Investment

A highly speculative bond that is sold at a discount to par and pays interest only if the issuer has sufficient income. The income bond’s issuer only pledges to pay the principal when the bond matures. Without accumulated interest, income bonds trade flat. What types of bonds have a flat price? If the buyer of […]

Bonds and interest rates have an inverse connection. Bond prices normally fall when the cost of borrowing money rises (interest rates rise), and vice versa. When interest rates rise, what happens to bonds? Market interest rates and bond prices often move in opposite directions, which is a fundamental premise of bond investing. Fixed-rate bond prices

As a result, longer-maturity bonds are more susceptible to interest rate risk than shorter-maturity bonds. Long-term bonds have higher coupon rates than short-term bonds of the same credit rating to compensate investors for this interest rate risk. Why are long-term bond interest rates higher? Bond prices decline when interest rates rise (and vice versa), with

While the risk of default is modest, muni bonds are vulnerable to interest rate risk, or the possibility that rising rates may cause prices to decline. This is especially true for investors in municipal bond funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). If Treasury yields rise (implying that prices fall), muni bonds are quite likely to follow

Residents of the issuing state are generally excluded from federal and state taxes on income earned from municipal bonds. While interest income is tax-free, any capital gains delivered to the investor are taxable. The Federal Alternative Minimum Tax may apply to some investors’ earnings (AMT). What kind of municipal bonds are tax-exempt? If municipal bonds

While the risk of default is modest, muni bonds are vulnerable to interest rate risk, or the possibility that rising rates may cause prices to decline. This is especially true for investors in municipal bond funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). If Treasury yields rise (implying that prices fall), muni bonds are quite likely to follow

The majority of municipal bonds have a set interest rate. This rate remains constant during the bond’s life. However, market conditions will cause the underlying price of a bond to change in the secondary market. The key factors influencing municipal bond secondary market values are changes in interest rates and interest rate expectations. Do municipal

Municipal bonds (also known as “munis”) or tax-exempt bonds are examples of such bonds. The majority of municipal bonds and short-term notes are issued in $5,000 or multiples of $5,000 denominations. Interest on bonds is usually paid every six months (though some forms of bonds work differently), while interest on notes is usually paid when

Ask your family members whether they have ever opened a bond in your name to see if there are any outstanding bonds in your name. Call your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and anybody else you think might have bought a bond in your name in the past. After sifting through their filing cabinets, the

Bonds offer better yields than bank accounts, but the risks associated with a well-diversified bond portfolio are minimal. Bonds, in general, and government bonds in particular, help stock portfolios diversify and prevent losses. Bond ETFs make it simple for investors to benefit from the advantages of a bond portfolio. How much of my portfolio should