What are government bonds and are they safe for investors? How do I start investing in it?
Government bonds provide a way for investors to loan money to governments in exchange for interest payments. A government bond typically pays fixed payments, or “coupons,” to the holder every 6 months. On the fixed redemption date, the original principal is repaid.
Investors and pensioners frequently access government bonds by investing in funds.
What is a government bond?
A government bond is a form of security that is sold by the government. It is called a fixed income security because it earns a fixed amount of interest each year for the life of the bond. The purpose of a government bond is to raise money to run the government and pay off debts.
Government bonds are safe. That is, the government is less likely to default. The bonds have maturities that may vary from one month to 30 years.
A deeper definition of government bonds
Government bonds may be issued by the federal government or one of its agencies. Bonds issued by local government agencies are called municipal bonds and are not considered as safe as US government bonds.
There are four classes of government bonds issued by the Treasury:
* Treasury bills are bonds that mature in less than one year.
* Treasury bonds have maturities between 1 year and 10 years.
* Treasury bills are long-term bonds, with a maturity of more than 10 years.
* Treasury inflation-protected securities are a slightly different form of government bonds. It has an interest rate that is adjusted semi-annually in line with inflation.
Government bonds can be traded freely, and the price at which they are traded is related to the interest rate of the bond, its remaining life, and the current interest rate on the new bond.
Interest earned on government bonds is taxed at the federal level only, not at the state level. By comparison, interest on municipal bonds is free of federal and state taxes, provided the investor lives in the state or municipality that issued the bond.
An example of a government bond
If you buy a government bond, you are buying it for less than face value. When the bond reaches maturity, you receive face value, or the face value of the bond.
Treasury bills do not pay coupon interest, but Treasury bills and notes are paid on a semi-annual basis.
If you sell the bond before maturity, what you get depends on the prevailing interest rates. If interest rates have risen since the bond was purchased, the bond holder may be forced to sell at a discount below the rate. But if interest rates fall, the bondholder may be able to sell at a premium above par.
You may have to pay a commission for the transaction or the broker may take a ‘cut’. A markdown is an amount, usually a percentage, by which the broker lowers the sale price to cover the cost of the transaction and make a profit on it.
Where can I buy government bonds?
In general, there are two broad categories that investors can consider when looking to invest in government bonds: treasury and municipal bonds. Both are options for investors looking to build the lower-risk portion of their portfolio or just save money at higher, lower-risk rates.
Government bonds can also be a great place to start if you are new to investing in bonds in general. Treasury and municipal bonds are usually some of the best low-risk bond options that are also considered along with money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and high-yield savings accounts.
The most important points:
1. Government bonds are low-risk, fixed-return, fixed-income securities that can be attractive to more conservative investors, or those looking for tax breaks.
2. Some other ways to buy treasury securities, ETFs, money market accounts, and from a broker.
3. Municipal bonds are issued by governments or state and local agencies and can provide tax-free interest income to qualified investors. These can be purchases through a broker or through a managed fund.
Bonds are considered a safe haven for investors
While government bonds such as U.S. Treasurys and municipal bonds provide income for investors such as retirees, these assets face interest rate risk when the Federal Reserve lowers rates for an extended period.
Investors often view bonds as a safe haven asset when stock returns are volatile but bond yields are sensitive to lower interest rates. Treasury bonds are issued by the government while municipal bonds are issued by a state, city, or government agency such as the road authority or school district.
The government agency issuing the bond agrees to pay the face value of the bond at maturity and the interest on the bond throughout its term.
Mike Molitoris, CEO of Wealth Management Group says:
Investors love bonds because they are safe and pay good dividends. Bonds are seen as a safe haven for their money.
Here are six things to learn about investing in government bonds.
Are government bonds safe in the short term?
Government bonds are risk-free on one assumption: you hold them until maturity, i.e. if you hold a 20-year treasury from the date of purchase for 20 years, then you’re guaranteed to get your money back. But looking at the short term, these government bonds are currently very risky.
As Warren Buffett recently stated, “If I had an easy way, a no-risk way, to sell a whole bunch of 20- or 30-year bonds, I would.” I will explain why.
The current yield on the 20-year Treasury note is 2.92%. The table below shows what happens to the value of a bond when interest rates rise.
If interest rates go up after you buy, the value of your bond will go down because investors won’t buy a new issue bond at a coupon as low as yours. In this case, your bond would be worth less than $100 to reflect that. Since rates are currently so low, any slight rise is bad news for bond prices.
Of course, you’ll get the whole $100 back in 20 years, but if in one year prices go up 1%, we’re down 28% in market value — plus we can’t reinvest that money elsewhere as opportunities arise.
Hence, long-term, low-interest bonds are very risky. It is confusing that these bonds are described as “risk free” but we see with the current low interest rates that risk prevails in long term government bonds. Needless to say, I wouldn’t buy anything in a hurry.
Government bonds have shorter maturities.
Bonds have varying maturities. Maturity dates can range from as short as one year to as long as 30 years. This occurs when the bond matures and the issuer pays the principal or face value of the bond. A shorter maturity means that the investor receives a lower return because there is less risk of rising interest rates and bond defaults.
Ron McCoy, CEO of Freedom Capital Advisors says:
“The higher the maturity of a bond, the more sensitive it is to interest rate movements.”
He also says:
“Shorter-term bonds, seven years or less, are less volatile than thirty-year bonds.” The shorter maturity depends on when you plan to retire, how much income you need and your portfolio diversification.
Government bonds have credit risk.
Credit risk or default risk is a factor investors should prioritize before adding a bond. Government bonds can default if the municipality is unable to maintain its services or pay employees if tax revenues fall short or dry up.
All bonds are rated for different risk factors. McCoy says knowing a bond’s rating can assess the level of risk before investing. Investors often assume that there is little or no default risk with respect to government debt.
For example, the Congressional Budget Office, better known as the central bank, predicts that US debt as a percentage of gross domestic product, or gross domestic product, will cross the 120% threshold for the first time in the next 15 years.
“This means for the first time that investors have to factor in a very real possibility of default on US debt, especially in long-term debt,” says Derek Horstmaier, assistant professor of finance at George Mason University.
The role of government bonds in the investment portfolio
For many of the investment strategies we recommend to our clients, the primary role of government bonds is portfolio diversification into low-risk or medium-risk portfolios. Since government bond values tend not to move in line with stock values, they can help reduce volatility in the portfolio significantly.
Government bonds may also be useful for those who plan to use their pension fund to purchase a guaranteed lifetime income, or “annuity.” The annuity rate is linked to the price of government bonds. Thus, when the owner of a pension fund is nearing retirement age, by purchasing bonds he can provide a good means of protecting its value for the purposes of purchasing annuities.
What do you need to remember about government bonds?
Government bonds have the following advantages:
1. The risks are usually relatively low compared to equities, since the interest and principal will be paid off provided that the respective governments do not default on their bonds.
2. Bonds can be an excellent diversification tool, as they often perform well when other asset classes are performing poorly.
3. Bonds are liquid and early redemption is easy, as bonds are bought and sold on the open market every day.
Government bonds have the following disadvantages:
The interest paid on bonds or the “yield” can be low.
1. Bonds can lose value on the open market if interest rates or inflation expectations rise. This is because higher interest rates or higher inflation makes the fixed interest that bonds pay less attractive.
2. Long-term returns tend to be lower than returns on riskier assets such as stocks and property. However, bond yields tend to exceed cash deposits over long periods.
3. Bonds can be at risk if the government issuing them enters a financial crisis that raises doubts about whether debt obligations will be met.
Common Questions
What is a government bond?
A government bond is a form of security that is sold by the government. It is called a fixed income security because it earns a fixed amount of interest each year for the life of the bond. The purpose of a government bond is to raise money to run the government and pay off debts.
How do government bonds work?
Bonds are issued by governments and companies when they want to raise money. By buying the bond, you give the issuer a loan, they agree to pay back the face value of the loan on a set date, and pay you periodic interest, one-tier closed payments unlocked along the way, usually twice a year.
Can you lose money investing in bonds?
Yes, you can lose money selling the bond before its maturity date because the sale price may be lower than the purchase price.
Are bonds better than stocks?
Bonds are safer for a reason – you can expect a lower return on your investment. On the other hand, stocks usually combine a certain amount of unpredictability in the short term, with the potential to yield a better return on your investment. While a 5-6% return on long-term government bonds.
Are there risks in bonds?
All bonds carry some degree of “credit risk,” or the risk that the bond issuer will default on one or more payments before the bond reaches maturity. In the event of a default, you may lose some or all of the income to which you are entitled, and even some or all of the principal amount invested.