Good advise Ray. I would add one more thing. No one and I really mean no one beats the market long term. It is not possible. Everyone of us can claim we did for 3 years or a few maybe 5 years, but anyone who tells you they are ahead of the market long term is telling a lie or is an inside trader. Even Peter Lynch who did it for several years running will tell you he got out because he could not continue to beat the market.
If you believe the above, the only investment that makes any sense is the lowest cost mutual fund that is a total market index fund. I do everything possible to match the total market in low cost index funds. I use only Vanguard (lowest ER) index funds. Total stock market, Total International and Total Emerging markets and Total Bond. And yes I to play trying to beat the market with dividend stocks and a couple ETF's. But for the major part of my investments I use index funds and try to map to the world markets.
I also have an IPS (investment policy statement) that has a few triggers to move in and out when things go way down or way up, but I stick to my AA (asset allocation) re-balance at certain trigger points, and stick to my plan.
And once more, no one beats the market long term. It has been proven many many times.
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