Until this year, bonds were often thought of as Steady Eddies — boring investments that could be counted on for stability and steady income. In 2022, however, as inflation and interest rates have soared, the bond market has been anything but reliable.
Inflation sucks, but there is one upside: It's still a great time to buy a government-backed I bond. Series I savings bonds are conservative, safe investments that rise and fall with inflation, and they're earning far more than the best high-yield savings account or certificate of deposit.
I Bond Cons
The initial rate is only guaranteed for the first six months of ownership. After that, the rate can fall, even to zero. One-year lockup. You can't get your money back at all the first year, so you shouldn't invest any funds you'll absolutely need anytime soon.
If the Fed holds the federal funds rate near 5% or above all year, then it's likely that longer-term yields will experience bouts of volatility with 10-year Treasury yields potentially retesting the 2022 highs in the 4.25% to 4.5% region.
When we compare the historical 6-month composite rates against 12-month Treasuries at the time we see that the 6-month I bond rate is an average of 0.31% lower. At an initial rate of 6.89%, buying an I bond in October gets roughly 2.1% more compared to the 4.76% 12-month treasury rate (December 13, 2022).
Normally, you're limited to purchasing $10,000 per person on electronic Series I bonds per year. However, the government allows those with a federal tax refund to invest up to $5,000 of that refund into paper I bonds. So most investors think their annual investment tops out at $15,000.
I bonds can be excellent options for retirees to build up the conservative bucket of their retirement income plan. As low-risk investments, they are a way for risk-averse investors to beat inflation without putting more resources into the stock market.
Fast-forward to today, and short-term Treasuries are yielding 4.35% to 4.75%. Longer-term bonds have yields of roughly 3.7% to 3.8%. Higher rates are good for 2023 bond returns for two reasons. One, even if rates stay where they are, you'll get a nice positive return from the interest your bonds generate.
Including bonds in your investment mix makes sense even when interest rates may be rising. Bonds' interest component, a key aspect of total return, can help cushion price declines resulting from increasing interest rates.
The biggest red flag for short-term investors: You can't redeem these bonds for a year after you purchase them, and you'll owe a penalty equal to three months' interest if you cash out any time over the first five years of owning the bond.
I bonds cannot be cashed for one year after purchase. If a bond is cashed in year two through five after purchase, the prior three months of interest are forfeited. There is no interest penalty for cashing in the bonds after five years.
Call risk is the likelihood that a bond's term will be cut short by the issuer if interest rates fall. Default risk is the chance that the issuer will be unable to meet its financial obligations. Inflation risk is the possibility that inflation will erode the value of a fixed-price bond issue.
November 28, 2022. Much as I love I Bonds, the government's inflation-adjusted savings bonds, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), may be a better option today. They are providing an even better yield over inflation than I Bonds.
The composite rate for I bonds issued from November 2022 through April 2023 is 6.89%.
Inflation and changing interest rates impact a bond's price. A rise in either interest rates or the inflation rate usually make bond prices drop. Inflation and interest rates move in the opposite direction from bond prices.
A high-yield savings account will be best for money you need to access easily and quickly. It offers more liquidity than a savings bond — you can transfer or withdraw money from a savings account at any time. You'll also earn more interest than a traditional savings account.
You can purchase an I Bond near the end of a month and get full interest credit for that month. Then, in the same month a year later, you can redeem it, near the beginning of the month. That cuts the required holding period to 11 months and a couple days.
Series I bonds are sold at face value and mature after 30 years. Interest is added monthly to the bond's value. Series HH bonds mature in 20 years. Bondholders receive monthly interest payments until they sell the bond or it reaches its maturity.
Bond yields are likely to remain relatively high at least through the first half of 2023. Higher yields enable bonds to once again play their historical role as sources of reliable, low-risk income for investors who buy and hold them to maturity.
I bonds have a 6.89% interest rate until April 2023. The interest rate will likely change in six months. If rates stay the same you could earn about $701 in interest in one year.
Generally speaking, if you want to earn more interest, you'll need to take on more risk — and for many retirees, that's not a good option, either. You can safely earn far more with I Bonds, a type of savings bond issued by the U.S. Treasury, and protect against future high inflation.
You can hold your bond once it reaches maturity, but you won't earn any additional interest. On one hand, you can't spend a savings bond without redeeming it, so the value of your bonds would be considered "safe" from that standpoint.
Interest earned on I bonds is exempt from state and local taxation, but owners can also defer federal income tax on the accrued interest for up to 30 years.
Series I bonds do offer some tax advantages, too. Interest on the bonds is exempt from state and local taxes, though you'll still have to pay federal taxes on the gains. And using the interest to pay for higher education may help you avoid paying federal taxes on the interest income, too.