Replacing or Reissuing EE or I Bonds

You can have a bond replaced if it is lost, stolen, mutilated, or never received. If, however, you want to change the bond's registration, you need to have it reissued. Reissue is a transaction requested to re-register savings bonds.

On this page is a listing of applicable forms and allowable reissue transactions when at least one person named on the bonds is still living. Also, you can find out what to do if you need a bond replaced.

When to Request Reissue

Here are the reasons to use Form PD F 4000 to reissue EE or I bonds. Complete instructions are included on the form.

  • A sole owner wants to add another individual as a co-owner or beneficiary.
  • An owner wants to change the current beneficiary to a co-owner.
  • An owner wants to remove a living beneficiary and have the bond reissued either in the owner's name alone or in the owner's name with another person as a co-owner or beneficiary.
  • A surviving owner, co-owner, or beneficiary wants to remove the name of a deceased person and have the bond reissued in the survivor's name alone or in the survivor's name with another person as a co-owner or beneficiary.
  • To change the name of an owner, co-owner, or beneficiary because of marriage, divorce, annulment, or court order. See Name Changes for more information.
  • To correct a substantive error in the registration, see Incorrect EE or I Bond Registration for more information.
  • For Series EE Bonds: Remove the name of one of the living co-owners and have the bond(s) reissued in the other co-owner's name alone or with another individual as a co-owner or beneficiary. For Series I Bonds: This can only be done in the event of death or divorce.
  • For Series EE Bonds: Remove the name of both co-owners and have the bond(s) reissued in the name of a new owner, with or without another individual as a co-owner or beneficiary. For Series I Bonds: This can only be done in the event of death or divorce.
  • Name a new owner, with or without a co-owner or beneficiary.

Use Form PD F 1455 to:

  • Reflect in the registration the court's appointment of a guardian, conservator, or similar representative for the estate of a living owner or co-owner, such as, a minor, incompetent, aged or infirm person, absentee, etc., or of a personal or testamentary trust.
  • Reflect in the registration the court's appointment of a legal representative for the estate of the last deceased registrant.

Use Form PD F 1851 when:

  • The owner or both co-owners want the bond(s) reissued in the name of a trustee of a personal trust estate.

When to Request Replacement

  • If Your Bond is Lost before You Receive It - If you order a bond and don't receive it within 15 business days, contact the institution where you bought it. The institution will try to find out why you didn't get your bond and will help you fill out a claim form to request a replacement bond. If you don't receive a bond you bought through a Payroll Savings Plan, contact your employer's payroll office for a claim form. Please note: Claims can’t be filed until 30 days after the date the bond was printed.
  • If Your Bond is Lost or Destroyed after You Receive It - To get your bond replaced, fill out Form PD F 1048 and follow the instructions.

Mail the completed form to:

Bureau of the Public Debt
P.O. Box 7012
Parkersburg, WV 26106-7012

NOTE: Once you receive replacement bonds or payment for lost bonds, the original bonds belong to the U.S. Government. If you find bonds after receiving replacements or payment for them, please return them to us! Replacement bonds will show the original issue date.

Who Needs to Approve a Registration Change

  • For paper bonds in the names of two people as co-owners: if living, both co-owners must sign a reissue request when they want to request major registration changes, such as, removing one co-owner's name.
  • For paper bonds in the names of two living people as owner and beneficiary: the beneficiary is not required to consent to reissuing EE or I bonds.

The owner of a Series EE or I bond may request changes to the registration, including changing or removing the beneficiary, without the consent of a beneficiary. Changes to the registration of Series E Savings Bonds that bear the name of a beneficiary require that beneficiary's consent.

What to Do When a Bond Owner Has Died

For information on reissuing bonds when everyone named on the bonds is deceased, see Death of a Savings Bonds Owner

Tax Considerations

Some reissue transactions are taxable events and require the interest earned on the bonds to be reported as income for the year the reissue occurs. Find out if reissuing your bonds will be considered a reportable event for federal income tax purposes.