Most stocks offer high yields or growth, but the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF offers surprisingly strong growth, considering its high starting yield. As shown below, the ETF has raised its dividend by 174% over the past decade.

If you've read my articles before, there's a good chance you've read my work about the Dividend Kings: companies that have paid increasing dividends for 50 years or more. However, when you give it more than a passing thought,

Dividend stocks offer multiple benefits for retail investors: in addition to providing a steady stream of passive income which can be reinvested to boost portfolio performance, dividends are usually a signal that a company has strong stability.

There's a simple way to get reliable dividend stocks into your portfolio, and a way to selectively augment that approach.