I bonds interest rates — TreasuryDirect (2024)

FAQs

What are the expected I bond rates for May 2024? ›

May 1, 2024. Series EE savings bonds issued May 2024 through October 2024 will earn an annual fixed rate of 2.70% and Series I savings bonds will earn a composite rate of 4.28%, a portion of which is indexed to inflation every six months. The EE bond fixed rate applies to a bond's 20-year original maturity.

The current I bond composite rate is 4.28%. This rate is nearly a percentage point lower than the previous rate. It applies for the first six months for bonds issued from May 2024 through October 2024. For example, if you purchased I bonds on May 1, the 4.28% rate would be in effect until Oct.

Normally, you're limited to purchasing $10,000 per person on electronic Series I bonds per year. However, the government allows those with a federal tax refund to invest up to $5,000 of that refund into paper I bonds. So most investors think their annual investment tops out at $15,000 – one of the key I bond myths.

The interest gets added to the bond's value

Twice a year, we add all the interest the bond earned in the previous 6 months to the main (principal) value of the bond. That gives the bond a new value (old value + interest earned). Over the next 6 months, we apply the new interest rate to that entire new value.

But until the Fed sees evidence of slowing economic growth, interest rates will stay higher for longer. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is expected to fall to the mid-6% range through the end of 2024, potentially dipping into high-5% territory by the end of 2025.

We now forecast the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate to average 6.6% in 2024, and to average 6.1% in 2025.”

Key Points. Pros: I bonds come with a high interest rate during inflationary periods, they're low-risk, and they help protect against inflation. Cons: Rates are variable, there's a lockup period and early withdrawal penalty, and there's a limit to how much you can invest.

Bottom line. If inflation and investment safety are your chief concerns — TIPS and I-bonds deliver both. TIPS offer greater liquidity and the higher yearly limit allows you to stash far more cash in TIPS than I-bonds. If you're saving for education, I-bonds may be the way to go.

Series I bonds will pay 4.28% annual interest from May 1 through October 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Tuesday. Linked to inflation, the latest I bond rate is down from the 5.27% annual rate offered since November and slightly lower than the 4.3% from May 2023.

Can I buy I bonds every calendar year? Yes, you can purchase up to $10,000 in electronic I bonds each calendar year. You can also buy an additional $5,000 in paper I bonds using your federal tax return.

Do Series I bonds ever lose value? ›

Answer: No. In periods of deflation, the bond's redemption value won't decline. Question: What are some tax advantages of the Series I bond? until redemption, final maturity (30 years after issue date), or other taxable disposition, whichever occurs first.

You can cash in (redeem) your I bond after 12 months. However, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest. For example, if you cash in the bond after 18 months, you get the first 15 months of interest. See Cash in (redeem) an EE or I savings bond.

If you check your bond's value at TreasuryDirect.gov within the first five years of owning it, the amount you'll see will have the three-month penalty subtracted from it. Consequently, when you buy a new bond, interest does not show until the first day of the fourth month following the issue month.

Part of the interest rate is tied to the inflation rate and so the rate changes every 6 months. I Bonds earn interest each month, and the interest is compounded every six months. You can earn interest on them for as long as 30 years, and can cash them out after 5 years without losing interest.

This means that when interest rates go up, bond prices go down and when interest rates go down, bond prices go up. Alternatively, if prevailing interest rates are increasing, older bonds become less valuable because their coupon payments are now lower than those of new bonds being offered in the market.

The Department of the Treasury announced new rates for I bonds and EE bonds issued between May 1 and Oct. 31, 2024. New I bonds will pay 4.28% interest, a decrease from the 5.27% rate offered since November 2023.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury adjusts I bond rates — with a variable and fixed-rate portion — every May and November. Based on the last six months of inflation data, the variable portion will fall from 3.94% to 2.96% in May. The fixed-rate portion is harder to predict, but experts say it could stay close to 1.3%.

Can I cash it in before 30 years? You can cash in (redeem) your I bond after 12 months. However, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest. For example, if you cash in the bond after 18 months, you get the first 15 months of interest.

Key Points. Pros: I bonds come with a high interest rate during inflationary periods, they're low-risk, and they help protect against inflation. Cons: Rates are variable, there's a lockup period and early withdrawal penalty, and there's a limit to how much you can invest.