Savings Bonds Online

Alert:

The US Treasury Department haslong had a Web site (www.treasurydirect.gov) that lets you buy Series EE orinflation-protected Series I savings bondselectronically. Now the governmentwants out of the paper bond businessentirely. After an awareness campaign tolet consumers know that it will no longerissue paper bonds, the Treasury will startphasing in a plan to eliminate them. Forstarters, it will no longer offer paperbonds through its Web site as ofDecember 30, 2003. Bonds bought onlinewill be automatically deposited in yourbank account when they mature, unlikethe estimated billions of dollars' worth ofmatured bonds that Americans havestashed away. As of December 30,you'll have to open a TreasuryDirectaccount to buy savings bonds online.You'll also no longer be able to get anextra bang from your online purchases bycharging them to your credit card.