When a TreasuryDirect account owner dies, Treasury holds the account and each electronic bond goes to a named survivor or to the estate (31 CFR 363.20, 363.44).
An estate whose Treasury securities total more than $100,000 in redemption value at the date of death needs court administration, and Treasury lists "ten months or longer" for trusts and other TreasuryDirect requests (as of November 11, 2026).
ClaimMyBonds is a private, independent guide, not Treasury or TreasuryDirect, and it has no access to any account. Treasury charges no fee and the forms are free. This page covers the account hold, who takes each bond, the estate routes and the forms for the US savings bonds that are held electronically.
What Happens to a TreasuryDirect Account When the Owner Dies?
A TreasuryDirect account does not close when its owner dies: Treasury puts a hold on it, and the bonds inside pass by their registration to a named survivor or to the owner's estate.
The account is maintained in one person's or one entity's name (31 CFR 363.10), and its bonds never turn into paper. The guide to electronic savings bonds explains the account during life; the table shows what changes at death.
| Point | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| First step | Contact TreasuryDirect; it holds the account | Death-of-owner page |
| Who takes | Beneficiary or secondary owner, else the estate | 31 CFR 363.20 |
| Estate test | More than $100,000 needs administration | 31 CFR 363.44(d) |
| Estate account | Opened by the legal representative | 31 CFR 363.44(a) |
| Heir without an account | Still paid | 31 CFR 363.126(c) |
| Forms | FS 5511, 5512, 5446, 5336, 5394, 1455 | Form PDFs |
| Address | P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis | Contact Us page |
| Wait | Ten months or longer, as published | Contact Us page |
| Fee | None | Contact Us page |
Source: TreasuryDirect death-of-owner and Contact Us pages, 31 CFR Part 363 (eCFR), form PDFs, as of November 11, 2026.
Who Owns Each Electronic Bond After the Death: The Registration Decides
TreasuryDirect offers individuals 3 registrations, and each one names a different heir (31 CFR 363.20). A single owner's bond goes to the estate under the law of the owner's home state.
A beneficiary, the person named to receive the bond when the owner dies, takes it directly. A secondary owner, written as "primary WITH secondary", takes it when the primary owner dies.
Paper bonds use "OR" co-owner forms instead, and only converted bonds carry that form into TreasuryDirect (see the section on restricted registrations below). The table shows what happens at death and when both people die together with the order of death unknown.
| Registration | At the owner's death | If both die at once |
|---|---|---|
| Single owner ("owner alone") | Owner's estate, law of the domicile | Not applicable |
| Owner with beneficiary (POD) | Beneficiary, despite a will or local law | Owner's estate |
| Primary "with" secondary owner | The survivor | Primary owner's estate |
| Converted bond with OR co-owner | Restricted security (see below) | Paper rule: both estates equally |
Source: 31 CFR 363.20(b), 31 CFR 353.70(b)(3), eCFR as of November 9, 2026.
First Step: Contact TreasuryDirect, Which Puts the Account on Hold
Contact TreasuryDirect first: its death-of-owner page says, "If the person who died has an online TreasuryDirect account, contact us. We will put a hold on the account and tell you what to do." That is Treasury's death-of-owner page.
The 4 ways to reach Treasury about a death are listed below.
- Call 844-284-2676 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm ET).
- Call +1 (304) 480-6464 from outside the United States.
- Use the e-mail form on TreasuryDirect's Contact Us page.
- Write to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150.
Since October 28, 2026, TreasuryDirect sign-in works only through ID.me, an identity service that verifies a living person. Heirs use their own ID.me; Treasury has not published what happens to the dead owner's ID.me link.
Have a certified death certificate ready: the state or local registrar's seal must be legible, a photocopy is accepted, and Treasury does not return evidence.
When a Beneficiary or Secondary Owner Survives
A surviving beneficiary or secondary owner owns the electronic bond outright, "despite any attempted testamentary disposition or any applicable local law to the contrary" (31 CFR 363.20(b)(2)(iv)), and claims it with proof of death.
The survivor has 2 options: transfer the bond to the survivor's own TreasuryDirect account, opening one if needed, or redeem it with ACH instructions (bank details for an electronic deposit). Treasury pays even a survivor without an account (31 CFR 363.126(c)).
A court decision cannot impair survivorship (31 CFR 363.45(h)). Paper co-owners follow the savings bond co-owner rules.
Converted Paper Bonds and Restricted Registrations
A converted paper EE or I bond (a paper bond turned electronic) that names an OR co-owner is a "restricted security" in the owner's conversion account (31 CFR 363.168(d), 363.169(d)).
Its registration changes only with the non-converting co-owner's consent, but cashing is unaffected. FS Form 5446 (Rev. April 2026) edits restricted registrations and lists a death certificate as evidence when the non-converting co-owner or a beneficiary has died.
When the Estate Is Entitled: 4 Routes Under 31 CFR 363.44
The estate takes the bonds when no survivor is named, through 1 of 4 routes in 31 CFR 363.44: an administered estate, a settled estate, a state small-estate procedure, or a voluntary representative. The table matches each route to who acts and the form.
| Situation | Who acts | Evidence | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administered estate, 363.44(a) | Court-appointed legal representative | Letters dated within one year | FS Form 5511 or FS 5512 from the estate account |
| Closed estate, 363.44(b) | Persons entitled | Certified final accounting or decree | FS Form 5394 |
| State small-estate procedure, 363.44(c) | Person appointed under it | Certified state document | FS Form 5394 |
| No administration, $100,000 or less, 363.44(e) | Voluntary representative | Certified death certificate | FS Form 5336 |
When a court representative distributes bonds to heirs, FS Form 1455 (Rev. April 2026) is the fiduciary's request. Source: 31 CFR 363.44; FS Forms 5336 (Rev. April 2026), 5394 (Rev. May 2026), 1455; TreasuryDirect court-appointed and non-administered estate pages, as of November 11, 2026.
The $100,000 Test at the Date of Death
Court administration is required when the decedent's Treasury securities total more than $100,000 in redemption value at the date of death (31 CFR 363.44(d)). Redemption value is what Treasury would pay on that date, not face value; paper bonds use the same figure (31 CFR 353.71(d)).
At $100,000 or less, with no administration and no state procedure, a voluntary representative may act (31 CFR 363.44(e)). This is one person, 18 or older, who takes all the securities in one transaction, and only a spouse, blood relative or adopted child may submit the form. The order of precedence is listed below.
- Surviving spouse
- Child
- Descendant of a deceased child
- Parent
- Brother or sister
- Descendant of a deceased brother or sister
- Next of kin
Opening a TreasuryDirect Account in the Estate's Name
An administered estate's legal representative "must open a TreasuryDirect account in the name of the estate" (31 CFR 363.44(a)). Letters of appointment, the court document naming the representative, must be under one year old.
Entity accounts have been allowed since April 24, 2009 (74 FR 19416). One entity account manager runs the account, and an IRS Name Control is required. ID.me verifies the manager, not the estate. The account allows no beneficiary, secondary owner, gifts or minor accounts. Wider duties are covered in savings bonds in probate.
Forms for a Deceased Owner's TreasuryDirect Account
6 Treasury forms handle a deceased owner's TreasuryDirect bonds by mail, and all go to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150.
| Form | Revision, OMB | Used for | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| FS 5511 Transfer Request | March 2026, 1530-0071 | Move bonds, each whole | Certifying officer, no notary |
| FS Form 5512 Redemption Request | April 2026, 1530-0071 | Redeem by direct deposit | Certifying officer, no notary |
| FS 5446 Offline Transaction Request | April 2026, 1530-0071 | New entity manager, restricted edits | Certifying officer, no notary |
| FS 5336 | April 2026, 1530-0055 | Voluntary representative | Certifying officer; notary if paper only |
| FS 5394 | May 2026, 1530-0046 | Closed and small estates | Certifying officer, no notary |
| FS 1455 | April 2026, 1530-0035 | Fiduciary to heirs | Certifying officer, no notary |
Every other form is on the savings bond forms list. Source: form PDFs (Rev. March to May 2026), TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026.
Certifying Officer, Not a Notary
Sign each of these forms in front of a certifying officer; a notary is not accepted on FS Forms 5511, 5512, 5446, 1455 or 5394 (form texts, Rev. 2026). FS Form 5336 accepts a notary only for paper bonds alone, so electronic bonds need a certifying officer.
Under 31 CFR 363.43 you sign in the certifier's presence, and anyone with an interest in the bonds cannot certify. The rules are explained in savings bond signature certification.
Transfer or Cash Out: Payment, Limits and Treasury's Wait Times
Heirs choose between transfer to their own TreasuryDirect account and ACH direct deposit (31 CFR 363.44(b), (c)).
FS Form 5512 pays by direct deposit, and FS Form 5511 moves each bond whole, with no split. Since August 24, 2026, TreasuryDirect says the Certificate of Indebtedness "is no longer available as a payment destination,".
TreasuryDirect says your primary bank account is now your payment destination, but it has not said in so many words where matured bond proceeds go, and 31 CFR 363.40(a) still names the Certificate of Indebtedness.
Treasury's Contact Us page lists "ten months or longer" for trusts and other TreasuryDirect requests and "five months or longer" for paper requests not in your name (as of November 11, 2026).
Special Cases: Gift Bonds, Account Managers and Both Owners Dying
4 situations change the steps: an undelivered electronic gift bond, a deceased entity account manager, both registrants dying, and paper bonds in the same estate.
| Case | Rule | Where covered |
|---|---|---|
| Gift bond not yet delivered | Belongs to the named owner despite the buyer's will; held until that owner gives instructions (31 CFR 363.96(e)) | This page |
| Entity account manager dies | FS 5446 with a death certificate names a new manager | savings bonds and trusts |
| Both registrants die | Order unknown: primary owner's estate for "WITH" (363.20(b)(3)(ix)), both estates equally for paper OR (353.70(b)(3)). In sequence: the survivor takes, then the survivor's estate | This page |
| Owner also held paper bonds | Paper routes with FS 1522 or FS 4000, never online | This page |
Source: 31 CFR 363.20, 353.70(b), 363.96(e); FS Form 5446 (Rev. April 2026).
Tax on Interest From a Deceased Owner's Electronic Bonds
Interest the owner deferred is taxed either on the owner's final return or to the person who acquires the bond (IRS Publication 550 (2025)).
The personal representative or surviving spouse may elect to report all pre-death interest on the final return; otherwise the acquirer is taxed. The wider rules are in taxes on inherited savings bonds.
The acquirer may deduct federal estate tax paid on that interest (26 U.S.C. 691(c); IRS Publication 559 (2025)). Savings bond interest is exempt from state and local income tax (31 U.S.C. 3124). Decisions belong with the estate's attorney or a tax professional.
ClaimMyBonds Cannot Access a Deceased Owner's Account
ClaimMyBonds is a private company, not TreasuryDirect, and it cannot open, see or act in any TreasuryDirect account.
TreasuryDirect states: "There are no Treasury approved apps or third-party websites for TreasuryDirect account access." Since September 2026, TreasuryDirect's e-mails come from treasurydirect@lists.fiscal.treasury.gov. Misuse of Treasury names carries a civil penalty of up to $9,956 per use (31 U.S.C. 333; 31 CFR 27.3(c)); see the warnings on savings bond scams.
Beyond the Account: Paper Bonds, Finding Bonds and Other TreasuryDirect Guides
A TreasuryDirect account holds only electronic bonds, so 3 neighboring topics finish an heir's work.
The Same Owner's Paper Savings Bonds
Paper bonds of the same owner never appear in TreasuryDirect. Heirs cash them with FS Form 1522 (Rev. April 2026) or reissue EE and I bonds with FS Form 4000 (Rev. April 2026), after the same estate route, as set out in savings bonds after death.
Finding Out Whether a Relative Had a TreasuryDirect Account
A TreasuryDirect account number is a letter followed by 9 numbers, such as A123-456-789. An 11-digit number with no letter belongs to Legacy Treasury Direct, which holds no savings bonds. Steps to find savings bonds of a deceased parent start with other records.
When the Heir's Own TreasuryDirect Login Fails
An heir who becomes a survivor or estate manager signs in through the heir's own ID.me. A successful ID.me login clears failed-login locks, and TreasuryDirect's Contact Us page lists two weeks or longer for unlock requests (as of November 11, 2026). More is in locked out of TreasuryDirect.
Deceased TreasuryDirect Account FAQ
Does TreasuryDirect Have Beneficiaries?
Yes. An owner can register an electronic bond with a beneficiary (POD) or with a secondary owner, and either takes the bond at the owner's death despite a will (31 CFR 363.20). See POD savings bonds for the paper rules.
Can the Executor of an Estate Cash Electronic Savings Bonds?
Yes, through the estate: the court-appointed representative opens an estate TreasuryDirect account with letters dated within one year, then cashes or transfers the bonds (31 CFR 363.44(a)).
Can an Heir Log In to a Deceased Parent's TreasuryDirect Account?
No route is published. Treasury asks heirs to contact it and places a hold, and it has not said whether anyone can reach the decedent's account online.
Do Inherited Electronic Bonds Count Toward the $10,000 Purchase Limit?
No. Bonds received because the registered owner died do not count toward the recipient's $10,000 per series calendar-year limit (31 CFR 363.52(a), (c)).
How Can You Cash Savings Bonds After the Owner Dies?
Electronic bonds go through the TreasuryDirect hold described above. Paper bonds go to a bank or by mail with FS Form 1522 after proof of death and, for an estate, the estate route.
Rules checked November 11, 2026, against the Treasury sources named above; see our methodology.