5 Dividend Stocks That Pay Out Over $8 Billion a Year

"A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money."

Whether or not the late U.S. senator from Illinois Everett Dirksen actually every said those exact words, the sentiment is undeniable. Billions of dollars certainly qualify as real money by anyone's definition.

Many top companies give plenty of real money back to their shareholders in the form of dividends. Five of the biggest dividend payers are ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), AT&T (NYSE: T), Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), General Electric (NYSE: GE), and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ). Each of these stocks pays out over $8 billion each year in the form of dividends. Are these smart dividend stocks for investors right now?

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Source: Fool.com