retirement bond portfolio

[semi55]

Hi all. Looking for advice regarding what others are doing with their fixed income portion of their portfolio.

In today's artificially govt manipulated environment, some questions as to what everyone is doing.

Me personally, I am lightening my LT exposure, but not totally eliminating, moving toward 10 yr, and trying to mix some small percent of intl bond.
I don't feel comfortable building my own bond port, so I'm using funds and etfs

What are you all doing ?

Total bond index and forget jiggering?
Moving toward short term (1-3yrs) ?
moving toward intermediate (5-10 yrs)?
how much international ?
Funds, ETFs?

[jebmke]

I InvestmentGrade in sheltered accounts and muni funds in taxable. Still holding one slab of TIPS in an IRA.

[Midpack]

Here's a recent thread with quite a few posts largely answering the same question http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...ike-69996.html

[ETFs_Rule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by semi55 What are you all doing ? Total bond index and forget jiggering? Moving toward short term (1-3yrs) ? moving toward intermediate (5-10 yrs)? how much international ? Funds, ETFs?

<-------------ETF's rule! Good choice!
Ric Edelman says that he's been telling clients to avoid longer term bonds because of the looming interest rate rise that so many are expecting. You probably aren't going to totally avoid long term bonds. After all interest rates may go sideways for years. We really don't know. And don't lose sight of the fact that bonds are meant to off set stock market volatility.

[galeno]

50% of FI in PTTAX.lw + 50% in a 5 yr CD ladder. Duration = 3.3 yr. Real net yield = -1.3%.