Toeser

Looking to Invest in Bonds in Troubled Times? Caveat Emptor!

The author is generally correct, but you do not need to be deterred from investing in bonds as an individual, particularly if you limit your purchases to bonds you will hold to maturity. Learn how to use the tools on www.finra.org/Investor... where all bond trades are reported. Build a watchlist. Then you will know how much your broker is trying to take and you can negeotiate. But even better is to look for a broker that trades bonds for a commission and not on a principal basis. I generally pay around $100 commission for a $20,000 - $50,000 bond trade.