For many years, the financial crisis of the late 2000s left a persistent legacy: stubbornly low interest rates on low-risk, low-reward investment vehicles. Rates on savings accounts, money market funds and government bonds remained at or below the rate of inflation basically through the 2010s, and interest rates on consumer-facing mortgages and auto loans remained

Corporate bonds occupy a middle ground between low-interest, low-risk government bonds and stocks, which may offer higher returns but are much riskier overall. But corporate bonds are not perfect. Individual corporate bonds have significant drawbacks you should carefully consider before investing.

City and local governments use municipal bonds to raise money for public projects. Investors who buy these bonds enjoy a low-risk investment that offers special tax treatment. Learn what municipal bonds are, how to buy them, how the gains are taxed, and the pros and cons of investing.