- West Bank/East Bank (California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Texas, and Washington)
- People’s United Bank is a financial institution based in the United Kingdom (locations in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont)
Remember that virtually all of the banks only recorded money investment funds securities for account holders. Only Chase and TD Bank will cash a savings bond for non-account holders; non-account holders can cash investment funds securities up to $1,000 at the other institutions we contacted.
Without a bank account, where can I cash a savings bond?
If you want to cash a bond at a bank where you don’t have an account, you’ll need to present photo identification like a driver’s license or a state-issued ID card. The form of identification, as well as the number and issue date, will be noted on the bond by the bank official. A bank’s maximum amount of savings bonds it can cash for a non-customer is $1,000. The bank will not redeem a savings bond with a redemption value of more than $1,000. If the total amount of lesser bonds is less than $1,000, you can cash them all.
Does Bank of America accept non-customer savings bonds?
Customers who have held a Citibank account for at least six months can redeem an unlimited quantity of Series E and EE savings bonds at Citibank branches. Bonds can be redeemed for up to $1,000 by non-customers and those who have been clients for less than six months.
Customers who have had a Bank of America account for at least six months can redeem an unlimited number of savings bonds, while non-customers and those who have had an account for less than six months can redeem up to $1,000 every day. Paper bonds will be redeemed by BB&T for customers who have been with the company for at least six months, as well as non-customers in specific instances. Find out what information you’ll need to bring to the bank branch, such as a driver’s license or other photo ID.
You can submit your savings bonds to Treasury Retail Securities Site, P.O. Box 214, Minneapolis, MN 55480-0214 if you can’t find a bank that will redeem them. You’ll need a certifying officer from a bank where you have an account to certify your signature on the reverse of each bond in the “request for payment” area. Your Social Security number will also be required. For additional information on redeeming savings bonds and particular rules if the bonds are not in your name, see the Treasury’s factsheet.
If you have electronic savings bonds, simply go to TreasuryDirect.gov and follow the instructions. Within two business days after the redemption date, the cash amount will be credited to your bank or savings account. See TreasuryDirect’s SmartExchange information page for details on converting paper savings bonds to electronic form.
Also, read Savings Bonds for College Tuition to see if you qualify for a tax advantage if you use savings bonds to pay for college tuition.
Who has the authority to redeem a savings bond?
There’s also a penalty if you cash it in before it’s been 5 years. As long as you’re the owner or co-owner of a paper or electronic savings bond, you can cash it in at most financial institutions, either online or by mail. Others who aren’t listed on the bond might need to take further precautions.
Does Chase accept non-customer cash savings bonds?
According to Daniel Pederson, author of “Savings Bonds: When to Hold, When to Fold” and president of the Savings Bond Informer, only a few years have seen higher savings bond sales. Other notable years include 1992, when $17.6 billion in bonds were issued, 1993, when $13.3 billion was sold, and 2005, when $13.1 billion was sold.
Savings bonds were popular in 1986 because bonds purchased between January and October of that year had an introductory rate of 7.5 percent for the first ten years. Beginning in November 1986, the interest on newly purchased savings bonds was slated to drop to 6%.
In the last four days of October 1986, Pederson’s previous office at the Federal Reserve Bank branch in Detroit received more than 10,000 applications for savings bonds, according to Pederson. At that stage, the office would typically get roughly 50 applications for savings bond purchases every day.
“During the closing days of October 1986, bond buyers picked up billions of dollars in bonds. Most people were unaware that the 7.5 percent rate was only good for the first ten years of the bond “It’s my life,” he explained.
What’s the bond really worth?
The bond’s face value of $50 does not imply that it is worth $50. For a $50 Series EE bond in 1986, for example, you paid $25. So you’ve been accumulating enthusiasm for the $50 value and beyond.
The amount of money you get when you cash your bond depends on the bond and the interest rates that were paid during the bond’s tenure.
Calculate the value using the government’s Savings Bond calculator at www.treasurydirect.gov.
You’d enter a series of numbers from your savings bonds, and the government site would tell you how much the bond is worth right now, when the next interest payment is due, and when the bond will mature.
How much money could we be talking about here?
It’s also vital to remember that some people haven’t cashed other savings bonds from the early 1980s. As of Oct. 30, 2015, more than 7.2 million Series EE savings bonds issued in 1985 were still outstanding and had not been cashed. These bonds stop earning interest after 30 years.
In December, a $50 Series EE savings bond with a portrait of President George Washington, issued in January 1986, was worth $113.06. At the next payment in January 2016, the bond will earn a few more dollars in interest.
A $500 savings bond released in April 1986 with an image of Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father and the nation’s first Treasury Secretary, was worth $1,130.60 in December. In April 2016, the next interest payment will be made.
Until their eventual maturity date, all bonds purchased in 1986 are currently earning 4%. As a result, you should keep track of when the bonds’ next interest payment is due.
For the first ten years, savings bonds purchased earlier in the year in 1986 paid 7.5 percent. For the first 12 years, the bonds purchased in November and December 1986 paid 6%. Following that, they both received 4%.
The bonds purchased in 1986 will reach their full maturity in a variety of months, depending on the issuance date. If you acquired a Series EE bond in February 1986, for example, the last payment of interest will be made on February 1, 2016.
Where can I cash the bond?
Non-customers can cash savings bonds at Chase and PNC Bank up to $1,000.
If you have a stack of 400 bonds, as some clients do, you should phone ahead to see if there is a good time to come in.
According to Joyce Harris, a spokesman for the federal Bureau of Fiscal Service, it’s a good idea to check with the bank first to see whether there’s a monetary limit on cashing a stack of bonds all at once. Advice: Do not sign the request for payment on the back of your bond until you have been instructed to do so by the financial institution.
Keep in mind that banks have varied policies about how much they would redeem in a single visit. Some financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, will not redeem savings bonds at all.
What kind of taxes will I owe?
To begin, you must determine how much of the money you get is due to interest.
Many consumers are unaware that when they cash a U.S. savings bond, they do not pay taxes on the total amount received, according to George W. Smith IV, a certified public accountant and partner at George W. Smith in Southfield.
The amount you paid for the savings bond at the time of purchase, or the principal, is not taxed. Interest earned is taxed at ordinary income tax rates, not at capital gains tax rates.
So, if you cashed a $500 bond issued in April 1986 in December 2015, it would be worth $1,130.60. The bond was purchased for $250 by the buyer, whether it was Mom or Dad, Grandma, or you. In this situation, the interest of $880.60 would be taxable.
What if you cashed all of the 1986 bonds that came due in 2016? The bonds would then be taxed on your 2016 tax return.
It’s critical to account for interest and keep all of your papers while preparing your tax returns.
One elderly customer cashed in some savings bonds but didn’t aware she needed to record the interest income, according to Joseph DeGennaro, tax director for Doeren Mayhew in Troy. However, the Internal Revenue Service mailed her a tax bill with interest and a penalty for failing to declare the income a year later.
According to Pederson, some large savers are cashing in some of their 1986 bonds in 2015 and foregoing some interest to avoid having to pay all of the interest in 2016. He suggests seeing a tax specialist to see what options are best for you, and keep in mind that if you cash the bonds in 2015, you will miss out on the final one or two 4% interest rate payments that would have occurred in 2016.
TreasuryDirect.gov, the government’s website, also has information on who owes the tax and other tax-related questions.
It is feasible to track interest year after year as it grows. Most people, on the other hand, tend to put it off and declare the interest after the bond is cashed. Technically, even if you haven’t cashed the bond yet, you will owe taxes on interest in the year the bond stops earning interest and achieves full maturity, according to the savings bond website.
According to Pederson, the law is that interest received on a bond must be reported in the year it achieves ultimate maturity or when it is cashed, whichever comes first.
What’s the interest rate you’d get if you bought savings bonds online today?
A Series EE savings bond issued between November 2015 and April 2016 will now receive a fixed rate of 0.10 percent, making them less appealing.
For the first six months after the issuance date, a new Series I savings bond would earn a composite rate of 1.64 percent, with a portion of it indexing to inflation every six months. As a result, the interest rate on the Series I savings bond will change significantly over time.
For information on how to buy and sell bonds, go to www.treasurydirect.gov.
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.)
Is First Hawaiian Bank willing to buy savings bonds?
Question: I could connect to the Auwe’s frustration with redeeming US savings bonds. If my bank refuses to redeem Series EE bonds, what options do I have? These are old paper savings bonds from the United States.
Answer: Treasury Retail Securities Services in Minneapolis, through mail. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, the procedures for cashing paper Series EE or Series I U.S. savings bonds differ depending on the value of the bonds, as outlined on treasurydirect.gov:
>>> “There’s no need to have your signature validated if the total amount of your bonds is less than $1,000. FS Form 1522 can be downloaded, filled out, and signed. Send us the completed form, along with your unsigned bonds and a copy of a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, or state or military identity.”
>>> “Download FS Form 1522 and have your signature certified as indicated on the form for bond amounts exceeding $1,000. Send us your unsigned bonds and the completed application.”
On the website, you may download the form. On the form, you’ll see the redemption postal address. To avoid imitation scams, simply get the form from an official government website. Click here for additional information “On the internet, under the section for individuals, look for “cash paper savings bond.”
It may take four to six weeks to collect your money, according to other readers who have used this approach.
A: Kokua Line reached out to nine banks in Hawaii and received responses from seven of them. Only two of them indicated they redeem US savings bonds, and they only do so for their clients, not the general public. The Bank of Hawaii and the Bank of the Orient are their names.
Bank of the Orient account holders can bring U.S. savings bonds to the Honolulu office for redemption, along with proper identification, according to a representative.
U.S. savings bonds are not redeemed by American Savings Bank, Central Pacific Bank, First Hawaiian Bank, HomeStreet Bank, or Territorial Savings Bank. Hawaii National Bank and Ohana Pacific Bank have yet to respond.
Q: My purse was taken, and I lost all of my credit cards, identification, and other valuables. My credit cards were cancelled, but what about my driver’s license?
A : “If you are not planning to drive during the time it takes to process a duplicate driver license, which is about 3 to 5 business days for a temporary driver license and 6 to 8 weeks for a permanent plastic license, Honolulu County’s Department of Customer Services recommends applying for an exact replacement online. Go to www1. honolulu.gov/duplicates/ to do so.
Will Regions Bank accept cash savings bonds as collateral?
The best ways to save money are to put your money to work for you. Savings vehicles, on the other hand, may not always offer large rewards in the current low-interest climate. Consider these three tactics to help you get the most out of your hard-earned money and meet your savings objectives.
Savings Option No. 1: Accounts that Offer Compounding Interest Rates
Although interest rates are low, putting your money in a compound interest-bearing savings account is a good method to protect your investment and grow your savings over time. You’ll make money on both your principle and the interest you earn over time. Shorter compounding periods (monthly rather than yearly) could result in higher returns. With Regions’ Benefits of Compounding calculator, you can learn more about how compounding interest rates operate.
Savings Option No. 2: Certificates of Deposit
Purchasing certificates of deposit (CDs) with varying maturities can assist you in navigating interest rate changes. If interest rates are low, for example, you can buy a one-year CD that pays a slightly greater interest rate than a savings account but restricts your access to your funds. If the environment has improved since the CD was issued, you may be able to secure a better rate when it comes up for renewal. Additionally, by acquiring a longer-term CD, you can usually lock in a greater interest rate; the yield curve is occasionally reversed (maturities further out on the curve yield less than short-term maturities).
You can diversify your savings account by separating your assets and investing each share in CDs with varied yields and maturities, a practice known as laddering. By laddering multiple accounts, you might potentially lessen the interest rate risk associated with putting your money in a single, low-yield account. When one of the CDs expires, it may also enhance your liquidity, allowing you to take advantage of fresh savings opportunities.
Savings Option No. 3: Government Savings Bonds
Interest is paid monthly and compounded semiannually on both types of government savings bonds for up to 30 years. After 12 months, you can cash in the bonds, but you’ll lose the last three months’ interest if you do so during the first five years.
The best savings strategy for you is determined by your specific financial goals and investment horizon. Make an appointment with a banker to discuss your specific circumstances and learn more about your alternatives.
When cashing in savings bonds, how do I avoid paying taxes?
Cashing your EE or I bonds before maturity and using the money to pay for education is one strategy to avoid paying taxes on the bond interest. The interest will not be taxable if you follow these guidelines:
- The bonds must be redeemed to pay for tuition and fees for you, your spouse, or a dependent, such as a kid listed on your tax return, at an undergraduate, graduate, or vocational school. The bonds can also be used to purchase a computer for yourself, a spouse, or a dependent. Room and board costs aren’t eligible, and grandparents can’t use this tax advantage to aid someone who isn’t classified as a dependent, such as a granddaughter.
- The bond profits must be used to pay for educational expenses in the year when the bonds are redeemed.
- High-earners are not eligible. For joint filers with modified adjusted gross incomes of more than $124,800 (more than $83,200 for other taxpayers), the interest exclusion begins to phase out and ceases when modified AGI reaches $154,800 ($98,200 for other filers).
The amount of interest you can omit is lowered proportionally if the profits from all EE and I bonds cashed in during the year exceed the qualified education expenditures paid that year.
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.