Bond Investing For Dummies

Your friendly guide to trading the bond and bond fund market

Bonds and bond funds are among the safest and most reliable
investments you can make to ensure an ample and dependable
retirement income--if you do it right! Bond Investing For
Dummies helps you do just that, with clear explanations of
everything you need to know to build a diversified bond portfolio
that will be there when you need it no matter what happens in the
stock market.

This plain-English guide clearly explains the pros and cons of
investing in bonds, how they differ from stocks, and the best (and
worst!) ways to select and purchase bonds for your needs. You'll
get up to speed on the different bond varieties and see how to get
the best prices when you sell.

• Covers the ups and downs of today's market, which reinforces
  the importance of bonds in a portfolio

• Explains how a radical fall in interest rates make bond
  investing trickier than ever

• Explores the historic downgrade of U.S. Treasuries and its
  possible effects on government bonds

If you're an investor looking for a resource that helps you
understand, evaluate, and incorporate bonds into your portfolio,
Bond Investing For Dummies has you covered.

Autorentext

Russell Wild, MBA, is the author or coauthor of many nonfiction books, including Exchange-Traded Funds For Dummies, Index Investing For Dummies, and One Year to an Organized Financial Life. He is a NAPFA-certified financial advisor, registered with the Pennsylvania Securities Commission.

Zusammenfassung
Your friendly guide to trading the bond and bond fund market Bonds and bond funds are among the safest and most reliable investments you can make to ensure an ample and dependable retirement incomeif you do it right! Bond Investing For Dummies helps you do just that, with clear explanations of everything you need to know to build a diversified bond portfolio that will be there when you need it no matter what happens in the stock market.

This plain-English guide clearly explains the pros and cons of investing in bonds, how they differ from stocks, and the best (and worst!) ways to select and purchase bonds for your needs. You'll get up to speed on the different bond varieties and see how to get the best prices when you sell.

• Covers the ups and downs of today's market, which reinforces the importance of bonds in a portfolio
• Explains how a radical fall in interest rates make bond investing trickier than ever
• Explores the historic downgrade of U.S. Treasuries and its possible effects on government bonds
  If you're an investor looking for a resource that helps you understand, evaluate, and incorporate bonds into your portfolio, Bond Investing For Dummies has you covered.

Inhalt

Introduction 1

Part I: Bond Appetit! 9

Chapter 1: So You Want to Be a Bondholder 11

Chapter 2: Developing Your Investment Game Plan 23

Chapter 3: The (Often, But Not Always) Heroic History of Bonds
35

Chapter 4: Sweet Interest Is the Name of the Game 49

Part II: Numerous and Varied Ways to Make

Money in Bonds 71

Chapter 5: "Risk-Free" Investing: U.S. Treasury
Bonds 73

Chapter 6: Industrial Returns: Corporate Bonds 91

Chapter 7: Lots of Protection (and Just a Touch of Confusion):
Agency Bonds 105

Chapter 8: (Almost) Tax-Free Havens: Municipal Bonds
117

Chapter 9: Le Bond du Jour: Global Bonds and Other Seemingly
Exotic Offerings 131

Part III: Customizing and Optimizing Your Bond Portfolio
149

Chapter 10: Risk, Return, and Realistic Expectations
151

Chapter 11: The Science (and Pseudoscience) of
Portfolio-Building 169

Chapter 12: Dividing Up the Pie: What Percentage Should Be in
Bonds? 179

Chapter 13: Which Kinds of Bonds Make the Most Sense for You?
197

Part IV: Bonds Away! Navigating the Fixed-Income Marketplace
211

Chapter 14: Strategizing Your Bond Buys and Sells 213

Chapter 15: Investing (Carefully!) in Individual Bonds .229

Chapter 16: Picking a Bond Fund That Will Serve You for Life
.245

Part V: Bonds As Replacements for the Old Paycheck...
271

Chapter 17: Fulfi lling the Need for Steady, Ready, Heady Cash
273

Chapter 18: Finding Comfort and Security in Old
Age 291

Part VI: The Part of Tens 303

Chapter 19: Ten Most Common Misconceptions about Bonds 305

Chapter 20: Ten Mistakes That Most Bond Investors Make 311

Chapter 21: Ten Q & A's with Bond Guru Dan Fuss
317

Appendix: Helpful Web Resources for Successful Bond Investing
321

Index 325