Home — TreasuryDirect (2024)

FAQs

How do I get through to TreasuryDirect? ›

You can call us from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, at 844-284-2676. The following transactions require at least 4 weeks of processing time and also require that the bonds and/or TreasuryDirect accounts are in your name.

Securities purchased through TreasuryDirect cannot be sold in the secondary market before they mature. This lack of liquidity could be a disadvantage for investors who may need to access their investment capital before the securities' maturity.

Savings Bond purchases are generally issued to your TreasuryDirect account within one business day of the purchase date. If you select a non-business day as your purchase date, we will change it to the next available business day.

The Account Statements will be available on the 1st business day of the month no later than 1pm Eastern Time.

The TreasuryDirect website can be used to open an account, conduct most transactions, and access account information. Online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For many people, TreasuryDirect is a good option; however, retirement savers and investors who already have brokerage accounts are often better off buying bonds on the secondary market or with exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Treasury money market accounts also offer more convenience and liquidity than TreasuryDirect.

If you're looking for a safe place to park your cash, you may want to consider T-bills or other government securities. Since your return will be lower than the return of riskier fixed-income and equity investments, using TreasuryDirect is smart, since it cuts out the middleman — and eliminates any commissions and fees.

Some experts predict the new rate could drop to around 4.27% based on inflation and other factors. But there's still a chance to lock in six months of the 5.27% yearly rate for new I bonds before May 1, assuming you haven't exceeded the purchase limit for 2024.

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.

How do you transfer money out of TreasuryDirect? ›

Go to your TreasuryDirect account. Choose the Manage Direct tab. Identify the security or securities you want to transfer. Choose External Transfer.

1099 forms are available by January 31 of each tax year. If you invest in Legacy Treasury Direct, each year you'll receive a 1099 during January (1042-S during March if you're a foreign investor) showing the interest you've earned. If you have registered securities, you'll receive your 1099 through the mail in January.

If you are waiting until your EE or I bond matures (finishes its life) to take the interest on it, you will not get a 1099-INT for that bond until we actually pay you the interest. If you have a TreasuryDirect account, you must get your 1099-INT yourself from your account.

If we hold your securities, we can ease your tax burden by withholding taxes for you during the year. Each time we pay interest, we can withhold part of the interest for taxes.

When your TreasuryDirect account gets locked, you'll need to call the customer service line at 844-284-2676 to have an agent unlock your account. While you can recover your account number or reset your password online, unlocking services are only available by phone from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.

For additional information regarding debt transferred to the Treasury, you can contact Treasury directly at (888) 826-3127.

You can cash in (redeem) your I bond after 12 months. However, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest. For example, if you cash in the bond after 18 months, you get the first 15 months of interest.