Anyone who wants high-yield stocks in their portfolio should be investing in Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs).
MLPs are special kind of dividend stocks. Technically, MLPs are tax-advantaged limited partnerships whose units are traded on exchanges just like common shares of stock.
But what sets MLPs apart from most stocks is that MLPs pay very high yields - typically 5% to 12%. This is because U.S. law mandates that they pass most of their income on to unit holders.
And yet, because MLPs are limited partnerships, ordinary shareholders do not suffer unlimited liability as they would in a regular partnership and so can treat their investment as if it was in an ordinary company.
That's why investing in MLPs is such a smart strategy for the dividend-hungry investor.
However, the unusual nature of MLPs -- their income is not taxed at the partnership level - means the government only allows businesses deemed essential to the U.S. economy and national security to adopt the model.
In practice, that typically means companies engaged in the extraction, storage, and transportation of energy commodities like oil, natural gas, and coal, although MLPs do crop up in other industries, such as shipping.
While knowing how to invest in MLPs is great to boost your income, as stocks they usually don't have a lot of upside unless the underlying commodity experiences a price spike.
Nevertheless, the exceptionally high dividends make investing in MLPs worthwhile for at least a portion of a portfolio.
For those seeking the most bang for their investing buck, we've identified three MLPs with dividend yields that pay more than 8%. They are:
While these MLPs are attractive choices, Money Morning Global Energy Strategist Dr. Kent Moors recently listed the six best MLPs you can own right now for readers of his Energy Advantage newsletter.
For those interested in investing in MLPs, Kent's service is a must-have.
To find out more about Energy Advantage, click here.
For more on investing in MLPs, check out Energy Investors Will Love These New MLPs
Related Articles:
[epom]
About the Author
David Zeiler, Associate Editor for Money Morning at Money Map Press, has been a journalist for more than 35 years, including 18 spent at The Baltimore Sun. He has worked as a writer, editor, and page designer at different times in his career. He's interviewed a number of well-known personalities - ranging from punk rock icon Joey Ramone to Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Wozniak.
Over the course of his journalistic career, Dave has covered many diverse subjects. Since arriving at Money Morning in 2011, he has focused primarily on technology. He's an expert on both Apple and cryptocurrencies. He started writing about Apple for The Sun in the mid-1990s, and had an Apple blog on The Sun's web site from 2007-2009. Dave's been writing about Bitcoin since 2011 - long before most people had even heard of it. He even mined it for a short time.
Dave has a BA in English and Mass Communications from Loyola University Maryland.