Treasury decreases I-Bond purchase limits

[Maurice]

In case you missed this:

Treasury has new, lower limits on the amount of IBonds you can buy in a year. Its now $5000 per issue in electronic format, and $5000 per issue in paper format. That means that you could buy up to $20,000 total in iBonds in a year (per SSN). In prior years you could buy $60,000 (30k paper and 30k electronic).

Also, the prior limit was annual, this one is per series (e.g. the one that starts May 1 and the one that starts Nov 1). Previously you could use the entire annual allotment on one series if you were so inclined.

Annual Purchase Limit For Savings Bonds Set at $5,000

[Helena]

Also EE bonds

WHY is the government doing this ??


The annual limitation on purchases of United States Savings Bonds will be set at $5,000 per Social Security Number, effective January 1, 2008. The limit applies separately to Series EE and Series I savings bonds, and separately to bonds issued in paper or electronic form. Under the new rules, an individual can buy a maximum of $5,000 worth of electronic and paper bonds of each series in a single calendar year, or a total of $20,000, in single ownership form. If paper bonds are issued in co-ownership form, the limit applies to the first-named co-owner. All limits are based on the issue price of the securities.

[hopingtomakeit]

i wonder if it could be that inflation is anticipated?

i don't know...as that might also be handled through lower rates?

[EngineeringMyFinances]

Quote:

That means that you could buy up to $20,000 total in iBonds in a year (per SSN)

That's not the way I read their press release. You can buy $10,000 worth of I-bonds, and $10,000 of EE bonds.

[Maurice]

Yes, EMF, you're right. I totally misread that.


Damn, that sucks even more! Last year my wife and I together could (and did) buy 120k of iBonds, this year together we can buy only 20k.

I guess I'll move more aggressively into TIPs. THe problem is, I really need to use IRA money for that whereas I was happy buying ibonds outside of the IRA due to their tax-deferred nature.

[ziggy29]

Not sure why they need to do this. I just wish I could have afforded to buy more back in 2000. All I could muster then was $4,000 face value, and these are paying a base of 3.4% plus CPI. I've been getting over 7% for some periods. I just wish I could have afforded to max out back then; that was a pretty sweet deal for something safe, guaranteed and tax-deferred.