Bond investing for dummies (2^nd Ed.)

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.

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

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.