Goldman itself holds bonds with a face value of $270 million.

The answer may depend on whether you're holding stocks or bonds.

The rates are payable on bonds held for five years or longer.

Anyone who held bonds for longer received 85 percent of the rate on five-year Treasury notes.

Holding bonds as part of a diversified portfolio is always a good idea.

"I think people probably went home holding bonds out of fear that stocks are going to tumble."

That was scant comfort to those who paid taxes but didn't hold bonds.

But many who hold no stocks or bonds worried that the market's drop was just the beginning of an overall economic decline.

Anyone who held bonds for less than five years received 85 percent of the average rate on six-month Treasury bills.

A big rise in rates could wipe out such a firm, as the value of the bonds being held came tumbling down.