Resources for New Investors in U.S. Savings Bonds
By
Joshua Kennon is an expert on investing, assets and markets, and retirement planning. He is the managing director and co-founder of Kennon-Green & Co., an asset management firm.
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Updated on March 9, 2022
Reviewed byAndy Smith
If you want to begin investing in Series EE savings bonds, this list of The Balance's articles, resources, and guides is a must-read. Covering everything from tax benefits to basic definitions, it'll teach you everything you'll want to know—including how easy it isto add these venerable fixed income investments to your portfolio.
What Are Series EE Savings Bonds?
Are you curious about why savings bonds are so popular? In this article, learn how they work and what Series EE savings bonds looked like in the good old days of paper. From the smallest $50 to the largest $10,000, we have high-resolution images of the bonds, along with an explanation of each denomination. In a few minutes, you can get a better understanding of these great fixed-income investments.
Intro to Series EE Savings Bonds Investing
This article provides a solid foundation for understanding how the bonds may fit into your fixed-income portfolio. Series EE savings bonds are a unique product issued by the United States government. By investing in them, you are lending money directly to the Treasury Department and will earn a fixed rate of return. Your bonds won't fluctuate in value like other types of bonds, meaning you can sell them back for full value plus any interest you've earned at almost any time with a small penalty or no penalty, depending upon how long you've held them.
How Do I Buy Series EE Savings Bonds?
Almost all new Series EE savings bond purchases need to be made through TreasuryDirect, the Treasury Department's official securities portal. This article describes how to do it and how to track your investment.
Tax Advantages of Series EE Savings Bonds
There are many tax advantages of investing in Series EE savings bonds that new investors often don't realize. One of these benefits includes the opportunity to pay for you or a family member's college education with the interest income you've earned on the bonds, avoiding a tax bite on it.
How Long Does It Take for Series EE Bonds to Mature?
The maturity date for Series EE savings bonds can differ drastically depending on when you invested in the bonds. This can have big implications for your retirement strategies, college savings, and other plans. Learn how to calculate how long it would take to double your investment and when to cash in.
Using U.S. Patriot Savings Bonds as Investments
There is a popular type of savings bond known as the Patriot Bond. Why were Patriot Bonds introduced? How is it different from the Series EE savings bond when it comes to investing? All is revealed in this succinct account.
What Are Series HH Savings Bonds?
Series HH savings bonds are now rare animals. If you have one, you shouldn't cash it in until you are certain you can get better terms because there is no way to replace it.
Series I Savings Bond Guide
Once you've learned everything you need to know about Series EE savings bonds, you may want to research Series I savings bonds. They work differently than Series EE savings bonds because their interest rate is based, in part, on changes in the rate of inflation. This protection offers investors a safeguard against rapidly rising prices.
How to Invest in U.S. Savings Bonds
For those who want information on savings bonds in general, this article will provide an overview. Topics covered include the history of savings bonds, how to determine if you should have savings bonds in your own portfolio, and ways to minimize taxes on your savings bonds.
Investing in Bonds Tips for Beginners
If you are interested in more information on how to invest in bonds, including corporate bonds, municipal bonds, and other types of debt, you'll want to take a few minutes to read this article. It will point you to some of the best content we've developed on the topic, including important information on bonds vs. bond funds and the dangers of investing in foreign government bonds.
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