8 Ways Short-Term Munis Can Make You Scream “Oh Yes!” by Frank Holmes
Who says municipal bonds aren’t sexy? They were the top fixed-income asset class of 2015, compared to U.S. Treasuries and corporate bonds, and they even outperformed the S&P 500 Index. Still not convinced? Check out the following ways short-term munis can make you scream “Oh yes!”
1. Tax. Free. Income.
One of munis’ most titillating qualities is that they’re tax-free at the federal level.
But they can also be tax-free at the state level depending on where you live. There are only seven states without an income tax, meaning you’re on the hook if you live in those other 43 states. Municipal bonds can minimize the burden.
Short-Term Munis
Discover the top five states in our Near-Term Tax Free Fund (NEARX) by percentage.
Tax-exempt income is federal income tax free. A portion of this income may be subject to state and local taxes and at times the alternative minimum tax. The Near-Term Tax Free Fund may invest up to 20 percent of its assets in securities that pay taxable interest. Income or fund distributions attributable to capital gains are usually subject to both state and federal income taxes.
2. Capital preservation
Because munis are tax-free, you get to keep more of your wealth in your own pocket.
NEARX seeks preservation of capital and has maintained a net asset value (NAV) that’s floated in the $2 range. It’s demonstrated minimal fluctuation in its share price, even during the 2008-2009 financial crisis.
3. Low default rate
True or false? The odds are greater that you will be struck by lightning than a high-quality muni will default on a payment.
True! Between 1970 and 2014, not a single Aaa-rated muni defaulted, while Aa and A-rated bonds—the kinds NEARX heavily invests in—were highly unlikely to default. Corporate bonds, on the other hand, had an increasing rate of defaults the lower their credit rating and further out from their issuance, according to Moody’s.
The chart below illustrates Moody’s findings of default rates between 1970 and 2014. It shows the rise in such rates between year one of a bond’s issuance, which could be at any time within the chart’s range, and year 10. You can see that munis’ default rate is near-zero and that Aaa-rated bonds don’t even register.
4. Calm in times of market turmoil
Speaking of “moody,” even when the S&P 500 was acting sporadically, munis were steady growers. Check out the following chart, which shows hypothetical investments of $100,000 in the Near-Term Tax Free Fund and S&P 500 stocks at the end of 1999. (You cannot directly invest in an index.) The equity market had two massive declines during this period, while NEARX rose steadily. In fact, it took 14 years for the equity market to catch up. (Figures include reinvestment of capital gains and dividends, but the performance does not include the effect of any direct fees described in the fund’s prospectus which, if applicable, would lower your total returns.)
Granted, the two major drops in value during this period—first when the tech bubble burst, then during the financial crisis—were among the worst the market has ever witnessed. Investors shouldn’t expect NEARX to outperform at all times.
Because the fund invests primarily in municipal securities, there is a risk that the value of these securities will fall if interest rates rise. Ordinarily, when interest rates go up, municipal security prices fall. The longer a fund’s weighted-average maturity, the more sensitive it is to changes in interest rates. Interest rates have been and are currently at historical lows due to, among other things, governmental intervention, including quantitative easing. There may be less governmental intervention in the near future to maintain low interest rates. If so, it could cause an increase in interest rates, which would have a negative impact on the value of fixed income securities and could negatively affect the fund’s net asset value.
5. …AND in times of rising and falling interest rates
You might think longer is always better, but in the case of munis, it pays to be short. Short-term munis—such as the ones that mostly make up NEARX—are less sensitive to interest rate stimulation than longer-term instruments. (Bond prices fall when rates go up, and vice versa.) Below, we use Treasury yields to illustrate how munis could be similarly affected:
6. Attractive Yields
For the first time ever, Germany’s 10-year government bond yield recently fell below zero, joining negative government debt issued by Japan, Switzerland and other countries. This has prompted many foreign investors to seek out other investments, including American municipal bonds, which still offer attractive yields.
7. Make America strong
Want to “make America great again”? Well, if you invest in short-term munis, you’re already doing it! This $3.7 trillion market funds everything from schools to roads to hospitals to utilities—and more.
8. 21 straight years of positive returns
Since 1995, NEARX has delivered positive annual returns—no matter what interest rates were doing, no matter the condition of the market. This is not to say that NEARX will continue to perform like this indefinitely, only that the fund has a well-tested history of “no drama.”
Interested in learning more on tax-free income? Check out our infographic, Why Investing in Short-Term Municipal Bonds Makes Sense Now. Then, be sure to request information on this exciting product!
Please consider carefully a fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. For this and other important information, obtain a fund prospectus by visiting www.usfunds.com or by calling 1-800-US-FUNDS (1-800-873-8637). Read it carefully before investing. Foreside Fund Services, LLC, Distributor. U.S. Global Investors is the investment adviser.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Total Annualized Returns as of 6/30/2016 | |||||
| Fund | One- Year | Five-Year | Ten-Year | Gross Expense Ratio |
Expense Cap |
| Near-Term Tax Free Fund (NEARX) | 2.22% | 2.13% | 3.13% | 1.09% | 0.45% |
| Barclays 3-Year Municipal Bond Index | 2.26% | 1.66% | 3.11% | N/A | N/A |
| S&P 500 Index | 3.99% | 12.10% | 7.42% | N/A | N/A |
Expense ratio as stated in the most recent prospectus. The expense cap is a contractual limit through April 30, 2016, for the Near-Term Tax Free Fund, on total fund operating expenses (exclusive of acquired fund fees and expenses, extraordinary expenses, taxes, brokerage commissions and interest). Performance data quoted above is historical. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Results reflect the reinvestment of dividends and other earnings. For a portion of periods, the fund had expense limitations, without which returns would have been lower. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance data quoted. The principal value and investment return of an investment will fluctuate so that your shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Performance does not include the effect of any direct fees described in the fund’s prospectus, which, if applicable, would lower your total returns. Performance quoted for periods of one year or less is cumulative and not annualized. Obtain performance data current to the most recent month-end at www.usfunds.com or 1-800-US-FUNDS.
