New Series I Bonds Offer Attractive Rates

Summary

• Attractive Rates for Conservative Savers.
• Series I Bond Rates are 1.54% to 5.17% for the next six months.
• New I Bonds issued for the next six months will earn 1.64%.
• Series I Bonds never lose money!

Today the Bureau of the Public Debt announced the new earnings rate of 1.64% for Series I (for Inflation) savings bonds issued from November 2, 2015 through April 30, 2016

Series I Bonds, or i-bonds, are a low-risk, liquid savings product. While you own them they earn interest and protect you from inflation. You may purchase I Bonds at www.TreasuryDirect.gov.

Earnings rates for i-bonds are set each May 1 and November 1. Interest accrues monthly and compounds semiannually. I-bonds held less than five years are subject to a three-month interest penalty. I-bonds have an interest-bearing life of 30 years. When the inflation rate is less than zero, a bond's earnings rate is less than its fixed rate, but the earnings rate is never less than zero. That means I-bonds NEVER GO DOWN IN VALUE, which is a big advantage over BND or any regular bond funds.

The composite earnings rate for Series I Savings Bonds is a combination of a fixed rate, which applies for the life of the bond, and the semiannual inflation rate.

For the next six months, the earnings rate combines a 0.10% fixed rate of return with the 1.54% annualized rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U). The CPI-U increased from 236.119 in March 2015 to 237.945 in September 2015, a six-month change of +0.77%.

When the inflation rate is less than zero, the earnings rate will be less than the fixed rate but never less than zero.

1. Fixed rate = 0.10%
2. 6 month Inflation rate = +0.77%
3. Composite rate =[fixed rate + (2 x inflation rate) + (fixed rate x inflation rate)]
4. [0.0010 + (2 x 0.0077) + (0.0010 x 0.0077)]=
5. [0.0010 + 0.0154 + 0.0000077)] = 0.0164077
6. 0.0164077 x 100% = +1.64%

Inflation Bond Facts:

1. You pay taxes on the income when you cash them in so they grow and compound tax deferred.
2. I Bonds earn interest from the first day of their issue month.
3. You can redeem them at any time after a twelve-month minimum holding period
4. They are an accrual-type security
5. They increase in value monthly and the interest is paid when you redeem the bond
6. I Bonds are sold at face value; i.e., you pay $50 for a $50 I Bond
7. I Bonds grow in value with inflation-indexed earnings for up to 30 years
8. If you redeem I Bonds before they're five years old, you'll forfeit the three most recent months' interest; at or after 5-years old, you won't be penalized.
9. Annual rates compounded semiannually
10. Maximum purchase (per calendar year): $10,000

I bond fixed rates are determined each May 1 and November 1. Each fixed rate applies to all I-bonds issued in the six months following the rate determination.

TIPS Alternative

Series I Bonds can be a better alternative to individual TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities) or the exchange traded TIP: funds (TIP and TIPZ) because they never go down in value if there is negative inflation, aka deflation. If you can hold to maturity or handle fluctuation in capital, then TIPS and TIP funds can be a great alternative.

Currently TIPS with maturities of 5, 10, 20 & 30 years have positive base (real yield) rates of 0.32%, 0.63%,0.98% and 1.19%, respectively. These are all better base rates than the 0.10% for the current I Bond, but you must buy them as new issues and hold them to maturity to not lose money if interest rates surge. If interest rates surge without matching inflation, they could suffer while I bonds will continue to grow every month.

More information:

1. New Earning Rates for Older I-Bonds
2. Best Time to Buy I Bonds: Near the end of the month since you get credit for the full month you hold them. Make sure you leave enough time for funds to clear.
3. Best Time to Sell I Bonds: At the start of the month since interest for the prior month is computed on the first of each month. You don't earn interest for fractional months so sell only after the new interest shows up in your account, usually the first of the month.
4. Tips Real (base) Rates = Daily Treasury Real Yield Curve Rates

Disclosure: I own Series I Bonds in my personal account with base rates between 0.00% and 3.00%. That means I get as much as 3.00% if inflation falls to zero percent! Thus, I have no plans to sell these 3.00% i-Bonds until they stop paying interest in 2031. I also own individual TIPS in my IRAs.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Comments

[camano]

I know that after 30 years US Treasury stop paying interest but I would like to know if I decide not to cash them after they mature, do I have to pay Tax on the accumulative interest that I did not take ??

[Kirk Lindstrom]

I am not giving Tax Advice so check this with an expert first, but I BELIEVE after 30 years the US Treasury stops paying you interest and they are happy to hold the money for as long as you want after that.

Think about it. The US Treasury ALREADY has your funds... after 30 years they owe YOU what you paid plus interest. When you request payment, you will owe tax on the accumulated interest so the Treasury will get some of it back, but far less than they had before you cashed it in.

[camano]

Does IRS require that you must sell them after 30 years

[Fayeron]

They no longer earn interest. You could buy new issue I bonds or a CD , etc to preserve capital and continue growth

[Kirk Lindstrom]

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX – OCTOBER 2015

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent in October on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 0.2 percent before seasonal adjustment.

More at http://1.usa.gov/1HWc1uf