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  #3  
Old 12-09-2007, 04:36 PM
removeps-groups@yahoo.com
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Default Re: higher rate of return

- quote -

> I am trying to get a higher rate of return..I have about $125 in CD that is
> coming up for renewal--I get around 5%..I was thinking about buying some
> corporate bonds--How do you do that? or any ideas of a higher rate...
> I can get dividends 4 times a year or so..


Is that $125 or $125,000? $125 is too little to buy 1 bond which is
around $1000 (often you can buy it for a discount), and besides the
commissions may be $10 to $40 to buy 1 bond. At ETrade, I think there
is no commission if you buy 5 or more bonds, but they probably make
money on the bid-ask spread. Some of the good junk bonds pay around
10% to 12.5% a year (like Mrs. Fields, Amer True Temp, Ballys) and you
can get them at a 15% or more discount, but there's still risk.

There's a risk that you won't get any of your money back, and there's
a risk that you may not get the promised interest. Most bonds are
also callable, meaning that the company will buy them back before the
scheduled maturity date. They will buy it back for more than it's
woth now, but will save having to make outrageous interest payments.

BTW, are interest payments from bonds interest or non-qualified
dividends? I always report them as interest.

  #2  
Old 12-05-2007, 08:33 PM
PeterL
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Default Re: higher rate of return

On Dec 5, 3:36 am, "M.Balarama" <mba...[at]sbcglobal.net> wrote:
- quote -

> I am trying to get a higher rate of return..I have about $125 in CD that is
> coming up for renewal--I get around 5%..I was thinking about buying some
> corporate bonds--How do you do that? or any ideas of a higher rate...
> I can get dividends 4 times a year or so..
> thanks
> Michael



Higher rates also mean higher risks.

Calculate the difference between the interest you are getting at the
5% rate, and let's say, a 10% rate. And see if the differnce is worth
the risk and the effort.

  #1  
Old 12-05-2007, 03:06 PM
Elle
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Default Re: higher rate of return

How much risk are you willing to take with this money? CDs
are very safe. Stocks might yield more (via dividends), but
at some risk to the principal. Corporate bonds are somewhere
in-between IMO, depending on the issuer and its rating.

About how long will the money stay invested? If less than
about seven years (maybe ten), do not buy stocks.

Is it truly only $125 you have to invest? Or will be more
added over time?

"M.Balarama" <mbalar[at]sbcglobal.net> wrote
- quote -

> I am trying to get a higher rate of return..I have about
> $125 in CD that is
> coming up for renewal--I get around 5%..I was thinking
> about buying some
> corporate bonds--How do you do that? or any ideas of a
> higher rate...
> I can get dividends 4 times a year or so..


 
Old 12-05-2007, 01:52 PM
John A. Weeks III
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Default Re: higher rate of return

In article <KAk5j.5730$4q5.1134[at]nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com> ,
"M.Balarama" <mbalar[at]sbcglobal.net> wrote:

- quote -

> I am trying to get a higher rate of return..I have about $125 in CD that is
> coming up for renewal--I get around 5%..I was thinking about buying some
> corporate bonds--How do you do that? or any ideas of a higher rate...
> I can get dividends 4 times a year or so..


See your stock broker or your banker about corporate bonds. An
item to know is that they are sold in units of $1000. If you don't
buy them at their IPO, you may pay a bit less than or a bit more
than $1000 each depending on how interest rates have changed.

Two big cautions on doing this:

- if the company fails to repay the bond, you may lose all your
money in that company. Nobody will back you up.

- it takes a lot of money to buy enough bonds to diversify enough
to cover the risk of default.

Bond funds might be an attractive alternative. However, when
I look at them, they seem mainly to be a tool to bet on interest
rate changes. I find that growth & income funds are a good way
to be exposed to bonds without making bets on interest rates.

-john-

--
================================================== ====================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john[at]johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ====================

  #-1  
Old 12-05-2007, 10:36 AM
M.Balarama
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Default higher rate of return

I am trying to get a higher rate of return..I have about $125 in CD that is
coming up for renewal--I get around 5%..I was thinking about buying some
corporate bonds--How do you do that? or any ideas of a higher rate...
I can get dividends 4 times a year or so..
thanks
Michael

 

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