personal finance

The interest rate on a bond is called the state rate. However, your actual return will vary based on how much you pay to purchase the bond. Features When a bond is initially issued, the company sets a par value and…

When bonds are issued, they are assigned a par value and a stated interest rate. However, bonds are traded like stocks, which means that the price you pay to buy a bond may not equal the par value. Regardless of the price you pay, the…

Acorporate bond is effectively a loan issued by a company. The corporation issues the bond at a par value and stated interest rate. These values are used to represent how much interest the company will pay. Usually, interest is paid…

Bonds are loans that are floated by companies and governments and bought by investors. Each bond has a par value, the amount the company will pay interest on, and a stated interest rate. However, bonds can be traded like stocks so you may…

The stated interest rate is a term used to describe the return on bonds. When a bond is issued, the stated interest rate determines how much interest will be paid based on the bond's par value. Bond Issuance When a…

Every banker owns a financial calculator. She carries the calculator with her to every meeting because she never knows when she may need it and no other calculator can do the work of a financial calculator. The most popular financial…

Bonds are investments often sought by retirees and other investors looking for a steady income stream or as a way to diversify a portfolio of stocks. Both municipal bonds and U.S. savings bonds offer up great tax advantages, and a low to…

If you received paper savings bonds years ago and want to check their value, you don't need to perform any complicated math calculations to figure it out. The U.S. Department of the Treasury provides a quick and easy way to determine your…

Ginnie Mae (GNMA) bond funds are a type of mortgage-backed security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association and are guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the federal government. Essentially, investors fund a pool of…

A 401(k) plan is your best investment for retirement in many instances. If your employer contributes to your retirement, the matching contribution could be a windfall for you. Unfortunately, it could also be a windfall for your spouse if…