Bond Investing For Dummies [Paperback]

Russell Wild (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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.

From the Back Cover

Explains how bonds can help you retire comfortably

The fun and easy way® to choose the right bonds or bond funds to meet your financial goals

Looking to add bonds to your portfolio? 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.

• Buy and sell bonds and bond funds

• Measure bond returns and risk

• Understand interest and taxes on interest

• Diversify your holdings

• Avoid common investing mistakes

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470134593
• ISBN-13: 978-0470134597
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #28,354 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

  #89 in

  Books > Business & Investing > Investing > Introduction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book I've Seen on Bond Investing, March 12, 2009

By	harvey silver - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bond Investing For Dummies (Paperback)

I've seen many books and articles on bond investing- this one is by far the best in many ways, among them, the most comprehensive- 333 pages packed with useful information- I didnt think anyone could write 333 pages about bonds, which before reading the book I thought would require less study than stock investing, but the author did, writing 333 useful pages on the subject, and in easy to understand, conversation-like language. When I research anything I do it in breadth and depth, asking many questions, and there was no question that the author left unanswered, and then some that I had'nt thought to ask. The book also covers other related investing subjects, such as other sources of fixed income, asset allocation etc etc. There is so much information packed into the book, that not only novice bond investors would profit from it, so would experienced bond investors. I have always aggressively invested in stocks only, but given the current state of the stock market, I'm looking for the safety and predictability of bonds- this book sure helped! This may be an unusually enthusiastic review, but the author deserves it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bond Investing For Dummies, December 17, 2009

By	recently retired (florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bond Investing For Dummies (Paperback)

I ordered 2 books on bond investing. Luckily, Bond Investing for Dummies arrived first. It was easy to read, and provided a great overview. It is an excellent foundation for understanding different bond types and bond strategies. I'm reading the second bond investing book now. It is written by a professor and reads like a text book. If I had not read Bond Investing for Dummies first, the second book would be difficult to comprehend. I highly recommend this book.

20 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Like the Title Says - For Dummies Only, November 21, 2008

By	Allan Holtz (Lake County, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bond Investing For Dummies (Paperback)

If you are a neophyte who knows absolutely nothing about bond investing this is a perfectly good first book for providing an extremely basic overview on the subject. However, in my opinion there is not nearly enough information here to make you even barely competent as an investor.

Although I have found some books in the 'Dummies' series quite valuable as a painless resource for learning new subjects, this one takes its title far too seriously and the author dumbs down the material to the point where too much of the 'meat' is missing.

I have been investing in bonds for a few years but always felt that I was going about it half-blind, not understanding many of the vagaries of what makes one bond a better buy than another. I hoped that this book would clearly explain the various buzzwords and metrics used in the bond market. Unfortunately the author provides little depth and I feel that I'm really no smarter than I was before reading the book.