Bond Funds and ETFs
By Thomas Kenny, About.com Guide
Bond Fund Basics
For most individual investors, mutual funds are the best way to invest in bonds. Mututal funds provide the benefit of both professional management and a high level of diversification with a single investment – both of which would be very difficult for an individual to achieve on his or her own. However, the decision to invest via bond mutual funds is just the beginning of the process. Learn more about investing in bond funds.
- Before You Buy a Bond Fund
- What are the Risks of Bond Funds?
- Why Invest in the Lowest Fee Funds?
- Choosing Among Short-Term, Intermediate-Term, and Long-Term Bond Funds
- Understanding Active vs. Passive Management
- The Benefits and Risks of Bond Index Funds
- Bond Funds vs. Bond ETFs: Costs and Historical Returns
- What Yield Number Should You Use?
- The Impact of Duration on Bond Funds
Bond Mutual Funds: What you Need to Know
Even for investors who thoroughly understand the basics of bond funds, there are other important issues to consider.
- How to Choose a Bond Mutual Fund
- When to Sell a Bond Fund
- Bond Funds Ranked 4- and 5-Stars by Morningstar
- What is a Core Bond Fund?
- Short Term Bonds Funds vs. Money Market Funds
- The Risks and Benefits of Long-Term Bond Funds
- How are Bond Funds Taxed?
- How do Currency Movements Affect International Bond Funds?
- List of Vanguard Bond Funds
Bond ETFs
Exchange-traded funds are an increasingly popular option since they are a low-fee option that can provide exposure to virtually any area of the bond market. Learn more about bond ETFs.