Replacing or Reissuing a Lost or Destroyed Paper I Bond

In this section:

Replacing or reissuing?

Replacing:  If your paper bond is lost, stolen, or mutilated, you can get a replacement paper bond.

Reissuing:  If you want to change who owns the bond or who will benefit from the bond in the future, or if there is an error in the names, we must reissue the bond. Reissuing Paper I Bonds.

If your I bond is lost or destroyed after you receive it

To get a replacement bond:

  1. Fill out Form PD F 1048.
    You can do this in either of two ways:
    • Order a paper Form PD F 1048
    • You can fill out Form PD F 1048 on-line
      The on-line form is in Adobe Acrobat PDF. If you do not have Acrobat Reader on your computer, download the free Acrobat Reader.

      If you use the online form:  After filling it out, print it so you can sign it in front of, and have your signature certified by, an appropriate official at your financial institution.
  1. Take the filled-out form to your financial institution to have a certifying official witness your signature.
  2. Mail the completed form to:

    Bureau of the Public Debt
    P.O. Box 7012
    Parkersburg, WV 26106-7012

    Note:  Once you receive replacement bonds or payment for lost bonds, the original bonds are no longer yours. They belong to the U.S. government. If you later find the original bonds, please return them to the Bureau of Public Debt at the Parkersburg, West Virginia, address listed above.

Reissuing Paper I Bonds

In this section:

What changes do NOT require reissuing the bond?

We do not reissue bonds for these changes:

Situation What to do
Name change because you got married No reissue needed. When you cash in the bond, sign both your name
that is on the bond and your married name.
Minor typo in your name No reissue needed. When you cash in the bond, sign your correct name.
Address change No reissue needed.
Wrong Social Security Number (SSN) No reissue needed, but we need the correct SSN. For instructions on what to write and where to send the information: Correcting a Social Security Number (SSN) on a Bond: Correcting a Social Security Number (SSN) on a Bond

When must Treasury reissue the bond?

We must reissue a bond in these situations:

  • to correct a major error
  • for a court-ordered change
  • when you change the beneficiary
  • when you change who owns or co-owns the bond

Note: If you are thinking about changing who owns or co-owns the bond, it would be a good idea to contact the Treasury Retail Securities Site first to find out what changes are permitted. Information you should provide would include: the bond series (I or EE, for example), the earliest issue date on the bonds, name(s) on the bonds with any connective ("or", "P.O.D.", etc.) between the names, and the name(s) with connective you want on the reissued bonds.

What form do I use?

The following sections tell you what to do for each situation that requires reissuing a bond.

Each form is available in two ways:

  • We can mail you a paper copy.
  • You can fill out a form on-line, print it, sign it, have the signature(s) certified, and mail it to us.
    The online forms are in Adobe Acrobat PDF. If you do not have Acrobat Reader on your computer, download the free Acrobat Reader.

Instructions are on the forms. The appropriate address for mailing is on each form.

To correct a major error
For a major error, such as
  • the first or last name of an owner, co-owner, or beneficiary is missing
  • a name is misspelled with more than a minor typo
 Form PD F 4000
For a court appointment
A court has appointed a guardian, conservator, or similar representative for the estate of a living owner or co-owner. This may happen for
  • a minor (child)
  • a person who cannot handle his or her own finances due to age or illness
  • an absentee
  • Everyone named in the registration on the bond has died and a court has appointed an executor or similar legal representative for the estate of the person named in the bond's registration who died last (Death of a Savings Bond Owner)
 Form PD F 1455
When you change who owns or co-owns the bond
The owner has died (or both co-owners have died)
You want the new owner to be a personal trust estate Form PD F 1851
You want to
  • add another person as a co-owner when a bond is in the name of one living owner
  • change a beneficiary to a co-owner
  • change the name of an owner or co- owner because of marriage annulment, divorce, or court order. Note: Change for a new married name is not required.
  • name new owner or co-owner(s) instead of the current living owner or co-owner(s). Note: For an I Bond, this can only be done in the event of death or divorce.
  • remove a co-owner (or both co-owners, and, for example, name a new owner or new co-owners. Note: For an I Bond, this can only be done in the event of death or divorce.
Form PD F 4000
When you change the beneficiary
You want to
  • add a beneficiary when a bond is in the name of one living owner.
  • remove a living beneficiary
  • change the name of a beneficiary because of marriage annulment, divorce, or court order. Note: Change for a new married name is not required.
 Form PD F 4000

Who must approve a change?

Situation Who must sign
Two living people co-own the bond and want to request a change that is permitted. (If you are not sure if the change you want is permitted, check with the Treasury Retail Securities Site. Both co-owners must sign the form
Two people co-own the bond and one needs to make a change such as changing his or her own name Only the owner making the change about himself or herself must sign the form
The owner wants to change the beneficiary The owner may make this change. The beneficiary does not have to agree to the change.

Must I pay federal income taxes when Treasury reissues a bond?

Sometimes. For paper I bonds, taxable ownership changes generally are not permitted. If you want to change who owns or co-owns a paper I bond, it would be a good idea to contact the Treasury Retail Securities Site first to find out what changes are permitted.


If an ownership change is permitted because of a divorce, for example, and if the ownership change is taxable, we provide an IRS Form 1099-INT.

Electronic bonds Log in to TreasuryDirect and go to ManageDirect. Form 1099-INT is one of the links on the ManageDirect page.
Paper bonds Form 1099-INT is mailed to you after the end of the calendar year in which the bond was reissued.

Tax Considerations for I Bonds