How to Gift I-Bonds to Children (Step-by-Step)
Buying a toy gives a child joy for 10 minutes. Buying an I-Bond gives them inflation-protected cash for college. The problem? The TreasuryDirect website looks like it was built in 1998. Here is how to navigate the maze without losing your mind.
The “Gift Box” Holding Pen
Unlike a Venmo transfer, I-Bonds don’t move instantly. You buy them, they sit in a digital purgatory called the “Gift Box,” and then you “Deliver” them.
| Stage | Who Owns It? | Does Interest Grow? |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Purchase | You (Buyer) | No |
| 2. In Gift Box | Child (Technically) | YES (Starts Now) |
| 3. Delivered | Child (Fully) | Yes |
Also, the 1-year “lock-up period” starts ticking immediately. By the time you deliver it to the child, the lock-up might be over, making it liquid cash for them.
How to actually do it (TreasuryDirect)
Warning: The website does not have a “Back” button. Do not click Back on your browser, or you will be logged out.
Step 1: Get the Info
You cannot surprise the parents. You need to ask them for:
1. Child’s Full Name
2. Child’s SSN
3. Parent’s TreasuryDirect Account Number (if they already have one).
Step 2: Buy the Bond
Log in to your account.
Go to BuyDirect > Savings Bonds > Series I.
Under “Registration,” select “Add New Registration.”
Enter the Child’s Name and SSN. Check the box “This is a gift.”
Step 3: The Wait (Holding)
The bond is now in your “Gift Box.” You can leave it there for a birthday, graduation, or just to let it age.
Step 4: Delivery (Final Step)
When ready, go to ManageDirect > Transfer Securities.
Select the bond and transfer it to the Parent’s Minor Linked Account.
(Note: Grandparents cannot open an account FOR the child. The parent must open the Minor account, and the grandparent “delivers” the bond to that account number).
Pro Tip: The “Front-Loading” Hack
The purchase limit is $10,000 per person per year. But you can hack this.
Buy Now, Give Later
You deliver $10,000 in 2026.
You deliver $10,000 in 2027.
…and so on.
Benefit: You lock in today’s fixed rate for the next 5 years of gifts, and the bonds earn interest the whole time they sit in your box.