If you want portfolio income, dividend stocks have been the place to look lately. With yields on alternatives like bank CDs and bonds coming down, it's hard to get the income you need without looking to the stock market.
Stocks can be risky, though, and so adding dividend payers to an investment portfolio makes some people nervous. That's why sticking with blue-chip stocks like the members of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) can be a great way to manage risk while still getting the income you need.
The 30 companies in the Dow are all well-known, mature businesses. But that doesn't mean you have to give up your hopes for growing payouts over time. Over the past year, Home Depot (NYSE: HD), Boeing (NYSE: BA), and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) have all delivered dividend increases of 20% or more. They also have demonstrated their ability to stay strong even in the face of challenging conditions in the past -- a sign of security that any income investor can appreciate.