This indicates that the United States Treasury keeps records that include your name, your social security number, and whether or not you have cash in your savings bonds. You will be relieved to know that a replacement bond may be provided if you are willing to put in a little extra work. To make matters even better, the Treasury Department now provides electronic replacements, which means you will never have to be concerned about losing them again. A reissue of the savings bond may also be necessary if a court appoints a guardian or conservator for the bond owner who is still alive.
How to Replace Series That Have Been Misplaced, Destroyed, or Damaged
If you have any savings bonds from Series I or Series EE that have been misplaced. This claim must be filed within 180 days of the event. You will be required to have a notary public certify your signature per the directions given on the form. After filling it out, you will send it back to the address shown for the Treasury Retail Securities Site. You need to provide the following information together with your adequately filled out FS Form 1048 before the government will be able to process your claim:
- The month and year of the purchase, respectively
- Number of Social Security Insurance
- Names, including any initials or middle names that may be used
- Mailing address
You can expect to get electronic copies of replacement savings bonds within the next two weeks. That is all there is to it. You can add the replacement bonds to your existing brokerage account. Because they are now in an electronic format, there is no longer any danger of you misplacing them or causing more damage to them. If, after getting replacements, you discover the missing series I savings bonds, they now legally belong to the United States government. You must return them to the Treasury Retail Securities site at the above location.
Difference Between Reissuing Savings Bonds And Replacing Savings Bonds
There is a significant distinction between reissuing savings bonds to modify information on them and replacing savings bonds that have been misplaced, damaged, or destroyed. You may find the following list of helpful recommendations helpful in determining whether or not you will need to have your savings bonds reissued or replaced. Bonds DO NOT need to be reissued if there is a change in name due to marriage, a slight misspelling in the spelling of your name, changes in residence, or if the social security numbers written on the bonds are incorrect. In the second scenario, the government will want to ensure that the correct social security number is kept on file for reference purposes and to make searches more straightforward. You will be required to write a letter to the Treasury Retail Securities Site containing personal information such as the incorrect.
If there are severe problems in either the first or last name, or if there are any other serious typos or misspellings, then the bonds DO need to be reissued. A reissue of the savings bond may also be necessary if a court appoints a guardian or conservator for the bond owner who is still alive. Other possible scenarios include the demise of one or more of the owners of the savings bond, the transfer of ownership of the bond to an estate held in a personal trust, a name change as a result of a divorce or annulment, the addition of new owners to the bond, and a modification of the beneficiaries. In every one of these scenarios, there is a unique set of protocols to adhere to and documentation to compile.
More About the Series I Savings Bond
Read the Guide to Investing in certificate I Savings Bonds for further information. This will guide you through a tonne of information on savings bonds, notably the series I savings bond, such as how you may add them to your portfolio, yearly purchase limits, ownership requirements, tax advantages, and much more information.
The Balance does not provide consulting or advisory services in taxes, investments, or finance. Since the material is offered without considering the investment goals, risk tolerance, or financial circumstances of any particular individual, it is possible that the information is not appropriate for all investors. The performance of the past does not guarantee the outcomes of the future. Investing in anything exposes you to the possibility of suffering a loss of principal. You must return them to the Treasury Retail Securities site at the above location.
