Investors who are coming up on retirement are shifting from building nest eggs to living off of them. It's a huge transition that may involve increasing the number of dividend-paying stocks you own.

But don't forget about the importance of having a diversified portfolio, which means that even energy stocks might be considered in the mix. Here are three dividend-paying energy companies that might make sense for your portfolio now.

Chevron (NYSE: CVX) is one of the world's largest integrated energy companies, meaning its assets span from drilling, through the midstream sector, and down to the refining and chemicals arena. Each of these businesses has different operating characteristics that add up to a stronger, more balanced whole. For example, chemical and refining can actually benefit from the low oil prices that would hamper the energy production side of Chevron. Midstream is usually a strong performer in all environments. This is a safety-first kind of investment.

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Source Fool.com