01-05-2015, 10:35 PM
(01-04-2015, 01:36 PM)Dividend Watcher Wrote: Interesting is an apt description. I feel more comfortable with REITs now that I've reviewed enough financials and watched their progress in my own portfolio. The BDC's and MLP's are still my weak points and have been reluctant to throw cash their way yet although I have been reading some of MAIN's financials. From what I can tell, they seem to be fairly conservative with their financing.
The LYHG portion looks good to me. Many of them I'd be real interested in if only Mr. Market would offer better price points.
With your plans to retire at 60, you've probably made the better decision for now but I agree the monitoring may take up some time.
DW, the BDC's are essentially proxies for junk bonds and so I'm a bit concerned about them at present. The ones I own focus on senior notes, which get 'head of the line privileges' if the issuing company enters bankruptcy, but it still isn't a sure thing by any stroke of the imagination as none of the issuing companies are investment grade (otherwise they would float their own bond offerings).
SOME of the MLP's are sensitive to oil and gas prices and so that has made for a wild ride. However, I believe those prices will rise again so I'm sitting tight. However, from a distribution standpoint I'm sure that the next year or so will result in reduced payouts.
In both cases, since I don't need the income now I can afford to watch and learn, so hopefully by the time I retire I will not have to be so concerned and watchful
