Bond Ratings

If you're going to invest in bonds, you have to understand the ratings.

Since the primary function of bonds as an investment vehicle is to make fixed payments, it's essential that the company or government issuing the debt has the ability to make all payments on time and in full. Bond ratings evaluate the debt issuer to determine the risk of default.

Here's how bond ratings work: The leading rating agencies, Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Services, assign ratings when a bond is first issued, and that rating helps determine how high the bond's interest rate will be. If the agencies assign a high rating, that means there's little risk of default, so the issuer can obtain a lower interest rate. ...