Savings Bond's

Hello Everyone, Would like to know if saving bond's are worth the money to buy? It's been 30 years since i bought bond's, are they still the same today as they were 30 yrs. ago? I know back then you would buy a bond for $50.00 then i think it had to muture for 7 yrs. then it was worth $100.00. That sound right? Is it still the same?? Are they a good investment? I need to be putting something away for saving's, The company that i work for just screwed us on the 401k, so i got mad and quit the 401k, now i need some other way to invest, any idea's??

30 years ago they were 37.50 = 50.00 in 7 yrs

You might want to look into an IRA. Possibly a Roth IRA. Or maybe a self directed IRA. Lot's of options for investing. I don't think savings bonds are going to allow you to retire if that's what you are looking for.

EE Bonds (Savings Bonds) purchased now have an interest rate of only 0.70%, and take 20 years to maturity--not good (Plus, it assumes the US Government will remain solvent over the next 20 years--a bet I wouldn't be confident taking right now). Meanwhile, you can get 5 year (minimum holding period) CD's right now of at least 3%. jpete's suggestion about an IRA is a good one because you contribute pre-tax dollars, and any gains (for example, on stock price appreciation , interest, dividends) accrue tax-free.

You may be able (I'm not sure) to roll over 401K assets you have directly into an IRA without any tax liabilities.

Here are some links:
http://www.savingsbonds.gov/indiv/resea ... tbonds.htm
http://cdrates.bankaholic.com/?product= ... _button=Go

Savings bonds are good for the country but I dont think that they will help your pocket book very much. War bonds helped the US get back it her feet after WWII. It was very patriotic to buy them at the time. However, there are lots of deals to be had right now if you have the stomache for it. Just think about companies or services that you cant live with out. If you research carefully the rewards could really payoff for you.

Hello All, Thank You for the replie's, you have brought up some very good idea's! I guess the saving's bond's really arent a good deal to go with, I will check into the IRA. I like mr1precision idea about the situation, could you please give me some way's of going about what you mentioned? Are you talking about stock with certain company's ( like the utilty company) or other way's? I'am not a smart man when it come's to this stuff, what happened was the company froze my pension 2 year's ago then they offered us the 401k plan. Well when they first let us in they were matching us $1.50 for every doller we put in up to 5% every week ( which i think was good) then they just cut it back to 60 cent's for every dollar we put in still only up to 5%. I was against this whole deal to begin, all i want was my pension like my father had( I guess i'am old school or just plain dumb!!) My father lived off so much a month from his pension, and that is what i had planed on during. I'am not looking to rich when i retire, i just wanted my pension ( so much a month to live on) but since the company froze our pension i had to get into that 401k against my will cause that was a good match they were giving us for awhile, now at 60 cent's i think i can do better elsewhere! I'am 55 yrs. old and want to put money away for retirement but dont know what to do or how to do it! Never thought the bastard's would freeze are pension!! Like i say, I'am old school and really dont know much about this stuff so any advice you all can give me will really be helpfull!!

Pensions are nice. I have a small one where I work but they are planning on stopping contributions to it and instead they are putting money into our 401k's. Pensions aren't guaranteed. Just ask the airline pilots or UAW workers. And they are a huge expense to companies, which is why they are all getting rid of them.

You can talk with whatever bank you do business with about a simple IRA or a Roth, which I think is one of the better ones.

We just got started with an IRA this year. We put it in a Vanguard retirement fund. They watch the money and it's divested between stocks, bonds, and money markets. As we get older, 41 and 35 now, the fund balances further away from stocks to protect the hopeful money we've gained over the years towards bonds that are safer.

As for 401Ks you can usually choose what kind of risk you can stand. At 55 I'd think you would be kind of leery about the stock market and choose something with less risk but also less earning potential. As for the company's $.60 for every dollar of yours, that's a pretty good deal. Most only do 50% of a 6% funding.

You can educate yourself by going to something like Vanguard's or T. Rowe Price's website. Whole bunch of calculators for your use as well as information free for the reading.

BTW, I have no affiliation with either of these companies other than having investments with them in the hopes of retiring someday a bazillionaire. All right, so maybe I'll be able to just live without worrying about eating and pills.

20 years for maxium intrest on EE bonds is correct. 12 years won't get you 100% of face value.............

The company i work for will match you 60 cent's for every doaller i put in up to 5%, you say most will only give you 50 cent's for every doaller you put in up to 6%, isnt that about the same? My company only 5%, the other company 6%. These 401k's are for the bird's, you are only making someone rich!! I tried to pull all my money out and they won't let me! Why not, it's my money!! They just want to keep it to make theirself's richer!! When i got into this 401k i had to sign a paper, on that paper letterhead head it give's the name of the company that i work for then say's "401k SAVING'S PLAN" Their is no mention of a retirement plan or pension plan, just say's saving plan. If that's the case it should be just like going to the bank and withdrawling your money out of your saving's account, and like i said YOUR money, that's all i'am asking for!! I'am really mad about this whole deal, any other's out their that would like to get a class action lawsuit going? You can count me in!! All their are doing is stockpiling everyone's money till they can find a legal way to steal it. Sorry that's the way i feel about this.

The real deal is that they stole all the Social Security money and need you to have something to retire on. The last thing they want is an army of Grey Panthers showing up on Capitol Hill. It looks bad when you have to machine gun grandma.

Amen Brother!! But all the more i want is MY money!!! I'am even willing to let the Bas****'s keep the money they matched me,, just give me my money now!! Their is to much of this stuff going on, CEO'S and their bonuse's, to many hard working American citizen's getting ripped off,got to stop it somewhere!! Every time you turn around someone is trying to ripp you off!! I work hard for my money and i know the most of you out there do the same, All i want is to be able to retire with a company pension, not this 401k garbage, a monthly pension like my father had. How can a company take that away from you when it is negoitated in your contract and try to shove this garbage (401) down your throat? We (the union) have this going to arbitration but it will take year's before we get result's. I may be dead by then! I want my money now!! Also did you know that when they froze our pension( I had 35 yrs. in) they sent us a letter how much money we had in the pension plan, that was 3 yrs. ago, well i knew what i had in there at that time and just last week i called them to see what the amount was now just for the hell of it,, I lost 8 thousand doaller's out of my pension fund that was suppose to be locked in a vault somewhere!! How did that happen, the lady told me that that can happen, something about the interest rate's!! Like i said before i am old school, and dumb when it come's to matter's like this, But you dont have to be a rocket scientist to see that their is something wrong with this picture!! I want to say that 30-40 year's ago 401k's were good, we treid to get into them back then but the company didnt want to hear it, then all of a sudden they opened them up tp anyone!! Why, like i said, they are going to get into that stockpile one way or the other!

theo wrote:Amen Brother!! But all the more i want is MY money!!!

You can withdraw your money when you are seperated from your company. Best to roll it into a Traditional IRA, then you won't be penalized for pulling it out. I had to cash my 401k out when I got laid off. They kept 20% for taxes. At end of year, I had to pay ANOTHER 20% for taxes and penalties. All told, I got 60% of the money in my 401k, and that was AFTER it already lost 50% of its value, because of the recession! But we needed the money to pay the mortgage. I guess if I find a job soon, I'll be working until I am 80. Crud.

I hear you!! But why cant i get my money before termination with the company?, this is a saving's plan, not pension or retirement fund! I have the paper that i signed right in front of me and it has no mention of a retirement or pension plan, that's my argument!! It say's 401k saving's plan period.