Among the safest investments are U.S. Treasuries. They are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S government. (Backed by you and me and the taxes we pay.) When you start at the bottom of the investment pyramid, Treasuries are part of your investment foundation along with savings accounts, CD's and money markets.
Essentially, when you buy a Treasury you are lending money to the government.
Because U.S Treasuries are so safe, they earn very little interest as they carry minimal risk.
U.S. Treasuries come in several durations:
A Treasury Bill, or TBill, will mature in under a year,
Treasury Notes will mature in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 10 years and
Treasury Bonds, long bonds, mature in 20 and 30 years.
The most known Treasury is the 10 year which is used as a benchmark (measuring/comparison tool) for the Treasury market and for mortgage rates.
Treasuries may be bought through a brokerage account, at a federal bank and online at www.TreasuryDirect.gov.
Be $ Smart - build your investment portfolio foundation with some U.S. Treasury bills, notes or bonds for safety and predictability.
