We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
3 Top-Ranked Municipal Bond Funds to Generate Reliable Income
Read MoreHide Full Article
The debt securities category will always be the first choice for risk-averse investors because this class of instruments provides a regular income at low levels of risk. Income from regular dividends helps to ease the pain caused by plunging stock prices.
When considering the safety of capital invested, municipal bond mutual funds are second only to those investing in government securities. In addition, interest income earned from these securities is exempt from federal taxes and, in many cases, from state taxes.
Colorado BondShares Tax-Exempt primarily invests in tax-exempt bonds and other tax-exempt securities issued by the State of Colorado and its municipalities, political subdivisions, and public authorities, including tax-exempt notes and municipal leases, with only limited temporary investments.
Colorado BondShares Tax-Exempt has three-year annualized returns of 6.8%. As of December 2025, HICOX had 32.7% of its assets invested in Total Misc. Bonds.
Eaton Vance Total Return Bond primarily invests in bonds and other fixed or floating-rate income instruments, while allowing a limited allocation to lower-rated or unrated securities considered below investment grade.
Eaton Vance Total Return Bond Fund has three-year annualized returns of 6.3%. Vishal Khanduja has been one of the fund managers of EIBAX since 2019.
American High-Income Municipal Bond invests in securities that are exempt from regular federal income tax and may subject investors to alternative minimum tax.
American High-Income Municipal Bond has three-year annualized returns of 5.9%. AMHIX has an expense ratio of 0.68%.
Image: Bigstock
3 Top-Ranked Municipal Bond Funds to Generate Reliable Income
The debt securities category will always be the first choice for risk-averse investors because this class of instruments provides a regular income at low levels of risk. Income from regular dividends helps to ease the pain caused by plunging stock prices.
When considering the safety of capital invested, municipal bond mutual funds are second only to those investing in government securities. In addition, interest income earned from these securities is exempt from federal taxes and, in many cases, from state taxes.
Below, we share with you three top-ranked municipal bond funds, viz., Colorado BondShares Tax-Exempt (HICOX - Free Report) , Eaton Vance Total Return Bond (EIBAX - Free Report) and American High-Income Municipal Bond (AMHIX - Free Report) . Each has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and is expected to outperform its peers in the future. Investors can click here to see the complete list of municipal bond funds.
Colorado BondShares Tax-Exempt primarily invests in tax-exempt bonds and other tax-exempt securities issued by the State of Colorado and its municipalities, political subdivisions, and public authorities, including tax-exempt notes and municipal leases, with only limited temporary investments.
Colorado BondShares Tax-Exempt has three-year annualized returns of 6.8%. As of December 2025, HICOX had 32.7% of its assets invested in Total Misc. Bonds.
Eaton Vance Total Return Bond primarily invests in bonds and other fixed or floating-rate income instruments, while allowing a limited allocation to lower-rated or unrated securities considered below investment grade.
Eaton Vance Total Return Bond Fund has three-year annualized returns of 6.3%. Vishal Khanduja has been one of the fund managers of EIBAX since 2019.
American High-Income Municipal Bond invests in securities that are exempt from regular federal income tax and may subject investors to alternative minimum tax.
American High-Income Municipal Bond has three-year annualized returns of 5.9%. AMHIX has an expense ratio of 0.68%.
To view the Zacks Rank and the past performance of all municipal bondfunds, investors can click here to see the complete list of municipal bond funds.
Want key mutual fund info delivered straight to your inbox?
Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing mutual funds, each week. Get it free >>