10 Things You Should Know About Bonds

Bonds can be more complex than stocks, but it's not hard to become a knowledgeable fixed-income investor.

Bonds word in neon lights against brick wall
(Image credit: Getty Images)

When it comes to bond investing, there's a lot more to know than the current interest rate on Treasuries.

Bonds have two primary roles: income – whether taxable or tax-free – and portfolio diversification. Much of the time, when stocks or other investments struggle, bonds hold their value.

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Anne Kates Smith
Executive Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Anne Kates Smith brings Wall Street to Main Street, with decades of experience covering investments and personal finance for real people trying to navigate fast-changing markets, preserve financial security or plan for the future. She oversees the magazine's investing coverage,  authors Kiplinger’s biannual stock-market outlooks and writes the "Your Mind and Your Money" column, a take on behavioral finance and how investors can get out of their own way. Smith began her journalism career as a writer and columnist for USA Today. Prior to joining Kiplinger, she was a senior editor at U.S. News & World Report and a contributing columnist for TheStreet. Smith is a graduate of St. John's College in Annapolis, Md., the third-oldest college in America.