7 Dividend Myths That Are Just Plain Wrong

High-quality dividend stocks can be one of the best ways to create long-term wealth and minimize risk in your portfolio. Unfortunately, many investors invest in dividend stocks incorrectly (or not at all) because of some popular misconceptions.

Many younger investors tend to avoid dividend stocks because they're "boring" and they think growth stocks offer the best chance of strong returns, even though many dividend stocks significantly outperform the market over the long run. "Boring" dividend stock Johnson & Johnson produced nearly double the S&P 500's total return over the past 20 years. Other dividend investors simply buy the highest-paying stocks in certain industries, without looking at the bigger picture. And the list goes on...

AT&T pays a 5.5% dividend yield, which makes it a great choice for those who rely on investment income to live on. However, many dividend investors believe that fact alone makes it a better investment than the aforementioned Johnson & Johnson, whose 3% yield pales in comparison. In reality, Johnson & Johnson has consistently outperformed AT&T over the long run for several reasons that I delve into in the slideshow below.

Without further ado, scroll through the following slideshow to learn about seven dividend myths that are just plain wrong.

The article 7 Dividend Myths That Are Just Plain Wrong originally appeared on Fool.com.

Matthew Frankel owns shares of AT&T. The Motley Fool recommends Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, and Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2016 $37 calls on Coca-Cola, short January 2016 $43 calls on Coca-Cola, and short January 2016 $37 puts on Coca-Cola. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.