4 Great Mutual Funds to Earn 3% to 4% in Investment-Grade Bonds
We've found low-cost funds that give you a wide range of these low-risk investments.

High-quality bonds form the base of a fixed-income portfolio. Issuers include major governments, government agencies and companies that are the strongest financially. The bonds have low credit risk; there's little chance that the issuers would be unable to pay interest or principal as promised.
Earnings for All
- 35 Ways to Earn Up to 11% on Your Money
- Short-Term Accounts: 1%-2%
- Muncipal Bonds: 2%-3%
- Investment-Grade Bonds: 3%-4%
- Foreign Bonds: 3%-5%
- High-Yield bonds: 3%-6%
- Dividend-Paying Stocks: 4%-6%
- Real-Estate Investment Trusts: 4%-9%
- Closed-End Funds: 4%-9%
- Master Limited Partnerships: 8%-11%
For most of the period from 2010 through mid 2016, long-term interest rates fell while the Fed kept its benchmark short-term rate near zero. With the Fed now hiking, the bellwether 10-year Treasury note yield has risen from 1.4% in mid 2016 to nearly 3% recently, lifting yields on other high-quality bonds.
The risks: A key determinant of long-term bond yields is the inflation rate, because inflation erodes the value of fixed-income yields. If investors begin to fear that inflation will rise, they're likely to demand higher yields on new bonds–depressing the value of existing bonds.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
How to invest: Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND, $79, 3.0%) is a solid choice for a diversified bond holding, says Miriam Sjoblom, a bond-fund analyst at Morningstar. The portfolio tracks the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond index of high-quality bonds, which include Treasury, corporate and mortgage issues. The fund's annual management cost is a mere 0.05% of assets. Its duration is 6.1.
For investors who prefer actively managed funds, Dodge & Cox Income (DODIX, 3.0%) has a "thoughtful long-term approach to investing and an attractive price tag," says Morningstar analyst Sarah Bush. The management cost is 0.4%, compared with an average of 0.8% for similar funds, and the portfolio duration is 4.2. Another actively managed pick: DoubleLine Total Return Bond (DLTNX, 3.4%), a Kip 25 member. Most of the bonds in the portfolio are mortgage-backed securities, the specialty of DoubleLine founder Jeffrey Gundlach. The fund's duration is 3.8.Cullen Roche, head of advisory firm Orcam Financial Group, recommends a small stake in the longest-term U.S. Treasury bonds, using iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT, $118, 3.0%). Such long-term bonds carry high volatility risk (the ETF's duration is 17.5), but Roche views them as insurance against a geopolitical or global economic crisis. Long-term Treasuries have been the asset investors flock to in times of great fear. "There's no reason to think that has changed," he says.

-
-
Save Up To $250 On Any Delta Vacations Flight and Hotel Package
Delta is offering a new deal for SkyMiles members that could potentially save travelers up to $250 on travel booked later this year.
By Erin Bendig Published
-
Your Social Security Checks Won’t Stop If the Government Shuts Down
How Social Security would be affected by a government shutdown, including what happens to checks and what services would be paused.
By Esther D’Amico Published
-
The Fed Holds Interest Rates Steady
The Fed cautions that inflation remains high and it is prepared to adjust its monetary policy ‘as appropriate if risks emerge.’
By Esther D’Amico Published
-
Banks Lost Billions on Bad Loans Last Quarter: Kiplinger Economic Forecasts
Economic Forecasts Bank deposits are also down, and more people are tapping into their savings.
By Rodrigo Sermeño Published
-
Kiplinger Special Report: Key Business Costs for 2024
Economic Forecasts Looking at business costs for 2024, expect slight cost increases across the board, from insurance rates to shipping expenses. Profits will be up, too.
By John Miley Published
-
What Is the Federal Funds Rate?
The federal funds rate can impact a host of borrowing costs, and thus the entire U.S. economy. Here, we take a closer look at this key metric.
By Jeff Reeves Published
-
How to Find the Best Vanguard ETFs
Investors looking for the best Vanguard ETFs would be wise to follow the philosophy of the asset manager's founder, John Bogle.
By Jeff Reeves Published
-
Bond Basics: What the Ratings Mean
investing Knowing the creditworthiness of your bond issuer can help limit the risk of default and maximize yield.
By Donna LeValley Published
-
Is It Prime Time for Money Market Funds?
The Fed's interest rate hike could be a boon for savings accounts. Here's why.
By Seychelle Thomas Published
-
What the Fed's Rate Pause Means for Savings
At their latest meeting, the Fed kept interest rates steady. Here's what that means for savings rates.
By Erin Bendig Last updated