BEWARE FAKE: U.S. Savings Bonds!

Posted on June 24, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Fake savings bond scheme leads to $50M in losses and issues for legitimate savers

By Staff Reporters

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Authorities claimed that $1 million in counterfeit savings bonds showed up at South Texas banks as part of one crackdown on a scheme to steal money by cashing phony savings bonds, including inflation-indexed or I Bonds, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.

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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alternative Investments, Ethics, Investing, LifeStyle | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a comment »

“I” Bonds: DOWN!

Posted on November 3, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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DEFINITION: https://www.treasurydirect.gov/savings-bonds/i-bonds/

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The rate for I bonds, an asset that’s tied to the rate of inflation, was lowered to 6.89% yesterday from its record high of 9.62%. But in the final days of the previous rate, investors hoarded I bonds like crazy.

Now, on Friday, the Treasury sold $979 million of I bonds, nearly as much as the entire amount sold in the three years from 2018 to 2020, per CNBC. The investors also crashed the website.

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ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

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Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Glossary Terms, Investing, Taxation | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

US Treasury “I” Bonds [Maybe -OR- Not?]

Posted on October 30, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

HOW DO THEY WORK?

By Staff Reporters

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What is an I bond and how do they work?

DEFINITION: A a 30-year Treasury bond that protects you against inflation. It pays both a fixed interest rate and a rate that changes twice a year with inflation.

Interest is compounded semiannually, meaning every 6 months a new interest rate is applied to a new principal value that equals the prior principal plus the interest earned in the last 6 months. The bond’s value grows because it earns interest and because the principal value gets bigger.

You can buy $10,000 worth from the Treasury and another $5,000 using your tax refund. You can cash them in after 12 months, but if you do so in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest.

Taxes on I Bonds?

You must pay federal income tax but no state and local taxes on I bonds. You can either report each year’s earnings or wait to report all the earnings when you cash the bond.

If you use the money for qualified higher education expenses, you may not owe tax on the earnings.

Current Interest Rates

The current the record high 9.62% interest rate on I bonds issued through October will drop Nov. 1st, 2022 to 6.48%.

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CONTRARY OPINION: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/why-i-don-t-want-i-bonds/ar-AA13uyWg?cvid=ee66997c39214055ab89f3883629bb92

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ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

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