Author Topic: BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield  (Read 1319 times)

NorcalBlue

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BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield
« on: February 06, 2023, 10:12:47 AM »
Hello All,

I'm trying to figure out why I would stay in BND vs Cash in a Money Market at the current rates?  I'm getting about 3.4% in my MM vs a 2.8% yield in BND at the moment.  Maybe I'm not seeing this correctly - can someone help me determine why I would continue to be in BND vs Cash?  I'm guessing there's a good reason.  Thanks.

FIPurpose

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Re: BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2023, 10:41:53 AM »
Because BND can appreciate in price in addition to the yield.

NorcalBlue

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Re: BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2023, 11:00:09 AM »
Yeah, interest rate risk impacting price - which could go either way I reckon.  4.4% in a Vanguard MM sounds a much better proposition to me at the moment.

FIPurpose

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Re: BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2023, 11:03:37 AM »
I'm confused.

I just looked up BND's current yield which says it's at ~3.96. Where are you getting your info?

NorcalBlue

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Re: BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2023, 11:17:12 AM »
That must be the issue.  I've just been getting it from the stock quote pages that show yield as well.  Maybe that's dated.  Dumb ? - but where should I look for the current rate?  Thank You.

FIPurpose

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Re: BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2023, 11:25:20 AM »
Ok I see I was looking at SEC yield vs the Distribution yield you're probably looking at. Take that info whatever its worth.

Heckler

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Re: BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2023, 01:55:27 PM »
https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/bnd#portfolio-composition

and my understanding of bond funds is to look at the YTM (The rate of return an investor would receive if a security is held to its maturity date.). 

4.6% for BND currently, with maturity 8.9 years from now

https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bonds:_advanced_topics#Yield_to_maturity


Summary:  MM or cash for spending in the near future.  Bonds for x+ years from now, Equity for x++ years from now.

Radagast

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Re: BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2023, 03:58:22 PM »
There are two competing bond fund risks. One is interest rate risk: the risk that if interest rates go way up, your existing bonds will decline in value until their coupon payments equal the new higher rate bonds relative to their price, which makes you sell at a loss if you need the money sooner. The other is reinvestment risk: the risk that if interest rates go way down, when your existing bonds will mature and you will be forced to reinvest at a very low rate, whereas a long term bond would keep paying the same high rate. Either one can cause you to have less money than you should have.

If interest rates go way up, the coupon payments and maturing bonds from existing bonds will be reinvested at higher rates, and will eventually make up and then far more than make up the difference to the lost principal. The time it would take to break even is expressed by a bond fund's duration, but the duration is only an indication and not the exact result you will get because the exact result is path dependent on the actual series of sizes and timings of interest rate changes.

The basic rule of thumb is to invest in bond funds with a duration similar to the length of time you expect to keep your money in the bond fund, because that is where you minimize the combined effects of reinvestment risk and interest rate risk.

For example, I plan to keep my bond funds for a very long time so I invest in very long term bonds, but as I approach my "enough" $ amount I invest more in shorter term bonds because I need that money sooner. Another popular approach is to say "I don't know when I will need the money, and I don't want to try and outguess the market on future rates, so I will use bond funds matching the market duration." Money market funds are ideal for money needed in the next year, but farther out than that consider longer duration funds. For example, if I sell my house and plan to buy another soon, I will use a money market fund because I only plan to use that fund a short while and don't worry about a need to reinvest at a high future rate to sustain long term returns.
« Last Edit: February 06, 2023, 04:25:12 PM by Radagast »

NorcalBlue

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Re: BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2023, 09:20:11 AM »
https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/bnd#portfolio-composition

and my understanding of bond funds is to look at the YTM (The rate of return an investor would receive if a security is held to its maturity date.). 

4.6% for BND currently, with maturity 8.9 years from now

https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bonds:_advanced_topics#Yield_to_maturity

I guess that's the part I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around.  It appears I'm getting like 2.8% paid out from BND every quarter.  On the other hand, I"m getting 4.0% paid out from my cash.  So why am I taking the interest rate risk to get 2.8% from BND when I can get 4.4% risk free cash?  Why am I getting paid out 2.8% when the SEC yield says 4.4% for BND?  Sorry, I'm new to this and a bit confused.  Thanks

Summary:  MM or cash for spending in the near future.  Bonds for x+ years from now, Equity for x++ years from now.

MustacheAndaHalf

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Re: BND Yield vs Cash Money Market yield
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2023, 09:52:41 AM »
What @Radagast said!

Total Bond (BND) holds 2/3rds U.S. government bonds, while Vanguard's Federal MMF holds 100% U.S. government bonds.  Credit risk is lower in the MMF.

Investors can use "SEC yield" to compare, and the MMF wins on that, too.  Personally I prefer to take risk in equities, not bonds, so I favor Vanguard Federal MMF (which is actually my largest holding right now, as I wait for capital calls).