Fixed Income: Key Benefits (2024)

Types of Fixed Income

Fixed Income: Risk vs. Return

Fixed income products can play an important role in reducing your portfolio's volatility. Explore this and other key benefits.

Historically, fixed income products such as bonds have provided a higher return than cash investments and exhibited less volatility than stocks. In times of equity market downturns, fixed income products may offset the negative returns on stocks while lowering the overall risk of your portfolio. The proportion of fixed income and equities in your portfolio will depend on yourinvestor profile.

Fixed Income: Key Benefits (11)

Fixed income products appeal to investors for a number of reasons:

  • Income:Most bonds pay interest semi-annually; however, some bonds pay monthly, quarterly or even on an annual basis. These payments provide you with regular and predictable income. This regular income stream can also help to reduce the volatility of your portfolio’s returns and can be a source of liquidity for non-investment expenditures.
  • Safety:High-quality bonds such as those issued by the Government of Canada bonds and many corporate bonds provide a high degree of safety. Although any bond can decline in value, you can feel confident that you will receive full repayment of principal plus interest if you hold high-quality bonds to maturity.
  • Variety:Many kinds of fixed income products are available, from guaranteed investment certificates (GICs) and treasury bills to government and corporate bonds. You can also purchase strip bonds, real return bonds, step-up bonds, Eurobonds and many U.S. instruments.
  • Convenience:You can purchase GICs, bonds and other fixed income investments online just as easily as you would stocks. You can also gain fixed income exposure through a variety of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, also available online.

For more information read theFixed Income Basicsarticle.

Thank You!

You have been successfully subscribed to receive more Inspired Investor articles from RBC Direct Investing.

Your Subscription Failed

Your subscription to Inspired Investor has failed. Please try again at a later time.

View Legal Disclaimer

RBC Direct Investing Inc. and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. RBC Direct Investing Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada and is a Member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Royal Bank of Canada and certain of its issuers are related to RBC Direct Investing Inc. RBC Direct Investing Inc. does not provide investment advice or recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of any securities. Investors are responsible for their own investment decisions. RBC Direct Investing is a business name used by RBC Direct Investing Inc. ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence.

© Royal Bank of Canada 2024.

Any information, opinions or views provided in this document, including hyperlinks to the RBC Direct Investing Inc. website or the websites of its affiliates or third parties, are for your general information only, and are not intended to provide legal, investment, financial, accounting, tax or other professional advice. While information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsem*nt of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by RBC Direct Investing Inc. or its affiliates. You should consult with your advisor before taking any action based upon the information contained in this document.

Furthermore, the products, services and securities referred to in this publication are only available in Canada and other jurisdictions where they may be legally offered for sale. Information available on the RBC Direct Investing website is intended for access by residents of Canada only, and should not be accessed from any jurisdiction outside Canada.

> Next: Types of Fixed Income

EXPLORE MORE

VIDEO: Ideas for Your Next Investing Move

In this episode of Inspired Investor Talk, we learn about generating ideas

Words Matter When It Comes To Central Banks

Want to know where rates are going? Listen to your central banker

Buy, Sell Or Hold? What You Need To Know About Analyst Reports

Here’s how you can elevate your investing approach using analyst reports.

  • Investing Academy

Inspired Investor

Inspired Investor brings you personal stories, timely information and expert insights to empower your investment decisions. Visit About Us to find out more.

This web site is operated by RBC Direct Investing Inc.
© Royal Bank of Canada 2001-2017

Fixed Income: Key Benefits (2024)

FAQs

What are the benefits of fixed income? ›

Fixed-income provides stability and regular cash flow, while stock investments offer growth over time, albeit at the expense of volatility. So a good investor can design a portfolio with both elements to meet their short- and long-term needs.

What is an example of a fixed income? ›

Treasury bonds and bills, municipal bonds, corporate bonds, and certificates of deposit (CDs) are all examples of fixed-income products.

What is the most common fixed income security? ›

The most common examples of fixed income products consist of the following: Treasury Bills (T-Bills) Treasury Notes (T-Notes) Treasury Bonds (T-Bonds)

What are the cons of fixed income? ›

Disadvantages. Fixed-income securities commonly have low returns and slow capital appreciation or price increases. This is the trade-off for lower risk. Their prices tend to decrease slower as well.

Why do people say fixed income? ›

What does living on a fixed income mean, exactly? Living on a fixed income generally applies to older adults who are no longer working and collecting a regular paycheck. Instead, they depend mostly or entirely on fixed payments from sources such as Social Security, pensions, and/or retirement savings.

What are the pros and cons of fixed income securities? ›

Fixed-income securities usually have low price volatility risk. Some fixed-income securities are guaranteed by the government providing a safer return for investors. Cons: Fixed-income securities have credit risk, so the issuer could possibly default on making the interest payments or paying back the principal.

Is fixed income good or bad? ›

Fixed-income investing can be a good strategy for new investors who want stability and regular income. Bonds and other fixed-income assets offer reliable returns and can help manage risk, as they are less volatile than stocks.

What is core fixed income? ›

The Core Fixed Income Strategy is an investment grade bond portfolio that seeks to preserve capital and prudently improve returns.

How to live on a fixed income? ›

First and foremost, creating a detailed budget is the key. Start by listing all your income sources, including pensions, Social Security, required retirement account distributions, or any other fixed payments. Next, prioritize essential needs such as housing, utilities, transportation, groceries, and healthcare.

How does fixed income work? ›

Fixed-income investing is an investment approach that involves putting your money in low-risk assets that provide a fixed stream of income through interest or dividends. This strategy allows you to mitigate market risk, earn passive income, and preserve capital.

What are the characteristics of a fixed income? ›

Fixed income is an asset class that is a commonly held investment because it helps preserve capital. Fixed-income investments, or bonds as they are commonly known, typically provide a premium above inflation and experience less return volatility compared with shares.

What the key attributes of a fixed income security are? ›

The basic features of a bond include the issuer, maturity, par value (or principal), coupon rate and frequency, and currency denomination. Issuers of bonds include supranational organizations, sovereign governments, non-sovereign governments, quasi-government entities, and corporate issuers.

Is fixed income taxed? ›

The interest earned on fixed-income investments like bonds and notes is often subject to income tax. There are different taxation rules for government, corporate, and municipal bonds.

Are loans fixed income? ›

Fixed income investments such as bonds and loans are generally priced as a credit spread above a low-risk reference rate, such as LIBOR or U.S. or German Government Bonds of the same duration.

How to get fixed monthly income? ›

Best Monthly Income Plans You Should Consider
  1. Senior Citizen Saving Scheme.
  2. Post Office Monthly Income Scheme.
  3. Long-Term Government Bonds.
  4. Corporate Deposits.
  5. Monthly Income Plans.
  6. Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana.
  7. Life Insurance Plus Saving.
  8. Systematic Withdrawal Plans.
Apr 2, 2024

What is an example of a fixed and variable income? ›

Sam's "fixed income," was ​his weekly allowance, because he regularly gets that every week. His variable income included all the things that change from one week to the next. Sam takes the bus to the zoo every week, he helps out there as part of a school science project, so it's one of his fixed expenses.

Is a fixed income an asset? ›

'Fixed income' is a broad asset class that includes government bonds, municipal bonds, corporate bonds, and asset-backed securities such as mortgage-backed bonds. They're called 'fixed income' because these assets provide a return in the form of fixed periodic payments.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Tish Haag

Last Updated:

Views: 6196

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (67 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tish Haag

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 30256 Tara Expressway, Kutchburgh, VT 92892-0078

Phone: +4215847628708

Job: Internal Consulting Engineer

Hobby: Roller skating, Roller skating, Kayaking, Flying, Graffiti, Ghost hunting, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.