It is easy to lose track of the gifts you receive as investments over the years. This is especially common for investments in U.S. savings bonds which are suppose to be returned to the investor at maturity. But, if the investor cannot be identified, the bonds will be marked as undelivered. In fact, there are 25,000 payments sent back to the Department of Treasury each year and there are many bonds that aren’t even earning interest anymore. Are you owed a U.S. savings bond? Find out.
Where can I check to see if the Treasury owes me a U.S. savings bond?
Your first stop should be the U.S. Department of Pubic Debt’s Treasury Hunt system. This online system provides investors with the ability to search by social security number or employee identification number of the bill, note, or bond registration. If a match is identified, there will be specific instructions to provide your contact information in order for the Treasury to contact you about the inquiry. Please note that the tool only identifies bonds that were issued in 1974 or after and have reached final maturity.
If you just want to determine whether or not the bond is still earning interest, refer to the issue date of the security and visit “Treasury Securities that Have Stopped Earning Interest.”
What if I can’t find the U.S. savings bonds I’m looking for?
If the bonds are lost or stolen, you can submit Form 1048. If the bonds are undelivered, submit Form 3062-4 which requires information related to the bondholder’s name, address, social security number, the issue date, and serial number (if available). If you are not the bondholder, the information the Treasury can provide you may be limited.
Bond forms should be certified at a bank and if the bondholder has since deceased, the certified copy of the death certificate should also be included. Mail the form to the Department of Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt, at P.O. Box 7012, Parkersburg, WV 26106 for series E, EE and I bonds; for H and HH bonds, send it to P.O. Box 2186, Parkersburg, WV 26106.
How will I receive the bonds?
The Treasury will send you a check for the bond if it has matured. Those that haven’t yet matured, will be reissued to the bondholder. Bonds we know have matured include: Series E and H bonds, Series EE bonds issued after April 1982 and Series HH bond issued after 1992.
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