Author: Marc Lichtenfeld, Wealthy Retirement

Most Americans who are in good health at age 50 will live to see 100. This means they will have to fund a 30- to 40-year retirement.

Out of the blue, my son asked why many of our friends had bigger houses and fancier cars than we do. He wasn’t being obnoxious. He was genuinely curious. He knows I’m financially savvy, so he wondered why we didn’t live like other people who we hang out with. As I talked to him, I emphasized that the choices his mom and I have made have directly led to our financial well-being and, more importantly, our happiness.

Whatever extra income you can put in your pocket or costs you can save, get that money earning interest or growing.

While everyone has been writing off the company as dead, it has raised its dividend for 23 years in a row and has had a double-digit annual growth rate for the past three, five and 10 years. In addition, the company’s ample free cash flow and long track record of dividend raises suggests the dividend is pretty safe.