No savings at 50 and worried about retirement? I’d buy dividend shares for a passive income

Investing money in dividend shares today could lead to a growing passive income over the long run – even from a standing start at age 50.

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

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Buying dividend shares today could be a sound means of obtaining a growing passive income over the long run. In many cases, they offer high yields after having not fully recovered from the 2020 stock market crash. And the global economic outlook is set to improve. That means they may deliver rising dividends over the coming years.

Therefore, even if an investor has no savings at age 50, there may be time for them to build a worthwhile passive income between now and when they retire.

Buying dividend shares with high yields

High yields among many of today’s dividend shares do not only mean that they offer a generous passive income in the short run. A high yield also suggests that they may be priced at levels that do not fully factor-in their long-term financial prospects.

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For example, some consumer goods companies and energy stocks have high yields at the moment compared to their historic averages. This could be because they face difficult short-term outlooks that may dampen their financial prospects. However, in many cases, such companies have solid financial positions. And they also have the right strategies to adapt to changing consumer tastes. This could mean they can deliver impressive financial performances over the long run that translate into rising share prices.

Buying dividend stocks with growth potential

As well as focusing on dividend shares with high yields, buying companies with growth potential could be a sound move. Businesses that are likely to benefit from industry-wide trends may be able to deliver stronger sales and profit growth than their peers. Think those benefiting from an increasing shift towards a digital world, for example.

This may have a positive impact on their valuations over the long run. It may also enable them to pay a rising dividend that increases their popularity among investors in an era of low interest rates. A rising dividend may also significantly improve an investor’s level of passive income over the long run. Compounding can mean that an above-average dividend growth rate turns a modest yield today into a very attractive level of income in the coming years.

Building a retirement portfolio

Dividend shares could provide strong returns over the coming years. Even an investment in a diverse range of shares that merely matches the market’s return can produce a surprisingly large portfolio. An investor aged 50 with no savings is likely to have at least 15 years left until they retire. In this time, a similar growth rate to the stock market’s historic return of 8% would turn a £750 monthly investment into a portfolio valued at £260,000.

However, through buying high-yielding stocks with dividend growth potential at the moment, it is possible to outperform the market. Doing so could provide greater financial freedom in retirement.

However, don’t buy any shares just yet

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Of course, the decade ahead looks hazardous. What with inflation recently hitting 40-year highs, a ‘cost of living crisis’ and threat of a new Cold War, knowing where to invest has never been trickier.

And yet, despite the UK stock market recently hitting a new all-time high, Mark and his team think many shares still trade at a substantial discount, offering savvy investors plenty of potential opportunities to strike.

That’s why now could be an ideal time to secure this valuable investment research.

Mark’s ‘Foolish’ analysts have scoured the markets low and high.

This special report reveals 5 of his favourite long-term ‘Buys’.

Please, don’t make any big decisions before seeing them.

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Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

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