High Yield Dividend Stocks: Exxon, New York Mortgage Trust to Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYMT, XOM, VIG)

The Dow is down over 200 points today which is why we are on the search for high paying dividend stocks, a classic move like Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) with a 2.58% yield all the way to New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. (NASDAQ:NYMT) at 15%.  Dividend paying stocks are key when trading in this volatile market, you can always play it safe with the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSE:VIG).

Dividend yield is one of the main factors to consider when investing in dividend-paying stocks. However, use caution when you come across a stock with a dividend yield of 10% and above, they are usually very risky investments.  With that, let's get into a few dividend choices and as a tool visit dividend.com and check out their page that contains the 'Highest Yield Dividend Stocks', its up-to-date (click to visit).

The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSE:VIG) doesn't actually pay a dividend, rather the fund is up dividend paying stocks.  Vanguard describes the fund as employing a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Dividend Achievers Select Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the Broad Dividend Achievers Index and is administered exclusively for Vanguard by Mergent, Inc.  Currently the VIG is made up of the following:

New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. (NASDAQ:NYMT) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires and manages primarily real estate-related assets, including mortgage-backed securities ("RMBS") issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac (each an "Agency"), high credit quality residential adjustable rate mortgage ("ARM") loans, non-Agency RMBS, and to a lesser extent, certain alternative real-estate related and financial assets. As a REIT, the Company is not subject to federal income tax, provided that it distributes at least 90% of its REIT income to stockholders.

Currently the NYMT is paying out close to a 15% dividend and shares are trading in the $6.50 range, here's a look at the company's past dividend payouts:

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) is a company that needs no introduction, its the world's most profitable oil companies commanding an incredible $308.95 billion market cap.  The stock has been trading in the $65 range and has paid out a 42 Cent dividend for the past year, which works out to a 2.58% dividend yield.