Treasury Notes vs Bonds (2024)

FAQs

Treasury Notes vs Bonds? ›

Treasury notes and Treasury bonds are fixed-income securities issued by the U.S. government but differ in maturity dates. Treasury notes have maturities of up to 10 years, while Treasury bonds have maturities of up to 30 years. Both notes and bonds pay interest every six months and the face value is at maturity.

U.S. Bonds vs. Bills vs. Notes: An Overview

Bonds typically mature in 20-30 years and offer investors the highest interest payments to maturity. T-notes mature anywhere between two and 10 years, with bi-annual interest payments, while T-bills have the shortest maturity terms—from four weeks to a year.

Like T-bills and T-bonds, Treasury notes are generally considered to be below-risk and highly liquid fixed-income investments, backed by the US government.

Traditional bonds are generally considered safer investments compared to structured notes. Bonds issued by solid governments or companies with high credit ratings have a lower default risk. However, all bonds are subject to interest rate and market risks.

But while they are lauded for their security and reliability, potential drawbacks such as interest rate risk, low returns and inflation risk must be carefully considered. If you're interested in investing in Treasury bonds or have other questions about your portfolio, consider speaking with a financial advisor.

T-bills pay a fixed rate of interest, which can provide a stable income. However, if interest rates rise, existing T-bills fall out of favor since their return is less than the market. T-bills have interest rate risk, which means there is a risk that existing bondholders might lose out on higher rates in the future.

To calculate the price, take 180 days and multiply by 1.5 to get 270. Then, divide by 360 to get 0.75, and subtract 100 minus 0.75. The answer is 99.25. Because you're buying a $1,000 Treasury bill instead of one for $100, multiply 99.25 by 10 to get the final price of $992.50.

CD and Treasury bill rates offer similar rates for terms of one to six months. CDs are paying higher rates than Treasury bills and Treasury notes for terms of one to five years. Treasuries are exempt from state income taxes, which is an important advantage when rates are nearly the same.

CDs and Treasuries Offer a High Degree of Safety

Both CDs and Treasuries are considered extremely safe investments. Treasuries are backed directly by the federal government, while CDs are covered by FDIC insurance – which is also backed by the federal government.

Treasury bonds, notes, and bills have no default risk since the U.S. government guarantees them. Investors will receive the bond's face value if they hold it to maturity. However, if sold before maturity, your gain or loss depends on the difference between the initial price and what you sold the Treasury for.

How to buy US Treasury notes? ›

Buying through a bank, broker, or dealer

Individuals, organizations, fiduciaries, and corporate investors may buy Treasury securities through a bank, broker, or dealer. With a bank, broker, or dealer, you may bid for Treasury marketable securities non-competitively or competitively, but not both, for the same auction.

Treasury Bills

13-week and 26-week bills are offered each week. Except for holidays or special circ*mstances, the offering is announced on Thursday, the bills are auctioned the following Monday, and they are issued on the Thursday following the auction.

Whether 10-year Treasurys are a good investment for you depends on your investment goal. If your goal is to let your money grow slowly and conservatively over time, Treasury notes are considered a low-risk investment if held to maturity since they're backed by the U.S. government.

Interest income from Treasury securities is subject to federal income tax but exempt from state and local taxes. Income from Treasury bills is paid at maturity and, thus, tax-reportable in the year in which it is received.

Interest income from Treasury bills, notes and bonds - This interest is subject to federal income tax, but is exempt from all state and local income taxes.

We sell Treasury Notes for a term of 2, 3, 5, 7, or 10 years. Notes pay a fixed rate of interest every six months until they mature. You can hold a note until it matures or sell it before it matures.

Taxes: Treasury bills are exempt from state and local taxes but still subject to federal income taxes. That makes them less attractive holdings for taxable accounts. Investors in higher tax brackets might want to consider short-term municipal securities instead.

If you're looking for a short-term investment with low risk, Treasury bills are a great choice. However, if you're looking for a longer-term investment that yields semiannual income with a consistent interest rate, buying Treasury bonds is likely the better choice.

Right now, the 3-month Treasury bill rate is 5.25% while the 30-year Treasury rate is 4.58%. So, if you're looking for a risk-free way to earn interest on your cash over a short period of time, investing in a T-bill could be a good choice.

Advantages and Disadvantages of T-Bills

T-bills pay a fixed rate of interest, which can provide a stable income. However, if interest rates are rising, existing T-bills fall out of favor since their rates are less attractive compared to the overall market.