Savings Bonds: About — TreasuryDirect (2024)

Savings Bonds: About — TreasuryDirect (1)

When you buy a U.S. savings bond, you lend money to the U.S. government.

In turn, the government agrees to pay that much money back later - plus additional money (interest).

U. S. savings bonds are

Savings Bonds: About — TreasuryDirect (2)

Simple

Buy once. Earn interest for up to 30 years.

Savings Bonds: About — TreasuryDirect (3)

Safe

Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

Savings Bonds: About — TreasuryDirect (4)

Affordable

Buy them for as little as $25.

You can buy 2 types of U. S. savings bonds

EE Bonds

Guaranteed to double in value in 20 years

Earn a fixed rate of interest

Current Rate: 2.70%

For EE bonds issued May 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024

Electronic only – keep them safe in your TreasuryDirect account

Buy for any amount from $25 up to $10,000.

Maximum purchase each calendar year: $10,000.

Can cash in after 1 year. (But if you cash before 5 years, you lose 3 months of interest.)

More about EE bonds

(Note: Older EE bonds may be different from ones we sell today.)

I Bonds

Protect against inflation. The interest rate on a particular I bond changes every 6 months, based on inflation.

Current Rate: 4.28%

This includes a fixed rate of 1.30%

For I bonds issued May 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024

Primarily electronic – keep them safe in your TreasuryDirect account (minimum amount $25)

You can choose to use all or part of your IRS tax refund to buy paper I bonds (minimum amount $50)

Maximum purchase each calendar year: $10,000 in electronic I bonds + $5,000 in paper I bonds

Can cash in after 1 year. (But if you cash before 5 years, you lose 3 months of interest.)

Interest rate is calculated from a fixed rate and the inflation rate.

More about I bonds

You may have an older bond

HH Bonds

We stopped selling HH savings bonds in 2004

But they have a 20-year life. So, if you have one, you may still be getting interest on it.

More about H/HH bonds

Other historical bonds

Since 1935, we've offered many bond series, each with its own rates and terms.

Some even funded special causes — for the Postal Service, the Armed Forces, and others.

More about historical and retired bond series Cashing in (redeeming) an old paper bond

Financial Institutions:

Help Customers Cash In Their Savings Bonds

View special instructions on how to cash in paper Savings Bonds that customers may bring in to your bank.

Savings Bonds: About — TreasuryDirect (5)

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Savings Bonds: About — TreasuryDirect (2024)

FAQs

Is it safe to buy bonds from TreasuryDirect? ›

Bonds in TreasuryDirect are safely maintained in your account with the U.S. Treasury. mature or you redeem them, whichever is first. Also, if all conditions are met, using savings bonds to pay for some education expenses offers additional federal tax benefits. Affordable - Save with as little as $25.

How much is a $100 EE savings bond worth after 30 years? ›

How to get the most value from your savings bonds
Face ValuePurchase Amount30-Year Value (Purchased May 1990)
$50 Bond$100$207.36
$100 Bond$200$414.72
$500 Bond$400$1,036.80
$1,000 Bond$800$2,073.60
May 7, 2024

What is the downside of Treasury I bonds? ›

Further, I-bonds must be held for at least a year, so you won't be able to cash them out before a year is up if the rate plunges due to falling inflation. In fact, you'll lose the last three months of interest if you redeem them before five years are up.

Is there a difference between a Treasury bond and a savings bond? ›

Finally, savings bonds can't be traded or sold between individuals (no secondary market) and must be redeemed through the government itself. By comparison, Treasury bonds, municipal bonds, and corporate bonds are much more liquid; all three types can be traded on a secondary market before maturity.

What are the disadvantages of TreasuryDirect? ›

Securities purchased through TreasuryDirect cannot be sold in the secondary market before they mature. This lack of liquidity could be a disadvantage for investors who may need to access their investment capital before the securities' maturity.

How much can you make on a 3 month treasury bill? ›

Basic Info. 3 Month Treasury Bill Rate is at 5.26%, compared to 5.26% the previous market day and 5.16% last year. This is higher than the long term average of 4.19%. The 3 Month Treasury Bill Rate is the yield received for investing in a government issued treasury security that has a maturity of 3 months.

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