Savings bonds or notes that are lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed may be replaced free of charge as long as the Bureau of Public Debt can establish that they have not been cashed. To assure that the bonds can be traced, owners should keep records of bond serial numbers, issue dates, registration, and Social Security or taxpayers identification numbers in a safe place separate from the bonds.
To get your bond replaced, request Form PDF-1048 (Claim for Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed United States Savings Bonds) from a local bank or download it from http://www.treasurydirect.gov/forms/sav1048.pdf. You’ll need to fill in the approximate issue date along with complete names, addresses, the Social Security number that appeared on the bond, and the bond serial number. If you don't know the serial number, write “unknown” in the space provided. The completed application should be signed by the owner(s) and others named in the missing bonds’ registrations, notarized, and sent to:
- Bureau of the Public Debt
- Office of Investor Services
- Parkersburg, WV 26106-1328
- Telephone: 304-480-6112
- Fax: 304-480-6010
- E-mail: savbonds@bpd.treas.gov
If the bond owner is a minor, the form should be signed by both parents, and the minor's age and Social Security number should be included. Replacement bonds will bear the date of original issue.
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Lesson Contents
I. Introduction
II. How to Get Organized
III. Organize Important Papers
- a. Which Papers to Keep
- b. Where to Keep Papers
- c. How Long to Keep Papers
- d. When to Update Papers
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e. How to Replace Papers
- e.1. Birth and death certificate
- e.2. Citizenship and naturalization papers
- e.3. Driver’s license
- e.4. Federal income tax return
- e.5. Insurance policies
- e.6. Marriage licenses, marriage dissolutions, adoption decrees
- e.7. Military discharge papers
- e.8. Passport
- e.9. Property deeds
- e.10. Savings bonds and notes
- e.11. Social Security card
- e.12. Vehicle title
- e.13. Will
Organize Your Important Household Papers belongs to a series called Legally Secure Your Financial Future. The series also includes information to help you communicate with others and begin preparing your estate plan.
