Looking for steady dividend income but want to avoid risky payouts? Verizon (VZ), Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY), and Pembina Pipeline (PBA) are worth a look. Verizon offers a 6.3% yield with a sustainable 60% payout ratio and slow but steady wireless growth. Bristol Myers sports a 5.4% yield; while its payout ratio is at 100% due to one-offs, $14.6B in free cash flow easily covers its $5B dividend bill. Despite losing exclusivity on some drugs, the company’s new portfolio is showing growth, and shares are trading at just 7x forward earnings. Pembina Pipeline yields 5.8% and supports its payout with CA$2.6B in free cash flow versus CA$1.8B in dividends, relying on stable, long-term contracts. Investing $12,000 in each would generate about $2,100 in annual dividends, with relatively strong payout sustainability.