Why Invest in Bonds?
In the world of investments, bonds are not where the action is. They rarely lead the business news reports, much less the general news. And the reason is simple: they’re plain vanilla. After all, when was the last time you heard somebody brag about a hot tip on a bond? And yet, the U.S. bond market — with a total market value of $36 trillion — is nearly three times as big as the stock market. So what gives? The short answer is this: respectable returns and less risk make up for bonds’ lack of sizzle.
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Are U.S. Treasury Bonds Still Safe?
Since 1917, U.S. Treasury securities always held the very highest rating from credit rating agencies. That is, until August 5, 2011, when Standard & Poor’s stripped Treasury bonds of their triple-A rating and replaced it with their second-best rating. What did the downgrade to double-A mean to the world’s bond investors? Not much.
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A Portfolio Tune-Up
Over time, the weighting of the asset classes in your portfolio can change. After spending a great deal of time to develop an asset allocation strategy, it can be frustrating to see these changes. However, a simple rebalancing of your portfolio may be all that is needed to get your portfolio back in line.
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Follow through on Your Estate Plan
Usually, a great deal of thought and effort goes into estate planning documents. You need to consider all your assets, decide who should receive those assets, and find the best strategies to accomplish your goals. However, your work isn’t over once you’ve signed those documents. You need to make sure your assets are properly positioned to go to your intended heirs. Some problems to look out for include...
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Keep Saving after Retirement
Just because you’re retired doesn’t mean you should stop saving. Consider these tips...
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