Almost ready to retire? How I’d find the best ASX dividend shares to buy now

Ah, retirement. The word evokes images of sleepy mornings, time with family, and generally doing whatever one might want. One way I would help bring bliss to my retirement would be to build a passive income by investing in ASX dividend shares now.

A passive income is just that – passive.

It means a person doesn’t need to keep a close eye on their investments in order to receive regular payments.

While no ASX share is guaranteed to continue paying dividends into the future, investing in high-quality yielding stocks can provide greater certainty.

Here’s how I would find the best ASX dividend shares to buy for retirement now.

How I would seek out ASX dividend shares for retirement now

Stock picking is a personal endeavour. As many successful investors advise, it’s often best to search for potential winning businesses in sectors one understands and believes in.

Though, there are some aspects of picking ASX dividend shares I would employ regardless of the industry or company I’m looking at.

Here are the three factors I would consider when searching for the best stocks to buy for passive income right now.

Balance sheet

The first is a strong balance sheet. I would argue a company’s financial position is of particular importance when investing for passive income.

That’s because ASX dividend shares generally pay excess profits to shareholders.

A strong balance sheet might suggest a company is managing its capital well and, thus, could provide more stable dividends.

Competitive advantages

The second factor I would consider when searching for ASX dividend shares to buy now is competitive advantages.

A business with plenty of competitive advantages will likely have a notable ‘edge’ over its peers and boast ‘stickiness’, meaning its customers are more likely to contribute repeat revenue.

It could also mean a company is offering a sought-after product or service and, therefore, holds pricing power.

These factors may help a company outperform over the long term.

Is an ASX dividend share a bargain?

Speaking of long term, the final factor I would consider often takes a bit more digging. Still, it’s arguably the most important piece of the puzzle to get right.

That is, timing.

Before buying a stock I would look at the company’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, price-to-book (P/B) ratio, and debt-to-equity ratio – among other measures – to help me determine if it’s cheap or expensive.

If I find it’s cheap, I may make the final decision to invest. If not, I would probably hold off for now.

Beyond that, I would look to the future to imagine where the business might be in five, 10, or 20 years. Doing so, I would consider if its dividend yield is sustainable – perhaps taking into account its dividend history.

Though, it’s worth remembering that even the most well thought through investments can go awry. No ASX share is guaranteed to continue paying dividends, provide returns, or even downside protection.

The post Almost ready to retire? How I’d find the best ASX dividend shares to buy now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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