Everything You Need to Know About Bonds (2024)

FAQs

What do you need to know about bonds? ›

An investor who buys a government bond is lending the government money. If an investor buys a corporate bond, the investor is lending the corporation money. Like a loan, a bond pays interest periodically and repays the principal at a stated time, known as maturity.

Bonds. U.S. mortgage bonds and certain corporate bonds are quoted in increments of one thirty-second (1/32) of one percent. That means that prices will be quoted as, for instance, 99-30/32 - "99 and 30 ticks", meaning 99 and 30/32 percent of the face value.

Income: Most bonds provide the investor with “fixed” income. On a set schedule, whether quarterly, twice a year or annually, the bond issuer sends the bondholder an interest payment, which can be spent or reinvested in other bonds.

The people who purchase a bond receive interest payments during the bond's term (or for as long as they hold the bond) at the bond's stated interest rate. When the bond matures (the term of the bond expires), the company pays back the bondholder the bond's face value.

007's puns and one-liners are a key reason the James Bond movies have been so successful. Catchphrases like "The name's Bond, James Bond" and "I'll have a vodka martinini - shaken, not stirred" are among the most recognizable in cinema history.

Bonds are quoted as a percentage of their $1,000 or $100 face value. 7 For example, a quote of 95 means the bond is trading at 95% of its initial face value. Face value quotes allow you to easily calculate the bond's dollar price by multiplying the quote by the face value.

Why don't people invest in bonds? ›

Holding bond funds for shorter periods than that opens you to the risk of further, short-term gyrations in your fund's value, without sufficient time for recovery. And if you buy longer-term individual bonds and have to sell them, you risk the kinds of losses that investors have been experiencing lately.

Treasuries are generally considered"risk-free" since the federal government guarantees them and has never (yet) defaulted. These government bonds are often best for investors seeking a safe haven for their money, particularly during volatile market periods.

Bonds are long-term securities that mature in 20 or 30 years. Notes are relatively short or medium-term securities that mature in 2, 3, 5, 7, or 10 years. Both bonds and notes pay interest every six months. The interest rate for a particular security is set at the auction.

One of the simplest ways to invest in bonds is by purchasing a mutual fund or ETF that specializes in bonds. Government bonds can be purchased directly through government-sponsored websites without the need for a broker, though they can also be found as part of mutual funds or ETFs.

Bonds can be more complex than stocks, but it's not hard to become a knowledgeable fixed-income investor.

Safety: One advantage of buying bonds is that they're a relatively safe investment. Bond values don't fluctuate as much as stock prices. Income: Bonds offer a predictable income stream, paying you a fixed amount of interest twice a year.

The key benefits to owning individual bonds, barring bond default, are: A reliable income stream that is great for planning: If an investor has periodic upcoming expenses, like college tuition, having a reliable income stream can be great for planning.