Where to buy savings bonds

You buy savings bonds directly from the U.S. Department of the Treasury through TreasuryDirect, an online platform at treasurydirect.gov. This is the only place to purchase new Series EE or Series I bonds. You cannot buy them from a bank, broker, or financial advisor — those institutions only sell older bonds that were issued before 2003 and are no longer being made.

TreasuryDirect is free to use. There are no fees to open an account, buy bonds, or hold them. You manage everything online: purchasing, tracking your bonds' current value, and redeeming them when you want your money back.

If you inherited savings bonds or received them as a gift, you do not need to buy new ones — you already own them. You can track inherited bonds through TreasuryDirect if you register them in your account, or you can hold the paper certificates as they are.

Key Takeaways

  • TreasuryDirect at treasurydirect.gov is the only place to buy new savings bonds directly from the U.S. Treasury, and there are no fees.
  • You need a Social Security number, a valid email address, and a bank account to set up a TreasuryDirect account and make purchases.
  • Series EE bonds cost $25 to $10,000 per purchase, and Series I bonds cost $25 to $5,000 per purchase, with a $10,000 annual limit per bond type per person.
  • Bonds are purchased at face value and held electronically in your TreasuryDirect account, not as paper certificates.
  • You can buy bonds for yourself, as a gift for someone else, or for a minor child, but each person has their own annual purchase limit.

Setting up your TreasuryDirect account

Before you can buy a bond, you need to create an account on TreasuryDirect. Go to treasurydirect.gov and click "Open an Account." You will need your Social Security number, a valid email address, and a U.S. bank account (checking or savings). The bank account is where the Treasury will withdraw money when you buy bonds and where they will deposit money if you sell bonds back.

During registration, you will create a username and password. The Treasury will send a confirmation email to verify your address. After you confirm, your account is active and you can begin purchasing bonds when ready. The entire process takes about 10 minutes.

If you already have a TreasuryDirect account, you do not need to create a new one. You can log in and start buying bonds right away. Your account stays open as long as you want it, even if you do not buy bonds for months or years.

Understanding bond types and purchase amounts

Series EE bonds are sold at face value — meaning a $100 bond costs $100. They earn a fixed interest rate set by the Treasury and announced every six months. You can buy Series EE bonds in amounts from $25 to $10,000 per purchase. The minimum purchase is $25, and you can buy as many individual bonds as you want within your annual limit.

Series I bonds are also sold at face value and cost between $25 and $5,000 per purchase. They earn interest that combines a fixed rate plus an inflation rate that changes every six months. Series I bonds are often chosen by people concerned about rising prices because the inflation component adjusts automatically.

The annual purchase limit is $10,000 per bond type per person per calendar year. This means you can buy up to $10,000 in Series EE bonds and up to $10,000 in Series I bonds in the same year — a total of $20,000. If you buy bonds as gifts for other people, each person has their own separate $10,000 limit. The limit resets on January 1 each year.

The step-by-step purchase process

Log into your TreasuryDirect account and click "BUY" in the main menu. Select the bond type you want (Series EE or Series I). Enter the amount you want to purchase — this must be between the minimum and maximum for that bond type and cannot exceed your remaining annual limit.

Review the purchase details on the confirmation screen. The Treasury will show you the current interest rate for the bond type you selected, the purchase amount, and the total cost. Confirm that everything is correct, then authorize the purchase. The Treasury will withdraw the money from your linked bank account within one to two business days.

Once the purchase is complete, your bond appears in your TreasuryDirect account as an electronic record. You will receive a confirmation email. You do not receive a paper certificate — all bonds purchased through TreasuryDirect are held electronically. You can view your bond's current value, interest earned, and maturity date anytime by logging into your account.

Buying bonds as gifts or for minors

You can buy savings bonds as gifts for other people through TreasuryDirect. The bond is registered in the recipient's name, and they can claim ownership of it once they set up their own TreasuryDirect account. Until then, you manage the bond in your account. You pay for the bond from your own bank account, and the recipient does not need to be present or provide information during purchase.

To buy a bond as a gift, select "Gift" during the purchase process and enter the recipient's name and Social Security number. The bond will be held in your account until the recipient creates a TreasuryDirect account and claims it. Once claimed, it transfers to their account and counts against their annual purchase limit for that year.

You can also buy bonds for a minor child. The child's parent or legal guardian sets up a TreasuryDirect account and purchases bonds in the child's name. The parent manages the account until the child turns 18, at which point the child can take control. Bonds purchased for a minor count against the minor's annual limit, not the parent's.

When you can redeem your bonds

You can sell a savings bond back to the Treasury anytime after you own it for one year. If you sell before five years have passed, you lose the last three months of interest as a penalty. After five years, you can sell without any penalty and keep all the interest you earned.

To redeem a bond, log into TreasuryDirect, select the bond you want to sell, and click "Redeem." The Treasury will deposit the money into your linked bank account within one to two business days. The amount you receive is the bond's current value, which includes the original purchase price plus all interest earned (minus the three-month penalty if applicable).

You cannot redeem a bond through a bank or by mail. TreasuryDirect is the only way to sell bonds back to the Treasury. If you lose access to your TreasuryDirect account, you can contact the Treasury's customer service for help, but the process takes longer.

Tracking your bonds and managing your account

Your TreasuryDirect account shows a complete list of all bonds you own, including their purchase date, interest rate, current value, and maturity date. You can view this information anytime by logging in. The account updates automatically as your bonds earn interest.

You can change your email address, update your bank account information, or reset your password anytime through the account settings. If you forget your password, TreasuryDirect will send a reset link to your registered email address. Keep your login information find — anyone with access to your account can view your bonds and redeem them.

The Treasury sends no paper statements. All records are electronic and available only through your TreasuryDirect account. You can print or read a statement of your bonds anytime for your own records or for tax purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to buy bonds in $25 increments?

No. You can buy bonds in any amount between $25 and the maximum for that bond type, in any increment. You could buy a $37.50 bond, a $156.89 bond, or any other amount. The $25 and $10,000 figures are the minimum and maximum per purchase, not the only allowed amounts.

What happens if I try to buy more than $10,000 in one year?

TreasuryDirect will not allow the purchase. The system tracks your annual total and blocks any purchase that would push you over $10,000 for that bond type in that calendar year. You will see an error message telling you how much of your limit remains. You can buy again on January 1 when the limit resets.

Can I buy savings bonds for someone who does not have a Social Security number?

No. A Social Security number is required to register a bond in anyone's name. This applies whether you are buying for yourself, as a gift, or for a minor. If the recipient does not have a Social Security number, you cannot purchase a bond in their name through TreasuryDirect.

What if my bank account information changes after I buy bonds?

You can update your bank account information in your TreasuryDirect account settings anytime. The new account will be used for any future redemptions or purchases. If you redeem a bond before updating your account, contact TreasuryDirect customer service to arrange payment to your correct account.

Can I buy savings bonds through my employer or payroll?

No. TreasuryDirect is the only way to buy new savings bonds. Some employers used to offer payroll deduction programs for bonds, but those programs ended in 2003. Today, all purchases must be made directly through treasurydirect.gov.