Greater Fool glossary / Bonds & Rates

treasury bond

A debt security issued by the U.S. government similar to a Treasury note, but with a much longer maturity period. Treasury bonds typically mature in 20 or 30 years. Like Treasury notes, they are considered very safe investments backed by the U.S. government.

In practice

You buy a 30-year Treasury bond for $10,000 that pays 4.5% interest per year. You receive $450 in annual interest payments for 30 years, then get your $10,000 back. This long time period means you lock in that interest rate for decades.

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