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.

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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