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 municipal bonds

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

482 Plus: Investing in Municipal Bonds, Interpreting Bond Spread Data, and YieldStreet Update

June 14, 2024 by David Stein · Updated June 22, 2024

In Plus episode 482, we review the types, structures, default risks, and different tax treatments of municipal bonds. We also explain how to interpret the Income Strategies and Bond table in the monthly investment conditions report and discuss our plans to improve the table later this year. Finally, we provide an update on the YieldStreet crowdfunding platform, which encountered problems with its ship deconstruction deals. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Money Plus Tagged With: AMT, municipal bonds, taxable municipals, YieldStreet

466 Plus: When ETNs Mature, Long Angle Community, and a Long Duration Credit Muni CEF

February 17, 2024 by David Stein · Updated February 26, 2024

In Plus episode 466, we review the exchange offer for the JP Morgan Alerian MLP ETN (AMJ). The original ETN is set to mature in May 2024. David shares his experience and thoughts on the Long Angle community. Finally, we analyze the Nuveen Municipal Credit Income Fund (NZF). … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Money Plus Tagged With: AMJ, CEFS, closed-end funds, Long Angle, master limited partnerships, MLPs, municipal bonds, NZF

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

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

402 Plus: Buying TIPS, Taxes and Bonds, and Calculating Investment Returns

September 17, 2022 by David Stein · Updated June 13, 2024

In Plus Episode 402, we discuss purchasing individual Treasury Inflation Protection Securities versus TIPS ETFs. We look at how bonds are taxed and how to tax-adjust municipal and corporate bonds. Finally, we compare return on investment with time-weighted and dollar-weighted returns. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: dollar-weighted returns, IRR, municipal bonds, performance, performance calculation, return on investment, ROI, taxes, time-weighted returns, TIPS, Treasury Inflation Protected Securities

330 Plus: February 2021 Investment Conditions, Bond Fund Break Evens, and Municipal Bonds versus Utilities

February 6, 2021 by David Stein · Updated October 4, 2021

In Plus Episode 330, we review investment conditions as of early February 2021. We calculate the break-even time for taxable and municipal bond funds to recoup price losses due to rising interest rates. We also compare municipal bond funds to utility dividend yields and find utilities to be more attractive. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: dollar cost averaging, MFD, municipal bonds, utilities, utility stocks, VTEB

296 Plus: After-hours Trading, Municipal Bonds and PeerStreet Discounted Notes

May 2, 2020 by David Stein · Updated April 29, 2021

In Plus episode 296 for the week of May 2, 2020, we learn about extended-hour stock trading and why the after-hour trading sessions can be volatile. We look at the yields, pricing, and historical default rates of municipal bonds in light of the Federal Reserve's announcements regarding the Municipal Liquidity Facility. Finally, we evaluate PeerStreet's new program to purchase discounted notes that yield 11% to 14% before default. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: municipal bonds, PeerStreet, trading (after hours)

269: How the Public Sector Pension Crisis Will Impact You

September 18, 2019 by David Stein · Updated May 20, 2021

Why most state and municipal pension plans are underfunded and why that could lead to higher taxes and reduced government services. Why participants in state government retirement systems have greater protection against benefit cuts than participants in municipal retirement systems. In this episode you’ll learn: How defined benefit plans work.Why there is more subjectivity regarding valuing a pension plan's liabilities compared with its assets.What does it mean for a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: bankruptcy, defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, municipal bonds, pensions, public pension plans

260: July Mid Month Update, Asset Allocation Example, Evaluating Municipal Bonds and How To Buy Gold and Cryptocurrencies

In Plus episode 260 for the week of July 19, 2019, we look at stock and bond market performance month-to-date as well as recent economic releases. Using a member as an example, we walk through the tools on Money For the Rest of Us Plus for deciding on a new asset allocation target. We evaluate a Vanguard municipal bond fund and compare it to the overall bond market. Finally, we discuss how to buy and store gold and cryptocurrencies. … [Read more...]

  • 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}