There are four basic kinds of bonds, all defined by who is selling the debt.

Yahoo Finances Bond Center No matter what happens or who holds the bond, it will generate exactly the same amount of money. Consumer Price Index is the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are four basic kinds of bonds, all defined by who is selling the debt. But there are other characteristics to consider besides the lender. The type of lender will determine many of a bond's features. The Consumer Price Index is used to do the conversions.

If you're looking for an income stream, but you'd like to look beyond bonds, you're in luck.