Savings Bonds as Gifts: Purchase, Delivery, and Undelivered Bonds
Buying a gift savings bond and delivering it to the recipient are separate steps. The distinction affects account access, ownership records, and the recipient's purchase-limit considerations. This guide explains the Treasury's gift process and its guidance for bonds that remain undelivered. It helps a donor avoid assuming that a completed payment means the recipient can already see or manage the bond, and helps families resolve gifts left waiting in an account.
Adapted from public-domain educational material published by U.S. Treasury. Fynoptic has organized and edited the material and added introductory and practical guidance. Sources were reviewed on October 28, 2026; original publication dates, where available, are listed below.
Giving savings bonds as gifts
You can give savings bonds as gifts to anyone for any occasion
New baby, birthday, wedding, graduation, anniversary, holiday, thank you, new job, promotion, congratulations for something else, or for no special occasion, at all!
Log In Open an AccountGifting electronic EE or I savings bonds
For electronic savings bonds as gifts, both you and the recipient must have a TreasuryDirect account. TreasuryDirect is the official United States government application in which you can buy and keep savings bonds.
Learn about TreasuryDirect Open a TreasuryDirect accountYou can gift a savings bond to adults or children. A child under 18 can have a TreasuryDirect account if the child's parent or other adult custodian has a TreasuryDirect account and sets up a linked account for the child.
In TreasuryDirect, you can give anyone either EE or I savings bonds.
EE savings bonds I savings bonds Comparing EE and I savings bondsWhat you need to know about the recipient
To give an electronic savings bond to someone else, you must know that person's
- Full name
- Social Security Number (or Taxpayer Identification Number)
- TreasuryDirect account number
You can also save that information in your account so it will be there for you to give the person other gift savings bonds in the future.
How far in advance to buy the savings bond
You must hold the savings bonds in your account for at least 5 business days before you deliver them to the gift recipient.
That 5-day hold lets us be sure that the money for the gift has successfully gone through the banking system.
How to buy and deliver a gift bond in TreasuryDirect
Use either these videos or the PDF step-by-step instructions sheet:
How the person knows there's now a gift bond in their account
When you deliver the savings bond to the recipient's TreasuryDirect account, we send them an email announcing the gift.
You can also let them know yourself with one of our gift announcements.
Sending an announcement to tell about your gift
We have more than 25 announcements in 9 different categories for you to choose from.
Choose the design you want. Personalize it online. Print it at home. Give or send it to let someone know they are getting a savings bond from you.
See all the available gift announcements Series EE Savings Bonds2.40%
For EE bonds issued May 1, 2026 to October 31, 2026.
Series I Savings Bonds4.26%
This includes a fixed rate of 0.90%
For I bonds issued May 1, 2026 to October 31, 2026.
FAQs about Undelivered Gift Bonds
How do I deliver a gift savings bond?
Visit TreasuryDirect, log into your account, visit the Gift Box tab on your account page, select the bond, and click “deliver.” You will then enter your recipient’s information, including your recipient’s TreasuryDirect account number. Visit the “How to deliver a gift savings bond — TreasuryDirect” page for more information and to view a video tutorial.
How is Treasury enhancing the experience of TreasuryDirect customers?
Treasury is always looking to improve your experience. Future enhancements are still being determined but we will share information as it becomes available.
Will we get more specific information about future enhancements, and if so, when?
TreasuryDirect regularly shares information, so keep an eye out for communications about the website, system, or the gift bond program as it becomes available.
Will there be changes to the gift bond program or is it being eliminated?
Future changes to the gift bond program are still being determined. However, there is no impact to your participation at this time. Stay tuned as more information becomes available on how we’re enhancing your customer experience.
Is there a deadline for delivering gift bonds?
Delivering gift bonds proactively prepares you for upcoming enhancements and enables your recipient to experience the full benefit of your gift.
Is delivering my gift bonds mandatory?
You are encouraged to deliver gift bonds now to ensure you are prepared for coming enhancements and so your recipient can experience the full benefit of the gift bond.
What happens if I don't deliver my gift bond(s)?
Gift bond recipients are the sole legal owners as soon as the bonds are purchased, so holding undelivered gift bonds introduces potential complications. While no changes are currently being made to the gifting process, delivering your gifts now reduces the risk of possible issues in the future.
Is there a limit to how many gift bonds I can deliver to recipient(s)?
You can only deliver one gift bond at a time. There is no limit to the amount a recipient can receive; however, once they have received $10,000, they should not purchase additional savings bonds that year because gift amounts are applied towards their purchase limit.
Can my recipient cash out gift bonds over the annual purchase limit once they are deposited into their account?
There is no limit to the amount of bonds a recipient can cash out from their TreasuryDirect account, regardless of how the bonds were acquired. Bonds can only be cashed out if it has been at least one year since the bond was purchased.
Does the recipient have to accept the gift bond for it to be delivered?
The recipient does not have to accept the gift bond for it to be delivered. Watch our video to learn how to deliver gift bonds. Undelivered gifts remain in the purchaser’s gift box, which prevents the intended recipient from benefiting from the gift.
What happens to undelivered gift bonds in the account of someone who has died?
A Treasury gift bond belongs to the recipient and is considered the property of the named recipient from the moment it's purchased. Estate laws vary from state to state — please work with the executor or legal representative if either the gift giver or the recipient is deceased.
Still having trouble?
If you can't find the answer to your question, call us at 844-284-2676 from Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm.
Putting this into practice
Keep a record of the recipient, purchase, and delivery rather than only the payment confirmation. Verify the recipient's account information through a trusted channel. If a gift remains undelivered, review Treasury's current instructions and the applicable limits before attempting to transfer it.
Sources and further reading
- Giving savings bonds as gifts — U.S. Treasury
- FAQs about Undelivered Gift Bonds — U.S. Treasury