What do I do if I lost my savings bonds? (2024)

What do I do if I lost my savings bonds?

To file a claim for a savings bond that is lost, stolen, or destroyed, complete a Claim for Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed United States Savings Bonds (FS Form 1048). Please sign the form in the presence of an authorized certifying officer (available at a bank, trust company, or credit union).

Can you look up savings bonds by Social Security Number?

With your Social Security Number (or Taxpayer Identification Number) or name and state, you can use our Treasury Hunt search to see if you have any savings bonds listed in our database. If you do, you'll get information on how to claim and cash them. We update Treasury Hunt every month.

How do I speak to someone at TreasuryDirect?

TreasuryDirect customers:

Our call center hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm ET. You may reach us at 844-284-2676.

How do you find out if I have bonds in my name?

Use the Treasury Hunt® tool to discover if you own savings bonds.

What happens to unclaimed savings bonds?

For those fully matured bonds remaining unredeemed, there is no active program by the Bureau to locate the bondholders and pay them the proceeds to which they are entitled. Traditionally, it has been up to the registered owner to remember to redeem the matured bond decades after the initial purchase.

What happens to EE bonds after 30 years?

Series EE and Series I bonds no longer earn interest when they reach maturity 30 years from the date of issuance. If you have any bonds older than 30 years, we recommend cashing them in immediately because they are no longer earning interest.

How do I access my savings bonds?

For redemption or other information about U.S. savings bonds, visit the U.S. Treasury Department's web page, www.treasurydirect.gov, or contact their office directly by calling (844) 284-2676 (toll-free).

How do I find lost savings bonds online?

Search for missing savings bonds

Search for matured savings bonds and missing interest using Treasury Hunt, an online tool from TreasuryDirect.

How do I recover my TreasuryDirect account number?

When you click the "Forgot your Account Number?" link from the Account Number page, you are required to indicate whether your account is an Individual account or an Entity account. You must then match previously submitted information held in your TreasuryDirect account.

Who can I talk to about savings bonds?

Local banks are one source of information on savings bonds, and some banks cash savings bonds. NOTICE: Treasury Retail Securities Services doesn't provide walk-in service for savings bonds.

How do I find my bond numbers?

You can find your holder's number by logging in to our online service and checking your Premium Bonds account page. Or you can call us for a replacement Bond record and we'll send it to you. If you aren't registered for our online and phone service, you can write to us and ask for a replacement Bond record too.

How do I reissue a savings bond?

The legal representative of the estate needs to complete a Request To Reissue United States Savings Bonds (FS Form 4000). If Series HH bonds are being reissued, the legal representative must complete and sign a Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form (FS Form 5396) for direct deposit of the interest payments.

How do I change ownership of a savings bond?

Fill out and send us FS Form 4000 and the bonds. In your TreasuryDirect account, you can: add another person as secondary owner. add or remove a beneficiary.

How do I find uncashed savings bonds?

Searching for a bond (Treasury Hunt®)

Treasury Hunt is our online search tool for finding Treasury Securities or missing interest. you, or a loved one who has died, have Treasury securities for which proceeds have not been paid.

What percentage of savings bonds are never cashed?

Only about one percent of all matured savings bonds have not been redeemed, but that still amounts to a substantial sum of money owed to our citizens.

How many savings bonds go unclaimed?

This has resulted in approximately $29.7 billion in matured U.S. savings bonds left unclaimed in the U.S. Treasury.

Is there a penalty for not cashing matured savings bonds?

While the Treasury will not penalize you for holding a U.S. Savings Bond past its date of maturity, the Internal Revenue Service will. Interest accumulated over the life of a U.S. Savings Bond must be reported on your 1040 form for the tax year in which you redeem the bond or it reaches final maturity.

How much is a $50 savings bond from 1986 worth today?

After 30 years, these bonds stop earning more interest. A $50 Series EE savings bond with a picture of President George Washington that was issued in January 1986 was worth $113.06 as of December.

Can I cash my deceased parents savings bonds?

If only one person is named on the bond and that person has died, the bond belongs to that person's estate. If two people are named on the bond and both have died, the bond belongs to the estate of the one who died last.

When should I cash in EE savings bonds?

You can get your cash for an EE or I savings bond any time after you have owned it for 1 year. However, the longer you hold the bond, the more it earns for you (for up to 30 years for an EE or I bond). Also, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest.

What documents do I need to cash a savings bond?

If you're cashing in a paper savings bond of $1,000 or less, you'll need FS Form 1522 and a copy of your driver's license, passport, state ID or military ID. If the bond amount is more than $1,000, you must have your signature certified by a notary or certifying officer.

Do banks still take savings bonds?

Banks and credit unions can redeem savings bonds over the counter.

How much is a $50 savings bond?

How do I recover lost Treasury bonds?

If your bond was issued in 1974 or after, go to Treasury Hunt. Enter the information Treasury Hunt requests. If the system finds your bonds, it will give you a special version of FS Form 1048 that enables us to process your claim without serial numbers.

What is the official TreasuryDirect website?

TreasuryDirect.gov is the one and only place to electronically buy and redeem U.S. Savings Bonds. We also offer electronic sales and auctions of other U.S.-backed investments to the general public, financial professionals, and state and local governments.