NY Post SITE OF THE WEEK

By DENA JOSEPH

July 22, 2001

Insight and information

FMSbonds.com, which claims to be the Web's "most complete resource for tax-free bond investors," provides bond buyers with a better understanding of the tax-free bond market. The ultimate goal of the site is to help investors identify opportunities and meet their long-term objectives for the fixed-income part of their portfolios.

For example, the site helps investors determine whether their portfolios would be boosted more by owning bonds or bond funds. It also helps investors figure out which bonds are best, be they single-state municipal bonds or municipal bonds that are free from federal taxes instead of state and local taxes.

Although the actual Web site is relatively new, FMS Inc. is not. A member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, FMS was founded in 1979 to provide money management advice for bond investors. The Web site is simply an extension of that business. Through FMSbonds.com, investors get to see a live inventory of tax-free bonds available for real-time pricing and trading.

FMSbonds.com obtains tax-free bonds that fit the investor's specific needs. The site will mail you the offerings that meet your tax-free bond criteria.

Security isn't an issue, because FMSbonds.com offers a safe and private way to buy tax-free bonds online. Access to the Web site is monitored, and admittance is restricted to account holders and FMSbonds management.

The Web site runs two useful columns: Buying Bonds Online and Analyst's Update. The Buying Bonds Online posts frequently asked questions as well as offering guidelines to finding the bonds you want and purchasing them online. Analyst's Update provides recent commentaries from Wall Street fixed-income analysts on the tax-free bond market and specific issues. Both features display updates on a regular basis.

Registered users of the site will get regular e-mail alerts. The site plans to launch real-time forums soon in which investors will have the opportunity to interact with other investors as well as tax-free bond experts.