Public Debt Aids Savings Bond Owners in Disaster-Declared Counties

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 6, 2010

The Bureau of the Public Debt announced today that it will expedite replacement of lost or destroyed U.S. Savings Bonds, and waive the normal one-year holding period to assist victims affected by flooding and severe weather in Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky and Alabama.

The action takes effect immediately and permits authorized paying agents to redeem Series EE and I savings bonds that are less than one-year old. Most financial institutions serve as paying agents for savings bonds. The one-year holding period for electronic savings bonds held in TreasuryDirect accounts also is waived for owners in the affected areas. Residents in the affected areas will be allowed to redeem these savings bonds through June 2010.

If paper bonds were lost or destroyed, bond owners can complete a downloadable form—PD F-1048 — available on Public Debt's website, www.treasurydirect.gov, or can obtain one from most financial institutions. Forms also can be obtained by calling the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland (Pittsburgh Branch) Customer Service Department at (800) 245-2804 or the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Customer Service Department at (800) 553-2663. Bond owners should include as much information as possible about the lost bonds on the form. A notary public or an officer of a financial institution must certify the completed form. Completed forms can be mailed to the Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt, P.O. Box 7012, Parkersburg, WV 26106-7012. To help expedite the processing of claims, write the word "DISASTER" on the front of the envelope.

The counties affected in Tennessee are Benton, Carroll, Cheatham, Chester, Clay, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, DeKalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Macon, Madison, Maury, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion, Perry, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Tipton, Trousdale, Wayne, Williamson, and Wilson.

The counties affected in Mississippi are Alcorn, Attala, Benton, Choctaw, Holmes, Lafayette, Monroe, Oktibbeha, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Warren, and Yazoo.

The counties affected in Kentucky are Casey, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Metcalfe, Rockcastle, Rowan, and Woodford.

The counties affected in Alabama are DeKalb, Marshall and Walker.

For a list of the most recent counties affected, visit FEMA's website at www.fema.gov.