Investment · active · Officially verified
Series I savings bonds
A government savings bond that adjusts for inflation, useful only for money that can tolerate strict early-liquidity limits.
Scout's verdict
The bond accrues a composite rate that changes every six months; the owner redeems later under Treasury timing and penalty rules.
Good fit: Longer-horizon cash reserves where inflation linkage matters more than immediate access.
Advantages
- U.S. government backing
- Inflation component adjusts over time
Drawbacks
- One-year lockup
- Early-redemption penalty and annual purchase limit
Red flags
- Reseller offers discounted I bonds
- Claim of instant liquidity through an unofficial platform
Getting started
- Read current Treasury rate and limits
- Keep emergency cash outside the lockup
- Name ownership and beneficiaries carefully
Why this score
Treasury backs principal and documents the rate formula. Liquidity lockup, redemption penalty, inflation changes, and account administration are the main risks.
Composite Scout risk read: 15 (Lower composite risk). This is not a community aggregate — community reports start empty.
Economics
Pay basis: Composite interest rate combining fixed and inflation components
The composite rate is yield, not total return; it resets with inflation, and early redemption rules can reduce realized interest.
Fees: No purchase commission through TreasuryDirect; the bond cannot be redeemed during its first year and early redemption before five years forfeits recent interest.
Payout: Interest accrues and is received at redemption or final maturity under Treasury rules.
Time to first dollar: Not accessible during the first year; realized interest arrives at redemption.
Common expenses
- liquidity cost
- early-redemption interest penalty
- federal income tax
Keep gross, platform payout, expenses, pre-tax operating net, and time separate. Never treat gross receipts as take-home.
Fit & eligibility
Capital band: low · incremental startup $25–$25
Hours/week (typical band): 0–1
Skills
- liquidity planning
- rate comparison
Equipment
- TreasuryDirect account
- eligible bank account
Eligibility
- eligible owner and taxpayer identity
- annual purchase limits
- TreasuryDirect account for electronic bonds
Geography: US · remote-capable
Electronic I bonds are generally purchased through TreasuryDirect, subject to annual limits and eligibility rules.
Official evidence
Official-source verified is not community verified. Reviewed 2026-07-10; review by 2026-10-08.
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I Bonds
U.S. Department of the Treasury · government · accessed 2026-07-10
Community observations
No reviewed reports yet. Report counts, comments, and payout statistics begin empty and grow only from moderated real records. We will never invent discussion text or leaderboard activity.
Volatile fields
Re-verify on a 30–90 day cycle: economics.hourly_or_unit_range_note, fit.eligibility.
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