Fixed income refers to investment securities that pay investors fixed interest payments until the maturity date. The most commonly known fixed income investments are government and corporate bonds, but CDs and money market funds are also types of fixed income.

You can invest in individual fixed income (bond) securities, in fixed income mutual funds or ETFs, or a combination of these investing options.
If you invest in mutual funds or ETFs, you're investing in a basket of many different fixed income investments (which can help provide exposure to various markets, sectors, maturities and credit qualities.) These funds are professionally managed, either actively or passively.

Bonds can pay interest across a range of frequencies such as, monthly, quarterly, and at maturity, although semi-annual is the most common.

Stocks give investors a share of ownership in a company. They come with more risk, but they typically offer the potential for higher returns. A bond represents the debt of the issuing entity, which could be a company, government or other organization. They typically offer a lower rate of return, but they can offer a way to generate regular income.

A bond is a loan an investor makes to the bonds' issuer. When the bond matures, the issuer returns the full principal that was loaned. They also typically pay regular interest payments to investors.