Municipal Bond Forum

FMSbonds, Inc.’s Municipal Bond Forum is an exclusive opportunity for investors to submit questions and comments on the bond market or to respond to one of our articles.

To participate, just send us an e-mail. Be sure to include your name or initials and your state of residence. Posted e-mails may be edited for length and clarity. If you prefer a private response, please note that in your e-mail. Responses are provided by James A. Klotz, president and co-founder of FMSbonds, Inc., a municipal bond specialist for more than 35 years, and other members of the firm as noted.

Postings are listed by date. If you have any questions, please call us at 1-800-FMS-BOND (1-800-367-2663) or e-mail us.

When will we see more muni bonds, higher rates?

I read your article “In Fiscal Cliff Debate, One thing is Clear“, and I agree the No. 1 investment for investors is tax-free bonds. I’m a poster boy for tax-free bonds and have been buying bonds for the past 20 years. In fact, I have several million dollars worth of bonds with your firm and have enjoyed my buying experience with Andrew Blum. When will the supply of munis increase, and when will we start seeing those long-term 5% yields at par?

L.S., Texas

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Idea to cap tax-free income will find stiff resistance

What do think about the idea being discussed in Washington of capping the benefit of municipal at 28%? Does that mean that if you have $100,000 in tax-free bonds, only $28,000 would be tax free and the balance would be taxable?

A.C., New Jersey

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Tobacco payments in perpetuity

Under the Master Settlement Agreement, are payments by the tobacco companies to the states required to continue in perpetuity or do they sunset after a certain year? If they continue in perpetuity, will there ever be a default on tobacco bonds, or just a delay in repayment?

P.K.

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How to win with call options

How important are the early call options when purchasing long-term bonds? Many of my long-term bonds paying 6% are now being called, so I am losing the benefit the longer term afforded me.

J.S., Pennsylvania

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Tampering with exemption creates more problems than it cures

I read recently that both Gov. Romney and President Obama are trying to make tax-free muni interest taxable. I would assume that if it did happen, it would only affect new issues. Do you have anything you could tell me on the likelihood of this happening and if it would affect current issues?

W.A., California

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Protection when banks hold your bonds

We have purchased numerous long-term tax-free bonds from FMS, all of which have been transferred to, and held or administered by a major U.S. banking entity. If the major bank that holds or administers our bonds becomes insolvent, would our income stream, and/or the associated liquidity of our bonds be interrupted?

C.W. Texas

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Swaps unrelated to bonds insured by Berkshire

I own a few bonds insured by Berkshire Hathaway. How do we as bondholders know if the $8 billion the company still insures is part of my portfolio? Furthermore, if they are not, who would pay should the bond default?

D.A., Washington

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