Investors often put yields above all else when choosing the companies for their long-term or retirement portfolio. I don’t blame them! With a stock or fund paying double-digit dividend yields, it's only natural to do some quick math and figure out how much 10-11% would work out to. That is, until the company slashes its dividends, the fund explodes, and the investment goes to zero.
Blindingly high yields can be considered red flags, as the companies paying them may not be able to sustain it for an extended period. They’re certainly not secure enough for a retirement portfolio.
