Investors who are looking for low-risk investments or who are looking to balance their portfolio should consider buying United States treasuries, because they offer several advantages. First, they are among the most secure investments you can make. Every United States security is backed by the full credit of the United States government. While securities may not offer the highest rate of return, you can rest assured that unless the United States government fails, nothing is going to stop the government from paying back the securities.

Second, according to broker Merrill Lynch at ml.com, United States securities are the “single most liquid fixed-income instrument in the world.” Because United States treasuries are respected around the world, finding someone who will buy them from your portfolio is not difficult. Also, due to their short maturation period, Treasury bills (one type of United States treasury that matures in 4, 13, and 26 weeks) return their money quickly, which can make them an even more attractive buy.

Finally, United States treasuries are a stable investment. Most cannot be called before their maturation date. If you buy a 10-year Treasury note, you can expect to earn interest from that note for the next 10 years, without exception. This stability gives investors who are planning for a fixed time period (say the next 2, 5, or 10 years) an advantage. They know they have a security that is not going to become toxic or go into default, and that will create regular payments over a predetermined period.

Investors who want to buy United States Treasures can go to TreasuryDirect.gov to open an account or can contact a broker. To investigate further, see Web sites like Bloomberg.com which offer listings of various United States Treasury offerings.