If you've needed a mortgage or another type of loan over the past several years, you've probably appreciated the historically low interest rates we've experienced. But if you've wanted to own fixed-rate investments, such as bonds, you might have been less pleased with the low-rate environment.

Now, interest rates may be moving up somewhat, but even if they don't hit the heights we saw in previous decades, you can still gain some key advantages from owning bonds.

One of the biggest benefits provided by bonds is their ability to help you diversify a stock portfolio. Stocks and bonds often move in different directions. In fact, the same economic or political forces that can be bad for stocks might be good for bonds, and vice versa. Consequently, if you own a reasonable percentage of bonds, you may not be as vulnerable to the impact of those inevitable downturns in the stock market. Keep in mind, though, that diversification can't guarantee profits or protect you against losses.

Of course, the other major attribute of bonds is the regular income they provide through interest payments. Unless the issuer defaults — an event that's generally unlikely, assuming you purchase quality, "investment-grade" bonds – you can count on receiving the same payments for the life of your bond. Then, once your bond matures, you'll get back the original principal, again assuming the issuer doesn't default.

The ability to receive regular payments may help improve your cash flow and possibly help you avoid selling stocks to meet unexpected costs, such as an expensive car repair. And holding your bond until maturity can help you plan to meet specific goals. For example, if your child will be starting college in five years, you can buy a bond scheduled to mature at the same time, providing you with an influx of cash you can use for tuition and other school expenses.

Still, despite the benefits of diversification, steady income and the repayment of principal, you may find it hard to ignore the relatively low interest rates you're seeing on your bonds. This is especially true if market rates rise, causing the value of your bonds to fall. (Investors won't pay you the full price — that is, the face value — of your bonds when they can buy new ones issued at higher rates. So, if rates have risen and you want to sell your bonds before they mature, you'd have to offer them at a discount.)

One way of coping with interest-rate movements is to build a "ladder" of bonds of varying maturities. When your short-term bonds mature, you can reinvest the proceeds in newly issued bonds that may offer higher rates, while your longer-term bonds continue to pay you greater income. (Generally — but not always — longer-term bonds carry higher interest rates than short-term bonds.)

Even within this type of bond ladder, though, you will want to diversify your holdings among different types of bonds from different issuers. In any case, be sure to evaluate whether a bond ladder and the securities held within it are consistent with your investment objectives, risk tolerance and financial circumstances. Don't ignore bonds when constructing and maintaining your investment portfolio. No matter what interest rates are doing, you'll find that bonds can play an important role in your portfolio.

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Diversify with bonds, even if rates are low

Are you one of those people who hear the word pollen and sneeze? For many, allergies are the only association with plant pollen. But pollination — the transfer of male pollen grains into the female flower organs to create fertile seeds — is an essential part of a healthy ecosystem.

Pollinators play a significant role in the production of over 150 food crops. Corn and rice are wind-pollinated. Just about everything else, including chocolate, depends on an insect, bird or mammal. Successful pollination of a single flower often requires visits from multiple pollinators. There are also plants that need a specific species in order to complete the task. They are so interdependent that if one disappears, so will the other.

Unfortunately, reports from the National Research Council say that the long-term population trends for some North American pollinators are "demonstrably downward."

To help raise awareness of the issue 10 years ago, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved and designated National Pollinator Week as June 19 through 25. It is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what you can do to protect them.

Habitat loss for pollinators due to human activity poses an immediate and frequently irreversible threat. Other factors responsible for population decreases include: invasive plant species, broad-spectrum pesticide use, disease, and weather.

So what can you do?

•Install "houses" for birds, bats, and bees.

•Avoid toxic, synthetic pesticides and only apply bio-rational products when pollinators aren't active.

•Provide and maintain small shallow containers of water for wildlife.

•Create a pollinator-friendly garden.

•Plant native plants that provide nectar for pollinating insects.

There's a new app for the last two.

The Bee Smart Pollinator Gardener is your comprehensive guide to selecting plants for pollinators based on the geographical and ecological attributes of your location (your ecoregion) just by entering your zip code. Filter your plants by which pollinators you want to attract, light and soil requirements, bloom color, and plant type. This is an excellent plant reference to attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, beetles, bats and other pollinators to the garden, farm, school and every landscape.

The University of Florida also provides a low-cost app for Florida-Friendly plant selection at https://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/plants, or go to http://www.floridayards.org/ to create a list of these same plants.

Not only can you find out which plants attract pollinators, you also will be given the correct growing conditions so you can choose "the right plant for the right place."

Remember, one out of every three mouthfuls of food we eat is made possible by pollinators.

Sheila Dunning is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Celebrating and attracting pollinators

Editor's Note: This is the second of two columns discussing the boundaries between people.

As I mentioned in my previous article, there is much in this society that divides us — like politics, ideologies, and theologies. Differing opinions divide people because most have not learned that it is okay to agree to disagree.

There is another aspect to human nature that seeks to take us away from God — pride, ego, and arrogance.

For example, people don't like to lose. Our world is so competitive; there is always a winner and a loser. People want to be on the winning side because everyone loves a winner. Winners receive all the glory, the accolades, the recognition, the grand prizes. Winning pumps the ego and causes one to believe they are invincible.

Competition is "us against them." If you win, you are the hero. If you lose, you are a loser. This attitude focuses all our attention on us rather than God. It causes people to pit themselves against others.

God wants us to live together peacefully. To do so, we need to realize we don't always have to agree on everything. But we do need to be willing to have an understanding spirit and a willingness to remain united even in our diversity. This is what God calls us to.

Our unity in Jesus Christ is what matters most in this life. He is the one that gives life, wholeness and purpose. He is the one who unites us — even when we may not wholly agree on everything.

I wonder how many of us would be willing to set aside the declaration that we are in the "only correct" group, or the notion we are the self-declared expert on all things political and theological, in order to agree to disagree without belittling or rejecting others?

I wonder how many would be willing to truly listen to the teachings of Jesus that call us sisters and brothers, and his call to unity?

I wonder how many would be willing to accept the fact that people are different, but still worthy of love and respect?

There is much in this society that strives to divide us, but when we recognize God in our midst, our focus is on him and his greatness — not our own. When we come together and God becomes the most important part of our time together, we accomplish great things for his glory.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: When we come together, we do great things

Father’s Day is almost here. Dad will probably like any gift you give him, of course, but this year, why not go beyond the ordinary? By presenting your father with an appropriate financial gift, you can bring him some benefits that can keep on giving.

For starters, how about a back-to-school gift for Dad? If you have children, you may already be familiar with 529 plans, which many parents use to help their children pay for college. But 529 plans have no age limits, so there’s nothing stopping you from reversing the usual formula and opening an account for your father. While 529 plans are commonly used to pay for four-year colleges, the money can also go toward most two-year community colleges and trade schools, so if Dad has a future interest in learning about anything from anthropology to auto repair, the 529 plan you’ve established can give him the gift of knowledge and enjoyment.

As the owner of a 529 plan, your earnings can accumulate tax-free, provided they are used for qualified higher education expenses. (529 plan distributions not used for qualified expenses may be subject to federal and state income tax, and a 10 percent IRS penalty on the earnings.) Furthermore, if you invest in your own state’s 529 plan, you might be able to deduct the contributions from your taxes.

Here’s another suggestion: Help Dad reach a distant goal. For example, if you know your father will be retiring in, say, 10 years, you could give him some type of bond that matures just when he retires. During those 10 years, he will receive regular semiannual interest payments, and when the bond matures, he’ll get the original principal back. He can then use this money to help fulfill a long-held dream—perhaps one of traveling the world or even opening a small business. Whatever he decides to do with the money, it will make a nice retirement gift.

If you’re giving Dad a corporate bond, make sure it’s “investment grade,” which means it has received one of the highest ratings for safety from one of the major bond-rating agencies. Investment-grade bonds are generally the least likely to default. If your father is in one of the upper tax brackets, he might benefit from a municipal bond, whose interest payments are exempt from federal income taxes and possibly state and local taxes, too. (Some municipal bonds, however, are subject to the alternative minimum tax.)

Finally, you may want to help Dad plan his legacy. Although your father may be interested in what sort of legacy he will leave, he may not yet have taken any steps in this area—in particular, he might not have created a comprehensive estate plan.

You might consider giving your father some resources on estate planning, such as books or online articles. Better yet, though, consider setting him up with a consultation with a legal professional. It will take considerable time and effort to create the necessary documents, such as a will, a living trust, a durable power of attorney, and so on—and since the future is not ours to see, it’s best to take care of these tasks sooner, rather than later.

Father’s Day is just a blip on the calendar. But by giving Dad some valuable financial gifts, you can help brighten all his days.

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Financial gifts can help Dad for years to come