Buy Us Savings Bonds Online

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\"It's like going to the DMV online,\" said Matt Stephens, a certified financial planner with AdvicePoint in Wilmington, North Carolina, explaining how the process of buying I bonds is especially difficult for his older clients.

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There are two ways to buy I bonds. You can buy them electronically via TreasuryDirect, with an individual limit of $10,000 per person per calendar year. You can also buy them in paper form with your federal tax refund, enabling another $5,000 purchase per person.

Tommy Blackburn, a Richmond, Virginia-based CFP and senior financial planner at Mason and Associates who frequently helps clients purchase I bonds, said one of the main pain points is additional identity verification.

Nowadays, savings bonds operate in much the same way. You still provide a loan to the government at very low risk. But now, bonds are sold primarily online through TreasuryDirect.gov instead of with paper certificates you can hide beneath your bed.

Both earn monthly interest and can be purchased online in any amount from $25 to $10,000. However, the Series EE bond offers predictable fixed rates while the Series I bond has both a fixed-rate and a variable rate component. Your earnings will fluctuate based on inflation with the Series I.

How do savings bonds compare to other savings vehicles And, more importantly, are they the right choice for your needs Traditional savings and money market accounts allow you to earn interest and access your money right when you need it. Bonds, on the other hand, grow slowly in value and are worth the most after 20 to 30 years.

Starting January 1, 2012, you can no longer buy paper savings bonds at financial institutions. But you can go online to purchase two types of electronic savings bonds. Under the rules, an individual can buy a maximum of $10,000 worth in each series in a single calendar year, or a total of $20,000.

You can buy these electronic savings bonds in penny increments, from $25 up to $5,000 each year. (In paper form, these bonds were only available in specific denominations.) For more on the switch to all-electronic savings bonds and on how to open a TreasuryDirect account, please visit this page at TreasuryDirect.gov. You can use the Savings Bond Calculator and compare the different types of securities issued by the Treasury.

The most common way to buy savings bonds is to go straight to the US Government, and as of a few years ago, it can only be done online. Though savings bonds may not be as flashy as some other investments, they can still be a solid choice if looking for something long-term. The U.S. Treasury Department issues these extremely low-risk investments to help fund various projects of the federal government. There are a few different methods of buying savings bonds, but a financial advisor can help if you have specific questions.

Savings bonds, regardless of type, come with minimal risk. The U.S. federal government backs them, a fact that affords them ample protection. In turn, they are especially great choices for any risk-averse investors looking to pad their existing assets over the long-term. But even the safe nature of these bonds comes with its downsides.

Asset allocation and diversification principles dictate that portfolios should contain a balance of investment types. Savings bonds definitely have a place within this philosophy, but they are far from the options with the highest return potential. Unfortunately, though, investment types that have better potential often come with higher risk levels.

Savings bonds fall under the umbrella of fixed-income securities. These are investments that usually come with fixed interest rates and provide consistent returns. But there is more than one style of a fixed-income security, as municipal bonds, corporate bonds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) also fit the bill.

However, electronic savings bonds will remain available to consumers for purchase through TreasuryDirect, a secure web-based system operated by the Bureau of Public Debt. As a trusted source of information about savings bonds, your credit union will likely receive questions about these changes. As you respond to member questions and assist them through this transition, please consider the following:

Ending the sale of paper savings bonds, in conjunction with the elimination of paper payroll bond sales earlier this year, will save approximately $120 million over the next five years in printing, mailing, storing bond stock, and fees paid to financial institutions for processing bond applications. If you have any questions, please contact your NCUA regional office, district examiner, or appropriate state supervisory authority.

U.S. savings bonds are a government-backed, reliable investment available in denominations ranging from $25 to $10,000. Bonds issued after April 2005 have a fixed interest rate, and older bonds (1997-2005) have a variable interest rate.

To determine the value of your E, EE, or I bond, you can use a savings bond calculator. The calculator will have you enter the series, denomination, bond serial number, and issue date. This tool not only helps you calculate the value of your bond; it stores the information you enter so you can view it again at a later date.

Savings bonds are a great, low-risk way to save money. For more information about redeeming savings bonds, different types of bonds, or any other savings bond related questions, you can visit Treasury Direct website.

The U.S. government first issued Series E bonds to fund itself during World War II, and it continued to sell them until 1980, when Series EE bonds superseded them. Series E bonds are no longer issued.

Series I bonds provide a greater level of protection against inflation than do Series EE bonds: They come with a combination of a guaranteed fixed rate and a variable inflation rate that is set twice a year, based on the consumer price index.

Paper bonds can be redeemed at most bank or credit union branches, while electronic bonds can be cashed on the TreasuryDirect website, by signing into your account and following the instructions for redeeming the bond. The cash value of the bond will be credited to your checking or savings account within two business days of the redemption date.

A minimum $25 is required to redeeming an electronic bond. No limit typically exists for cashing paper bonds, but the bank cashing the bonds may impose a restriction on how much you can redeem at one time.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has discontinued over-the-counter sales of paper savings bonds including sales through financial institutions and applications mailed directly to the Federal Reserve Bank by customers.

Although paper bonds have been discontinued, electronic Series EE and Series I Savings Bonds remain available for purchase via TreasuryDirect. This secure, web-based system, operated by the Bureau of the Public Debt, has been used by investors since 2002 to purchase savings bonds online.

You can price Series EE, E, I bonds, and Savings Notes and even build an inventory to check your bonds' values without reentering the information. Features include current interest rate, next accrual date, final maturity date, year-to-date interest earned, and more.

While bonds are considered less risky than stocks, investing risks vary depending on the type of bond you buy. The interest rate is based on a number of factors, including the risk of the loan: The higher the risk, the higher the interest rate.

Tax-exempt bonds are usually bonds issued by a municipal, county, or state government (called municipal or \"muni\" bonds). Bond interest payments are exempt from federal income tax and, in some cases, state and local income tax. While the interest income is tax-free, any capital gains will be subject to taxes. Income for some investors may be subject to the federal Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). Tax-exempt bonds may fit within your overall investment strategy depending on your tax bracket and investment goals.

Aside from Treasuries, which can be purchased directly from the U.S. government, most bonds must be purchased through a brokerage account or an investment vehicle such as a mutual fund. If you prefer to invest through Wells Fargo Advisors, you can invest online on your own or get help from a Financial Advisor.

Series EE and Series I U.S. Savings Bonds, which are available from the U.S. Treasury Department, offer a low-risk and modest-return investment for college saving. And as long as the bonds are used to pay for qualified college expenses, the interest earned is generally free of federal, state, and local taxes. If purchased early in the student's life, they provide a safe, guaranteed return once college rolls around.

The dollar amount of bonds purchased must not exceed annual limits. In 2016, individuals may purchase up to $20,000 in online/electronic savings bonds ($10,000 in Series EE and $10,000 in Series I). In addition, individuals may purchase up to $5,000 annually in Series I paper savings bonds through their federal income tax refund.

Before investing in bonds, you should carefully consider and understand the risks involved. All bonds are subject to market risk and interest rate risk and you may lose money. Bonds sold by issuers with lower credit ratings may offer higher yields than bonds issued by higher-rated or \"investment grade\" issuers, but are usually associated with higher risks. High-yield bonds generally have a greater risk of default, which increases the risk that an issuer may be unable to pay interest and principal on the issue. In addition, high-yield bonds tend to have higher interest rate risk and liquidity risk, particularly in volatile market conditions, which makes it more difficult to sell the bonds. 781b155fd