These "foundation" funds provide exposure to thousands of high-quality U.S. government and corporate bonds.
: An actively managed alternative that seeks to outperform the broad market. Short-Term & Cash Alternatives (Lower Risk)
Choosing the best bond funds depends on your goal: steady income, tax savings, or safety for your cash. With interest rate uncertainty in 2026, many experts recommend diversifying across different bond types.
: One of the most popular and largest bond funds; it tracks the entire U.S. investment-grade market with over 11,000 holdings.
: Focuses on safe, 1–3 year government bonds with an extremely low expense ratio.
: A low-cost competitor to BND that provides similar broad market exposure.
Ideal for money you might need in 1–3 years, as these are less sensitive to interest rate changes.
