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Justin Kuepper is an experienced financial writer, web developer and active trader specializing in global macro situations. In addition to Mitre Media, he writes for About.com's International Investing section, Investopedia.com, Emerging Growth Corp., and other select publications on a freelance basis.

Recent Content By Justin Kuepper
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Municipal Bonds 101

What is in Store for Municipal Bonds in 2023?

Municipal bonds are a staple of many investment portfolios, especially for investors in higher...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Why Munis Could Become a Lot More Attractive in 2023

The Federal Reserve’s efforts to contain inflation have taken a toll on the bond markets in...

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Municipal Bonds 101

How to Invest in ESG-Focused Muni Bonds

State and local governments naturally spend large amounts on environmental and social causes. For...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Should You Buy Muni Closed-End Funds?

Many investors are avoiding the bond market after another surprise inflation reading sparked...

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Municipal Bonds 101

The Muni Market is Becoming More Concentrated

Retail investors are a staple of the municipal bond market, holding about three-quarters of the...

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Municipal Bonds 101

How to Adjust Your Muni Portfolio with Rising Rates?

Most consumers are acutely aware of rising inflation in their daily life, but the Federal...

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Bond Insurance

Bond Insurance Makes a Comeback—And It Might Be Worth the Cost

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a lot of pressure on municipal bonds. While general obligation...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Should You Rethink Your Muni Ladders?

Municipal bond ladders are a common strategy to mitigate interest rate risk. If interest rates...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Building an Inflation Strategy With Munis

Back in March, Warren Buffett warned that fixed-income investors “face a bleak...

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Municipal Bonds 101

A Look at What’s Driving Muni Bonds in 2H 2021

Municipal bonds have always been an attractive fixed income asset class thanks to their...

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Municipal Bonds 101

How President Biden Might Affect the Muni Bond Market?

Municipal bonds have long been a safe-haven asset class for fixed income investors, but it’s also...

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Municipal Bonds 101

How Climate Change Will Influence Municipal Bonds?

California’s largest utility filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 after massive wildfires...

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Municipal Bonds 101

How Muni Bonds Fared in 2020 and What to Expect in 2021

Municipal bonds fared better than expected throughout 2020 despite the global pandemic and...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on the Municipal Debt Market

The municipal bond market was in great shape prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. After the passage of...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Everything You Need to Know About the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board

The municipal bond market is worth nearly four trillion dollars and directly supports municipal...

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Municipal Bonds 101

The Importance of Monitoring Municipal Bonds

The municipal bond market may not be as fast-moving as the equity or futures markets, but that...

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Municipal Bonds 101

How to Choose a Municipal Advisor

State and local governments rely on municipal securities to raise money to finance projects for...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Treasury vs. Muni Yield Curves: What Investors Need to Know

Most investors are familiar with interest rates, but it’s important to look beyond the headline...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Introduction to a Conduit Bond

The municipal bond market began as a general obligation market similar to the Treasury market....

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Municipal Bonds 101

What Makes Muni Bonds Attractive in 2019?

The municipal bond market has experienced its fair share of headwinds over the past few years,...

Fraud
Municipal Bonds Risk Management

Be Aware of Fraud in the Muni Bond Market

The municipal bond market is often seen as a safe-haven among investors. After all, the bonds are...

Disclosures
Municipal Bonds 101

What Are Continuing Disclosures?

The municipal bond market is one of the largest markets in the world, with about $3.9 trillion...

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Bond Insurance

Where Bond Insurance Fits in the Push for Infrastructure

The United States has a tremendous need for infrastructure investment, but it remains slow in...

Top5
How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

Top 5 Liquid Municipal Bonds to Consider

The municipal bond market is appealing to many investors due to its stability and attractive...

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Municipal Bonds Risk Management

Will Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority Lose Its Professional Independent Oversight?

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello recently proposed that the Puerto Rico Energy Commission...

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Municipal Bonds Risk Management

Ratings Downgrade: New York's MTA Debt is Getting Riskier

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is the largest public transport authority...

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Municipal Bonds Risk Management

Trump’s $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Plan: Unlikely to Impact the Muni Market in 2018

President Trump’s long-awaited $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan is finally coming into the...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Profit by Exploiting These Factors

The relationship between different securities has always been central to financial analysis....

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Municipal Bonds 101

Impact on Muni Bonds of New Accounting Guidelines for Local Governments

New changes in accounting standards for state and local governments regarding retiree healthcare...

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Municipal Bonds 101

How Broad Perception Drives the Muni Market

The municipal bond market may seem rather straightforward with very low default rates and...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

Muni Bond Outlook for 2018

The municipal bond market has been a strong performer throughout 2017, but the market could see a...

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Bond Insurance

Top 5 Reasons You Should Choose Insured Muni Bonds Over Uninsured

Bond insurance has been experiencing a resurgence in popularity following a series of crises...

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Bond Insurance

How to Avoid Municipal Bankruptcy Headaches With Bond Insurance

The municipal bond market may be known for its rock-solid stability, but bond insurance can...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Underwriter Spreads and How They Work for Munis

The process of registering, issuing and selling municipal bonds is a complicated endeavor that...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Introduction to Municipal Bonds Electronic Trading Platforms

Municipal bonds are used to finance everything from parking lots to airports, but buying a bond...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

How to Invest in Infrastructure Under Trump

President Donald Trump has taken steps to unlock $1 trillion in spending on infrastructure, which...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Top 10 Free Resources for Muni Market Updates

Municipal bonds are an important fixed income asset class for investors seeking above-market...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

How to Capitalize on Mispriced Muni Bonds

Passive investing has come back into vogue in the financial markets, but there are still assets...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

Key Considerations Before You Start Trading in Muni ETFs

Municipal bonds are popular investments during low interest rate environments. In addition to...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Implications of European and Japanese Investments for the U.S. Muni Bond Market

The municipal bond market is commonly used by high-net worth individuals in the U.S. for their...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

Benefits of Being a Patient Muni Bond Investor

Municipal bonds have outperformed both Treasury and highly rated corporate bonds since the...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Due Diligence for Muni Bonds

Due to the opaque nature of the municipal bond market, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC)...

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Municipal Bonds Risk Management

Muni Bonds You Should Avoid at All Costs

The municipal bond market moved lower in October as issuers rushed to lock in low interest rates...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

Why Should You Invest in ‘Green’ Muni Bonds?

Green municipal bonds have become increasingly popular with volumes increasing from $693 million...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

Dirty vs. Clean Muni Bond Pricing

The equity markets may have relatively straightforward pricing, but coupon payments complicate...

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News

Top ETFs to Invest in Muni Bonds

[Updated on October 26, 2017 by Jayden Sangha] For fixed-income investors chasing safety,...

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Municipal Bonds 101

What Are Appropriation-Backed Muni Bonds?

Investors may think that all bonds are debts that a borrower is legally obligated to repay, but...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

How Pension Obligations Could Jeopardize the Muni Market

Many state and local governments have been struggling with public pension obligations that could...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

Should You Invest in the Yankees With Municipal Bonds?

The New York Yankees may be well known for their monster $220 million annual payroll – second...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

3 Tips for Choosing the Right Muni Bond Fund

Municipal bonds have become extremely popular since the Great Recession. With their...

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News

Are Muni Bonds as Safe as They Seem?

Municipal bonds are often hailed as safe-haven investments that are backed by taxpayer dollars...

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Why Muni Investors Prefer Active Over Passive

Most investors have embraced passive index investing as a way to reduce costs and improve...

Taxation
Taxation for Municipal Bonds

How Muni Losses Could Translate to Negative Taxes

Many investors prefer municipal bonds and funds because any income generated is generally free...

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News

Infrastructure Bonds Could See Upside After Election Season

Municipal bonds have become extremely popular among investors – thanks to their tax-advantaged...

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How the DOL’s New Fiduciary Rules Affect Munis

The Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) fiduciary rule could dramatically change the way that financial...

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News

Will Clinton or Trump Tax Muni Bonds?

The 2016 presidential race has narrowed down to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and...

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

Why Muni CEFs May Offer the Best Bargains

The $3.7 trillion municipal bond market may be dominated by institutional investors, but that...

Running
News

Is the Muni Winning Streak Coming to an End?

Municipal bonds have outperformed the S&P 500 over the past 52 weeks, while providing a...

Chart analysis
Municipal Bonds Risk Management

What Makes a Muni Bond ‘Undervalued’?

Many investors are familiar with the concept of buying undervalued equities thanks to famous...

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Municipal Bonds 101

Why Low Yielding Muni Bonds May Actually Be Attractive

Treasury yields (30 year) fell to just 2.22% on July 12 (and even lower a day before), reaching...

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Municipal Bonds Risk Management

How Slowing Tax Revenue Affects State Munis

Municipal bonds have become an attractive asset class over the past several years. With their...

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News

What Puerto Rico’s Default Means for Muni Investors

Puerto Rico failed to pay around $779 million worth of bond payments due on July 1, which marked...

Interest rates
Municipal Bonds Risk Management

What Do Higher Interest Rates Mean for Muni Bonds?

Interest rates have a tremendous impact on bond prices and yields. In general, higher interest...

Bondmarket
Municipal Bonds 101

How to Avoid Overpaying for Individual Muni Bonds

The municipal bond market is a popular safe haven during low interest rate periods, as their...

Bondmarket
Municipal Bonds Risk Management

Should Investors Even Look at Junk Muni Bonds?

The term “junk bond” doesn’t exactly inspire a lot of confidence, but the high yields offered by...

Pension
News

How Pension Liabilities Affect Munis

Public pension funds have stabilized since the Great Recession thanks to improving equity markets...

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Taxation for Municipal Bonds

Should You Buy Out-of-State Munis?

Many municipal bond’s interest payments are exempt from state income taxes, which means...

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News

How to Invest in U.S. City Bonds

The municipal bonds market has seen a number of cities default over the years, including Detroit’...

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Not All GO Bonds Are Created Equal

Puerto Rico’s debt crisis has caused a lot of uncertainty in parts of the municipal bond market....

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News

Where Are the Opportunities in Today’s Muni Bond Market?

The municipal bond market has been surprisingly robust over the past couple of years.

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How to Invest in Municipal Bonds

Are Muni Bond Ladders Right for You?

Bond laddering is a common strategy designed to ensure a consistent stream of income and mitigate...

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Taxation for Municipal Bonds

How Muni Bond Holdings Can Affect Social Security Income

Municipal bonds may not be subject to federal income taxes, but that doesn’t mean the IRS...

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News

Will Muni Bonds Continue to Outperform in 2016?

Municipal bonds were among the top-performing investment classes last year, with the S&P...

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News

Mind the Difference Between Tax Efficiency & After-Tax Returns

Municipal bonds have become extremely popular over the years due to their unique tax advantages....

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Muni Fraud: How Cities & Banks Defraud Investors

The municipal bond market is often considered to be a safe-haven asset class for investors due to...

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News

Muni Fund Ownership on the Rise

Municipal bonds have become extremely popular over the past couple of years thanks to an...

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News

Muni Bond Tax Overhaul Unlikely, but States Brace for Change

The municipal bond market has been a long-time target of Washington policymakers. A broad tax...

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Municipal Bonds Risk Management

Zero Coupon Muni Bonds – What You Need to Know

Most investors purchasing municipal bonds plan on receiving semiannual interest payments until a...

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Can You Be Too Safe With Muni Bonds?

Most investors are aware that they can risk too much, but few realize that playing it too safe...

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What Are Green Muni Bonds?

Impact investing has grown in popularity over the past several years as investors look for more...

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News

Are Muni Bonds Vulnerable to Energy Markets?

The municipal bond market is widely considered to be a safe-haven investment class. Since they...

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News

Are Muni Bonds a Good Hedge for Volatile Equity Markets?

Many investors buy municipal bonds as a safe-haven investment. After all, they are backed by the...

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How Susceptible Are Muni Bonds to Retail Investor Sentiment?

The municipal bond market is unique in many ways. Since muni bonds offer tax advantages,...

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How to Measure Muni Bond Interest Rate Sensitivity?

Municipal bonds are widely considered to be less risky than corporate bonds because they are...

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High Yield: Should You Buy Illinois Muni Bonds?

Many investors think of Michigan, the home of Detroit, as having troubled finances, but actually...

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How to Analyze Muni Bond Risks

There are two primary ways to purchase municipal bonds: buying bonds funds or buying individual...

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How to Choose the Right Muni Bond Ladder Fund

Municipal bonds are popular investments due to their government backing and tax incentives. In...

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News

Muni Investing: Funds vs. Bonds

Municipal bonds have been a stellar asset class over the past year. In fact, the iShares S&P...

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Will Municipal Bonds Continue to Outperform in 2016?

Municipal bonds have been strong performers throughout 2015, leading all categories with total...

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Municipal Bonds Risk Management

3 Municipal Bonds Risks You May Not Have Considered

Municipal bonds (munis) are often regarded as a safe-haven for investors due to the high credit...

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News

Top 3 Municipal Bond Fund Strategies for 2016

Municipal bonds have been strong performers this year, despite troubles in Detroit and Puerto...

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News

Vanguard Launches Muni Bond Index Funds

Municipal bonds have been back in vogue since 2014 despite Puerto Rico’s ongoing debt crisis....

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News

What Is the White House’s Plan for Puerto Rico’s Debt?

The Puerto Rico debt crisis has dramatically worsened over the last few years. With 45% of the...

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Puerto Rico Taps Into Non-GO Bonds to Make $350M Bond Payment

Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla indicated that Puerto Rico would make good on its general...

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Slowing Muni Offerings Could Increase Prices

Municipal bond sales are expected to decline over the next month, while the amount of redemptions...

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Are Target Date Muni Bond Funds Right for You?

Municipal bonds provide investors with tax-advantaged income that may be superior to other fixed...

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News

What Happens to Muni Bonds if the Fed Hikes Rates?

There’s no question the bond prices are susceptible to an interest rate hike, but there is some...

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Municipal Bonds 101

How to Avoid the AMT with Muni Bond Funds

Municipal bonds have long been a favorite investment class for tax-sensitive investors since the...

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Municipal Bonds 101

3 Important Bond Insurance Considerations

Municipal bonds have a number of complex features that may make them difficult for individual...

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Municipal Bonds Risk Management

Are High-Yield Muni Funds Worth It?

Corporate junk bonds may be out of vogue these days, but their tax-exempt counterparts have...

Popular Articles

Municipal Bonds 101

Tax Uncertainty and Fixed Income: Why Municipal Bonds Could Be the Big Winner

Arguably, the biggest story in the fixed income sector over the last year or so has been the...

Municipal Bonds 101

The Potential for Increased Municipal Debt Activity as Interest Rates Decline in CY 25-26

The prospect of declining interest rates presents a significant opportunity for municipal debt...

Municipal Bonds 101

6 Big Questions Answered About the Current Muni Market

In the past few quarters, Muni bond prices have declined primarily due to rising interest rates....