The bonds' value is not affected by inflation because most bonds pay a fixed coupon rate over time. The credit ratings of the bond-issuing companies will not change from one year to the next. The bond issuer may not pay him back because i

Look again at Figure 21.12. It appears that the investor in panel b can't lose and the investor in panel a can' t win. Is that correct? Note: The solution should not be hand written.

Individual retirement accounts (IRAS) were established by the U.S. government to encourage saving. An individual who deposits part of current earnings in an IRA does not have to pay income taxes on the earnings deposited, nor are any income taxes charged on the interest earned by the funds in the IRA. However, when the funds are withdrawn from the IRA, the full amount withdrawn is treated as income and is taxed at the individual's current income tax rate. In contrast, an individual depositing in a non-IRA account has to pay income taxes on the funds deposited and on interest earned in each year but does not have to pay taxes on withdrawals from the account. Another feature of IRAs that is different from a standard savings account is that funds deposited in an IRA cannot be withdrawn prior to retirement, except upon payment of a substantial penalty. a. Sarah, who is five years from retirement, receives a $10,000 bonus at work. She is trying to decide whether to save this extra income in…

Suppose Eleanor is a sports fan and buys only baseball caps. Eleanor deposits $3,000 in a bank account that pays an annual nominal interest rate of 15%. Assume this interest rate is fixed—that is, it won't change over time. At the time of her deposit, a baseball cap is priced at $15.00. Initially, the purchasing power of Eleanor's $3,000 deposit is baseball caps.