The major factors in deciding between owning individual bonds versus a bond fund are: diversification, convenience, costs, and control over maturity, which are described below. There is a common belief (promoted by Suze Orman, among others) that owning individual bonds is less risky than a bond fund, but this is not necessarily true if an appropriate bond fund or collection of funds is chosen. Duration is an essential attribute for understanding the riskiness of a fund or ladder over time