Investors are showing renewed interest in stocks that regularly send cash back to shareholders. Dividend-focused ETFs attracted nearly $22 billion globally during the first quarter of 2026, the strongest quarterly inflow since 2022, according to Morningstar. With more baby boomers moving from saving for retirement to spending their portfolios, retirees looking to start investing may be giving income-producing investments another look.

However, there’s more behind the appeal than simply collecting a quarterly check. Not every dollar flowing into dividend funds comes from retirees, and recent demand may also reflect investors seeking defensive stocks during volatile markets. Still,…