Four kinds of people can cash a paper savings bond for someone else who is alive: a co-owner, an attorney-in-fact, a court-appointed guardian, and a voluntary guardian. A parent cashing for a young child is a fifth case. An attorney-in-fact is a person named in a power of attorney to act for the owner.
A voluntary guardian is a relative or caregiver with no court appointment, allowed only when all the owner's bonds total $20,000 or less in redemption value (what the bonds are worth today).
Banks may not pay an attorney-in-fact (31 CFR 321.9(c)), so that route goes by mail with FS Form 1522, and Treasury quotes five months or longer for bonds not in your name (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026).
ClaimMyBonds is an independent private guide, not the government. Treasury charges no fee, and the forms are free. This page covers bonds registered to another living owner. For your own bonds, read how to cash savings bonds.
Can Someone Else Cash Your Savings Bond? The 5 People Treasury Lets Act
Someone else can cash your savings bond only in 5 cases: a co-owner, an attorney-in-fact, a legal representative, a voluntary guardian, or a parent of a young child.
A legal representative is a person a court appoints to manage an incompetent owner's affairs. The bond's registration (the owner name or names printed on it) is conclusive of ownership under 31 CFR 353.5(a).
Bonds are not transferable and are payable only to the owners named, except as the regulations provide (31 CFR 353.15, 315.15, 360.15). FS Form 1522 lists who may sign, and an incompetent person may not. The table shows what entitles each person, the evidence Treasury wants, and whether a bank or the mail applies.
| Person | What makes them entitled | Evidence | Bank or mail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-owner | Named with "OR" on the bond | None | Bank or mail |
| Attorney-in-fact | Power of attorney, durable or signed within 2 years, or FS Form 5188 | POA copy plus FS Form 1522 | Mail only |
| Court-appointed guardian or other legal representative | Letters of appointment in force, dated within 1 year | Certified letters plus FS Form 1522 | Mail, or bank at its option |
| Voluntary guardian | Incapacitated adult, no legal representative, all bonds $20,000 or less | FS Form 2513 | |
| Parent of a young child | Child lives with the parent or parent has custody; see cashing a savings bond in a child's name | Parent statement | Bank (parent only) or mail |
Source: 31 CFR 321 and 353; FS Publications 0022 and 0105; FS Forms 5188 and 2513; TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026.
Who Cannot Cash a Savings Bond for the Owner
Three groups cannot cash a living owner's savings bond, and the list below names each one.
- A POD (payable on death) beneficiary, the person named to receive the bond after the owner dies, is paid only after that death, and during life the bond is paid only to the owner (31 CFR 353.38). Rules for POD savings bonds apply after the owner's death.
- A "Mail to" name, the person who only receives the owner's mail about the bond, has no ownership rights (31 CFR 353.5(c)), and FS Publication 0022 (Rev. October 2022) says that person is not entitled to payment.
- A buyer, finder or person handed the bond cannot cash it, because bonds are not transferable and cannot be pledged (31 CFR 353.15, 353.16). Treasury pays only the owner, never savings bond recovery services.
Co-Owners: Cashing a Bond for Yourself and the Other Owner
Either co-owner of a paper bond registered "A OR B" can cash it alone, and on payment the other co-owner ceases to have any interest (31 CFR 353.37, Series EE and HH). Paper bonds use "OR" between the names, while electronic bonds use "WITH".
A co-owner cashes in his or her own right, so no power of attorney is needed. At a bank, 31 CFR 321.10(a) covers owners and co-owners, but paying a non-customer is optional for the bank (FS Publication 0022).
Cashing does not move the tax. The co-owner who paid for the bond reports the interest even if the other co-owner cashes it.
The cashing co-owner is a nominee, a person who receives income that belongs to someone else, and gives the purchaser a Form 1099-INT, the IRS form that reports interest (IRS Publication 550 (2025)).
These rules apply while both co-owners are alive. After a death, the savings bond co-owner rules decide who owns the bond.
Can a Power of Attorney Cash Savings Bonds? Yes, by Mail Only
Yes, an attorney-in-fact can cash paper savings bonds, but only by mail with FS Form 1522. A bank is not authorized to redeem when the presenter acts under a power of attorney (31 CFR 321.9(c)).
FS Publication 0022 (Rev. October 2022) says: "Do NOT cash bonds or notes presented and signed by: an attorney-in-fact (an individual acting under a power of attorney)".
The request goes to Treasury's retail securities office in Minneapolis, which handles mailed requests. Send a qualifying power of attorney (explained below), FS Form 1522 and the unsigned bonds. Instructions are in FS Publication 0105 (revised March 2025), a Treasury publication, not a form.
Which Power of Attorney Treasury Accepts
Treasury accepts 2 kinds of authority: a certified copy of an existing power of attorney that is durable or was signed in the past two years, or FS Form 5188 (Rev. April 2026, OMB 1530-0042).
Durable means the document stays in force if the owner becomes incapacitated. Under 31 CFR 353.40(d), the grantor's signature (the owner who grants the power) must be certified or notarized under state law.
The document must give authority to sell or redeem bonds or similar authority, and it must be durable if the grantor is incapacitated. Treasury may ask for medical evidence.
A certified copy needs a legible stamp or seal from the certifying officer, an authorized official such as a bank officer who certifies signatures (FS Publication 0105). Ask an attorney whether a document is durable under your state's law. The table compares the two kinds.
| Point | Existing power of attorney (certified copy) | FS Form 5188 |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | State-law power of attorney | Durable Power of Attorney for Securities and Savings Bonds Transactions (Rev. April 2026); see FS Form 5188 |
| Age | Durable, or signed within 2 years | Durable |
| Certification | State law; copy with certifying-officer stamp | Ink signature before a certifying officer |
| Authority | Sell or redeem, or similar | Any and all transactions |
| Limits | No reissue | No reissue, no self-transfer unless Box C |
Source: FS Publication 0105 (revised March 2025); FS Form 5188 (Rev. April 2026); 31 CFR 353.40(d).
How an Attorney-in-Fact Cashes Paper Bonds With FS Form 1522
An attorney-in-fact cashes paper bonds in 4 steps, listed below.
- Complete FS Form 1522 with the issue dates, serial numbers and the payee's direct deposit details.
- Sign as attorney-in-fact and have the signature certified as FS Form 1522 and FS Publication 0105 direct (a notary or certifying officer above $1,000).
- Enclose the unsigned bonds and the power of attorney copy or FS Form 5188.
- Mail everything to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150.
Treasury does not return the documents you send as evidence, and processing takes five months or longer for bonds not in your name (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026). Notary, certifying officer or medallion stamp options are compared in our guide to savings bond signature certification.
What an Attorney-in-Fact Cannot Do With Savings Bonds
An attorney-in-fact faces 3 limits. Treasury will not reissue a bond at an attorney-in-fact's request (FS Publication 0105; FS Form 5188), and it will not transfer bonds to the attorney-in-fact's own account unless the grantor marks Box C on FS Form 5188.
FS Form 5336, the estate form, may be signed only by a surviving spouse, blood relative or adopted child, even when the signer is an attorney-in-fact. For a lost bond, an attorney-in-fact uses FS Form 1048 (FS Publication 0105).
Court-Appointed Guardians and Other Legal Representatives
A court-appointed guardian or other representative of an incompetent owner's estate is paid on request when the letters of appointment are in full force and dated not more than one year before presentation (31 CFR 353.60). Letters of appointment are the court's certified document naming the representative.
Corporate fiduciaries are excepted. FS Form 1522 names the legal representative as the signer, because an incompetent person may not sign. Mail FS Form 1522, the bonds and the certified letters. Banks pay legal representatives at their option (FS Publication 0022).
Treasury restricts any reissue that adversely affects a person under disability (31 CFR 353.65). If the ward dies, the representative may obtain payment of bonds solely owned by the ward until the court discharges the representative (31 CFR 353.61).
Voluntary Guardians: FS Form 2513 for Bonds Worth $20,000 or Less
A voluntary guardian can cash an incapacitated adult's bonds with FS Form 2513 only if all the owner's bonds and notes total $20,000 or less in redemption value (31 CFR 353.64(a) for EE and HH, 315.64 for E).
A voluntary guardian is a relative or person responsible for the care of an incapacitated adult owner who has no legal representative. Above $20,000, a legal representative must be appointed (31 CFR 353.64(a)). A voluntary guardian's payment must be used for the owner's support (FS Form 2513).
The form's official title is "Application by Voluntary Guardian of Incapacitated Owner of United States Savings Bonds or Savings Notes" (Rev. August 2022, OMB 1530-0031). It needs a certifying officer, and a notary is not acceptable. Mail it to P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis. Every form is listed in our guide to savings bond forms.
How the $20,000 Limit Is Counted
The $20,000 test counts the current redemption value of every bond and note the owner holds, not face value and not only the bonds being cashed.
The table shows four examples for redemption month November 2026. Both series have stopped earning interest (Series E of January 1965 in 2005, Series EE of January 1990 in 2020).
| Owner's bonds | Value each | Total | FS Form 2513 possible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twenty $100 Series E, January 1965 | $936.44 | $18,728.80 | Yes |
| Three $1,000 Series E, January 1965 | $9,364.40 | $28,093.20 | No (face value only $3,000) |
| Ten $500 Series EE, January 1990 | $1,036.80 | $10,368.00 | Yes |
| Ten $1,000 Series EE, January 1990 | $2,073.60 | $20,736.00 | No |
Source: Fiscal Data, Savings Bonds Value Files (November 2026), https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/savings-bond-value-files/; 31 CFR 353.64(a) (EE, HH), 315.64 (E). The test counts all the owner's bonds and notes, not only those being cashed.
A January 1965 Series E bond is worth about 9 times face in November 2026, and a January 1990 Series EE bond about twice face. Our savings bond calculator, built on Treasury's published Fiscal Data Value Files, shows the redemption value of every bond you list, and values change on the 1st of each month.
Cashing Savings Bonds for an Elderly Parent: Which Route Fits
The route for an elderly parent depends on 2 facts: whether the parent can still sign, and whose name is on the bond. A parent who can sign stays the signer, either at a bank or on FS Form 1522 with a copy of an ID at $1,000 or less in total current redemption value.
A parent who can only make a mark signs by mark (an X) before at least one disinterested witness and a certifying officer (31 CFR 353.40(b)). Ask an attorney about a power of attorney or guardianship. The table matches each situation to a route.
| Situation | Route | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Parent can sign | Parent cashes | Bank or FS Form 1522 |
| Parent signs only by mark | Witnessed mark | FS Form 1522 |
| You are a co-owner | Your own right | Bank or FS Form 1522 |
| You are only the POD beneficiary | Nothing while the parent lives | None |
| Durable power of attorney or FS Form 5188 signed | Attorney-in-fact, by mail | FS Form 1522 plus the power of attorney |
| Incapacitated, no power of attorney or guardian, $20,000 or less | Voluntary guardian | FS Form 2513 |
| Incapacitated, above $20,000 | Court-appointed representative | FS Form 1522 plus letters |
Source: 31 CFR 353.37 to 353.64; FS Publication 0105.
Mailing a Request for Someone Else's Bonds: FS Form 1522 Rules
Every mailed request by someone other than the owner goes to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150, and takes five months or longer (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026). FS Form 1522 (Rev. April 2026) asks for signature certification above $1,000 in total current redemption value.
It pays by direct deposit only and asks for the payee's Social Security number or employer identification number (EIN). Treasury refuses a request signed more than six months before it receives it (31 CFR 353.39(c)).
The owner bears the cost and risk of mailing (31 CFR 353.39(b)). You cannot cash part of a paper savings bond.
Read FS Form 1522 item by item before you sign. Treasury charges no fee, and the forms are free.
The table shows what each signer sends with FS Form 1522 and the bonds.
| Signer | Send with FS Form 1522 and the bonds | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney-in-fact | Power of attorney copy or FS Form 5188; unsigned bonds | As FS Form 1522 directs; above $1,000 notary or certifying officer |
| Legal representative | Letters of appointment dated within 1 year | As FS Form 1522 directs; above $1,000 notary or certifying officer |
| Voluntary guardian | FS Form 2513 as its instructions direct | Certifying officer only |
| Co-owner | Nothing further | Above $1,000: notary or certifying officer |
Source: FS Forms 1522, 5188 and 2513; TreasuryDirect Contact Us, as of November 11, 2026.
If the Bank Refuses to Cash Bonds You Present for Someone Else
If a bank refuses, mail FS Form 1522 to Treasury, because a bank that refuses an attorney-in-fact is following 31 CFR 321.9(c). For other helpers, FS Publication 0022 (Rev. October 2022) makes payment optional, for example for non-customers, beneficiaries and legal representatives.
Banks may not charge a person entitled to payment (31 CFR 321.23(c)) and may never pay Series F, G, H, J, K or HH bonds (31 CFR 321.9(b)).
The publication tells banks: "If you choose for any reason not to cash a bond, you may refer the customer to the TreasuryDirect.gov website and its instructions for cashing by mail."
Banks may pay people who have no account, but they are not required to. Dated bank policies are listed under what banks cash savings bonds.
When Cashing for Someone Else Ends: Death, Electronic Bonds, Children and Tax
Cashing for someone else ends when the owner dies, and it works differently for electronic bonds and bonds in a child's name.
After the Owner Dies
After the owner's death, the registration decides: a surviving co-owner or POD beneficiary becomes sole owner, outside the estate (31 CFR 353.70(b)(1), (c)(1)), and a will cannot defeat it (31 CFR 353.20(a)). Other cases follow the rules for savings bonds after death.
Otherwise the estate routes apply, including FS Form 5336 for unadministered estates of $100,000 or less, described at FS Form 5336. Electronic bonds follow the rules for a deceased owner's TreasuryDirect account.
Electronic Bonds in Someone Else's TreasuryDirect Account
The account owner cashes electronic bonds in TreasuryDirect, which has required ID.me login since October 28, 2026. Treasury approves no third-party apps, and transactions made with the owner's credentials count as authorized (31 CFR 363.17).
FS Form 5188 covers any and all Treasury securities transactions, FS Form 5446 lists an attorney-in-fact as a signer, and a court-appointed guardian can hold a "living estate" entity account (74 FR 19416, 2009). Never share a login. See electronic savings bonds for the owner's own login.
A Bond in a Child's Name
A parent with whom the child lives, or who has legal custody, cashes for a child too young to understand (31 CFR 353.63). At a bank only a parent may do so, never a step-parent (31 CFR 321.7(c); FS Publication 0022). Details are in the guide to cashing a child's savings bond.
Who Reports the Interest
Cashing for someone else does not move the tax: interest is federally taxable on redemption or final maturity, whichever comes first, unless the owner reports it yearly (IRC 454) and exempt from state and local income tax (31 U.S.C. 3124).
A nominee co-owner gives the purchaser a Form 1099-INT. Ask a tax professional about your case, and read about taxes on savings bond interest.
Cashing Savings Bonds for Someone Else: FAQ
Can a Power of Attorney Cash Savings Bonds After the Owner Dies?
After a death, Treasury pays under its death rules: the surviving co-owner or beneficiary, or the estate routes (31 CFR 353.70). An attorney-in-fact who is not a spouse, blood relative or adopted child cannot file FS Form 5336. Whether a power of attorney survives the grantor's death is a state-law question for the estate's attorney.
Can Someone Else Cash My Savings Bond Online?
No, not for paper bonds, which cannot be cashed online. Electronic bonds are cashed only in the owner's TreasuryDirect account, and Treasury approves no third-party access.
How Do I Cash a US Savings Bond Not in My Name?
Cash a bond not in your name only as a co-owner, attorney-in-fact, legal representative, voluntary guardian, parent of a young child, or as a person entitled after the owner's death. Finders and buyers cannot. For bonds in your own name, see cashing savings bonds.
Does a Power of Attorney for Savings Bonds Need a Notary?
An existing power of attorney must be certified or notarized under state law (31 CFR 353.40(d)). FS Form 5188 is signed in ink before an authorized certifying officer, such as a bank officer with a seal or medallion stamp. FS Form 1522 accepts a notary above $1,000, and FS Form 2513 does not accept a notary.
Can Someone Else Cash My Savings Bond Without Me Being There?
Yes, by mail: the owner signs FS Form 1522, with an ID copy at $1,000 or less or certified above that, and no visit is needed because Treasury Retail Securities Services has no walk-in service. Payment goes by direct deposit to the payee's account on the form.
Rules checked November 11, 2026, against the Treasury sources named above; see our methodology.