Buy I Savings Bonds
As of January 1, 2012, paper savings bonds are no longer sold at financial institutions. This action supports Treasury’s goal to increase the number of electronic transactions with citizens and businesses. See the press release.
The I Savings Bond is a security that increases in value until it's cashed or reaches final maturity in 30 years. It is available in paper and electronic format. You can buy electronic bonds through TreasuryDirect and in paper format with your IRS tax refund.
Denominations
- Electronic I Bonds: Can be bought to the penny for $25 or more. For example, you could buy a $50.23 bond.
- Paper I Bonds (with your IRS tax refund): Can be bought in $50, $75, $100, $200, $500, $1,000, and $5,000 denominations.
Purchase Price
- Paper and Electronic I Bonds: The purchase price is the same as its face value. For example, you would pay $50 for a $50 bond.
Where to Buy
It is easier to buy electronic and paper I Bonds than ever before. You can purchase them through:
| TreasuryDirect | This is the easiest, fastest way to buy Series I bonds. The bonds are issued directly in your TreasuryDirect account. No paper bonds are issued. You have access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You can set up an automatic purchase schedule for as little as $25. You can establish a Payroll Savings Plan – see Learn More about the Payroll Savings Plan for more information. |
|---|---|
| Payroll Savings Plan | You can buy I Bonds through the Payroll Savings Plan. Payroll for electronic bonds is available. | IRS Tax Refund | Paper Series I savings bonds are available with your IRS tax refund. See www.irs.gov. |
Purchase Limit
The purchase limit for electronic I Bonds is $10,000 per calendar year. For paper Series I Savings Bonds, the purchase limit is $5,000. See our article about purchase limits for more information.
Register Your Bonds
How you register an I Bond determines who owns the bond and who can cash it. Learn how to register an I Bond.
Identifying Information
Your Social Security Number (SSN) is needed to buy a bond. For paper Series I savings bonds, the bond owner will be asked to provide his or her Social Security number for tax purposes when they cash the bond. However, if you're buying a gift and don't know the recipient's SSN, you can use your own. Using your SSN doesn't mean you will have a tax liability when the bond is cashed. The bond owner will be asked to provide his or her Social Security Number for tax purposes when they cash the bond.
If bonds are purchased in trust form by corporations, associations, public and private organizations, fiduciaries, and other entities as single owners, the owner's Employer Identification Number is used.
On paper savings bonds issued or replaced on or after August 1, 2006, the first five digits of your SSN or Employer Identification number will be masked and replaced with asterisks. This is being done to protect your privacy and to prevent the information from being used for identity theft.
Gift bonds purchased in TreasuryDirect must have the recipient's SSN and can be delivered or held in the Gift Box.
Effective April 2009, individuals and various types of entities including trusts, estates, corporations, partnerships, etc. can have TreasuryDirect accounts and own electronic savings bonds. However, entities cannot buy gift savings bonds in TreasuryDirect.
Who Can Own I Bonds
You can own I Bonds if you have a Social Security Number and you're a:
- United States resident, or a United States citizen who lives abroad.
- Civilian employee of the United States regardless of where you live.
- Minor (under age 18). Unlike other securities, minors may own U.S. Savings Bonds
In some cases, fiduciaries (such as trusts) can own I bonds.
Effective April 2009, individuals 18 or older and various types of entities including trusts, estates, corporations, partnerships, etc. can open TreasuryDirect accounts and purchase electronic savings bonds. See Learn More about Entity Accounts for full information on the new registration types. Gift bonds purchased for minor children may be delivered to the Minor linked account.
Chain Letters and Savings Bonds
Buying savings bonds as part of a chain letter or similar pyramid scheme is considered to be against the public interest and is prohibited.
