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 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 all the different types of bonds and discover how to know when it's time to sell and how to get the best prices when you do. Find out what you need to know about: Buying and selling bonds and bond funds Measuring bond risks and returns Taxes on bond interest and tax-free bonds Customizing and optimizing your bond portfolio Common bond-investing mistakes and how to avoid them "Risk-free" U.S. Treasury bonds Tax-free municipal bonds High yield corporate bonds The pros and cons agency bonds Convertible bonds, derivatives, and other exotic offerings Packed with sound advice and dependable formulas for ensuring that your bond investments fulfill your retirement goals, Bond Investing For Dummies is the resource you need to put the gold in your golden years.

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.

Bonds have long been a stalwart of investment. More than $100 billion was invested in municipal bonds alone in 2006. Now, with the economy a little less certain than it has been in recent decades, the demand for a secure place to invest money has lead to resurgence in interest in the use of bonds for many investors. Because there are many peculiarities in bond investment, you must have a basic understanding of the market, the bond issuer, how to measure rates of return and how to maximize those rates. This book provides anyone who has never invested in bonds before the ideal handbook to start investing in and earning massive returns from bonds. You will learn everything the savvy investor needs to effectively turn a high risk portfolio into a constantly growing, steadily developing source of wealth. You will learn how bonds operate on a very basic level, including the numerous different kinds of bonds and how bond funds can be a highly lucrative option. You will learn the fundamental differences between government, municipal, and corporate bonds and how much of a return you can expect from each. You will learn the basic methods of valuation and yield that bonds are measured by and how you can evaluate bonds with three basic steps. You will be guided through determining the face value, coupon rate, and sale price of a bond, as well as the ratings, insurance, maturity, callability, and taxes that might be associated with it. The importance of interest rates, inflation, and supply and demand in affecting the yield of your bonds will be detailed as well to ensure you make a careful investment. In addition to a comprehensive guide on the many options and methods of investing in bonds, dozens of interviews with financial gurus from around the nation have been conducted to provide critical, real world advice on how to successfully invest your money into bonds. You will be shown the risk free methods by which to invest in bonds, making low interest returns on U.S. government bonds, as well as the higher risk methods that will allow you to make great returns by investing in industrial and corporate bonds. You will learn how to look overseas for even more lucrative options and how to measure the risk of your bonds based on the debt in which you are investing and the callability of any one bond issuer. You will be shown how to effectively balance your portfolio to include bonds without ignoring the necessity and place for other investments. For any investor who has been agonizing over how to safely invest money for a high return, this book is for you, guiding you through the complex, but rewarding, world of bond investments. Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company presidentâe(tm)s garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed.

Become a savvy investor with this updated Wall Street Journal bestseller Want to take charge of your financial future? This national bestselling guide has been thoroughly updated to provide you with the latest insights into smart investing, from weighing your investment options (such as stocks, real estate, and small business) to understanding risks and returns, managing your portfolio, and much more.Get time-tested investment advice -- expert author Eric Tyson shares his extensive knowledge and reveals how to invest in challenging marketsDiscover all the fundamenta.

Everything on Treasuries, munis,bond funds, and more! The bond buyer’s answer book—updated for the new economy “As in the first two editions, this third edition of The Bond Book continues to be the idealreference for the individual investor. It has all the necessary details, well explained andillustrated without excessive mathematics. In addition to providing this essential content, itis extremely well written.” —James B. Cloonan, Chairman, American Association of Individual Investors “Annette Thau makes the bond market interesting, approachable, and clear. As much asinvestors will continue to depend on fixed-income securities during their retirement years,they’ll need an insightful guide that ensures they’re appropriately educated and served.The Bond Book does just that.” —Jeff Tjornejoh, Research Director, U.S. and Canada, Lipper, Thomson Reuters “Not only a practical and easy-to-understand guide for the novice, but also a comprehensivereference for professionals. Annette Thau provides the steps to climb to the top of the bondinvestment ladder. The Bond Book should be a permanent fixture in any investment library!” —Thomas J. Herzfeld, President, Thomas Herzfeld Advisors, Inc. “If the financial crisis of recent years has taught us anything, it’s buyer beware. Fact is, bondscan be just as risky as stocks. That’s why Annette Thau’s new edition of The Bond Book isessential reading for investors who want to know exactly what’s in their portfolios. It alsoserves as an excellent guide for those of us who are getting older and need to diversify intofixed income.” —Jean Gruss, Southwest Florida Editor, Gulf Coast Business Review, andformer Managing Editor, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report About the Book The financial crisis of 2008 causedmajor disruptions to every sector ofthe bond market and left even the savviestinvestors confused about the safety oftheir investments. To serve these investors andanyone looking to explore opportunities infixed-income investing, former bond analystAnnette Thau builds on the features and authoritythat made the first two editions bestsellersin the thoroughly revised, updated, andexpanded third edition of The Bond Book. This is a one-stop resource for both seasonedbond investors looking for the latest informationon the fixed-income market and equitiesinvestors planning to diversify their holdings.Writing in plain English, Thau presentscutting-edge strategies for making the bestbond-investing decisions, while explaininghow to assess risks and opportunities. She alsoincludes up-to-date listings of online resourceswith bond prices and other information.Look to this all-in-one guide for information onsuch critical topics as: Buying individual bonds or bond funds The ins and outs of open-end funds,closed-end funds, and exchangetradedfunds (ETFs) The new landscape for municipal bonds:the changed rating scales, the neardemise of bond insurance, andBuild America Bonds (BABs) The safest bond funds Junk bonds (and emerging market bonds) Buying Treasuries without payinga commission From how bonds work to how to buy and sellthem to what to expect from them, The BondBook, third edition, is a must-read for individualinvestors and financial advisers who wantto enhance the fixed-income allocation of theirportfolios.

A recommended, proven way to broaden portfolios and profits Recommended by finance experts and used extensively by institutional investors, index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide unmanaged, diversified exposure to a variety of asset classes. Index Investing For Dummies shows active investors how to add index investments to their portfolios and make the most of their money, while protecting their assets. It features plain-English information on the different types of index funds and their advantage over other funds, getting started in index investing, using index funds for asset allocation, understanding returns and risk, diversifying among fund holdings, and applying winning strategies for maximum profit.