Money for The Rest of Us

Investment help and financial guidance for the rest of us.

  • Podcast
  • Guides
        • Asset Classes

        • A Complete Guide to Investing in I Bonds and TIPS (2025)
        • A Complete Guide to Equity REIT Investing
        • A Complete Guide to Mortgage REIT Investing
        • A Complete Guide to Investing in Gold
        • A Complete Guide To Investing In Convertible Bonds
        • Investing in Bitcoin, Oil, and Volatility ETFs
        • Carbon Investing and its Effect on Climate Change
        • Farmland Investing
        • The Opportunity and Risk of Frontier Markets
        • Investment Vehicles

        • A Complete Guide to Investment Vehicles
        • How to Invest in Closed-End Funds
        • What Are SPACs and Should You Invest in Them?
        • Money and Economics

        • A Complete Guide to Understanding and Protecting Against Inflation
        • Understanding Web3 Investing
        • Strategy

        • Why You Should Rebalance Your Portfolio
        • What Is Risk vs Uncertainty?
        • Tail Events and Tail Risk
  • Resources
        • General Resources

        • Topic Index
        • Glossary
        • Most Influential Books
        • Member Tools

        • Member - Getting Started Guide
        • Asset Allocation and Portfolio Tools
        • Current Investment Strategy Report
        • All Investment Conditions Reports
        • Strategic and Adaptive Model Portfolios
        • Member Tools and Downloads
        • Member Resources

        • Plus Premium Episodes
        • Submit A Question to the Plus Podcast
        • Member Forums
        • David’s Current Portfolio
        • David's Portfolio Trades
        • Courses

        • Investing in Closed-End Funds
  • Members
  • Join
  • Log In
You are here: Home / Archives for fixed income

523: Why Bond Investing Is Easier Than Ever

May 8, 2025 by Camden Stein · Updated May 8, 2025

Discover how bond market ETFs have transformed investing — making bonds easier, cheaper, and more accessible than ever. We also explore how the bond market’s very composition has evolved. Show Notes The total return strategy in bonds is far from dead by James Bianco—The Financial Times What I Learned in My First Year Managing Fixed-Income by Jim Bianco—Bianco Research Advisors ETFs are eating the bond market by Robin Wigglesworth and Will Schmitt—The Financial … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: active bond funds, active ETFs, bond duration, bonds, ETFs, fixed income

512/513 Plus: Exiting MCI and Comparing Conservative Fixed Income Options

February 22, 2025 by David Stein · Updated March 15, 2025

In Plus episode 512/513, David discusses why he sold his position in the Barings Corporate Investors Fund (MCI). We also compare the yields and tax rules of U.S savings bonds, nominal Treasuries, zero coupon bonds, TIPS, CDs, fixed annuities, and municipal bonds. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Money Plus Tagged With: fixed annuities, fixed income, MCI, municipal bonds, savings bonds, TIPS, Treasury Inflation Protected Securities

463: How to Lock in Higher Yields in Case Interest Rates Fall

January 24, 2024 by David Stein · Updated February 6, 2024

With cash yields expected to fall, here's how you can keep your portfolio income elevated by purchasing longer-term individual bonds and bullet ETFs Topics covered include: How future short-term interest rates, inflation expectations, and term premiums impact long-term interest rates How each of those rate drivers contributed to the close to 1% drop in interest rates in the past three months How yield to maturity is our guide to locking in a fixed return using individual bonds … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: bonds, bullet ETFs, cash equivalents, fixed income, individual bonds, yield to maturity

447 Plus: The Tax Impact of Active Stock Funds, Municipal Bonds, and Balancing Cash and Longer-term Bonds

September 16, 2023 by David Stein · Updated October 16, 2023

In Plus episode 447, we discuss how to calculate the performance impact of capital gains tax distributions for an active stock mutual fund. We answer a member's question on what to do with a portfolio of individual municipal bonds selected by their previous investment advisor. Finally, we explore the decision between holding high-yielding cash or locking in higher coupon rates on longer-term bonds. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Money Plus Tagged With: active management, bonds, cash equivalents, fixed income, municipal bonds, taxes

432 Plus: Where To Invest In Bonds Now and a Cockroach Role-Based Portfolio

May 13, 2023 by David Stein · Updated June 5, 2023

In Plus episode 432, we compare investing in CDs, municipal bonds, investment grade corporate bonds, U.S. Treasuries, or TIPS in the current investment environment. We also analyze a version of a role-based permanent portfolio that incorporates long volatility and trend-following strategies. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: bonds, cockroach portfolio, fixed income, permanent portfolios, role-based portfolios

418: Bond Investing Masterclass

January 25, 2023 by David Stein · Updated January 23, 2024

What you need to know to confidently invest in bonds. Topics covered include: Key components of bond investing include face value, coupon rates, yield-to-maturity, duration, and convexity How to decide between owning longer-term or short-term bonds How to decide whether to own individual bonds or bond funds and ETFs When to use active bond management versus bond indexing How bullet bond ETFs work and when to use them How to know when to invest in municipal bonds and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: bond duration, bonds, bonds - why own, bonds (long duration), bonds (short-term), fixed income, individual bonds, municipal bonds

407 Plus: More on Annuities, Real Estate, Yield Curve, Strong Dollar, and Zombie Firms

October 29, 2022 by David Stein · Updated November 9, 2022

In Plus Episode 407, we continue our discussion on fixed annuities and fixed index annuities. We discuss real estate crowdfunding platforms, inverted yield curves, Series I savings bonds, and is now a good time to invest outside the U.S. given the strong dollar. Finally, we explore what zombie firms are and whether they could cause a market crash. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Money Plus Tagged With: annuities, crowdfunding, CrowdStreet, fixed income, fixed index annuities, Fundrise, international stocks, U.S. dollar, zombie firms

337: Why in the World Would You Own Bonds?

March 31, 2021 by David Stein · Updated January 25, 2023

With interest rates rising does it still make sense to own bonds? Yes. This episode explores the role of bonds including why they are more effective at hedging stock losses than protective put options. Topics covered include: David's business and investment philosophy How bond funds have performed in 2021 Three disparate views on the direction of interest rates from Capital Economics, Ray Dalio, and Hoisington Investment Management Company How to invest in China … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: asset allocation, bonds, bonds - why own, call options, Capital Economics, China, China bonds, covered calls, Dalio (Ray), fixed income, hedging, Hoisington Investment Management, interest rates, options, put options

308 Plus: August 2020 Investment Conditions and Model Portfolio Changes

August 8, 2020 by David Stein · Updated April 29, 2021

In this Plus episode, we review investment conditions as of early August 2020. We discuss the recent changes to the adaptive model portfolios to add core fixed income. Finally, we review recent and anticipated changes to David's portfolio. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: bonds, fixed income, model portfolio changes, model portfolios, portfolio change

255: With Interest Rates Falling, Why Do You Own Bonds?

June 5, 2019 by David Stein · Updated March 30, 2021

How an asset class such as bonds can play different roles in your portfolio depending on your investment philosophy. In this episode you’ll learn: What are bonds and how can they be used in investment portfolios.What is interest rate anticipation.Why individuals have an advantage over institutions because they don't have to worry about outperforming a benchmark when it comes to bonds.Why U.S. interest rates could rise and fall from current levels.Why China is unlikely to sell all … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: bonds, China, Cloonan (James B.), dividends, fixed income, interest rates, Zhuangzi

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Contact | Team | Topic Index


Darby Creek Advisors LLC
P.O. Box 68544 • Tucson, AZ • 85737

Copyright © 2025 • Disclosures, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy • Site by Tempora

Manage Cookie Consent

We use cookies to optimize our website, marketing, and services. 

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
Manage Cookie Consent
We use cookies to optimize our website, marketing, and services. We never sell users' data.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}