Can you lose money if you hold a bond to maturity?
Treasury bonds are considered risk-free assets, meaning there is no risk that the investor will lose their principal. In other words, investors that hold the bond until maturity are guaranteed their principal or initial investment.
Certain bond types that trade in more liquid markets—such as Treasurys and certain corporate bonds—may be easier to sell than most municipal bonds, where markets are thinner and less liquid. Selling before maturity can result in either a profit or a loss compared with the price you paid at purchase.
Risk Considerations: The primary risks associated with corporate bonds are credit risk, interest rate risk, and market risk. In addition, some corporate bonds can be called for redemption by the issuer and have their principal repaid prior to the maturity date.
Investors who hold a bond to maturity (when it becomes due) get back the face value or "par value" of the bond. But investors who sell a bond before it matures may get a far different amount.
What causes bond prices to fall? Bond prices move in inverse fashion to interest rates, reflecting an important bond investing consideration known as interest rate risk. If bond yields decline, the value of bonds already on the market move higher. If bond yields rise, existing bonds lose value.
Like Treasury bonds and notes, T-bills have no default risk since they're backed by the U.S. government.
Bonds are a type of fixed-income investment. You can make money on a bond from interest payments and by selling it for more than you paid. You can lose money on a bond if you sell it for less than you paid or the issuer defaults on their payments.
As a result, investors should be aware of the risk that they could lose money by purchasing and selling bonds before their maturities. If an investor needs the money in the next year or two, a Treasury bond, with its longer maturity date, might not be a good investment.
The main ways to lose money on bonds include price decreases due to interest rate increases, default or bankruptcy of the bond issuer, call risk, reinvestment risk, and inflation risk.
- Values Drop When Interest Rates Rise. You can buy bonds when they're first issued or purchase existing bonds from bondholders on the secondary market. ...
- Yields Might Not Keep Up With Inflation. ...
- Some Bonds Can Be Called Early.
What is the hold to maturity rule?
Held-to-maturity (HTM) securities are purchased to be owned until maturity. For example, a company's management might invest in a bond that they plan to hold to maturity. There are different accounting treatments for HTM securities compared to securities that are liquidated in the short term.
Risk #1: When interest rates fall, bond prices rise. Risk #2: Having to reinvest proceeds at a lower rate than what the funds were previously earning. Risk #3: When inflation increases dramatically, bonds can have a negative rate of return.
| Face Value | Purchase Amount | 20-Year Value (Purchased May 2000) |
|---|---|---|
| $50 Bond | $100 | $109.52 |
| $100 Bond | $200 | $219.04 |
| $500 Bond | $400 | $547.60 |
| $1,000 Bond | $800 | $1,095.20 |
When those bonds mature and stop earning interest, it is time to redeem them. Redeeming bonds is easy - just take them to a local bank or send them to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service.
Example of a Maturity Date
As a bond grows closer to its maturity date, its yield to maturity (YTM), which is the anticipated return on the bond at maturity, and coupon rate begin to converge. Once the bond matures, the investor receives the full principal balance back and the investment is considered closed.
Bond yields and prices move in opposite directions, and because interest rates in the past few years have been fluctuating in response to shifts in expectations for inflation and economic growth, prices have oscillated wildly, too.
As for fixed income, we expect a strong bounce-back year to play out over the course of 2024. When bond yields are high, the income earned is often enough to offset most price fluctuations. In fact, for the 10-year Treasury to deliver a negative return in 2024, the yield would have to rise to 5.3 percent.
High-quality bond investments remain attractive. With yields on investment-grade-rated1 bonds still near 15-year highs,2 we believe investors should continue to consider intermediate- and longer-term bonds to lock in those high yields.
When the bill matures, you are paid its face value. You can hold a bill until it matures or sell it before it matures.
While Treasurys boast higher rates than CDs, you can still score a generous annual percentage yield (APY) on a CD by shopping around. Typically, online banks offer higher interest rates than brick-and-mortar ones. Some of the best CDs have APYs that top 5%.
What is one downside to investing in Treasuries?
But while they are lauded for their security and reliability, potential drawbacks such as interest rate risk, low returns and inflation risk must be carefully considered. If you're interested in investing in Treasury bonds or have other questions about your portfolio, consider speaking with a financial advisor.
If the issuer defaults, the bonds could become worthless. Market value can decline, sometimes significantly if interest rates rise above the coupon rate of the bond. If the issuer develops cash flow problems, interest payments may be suspended.
So, if the bond market declines or crashes, your investment account will likely feel it in some way. This can be especially concerning for investors with portfolios heavily weighted toward bonds, such as those in or near retirement.
In a recession, investors often turn to bonds, particularly government bonds, as safer investments. The shift from stocks to bonds can increase bond prices, reduce portfolio volatility, and provide a predictable income. However, drawbacks include lower yield potential, default risks, and interest rate risks.
Interest income, which is typically paid on a semiannual basis. Whether this income is taxable will depend on the issuer. Interest from corporate bonds is generally taxable at both the federal and state levels. Interest from Treasuries is generally taxable at the federal level, but not at the state level.
