Have these bonds been cashed?

If my daughter cashes a savings bond that is in my name and her name, will I be nofified?

Ginger – no, a co-owner isn’t notified when a Savings Bond is cashed. Either co-owner can cash the bond without the other co-owner’s permission or knowledge.

Tom Adams

If Ginger’s SS# is on original bond and daughter cashes it, wouldn’t Ginger be liable for the tax on interest and thus wouldn’t Ginger be notified? Or would Ginger be unknowingly in arrears with IRS?

Gloria – the SSN that’s printed on the bond isn’t used for tax purposes. When the bond is cashed, the bank uses the SSN of the person cashing the bond.

The SSN that’s printed on the bond is useful for tracking lost bonds, but that’s it.

Tom Adams

My nephew-in-law stole some savings bonds of a significacnt amout from my mother-in-law, some had just his name and some had his and her’s how can we find out if he cashed them and where they were cashed.

Kelly – It’s impossible to “steal” bonds that have your own name on them. From your nephew’s point of view, his family was “stealing” the bonds by trying to keep them away from him. Legally he’s more in the right than the family is.

Your mother-in-law could inquire about the bonds that have her name on them using the process discussed on this page. As for the bonds that had only his name on them, only he would have the right to make the inquiry.

Tom Adams

Tom,
What if you do not have the serial numbers of the bonds? I know the face value of the bonds that were taken, but I never recorded the serial numbers. My former inlaws stole them from my late ex wifes home after her passing. They were meant for our kids, but they took them anyway.

Jim – this web page is about finding out if specific bonds have been cashed. To do that you need serial numbers. You do not need serial numbers to file a claim for lost or stolen bonds.

Whether the bonds are actually “stolen” depends on how they were registered. If they were registered to your ex-wife only and the children’s names were not on the bonds, then they belong to your ex-wife’s estate.

How they are distributed from there depends on whether your ex-wife’s estate was handled by a probate court or not.

Tom Adams

In response to a question from Aug of 2004 re: whether or not savings bonds have been cashed. In Tom’s response it was suggested to write a letter to the Bureau of Public Debt with the face value, issue date and serial number, but what if we do not have the serial number for the bonds?

Also- is there any way to look what bonds are listed under a SSN?

My grandmother passed and had purchased many bonds over the years for us grandchildren which have switched hands several times and we have reciepts for some of the bonds but several we know have probably been lost. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Julia – in order to determine if a Savings Bond has been cashed you need to have the serial number. Once a bond is cashed the Treasury can’t find it unless you have that number. Since you’ve cashed it, it is no longer listed under your Social Security Number.

But if you’re looking for bonds that haven’t been cashed, then you don’t need the serial number. The Treasury can look these up by SSN. But they don’t let anyone do this – for security reasons that seem obvious to me – you have to ask them to do it for you. Take a look at my post on how to get a list of your Savings Bonds.

Tom Adams

My aunt enchased a savings bond last 2006. She is being required by the SSA to furnish them a copy of the serial numbers. Is there a way to track the serial numbers of encashed bonds?

Thanks

Hi Jessica – there’s no way to track the serial number of cashed Savings Bonds. And it’s not reasonable to expect people to keep a record of serial numbers of cashed bonds.

In other words, the request is not a reasonable request. Your aunt has no recourse but to politely respond that she didn’t keep a record of the serial numbers and that the Treasury cannot provide them to her.

Tom Adams

My father was issued EE savings bonds during a testimonial dinner for him, in 1947. These bonds did not surface when his belongings were sent home.

I recently paid some internet group $20 to learn about this BUT they replied I did not send the full information and can not help me.

Herbert – the information you’re looking for is here.

we are trying to find out if lost savings bonds were cashed. if not cashed, my husband would like to redeem them – they belonged to his late wife. if cashed he would like to find out who cashed them because they were lost. do we just file the form 1048E and send to POB 7012 as listed, or send a request for info to the POB 1328 listed in one of the above questions? he does not have the serial numbers but would like to know the status. what should he do? thanks.

Dora – to find out if a bond has been cashed you need the bond’s serial number.

Since you don’t have that, all you can do is file a claim for lost bonds using form 1048 and the address listed on the form.

Tom Adams

I recently purchased an abandoned storage unit at an auction and found some savings bonds. Is it possible for me to cash these bonds?

Sue – no, you can’t cash them. If you can’t return them to the owners, you should turn them over to the lost property division of your state’s attorney general office.

Tom Adams

My children were bought savings bonds from my grandparents every year until a few years ago when my grandfather died, shortly after my father died, and then my grandmother. My son is now 10 and my daughter is 8, the first birthday they received 100 and every year after it has only been 50. My grandfather requested their ssn to place on the bonds. I have requested that they be turned over to me, but there is a dispute on the estate… An aunt and uncle of mine took over and have fraudulently cashed a life insurance check issued to my deceased father and the savings bonds they claimed have been given to my mother, who has been out of state for a long time. I believe they were most likely fraudulently cashed also. Is there anything I can do, or am I out of luck? We never had the actual bonds as they were in a safe in my grandparents house, they just gave a slip of paper from the US treasury stating the amount of the bond and stating that it was a gift. If it had my children’s SSN on it and my grandfather was deceased could they cash it?

Brianna – it depends. Rather than going through the ins and outs of this with you here, scroll up and use the “Ask the Treasury” link on the right to deal with Savings Bonds team directly on this.

Tom Adams

Is there a means via the internet to inquire as to whether or not savings bonds have been redeemed (such as entering the serial number on a website) or must you send the inquiry through the mail? I have copies of several savings bonds but am unsure as to whether or not all of them have been redeemed. Thank you in advance for your reply.

Nancy – There’s no online form where you can enter serial numbers, but the Savings Bond team may respond to you by email – I don’t know for sure.

Why not scroll up and use the “Ask the Treasury” link on the right to check with them. And come back and let us know whether they were willing to give you this information by email.

Tom Adams

Tom,

Our grand daughter was issued bonds by her father starting, we think, in 1992 (when she was about a year old). The bonds are unable to be found. We cannot locate the copies either for serial numbers. When she was about 6 1/2 our son married and later divorced. We think the bonds may have been cashed by the ex wife/adoptive step mother. Is there some way you can help. Our grand daughter is devastated that neither she or her father or me (her gramma’) are unable to find them. Her biological mother had no knowledge as she disappeared from our grand daughters life before they were issued. Is there anyway you can help. I’ve read a number of comments on your site but I’m just not sure where to go from here. Any comment you can email to me would be greatly appreciated.

Pat

Pat – the information you’re looking for is here. Fill out the form as best you can and send it in. Include a letter with the details of your situation.

Tom Adams

Tom

I found 6 bonds that were given to my children when they were born (1970 and 1972). I’d like to know if my ex-husband cashed four of the six bonds. On the left side under the bond denomination and on Washington’s face there are little rectangular holes. I really don’t have a good feeling about this and want to find out before I tell my son and daughter as I’ve been “keeper” of the bonds for the past 20 years.

Barb

Barbara – if you have the bonds they haven’t been cashed. But if you’re worried about it, follow the instructions at the top of this page. The serial numbers you need are printed on the bonds.

Tom Adams

Thank you very much. I feel better. After I wrote you this morning it finally dawned on me as to what the holes are like. I think the word I’ve been looking for is “chad” shaped :):):). I do have the bonds but will probably write the bureau anyway. Thanks again.
Barb

———-On May 19th, 2008 Tom Adams said:
Nancy – There’s no online form where you can enter serial numbers, but the Savings Bond team may respond to you by email – I don’t know for sure.

Why not scroll up and use the “Ask the Treasury” link on the right to check with them. And come back and let us know whether they were willing to give you this information by email.———

Any news as to whether “Ask the Treasury” were willing to give this information by email?

I had always been told by my father that he had bought numerous savings bonds for me, for when i got older. Well he passed away about 7 years ago, and i am on really bad terms with that side of the family, so there’s really no one to ask. Is there someplace that i can call and check to see if there’s something in my name, or am i just SOL and should stop wondering about it???? Any help is much appreciated!

Samantha – There is no number you can call. If you’re able to fill out a form and get your signature certified by a bank, follow the process outlined here.

Tom Adams

My boyfriend was robbed a year ago, and it took him a while to get the necessary information to file for new bonds. Even though all his IDs were returned to him a few days later, the bonds were not. He just filed a claim for them, but was informed they had been cashed by the people who stole them, who somehow did it with no proof of ID since it was done a few months after the robbery. Is he out of the money? What can he do?

Holly – now that he knows the bonds were stolen, he should report that to the Treasury; they replace stolen bonds. Details here.

Tom Adams

My mom just went through some papers and found a note that said either I won a $50 treasury bond for an essay contest. We never went to the bank to claim the prize. Could the note still be in holding or should we cut our losses? We have no serial number to go by just a piece of paper stating to come and collect. Thanks for the help.

If I have all the information that is required to write to see if bonds have been cashed; is there a fee?

Robin – This is an issue between you, the people holding the contest, and the bank.

Meg – no, there’s never a fee for anything involving Savings Bonds.

Tom Adams

I just recently found out my grandfather had purchased bonds for me when I was born almost 30 years ago. He took ill and made my father power of attorny before he died. Me and my father share the same name, and there is speculation that he cashed the bonds without telling the family after my grandfathers death. How would I go about finding out the value of those bonds and if they were cashed? If they were cashed, would I be intitled to a replacement?

Doug – The information you’re looking for is here.

If you and your father have the same name, how would a court decide the bonds were yours and not your fathers? Do you have some document saying your grandfather purchased the bonds for you? Without that, it’s almost certain you can’t get the bonds replaced.

Tom Adams

To our dismay we’ve discovered that our 17 yr. old son picked the lock to our safety box & cashed bonds that were meant for his future education. I don’t have serial # and they were in his name. From what I’ve read in the above there is no way to tell which ones were cashed. Any recourse advise?

Lori – since the bonds were in your son’s name there’s no legal reason he couldn’t cash them. You have no recourse, but he can use the procedure above to see if they’ve all been cashed.

Tom Adams

Hi Tom,
Is there any way to locate bonds that were given to my parents in my name? I’m now 20 and have no information, other than the knowledge that bonds in my name exist. Thank you for your help!

Elizabeth – the info you’re looking for is here.

Tom Adams

My brother just found out that he possibly had or has a trust in his name from our late grandmother, but was never told by our parents about it. We had a family member who contacted the Bureau of the Public Debt for lost bonds and was successful. Can he contact them for the this matter also?

Bart – no, the Bureau of the Public Debt wouldn’t know a thing about a trust. Your brother should talk with a lawyer – your grandmother’s lawyer, if possible – to see if it can be tracked down.

Tom Adams

Hi,

Located an old record of ownership — on front it’s titles United States Defense Savings Bonds. In side there is no year of issue – however there are a few serial numbers with month next to them. I noticed above you need several pieces of information to send a request of status. If I only have the name of the issuee and the serial numbers will that do? Also, How can I be sure all that were issues in her name are accounted for?

Craig – normally this information is only provided to the person whose name is on the bond. If that’s not you, you will also have to show why you’re entitled to the information, such as court paperwork designating you executor of the person’s estate, or evidence that you’re the heir or financial fiduciary.

If you have the serial numbers, you have enough info. To find out if there were other bonds, see this post.

Tom Adams

My late husband was married before we married. In his previous marriage he was married 5 years. Before he died we were married 9 years, he did not have a will. I found some bonds (after the estate was closed) that were in both their names, it says “her name OR his name” on them. Do I have the right to cash them?

Teri – unless you can find paperwork from their divorce that awarded the bonds to him, there isn’t any legal way you can cash them.

You might be able to work out an informal deal with his ex-wife to share the funds, but since the bonds are still registered to her and not to you, you have little legal leverage here. On the other hand, she apparently doesn’t know they exist, so you do have that informal leverage.

Tom Adams

My husband bought bonds during the Vietnam War time he sent these bonds to his mother. I want to know if his mother cashed these bonds? I do not have any serial number or amount of the bonds. I would like to find out if they were cashed

Marion – You can’t get information about bonds that don’t have your name on them unless you have a court order.

If the bonds have your husband’s name as well as your mother-in-law’s name, he can ask the Treasury for a list of the bonds he owns. Any bonds that have been cashed would not be on this list.

But without serial numbers, you can’t find out if a bond has been cashed.

Tom Adams

I have recently discovered that all of the savings bonds that my grandmother bought for me over the years for birthdays, Christmas, etc. are missing. My grandmother added my mothers name to the bonds as I was a minor. Unfortunatly I have reason to believe that my mother has cashed these bonds in for herself. I have no serial numbers or dates but can provide SSN and past addresses of course. Is this enough information to find out whether or not my mother cashed my bonds?

Kim – you can’t find out if they’ve been cashed without the serial numbers, but you can find out they haven’t been cashed by asking for a list of your Savings Bonds. Anything on the list obviously hasn’t been cashed.

Tom Adams

We received a strange call today from a person who purchased a vanity at a Tag Sale nearly 5 years ago, who recently found and old E Series bond tucked away in the back drawer. The name of the bond was unusual and she checked the internet for that last name in the town she bought the dresser. Needless to say, it is my family. We met and she gave me the bond.

This bond was issued on 8/21/1953, for $25, and was issued to my grandmother and uncle. My uncle died in 1973 (without children or spouse) and my grandmother passed in 1980. My grandmothers’ spouse, my grandfather, died long before the bond was issued.

My grandmother had 8 children, all of which are deceased, including my father. There is me, my two 1/2 siblings (thru my dad)and several (12) other “cousins” still alive.

I think I qualify to “cash” the bond with a PD F 5336 form, but who gets the $165 dollars (the current matured value of the bond)? I can’t even imagine where to begin regarding the estate of my grandmother from 29 years ago. Is it finders keepers??
Thanks for your help.

Brian – Yes, you’ve got the right form for this.

If we were talking about thousands of dollars your obligations would be different. But with $165 divided this many ways you basically owe each of your grandmother’s heirs a drink.

Have you thought of spending the money on something like organizing a family reunion or making a donation in the name of the family? Someone went to some effort to reunite your family with the bond – maybe you should use the money to reunite your family?

Tom Adams

Tom – I have some EE bonds in both my name and my deceased mother’s name under “or” designations. Is it possible to get these bonds re-titled in my name and another “or” owner without redeeming them and buying newer lower interest rate bonds?

Thanks

Steve – the info you’re looking for is here.

Tom Adams

Hello Tom. I purchashed some denomination bonds on Ebay with no name on them. Can I cash them. Could you please tell me what to do.

Hi B – I don’t know what a “denomination bond” is or how to cash one. US Savings Bonds always have someone’s name on them and only the person whose name is on the bond, or that person’s heirs, can cash it.

Tom Adams

Hi Tom,

Question…my husband and I adopted a child and subsequently changed his middle and last name and his SSN.

Prior to his adoption, Savings Bonds were bought under his old name and OLD SSN.

How do we proceed with these? What are our options. We would prefer have them reissued in his new name and correct SSN, is that possible?

Donna

Donna – The information you’re looking for is here. Include a letter explaining the situation and documentation showing the child’s name and SSN have been legally changed. In the letter, include your phone number in case there are any questions.

Tom Adams

My brother bought my son bonds 20yrs ago, I was told he tore them up, how do I check to see if this is true?

James – follow the process for lost bonds described here.

Tom Adams

My ex husband is obligated thru our divorce agreement to purchase a bond every pay check till the children are 18. I have recently found out he has been using/cashing them in for Visitation trips, Christmas, birthdays..etc.

Is there any way to find out if he has continued purchasing them or if there are any left. My daughter had her name on them with his last I knew.

Hi Amanda – I’m not a lawyer, but I can tell you that the exact wording of your divorce agreement determines whether your ex is allowed to cash the bonds for those kinds of expenses. The Treasury won’t get involved in that, however. You’d need to contact your lawyer to get relief.

If your daughter is listed as a co-owner on the bonds, she (or if she’s a minor and you’re the custodial parent, you) can find out how many bonds are uncashed by following the process here.

Otherwise, there’s not anything that I know of that the Treasury can help you with, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask the Treasury directly using the link above and on the right.

Tom Adams

hi. my dad has a e series saving bond with his name on it, he wants to give it to me, so now i have it and wanting to cash it in. im 20 and my last name matches my dads name

Drew – Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. You can’t cash a bond unless your name is on it, so only your dad can cash the bond.

Tom Adams

My grandfather started giving my parents money for me to go to college since when I was born. My mother got bonds with that money for me. Now that I am old enough to need them for master’s school, my father does not mention them at all. The only reason I know about them is because during my parent’s divorce my mom made copies of all of them including the serial numbers. They have both mine and my father’s name on them but say that it is mine unless I die and then my father gets them. However, I heard that when I was under 18 he could have cashed them without me knowing.

How do I find out if this happened? Can I bring all the copies of the bonds to a bank and they can check if they have been cashed?

Sandy – taking them to a bank is a waste of time. The bank has no way to answer your question.

If your father was the custodial parent, he could have cashed the bonds for you, not for himself. If he wasn’t the custodial parent or if he didn’t cash the bonds for you then that might be fraud.

Have you asked him to give you the bonds? If not, it’s about 100 times more likely that he forgot he has them than that he cashed them.

Other than asking your father directly, the process outlined at the top of this page is the only way to find out if the bonds have been cashed. You should thank your mom for getting the serial numbers for you – most people in your situation don’t have those, which it makes it a lot harder on everyone.

Tom Adams

What constitutes as “for me”? If he took them out and said they were for me but didn’t use them for me at all, that could be entirely possible couldn’t it?

Thank you,

Sandy

Sandy – It’s technically possible that your father cashed the bonds by signing for you when you were a minor.

But since you have the serial numbers of the bonds, and since the bonds legally belong to you, you can find out what actually happened – rather than relying on what might have happened – by following the process at the top of the page.

Tom Adams

Hello- I was wondering what I can do… I received savings bonds for my christining 26 years ago some were under my name and ssn and some were under my aunts name. Is there a way I could track them. My auunt took all of them when she had a fallen out with the family? Thanks for your help

Rachelle – if the bonds have your aunt’s name on them then she can cash them, even if she “gave” them to you.

But for the ones with only your name and SSN, see this post for how to get a list of them.

Tom Adams

I have some bonds with my Grandmothers SSN on them, does that mean that they’re now mine since she’s dead? I’m the “or” person.

Since it’s her SSN, the IRS can’t trace them back to me, right? I’ve come into a problem with my SSI where I have all these bonds actually in my name and SSN that I guess I need to cash prematurely. The IRS sent a memo thing to the SSA about those ones. So can they do that for the ones in my Grandmothers SSN too? I don’t want to have to cash all these in early.

This whole situation is a pretty big mess that I’m sure could have been avoided if my parents didn’t keep the bonds away from me.

L – Yes, the bonds are now yours. In cases where the SSA rules say beneficiaries can’t have any assets, the SSA does a check of the beneficiary’s SSN in the Savings Bond data base. Unless they look under your grandmother’s SSN, however, these won’t turn up in a search like that.

Tom Adams

Tom- I was given some savings bonds from my granparents who are both deceased skipping my mother. The bonds were not in a will. They were just handed over to me before the last passed away. Is there anyway I could redeem them or would they become my mothers since she now owns their home?

Ethan – If the names on the bond are one or both of your grandparents, then you can’t cash the bonds. Your family will have to use this form, and your mother and her brothers and sisters will end up splitting the money.

Tom Adams

I was wondering if the banks kept records of the savings bonds I have redeemed during the course of 2009.

Jon – It depends on the bank and what kind of information you’re looking for. You can certainly expect to receive a 1099-INT tax form reporting the interest you earned from the banks where you cashed Savings Bonds.

Tom Adams

My grandma gave me a bond when I was 13yrs old and passed away shortly after. I was told that my bond was tied up in a will dispute which I don’t understand because it’s my bond. How do I found out if that’s true and if it still exists

Kim – when you say “it’s my bond” do you mean that your name is on it? If the bond is tied up in a will dispute then most likely your grandmother “gave” you a bond without putting your name on it, which means legally it’s not yours, it’s part of her estate.

On the other hand, if your name is on the bond, it’s now yours and not part of her estate. In that case you should ask the Executor of the estate for the bond.

Tom Adams

I have a savings bond that I was recently reminded of. My late uncle bought this for me and my exhusband. My ex says I can have it so I called my aunt who has had it all these years and she cant find it. The bond has my name, my exhusbands name and his late fathers name. My aunts husband is a total jerk and Ive disliked him since day 1. I would not put it passed him to try to cash this bond. How can I find out and obtain this bond so I can cash it??

Tammy – the information you’re looking for is here.

Tom Adams

A couple of days ago while I was at work I happen to find two savings bonds just laying on the ground outside of a hospital in Chicago. Being a paramedic I was able to ask the security officers for any possible information on the names on the documents and of course they had no records of either name in their system. I’ve look the names up online in an attempt to return them but the names yielded adresses in Florida and Mississippi. So whatshould be my next step in my toughest good samaritan act yet.

Josh – the info you’re looking for is here.

Tom Adams

Which address do I mail an inquiry to in order to find out if a bond was cashed? I have the serial # and issue date. Also, the bond was made out to my father (recently deceased) and P.O.D. to my mother. Do I need to provide a copy of his death certificate? if so, can it be a copy and not a certified copy?

Ellen – The address to send your request to is in the text at the top of this page.

Is your mother still living? If so, the request should come from her. If not, you’ll need to include a copy of her death certificate as well.

Certified copies of the death certificate are certain to work; it’s not clear to me whether a photocopy will work for this particular transaction, but I suspect it will.

Tom Adams

My Parents purchaed several bonds for my sister’s 3 children listing her as the co-owner. She is now estranged from my parents and they have and asked me to inquire as to whether or not there is a way to find out if those bonds have been cashed. I understand that she has the right to cash them due to her being the co-owner and all, however, it still leaves me with the question of have they been cashed? Any information that you could provide me to obtain an answer to my inquiry would be greatly appreciated.

Shara – To find out if a bond has been cashed you have to be the owner or co-owner named on the bond and you have to have the serial number of the bond.

So your parents can’t get this information.

Tom Adams

Is it possible for my creditors to run my name or ss# and see that I have a few u.s savings bonds? erin

Erin – the Social Security Administration can do that if you apply for asset-limited benefits, but I’ve never heard that anyone outside government can get the information. You might also want to look at this post on civil suits.

Tom Adams

My Dad passed away a few years back and I was administrator to his estate in probate. During this time while going through personal affects I found some EE bonds that were in his name first and my deceased mother second. Those bonds were added in probate. I recently found two more and I think that’s all of them but probate has come and gone and have these two $200.00 EE bonds and don’t know what to do. Can I cash them or what do I need to do.

Sean – follow the instructions on this form.

Tom Adams

Hi, I had savings bonds purchased on my behalf from my employer from 1992-1996. The bonds were mailed to me during that time and I had put them away. After getting divorced, I noticed these were missing in my move. Can an ex cash these if their name is not on them? Unfortunately I don’t have the serial numbers or dates.

Vanessa – it depends entirely on whether your ex was named on the bonds as a co-owner. If yes, he could cash them without your knowledge or permission. If no, he could not cash them, period.

Make sure you read this and this.

Tom Adams

my husband bought some us bond EE thru the company. now we are going through the divorce and he took all of it already. is there a phone number or website to go to. it also has my name on it? please help

Kim – This is an issue for your divorce lawyer to work out with the court. If you believe there’s some way the Treasury can help you, such as providing a list of the bonds, contact it directly.

Tom Adams

My Mother came across Several Saving’s Bonds that her Mother had bought back in 60’s, 70’s. These Bond’s are in the name of my Grandmother and her Son. My Grandmother passed 23 years ago and her Son is a ward of the state, living in a nursing home. Her son had been on disability most of his life and my Grandmother had purchased these bonds to take care of his funeral expenses when that time comes. My Mom was the executor of my Grandmothers estate. Is there anyway for my Mom to cash these bonds to have the money to bury her Brother when the time comes. Will these bonds belong to the state that he is warded to ? Thank’s for your help.

Mary – From a Savings Bond point of view, your uncle is the sole owner of the bonds. The bonds have also stopped paying interest and should be cashed and reinvested.

It’s not clear from your message whether your state or your family legally represents your uncle in financial matters. If your family does, you can use this form to cash the bond. If the state does, then a representative of the state would have to sign the form. If he has no legally appointed representative, then your family can use this form to redeem the bonds.

Tom Adams

I recently had to close out my safe deposit box. I had not looked into it for years. I found several EE savings bonds meant for our daughter – given to her as a minor from my mother who passed away. I can’t believe we just forgot about them. If I have the actual bonds does that mean thry were not cashed. I would love for my daughter to have this money but don’t want to raise her hopes if they were cashed and we just don’t remember.

Jamie – If you cashed them, you wouldn’t have the bonds, as they don’t give them back to you after redemption.

The only case in which you might have them is if you declared them lost, had them replaced, and then cashed the replacements.

Tom Adams

MY son (16) Has several savings bonds that were given to him when he was baby from my ex’s mother.We have nothing to do with anyone in my ex’s family anymore and my husband has since adopted him and his last name is different than what is on the bond.Her name is solely on a couple of the bonds. How do we go about cashing them?

Stacy – You can’t cash the bonds that only have your ex-mother-in-law’s name on them. They will have to go back to her, as she’s the only one who can cash them.

As for the others, your son will need to show he is the person named on the bonds. I’m not familiar with adoption paperwork, but I would assume it includes his former name and would be acceptable proof that he is the person named on the bonds.

Tom Adams