08/10/2026
Chasing high yields can be fool's errand. When clients are looking to build (truly) passive income through dividends, I tend to look at dividend growth. Dividend yields will wax and wane, but if the actual dollar amount the company is paying grows year-over-year your Yield on Cost (YOC) will grow over time. What you paid for the stock will remain constant (assuming you hold indefinitely), but if the company is giving shareholders annual raises then YOUR yield is improving every year.
With the S&P 500 dividend yield near generational lows, chasing income in the stock market is getting tougher.