I own a lot of dividend stocks. They're a big part of my investment strategy. I'm working toward eventually generating enough passive income to cover my basic living expenses. Last year, five stocks supplied me with more than $500 of dividend income apiece.

Dividend stocks provide income, even amid market sell-offs, and can hedge against inflation in 2025. Learn about 3 top dividend stocks for 2025.

Many dividend stocks lost their luster in 2022 and 2023 as rising interest rates drove jittery investors toward safer CDs, Treasury bills, and other fixed-income investments. However, many of those high-yielding dividend stocks stabilized in 2024 as the Federal Reserve finally implemented three interest rate cuts.

With the youngest baby boomers (Americans born between 1946 and 1964) approaching retirement age, it's becoming increasingly important to focus on magnificent dividend stocks that will supply significant passive income either in or out of designated retirement accounts like IRAs.