Take any signature-verification forms to your bank for a Treasury-approved verification. Then send the paperwork to the listed address.
Is it possible to transfer US Savings Bond ownership?
Yes. The owner of EE and I Bonds can transfer them to another person with a TreasuryDirect account; however, you must wait five business days from the purchase date to do so.
A savings bond can be transferred to another TreasuryDirect account in whole or in part. See What is the procedure for transferring savings bonds from one TreasuryDirect account to another?
What happens if I transfer savings bonds to another TreasuryDirect customer? Will the recipient’s purchasing limit be affected?
When you transfer savings bonds to another customer, the value of the transfer is deducted from the yearly purchase limit for each savings bond type for the year in which the transfer happens.
Is it possible to move marketable securities from one TreasuryDirect account to another or to a broker/dealer account?
Yes. Marketable Securities can be transferred in $100 increments. You can send a portion or the entire value of a single investment or a group of securities to a single recipient or financial institution. See What is the procedure for transferring marketable securities from my TreasuryDirect account?
No, you must transfer marketable securities from your TreasuryDirect account to a broker/dealer account in order to sell them.
The securities can be sold by the broker/dealer on your behalf.
Is it possible to transfer marketable securities from a non-TreasuryDirect account to my TreasuryDirect account?
Yes. You can contact your broker to have marketable securities from another account transferred as an Incoming External Transfer to your TreasuryDirect account. Customer Service will handle your request and add issued securities to your Current Holdings. For maturity and interest payments, incoming transfers are issued with your primary bank information as the payment destination (if applicable). For specific instructions, see Learn More About Transfers.
Is it possible to transfer marketable securities from my old TreasuryDirect account to my new TreasuryDirect account?
Yes. Complete a Security Move Request, FS Form 5179, to transfer assets from Legacy Treasury Direct to your TreasuryDirect account. Incoming transfers are deposited into your TreasuryDirect account’s Current Holdings.
What happens if I transfer a marketable security that was initially slated for deposit in my C of I before it matures?
Any purchases you have scheduled utilizing Zero-Percent C of I as the source of funds may be impacted if you elect to transfer a marketable security prior to maturity. If funds are inadequate to cover the purchase request, the purchases may be canceled.
What if the form of registration for transferring marketable securities from an outside broker to my TreasuryDirect account is invalid?
We shall refuse any inbound security transfer request that has an invalid form of registration.
What if the marketable security I want to move in from another outside account is registered with the words “OR,” “AND,” or “With Right of Survivorship”?
Regardless of the method of registration prior to the transfer, a security transferred from an outside account into a TreasuryDirect account will be transferred in the name of the individual account owner in single owner form. The registration can be changed to any allowable registration after the transfer is accomplished.
What is the procedure for renaming a savings bond?
A Request To Reissue United States Savings Bonds must be completed by the estate’s legal representative (FS Form 4000). The legal representative must complete and sign a Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form (FS Form 5396) for direct deposit of interest payments if Series HH bonds are being reissued.
If your name has changed, can you cash a savings bond?
In many circumstances, reissuing your bonds will result in tax liabilities. The good news is that you don’t need to republish for these usual scenarios:
Not in the least. When you’re ready to cash your bond, just take it to the bank in its original form. You’ll sign with both your old and new names, as specified on the bond. As an example:
No, once again. When you’re ready to cash your bond, simply bring it to the bank in its original condition and sign it with your right name.
No, bond addresses were just used for mailing purposes and had no bearing on ownership.
Surprisingly, the answer is no. The bond does not need to be reissued. It’s a good idea to let us know if it’s incorrect, though. We’ll mark that in your file and have the exact number if we ever need to look for your bond. See
“Correcting a Bond’s Social Security Number.”
What is the procedure for cashing a US savings bond that is not in my name?
If you are not identified as the owner or co-owner on the bond, you must produce legal evidence or other documentation to establish you are entitled to cash the bond, regardless of where you cash it. (Legal evidence is not returned.)
It is important to note that savings bonds cannot be transferred. You can’t cash a bond that belongs to someone else or that you bought on an internet auction site. (See Death of a Savings Bond Owner if you inherit a bond through the death of the bond owner.)
When someone dies, what happens to their savings bonds?
- Don’t do anything. Until the bond matures, it will continue to receive interest. Our office will hold semi-annual interest payments and pay them when the bond is cashed.
- Reissue: Have the bond reissued in the name of the survivor. A coowner or beneficiary may be added to the bond by the new owner.
- Along with FS Form 5396, submit a certified copy of the owner’s death certificate (download or order). Although the bond will not be physically reissued, you will continue to receive semi-annual interest payments. (A death certificate or other legal evidence will not be returned.)
Cash (Redeem) a paper bond with a named survivor
Series EE and I: Take your savings bonds to a financial institution that accepts them and provide proper identification as well as any supporting documentation that may be necessary. It’s a good idea to phone the banking institution ahead of time to find out what kind of identification and documents you’ll need.
Your local bank is not permitted to cash Series HH bonds, but they can assist you in submitting your transaction.
HH Savings Bonds (Cashing Series)
Reissuing a paper bond with a survivor named on it
Paper reissues of Series EE and Series I bonds are no longer available. Instead, TreasuryDirect converts the bonds to electronic bonds. If you are the survivor, you can use SmartExchange to convert your bond.
Series HH: Paper reissues of these bonds are still available. Reissuing or Replacing Series HH Savings Bonds has instructions.
Is it possible to cash in my parents’ savings bonds?
If you are now the owner of the savings bonds or if your parent listed you as the survivor beneficiary on the bonds, take them to a bank or other financial institution. In the presence of a bank official, fill out the redemption form on the back of the bonds and sign it. A driver’s license or other form of identification is required. You must also provide proof of death if you are mentioned as a survivor. This is usually done by a verified copy of the death certificate. The bank will redeem the bonds and pay you the proceeds.
What is the procedure for changing the beneficiary on a savings bond?
In the “Reason for Reissue” box, type “Change the Name of a Living Beneficiary.” To get your signature notarized, take your driver’s license or state identification card to a bank and fill out Form PD F 4000. Sign Form PD F 4000 in front of the certifying officer, who will sign and stamp it.
What if my savings bonds have my maiden name on them?
Savings bonds from the United States may be the best option if you’re seeking for a low-risk investment with a high return. As long as you keep the bonds for a certain amount of time, you can expect a set rate of return. Because the federal government recognizes that name changes are common, you won’t have any issues cashing a savings bond that bears your maiden name as long as you provide the required evidence.
What happens if my name is misspelled on a savings bond?
- Is it necessary to get my signature certified if I cash my bonds by mail using FS Form 1522?
- What should I do if I lose, steal, or destroy my paper savings bond?
- Is it necessary to repair a mistake, an erroneous address, or a wrong Social Security number on my paper EE bond?
- As a gift, I’d like to purchase a savings bond. What happens if I don’t have access to the owner’s Social Security number?
- I observed savings bonds were being auctioned on auction sites like eBayTM, but I assumed they were non-transferable. What is the mechanism behind this?
It is debatable. You can send us a copy of your driver’s license, passport, state ID, or military ID instead if the current redemption value of your bonds is $1,000 or less.
Fill out and sign FS Form 1048 (download or order) according to the directions on the form, then mail it to the address on the form.
- Serial number of Bond If you don’t have the bond serial number, please provide the following information:
If we can prove that a person who is entitled to cash the bonds hasn’t done so, we can replace them. Replacing or Reissuing a Lost or Destroyed Paper EE Bond is described in detail here.
Is it necessary for me to change a mistake, an erroneous address, or a wrong Social Security Number on my paper EE Bond?
- Misspelled Names EE bonds do not need to be reissued to fix minor spelling problems. If the error is substantial enough to preclude the bond owner from cashing it, the bond must be reprinted. Fill out and sign FS Form 4000 (download or order) as directed on the form, then mail it along with the bonds to the address listed on the form.
- Incorrect Address EE bonds do not need to be reissued if the address on the bonds is incorrect.
- Incorrect Social Security Number To correct a Social Security Number, EE bonds do not need to be reissued. The Social Security Number isn’t used to determine who owns something or who owes taxes. It’s utilized to track down savings bond records if the bonds go missing and the owner doesn’t keep track of the serial numbers. Keep track of all of your bonds, including serial numbers.
The first five digits of your Social Security number or Employer Identification number are masked and substituted with asterisks on any papersavings bonds issued on or after August 1, 2006. This was done to preserve your privacy and keep your information from being used to steal your identity.
When paying qualified higher education expenses, qualified taxpayers may be able to deduct all or part of the interest collected on eligible EE and I Bonds issued after 1989. At the time of issuance, bonds must be issued in the name of a taxpayer who is 24 years old or older. There are also some restrictions and income limits in place. See IRS Form 8815 for more information on the education tax credit.
If you cash a bond before it reaches the age of five years, you will lose the last three months’ interest. And you can’t cash a bond until it’s been on the market for a year.
Patriot Bonds are paper EE bonds with the words “Patriot Bond” imprinted on them.
They are no longer available for purchase.
To buy an electronic savings bond as a gift, you’ll need the recipient’s full name, Social Security number, and/or taxpayer ID number. The gift bond is kept in the account holder’s “Gift Box” until the account holder acquires the recipient’s TreasuryDirect account number and is ready to transfer the bond to his or her account.
Before you can give savings bonds as gifts, you must keep them in your TreasuryDirect account for at least five working days. Treasury is protected against loss by the five-day hold, which ensures that the ACH debit has been performed satisfactorily before the cash can be moved.
The bond will then be transferred and an e-mail will be sent to the gift recipient.
I spotted savings bonds for sale on auction sites like eBayTM, but I assumed ownership was not transferable. I’m not sure how this works.
Savings bonds are sometimes marketed as collectibles or souvenirs. Because a savings bond is a registered security and ownership is non-transferable, the sale has no effect on the savings bond’s ownership. The owner or co-owners stated on the bond, not the individual who bought the bond at auction, nonetheless have a contractual connection with the US Treasury. As a result, the person purchasing it at auction is unable to cash it; he has simply purchased a piece of paper indicating that the bond is still the property of the owner or co-owners specified on the bond. If the bond was lost and has since been replaced, it may be the property of the United States Treasury in some situations. Bottom line: Buying a savings bond at an auction is a bad idea because you don’t get any title or ownership rights to the bond.
Is it possible to cash my daughter’s savings bonds?
Only if the child is too young to sign the savings bond on her own can a parent or guardian cash it. A parent who wishes to cash a child’s bond should generally take the youngster to the bank with him or her to show the bank officials that the bond owner isn’t old enough to sign for herself. A parent cannot cash in a savings bond without having the child sign it in the presence of a bank representative once the child is old enough and aware enough to put her own signature on it.