How Do I Buy Series EE Savings Bonds?

Easy Ways to Invest in Series EE Savings Bonds

Having already learned the great benefits of investing in Series EE savings bonds, you may wonder how you actually buy them for your own portfolio. There are actually four easy ways to invest in Series EE savings bonds. (One important point: As you learned in the earlier article, the maximum investment you can make in savings bonds is different depending on whether you buy paper bonds or electronic bonds. You can invest far less each year in paper bonds than you can in electronic bonds.)

1. TreasuryDirect Lets You Buy EE Savings Bonds Online

You can create an account at TreasuryDirect and buy Series EE savings bonds in a few minutes. The bonds are issued directly to your account in electronic format (there are no paper bonds issued). You can access your bond portfolio 24/7 on the Internet and invest virtually any amount you want, to the penny. For those who want to follow a disciplined dollar cost averaging program, you can create instructions to automatically purchase Series EE savings bonds in amounts as small as $25.

2. Buying Series EE Savings Bonds at Your Local Bank or Financial Institution

You can walk into any local bank or financial institution and purchase a paper Series EE savings bond. As you learned in the beginner's guide to investing in Series EE savings bonds, paper bonds are issued at 50% of face value. In most cases, the paper certificate for your Series EE bonds will be sent to you within 15 business days. According to the U.S. Treasury, the bond will reflect the date you purchased it so you don't lose any interest income.

3. Online Financial Sites and Financial Institutions

Depending upon the sophistication of your financial institution, you may be able to purchase savings bonds through the bank's online site, saving you a trip to the local branch. When you purchase Series EE savings bonds online, you should receive the bond certificates within 15 business days from the United States Treasury Department.

4. Payroll Savings Plans Through Your Employer

Some employers have created payroll savings plans that allow you to buy Series EE savings bonds through regular payroll deductions. By not seeing the money, you are effectively following the pay yourself first strategy.

For more information, visit our Series EE Savings Bond Guide. You'll discover tons of articles, content, and resources to teach you about the Series EE savings bonds and how they may fit into your portfolio.