Treasury Inflation Protected Securities
The assets may include precious metals like gold and silver, oil, commodities, real estate, etc.
Hedging against inflation can be difficult sometimes.
You want 100% protection for your investment against inflation but you don't want to put yourself at risk.
In fact no one wants to be put in trouble when they are trying to hedge against inflation.
There are many ways to hedge against inflation; one of the best ways to hedge against inflation is to buy Treasury Inflation Protected Securities.
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) are known as 'safest of the safe' investment types.
TIPS provide protection against inflation.
The fundamental of TIPS are, it increases with inflation and decreases with deflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index.
When investment on TIPS matures, the investor is paid the adjusted principal or original principal, whichever is greater.
TIPS are long term fixed income investments protected from inflation rate fluctuations.
There is minimum downside risk on investing.
TIPS pay interest once in 6 months, at a fixed rate.
The rate is applied to the adjusted principal; so, like the principal, interest payments also rise with inflation and fall with deflation.
TIPS are looking attractive these days.
TIPS are bonds issued by the U.
S.
government that guarantee a fixed return (usually around 2%) PLUS whatever inflation (CPI) is proving to be every year.
TIPS are one of the safest investments you can make because there is very little risk.
How to Buy TIPS? The following are three ways to buy Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) 1.
Buying directly: TIPS can be bought directly from the U.
S.
Treasury or through a bank, broker, or dealer.
To buy TIPS directly from TresuryDirect, you must have an account in either TreasuryDirect or Legacy Treasury Direct.
2.
TIPS can be bought through the Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund (VIPSX).
3.
TIPS can also be bought through the ETF equivalent - the iShares Barclays TIPS Bond Fund (NYSE: TIP).
Purchasing TIPS directly allows investors to avoid the management fees associated with mutual funds.
The following are the advantages of investing in treasury inflation protected securities (TIPS).
1.
TIPS are very good investment instrument for the long-term investments.
2.
TIPS are backed by the U.
S.
government.
3.
Investing in TIPS are one of the best ways to diversity your portfolio and to reduce risk on your investment portfolio.
4.
TIPS investments do not require more investment management; hence it helps both beginners and expert investors.
5.
TIPS are helpful when inflation rates are projected to move up and when economy of the nation slow down.
6.
TIPS are also advantageous because they are exempt from state and local income taxes.