Are bonds still a conservative investment? With yields jumping dramatically this summer (and prices dropping), it’s hard not to notice the turmoil in the bond market. I’ve been stopped by many people with concerned questions about what to do, and this article was born out of those conversations. The bond market almost certainly touches your […]
Archive | Bond Investing
WARNING: Bond Mutual Funds in Your 401(k), 403(b), and Non-Retirement Investment Accounts!
If you’re like most people, you probably have a part of your retirement savings (and other assets) allocated in bond mutual funds. And if you’re like most people, you probably put together an allocation and forgot about it – the “set it and forget it” strategy. Investors like to diversify into bonds to reduce the […]
The Case for Active Bond Management: You Don’t Want a Stagnant Laddered Portfolio!
Investors tend to enjoy talking about stocks; they’re exciting, easy to buy and sell, and can produce high returns. But fixed income is just as important as your equity allocation, and sometimes even more so. Bonds are often the quiet cornerstone of many portfolios. However, managing a bond portfolio can quickly become a lot more […]
Is Your Bond Portfolio Prepared for a Recovery?
As we slowly work our way out of this historic recession, it’s a good time to take a step back and think about where we might be headed and what it could mean for the fixed income holdings in your portfolio. In December of 2008, the Federal Reserve dropped interest rates to record lows and […]