Dividend investors are enjoying fatter payouts again, to the tune of $10 billion per year. The reason? More than one-quarter of companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 have increased their quarterly payouts over the past five and a half months, with just two cutting dividends. "It speaks to confidence in the strength of the underlying economy, and their ability to cover dividend payments without breaking the bank," S&P analyst Howard Silverblatt says.

Here are five things investors need to know about dividend investing now:

1. It can only get better, and it is.
2. Watch the taxman.
3. Expect bank dividends to come back — if you're patient.
4. Dividends could be safe harbors if the market drops again.
5. Dividends are solid long-term.

Source: CNBC


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