https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/how-your-net-worth-compares-and-what-matters-more
Median and average net worth by age
Under 35: Median net worth: $11,100 (average net worth: $76,200).
35-44: $59,800 ($288,700).
45-54: $124,200 ($727,500).
55-64: $187,300 ($1,167,400).
65-74: $224,100 ($1,066,000).
75+: $264,800 ($1,067,000).

Found this. Looks like data is from 2013. But hard to believe things have improved since than.
“Those families in the 90th percentile have a net worth of almost $1,000,000. Meanwhile, those in the 50th percentile or below have hardly any net worth at all.”.
Excerpt from: What Percentage Of Americans Own Stocks or Real Estate?
https://www.financialsamurai.com/what-percentage-of-americans-own-stocks-or-real-estate/

You can sell the BulletShare as it enters its last year (the portfolios of the HY variety are designed to mature throughout the final year). That way you don't have to worry about it piling up cash until it liquidates at the end of the year.
If you're concerned about the impact of rates on the price you'll get, remember that what you'll be selling is a portfolio of bonds that mature in the current year. In other words, ultrashort bonds, with an average maturity of about six months. An interest rate move isn't going to have much impact on these bonds; you'll be getting close to par if you sell.
Alternatively, you can simply reallocate your portfolio. As the ETF moves to cash, you reduce your explicit cash holdings so that the amount of cash you hold remains constant. The cash that you're taking out of your cash allocation could be used to purchase more BulletShares.
Either way, you're getting a safer, more diversified portfolio than you'd get with individual bonds. "Generally speaking, investing in a diversified portfolio of bonds requires at least $100,000–$200,000, depending on the type of bonds chosen and their credit risks."
https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/investment-products/mutual-funds/bond-vs-bond-funds
That jibes with what I've read elsewhere: min $50K for muni portfolio, $100K for investment grade, $200K for junk.

@Mark has it right. All that figure points to is the huge wealth gap in this country. Most likely, one in every ten is worth $600,000. That would put the net worth of the remaining nine (after subtracting mortgage debt, auto debt, credit card debt, etc.) at about $10,000 each.

Even the median is ridiculous. Take a walk in a few differing neighborhoods for reality.

Exactly. Take a walk or a drive through America and you will be amazed at the wealth disparity. Most of us do not live inside mansions or high rise towers inside gated / heavily guarded communities.
Sorry to run. Have to go catch my private jet. :)

Hi sir david
Think lots risks due to raised interest rate whether you have indiv bonds or etf.. Yield maybe slightly lower next 3-6months.. You can control and sell anyrrime you want if hold indi private bond whereas holding and etf you have to pay fees and no control of management buy and sell weekly basis where as if u hold individual private single bonds you don't really care what it does during weekly basis as long as its not bankrupt and pay you full prices when called or more PREFFERED WHEN MATURE at 100cents +div... Usually private bonds they tell you best rate returns when first purchase right vs worst rate returns if starting to call early
The short 3 yrs etf usually the managers buy more bonds for next 3 yrs if their bonds mature.. You have to pay annual fees where as individuals Corp etf you only have to pay commissions fee usually 10bucks per 5k of bonds
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Bond+invest
https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/09/26/how-to-invest-after-the-fed-raised-rates-federal-reserve-interest-rates-rate-hike-market-stocks-treasury-bond.html

Kopernik Global All-Cap Fund
Kopernik International Fund
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890540/000139834418014052/fp0036091_497k.htm
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890540/000139834418014050/fp0036088_497.htm

Thanks John. Do not you think that ETF or MF has the same market and interest rate risks as all other junk bond funds? Holding individual bond till maturity eliminates those risks.

BSJJ, BSJK, BSJL. 1-3 year maturity, as you originally said you were interested in.

Correct AndyJ.
Subtract out the top 1-2%ers and get back to me. To be clear, SO much wealth is held in that top bracket that any reasonable data crunching will be skewed far out of true reality.

FYI: According to the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances, the average US household net worth is a whopping $692,100! And that’s based on data from 2016, when the S&P 500 was ~30% lower. Further, real estate prices in many major cities have also increased substantially since 2016. Surely, the average US household net worth will be even higher when the next survey comes out in 2019.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.financialsamurai.com/the-average-household-net-worth-in-america-is-huge/

Hi sir I do have Kroger Corp bond... Albertson Safeway Also very safe imho.. So many Albertson marketbstores in West coast almost monopoly... Not as as safe as put cash in bank but close... Set up Google.com/alerts 'Safeway bankrupt' in ur junk Gmail and get hrs news if any issues w Safeway having defaults risks bankruptcy.
I did sell genworth bank Corp yesterday recently due to defaults talk from Gmail alerts
At 88cents...not bad
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/b1-b.asp

I am thinking about buying individual junk corporate bonds and hold them till maturity for 1-3 year. That way the risk of rising interest rate will be eliminated comparing with bond ETF and MF in the same category.
I see many options in TD offering. Just one example: Safeway Non Callable bond, Maturity 8/15/2020, Yield to Maturity 4.95%, Price 98.2, Rating B3/B.
I believe similar bonds for such short period of time are safe and offer better return than CD or bond MF.
Does anybody consider such investment?

FYI: U.S. stocks erased gains on Wednesday after a widely expected interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve and as investors bet that the central bank is approaching the end of a cycle of tightening monetary policy.
The market headed lower after that, wiping out its early intraday gains.
Jason Goepfert from Sentiment Trader notes that on the last 15 rate-decision days, the S&P 500 has ended the day in the red 60% of the time. Even on the days when the market closed higher, the gain was limited to 0.1% to 0.2%, except for Mar. 15, 2017 when the index rose 0.8% during the trading session.
The most recent seven Fed decision-days showed an even clearer pattern, where the market tended to slide in the afternoon after a morning rally.
Paul Hickey from Bespoke Investment pointed out the same tendency. He noted that on the rate-increase days since last September, the S&P 500 index generally drifted lower from noon to 1:30 p.m., gained ground as the 2 p.m. rate announcement approached, and then dived into the red by the close of trading. “It’s a small sample size, but something to keep in mind especially with futures already off their highs.” wrote Hickey in a note issued before the start of trading on Wednesday.
The recently formed communications-services and health-care sectors boost the market; Yields, dollar fall.
S&P 500 Sectors: Up/Down: Consumer Discretionary (U) Consumer Staples (U) Communication Services (U) Energy (D) Financials (D) Healthcare (U) Industrials (D) Materials (D) Real Estate (D) Technology (D) Utilities (D)
Regards,
Ted
Bloomberg Evening Briefing:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-26/your-evening-briefing
Bloomberg:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-25/asia-stocks-set-for-mixed-open-treasuries-fall-markets-wrap?srnd=premium
WSJ:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-stocks-mixed-ahead-of-fed-rate-decision-1537949633
Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks/wall-street-extends-gains-after-fed-rate-hike-idUSKCN1M61L4
IBD:
https://www.investors.com/market-trend/stock-market-today/why-stock-market-sold-off-fed/
MarketWatch:
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/stock-futures-trade-modestly-higher-as-investors-await-fed-decision-2018-09-26/print
CNBC:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/26/us-markets-fed-decision-and-political-turmoil-in-focus.html
Europe:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-stocks/european-shares-stay-at-four-week-high-before-expected-fed-rate-hike-idUSKCN1M60UF
Asia:
https://www.reuters.com/article/japan-stocks-close/nikkei-extends-rally-to-8th-session-as-u-s-rate-hike-hopes-lift-large-caps-idUSL4N1WC2P4
Bonds:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/26/us-bonds-and-fixed-income-fomc-decision-in-focus.html
Currencies:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/26/forex-markets-dollar-fed-trump-abe-talks-in-focus.html
Oil:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/26/oil-markets-opec-us-sanctions-on-iran-in-focus.html
Gold
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/26/gold-markets-dollar-federal-reserve-in-focus.html
WSJ: Markets At A Glance:
http://markets.wsj.com/us
Major ETFs % Change:
https://www.barchart.com/etfs-funds/etf-monitor
SPDR's Sector Tracker:
http://www.sectorspdr.com/sectorspdr/tools/sector-tracker
SPDR's Bloomberg Sector Performance Pie Chart:
https://www.bloomberg.com/markets/sectors
Current Futures:
https://finviz.com/futures.ashx

@Soupkitchen,
I own PONAX. My brokerage features allows me to see the "unrealized gain/losses". See if you have this feature. When I select this feature for PONAX I see:

And so, yes these are losses that could be realized by selling shares. The trick is knowing which shares will be sold and therefore what losses will be realized and tax loss harvested. If you hold very old shares they may have unrealized gains.
A call into you brokerage might help explain that for you.

Jojo, when I look at my brokerage account, it show that I am down 3.5%. I'm looking at that, as well as at M*.

Often times brokerage accounts do not take into account the total return value of your investments (they neglect to factor in things like dividends). From purely a price standpoint PIMIX appears to be down 3.5%, but your total return (including dividends) would be closer to the return referenced by @Ted and probably M* states.
Interestingly, Yahoofinance charts do not factor in distributions...these charts are merely price charts...M* charts are total return charts.
Here's M* YTD Chart (showing the (-.5% drop):

Here's Yahoofinance (showing the 3.5% price drop in share price):

In the Yahoo chart, the "D"s represent fund dividends that were paid monthly. Since Yahoo's chart is a price chart it does not have a way of charting in these "D"s.
I have complained about this with my brokerage asking them to improve this data point, but to no avail. Since I reinvest dividends, I do the math based on my contributions and my account balance. The balance takes into account total return (including dividends).
Even though your share price has dropped 3.5%, your total return is actually closer to a loss of (-.5%).

@Soupkitchen: According to M* PIMIX is down -(.48)% YTD Lipper -(.42)% YTD as of 9/25/18
Regards,
Ted

Gold writes that the 'tables below tell the story'. but in fact it is ONLY for the 10y period where RSP outperforms. That first year appears to have counted for a whole lot, in other words.
If you compare RSP with SP500 for 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1y, it lags in each one.
I for one had not realized the degree to which the last decade has been LC. I knew it had, but not this extent.

When looking at my returns for PIMIX this year, -3.5%, and what Morningstar lists as the returns in 2018, -9%, I wonder how there can be such a discrepency between our calculation? I mist be missing something...

Or to do it correctly with a bit of professionalism: Here is the study.

Here's a nod for equal weight Health care ETFs:

If one is so inclined, a superior way to make a long-term bet on health care stocks would be to equal-weight the portfolio. Since the start of 1990, the S&P 500 equal-weighted health care sector (14.3% CAGR) has outperformed both the broader index and the market capitalization-weighted S&P 500 health care sector, while suffering less severe drawdowns:

Article:
the-case-for-health-care-stocks

RYH would be one choice:
etfdb.com/index/sp-equal-weight-index-health-care/

FYI: So if, like most of us, you’re an index investor, how do you reduce the risk of owning one big individual stock, even if it has been a great one, like Apple? Indexes are supposed to provide that diversification, but in a market-cap-weighted index such the S&P, one or two stocks that have racked up big gains can become a disproportionate share of your holdings.
Equally weighted index ETFs solve that problem. Since they hold an equal amount of every stock in a sector or index, they rebalance regularly (usually every quarter) by selling off the excess gains of the winning stocks and buying enough of the losers to maintain the portfolio’s equal weighting. Equal weighting is part of “factor” or “smart beta” investing, in which investors identify what BlackRock calls “broad, historically persistent drivers of return” to produce better risk-adjusted performance than traditional, market-cap-weighted indexes
Regards,
Ted
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/long-term-investors-can-beat-the-sp-500-by-favoring-equal-weighted-etfs-2018-09-26/print