Bonds and individual fixed income securities

Key Points

  • Bonds and fixed income securities can provide a predictable income stream
  • Most pay interest semiannually
  • When working with an Ameriprise financial advisor, you gain access to a wide variety of bonds and fixed income securities

Bonds are a type of debt security where the issuer generally promises to pay a specified rate of interest during the life of the bond and repay the face value of the bond (the principal) when it matures.

Bonds and fixed income securities typically pay interest semiannually. Interest payments can provide investors a predictable income stream. Many people invest in bonds for the expected interest payments and to preserve their capital investment. (Interest payments and return of principal are subject to the creditworthiness of the issuer and are not otherwise guaranteed).

By working with an Ameriprise financial advisor, you have access to a wide variety of bonds and fixed income securities including:

  • Corporate bonds
  • Municipal bonds
  • U.S. Treasury bills, notes, bonds and zeros
  • U.S. Agency bonds
  • Mortgage-backed securities
  • Asset-backed securities (ABS)
  • FDIC-insured brokered certificates of deposit (CDs)

Take the next step

To find out more about trading bonds and fixed income securities at Ameriprise Financial, contact your Ameriprise financial advisor or locate an advisor near you

related information

Learn more about our brokerage fees

Statement of financial condition

Ameriprise Financial's statement of financial condition is provided here in accordance with Rule 17a-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is updated semiannually.

Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC is not a FDIC-insured bank; FDIC insurance only covers the insolvency of FDIC-insured banks. 
Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through FDIC insurance coverage to apply.
Fixed income markets may experience conditions where it could be difficult for Ameriprise Financial to determine the prevailing market price for a fixed income security. These situations can occur due to a lack of liquidity, volatility in market prices due to ratings changes, significant changes in interest rates, or other, broad-based market events. Ameriprise is under no obligation to provide liquidity (that is, to buy a security from or sell a security to you) under any market conditions.
In order to preserve the quality of execution of a customer order in a manner consistent with firm policy and industry regulation, Ameriprise will, on a best efforts basis, furnish bids and offers only when a prevailing market price can reasonably be determined.
As such, when extreme market conditions exist, Ameriprise order handling procedures will change as follows:
- Unlike normal market conditions, where the fixed income trading desk aggregates numerous bids prior to communicating the best bid to clients, in an extreme trading environment the fixed income trading desk will communicate bids to clients as they are received to provide transparency of the marketplace.  
- Should a client attempt to sell a security at a price where the prevailing market price may be difficult to determine, Ameriprise will confirm the client’s intent to sell the security at an agreed price prior to the fixed income trading desk executing the order on behalf of the client on a best efforts basis. These procedures will remain in place until market conditions return to normal, at which point Ameriprise procedures revert to business as usual.
There are risks associated with fixed income investments, including credit risk, interest rate risk, and prepayment and extension risk. In general, bond prices rise when interest rates fall and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.
Although Brokered Certificates of Deposit are generally FDIC insured up to the applicable limits, currently $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each ownership category, the FDIC insurance applies only to the principle investment and will not apply to any amount paid over par value, if applicable.
Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value.
Securities offered by Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.