LB) several times ahead of its 50% dividend cut in late 2018.… Read more

Here’s something you may not know about closed-end funds (CEFs): they can give you a much lower tax bill than if you buy and sell stocks yourself.

And if you follow the first-level strategy most folks do and invest through an index fund like the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), you’re almost certainly paying more tax than you need to. Worse, you’re stuck with a 2% dividend that falls way short of the 8%+ CEF payouts you need to fund your retirement on a reasonably sized nest egg.

CEFs’ tax advantages stem from the fact that they have skilled pros running the show—and these managers know how to cut the taxes you’ll pay on the big dividends they send you.… Read more

“Hey Brett… you joined two partnerships last year?”

What? I didn’t. Or I thought I didn’t. In reality, I did–by buying shares in not one but two master limited partnerships (MLPs).

One of them was Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) and while I can’t recall the other, I can vividly the annoyed look on my accountant’s face like it was yesterday.

Master limited partnerships (MLPs) are required to issue you a K-1 package at the end of the tax year. These are generally headaches for the person who does your taxes (whether it’s you, or a professional).

That year my accountant calmly but sternly asked me to stop buying MLPs in my personal portfolio.… Read more

Most dividend investors understandably love the idea of an 8% No Withdrawal Portfolio. It’s a simple yet “game changing” idea that you don’t hear much from mainstream pundits and advisors.

Find stocks that pay 7%, 8% or more and you can retire comfortably, living off dividend checks while your initial capital stays intact (or even appreciates).

Now this strategy is a bit more complicated than simply finding 8% yields and buying them. Granted the recent stock market pullback has benefited investors like us because we can snag more dividends for our dollar. Yields are higher overall, and that’s a good thing.… Read more

I’m about to show you three potent investing trends that are being drowned out by the media noise. Then we’ll uncover three snubbed funds set to ride these surging trends to big gains (hint: one of these buys pays an amazing 8.4% dividend!).

Let’s get started.

Trend No. 1: A Still-Roaring US Economy

Take a close look at the chart below. See how every quarter in 2018 has been ahead of every quarter since 2015 by a mile?

Here’s the funny thing: despite that, 2018 gave us the first bear market in stocks since 2008.

It makes zero sense … and it’s why I’ve been pounding the table on stocks since they started falling last year.… Read more

Investors shrugged off an inversion of the U.S. Treasury yield curve and domestic stock market averages ended the first quarter with 10%-plus gains across the board.

Trade talks resumed with China this week, as a U.S. delegation, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, visited Beijing. The sides are expected to continue discussions next week in Washington D.C.

Inverse Reaction

There was a negative initial reaction to the 3-month U.S. Treasury yield falling below that of the benchmark 10-year note, but rates and investor sentiment leveled off throughout the week.

An inversion of the yield curve often (but not always) predicts an upcoming economic recession.… Read more

Today, the 10-year Treasury pays just 2.4%. Put a million bucks in T-Bills and you’re banking $24,000 per year. Barely above poverty levels!

Hence the appeal of closed-end funds (CEFs), which often pay 8% or better. That’s the difference between a paltry minimum-wage income of $24,000 on a million saved or a respectable $80,000 annually.

And if you’re smart about your CEF purchases, you can even buy these funds at discounts and snare some price upside to boot!

The market’s fast run-up since January 1 has made cheap CEFs just a bit harder to find. And some CEFs have become so pricey that, if you hold them, you should consider selling before their premiums fall to earth.… Read more