Category Archives: Cash alternatives

I Bond’s variable rate will rise to 2.86% on May 1

March prices slipped into deflation, a bit of a surprise. By David Enna, Tipswatch.com April 30 update: I Bond gets a new fixed rate of 1.10%, composite rate of 3.98% The just-released March inflation report gives us something we desperately need: … Continue reading →

Posted in Cash alternatives, Federal Reserve, Inflation, Retirement, Savings Bond, TreasuryDirect | 24 Comments

The Treasury market seems to be crumbling. Why?

By David Enna, Tipswatch.com Update, 2:15 pm April 9: Just about 12 hours after enforcing crippling tariffs on much of the world, President Trump changed course and announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs (above the new baseline 10%) on … Continue reading →

Posted in Cash alternatives, Federal Reserve, Inflation, Investing in TIPS | Tagged , , , , , , | 43 Comments

A 5-year TIPS is maturing April 15. How did it do as an investment?

It had a real yield negative to inflation. And it was a winner. By David Enna, Tipswatch.com One of the basic rules of investing in Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities is: Get the highest possible real yield and ignore all the other … Continue reading →

Posted in Cash alternatives, I Bond, Inflation, Investing in TIPS | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

My I Bond fixed-rate projection just fell to 1.10%

The benchmark 5-year real yield continues to fall. By David Enna, Tipswatch.com April 11, 2025, update: Welcome to the I Bond ‘buying season’ April 10, 2025, update: I Bond’s variable rate will rise to 2.86% on May 1 Amid all this week’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Cash alternatives, I Bond, Inflation, Investing in TIPS, Savings Bond, TreasuryDirect | Tagged , , , , , | 25 Comments

The unique serenity of holding TIPS at TreasuryDirect

By David Enna, Tipswatch.com Want to find your happy place? Sometimes you have to go your own way. The consensus advice is to buy individual Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities in a tax-deferred account, most likely a traditional IRA. These bonds pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Cash alternatives, Inflation, Investing in TIPS, Retirement, Taxes, TreasuryDirect | 36 Comments