Municipal Bonds

Because there are so many stocks that are NOT paying dividends and also going down people are looking for a safe investment that will pay a decent return and also won't lose money. Slowly folks are beginning to think about bonds of which there are all kinds.

Cities and counties have been issuing bonds. There are the school bonds for building new school buildings and the local district issues these. How about building a new sewage plant? Yes, a special bond could be used. If you live in a big city there could be bonds for that new stadium or maybe an aquarium or a huge theme park. Toll roads are a big money maker, aren't they?

The businessmen who want to build these attractions get the permission of the local government to issue them and they have the blessing of the city council or whoever and then go out and collect your money. These are not what are called investment grade bonds. They rank below the A classification and as a result you, the bond buyer, get a much higher rate of return. Remember this - the higher the rate of interest the riskier is the bond. Of course, if your municipality says this has their blessing than it should be O.K. Right?

The citizens of Denver popped for a new aquarium to the tune of 1.2 million. It was supposed to bring in more tourists and pay for itself with tickets. A fraction of those visitors showed up and now it looks like the project might default. They do not have enough money coming in to pay for the fish food and service the debt. And many toll roads are not getting enough traffic.

The spending spree of local governments has sponsored (not guaranteed) bonds equal to more than $320 billion this year. There are $1.6 trillion in municipal bonds. When the projects don't pay out the local governments can raise taxes to pay the shortfall, can't they? Sometimes they can, but many times they won't. The present default rate is running 10 times its historic norm.

Bonds can be as risky as stocks. You must be careful where you invest your hard-earned cash. If you buy any bond other than a U.S. treasury you insist a reputable insurance company insure the bond. Just because the mayor says it is good doesn't mean anything.

One of the safest ways to buy bonds in a no-load bond mutual fund and there are hundreds of them. You can buy as little as $1,000 increments. Your broker will not tell you about them.

If you insist on buying individual bonds you want to know the true net yield, is it investment grade and is it insured. Bonds can be as dangerous as stocks. That is why a mutual fund manager is important, but you still must be in an investment grade fund.

Al Thomas' best selling book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter to receive his market letter for 3 months at www.mutualfundmagic.com to discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.

scheduled cleaning services Winnetka ..

In The News:

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

Municipal Bonds

Stocks & Mutual Fund