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A guide to getting bond replacements or redemptions
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The US Department of Treasury can help you retrieve savings bonds if they are stolen, lost or damaged. You can check the department's online database or fill out a bond-recovery form to request a replacement bond or redemption of the old one. Retrieving bonds is easiest if you know the bond number and date of issue, but you may be able to replace them without this information.
Steps
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Visit the “Treasury Hunt” website. The US Department of Treasury has created a website where you can search for lost savings bonds that have stopped accruing interest. Visit this website and begin searching for your lost, missing, or stolen savings bonds. [1] X Trustworthy Source Treasury Direct Website run by the U.S. Bureau of Fiscal Service that allows individuals to buy U.S. Treasury securities Go to source
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Utilize the search function. The “Treasury Hunt” database contains information on E and EE bonds issued during or after 1974 that have reached maturity (or have stopped accruing interest). [2] X Research source
- The best way to search for mature bonds is by using the bondholder's Social Security number. If the bond was a gift, the registered number might be the giver's Social Security number.
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Search using the Bond serial number. If you do not have the social security number of the bond holder, another option is to search using the Bond serial number. See if you can locate your missing bonds this way. [3] X Trustworthy Source Treasury Direct Website run by the U.S. Bureau of Fiscal Service that allows individuals to buy U.S. Treasury securities Go to source
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Request a copy of the bond. Once your mature bond has been located, you can request an electronic version of the bond, or you may have the bond cashed and the money deposited into a bank account of your choice. [4] X Research source
- If Treasury Hunt does not find your bond, you will need to file a Form 1048, which requests the Department of Treasury to search for the bond using other information.
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Ensure that your bond qualifies for replacement. According to the Department of Treasury, a savings bond may be replaced if it has been “lost, stolen, destroyed, mutilated, or you never received it.” If this describes your situation, you can apply for an electronic replacement. [5] X Trustworthy Source Treasury Direct Website run by the U.S. Bureau of Fiscal Service that allows individuals to buy U.S. Treasury securities Go to source
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Gather information. In order to replace your lost bond, you are going to need either (a) the bond serial number, or (b) the specific month and year of purchase, the social security number of the bond holder, the full name of the bond holder, and a mailing address. Collect this information before you begin the process of requesting a new bond. [6] X Trustworthy Source Treasury Direct Website run by the U.S. Bureau of Fiscal Service that allows individuals to buy U.S. Treasury securities Go to source
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Download FS Form 1048. Visit the US Treasury Department’s “Treasury Hunt” website and download a copy of Form 1048, and print this form out. Alternatively, you can request for a copy of this form to be mailed to you house. [7] X Trustworthy Source Treasury Direct Website run by the U.S. Bureau of Fiscal Service that allows individuals to buy U.S. Treasury securities Go to source
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Have your signature certified. Take this form to your local financial institution and speak to a bank officer. This person will be able to certify your signature on this form, which is required for the form to be valid. [8] X Trustworthy Source Treasury Direct Website run by the U.S. Bureau of Fiscal Service that allows individuals to buy U.S. Treasury securities Go to source
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Send in the form. You will mail this signed and certified form to: Treasury Retail Securities Site, PO Box 214, Minneapolis, MN 55480-0214. When you form has been processed and your ownership of the lost bond(s) verified, you will receive an electronic reissue of the bond in a TreasuryDirect account, where it will continue to accrue interest until it matures. [9] X Trustworthy Source Treasury Direct Website run by the U.S. Bureau of Fiscal Service that allows individuals to buy U.S. Treasury securities Go to source
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Download form 1048. Visit the US Treasury Department’s “Treasury Hunt” website. Here you can either download and print FS Form 1048, or request for a copy to mailed to your address. [10] X Research source
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Provide the bond's approximate date of issue. Provide the exact date if possible, or you can submit a date range during which the bond was issued. [11] X Research source
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Complete the Social Security information. Include your Social Security number, full name and address. If the bond was a gift, include the giver's information if you have it. [12] X Research source
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Provide information about the bond's loss. You will be asked some questions about the loss of the bond. Fill in this section as honestly as you can. If the bond was stolen, provide a police report (if one was filed). [13] X Research source
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Sign and notarize the form. Visit your local bank and speak to a bank officer. Treasury Form 1048 must be signed and certified by a bank officer in order for it to be valid. [14] X Research source
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Decide how you want your bond issued. The Treasury Department can issue a new bond, redeem the old one with a check, or directly deposit the bond's value in the bank account of your choosing. [15] X Research source
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Submit Form 1048. Finally, you will mail this signed and certified form to: Treasury Retail Securities Site, PO Box 214, Minneapolis, MN 55480-0214. When you form has been received and processed, and your mature bond has been located, you will be contacted, and you will receive a re-issue of the bond in the format you have requested. [16] X Research source
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Tips
- Some older bonds are not yet in the system. However, if you are fairly certain you have one, you can write directly to the Treasury Department and ask it to search microfiche records for you. [17] X Research sourceThanks
- If you bought bonds through a military payroll plan, check with the Department of Defense before searching through the Treasury Department. The military holds bonds for active service members.Thanks
- If you own other savings bonds, keep a list of them, noting issue dates, bond numbers, and the bondholder's Social Security number. This can save you time in the future if you misplace any other bonds.Thanks
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References
- ↑ http://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/tools/tools_treasuryhunt.htm
- ↑ http://www.treasuryhunt.gov/
- ↑ https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/ebonds/res_e_bonds_eereplace.htm
- ↑ http://www.treasuryhunt.gov/
- ↑ https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/ebonds/res_e_bonds_eereplace.htm
- ↑ https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/ebonds/res_e_bonds_eereplace.htm
- ↑ https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/ebonds/res_e_bonds_eereplace.htm
- ↑ https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/ebonds/res_e_bonds_eereplace.htm
- ↑ https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/ebonds/res_e_bonds_eereplace.htm
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Reader Success Stories
- "I dropped off a 6-7 inch stack of bonds at the attorney's office re: my deceased husband's estate. We had been married only 6 months when he passed away from an accident, and he had not explained the large volume of bonds in his desk, and I did not consider it an issue to ask. I gave them over without recording the serial numbers. Now per the attorney they are lost. There is no other record of the serial numbers. " ..." more
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"I dropped off a 6-7 inch stack of bonds at the attorney's office re: my deceased husband's estate. We had been married only 6 months when he passed away from an accident, and he had not explained the large volume of bonds in his desk, and I did not consider it an issue to ask. I gave them over without recording the serial numbers. Now per the attorney they are lost. There is no other record of the serial numbers. "
..."
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