The good news is that the Treasury Department launched its “Treasury Hunt” website in 2000, which allows you to look for savings bonds in your name.
All you have to do is enter your social security number, and the site will give you fast results. Here are some additional questions and answers regarding looking for unredeemed savings bonds to help you narrow down your search:
Q: I was given a gift of savings bonds.
Should I look for the bonds using my social security number or the individual who gave them to me?
A: Yes and no.
The Treasury began requesting a social in 1974 when issuing a bond. Gift bonds can be listed in either the giver’s or the receiver’s name.
What is the best way to look up vintage savings bonds?
You can verify if you have any lost bonds before submitting anything, according to Leslie H. Tayne, founder of the Tayne Law Group. “Treasuryhunt.gov, which lists matured, uncashed savings bonds, is a shortcut you can employ to find lost savings bonds,” Tayne explains.
Treasury Hunt is an online service provided by the Treasury Department. In 2017, the tool was retired, but it was resurrected in 2019.
Fill out Form 1048
Fill out Form 1048, “Claim for Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed United States Savings Bonds,” on the US Treasury’s website at treasurydirect.gov to look for lost savings bonds.
Tayne advises, “Fill out as much of the form as possible.” “Ask for the purchaser’s Social Security number and an estimate of the purchase timeline.”
Verify for your form
Don’t just sign your form after you’ve completed it to the best of your ability. It must be accredited. This isn’t easy, according to Justin Pritchard, a financial consultant at Approach Financial. “Getting your signature validated is the most difficult element of the procedure,” Pritchard explains. “To finish the process, you’ll need a signing guarantee or another appropriate kind of documentation. Unfortunately, having a paper notarized isn’t enough.”
Go to your local financial institution, such as a bank or credit union, to have your form confirmed. You will sign the form and have it confirmed by the institution’s certifying officer rather than a notary. Make an appointment with your bank or other financial institution ahead of time to see whether they have a certifying officer.
Where can I look for my uncashed savings bonds?
To look for uncashed savings bonds in your name, go to the Treasury Department’s TreasuryDirect website. To see results, enter your social security number or Employee Identification Number (EIN) into the Treasury Hunt page’s search area and click the “Search” button.
What should I do if my savings bonds are lost?
Complete a Claim for Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed United States Savings Bonds to register a claim for a savings bond that has been lost, stolen, or destroyed (FS Form 1048). Please sign the form in the presence of a certifying officer who is authorized to do so (available at a bank, trust company, or credit union).
How do I get money out of savings bonds that aren’t 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.)
After 30 years, how much is a $50 EE savings bond worth?
Savings bonds are regarded as one of the most secure investments available. The underlying principle is that the value of a savings bond grows over time, but it’s easy to lose track of how much it’s worth over time.
The TreasuryDirect savings bond calculator, fortunately, makes determining the value of a purchased savings bond a breeze. You’ll need the bond series, face value, serial number, and issuance date to figure out how much your savings bond is worth.
If you bought a $50 Series EE bond in May 2000, for example, you would have paid $25. At maturity, the government committed to repay the face amount plus interest, bringing the total value to $53.08 by May 2020. A $50 bond purchased for $25 30 years ago is now worth $103.68.
What is the best way to look up a bond?
The Bureau of the Fiscal Service manages the TreasuryDirect.gov website, which contains information on the purchase, redemption, replacement, forms, and valuation of Treasury savings bonds and securities.
Is it possible to check my savings bonds online?
Log in to your TreasuryDirect account to see the current value of your electronic bonds. Check to see whether you hold any bonds. Make sure the serial number you enter is correct. Ascertain that a bond can be cashed.
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.
Is it possible to cash a savings bond that belongs to someone else?
When it comes time to cash in your savings bonds, as long as you have the necessary documentation, the process will be relatively simple. It’s important to keep in mind that savings bonds cannot be sold, exchanged, or given away. The only person who can cash in the bond is the person whose name is on it (with a few exceptions, which we’ll discuss shortly).
First and first, you’ll need the bond (unless it’s an electronic bond, in which case there’s no step at all). The monies are deposited into your bank account once you cash it in via the Treasury Web site). However, make certain that the bond may be cashed: It’s been at least a year since it was published (some bonds only require a six-month retention period).