Cash and Bond Investments

Cash and Bond Investments

The main difference to consider when deciding whether to invest in bonds or hold your funds in cash is that bonds are an investment vehicle, and cash is just that – money in the bank or a safety deposit box.

Cash is the most liquid asset it is possible to own and, subject to where in the world you live, is almost at no risk of losing its nominal value. Inflation can seriously reduce the buying power of your cash if interest rates (after tax) are lower than inflation.

With bonds, it is technically possible to lose your entire investment. While this risk can be massively mitigated by buying high-quality corporate or government-issued bonds, default on payment by the issuer on redemption cannot be ruled out, especially for lower-quality bonds. However, if you hold the bond until maturity, you will receive its par value irrespective of the prevailing market price.

Pursuing Higher Long-Term Returns

At OCN Group, we actively manage bond portfolios to mitigate risk and pursue higher long-term returns as part of our comprehensive wealth management and investment advisory services. We can tailor portfolios to generate higher income returns if needed, although this will likely reduce the overall financial return.

Unlike keeping your money in a bank account, bond investments are not insured. Just as with direct equity investments or mutual funds, you accept a certain level of risk when you buy bonds, and if you lose money, there is no way to recoup your losses.