Fixed interest rates If they're predicted to decrease, purchase your savings bond before the new rates go into effect. If experts think they'll go up, wait until after the first of the month.
When we compare the historical 6-month composite rates against 12-month Treasuries at the time we see that the 6-month I bond rate is an average of 0.31% lower. At an initial rate of 6.89%, buying an I bond in October gets roughly 2.1% more compared to the 4.76% 12-month treasury rate (December 13, 2022).
If you purchased I bonds near the end of October, you get credit for the full month, Swanburg said, meaning you can cash out as early as Oct. 1, 2023 next year. What's more, “I Bonds only accrue interest on the first day of the month,” Swanburg said, so there's no benefit to cashing out later in the month.
As with all investing, I bonds have risk. While the current rates are incredibly attractive, I bonds should only be considered if you are comfortable not having access to the funds for at least 12 months and you have cash or other investments to spare.
Buying anytime from January through April will result in exactly the same return on your investment. That is because when you purchase an I Bond, you lock in the current composite rate (6.89%) for a full six months before the next rate reset. So a long-term investor has no urgent need to buy in January.
Effective today, Series EE savings bonds issued May 2022 through October 2022 will earn an annual fixed rate of . 10% and Series I savings bonds will earn a composite rate of 9.62%, a portion of which is indexed to inflation every six months.
1. Most people want to buy in October so they can end up with an interest rate of about 8% over 12 months, after combining the 9.62% rate for the first six months and what's expected to be the new 6.48% annualized rate for the next six months.
I Bond Cons
The initial rate is only guaranteed for the first six months of ownership. After that, the rate can fall, even to zero. One-year lockup. You can't get your money back at all the first year, so you shouldn't invest any funds you'll absolutely need anytime soon.
November 1, 2022. Effective today, Series EE savings bonds issued November 2022 through April 2023 will earn an annual fixed rate of 2.10% and Series I savings bonds will earn a composite rate of 6.89%, a portion of which is indexed to inflation every six months.
It's not as strong as the 9.62% rate I bond owners enjoyed from April 2022 until the end of October 2022, but it's tough to find a guaranteed rate approaching 7%, and that's what you'll get for your first 6 months if you buy I Bonds between November 2022 until the end of March 2023.
It has been a long time coming, but 2023 looks to be the year that bonds will be back in fashion with investors. After years of low yields followed by a brutal drop in prices during 2022, returns in the fixed income markets appear poised to rebound.
The Buy-In-May scenarios outperform Buy-in-April scenarios in every case. Conclusion. If you are looking to invest in an I Bond as a safe place to store cash as an 11-month investment, wait until near the end of May 2021 to invest, then redeem early in May 2022.
People who were able to purchase I bonds before Oct. 28, 2022 will get the 9.62% rate on those I bonds until April 2023. The lag in interest rates lets you earn money for six months on an inflation rate from several months ago.
I bonds can be a safe immediate-term savings vehicle, especially in inflationary times. I bonds offer benefits such as the security of being backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, state and local tax-exemptions and federal tax exemptions when used to fund educational expenses.
Despite that reduction, I bonds are still an investment worth owning. And if you haven't purchased any this year, it could pay to add some to your portfolio before 2022 wraps up.
Treasury Department announces new Series I bond rate of 6.89% for the next six months. Series I bonds, an inflation-protected and nearly risk-free asset, will pay 6.89% through April 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Tuesday.
The composite rate for I bonds issued from November 2022 through April 2023 is 6.89%.
New I Bonds bought in November through April 2023 won't be offering a shockingly high interest rate that's close to 10% anymore. But the latest inflation-adjusted rate continues to beat many everyday savings accounts and certificates of deposit. The Treasury Department announced a 6.89% annualized rate for I Bonds.
A given Social Security Number or Employer Identification Number can buy up to these amounts in savings bonds each calendar year: $10,000 in electronic EE bonds. $10,000 in electronic I bonds. $5,000 in paper I bonds that you can buy when you file federal tax forms.
Cons of Buying I Bonds
I bonds are meant for longer-term investors. If you don't hold on to your I bond for a full year, you will not receive any interest. You must create an account at TreasuryDirect to buy I bonds; they cannot be purchased through your custodian, online investment account, or local bank.
The biggest red flag for short-term investors: You can't redeem these bonds for a year after you purchase them, and you'll owe a penalty equal to three months' interest if you cash out any time over the first five years of owning the bond.
Con #1: I bonds don't always pay generously
But during periods when inflation is low, I bonds may not be your best wealth-building tool. So if you buy those bonds now, you might enjoy a nice amount of interest in the near term -- but that could change over time, leaving you stuck collecting less interest.
inflation rate can vary. You can count on a Series I bond to hold its value; that is, the bond's redemption value will not decline.
Another advantage is that TIPS bonds make regular, semiannual interest payments, whereas I Bond investors only receive their accrued income when they sell. That makes TIPS preferable to I Bonds for those seeking current income.
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.