Now that we’re in another tax time, lots of Americans begin to question their money choices and how they impact the taxes they owe. Among those questions is which bonds belong in taxable accounts. Read on for some advisor-backed ideas that may help protect your money in future tax years. Keep State Laws in Mind “Advisors who make blanket recommendations of placing municipals in taxable accounts and corporates in accounts with tax deferral ignore the specifics of state-specific tax law,” said Chad Cummi ...

The stock market has been practically unstoppable over the last seven years. With the exception of 2022, the widely followed S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has gained at least 16% in the other six years. We've also witnessed the mature stock-driven Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) and growth stock-propelled Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) climb to several record highs. But when it seems that Wall Street can do no wrong is often when things do tend to go awry. While there is no shortage of ...

U.S. Treasury bonds are getting exciting. No, really they are. Let me explain. One of the things I enjoy most about being part of the Barchart team is that it expands my reach as an investor. Barchart created a leadership reputation for commodities data, and expanded from there. And if there’s anything I hope investors will take away from my advice these days, it is to widen the angle of what they consider investing. And for me, bonds are at the top of the list. Here’s why. More News from Barchart Belo ...

Core Viewpoint - The Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF (BSV) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) provide low-cost, high-liquidity investment options, with BSV offering broader bond exposure and larger assets under management compared to VGSH, which focuses solely on U.S. Treasuries [1][2]. Cost and Size - Both VGSH and BSV have an expense ratio of 0.03% - VGSH has a 1-year return of 5.1% and a dividend yield of 3.96%, while BSV has a 1-year return of 5.9% and a dividend yield of 3.85% - Assets under management (AUM) for VGSH is $30.4 billion, while BSV has $68.2 billion [3][4]. Performance and Risk Comparison - VGSH has a maximum drawdown of (5.70%) over 5 years, while BSV has a maximum drawdown of (8.54%) - The growth of $1,000 over 5 years is $1,093 for VGSH and $1,083 for BSV [5]. Portfolio Composition - BSV holds 3,115 positions, with 69.8% invested in government bonds and less than 5% in foreign debt, indicating a diverse portfolio that includes U.S. government, investment-grade corporate, and international dollar-denominated bonds [6][7]. - VGSH focuses exclusively on U.S. Treasuries with 92 holdings, reflecting a narrow mandate designed for maximum credit safety [8]. Implications for Investors - Both Vanguard funds are suitable for investors seeking safe options for short-term income, with VGSH's 5-year return slightly outperforming BSV despite its exclusive focus on U.S. Treasuries [10].

The Bond Market's Calm Could Be Ending. It's a Big Week for Fixed-Income Risks. - Barron'sSkip to Main ContentThis copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.# The Bond Market's Calm Could Be Ending. Clouds Are Piling Up Overseas.By [Martin Baccardax]ShareResize---Reprint ...

The iShares 5-10 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (NASDAQ:IGIB) and the iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:IEI) both target the intermediate-term bond market but take different approaches: IGIB focuses on investment-grade corporate debt, while IEI sticks to U.S. Treasuries. This comparison highlights how their expense ratios, yields, historical drawdowns, and portfolio makeup may appeal to different risk and income profiles. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric IGIB IEI Issuer IShares ...

Core Viewpoint - The State Street SPDR Portfolio Long Term Corporate Bond ETF (SPLB) and Schwab Long-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHQ) differ significantly in yield, sector exposure, and risk, with SPLB focusing on corporate bonds for higher income potential while SCHQ offers a Treasury focus at a slightly lower cost [1][2]. Cost and Size Comparison - SPLB has an expense ratio of 0.04% while SCHQ is slightly lower at 0.03% - The one-year return for SPLB is 6.47% compared to SCHQ's 4.17% - SPLB offers a higher dividend yield of 5.2% versus SCHQ's 4.6% - SPLB has a total assets under management (AUM) of $1.2 billion, while SCHQ has $902.5 million [3]. Performance and Risk Comparison - Over the past five years, SPLB experienced a maximum drawdown of 34.40%, while SCHQ faced a larger drawdown of 46.13% - An investment of $1,000 would have grown to $706 in SPLB and $599 in SCHQ over the same period [4]. Fund Composition - SCHQ primarily tracks the long-term U.S. Treasury bond market, holding 98 positions with 91% in government securities, indicating low exposure to corporate credit risk [5]. - SPLB invests in nearly 3,000 long-term, investment-grade U.S. corporate bonds, providing broad issuer diversification and higher credit risk, with top holdings including Anheuser Busch InBev, Meta Platforms, and CVS Health [7]. Investment Implications - Investing in SCHQ offers high credit quality and serves as a hedge against equity market volatility, making it suitable for safety and capital preservation [9][10]. - SPLB, while riskier due to its corporate bond holdings, provides higher income potential, making it attractive for those seeking diversity and income generation [11][12].

President Donald Trump's belligerent approach to many foreign governments has stirred discussion around a previously unthinkable scenario: What if U.S. bonds could be turned into bargaining chips? The first sign of a revolt against U.S. bonds sprung out of Denmark last month. Amid Trump's demands to grab ahold of Greenland, Danish pension fund AkademikerPension dumped $100 million in Treasuries, citing the U.S.' worsening national debt. It later said the decision was unrelated to the president's desire to ...

Market Overview - World stocks and the S&P 500 reached new highs, driven by strong U.S. earnings reports [1] - The U.S. dollar fell to a four-year low due to various factors including geopolitical concerns and U.S. policy direction [4] Stock Performance - The S&P 500 is approaching 7000 points, with South Korea and Brazil also hitting new record highs [3] - Nine sectors in the S&P 500 saw gains, particularly in technology and utilities, while healthcare and energy sectors declined [3] Currency Movements - The U.S. dollar is experiencing significant selling pressure, leading to a broad decline [4] - The Swiss franc has reached an 11-year high against the dollar, reflecting its status as a safe-haven currency [5][6] Commodity Trends - Oil prices increased by approximately 3%, while gold and silver rebounded, contrasting with declines in platinum and palladium by 3-5% [3]

Core Insights - The comparison between Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) and VanEck Short Muni ETF (SMB) highlights differences in bond exposure, yield, assets under management, and trading liquidity [2][3] Cost & Size - VGSH has a lower expense ratio of 0.03% compared to SMB's 0.07% and offers a higher dividend yield of 4.0% versus SMB's 2.6% [4][5] - VGSH has assets under management (AUM) of $30.4 billion, significantly larger than SMB's AUM of $295.4 million [4] Performance & Risk Comparison - Over the past five years, VGSH experienced a maximum drawdown of -5.69%, while SMB had a larger drawdown of -7.42% [6] - The growth of $1,000 over five years shows VGSH at $953 and SMB at $958, indicating slight outperformance by SMB [6] Underlying Holdings - SMB invests in 334 tax-exempt, primarily investment-grade municipal bonds, while VGSH holds 93 U.S. Treasury securities, providing pure government-backed exposure [7] - Both funds have a 100% allocation to cash and equivalents, but differ in credit quality and taxation treatment [7] Implications for Investors - VGSH's lower expense ratio and higher yield make it attractive for income-focused investors, while SMB's tax-exempt municipal bonds may appeal to those seeking tax advantages [10][11] - VGSH offers stability through U.S. Treasury bonds, while SMB provides exposure to municipal bonds that fund infrastructure projects [11]