In an effort to increase direct, online transactions with the public, the US Treasury Department ended over-the-counter sales of paper savings bonds on January 1, 2012. This move away from paper bond transactions was projected to save about $70 in the first five years. Series I paper savings bonds are still available for purchase using some or all of your tax refund.
It’s easy to open a TreasuryDirect account and it’s free! Once you have your account you can do all of these transactions from the convenience of your own home:
Buy, manage, and redeem Series EE and I electronic savings bonds.
Convert Series EE and I paper savings bonds to electronic through the SmartExchange® feature.
Purchase electronic savings bonds as a gift.
Enroll in a payroll savings plan for purchasing electronic bonds.
Invest in other Treasury securities such as bills, notes, bonds, and TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities)