Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) represent claims on cash flows from pools of mortgages. Collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) are financial instruments backed by MBS or actual mortgages, which are then divided into tranches that receive principal payments according to a set structure. While MBS cash flows are distributed pro rata, CMOs allocate payments to provide different risk profiles appealing to various investors. Risks for these securities include credit risk, interest rate exposure, and early redemption risk.