Investing in Bonds at Charles Schwab
Along with stocks, options, and futures, Charles Schwab also supports trading in fixed-income securities. The firm’s bond lineup is broad, and its website includes many resources for researching this part of the market. Here’s the full overview:
Schwab Available Fixed-Income Products
Schwab investors can choose from a long list of fixed-income investments. The brokerage firm’s selection includes:
- Corporate bonds
- Agencies
- Treasury securities of many kinds
- Brokered CDs
- Muni bonds
There are also specialty bonds, although availability can vary quite a bit. Possible choices include:
- Mortgage-backed securities
- Commercial paper
- Foreign bonds
- Collateralized mortgage obligations
- Asset-backed securities
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Bond Education
Schwab has many educational resources, and fixed-income investing is included in that coverage. Most of these materials are on the website, and they can be found in more than one place.
Under the Learn tab, there are two links, one for bonds, and another for fixed income. They actually produce the same page. Here, there are a variety of articles that cover all sorts of issues that bond traders will be interested in. For instance, we found these articles:
- Treasury Yields: Where Do They Go From Here?
- Bonds vs. Bond Funds: Which Is Right for You?
- Liquid Alternatives: Getting the Mix Right
- Are TIPS Working as Intended?
Some articles are fairly brief, but they still provide a useful place to begin.
The Bonds, CDs & Fixed Income hub is another resource. It is located under the Products tab. This area includes a large amount of information on the risks and benefits of bond investing. We also found links to several other bond resources on the site.
Fixed-Income Desk
Schwab clients who need more help than the broker’s fixed-income education provides can call the bond desk at 877-903-8069. Representatives are non-commissioned and can help with many fixed-income topics, including how to use Schwab’s software to place bond trades.
Schwab also has an online form on the bond page that can be used to request a no-cost call from the fixed-income desk.
Finding Bonds
After you have a solid understanding of fixed-income investing, the next step is finding a security to trade. The main place to do this is the bonds hub, which is located under the Trade tab near the top of Schwab’s website. There is also a separate link under the same tab for CDs. Both pages display fixed-income yield matrices organized by maturity length and by bond type and rating, such as corporate (AAA) or muni (AA).
There is a similar matrix under the Research tab. Look for the Bonds, CDs & Fixed Income link. Under any matrix, there are links to new bond issues, including Treasury auctions and new-issue munis.
Except for new issues, bonds on Schwab’s site are hyperlinked. Selecting a hyperlink opens a pop-up window with many details, including yield to call and trade increment. Some bonds also show market depth, which displays bid and ask prices at different levels.
Placing a Trade
The pop-up window described above includes a green Buy button. A blue Buy link also appears in the search results from the matrix. Clicking either option opens the same order ticket with the bond information already filled in. The ticket is straightforward to use. There are only two order types: market and limit. On some tickets, the limit price may already be entered. There is only one duration option: fill or kill. Enter the number of bonds you want to buy and review the order. If all the details are correct, submit the trade.
Creating a Bond Ladder
Schwab’s software also makes it possible to place trades for multiple fixed-income securities as part of a laddering strategy. On the fixed-income matrix, there is a tab for creating a ladder. This tool can be used to locate up to 10 selections for a ladder. The ladder tool fills in suggested securities, with each rung using a different maturity date. Treasuries or CDs can be used.
Charles Schwab Bond Funds
In addition to individual bonds, Schwab offers bond funds, including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. The broker-dealer’s fund screeners are located under the Research tab. In either the ETF screener or mutual-fund screener, you can choose fixed income and then narrow the search to specific bond sectors, such as global bond or short government.
Advisory Programs
Beyond self-directed bond trading, Schwab offers investment-advisory accounts that can access a wide range of fixed-income opportunities. Some separately managed accounts, or SMAs, can invest in different debt instruments across multiple credit ratings and duration categories.
Charles Schwab Bonds Fees and Commissions
Schwab has a very broad fixed-income program, and many of its costs are low. Online trades of Treasury bills, notes, bonds, TIPS, and Treasury floating-rate notes cost $0 at Schwab for both new issues and secondary trades. Zero-coupon Treasury securities, including STRIPS, are $1 per bond online with a $10 minimum and a $250 maximum. New issues of CDs include a selling concession in the price, and Schwab lists a $1,000 minimum and $1,000 increments per investment.
The specialty securities mentioned in the first section, such as commercial paper and foreign bonds, have their own pricing, which can vary by instrument. Broker-assisted Treasury trades cost $25, and broker-assisted trades of many other fixed-income products cost the online fee plus $25.
The minimum purchase amount depends on the security. In many cases, it is one bond with a $1,000 face value.
For SMAs on the managed side of the business, there are no trading or transaction fees, although there is typically a $250,000 account minimum for fixed-income strategies. Managed Account Select fixed-income strategy fees start at 0.65%, and municipal bond ladder fees start at 0.45%. Wasmer Schroeder Strategies fees start at 0.55%.
Charles Schwab Bonds Investing Judgment
Schwab provides a strong fixed-income trading service for both brokerage and advisory clients. Many trades have little or no direct commission cost, which makes the broker a strong value for bond investors.
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Updated on 9/27/2026.
Chad Morris has been analyzing investment firms for Brokerage-Review.com since 2015. Backed by FINRA Series 65, 66, and SIE credentials, his work reflects a deep knowledge of the retail brokerage industry and digital trading tools.
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