2 Top Dividend Stocks You Can Buy and Hold Forever

Dividend stocks can be a great source of passive income, and fortunately, there is no shortage of dividend-paying companies in the stock market. However, finding those whose businesses -- and payouts -- will remain intact through bull and bear markets can be a bit of a challenge. After all, many companies slash, or outright suspend, their dividends once the economy stops working in their favor. If you are looking for dividend stocks that can pay you for the rest of your life, rest assured: They exist. Two that I think fall seamlessly into this group are healthcare giants AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) and Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN).

Both of these drugmakers have been around for quite some time. AbbVie split from its former parent company, Abbott Laboratories, in January 2013. When considering its run under Abbott, AbbVie has been around for several decades. The same applies to Amgen, which was founded in 1980. The fact that these companies have been able to remain in business for this long doesn't guarantee them a bright future. Still, it is worth noting that they do have a solid and proven history.

And with the need for innovative medicine always increasing, especially given our aging worldwide population, both have an opportunity to continue profiting from their (thus far) successful business models for many years to come. With this backdrop in mind, let's take a closer look at each of these companies.

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Source Fool.com