The math is pretty simple for investors looking to live off of the dividend income their portfolios generate: Bigger yields mean more income. But huge yields, like the 14.5% on offer from AGNC Investment (NASDAQ: AGNC), can't be taken on without a deeper look at the risks involved. Sometimes, a lower yield, like the 4.8% from Realty Income (NYSE: O), is the better choice.

Here's a comparison of these two real estate investment trusts (REITs) on three points to show why simple is better.

The single biggest difference between Realty Income and AGNC is that one owns properties and the other holds mortgage-backed securities, often in the form of debt known as collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs). 

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Source Fool.com