Yes. The S&P for example has had a roughly 2% average dividend yield on its basket of stocks over the past several decades. That helps, as without that dividen

Yes. The S&P for example has had a roughly 2% average dividend yield on its basket of stocks over the past several decades. That helps, as without that dividend value the real return for stocks would be even worse the past decade. For dividends to work in an inflationary environment, you need serious yield. AT&T and Verizon as common stocks would get you close with their 6%x yields. Most people these days of course can't get access to good yield on anything with interest rates on the floor (corporate debt and select few dividends being nearly the sole safe exceptions).