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Bonds & Fixed Income

government bonds and CDs

Fixed-income investments can help address your income needs

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Whether you want to mitigate market volatility, preserve your investment, generate income from your portfolio, or all three, we offer a wide range of fixed-income investments that can address your needs. And find tools, resources and dedicated Fixed Income Specialists who can help you define and refine your strategy.

Discover the potential advantages of fixed-income investing

Fixed-income investments may be right for you if you want to experience these benefits as part of a diversified portfolio. 

 
  • Preserve wealth - while fixed-income prices may fluctuate, you can rely on receiving the full-face amount when your investment matures, subject to credit risk 
  • Diversify your portfolio - diversifying your investments across asset classes may result in less risk exposure for your overall portfolio
  • Generate income - fixed-income investments may provide a steady stream of monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual income to help supplement your income or help fund your retirement
  • Manage interest rate risk - creating a ladder through staggered maturities can potentially help you manage interest rate risk in both rising and falling environments and experience less exposure to interest rate volatility 

Reasons to choose TD Ameritrade for fixed-income investing

We provide tools, research, and support to help take the guesswork out of bond and fixed-income investing.

  • Select from a wide range of investments over 40,000 offerings from over 100 dealers, 3,000+ bond mutual funds, and over 400 bond ETFs2 300+ which are commission free
  • Utilize helpful tools like ready-made bond ladders, or create your own with Bond WizardTM. You can even set bond alerts to help you stay updated on new issue offerings as well as rating and status changes for corporate and municipal bonds
  • Get help with investment strategy and fixed-income needs with a personalized portfolio review from a Fixed Income Specialist 
  • Take advantage of competitive pricing on most every fixed-income product in the marketplace, which includes $1 per bond transaction fee on secondary bond trades when trading through the online platform 

Dedicated Fixed Income Specialists

    Define your fixed-income strategy with the one-to-one guidance of TD Ameritrade Fixed Income Specialists. Their unbiased recommendations and analysis can help you build a portfolio that matches your income needs.

     

    To speak with a Fixed Income Specialist, call 800-934-4445.

Tools

Use a wide range of useful (and free) tools to help find bonds that match your portfolio criteria. Implement a laddered strategy with Bond Wizard, determine yields and costs with the Bond Calculator, stay up-to-date on the status of your bonds with Bond Alerts, and more.

Education and research

Gain confidence that comes from knowledge with unlimited access to free educational resources. Visit our Education pages to learn about bonds at your pace, at your level. Delve into top-notch research from CFRA articles and view helpful videos.

Additional fixed-income offerings

    Over time, risk changes, and so will the weight of the fixed-income investments in your portfolio. Beyond bonds, there are many other fixed-income offerings that can help you to diversify. Consider annuities to help secure a steady stream of income. Enlist a team of professionals to help with managed portfolios. Plus, explore mututal funds that match your investment objectives.

Choice, FDIC protection, and specialized help with CDs

With a TD Ameritrade account, you have access to a wide variety of brokered CDs. Every CD is FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor per issuer. So, if you own two CDs from different banks, you're covered up to $500,0001. If you need help, our CD Specialists are just a click or call away.

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AdChoices

Please note: It is important to keep in mind that investments in fixed income products are subject to liquidity (or market) risk, interest rate risk (bonds ordinarily decline in price when interest rates rise and rise in price when interest rates fall), financial (or credit) risk, inflation (or purchasing power) risk and special tax liabilities.  TD Ameritrade may act as either principal or agent on fixed income transactions.  When acting as principal, TD Ameritrade will add a markup to any purchase, and subtract a markdown from every sale.  This markup or markdown will be included in the price quoted to you.  When acting as agent, TD Ameritrade will charge $1 per bond or CD on secondary transactions (subject to a $10 minimum and a maximum of $500).   

Market volatility, volume and system availability may delay account access and trade executions.

Non-deposit investment products NOT FDIC-INSURED/NO BANK GUARANTEE/MAY LOSE VALUE. Fixed income products are subject to availability and change in price. Availability of products and services may vary by jurisdiction.

All annuity guarantees are based on the claims paying ability of the insurer.

CD Buy orders are subject to a 2 CD ($2,000 par value) minimum. TD Ameritrade does not allow the selling of a CD you do not own in your account (short selling.)

Diversification does not eliminate the risk of experiencing investment losses.

Results generated by Bond Wizard are based on your entered criteria and represent possible investment alternatives available at the time the list is compiled. The results should not be considered a recommendation or solicitation by TD Ameritrade to purchase any specific securities. You are responsible for determining whether any particular investment is consistent with your investment objectives, risk tolerance and financial circumstances. You may want to consult an attorney or tax professional regarding the bonds you select for your portfolio prior to purchasing them.

While the Bond Ladder tool may assist you in obtaining diversification of your own individual portfolio, its use does not ensure diversification. Keep in mind that diversification does not guarantee against loss. TD Ameritrade is not responsible for ensuring that your use of the Bond Ladder tool is suitable for your specific financial situation.

TD Ameritrade is not responsible for ensuring that your use of the Bond Wizard or Bond Ladder tool is suitable for your specific financial situation.

The types of CDs available through TD Ameritrade are called brokered CDs. They are similar to CDs purchased directly from a bank, except they can be traded on the open market. Brokered CDs that you choose to sell prior to maturity in a secondary market may result in loss of principal due to fluctuation of interest rates, lack of liquidity, or transaction costs.

Brokered CDs have an extended settlement period of up to two weeks. The settlement date and maturity date of the CD will be reflected on the trade confirmation. The amount of CDs available under certain offers is limited. Additional CD offerings with varying rates and maturities are available.

If you purchase a callable CD, the issuer can redeem or "call" your CD before maturity. Callable CDs may have a higher interest rate because of the risk that the CD will be redeemed early. If you purchase a non-callable CD, you will know exactly how long you will hold the CD and how much interest will be paid by the issuer.

CD Buy orders are subject to a 2 CD ($2,000 par value) minimum. TD Ameritrade does not allow the selling of a CD you do not own in your account (short selling.)

TD Ameritrade receives a placement fee from the issuing bank in connection with your purchase of a CD. You will not be charged any commissions in connection with your purchase of a CD.

1 Up to $250,000 per account owner per institution for depository assets held in non-retirement accounts.

2 Risk of bond ETFs. Investments in bond funds are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency. Bonds and bond funds will typically decrease in value as interest rates rise. To trade commission-free ETFs, you must be enrolled in the program. If you sell an eligible ETF within 30 days of it being purchased commission-free, a short-term trading fee will apply. ETFs purchased commission-free that are available on the TD Ameritrade ETF Market Center are available generally without commissions when placed online in a TD Ameritrade account. Other fees may apply for trade orders placed through a broker or by automated phone. TD Ameritrade receives remuneration from certain ETFs that participate in the commission-free ETF program for shareholder, administrative and/or other services.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures CDs for principal and accrued interest up to $250,000. Included in this coverage is any other amount you may have on deposit with the bank or institution that issued the CD, for the same account ownership category. Please make sure you know the extent of your FDIC coverage and that you monitor your entire deposit with the issuing bank to ensure it does not exceed the coverage limit.

This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where we are not authorized to do business or where such offer or solicitation would be contrary to the local laws and regulations of that jurisdiction, including, but not limited to persons residing in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UK, and the countries of the European Union.

TD Ameritrade, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, a subsidiary of The Charles Schwab Corporation. TD Ameritrade is a trademark jointly owned by TD Ameritrade IP Company, Inc. and The Toronto-Dominion Bank. ©2021 Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. All rights reserved.