How To Build a Fixed-Income Portfolio for Steady Cash Flow

Investors seeking greater stability and dependable cash flow might opt for fixed-income strategies. Unlike equities, which can exhibit extreme volatility during periods of market uncertainty, fixed-income tools aim for reliable income rather than maximum growth potential.

Not all fixed-income products are the same. Investors focusing exclusively on yield may not be setting themselves up for success. Portfolio structure is essential to a stable and resilient fixed-income approach, with investors seeking diversification across issuers, maturities, and other factors to manage risk while maximizing income.

Set Your Income Goal and Time Horizon

Melissa Cox, CFP, of Future-Focused Wealth, suggests that building a fixed-income portfolio depends on “income needs, risk tolerance, and timing” above all else. Setting an income goal is a good first step: a portfolio may look different for someone seeking steady income to pay bills each month, for instance, compared with an investor happy to wait for quarterly distributions to save toward a larger purchase.

Having a clear time horizon will also help you construct a fixed-income portfolio that best meets your needs. Those in or approaching retirement may be looking for a stable, regular income they can count on through a market’s ups and downs, while investors with plenty of time left in the working world may be willing to tolerate a bit more fluctuation or risk, for example.

Build the Core of the Portfolio

U.S. Treasurys are often a core component of many fixed-income investment strategies. For Jim Shagawat, CFP, ChFC, MBA, of AdvicePeriod, Treasurys “typically form the backbone for safety and liquidity” because they are backed by the U.S. government. They also have an added benefit in being eligible for some state and local tax exemptions.

Investment-grade corporate bonds “might boost income but come with more risk,” says Cox. These bonds have a higher risk of default than Treasurys because they are tied to individual companies that may eventually face untenable financial situations. However, they are better diversified and offer the potential for higher yields and returns than those more defensive government alternatives.

With better credit quality and lower default risk than corporate bonds and tax advantages over Treasurys, municipal bonds may appeal particularly to investors facing a high tax burden. Cox suggests that “for high earners, tax-equivalent yield makes municipal bonds a strong contender, especially in high-tax states.”

Shagawat encourages fixed-income investors to consider CDs as well, noting that they “work well for known expenses” and can help to manage near-term financial goals.

Use Bond Ladders to Stabilize Cash Flow

Within a fixed-income portfolio, a bond ladder strategy can help to reduce reinvestment and timing risk. In short, bond laddering involves a portfolio of bonds (or other fixed-income investments) that mature continuously and at evenly spaced intervals. When bonds mature, the investor rolls the proceeds into new bonds to maintain the ladder structure.

Investing in a fixed-income portfolio all at once may leave investors exposed to the particular interest rate environment at the time of their investment. Cox notes that staggering maturities through a bond ladder can “help you take advantage of different interest rate environments over time,” and adds that this can be “especially comforting for retirees needing predictable cash flow.” Bond ladders can also be very helpful for passive investors who want to invest on a schedule and don’t want to worry about frequent adjustments along the way.

Manage Interest-Rate Risk With Duration

“Duration tells you how sensitive your bond or fund is to interest rate changes,” Cox notes. Importantly, the value of a bond changes as interest rates fluctuate. Bonds with longer durations tend to experience sharper price declines when interest rates rise, increasing interest-rate risk.

Creating a fixed-income portfolio that appropriately manages risk often means controlling interest rate and duration risk by carefully managing the maturity of bonds, selecting bonds with higher or lower coupon rates, and using other similar strategies.

Add Income-Oriented Complements Carefully

Some other types of investments may play a useful role in a portfolio designed for steady cash flow. However, many of these products can change the portfolio’s risk profile and thus require that investors fully understand and appreciate how they can be effectively incorporated. Bond funds, annuities, and real estate investment trusts (REITs) all fall into this category.

Bond Funds

Bond funds include exchange-traded products and mutual funds that provide access to a diversified basket of bonds. Investors typically purchase shares of the fund, which in turn holds a portfolio of bonds and pays out dividends to shareholders on a predetermined schedule. A key advantage of bond funds is their simplicity for investors: they simply buy shares of the fund and leave portfolio and risk oversight to the fund manager. On the other hand, though, bond funds still present risks, including liquidity concerns, and will also charge investors a fee, which can cut into income.

Annuities

Annuities are products that guarantee steady income payments and are offered by insurance companies. They often appeal to those in or near retirement for the assurance that they will continue to provide guaranteed payments and for the protection they offer in the event that someone outlives their savings. Unlike retirement funds, they typically do not have contribution limits and also offer tax-deferred growth. Still, some annuities levy high fees, particularly for early withdrawals, and the payments are not guaranteed to keep pace with inflation over time.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

REITs are trusts that invest in a portfolio of real estate assets, providing a key source of diversification within a income-focused portfolio. These trusts must pay out 90% of their taxable income in distributions and typically have high dividend yields as a result. They allow investors access to the world of real estate investment with a small amount of capital and without the need for property management or oversight of any kind. On the other hand, REIT investors are exposed to risks associated with interest rate fluctuations, changes in the real estate market, and some tax burdens that may not apply to other fixed-income investments.

Monitor and Adjust Over Time

A common mistake investors make is setting a fixed-income portfolio and then leaving it unattended. Although fixed-income may not require as active a trading schedule as some stock-centric strategies, it is vital to monitor and rebalance the portfolio over time.

Some key catalysts for rebalancing include shifts in interest rates or the yield curve, changing income needs, or the need to address portfolio drift. Changing interest rates can impact bond prices and yields, and can easily lead to a portfolio being overly weighted in one direction or another.

A key reason to rebalance a fixed-income portfolio is when your income needs shift, as often happens before or during retirement. If you anticipate requiring higher cash payments or more regular distributions, you may need to shift toward higher-yielding bonds, which typically carry more risk. Cox advises that “rebalancing is important…especially when rates shift. If a portfolio was built three years ago, it may not be aligned today.”

The Bottom Line

To build a fixed-income portfolio that delivers reliable cash flow, begin by identifying your financial goals, including income needs and time horizon. Stable U.S. Treasurys might make up a core portfolio holding, balanced with corporate and municipal bonds and CDs, all of which carry different levels of risk and offer various advantages to investors depending upon their goals. Sometimes, adding other income-generating products like bond funds, annuities, and REITs can help provide diversification and steady income. Monitoring and accounting for shifting interest rates, risk tolerance, and other factors is key—bond ladders are a helpful way to build diversification, but it will also be necessary to rebalance to account for these risks.