One of the lesser known facts regarding making money in the stock market is that investing in stocks with high dividends is an excellent way to ensure that your overall stock market returns are higher than average. Over long periods of time, gains made from holding stocks are bolstered significantly by investing in stocks with high dividends.

Three basic approaches to selecting a high dividend portfolio are discussed. While these approaches are a good starting point, the author suggests a more robust approach that would improve the performance of a high dividend portfolio (HDP). Additionally, the author points out how such HDPs will perform in both bear and bull markets.

Lynn Carpenter says pension fund deficits could be a major threat to dividend payments. Legislation forces companies to keep private pension plans well funded, meaning some will have to raise large sums of cash at short notice. Lynn picks 9 firms that could soon be forced into making big dividend cuts.

Investors need a solid defense right now, says Martin Denholm. This means holding high-dividend stocks. Consumer staples and telecoms industries are the best places to cherry pick strong companies. For a lower-risk alternative, try these two high-dividend ETFs (AMEX:SDY, PEY).