With stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds, and derivatives to choose from, the stock market gives everyday investors an endless array of options. If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the different investment approaches your brokerage offers, I have good news for you.

Buying shares of businesses that produce profits and commit to returning those profits to their shareholders is an investing strategy with a terrific track record. During the 50-year period from 1973 through 2022, the average dividend-paying stock in the benchmark S 500 index delivered a 9.3% average annual return, according to Hartford Funds and Ned Davis Research. Stocks in the same index that didn't pay a dividend fell by 0.6% annually, on average.

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Source Fool.com