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☆ Muni bonds could see a 'fast-paced rally' after having best summer in decades
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

It may be time to take another look at municipal bonds. These days, munis are cheap relative to corporate bonds, Bank of America said in a note Friday. "Muni weakness is not the driver here, but rather corporate richness," municipal research strategist Yingchen Li wrote. "We continue to advise investors to take positions while the muni market rally remains slow and ratios are somewhat cheap," he said. Municipal bonds have already had an "impressive" run in recent months, Haskell wrote in a note last week.

Persons: Yingchen Li, Li, Patrick Haskell, Haskell Organizations: Bank of America, BlackRock

☆ Why new tax rates will become a key issue for munis
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy new tax rates will become a key issue for munisCraig Brandon, co-head of municipals at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, joins CNBC's 'The Exchange' to discuss how rate cuts will affect municipal bonds, how the election and tax rates could impact municipals, and more.

Persons: munis Craig Brandon Organizations: Morgan Stanley Investment Management

☆ How to position your muni bond portfolio ahead of the election and potential tax law changes
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

With the Federal Reserve rate-cutting cycle expected to begin and the November election just around the corner, now could be a good time to invest in municipal bonds. Interest earned on municipal bonds are free from federal tax. Close said he is already seeing financial advisors start to position their muni portfolios in anticipation of changes. Unlike the Treasury market, the muni market yield curve is upward sloping, Close said. In addition, there's room for lower-rated municipalities to outperform, such as A, BBB and high yield, Norton said.

Persons: Matthew Norton, Norton, Dan Close, Close, It's, Paul Malloy, Malloy, it's, Vanguard's Malloy, Nuveen's Organizations: Federal, Democratic, White House, Congress, municipals, Vanguard, BBB, AAA, AA, Treasury, Investment Company Institute, Fed Locations: Nuveen, California , New York, New Jersey, New York, California, AllianceBernstein

☆ Save on taxes and bolster your portfolio before year-end with these moves
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It's September – and that means it's prime time to think about maximizing after-tax returns as the year winds down. Of course, there may be a price to pay for that performance: Uncle Sam will want his share of taxes. Here are a few steps that could help you hold onto more of your portfolio's returns this year. Munis spin out income that's free of federal taxes, and they may be exempt from state levies if the investor resides in the issuing state. By directly giving low basis highly appreciated stock (instead of selling the position and donating cash proceeds), you avoid incurring the capital gains tax.

Persons: it's, Sam, Nathan Hoyt, Joel Dickson, Vanguard's, Dickson, James Shagawat, Roth, Shagawat, Malcolm Ethridge, –, Ethridge Organizations: Nvidia, Regent Peak Wealth, Investors, Roth IRA, Treasurys, Wealth Locations: Atlanta, AdvicePeriod, Paramus , New Jersey, New York , New Jersey, California, Rockville , Maryland

☆ Investors can nab extra yield with this under-the-radar municipal bond play, says Nuveen
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

There's a small part of the municipal bond market that could provide a big opportunity to investors, according to Nuveen. The Nuveen High Yield Municipal Bond Fund , which Close manages, has about 9% of its assets in charter school muni bonds. NHMAX 1Y mountain Nuveen High Yield Municipal Bond Fund Charter school bonds fund construction, renovation or the purchase of school facilities. There are currently about 8,000 charter schools in the United States serving 3.7 million students, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools . Traditional K-12 bonds pay about 3.5%, while charter school bonds yield around 5% — a 150 basis point difference, Close said.

Persons: Dan Close, We've, there's, munis, Nuveen, Close Organizations: Municipal Bond Fund, muni, Municipal, Fund Charter, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, AAA, AA, Standard, The Academy Charter School, Norton Science, Language Academy, of Peace Academy, St Locations: Nuveen, United States, Hempstead , New York, San Bernardino , California, Paul , Minnesota

☆ What to do now that the Fed is signaling lower interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Given the many ways lower rates can affect your finances, here are some things to consider when deciding what steps to take in response. Here’s how lower rates may affect key areas of your financial life, along with tips on what to do about it. If that proves difficult to get, see if you can transfer your balance to a credit card from a credit union or local bank that offers lower rates than the biggest banks. And because many variables determine what that factor will be, it will be hard to figure out the impact of lower interest rates. His advice: Don’t keep more than six months’ to a year’s worth of living expenses in cash or cash equivalents.

Persons: ”, Greg McBride, ” McBride, “, Chris Diodato, Diodato, you’ll, McBride, ” Dodiato, Collin Martin, don’t Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Bankrate, Schwab Center, Financial Research, AAA Locations: New York, Schwab.com

☆ Greater risk is paying off for these tax-free bonds. Here’s how they may fit into your portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

When it comes to tax-free municipal bonds, investors who are comfortable with taking more risk are seeing attractive returns. High-yield municipal bonds – issues that are rated below BBB by Standard & Poor's – have greater default risk than their investment-grade counterparts. Muni bonds provide tax-free income on a federal basis – and on a state basis if the investor resides in the same state as the issuer. High-yield muni bond funds have seen estimated net flows of $6.76 billion in 2024 as of June 30, according to Morningstar. Before you step in Investors looking at high-yield muni bonds, be it individual issues or the funds, ought to consider their risk appetite and their goals.

Persons: Morningstar, Beth Foos, munis, you've, Matthew Norton, Norton, Mathew Kiselak, that's, Kiselak, Morningstar's Organizations: Standard, Bank of America . Investment, muni, Morningstar, SEC Locations: corporates

☆ This 'steadfast' muni bond fund strives for long-term outperformance. Here's where it is investing
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

When it comes to investing in municipal bonds, the Fidelity Intermediate Municipal Income Fund (FLTMX) has a "steadfast" approach that has served investors well, according to Morningstar. They look at the yield curve, credit quality and structure of the bond when assessing assets, he added. The result is a 45.5% allocation to AA-rated munis, 31% in A-rated and 7% in BBB-rated municipal bonds. The team also makes a lot of small bets instead of relying on big investments that can make or break a portfolio, Maka added. So we've been buying some of those deep discount securities that were hit hard as rates rose," Maka explained.

Persons: Morningstar, Michael Maka, We're, Maka, FLTMX, Bond, we've, muni, it's, Elizabeth Foos Organizations: Fidelity, Income Fund, SEC, Federal Reserve, Revenue, BBB, AAA, Bloomberg

☆ Here's where BlackRock sees opportunity in municipal bonds
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Municipal bonds are a great way for investors to grab some tax-advantaged income, they'll just have to be nimble, according to BlackRock. "Municipal bonds offer investors high after-tax income with less volatility compared to other fixed income assets and remain a good diversifier to equity and equity-like risk," Carney said. Where BlackRock sees opportunity Within muni bonds, BlackRock specifically likes focusing on states that primarily rely on consumption taxes. Those states that focused on personal income taxes, like California and New York, experienced much greater declines, he said. Lastly, essential revenue bonds tend to be more durable since they are drawing on revenue.

Persons: they'll, Sean Carney, Carney, BlackRock, munis Organizations: muni, BlackRock, Bond, Reserve, AA Locations: BlackRock, Florida , Nevada , Tennessee, Washington, California, New York

☆ Delayed rate cuts make munis more compelling: Capital Group's Courtney Wolf
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailDelayed rate cuts make munis more compelling: Capital Group's Courtney WolfCourtney Wolf, Capital Group fixed income portfolio manager, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss opportunities in municipal bonds amid Fed rate uncertainties, recent pressures on the senior living sector, and more.

Persons: Group's Courtney Wolf Courtney Wolf Organizations: Capital Group

☆ Here’s how Wall Street is playing fixed income in the second half of the year
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Fixed-income investors may want to consider making a few tweaks to their portfolio as the second half of the year gets underway. But the central bank is expected to start cutting rates in the coming months, perhaps as soon as September. However, many on Wall Street still believe two cuts are likely this year, including Charles Schwab. Jones anticipates better returns for fixed income in the second half but believes volatility will remain high. Investors can have a barbell portfolio with Treasurys on one end and investment-grade bonds and an agency MBS on the other, she suggested.

Persons: Charles Schwab, Kathy Jones, Jones, Sameer Samana Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, nab, MBS, JPMorgan, Treasury, Wells, Wells Fargo Investment Institute Locations: Wells Fargo, Samana, munis

☆ If you’re grabbing tax-free income from this asset, you may be sacrificing yield
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-21 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Though municipal bonds generally offer income that's free of federal income taxes – and state taxes if the investor resides in the issuing state – they also come with lower yields compared to other bonds. When it comes to muni bonds, the higher your tax bracket, the more valuable the tax-free income is. A tax-conscious approach to fixed income You don't have to bulk up on municipal bonds to get the best yield for your tax scenario. Municipal bonds are good contenders in taxable brokerage accounts, where investors can benefit from their tax-free income. Some fund families offer "tax-aware strategies" either in mutual funds or ETFs, which can include some exposure to municipal bonds, as well as equities.

Persons: Wells Fargo, aren't, Nisha Patel, That's, Collin Martin, Michael Carbone, it's, Beth Foos Organizations: Wells, Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Federal Reserve, SEC, Bond, Corporate Bond, York Life Investments, Schwab Center, Financial Research, Morningstar Locations: Wells Fargo, Chelmsford , Massachusetts

☆ There’s more than one way to access this asset offering tax-free income. How to make the right choice
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Muni bonds are beloved by wealthy investors because they offer income that's free of federal taxes. Muni bond ETFs and mutual funds, meanwhile, don't have a definite maturity date and their price can fluctuate while the investor is holding them. Liquidity needs are also a major factor, with individual bonds potentially being hard to sell if an investor has a cash need. Since these funds offer a fixed number of shares, they trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value. Some of these funds hold municipal bonds and are trading at sharp discounts to their net asset value, potentially making them an attractive purchase.

Persons: Kathleen McNamara, there's, muni, he'll, Beth Foos, James Ritzema, Baird, Jon Browne Organizations: Federal Reserve, UBS, tradeoffs Investors, SEC, Investors, Morningstar, RiverNorth Locations: Americas, –

☆ Money market funds yielding more than 5% won’t last. Where to deploy idle cash instead
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Money market funds' siren song has become a little louder: With the timing of Federal Reserve rate cuts shaky, yields on cash are still hot – for now. Here's how to decide where and when to redeploy some of your idle cash into fixed income. Taxes are also a key consideration as you build out your fixed income sleeve. Interest income from Treasurys, meanwhile, is subject to federal income tax but exempt from state and local taxes. A gradual entry toward fixed income You don't have to build out your fixed income allocation in one day.

Persons: Rob Williams, Charles Schwab, Ashton Lawrence, Lawrence, Williams Organizations: Mariner Wealth Advisors, Mutual Locations: Greenville , South Carolina, Treasurys, New York , New Jersey, California

☆ It’s prime time to lock in yields on this tax-free income play, UBS says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

UBS doesn't see the Federal Reserve embarking on rate cuts until September — and that means now is the time to snap up tax-free municipal bonds. Bond yields and prices move inversely, so a decline in rates will come with price appreciation for the underlying issues. "Against that backdrop, we believe that yields on quality municipal bonds look attractive at current levels," wrote UBS Wealth Management senior municipal bond strategist Kathleen McNamara in a report last week. The kicker of tax-free income Muni bonds are generally backed by the full faith and credit of the issuer, which makes them less of a default risk compared with corporates. Large diversified municipal bond funds can be cheap, but state-focused funds tend to be a little more costly.

Persons: Kathleen McNamara, McNamara, FKTFX Organizations: UBS, Federal, UBS Wealth Management, Bond, SEC, Vanguard California, Franklin, Franklin California Tax, Income Fund, Muni Bond ETF, Vanguard New Locations: There's, New York , California, New Jersey, California, Franklin California

☆ Pocket more of your return and save on taxes with these tips, says Bank of America
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"Fixed income returns, by contrast, come almost entirely from coupon payments, which can be taxable at the highest rates." You may also want to think about where you're holding these fixed income assets. The fourth step to save on taxes: Consider whether a buyback ETF or a dividend ETF is right for you. Woodard recently highlighted the iShares Core Dividend ETF (DIVB) and the Invesco BuyBack Achievers ETF (PKW) as buyback plays. He also noted that true income investors may want to go with dividend funds, including Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) .

Persons: It's, Jared Woodard, Woodard, buybacks, they're, DIVB, PKW, SCHD, VYM, Morningstar Organizations: Bank of America, Taxpayers, Schwab, Equity, Vanguard, & ' $

☆ These tax-free bonds could see stellar returns once the Fed starts cutting rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Such a move would bode well for fixed income, including municipal bonds. Recent data from Columbia Threadneedle Investments and Bloomberg, shows that muni bonds can see a jump in cumulative tax-equivalent returns once the Fed begins cutting rates. When taking into account the tax savings, muni bond investors don't have to take that much risk to capture attractive yields. Rising flows and higher yields Investors have been pouring money into muni bond funds lately. BlackRock's iShares National Muni Bond ETF (MUB) , meanwhile, has seen an exodus of more than $1 billion in flows this year, but it experienced inflows of $150.9 million in the past week.

Persons: Jerome Powell, bode, munis, Catherine Stienstra, BlackRock's, Duane McAllister, Baird Organizations: Federal Reserve, Columbia Threadneedle Investments, Bloomberg, York Life Investments, Columbia, Bond, Muni Bond ETF, Baird Asset Management, AAA, BBB Locations: Columbia

☆ Muni trends of 2024: Nuveen's Daniel Close on the search for yield
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMuni trends of 2024: Nuveen's Daniel Close on the search for yieldDaniel Close, Nuveen's head of municipals, joins 'The Exchange' from the CBOE trading floor to discuss 2024 muni inflow trends, the value of tax exemption in munis, and more.

Persons: Nuveen's Daniel Close, Daniel Close Organizations: Muni Locations: munis

☆ Investors should take a look at these high-yield bond ETFs with tax advantages, Bank of America says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"Investors have registered $195mn of outflows from HY muni ETFs over the past year while piling $3,130mn into long duration US Treasury bond funds. … In our view, Treasury bond ETFs have too much inflation risk and will continue to underperform Prudent Yield credit assets. Municipal bonds are debt issued by state and local governments whose interest payments can be tax-free for investors. But municipal bonds look relatively safe within that group, according to Bank of America. Bank of America's top-rated municipal bond ETFs include the SPDR Nuveen Bloomberg High Yield Municipal Bond ETF (HYMB) and the VanEck High Yield Muni ETF (HYD) .

Persons: Jared Woodard, Woodard, munis, HYMB Organizations: Bank of America, HY muni, …, Federal Reserve, Bank of America's, Bloomberg, ETF, Muni Locations: HY

☆ Vanguard launches two new ETFs to hit this sweet spot of tax-free fixed income
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Investors with a focus on tax-free income have two new choices to consider from Vanguard as the asset manager launches a pair of municipal bond exchange-traded funds. Tax advantages The biggest selling point for municipal bond funds is the tax-free income they provide. VTEC follows the S & P California AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index, while VTEI tracks the S & P Intermediate Term National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index. However, in November, $2.8 billion in assets flowed into intermediate-term muni bond funds, followed by another $2.3 billion in December, Morningstar found. said Foos of municipal bond funds.

Persons: Beth Foos, there's, VTEI, Jeffrey Johnson, Johnson, Morningstar, it's Organizations: Vanguard, California, Bond, Federal Reserve, Morningstar, York Life Investments, Free Municipal Bond Index, Free Municipal Bond, muni, Treasury Locations: California

When Aaliyah Iglesias was caught vaping at a Texas high school, she didn’t realize how much could be taken from her. ___E-cigarettes have inundated middle and high schools. The episode that got her in trouble happened elsewhere in Texas, at Athens High School, where her debate team was competing last February. She was sent to her district’s alternative school for 30 days, which was the minimum punishment for students caught vaping under Tyler schools' zero-tolerance policy. In a pilot program, the district installed vape sensors in bathrooms and cameras outside the doors.

Persons: Aaliyah Iglesias, vaping, ___, Iglesias, “, ” Iglesias, I’m, Tyler, Rick Cadiz, ”, Michael Allman, Jennifer Villines, they’re, ” Villines, it’s, “ I’m, McCarthy, Yasmeen Saadi, Mikaela, Asplen Gengenbacher, Alexis Simmerman, Parker Daly, Elise Darragh, Ford, Emily Handsel, Henry Hill, Victoria Ren, Shaurya Sinha, Carolyn Stein, Jessica Yu Organizations: Schools, Stanford University, University of Missouri, Associated Press, Tyler High School, Athens High School, Smart Sensors, IPVideo, HALO, “, San Dieguito Union High School District, Coppell Independent School District, vaping, National Honor Society, Tyler Junior College Locations: Texas, Tyler , Texas, Tyler, ” Cadiz, Cadiz, California, Gorman, AP.org

☆ Here’s how to squeeze a little more juice out of these tax-advantaged yields
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Indeed, investors get paid for taking a small step down in credit quality in the muni bond space. What's even sweeter is that municipal bond income is generally exempt from federal income tax. This also means high income investors would have to scoop up a higher yielding corporate bond to get the same tax-advantaged yield a muni bond would generate. A measured amount of risk Munis offer lower yields compared to their corporate counterparts, but they also carry significantly less risk. Lower risk, however, doesn't necessarily mean risk free.

Persons: Jennifer Johnston, Franklin Templeton, Lyle Fitterer, munis, corporates, Cooper Howard, Jonathan Mondillo, Franklin Templeton's Johnston Organizations: Federal Reserve, Franklin, AAA, muni, Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, York Life Investments, Moody's Investors Service, Charitable, Schwab Center, Financial Research Locations: muni, Abrdn

☆ These bonds offering tax-free income will still be a good deal in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-27 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Municipal bonds, favored for their tax-free income, are looking at a solid year in 2024 and could be a compelling purchase for investors hoping to lock in attractive yields. "We will likely see positive total returns," said Cooper Howard, fixed income strategist at the Schwab Center for Financial Research. "Munis are one of the best things going in the fixed income space," he said. It provides all the attributes of fixed income, and it serves as ballast to an overall diversified portfolio." Naturally, rates are on the minds of fixed income investors and strategists, as well as recession risk.

Persons: Cooper Howard, who've, Peter Higgins, Ben Barber, Schwab's Howard, Paul Malloy, It's, Beth Foos, Malloy, Howard, you've Organizations: Schwab Center, Financial Research, Morningstar U.S, Municipal, Shelton Capital Management, York Life Investments, Franklin, AAA, Vanguard, Bond, Morningstar Locations: New York , New Jersey, California

☆ Bond yields will come down from their fever pitch in 2024. How to prepare your portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Expect to work a little harder for those fixed income returns in the new year. As a result, it may be time to start unwinding those big cash positions and adopt a longer-term mentality for fixed income investments. A runup in bond yields is accompanied by a decline in prices, and the two move inversely to one another. The sector "remains well positioned to maintain its high credit quality, driven by solid state credit quality and strong state financial support, despite soft enrollment trends," analyst Kathleen McNamara wrote last week. Consider dollar cost averaging into those longer-dated positions, incrementally building up exposure to intermediate duration bonds.

Persons: Jerome Powell, it's, Kathy Jones, Shannon Saccocia, Jones, Nicholos Venditti, Kathleen McNamara, Schwab's Jones, Barry McAlinden, Michael Bloom Organizations: Schwab Center, Financial Research, Bond, SEC, Muni Bond ETF, Allspring Global Investments, UBS

☆ Turn to this high-quality income play for the new year, Wells Fargo Investment Institute says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Investors who hope to generate portfolio income while recession fears ramp higher can seek some safety in municipal bonds. Wells Fargo Investment Institute recently issued its fixed income guidance for 2024, forecasting "higher for longer" rates across the yield curve as the Federal Reserve remains vigilant to bring down inflation. Municipal bonds offer a combination of characteristics that appeal to investors: General obligation bonds are backed by the revenue of the municipality issuing them. "Going into a slowdown, you anticipate rates to fall," said Brian Rehling, head of global fixed income strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. The top marginal income tax rate is 13.3% in California and well over 10% in New York and New Jersey.

Persons: Brian Rehling, Jennifer Johnston, Franklin Templeton, Johnston Organizations: Wells, Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Federal Reserve, Fargo Investment Institute, AAA, Muni Bond ETF, Vanguard, Bond, Fed, New York Life Investments, Investors, York State, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Locations: Wells Fargo, Fargo, New, California, New York, New Jersey, York

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