highyield

The S&P 500 index (^GSPC 0.53%) has a miserly yield of just 1.2% or so today. That’s a number that you can beat pretty easily, but you want to make sure you do it with reliable dividend stocks. There are some companies that have huge yields, but the risk involved isn’t worth it.

That’s why you’ll probably prefer to buy (and likely hold forever) companies like Realty Income (O 1.13%), Prologis (PLD 2.40%), and UDR (UDR 0.50%). Here’s a quick look at each of these high-yield dividend stocks.

1. Realty Income is boring, which is a good thing

Realty Income is the largest net lease real estate investment trust (REIT) you can buy. It owns over 15,600 properties and has a market cap that is more than three times larger than its next-closest peer. Add in a dividend yield of 5.4% and a 30-year streak of annual dividend increases and you can see why dividend investors would like this stock.

The key, however, is how boring a business it is. It starts with the net lease approach. A net lease requires the tenant to pay for most property-level expenses. That saves Realty Income cost and hassle, leaving it to, in a simplification of the situation, sit back and just collect rent. On top of that, the company’s primary focus is retail properties, which are fairly easy to buy, sell, and release if needed. But that isn’t the end of the story, either, since Realty Income is also geographically diversified, with a growing presence in Europe.

Slow and steady is the name of the game for Realty Income, which makes sense given that the REIT has trademarked the nickname “The Monthly Dividend Company.” This high yielder isn’t going to excite you, but that’s basically the point. Investing $1,000 into Realty Income will leave you owning roughly 16 shares.

2. Prologis is building from within

Prologis is another industry giant, this time focused on the industrial asset class. It is one of the largest REITs in the world, with a market cap of more than $100 billion. (It’s about twice the size of Realty Income, which has a roughly $50 billion market cap.) The dividend yield is around 3.5%, which isn’t nearly as nice as what you’d get from Realty Income, but there’s more growth opportunity. To put a number on that, Realty Income’s dividend has grown 45% or so over the past decade while Prologis’ dividend has increased by over 150%.

Like Realty Income, Prologis offers global diversification. It has operations in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, with assets in most prominent global transportation hubs. It has increased its dividend annually for 12 years, with a high likelihood of years of dividend growth ahead. That’s because the REIT has a $41.5 billion opportunity to build new properties on land it already owns. What’s exciting now is that the dividend yield happens to be near the high end of the range over the past decade, suggesting today is a good time to jump aboard. A $1,000 investment will allow you to buy eight shares of the stock.

3. UDR is diversified and provides a basic necessity

UDR is an apartment landlord, offering the basic necessity of shelter. That’s not going to go out of style anytime soon. The company underwent a painful overhaul a few years back when it sold a portfolio of lower quality apartments, leaving it focused on its remaining and better-positioned assets. This was a good move for the REIT, but it led to a dividend reset (the painful part for shareholders). However, the dividend has been growing ever since, with an annual streak that’s now up to 16 years. There’s no reason to believe another cut is in the cards.

What dividend lovers get now, however, is fairly attractive. For starters, the portfolio is well-diversified by geographic region in the United States and by quality (A and B level assets only, the fixer-uppers it once owned are gone). Technology has been an increasingly important aspect of the business, with UDR working to use the internet to lease and serve tenants more nimbly. Essentially, UDR is a great way to get diverse exposure to apartments.

UDR’s dividend yield is 4.7% right now, which is fairly high for the REIT and well above the REIT average of around 3.8%. If you want to own a REIT that provides a basic necessity, UDR is worth looking at today. A $1,000 investment will get you roughly 27 shares.

Three high-yield, buy-and-hold options for your portfolio

If you are focused on yield, Realty Income is likely to be the most appropriate choice for your portfolio. If you like dividend growth, take a look at Prologis. And if you are fond of companies that provide basic services that everyone needs, that would be UDR. All three have lofty yields and are worth buying and holding for the long term.

I love to collect dividend income. It provides me with more cash to invest each month and a growing level of financial freedom. My goal is to eventually generate enough passive income from dividends and other sources to cover my basic living expenses.

To support my income strategy, I focus on buying high-yielding dividend stocks. Two companies in particular, Brookfield Infrastructure (BIPC -2.38%) (BIP -1.62%) and W.P. Carey (WPC), have consistently stood out. Here’s why I can’t stop buying these income stocks.

Image source: Getty Images.

A high-octane dividend growth stock

Brookfield Infrastructure currently yields nearly 4%, more than triple the S&P 500’s dividend yield (1.2%). The global infrastructure operator supports its high-yielding payout with very stable cash flows. Long-term contracts and government-regulated rate structures account for around 85% of its annual funds from operations (FFO). Most of those frameworks have no volume or price exposure (75%), while another large portion of its cash flow (20%) comes from rate-regulated structures that only have volume exposure tied to changes in the global economy. The bulk of these arrangements also either index its FFO to inflation (70%) or protect it from the impact of inflation (15%).

The company pays out 60% to 70% of its very resilient cash flow in dividends. That gives it a comfortable cushion while allowing it to retain a meaningful amount of cash to invest in expansion projects. Brookfield also has a strong investment-grade balance sheet. Additionally, the company routinely recycles capital by selling mature assets to invest in higher-returning opportunities.

Brookfield has grown its FFO per share at a 14% annual rate since its inception in 2008, supporting a 9% compound annual dividend growth rate. While its growth has slowed in recent years due to headwinds from interest rates and foreign exchange fluctuations, a reacceleration appears to be ahead. The company believes that a combination of organic growth driven by inflationary rate increases, volume growth as the economy expands, and expansion projects will drive robust FFO per share growth in the coming years. Additionally, it expects to get a boost from its value-enhancing capital recycling strategy. These catalysts should combine to drive more than 10% annual FFO per share growth.

The company’s strong financial profile and robust growth prospects easily support its plan to increase its high-yielding payout at a 5% to 9% annual rate. Brookfield has increased its payout in all 16 years since it went public.

Rebuilt on an even stronger foundation

W.P. Carey has a 5.4% dividend yield. The real estate investment trust (REIT) owns a well-diversified portfolio of operationally critical real estate across North America and Europe. It focuses on investing in single-tenant industrial, warehouse, retail, and other properties secured by long-term net leases featuring built-in rental escalation clauses. Those leases provide it with very stable and steadily rising rental income.

The REIT has spent the past few years reshaping its portfolio. It accelerated its exit from the office sector in late 2023 by spinning off and selling its remaining properties. W.P. Carey has also been selling off some of its self-storage properties, particularly those not secured by net leases. It has been recycling that capital into properties with better long-term demand drivers, such as industrial real estate.

W.P. Carey’s strategy should enable it to grow its adjusted FFO at a higher rate in the future. Its portfolio is delivering healthy same-store rent growth (2.3% year-over-year in the second quarter). Meanwhile, its investments to expand its portfolio are driving incremental FFO per share growth. W.P. Carey is on track to grow its adjusted FFO per share by 4.5% at the mid-point of its guidance range this year.

That growing income is allowing the REIT to increase its dividend. It has raised its payment every quarter since resetting the payout level in late 2023 when it exited the office sector, including a 4% increase over the past 12 months. With a strong portfolio and balance sheet, W.P. Carey has the financial flexibility to continue growing its portfolio, FFO, and dividend in the coming years.

High-quality, high-yielding dividend stocks

Brookfield Infrastructure and W.P. Carey stand out for their stable and growing cash flows, as well as high-yield dividends. Brookfield offers inflation-protected cash flows that minimize risk, while W.P. Carey generates reliable rental income from long-term leases. With lots of income and growth ahead, I just can’t stop buying these high-quality, high-yielding dividend stocks.

It’s easy to feel complacent in today’s market. The S&P 500 hasn’t fallen by more than 3% from its all-time high for over five months — meaning volatility is virtually nonexistent.

Artificial intelligence (AI) spending deals are resulting in big stock pops and record runs for chip giants. The rift between winners and losers is growing, with just a handful of stocks making up a massive percentage of the index. That said, it’s a mistake to sell winning stocks just because they have gone up. So a better approach is to stay even-keeled and build a balanced financial portfolio.

Here’s why Netflix (NFLX -0.07%) is a growth stock that can back up its expensive valuation, and why Texas Instruments (TXN 1.95%) is a reliable high-yield dividend stock to buy in October.

Image source: Netflix.

Netflix is worth the premium price

Like many growth stocks, Netflix’s valuation is arguably overextended. But it could still be a good buy for patient investors. The simplest reason to buy and hold Netflix is that the company has become somewhat recession-proof. It is one of the few consumer-facing companies that continues to deliver solid earnings growth despite a challenging operating environment.

Inflation and cost-of-living increases have been no match for Netflix. Despite a crackdown on password sharing and price increases, Netflix’s subscribers are sticking with the platform — which is a great sign that folks believe the subscription is worth paying for, even as they pull back on other discretionary goods and services like restaurant spending.

Netflix is a textbook example of the effectiveness of boosting the quality of a product or service to justify higher prices. The company isn’t just making the same bag of chips and hiking the price in the hopes that customers give in and buy. Rather, the value of the platform has grown immensely due to the depth, breadth, and quality of its content.

Netflix’s business model acts like a snowball. The more subscribers there are, the more revenue it generates, the more content it can create, the more valuable the platform becomes, and the greater the justification for increasing prices.

What Netflix is doing sounds simple, but it is far from it. It has taken Netflix well over a decade to perfect its craft — developing content that resonates with subscribers of all interests. No other streaming platform comes close to replicating this efficiency, as evidenced by Netflix’s sky-high operating margins of 29%.

At about 47 times forward earnings, Netflix is far from cheap. But it’s the kind of stock that can grow into its valuation because the business can do well even during an economic slowdown.

A dividend play in the semiconductor space

The semiconductor industry has been soaring — led by massive gains in Nvidia, Broadcom, and most recently, Advanced Micro Devices. The iShares Semiconductor ETF, which tracks the industry, is up a mind-numbing 34.7% year to date — outpacing the broader tech sector’s 24.8% gain. So investors may be wondering why Texas Instruments, commonly known as TI, is down over 4% in 2025.

The most likely reason TI is underperforming the semiconductor industry is that it doesn’t sell graphics processing units and central processing units, which are in high demand by hyperscalers to build out data centers. Instead, TI makes analog and embedded semiconductors that are used across the economy.

The industrial and automotive markets accounted for around 70% of TI’s 2024 revenue. So this is a far different business model than chip companies that are playing integral roles in building out data centers. In fact, TI’s core business is in the midst of a multi-year slowdown, as evidenced by TI’s negative earnings growth.

Despite these challenges, the company is a coiled spring for a cyclical recovery in its key end markets. Lower interest rates should help boost spending by industrial customers and jolt demand in the automotive industry.

TI is a great buy for investors who value free cash flow and dividends. In its 2024 annual report, TI stated, “Looking ahead, we will remain focused on the belief that long-term growth of free cash flow per share is the ultimate measure to generate value. To achieve this, we will invest to strengthen our competitive advantages, be disciplined in capital allocation, and stay diligent in our pursuit of efficiencies.” This is a far different mantra than companies that are throwing capital expenditures at shiny new ideas.

With a 3.2% dividend yield and 22 consecutive years of dividend increases, TI stands out as an excellent buy for income investors in October.

I’ve been a big fan of high-yield savings accounts these past couple of years. Earning over 4.00% APY on completely safe, FDIC-insured cash has been a gift. But after the Federal Reserve’s September rate cut, and with another one likely coming at the end of this month, I’m starting to move a chunk of my money elsewhere.

Not because I don’t love high-yield savings accounts. I do. But because I hate watching my returns fall month after month when I could easily lock in today’s higher rates instead.

Savings account rates are heading south

When the Fed cuts rates, banks follow fast. That 4.00% APY you see on your savings account right now? It’ll probably be closer to 3.75% by November, and possibly under 3.50% by early next year if the Fed continues cutting rates.

And unlike a CD, there’s no way to “lock in” that rate. Your yield floats with the market. So while you might feel safe sitting in cash, your earning power is shrinking quietly in the background.

I’m not draining my savings completely. I still keep three to six months of expenses in a high-yield account for emergencies. But for the extra cash I won’t need soon I’m taking action before the next cut hits.

Where I’m moving the money

I’m shifting part of my savings into certificates of deposit (CDs). CDs let you lock in a guaranteed rate for a set period, typically anywhere from six months to five years.

To keep some flexibility, I’m using a CD ladder. That means splitting my money across multiple CDs with different maturity dates. A few months from now, one CD will mature, giving me access to some cash, while others keep earning higher locked-in yields. It’s a great balance between liquidity and security. Lock in a guaranteed 4.00%+ APY before the next Fed cut.

The math says it all

Let’s say you’ve got $20,000 parked in a savings account.

• At 4.25% APY, that earns about $850 over the next year.
• If rates slide to 3.50%, you’re suddenly earning just $700.

That’s $150 gone just for waiting. And the larger your cash balance, the more those small percentage drops sting.

Acting before the next cut

The Fed’s next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 28–29, and markets are already pricing in another 0.25% rate cut. Once that happens, banks won’t wait to slash their APYs.

That’s why I’m locking in my rates now. High-yield savings accounts have been incredible for the past two years, but this window of 4.00%+ returns is closing fast.

I’ll always keep my emergency fund in a liquid savings account. But for money I don’t need right away, I’d rather secure guaranteed returns than watch them disappear week by week.

Compare today’s top CD rates and lock in before they drop again.

Only about 1 in 5 Americans use a high-yield savings account (HYSA), according to a recent CNBC study. And that’s a shame, because that means the other 4 in 5 Americans are missing out on easy money.

I’ve been writing about personal finance for years, and here’s something I’ll never understand: Why leave free money on the table?! If you’re going to keep cash in the bank, you might as well earn something worthwhile on it.

Here’s exactly how much you could make with $10,000 sitting in a top HYSA today.

How much interest $10,000 earns at 4.00% APY

Some of the top HYSAs are paying around 4.00% annual percentage yield (APY) right now.

At 4.00% APY, here’s how much interest $10,000 would earn in interest:

• In one year: $400
• Per month: About $33
• Each day: About $1.10

Compare that to a traditional bank paying 0.01% APY, where $10,000 would make just $1 in an entire year. The gap is staggering.

I always tell people — If you were walking along and saw a $1 bill on the ground, would you pick it up? Of course you would. Because it’s “free money.”

Well, moving your cash pile into a high-yield savings account is kind of like picking up extra money every day (except there’s no bending down required — it just collects and grows in your account). It’s one of the easiest wins in personal finance.

Why online banks are better

Bigger interest checks are nice. But online banks have several other benefits that come with high-yield savings accounts:

• FDIC insurance: Just like the big banks, most online HYSAs insure your money up to $250,000.
• Easy transfers: You can usually link your checking account and move money back and forth in a day or two.
• No hidden fees: Many top HYSAs don’t charge monthly maintenance fees or have account minimums. Some even waive ATM fees and overdraft charges.
• Better apps and tech: Most online banks focus on a digital-first convenience which lets users manage everything from their phone.

In short, online banks give you all the safety of a traditional bank, but with more modern features and way better returns.

Why I park my $25K in an HYSA

I keep about $25,000 in emergency funds and short-term savings. This is the cash I’d tap if my car breaks down, a medical bill pops up, or I want to book a family trip. I need it safe, liquid, and ready to go.

That’s exactly what an HYSA is built for. It’s federally insured (FDIC insurance up to $250,000), so my money is protected even if the bank itself fails. At the same time, it’s still earning me hundreds each year in interest.

Another thing I love: my HYSA doesn’t nickel-and-dime me. I pay no monthly fees, there’s no minimum balance requirements, and no hidden charges. It’s the opposite of my old big-bank account, where I felt like I was paying them just for the privilege of parking my cash there.

And the tech is better, too. The app is clean, transfers are quick, and my cash is back in my checking account within a day or two if I need it.

Bottom line

When you see the numbers side by side, it’s hard to justify leaving big chunks of money in a traditional savings or checking account.

Whether you’ve got $25,000 or even just $1,000, high-yield savings accounts are one of the easiest wins in personal finance.

Stop earning pennies and start earning hundreds. Check out the best high-yield savings accounts today and see how much your cash could earn.

I’m less tempted to dip into savings

A cool side benefit I’ve learned since setting up my HYSA is that I’m way less tempted to dip into my savings when it’s kept at a completely separate bank.

When all my money is piled together in one account, it’s easy to blur the line between spending and savings. But with a dedicated HYSA, the barrier is enough to keep me disciplined. I know the cash is there if I really need it, but it’s not staring me in the face every time I log into my regular banking app.

Plus, my high-yield savings account is FDIC insured up to $250,000. So I’ve got both mental security and financial security in one place.

It doesn’t cost me anything to keep

Fintech banks are amazing these days. They don’t nickel-and-dime you like traditional banks tend to do.

My HYSA has no monthly fees, no balance requirements, and no surprise charges that pop up randomly. So even if my bank balance drops to $0 for a few months, it won’t cost me anything to keep the account open. And all the interest I earn is pure profit.

The tech is better, too. My bank’s mobile app is super clean, simple, and doing transfers is really easy.

It’s still the best home for short-term cash

At the end of the day, my HYSA is where I keep money I can’t afford to risk. I don’t want to invest it because I might need it in a pinch.

Since it’s sitting idle most of the year, I want it earning the highest APY possible. Even if the Fed continues to drop rates and we get down to a measly 1.00%-2.00% APY in the next couple years, it’s still better than earning almost zero in a checking account.

Check out today’s best high-yield savings accounts and start earning more on your money.

The S&P 500 hit another record high this week. It’s now up about 18% over the past year. That has most stocks trading at much higher valuations than they were a year ago. The rally has also compressed dividend yields.

Despite the market’s rally, there are still some attractive opportunities, especially for investors seeking higher dividend yields. Enterprise Products Partners (EPD -0.58%), Energy Transfer (ET -0.80%), and Clearway Energy (CWEN -0.02%) (CWEN.A -0.11%) stand out to a few Fool.com contributing analysts right now. Here’s why they’re compelling buys even as the S&P 500 is at an all-time high.

Image source: Getty Images.

Enterprise Products Partners is strong and still growing

Reuben Gregg Brewer (Enterprise Products Partners): Nobody is going to accuse Enterprise Products Partners of being a hare. It is, decidedly, a tortoise. But given the huge 6.8% distribution yield, few income-focused investors aren’t likely to complain. That’s doubly true when you consider that this master limited partnership’s (MLP’s) distribution is covered by a huge 1.7x by distributable cash flow. A lot would have to go wrong before the distribution was at risk.

Adding to the feeling of security here is the fact that the company is investment-grade rated. Even if distribution coverage faltered, Enterprise Products Partners could lean on its balance sheet for a little while to muddle through a difficult period. But even that is unlikely because the MLP’s business is fee-based. Essentially, it charges customers for using its energy infrastructure assets, like pipelines. The prices of oil and natural gas are far less important than demand for these globally vital fuels. Even when commodity prices are weak, demand for energy still tends to be resilient.

This helps explain why Enterprise Products Partners has been able to increase its distribution annually for 27 consecutive years. That streak, meanwhile, is likely to continue, noting that the MLP is in the middle of a $6 billion capital investment program. As those new projects come online, cash flow will grow and support continued distribution growth. The level of the S&P 500 index, high or low, isn’t likely to change any of these facts much.

The coming growth reacceleration

Matt DiLallo (Energy Transfer): Energy Transfer stands out in today’s high-priced stock market. Units of the master limited partnership (MLP) are currently down about 15% from their 52-week high. As a result, the company has the second-lowest valuation in the energy midstream sector, at less than nine times earnings, which is well below the sector average of 12 times earnings. That low valuation is a big reason why Energy Transfer’s yield is 7.5%.

Slowing growth is the main factor driving down the MLP’s unit price this year. Energy Transfer expects its earnings to be at or below the low end of its guidance range, implying less than 4% growth. That’s well below the 10% compound annual growth rate the company delivered from 2020 through 2024. Energy Transfer has fewer growth catalysts this year as it hasn’t completed many expansion projects or major acquisitions.

However, that’s about to change. Energy Transfer is investing $5 billion into organic capital projects this year, with most expected to come online by the end of 2026. These projects should begin providing meaningful incremental cash flow starting in 2026 and continuing into 2027, which should fuel a growth reacceleration during that period. In addition, the company has more projects in the backlog, including the $5.3 billion Transwestern Pipeline Expansion Project, which should enter service by the end of the decade. It also has several other projects under development.

Energy Transfer is currently in the best financial shape in its history. That puts it in a strong position to continue approving growth capital projects and make acquisitions when the right opportunity arises.

With its unit price down and an exciting growth reacceleration set to kick off in 2026 and ramp up into 2027 as new projects launch, Energy Transfer stands out as a compelling buy right now. It can provide investors with an attractive income stream and high-octane upside potential.

Lock-in dividend growth through at least 2027

Neha Chamaria (Clearway Energy): Clearway Energy yields a hefty 6.3%. That high yield is backed by rising dividends, with the company even setting out dividend per share goals through 2027. The stock, however, has slipped nearly 15% in the past two months. It’s a compelling opportunity to buy.

Based on Clearway Energy’s last quarterly dividend payout, its annualized dividend per share (DPS) comes up to $1.78 per share. The company is targeting a DPS of $1.98 in 2027, which is a neat 11% growth in absolute terms. Since Clearway Energy typically raises its dividend every quarter, that goal looks easily doable. Also, it has its growth plans in place to back those dividends.

Clearway Energy is among the largest clean energy companies in the U.S. with a focus on wind, solar, and battery storage. Its parent company, Clearway Energy Group, has a renewables pipeline of 29 gigawatts. So there’s ample opportunity for growth for Clearway in the form of asset dropdowns from its parent. And it can always supplement growth through third-party acquisitions.

With 2025 kicking off on a strong note thanks to wind project repowering, acquisitions, and opportunities from its parent, Clearway Energy recently upped its guidance. It expects to generate $2.50-$2.70 in cash available for distribution (CAFD) per share in 2027. That should comfortably cover its targeted 2027 DPS, making this high-yield renewable energy stock a solid buy now.

The energy sector is a great spot to find high-quality, high-yielding dividend stocks. It has the highest dividend yield in the S&P 500 index at 3.4%, nearly three times higher than the index (1.2%). Many energy companies have built resilient businesses that can withstand the volatility of energy prices, putting their high-yielding payouts on very sustainable foundations.

My top three energy stocks for dividend income right now are Energy Transfer (ET -0.23%), Chevron (CVX -0.64%), and Brookfield Renewable (BEPC 0.21%) (BEP 0.92%). These companies offer high-yielding and steadily rising payouts backed by strong financial profiles.

Image source: Getty Images.

A very low-risk, high-yielding payout

Energy Transfer currently has a yield of more than 7.5%. The master limited partnership (MLP), which sends investors a Schedule K-1 Federal Tax Form, backs that payout with a very strong financial profile. It generates very stable cash flow as fee-based agreements supply 90% of its annual earnings. The company produced nearly $4.3 billion in cash during the first half of this year, $2 billion more than it distributed to investors. Energy Transfer retained that surplus cash to invest in organic expansion projects and maintain its strong financial profile.

The MLP’s leverage ratio is currently in the lower half of its 4 to 4.5 times target range. That puts Energy Transfer in the strongest financial position in its history. This provides it with ample financial flexibility to invest in organic expansion projects and make strategic acquisitions.

Energy Transfer expects to invest $5 billion in growth capital projects this year, with the majority of these projects coming online by the end of next year. They’ll provide the MLP with meaningful incremental cash flow. It recently approved several more projects, including the $5.3 billion Desert Southwest Pipeline that should enter service by the end of the decade. These growth projects support its plans to increase its cash distribution to investors by 3% to 5% annually.

The fuel to grow into the 2030s

Chevron‘s dividend yield is approaching 4.5%. The oil giant backs its high-yielding dividend with one of the most resilient portfolios in the oil patch. Chevron currently has the industry’s lowest break-even level at $30 a barrel. It also has a fortress financial profile, with one of the lowest leverage ratios in the sector. At less than 15%, Chevron is comfortably below its 20% to 25% target range.

The oil giant expects to deliver a massive amount of additional free cash flow over the coming year. A combination of recently completed expansion projects, its Permian Basin development program, and cost savings initiatives could add $10 billion of incremental free cash flow from its legacy portfolio next year. Meanwhile, its acquisition of Hess will provide an additional $2.5 billion boost to its free cash flow in 2026.

Chevron’s Hess deal extends and enhances its free-cash-flow growth outlook into the 2030s. Meanwhile, the company is investing in building several new energy businesses, including lithium. These growth drivers should give it plenty of fuel to continue increasing its dividend, which it has done for 38 straight years.

The powerful dividend growth should continue

Brookfield Renewable’s dividend yield is also approaching 4.5%. The global renewable energy producer backs that payout with very stable and predictable cash flow. It sells about 90% of the power it produces to utilities and corporations under long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with an average remaining term of 14 years. Those PPAs index 70% of its revenue to inflation.

The company expects its existing portfolio to deliver annual funds from operations (FFO) growth of 4% to 7% per share through the end of the decade. It will benefit from inflation-linked rate increases and margin enhancement activities such as signing new PPAs at higher market prices as legacy ones expire. Brookfield also expects to continue investing in growing its portfolio through development projects and acquisitions. The company’s numerous growth drivers should increase its FFO per share by more than 10% annually.

Brookfield’s growing earnings should support 5% to 9% annual dividend increases. That aligns with its historical trend of growing its payout at a 6% compound annual rate since 2001.

Top-notch energy dividend stocks

Energy Transfer, Chevron, and Brookfield Renewable pay high-yielding and steadily rising dividends backed by strong financials and visible growth profiles. Those features make them my top energy stocks to buy for dividend income right now.

I’ve loved high-yield savings accounts over the past two years. They’ve been paying over 4.00% APY, which is the kind of return we haven’t seen in more than a decade. But those rates aren’t going to last.

The Federal Reserve is expected to begin cutting interest rates later this month, and savings account APYs will tumble right alongside. That’s why I’m moving a chunk of my money out of high-yield savings in September and locking it into places where I can preserve today’s higher returns.

Savings accounts are about to pay less

High-yield savings accounts are variable. When banks cut rates, they cut them fast. That 4.25% APY you see today could be under 3.75% by November. And once it drops, you have to wait for rate cycles to change to get it back.

I’m not closing my savings account completely. It’s still the best spot for my emergency fund and short-term goals. But I don’t want thousands of dollars sitting in cash earning less and less interest each month.

Where I’m moving the money

I’m moving my cash into certificates of deposit (CDs). CDs let me lock in today’s yields for a set term like 12, 24, 36 months, or longer. Once I’m in, the bank can’t cut the APY, no matter what the Fed does.

I’m also using a CD ladder. That means splitting my money across different term lengths so a portion comes due every year. It gives me steady access to cash if I need it, while still locking in higher rates on longer terms.

This way, I don’t have to guess exactly when I’ll need the money, and I don’t miss the chance to preserve today’s top APYs.

The math behind the move

Let’s say you have $20,000 sitting in savings:

• At 4.25% APY, that earns about $850 in interest over the next year.
• If rates fall to 3.50% by year’s end, that drops to $700 in interest.

That’s $150 less just because you waited. Now scale that up if you’ve got a bigger emergency fund or down payment fund. The lost interest adds up fast.

Why now is the time to act

Waiting until after the Fed cuts rates is too late. By then, banks will already have slashed their APYs. Moving money before the Fed meeting on Sept.17 gives you the chance to lock in one of the last rounds of 4%+ rates before they likely disappear.

I’m not abandoning high-yield savings altogether; they’ll always have a place for my emergency cash. But for the money I don’t need immediately, I’d rather secure today’s top rates than watch them slide lower. Compare the best CD rates today.