Investors who like the idea of having some extra cash regularly deposited in their accounts have a golden opportunity right now. While higher interest rates are making it more expensive for people to buy cars and homes, it's also pushing dividend yields up in the stock market.

The S 500 average yield is still historically low at 1.32%, but income investors can do better. Here are two outstanding dividend stocks that are trading well off their highs but that pay higher yields.

Realty Income (NYSE: O) is the first quality dividend stock to consider in this environment. It operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT), which means it is required to distribute at least 90% of its taxable income (excluding capital gains) to shareholders. It does this through monthly dividends, where it has a 55-year record of paying dividends to investors.

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Source Fool.com