Record High-Yield U.S. Savings Bonds with 9.62% Interest Ending Soon

High-Yield U.S. Treasury Series I Bonds

Update (Oct. 9, 2022) – The record-high rate of 9.62% lasts for six months, but time is running out to get it. The Treasury will announce the new variable rate for I bonds on November 1st, and the last day to buy I bonds at the 9.62% rate will be Oct. 28. The Treasury is expected to offer a 6.47% interest rate for Series I Savings Bonds purchased from November 2022 through April 2023. Limit is $10,000 per year per person.

Update (Apr. 12, 2022) – The interest rate on inflation-adjusted U.S. savings bonds will approach 10% beginning in May. U.S. Treasury Series I Bonds, or I Bonds, will offer annual interest payments of 9.62%, based on the bond’s latest inflation rate calculation, which is tied to March’s consumer-price index. Prices rose by 8.5% year over year in March, the fastest pace since December 1981, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (WSJ)

Update (Jan. 03, 2022) – The new year is here so you can buy another $10K per person. You have until April 30, 2022 to make your purchase and lock in the current rate of 7.12%.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is paying a 7.12% annual rate on I bonds, an inflation-protected and nearly risk-free investment, through next April. This is an attractive proposition for those looking for relatively safe portfolio options.

An I bond is a savings bond with a twist. Instead of providing only a fixed rate of interest, it has a built-in inflation component that gets added every six months. That’s very valuable in today’s economic environment where inflation is at record highs.

If you buy an I bond between November 2021 and April 2022, you’ll get a 7.12% rate for the first six months. That means if you put $10,000 into I bonds now, you’ll have $10,356 in six months. After that, you’ll get a new interest rate, tied to the inflation rate at the time. You can see a chart of rates here. 

There are some other things to be aware of when buying I bonds. First there’s a limit of $10,000 per calendar year. However, since the year is almost over, an individual may buy $10,000 today and another $10,000 on Jan. 1, 2022, or later. A couple may double those amounts for a total of $40,000, with a 7.12 interest rate. You may also purchase more I bonds through businesses, trusts or estates.

Once you invest in I bonds, you can’t access the funds for 12 months. If you redeem I bonds within the first five years, you will lose the last three months of interest. So if you cash out after 12 months, you are guaranteed at least a 3.56% return for the year. An I Bond has a 30-year maturity, which means it will pay interest for the next 30 years.

How to Buy I bonds

You can purchase electronic I bonds directly from TreasuryDirect. Here’s how it works:

1. Go to TreasuryDirect.gov
2. Click “open an account,” choose TreasuryDirect, then “apply now”
3. Choose the type of account and provide personal information and funding account
4. Create your password and reminders and account number will be emailed to you
5. Log into your account and click “BuyDirect”, select Savings Bonds, I bonds