And dividend payers are actually quite solid performers. Check out the numbers below, from a Hartford Funds report: Data source: Ned Davis Research and Hartford Funds. Healthy and growing dividend-paying companies offer a win-win-win proposition: Over time,

As investors brace for a potentially turbulent 2025, dividend-focused exchange-traded funds like the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) have outperformed riskier, growth-focused funds such as the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS).

With a dividend-focused ETF like the Vanguard High Yield Dividend ETF, you get somewhat of a built-in safety net because you can count on consistent income no matter how the ETF's stock price moves.