Retirement mistake no. 4: Believing all bonds are safe

Retirement mistake #4 is believing that all bonds are safe.

While all men and women are created equal, the same is not true of bonds. Many retirees learned this lesson the hard way.

Here's a golden rule that will keep you out of "bond hell": If a bond offers a higher return, it always means you are assuming more risk. There are no exceptions to this rule.