Bonds

Is a Series EE Bond a Good Investment?

Monday, May 7th, 2012
Is a Series EE Bond a Good Investment?Even though the stock markets largely recovered from the significant declines of 2008 and 2009, many of the investors and savers who lost money are anxious to avoid similar drastic ups and downs in the future. Those investors are more likely to seek out investments that offer a greater degree of stability and security. In recent years it seems like there are fewer investment options that are reasonably secure for investors who are concerned about preservation of capital. One of these options is the series EE bond issued by the U.S. government – also known as a “savings bond.” Here’s...

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Why Investors Should Consider Muni Bonds Now

Thursday, January 26th, 2012
Why Investors Should Consider Muni Bonds NowThe past year has been a nerve-wracking one for many investors. The major stock market indices have been relatively flat, but there have been lots of volatility in the shorter term movements. And it seems like there’s always a threat of some new piece of news sending the stock market sharply downward. While safe investments like certificates of deposits are paying interest at near record lows, there is still an opportunity to access a respectable rate of return without having to expose investment funds to the risks of the stock market. This opportunity comes in the form of municipal bonds,...

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Should You Be Buying TIPS Now?

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Should You Be Buying TIPS NowOne of the most basic tenets of investing is that U.S. Treasury bonds are some of the safest investments one can make. They’re backed by the federal government, and they are practically guaranteed not to lose value. But when inflation rises, they can’t always keep up, and that means you could still come out behind in terms of buying power. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, or TIPS for short, offer a solution to this dilemma. They are Treasury notes and bonds as well, but the principal and interest are indexed to the inflation rate. In effect, they’re inflation-proof. But that doesn’t...

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What are TIPS?

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
You've probably heard about Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS). They are treasury bonds that adjust their interest and principal payments with inflation. TIPS will likely become much more popular with the perceived inflation risk that may loom in the future. Like other Treasury securities, TIPS pay interest every six months and repay the total principal amount when they mature. The difference is that TIPS' principal value increases automatically based on the inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). So therefore when the CPI rises, the principal value of the TIPS also increases. Interest payments also rise because the...

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