I and EE Savings Bond Comparison
As of January 1, 2012, paper savings bonds are no longer sold at financial institutions. This action supports Treasury’s goal to increase the number of electronic transactions with citizens and businesses. See the press release.
We currently offer two series of savings bonds for purchase: EE and I. Both series are offered in electronic format and I bonds are offered in paper format through IRS tax refunds. Here is a comparison of I Bonds and EE Bonds:
The following chart applies to electronic bonds purchased through TreasuryDirect. See notations below for paper bond differences.
For more information, see the Savings Bonds Investor Guide
I Bonds | EE Bonds | |
---|---|---|
Denominations | Any amount of $25 or more, including penny increments* | Any amount of $25 or more, including penny increments* |
Purchase Price | Face value** | Face value** |
Purchase Limit | $10,000 per Social Security Number*** | $10,000 per Social Security Number |
Interest Earnings |
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Redemption | Can be redeemed after 12 months | Can be redeemed after 12 months |
Early Redemption Penalties | 3-month interest penalty if redeemed during the first 5 years | 3-month interest penalty if redeemed during the first 5 years |
Taxes |
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On paper savings bonds issued or replaced on or after August 1, 2006, the first five digits of your Social Security number will be masked and replaced with asterisks. This is being done to protect your privacy and to prevent the information from being used for identity theft.
Paper savings bonds can no longer be purchased at financial institutions after January 1, 2012, but paper I Bonds are available using your IRS tax refund. Treasury phased out the issuance of paper savings bonds through traditional employer-sponsored payroll savings plans as of January 1, 2011. See our FAQ.
** Paper I Bonds are offered in 7 denominations- $50, $75, $100, $200, $500, $1,000, $5,000. They are purchased for their face value (for example, a $100 I bond costs $100).
***You can purchase an additional $5,000 in paper I Bonds per Social Security number using your IRS tax refund.