Treasury Direct website question

[dualstow]

I finally removed a hardlock on my account that was there since 2007 or earlier. Before the pp, I'd lost interest in buying savings bonds altogether, so I wasn't motivated to unlock it until fairly recently.

Now that I can see my account again, most of the bonds I own are missing, but I think that's because they are on paper. (1) My first question is: no one could have redeemed those bonds even if they had stolen my identity, correct?
I have written TD, but I'm pretty sure that I can take those paper bonds to the bank and redeem them when the time comes.

(2) Second question: Also after the hardlock removal, I wanted to buy I-Bonds and EE-Bonds but saw that the sole bank account linked to TreasuryDirect is one that I closed. I wanted to add other account within the same bank and I was presented with the depressing notification that I will have to download yet another PDF, print it, and get my banker to put his medallion stamp on it. Then, I have to mail it to TD and wait.

Is this true for all you accountholders out there, or just someone like me who let everything lie fallow for so long?

[Gumby]

Now that I can see my account again, most of the bonds I own are missing, but I think that's because they are on paper. (1) My first question is: no one could have redeemed those bonds even if they had stolen my identity, correct?
I have written TD, but I'm pretty sure that I can take those paper bonds to the bank and redeem them when the time comes.

Not sure if you're talking about savings bonds or T-Bonds. I'm not familiar with the 2007 version of TD, but my paper converted savings bonds are all in a sub-account (I believe they are part of a different database on their end). So, I go to "Manage Direct > My Converted Bonds" or something like that to see them. It's basically another account. If I hold actual paper savings bonds in my hand, I don't see them.

Of course, if your bonds mature, they are either deposited to your bank account or held as C of Is in TD. If you had some mature, it's not inconceivable that the proceeds were deposited in your "closed" account. For instance, I've heard that B of A will automatically and instantly reopen any account that someone attempts to deposit into. I don't know if that's true or not, but that's what I heard. And, of course, any dormant account can be transferred to the State Comptroller as "unclaimed funds."

(2) Second question: Also after the hardlock removal, I wanted to buy I-Bonds and EE-Bonds but saw that the sole bank account linked to TreasuryDirect is one that I closed. I wanted to add other account within the same bank and I was presented with the depressing notification that I will have to download yet another PDF, print it, and get my banker to put his medallion stamp on it. Then, I have to mail it to TD and wait.

Is this true for all you accountholders out there, or just someone like me who let everything lie fallow for so long?

I think that's true for any TD account holder. Personally I like that it's not easy to withdraw funds without a paper trail.

[dualstow]

Many thanks, Gumby.
They are savings bonds- I and EE. I buy all my t-bills via brokerage firms so far.

If I hold actual paper savings bonds in my hand, I don't see them.

Ah, that's good to hear. I thought that was the case. I think I bought my most recent bonds in '03, but on my previous computer, a PC, I was able to view the paper bonds after typing in the series #'s.

In fact, as I type this post, I am remembering more: I think I took all the numbers, put them into an Excel sheet, and made an html page from that. When I opened the page, it would show the latest value of all my bonds without my having to log in. Something like that.

I think the oldest bonds are from 2000 or '01, so none have matured.
Still I shan't let so many years elapse again before getting this done. ;-)

[rickb]

In fact, as I type this post, I am remembering more: I think I took all the numbers, put them into an Excel sheet, and made an html page from that. When I opened the page, it would show the latest value of all my bonds without my having to log in. Something like that.

Sounds like you're talking about this: http://www.treasurydirect.gov/BC/SBCPrice

You can enter a set of serial numbers and save them locally on your PC, and then later use this saved list to get updated values (without logging in) - see http://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/hel ... s_help.htm

[dualstow]

Ah, that's it Rick, thank you!
In their terse response, TD did not even mention that. They merely said that paper doesn't show up online even if I bought thru the website.

EDIT: wow, I'm getting  3.19% on an I-Bond I bought in 6/02. Haven't looked at this for a while.

[ns2]

I opened up two treasury direct accounts to buy 20k worth of I-bonds for me and my wife in the past month. I was actually very impressed with the efficiency of their website. I think you would be very hard pressed in the private realm to move 20k as fast and as efficiently as they did.

But then I stopped and thought about it. Ultimately, Treasury Direct's accountability is to the U.S. taxpayer. So, in other words they have no real accountability to any one. It is only a fiction.

So I would advise everyone, including myself, to keep records of all transactions.

[dualstow]

The efficiency has probably improved.
Back in '01 or '02 I remember having to start over if I clicked the browser's back button. So there was room for improvment. :-)