About — TreasuryDirect (2024)

FAQs

About — TreasuryDirect? ›

About TreasuryDirect

About TreasuryDirect.gov

TreasuryDirect.gov is the one and only place to buy and redeem U.S. savings bonds and other securities directly from the U.S. Treasury!

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.

A TreasuryDirect account gives you the ability to buy, manage, and redeem eligible Treasury securities via the Internet. By accessing your account with your unique account number and password, you can perform transactions on securities of which you have control. Minor accounts are not available in entity accounts.

TreasuryDirect is free. There are no fees, no matter how much or how little you invest. You may hold both savings bonds and Treasury marketable securities in TreasuryDirect. Your securities in TreasuryDirect are electronic, so you don't have to worry about them getting lost, stolen, or damaged.

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.

Key Points. Pros: I bonds come with a high interest rate during inflationary periods, they're low-risk, and they help protect against inflation. Cons: Rates are variable, there's a lockup period and early withdrawal penalty, and there's a limit to how much you can invest.

But while they are lauded for their security and reliability, potential drawbacks such as interest rate risk, low returns and inflation risk must be carefully considered. If you're interested in investing in Treasury bonds or have other questions about your portfolio, consider speaking with a financial advisor.

The cons of investing in I-bonds

There's actually a limit on how much you can invest in I-bonds per year. The annual maximum in purchases is $10,000 worth of electronic I-bonds, although in some cases, you may be able to purchase an additional $5,000 worth of paper I-bonds using your tax refund.

Will I receive a 1099 from TreasuryDirect? ›

If you invest in TreasuryDirect, your 1099 will be available electronically and you can print the form from your account. 1099 forms are available by January 31 of each tax year.

4-Week Bills bought at original issue in TreasuryDirect may not be transferred at all because the term of the security is less than 45 days. The mandatory holding period also applies to securities issued through reinvestment which were not fully funded from the maturing security.

You just bought a security from the U.S. Treasury. Securities are generally issued to your account within two business days of the purchase date for savings bonds or within one week of the auction date for Bills, Notes, Bonds, FRNs, and TIPS.

You fund your TreasuryDirect account through your bank account or by payroll deduction. Securities you buy in TreasuryDirect are electronic, not paper. If you hold savings bonds in paper form, you can convert them to electronic securities in TreasuryDirect.

When the bill matures, you are paid its face value. You can hold a bill until it matures or sell it before it matures.

Information dealing with the purchase, redemption, replacement, forms, and valuation of Treasury savings bonds and securities is located on the TreasuryDirect.gov website which is managed by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service.

The trustee must set up a TreasuryDirect Trust account for the reissued bonds. Please note, the trustee who manages the trust account must have the authority to act alone on behalf of the trust.

TreasuryDirect is a website run by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service under the United States Department of the Treasury that allows US individual investors to purchase treasury securities, such as savings bonds, directly from the US government.