How to Calculate the Value of Your U.S. Savings Bonds
If you're like many Americans over the age of 55, you've
probably had money taken out of your paychecks for years and
years in order to purchase U. S. savings bonds. Those bonds are
probably sitting in a safe deposit box at your local bank or in
a drawer safely tucked away at home. But, while you might know
where those bonds are right now, do you have any idea how much
they are actually worth?
It seems to be a fact of life that World War II-era Americans
purchased U. S. savings bonds for any number of reasons. First,
it was the patriotic thing to do. America needed the money to
support the war effort and Americans were more than willing to
lend their support. Second, it was an excellent way to save for
retirement, or for a child's education, or for any other reason.
Third, the interest paid on U. S. savings bonds was competitive
and the income taxes were deferred until the bonds were actually
cashed in.
For some reason, though, many of the U. S. savings bonds that
were sold never did get cashed in until after the owner's death.
Then, a family member would discover them and wonder how much
they were actually worth.
Of course, if you're in that situation today, you could take the
bonds to your local bank and have them figure it out. But, there
is another way to get the information. The Bureau of the Public
Debt, Department of the Treasury, has a web site that provides
all that information, including a calculator with instructions
so that you can figure out how much your bonds are worth today -
and you can do it all by yourself.
So, if you have any questions about your savings bonds, go to
http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/. And don't forget to bookmark
the site for future reference.