• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish

1

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
FinanceRetirement

The Best Ways to Invest in Bonds Now

By
Carla Fried
Carla Fried
and
Money
Money
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Carla Fried
Carla Fried
and
Money
Money
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 21, 2017, 12:36 PM ET
Janet Yellen Holds Press Conf. After Federal Reserve Meeting On Interest Rates
Photo by Chip Somodevilla — Getty Images

This article originally appeared in Money magazine.

The economy is finally gaining traction. Wages are rising faster than at any time since the global financial crisis. Inflation is reemerging—to the point where the Federal Reserve is signaling the need to raise interest rates possibly three times this year. And the Trump administration is primed to open the economic spigot even more with tax cuts and infrastructure spending.

Since many bonds can wilt when the economy and inflation heat up, it’s no wonder fixed-income prices have fallen lately, pushing yields on 10-year Treasuries up more than a percentage point since last summer. As a result, core bonds—intermediate- and longer-dated Treasuries and high-quality corporate bonds that anchor many retirement portfolios—have lost more than 3% since July. That setback has been potentially unsettling for older investors and retirees, who tend to keep a higher proportion of their portfolios in the relative safety of bonds.

Still, there’s no need to panic. “It may sound perverse, but there is a benefit to rising rates,” says Matt Toms, chief investment officer for fixed income at Voya Investment Management. “If you’re patient and are reinvesting the income, over time you are going to be better off with the higher income payout.”

And while rates are rising, they aren’t likely to keep accelerating this sharply. Ten-year Treasury yields are expected to roam between today’s 2.5% and 3% or so this year, mitigating price declines.

(Click here for more articles from Time Inc.’s Looking Forward series.)

Still, there can’t be much potential for price gains. “Investors have been spoiled with the good returns bonds have delivered for years,” says John Canally, chief economic strategist at LPL Financial. Now it’s time to learn how to steer your bond portfolio safely in the new landscape of rising rates and risks.

Look to the Short Term

When rates rise, the price of older, lower-yielding bonds fall. But short-term debt loses less than longer-dated securities.

Another reason to tilt toward shorter-term debt: With stimulative federal spending and tax cuts expected to prolong this aging recovery, high-quality firms should be more than able to pay their debts in the short run. “We can look at corporate balance sheets and have confidence of their cash flow over one, two, or three years,” says Warren Pierson, senior portfolio manager with Baird. “That’s harder to do when you are investing in bonds with 10-, 15-, and 20-year maturities,” he says.

On Money magazine’s MONEY 50 recommended list, Vanguard Short-Term Investment Grade (VFSTX) has a duration of 2.6 years, implying if rates were to rise one full point, the price of the fund’s holdings would decline 2.6%. The fund has beaten more than 75% of its peers over the past three, five, 10, and 15 years.

Bank on Higher Income

Another type of short-term fund to consider as rates are climbing: those that invest in floating-rate debt, also known as bank loans. When rates lift, yields on many of these securities float with the market. Since rates started rising in July, these funds have gained 5%.

But be aware that floating-rate securities are typically issued by companies with below-investment grade balance sheets. The average holding in PowerShares Senior Loan ETF (BKLN) is rated B, landing squarely in “junk” status. That makes these funds an alternative to longer-dated high-yield bonds.

Add Some Inflation Protection

Remember why rates are rising to begin with. Currently, five-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities will outperform five-year Treasuries if inflation comes in above 1.86%. That’s below the 2% or so inflation rate that is expected to bubble up this year. MONEY 50 fund Vanguard Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (VIPSX) yields more than 3%.

One caveat: TIPS are about twice as volatile as a core bond fund, so limit your investment to just 10% or so of your core bonds.

Don’t Over-Shift Your Core

While core funds are more at risk than shorter-dated bonds, “a core bond fund can still play a very constructive role in a diversified portfolio,” says Toms. “Those bonds do a good job of offsetting equity volatility.”

Core

To be sure, the typical core bond fund sports a duration of around five years. But a big reason you own bonds is to counteract potential stock market losses. And for truly long-term diversification, a five-year duration can still be a good compromise between higher rates and rising volatility.

About the Authors
By Carla Fried
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Money
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

donald trump
EconomyImmigration
Immigration restrictions don’t boost native workers. They cut economic mobility for generations, study finds
By Jake AngeloMay 29, 2026
40 minutes ago
dimon
SuccessGen Z
Jamie Dimon tells Gen Z to ‘learn how to think, learn how to earn respect’ as he describes ‘great meeting’ with Zohran Mamdani
By Nick LichtenbergMay 29, 2026
1 hour ago
The AI arms race in cybersecurity has started. Most companies aren’t ready
Cryptocyber
The AI arms race in cybersecurity has started. Most companies aren’t ready
By Philip MartinMay 29, 2026
1 hour ago
Kalshi adds perpetual futures for U.S. traders following thumbs-up from key regulator
CryptoBitcoin
Kalshi adds perpetual futures for U.S. traders following thumbs-up from key regulator
By Jack KubinecMay 29, 2026
2 hours ago
Meet the Black women on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list shaping business leadership
MPWMost Powerful Women
Meet the Black women on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list shaping business leadership
By Cheyann HarrisMay 29, 2026
3 hours ago
dewine
North AmericaData centers
Ohio calls time on data-center tax break after cost balloons to $1.5 billion, 11x the initial estimate
By Marc Levy and The Associated PressMay 29, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
Magazine
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
By Emma HinchliffeMay 27, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
8 days ago
The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
Environment
The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
By Dorany Pineda, Brittany Peterson and The Associated PressMay 27, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 28, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 28, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 28, 2026
1 day ago
Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
Banking
Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
By Nick LichtenbergMay 27, 2026
2 days ago
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
Success
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
By Emma BurleighMay 28, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.