Federal bonds are regarded as the safest investments in the market, while municipal bonds and corporate debt offer varying degrees of risk. Low-yield bonds expose you to inflation risk, which is the danger that inflation will cause prices to rise at a rate that out-paces the returns on your investments.
Stocks — often called equities — are the riskiest way to invest; bonds and other fixed-income investments are the least risky.
What Is the Safest 401(k) Investment? The least-risky investment in a 401(k) would be either money market funds or U.S. government bonds (known as Treasuries). However, these investments will typically offer a very low rate of return and may not keep up with inflation.
When it comes to generating income, there's nothing safer or more reliable than FDIC-insured bank accounts and certificates of deposit (CD). 3 While this strategy won't produce much income when CDs and savings accounts pay 2% or even less, it can be a fine option when interest rates rise to more attractive levels.
If you are a short-term investor, bank CDs and Treasury securities are a good bet. If you are investing for a longer time period, fixed or indexed annuities or even indexed universal life insurance products can provide better returns than Treasury bonds.
Simply put, bond funds are much like stock mutual funds but come with lower risks and lower gains. So, to move 401(k) to bonds before a crash can be a smart decision since their main advantage is that they can usually withstand a stock market crash.
Deferred annuities are among the safest 401k and IRA investments during a recession. Some consider it “retirement crash insurance.” A fixed index annuity can earn interest based on a market index's positive performance (movement) without the risk exposure and lock in every gain made.
One of the worst things you can do to your 401(k) is to withdraw early, and, sadly, this becomes common during market crashes. Unfortunately, withdrawing your money before retirement usually means paying a penalty fee, plus your 401(k) will lose its longevity.
If you're invested in a target-date fund, your investments should already be reallocated to less risky funds, like bonds, the closer you get to 65. If you're invested in index funds or mutual funds, you'll need to move your money to safer investments yourself.
Yes. Your 401(k) can absolutely lose money. Your 401(k) funds are invested in various funds like mutual funds, index funds, and target-date funds.
Key Takeaways. 401(k) retirement plans may be “frozen” by a company's management, temporarily halting new contributions and withdrawals. A freeze can occur in the case of a corporate restructuring such as a merger or if your company changes 401(k) plan providers.
Stable value funds are an excellent choice for conservative investors and those with relatively short time horizons, such as workers nearing retirement. These funds will provide income with minimal risk and can serve to stabilize the rest of the investor's portfolio to some extent.
Any money you contribute to your 401(k), such as money contributed via payroll deduction, is money you can't lose. That employer can't take that money from you, even if you leave the company entirely. But there is another portion of your retirement plan you may not be able to claim: your vested balance.
Key Takeaways. Savings accounts are a safe place to keep your money because all deposits made by consumers are guaranteed by the FDIC for bank accounts or the NCUA for credit union accounts. Certificates of deposit (CDs) issued by banks and credit unions also carry deposit insurance.
Key Takeaways. A Roth 401(k) has higher contribution limits and allows employers to make matching contributions. A Roth IRA allows your investments to grow for a longer period, offers more investment options, and makes early withdrawals easier.
If you're invested in a money market fund or a fixed account and you're still losing money, fees may be the culprit. 401(k) plans often charge fees to your account balance, which cover things like plan administration and recordkeeping. The question is whether those fees are reasonable.
The Bottom Line
There's no way of knowing if the stock market will crash in 2022. While there are absolutely concerning indicators, there are also signs of strength in the underlying economy. Wise investors should keep investing for the long run and stick to their overall financial plan.
The rule stipulates investing 90% of one's investment capital towards low-cost stock-based index funds and the remainder 10% to short-term government bonds.
Bonds tend to be less volatile and less risky than stocks, and when held to maturity can offer more stable and consistent returns. Interest rates on bonds often tend to be higher than savings rates at banks, on CDs, or in money market accounts.
The Bottom Line. Can you lose money on bonds and other fixed-income investments? Yes, indeed; there are far more ways to lose money in the bond market than people imagine.
Federal Bond Funds
Several types of bond funds are particularly popular with risk-averse investors. Funds made up of U.S. Treasury bonds lead the pack, as they are considered to be one of the safest.