The FTSE 100‘s been a great place to search for dividend shares in recent decades. But times have been tougher more recently as earnings and balance sheets have become strained. Broker AJ Bell notes that “there have been 138 dividend cuts across the current crop of FTSE 100 members in the past decade”. More than half (74) came out of the blue when the Covid-19 crisis broke. Another nine were chalked up in 2023. Overall, UK blue-chips tend to be a good bet for investors seeking dividend income. The Footsie’s average dividend yield sits at an inflation-busting 3.8% for this year, AJ Bell says. And the figure rises to 4.1% for 2025. But a patchy record since the pandemic means investors need to be more careful that usual when investing for dividends. I look for companies that have: Market-leading positions and diverse revenue streams Defensive operations that provide earnings stability A sustainable dividend payout ratio of 30-50% Strong dividend cover of 2 times or above Robust balance sheets (with solid cash flows and low debt) Long track records of dividend growth Not all top dividend stocks meet all of these criteria. But by trying to tick off as many as...