No cliff for Municipal Bonds

With many Americans set to pay higher taxes, muni bonds could become an attractive investment.

In the eleventh hour of the first night of 2013, Congress passed legislation which, among tax increases and other items, left the municipal bond coupon tax-free and unscathed. As you undoubtedly know by now, the bill provides for extensions of the Bush era tax cuts and credits and permanently "patches" the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) going forward.

Personal income taxes for individuals with income over $400,000 and households over $450,000 will increase; as will taxes on dividends and capital gains for those investors. There will be much more debate to follow as Congress must address the deficit and debt ceiling in the coming months.

At this time, tax-free investors can exhale knowing that their tax-free income streams remain preserved as we roll off the second strong performance year in a row; the Barclays Municipal Bond Index returned 6.78% in 2012. With higher taxes coming for many Americans, tax-free coupon can make munis all the more desirable.

Source:  James Col, Investment News

The information contained in this article does not constitute a recommendation, solicitation, or offer by D2 Capital Management, LLC or its affiliates to buy or sell any securities, futures, options or other financial instruments or provide any investment advice or service. D2, its clients, and its employees may or may not own any of the securities (or their derivatives) mentioned in this article.

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