Searching for yield

In a world where money markets are paying 1.5 percent or less, and one-year CDs are paying an average 1.7 to 2 percent, what alternatives does an income investor have?

Reaching for very high yields almost always means accepting more risk. With that caveat in mind, I will go over some opportunities that look good now and provide some research tools to help you decide for yourself. To take advantage of these ideas it would be best to set up a brokerage account. Start with $1,000 or more.

If you like doing your own research, set up an online account using a discount broker. There are many quality...