What are I Bonds and How to Calculate I Bonds Interest Rate

I bonds interest rate is subject to change every 6 months and based on fixed and inflation rates. Treasury Department announces new series I bonds interest rate of 5.27% for the next six months in 2024.

The new series’s current I bond interest rate is 4.30%, applied in October 2023. Older I bonds interest rate you are holding lower than 4.30%

Introduction about I Bond Interest Rate

I bonds earn interest until the 1st of these events, and you cash the bond reaches 30 years old. I bond is a US saving bond designed to protect the value of cash from inflation. Investors interested in high yield, low risk, and I bonds fit the bill.

I bond safe investments that can protect money from inflation. I bonds interest rate adjusts regularly to keep pace with rising prices, and it is exempt from local and state income taxes, which is a better low-risk investment for investors who live in high-tax cities.

One investor can purchase up to $ 10,000 annually through the Gov. Treasury direct website. You can buy another $5,000 with a tax refund of as much as $ 15,000 per person.

I bond paid fixed interest rate and rest paid out inflation-adjusted rate. You can earn interest monthly but can only access the interest once you cash out the bond. I bond interest earned added to the value of the bond twice every year, which means the principal amount earned increases interest every 6 months, positioning money to compound over time.

Key Points I Bond Interest Rate

  • I bond is an inflation-protected and risk-free asset that will pay 5.27%, the US Treasury Department announced through April 2024.
  • Based on inflation, it is 4th highest interest rate since it was introduced in 1998.
  • Before buying, investors need to consider the downside of their goals.
  • The US Treasury Department announced series I bond will pay 5.27% per annum from 1st November through April 2024, up from the 4.3% annual rate offered since May.
  • Tied to inflation, you can claim 5.27% for 6 months, the 4th highest I bond interest rate since 1998, by buying anytime from 1st November to the end of April 2024.

How I Bond Earn a Combined Interest Rate? 

I bond interest is a combination of a fixed and inflation rate.

Series I saving bonds 5.27% (this includes a fixed rate of 1.30% and issued November 01, 2023 to April 30, 2024)

Fixed rate: A fixed interest rate that gets for a bond when you purchase, and it will never change. The US Treasury announces a fixed interest rate every May 01 and November 01 that applies to all bonds they issue during the next six months. The fixed rate is a yearly interest rate.

Inflation rate: The inflation rate can change every six months. They set it every May 01 and November 01, and they base the inflation rate on changes in the non-seasonally adjusted urban consumer prices for all items, including energy and food.

Combined Rate: The real interest rate for I bond is a combination of inflation and fixed rate. The combined rate, called the earning or composite rate, usually changes every six months. Deflation can bring the combined rate if the fixed rate is negatively impacted. Look at the example of combining the fixed and inflation rates to get a combined rate.

How to Calculate I Bonds Interest Rate?

The composite interest rate on an I bond consists of two parts:

The fixed rate is set at purchase & locked in for 30 years.

Inflation rate changes every six months from the issue date.

The Treasury announces each adjustment around 1st May and 1st November each year.

Such an example

The composite @ for I bonds issued from November 2023 through April 2024 is 5.27%. Here is how I got the rate:

Fixed-rate: 1.30%

Semiannual (1/2) inflation rate: 1.97%

Composite @ formula: [Fixed rate+ (2x semiannual inflation @) + (Fixed @x semiannual inflation @)]

Calculation: [0.0130+ (2×0.0197) + (0.0130×0.0197)]

Give a composite @ of [0.0130+0.0394+0.0002561]

Adding the parts gives 0.05266561

Rounding gives: 0.0527

Turning the decimal number to % gives a composite @ o 5.27%

How new I bonds rates affect older I bonds

The bond rate change depends on the I bond’s issue date. If you purchase I bond in September on any given year, the rates reset each year on 1st March and 1st September, according to the Treasury Department.

However, the headline rate differs from what you receive because the fixed @ stays the same for the life of your I bond.

What do you know before buying I bonds?

Experts say before buying I bond, it is crucial to consider your goals. Downside I bonds cannot access the money for at least 01 year and will trigger a 3-month interest penalty by tapping the funds within 5 years.

Financial planner Christoper Flis, founder of Asset Mgt. in Memphis, Tennessee, said he does not consider bonds a long-term portfolio. He said it makes sense as a supplement to saving that can be accessed quickly, such as money in a checking account, savings account, or money market funds.

FAQs: I Bond Interest Rate

What is I bond interest rate?

I bond composite rate of 5.27%, including a fixed @ of 1.30% 

Is I bond interest rate per month?

It earns monthly, and the interest is compounded every 6 months. You earn interest for 30 years and cash out after five years without losing interest. Investors lose only 3 months of interest if they cash out before reaching five years. 

Is I bond a good investment?

It was issued from 1st November to 30th April 2024 and has a composite rate of 5.27%, including a 1.60% fixed rate and 1.97% inflation rate. I bonds backed by the US Government Treasury Department are considered a safe investment. 

Is I bonds rate per year?

Saving I bonds earn interest monthly and interest compounded semiannually (1/2). That means applying interest rates every six months to a new principal value. 

How long is I bond rate?

I bonds earn a combined interest rate. You can cash out I bond reaches 30 years old.

Are I bonds rates permanent?

Each set of I bonds sold during a 6-month duration has a fixed interest rate that applies until added inflation and maturity. I bonds interest rate reset for existing holders during the coming 6 months and new rates for 6 months.

How do I buy I bond?

You can buy electronic EE or I saving bonds. Go to Treasury Direct, your account, then choose Buy Direct. Choose whether you want EE or I bonds, and then click submit. Fill out all the information. 

Who is eligible to buy I bonds?

US individual entity account managers who are 18 years of age with valid social security can buy direct Treasury. 

Why I bond rate so high?

It has 2 components: fixed and inflation rate that are adjusted based on consumers’ CPI (price index) every 6 months. This time, the government Treasury also hiked the fixed rate to reflect an increase in real interest@ in the economy.  

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