Series EE Savings Bonds to Earn 3.50 Fixed Rate for May Through October 2005 Issues

FOR RELEASE AT 10:00 AM EST

May 2, 2005

The Bureau of the Public Debt today announced a fixed rate of 3.50 for Series EE savings bonds issued May 2005 through October 2005 . Fixed rates for future issues will be set each May 1 and November 1 Interest accrues monthly and compounds semiannually. Bonds held less than five years are subject to a three-month interest penalty. EE bonds have an original maturity of 20 years and an interest-bearing life of 30 years.

Series EE Bonds Issued from May 1997 through April 2005

Series EE bonds issued from May 1997 through April 2005 continue to earn market-based interest rates set at 90% of the average 5-year Treasury securities yields for the preceding six months. The new interest rate for these bonds, effective as the bonds enter semiannual interest periods from May 2005 through October 2005 is 3.42%. Market-based rates are updated each May 1 and November 1.

Series EE Bonds Issued Before May 1997

Series EE bonds issued before May 1997 earn various rates for semiannual earnings periods, depending on the issue dates. Please visit www.treasurydirect.gov for details and current values.

Savings Bonds Over 30 Years Have Stopped Earning Interest

All Series E savings bonds have matured and stopped earning interest. Series EE bonds issued from January 1980 through May 1975 are no longer earning interest. Series EE bonds issued from June 1975 through October 1975 will stop earning interest during the next six months.

More Information

Electronic Series EE and Series I savings bonds may be bought in TreasuryDirect®, a secure, web-based system operated by Treasury since 2002. Owners of paper savings bonds can continue to redeem them at some financial institutions. Paper Series EE and Series I Bonds can only be reissued in electronic form in TreasuryDirect.

Series I paper savings bonds remain available for purchase using part or all of a federal income tax refund. For more information on this feature, visit www.irs.gov.

To find more information on savings bonds and which ones are still earning interest, visit Fiscal Service’s website www.treasurydirect.gov. The Savings Bond Calculator tool, which is helpful for calculating redemption values, also can be found on the site. The website provides information and instructions for opening an on-line account to buy electronic savings bonds and Treasury marketable securities: bills, notes, bonds, Floating Rate Notes (FRNs), and Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS).

TreasuryDirect® is a registered mark of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.