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January 8, 2022
Question

Purchasing I Bonds with tax refund

  • January 8, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 0 views

The website for Treasury Direct, the government site for electronic purchase of U.S. savings bonds, etc., states that $5,000 in I-Bonds can be purchased with tax refunds FOR EACH SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER of the taxpayer(s) on the return. Individual - Comparison of TIPS and Series I Savings Bonds (treasurydirect.gov)   

(See "Purchase Limits")

 

In other words, a single filer can purchase a maximum of $5,000 in I-Bonds with a tax refund by including Form 8888 with the return, and $5,000 in I-Bonds can be purchased for EACH taxpayer filing jointly, for a maximum of $10,000.  However, the TurboTax IRS Form 8888 will not allow more than $5,000 maximum purchases of I-Bonds with tax refunds, even if the return is a joint one.

 

Is the Treasury's website explanation incorrect - meaning the maximum purchases of I-Bonds per return is $5,000, whether the return is for a single filer or a joint return, or is Form 8888 not correctly permitting at present a maximum per joint return of $10,000 of I-Bond purchases?

 

    1 reply

    Critter-3
    January 8, 2022

    It is per return not per person ... see the form 8888 instructions :  Part II You may request up to three different savings bond registrations. However, each registration must be a multiple of $50, and the total of lines 4, 5a, and 6a can’t be more than $5,000 (or your refund amount, whichever is smaller).

     

    https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8888

    swd01Author
    January 8, 2022

    Thanks.