If you are a dividend-focused investor, the one thing you probably hate more than anything else is a dividend cut. That's understandable, given that a cut means the income stream you thought you were buying didn't pan out.

You should always consider the risk of a dividend cut when looking at dividend stocks. Right now, the risk of a cut seems elevated at Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPW) and Boston Properties (NYSE: BXP).

Investors rightly focus on financial performance when considering the strength of a dividend. But the truth is that the board of directors makes the decision. That is an important factor to consider, because some companies operate in highly volatile sectors but still manage to increase dividends regularly.

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Source Fool.com