Last year I introduced the Stock Ideas list and it has proven to be immensely popular. The list consists of Dividend Aristocrats, US Broad Dividend Achievers and U.S. Dividend Champions. Here are some highlights on this year’s changes:

I am a firm believer that asset allocation plays a significant part in a portfolio’s long-term results. Recently, I received a question asking if you could have a diversified portfolio of dividend stocks. It is an interesting question that deserves further examination.

To ensure a retirement that is free from financial concerns, there are certain things that must be done today. For many people this is not a desirable task. However, building a secure future by investing in quality dividend stocks is neither complicated nor overly burdensome.

This time last year it was easy to find good dividend stocks trading at a fair value. The question was, ‘which of these do I buy?’ Now the questions is often, ‘am I willing to pay this much for that stock?’. If we look close enough, there are still a few dividend stocks trading below fair value.

The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats is the most prestigious list of dividend stocks. It is designed to measure the performance of S&P 500 stocks that have followed a policy of consistently increasing dividends every year for at least 25 consecutive years.

McDonald's Corporation is the largest fast-food restaurant company in the world. Its restaurants serve a varied, yet limited, value-priced menu in more than 100 countries around the world. Linked here is a detailed analysis and commentary.

What makes a good dividend stock? Every dividend growth investor is looking for a stock that will increase its dividend every year I have found that stocks that are able to do this share some common characteristics.

With the recent decline in the U.S. dollar, investors are thinking more about international diversification. This can be accomplished by many different means. However, one method that is often overlooked is buying a large U.S. multi-national company.

In everything we do, we always want to be the best or be associated with the best. You never hear fans yelling, ‘We’re number 2, we’re number 2′, while holding two fingers in the air.  The same is true when selecting dividend stocks.

Writing about dividend investing allows me to interact with knowledgeable investors and expose myself to new ideas. In response a recent post “How Much Money Will You Need For Retirement?“, two readers introduced me to a concept that hadn’t considered up to that point.