Learn more about savings bonds and how to find their value online.
What Are Savings Bonds?
Savings bonds are a way for average Americans to buy U.S. government debt. U.S. savings bonds are considered one of the safest investments that you can buy because they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, and most have a face value between $50 and $10,000. Bonds stop earning interest after 30 years, and they must be owned for at least one year before they can be redeemed. Bonds must be owned for at least five years to be redeemed without any penalty. The penalties are usually small, but if you want to get your full money’s worth, you need to make sure you hold the bond for at least five years.
Different Types of Savings Bonds
The two main types of savings bonds are I Bonds and Series EE Savings Bonds. Depending on which type you buy, there are a few key differences. While both types of bonds are bought at face value, you can no longer purchase paper EE Bonds. However, you can still buy paper I Bonds with your IRS tax refund. For EE Bonds, the interest rate depends on when the bond was issued. EE Bonds issued between May 1997 and April 2005 earn variable interest; those purchased after May 2005 earn fixed interest. I Bonds, on the other hand, earn an interest rate derived from a fixed rate when the bond is purchased and an inflation rate calculated each year.
Calculating the Value of Your Savings Bonds
When you’re ready to calculate the value of your savings bond, there’s some information you’ll need to know, including your bond’s:
TypeDenominationSerial numberIssue date
Once you have this information, you can use a savings bond calculator to find out how much your bond is worth right now. The primary site to do this is TreasuryDirect.gov, which is run by the U.S. government. Along with the calculator, you can find detailed instructions on determining your bond’s future value, how to build and save an inventory of bonds (if you have more than one), and how to find the interest to report to the IRS.
How To Get the Most From Your Savings Bonds
Savings bonds traditionally have low interest rates. However, the Treasury has made a promise to double your investments in EE savings bonds in no less than 20 years. So, if you buy bonds, it’s a good idea to have a plan to hold them for a full 20-year time frame. If you redeem them early, you only get the interest rate that was guaranteed up until that point, which will be significantly less than if you wait the full term. Incorporate savings bonds as part of a long-term investment strategy. Many investment professionals consider U.S. Treasury savings bonds one of the safest ways to invest your money. The high reliability of these returns is balanced by the generally lower potential returns than other asset classes. As a result, these investments appeal to those who desire a predictable return over a given period of time.
