31 CFR 351.3 – What special terms do I need to know to understand this part?
Accrual date is the first day of any month on which earnings on a Series EE bond accrue. The redemption value of a bond does not change between these accrual dates.
Automated Clearing House (ACH) means a funds transfer system governed by the Rules of the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA). NACHA provides for the interbank clearing of electronic entries for participating financial institutions.
Bank account means your account at a United States depository financial institution (whether a bank or other financial institution) to which you have directed that ACH debits and payments be made.
Beneficiary refers to the second individual named in the registration of a security held in definitive form registered “John Doe SSN 123-45-6789 POD (payable on death to) Joseph Doe.” In the New Treasury Direct system, beneficiary refers to the second individual named in the registration of a security registered “John Doe SSN 123-45-6789 POD (payable on death to) Joseph Doe SSN 987-65-4321.” In these examples, Joseph Doe is the beneficiary.
Book-entry bond means a Series EE savings bond maintained by Treasury solely as a computer record.
Converted bond means a savings bond originally issued as a definitive bond that has been surrendered to us and converted to a book-entry savings bond to be maintained by Treasury solely as a computer record.
Coowner means either the first or the second individual named in the registration of a definitive Series EE savings bond registered “John Doe SSN 123-45-6789 or Joseph Doe.” In this example, John Doe and Joseph Doe are coowners.
Definitive bond means a Series EE savings bond issued in paper form.
Extended maturity period, second extended maturity period, and extended maturity refer to periods after the original maturity dates of the bonds during which owners may retain them and continue to earn interest.
Face amount refers to the nominal amount of a Series EE savings bond. The face amount of a definitive Series EE bond is imprinted on the front of the bond. The face amount of a book-entry Series EE bond is the amount of the original investment. (See principal amount.)
Fiduciary means the court-appointed or otherwise qualified person, regardless of title, who is legally authorized to act for another. Fiduciary does not include an attorney-in-fact.
Final maturity refers to the date that a bond ceases to earn interest.
Individual means a natural person. Individual does not mean an organization, representative, or fiduciary.
Inscription means the information that is printed on the face of the bond.
Interest, as used in this part, is the difference between the principal amount and the redemption value of the bond.
Issue date is the first day of the month in which an authorized issuing agent receives payment of the issue price of the bond.
Issuing agent means an organization that has been qualified under 31 CFR part 317, and any other entity that is otherwise authorized to issue bonds.
New Treasury Direct system (New Treasury Direct) is an online account system in which you may hold and conduct transactions in eligible book-entry Treasury securities.
Original maturity period or original maturity refers to the initial maturity period of a bond prior to any extensions of maturity; this period varies from 8 to 20 years, depending on the issue date of the bond.
Owner is either a single owner, the first individual named in the registration of a bond held in the owner with beneficiary form of registration, or the primary owner of a book-entry bond held in the primary owner with secondary owner form of registration.
Par means the face amount of a Series EE savings bond.
Paying agent means a financial institution that has been qualified under 31 CFR part 321.
Person means an entity including an individual, trust, estate, corporation, government entity, association, partnership, and any other similar organization. Person does not mean a Federal Reserve Bank.
Primary owner means the first individual named in the registration of a book-entry bond held in New Treasury Direct registered “John Doe SSN 123-45-6789 with Joseph Doe SSN 987-65-4321.” In this example, John Doe is the primary owner.
Principal amount means the amount of the original investment. Principal amount does not include any interest earned.
Redemption of a book-entry Series EE savings bond refers to payment of principal and accrued interest on the bond at final maturity, or, at the option of the owner, prior to final maturity. The owner of a book-entry savings bond held in New Treasury Direct may redeem all principal and interest or a portion of the principal and the proportionate amount of interest.
Redemption of a definitive Series EE savings bond refers to the payment of principal and accrued interest when the owner presents the bond for payment.
Redemption value means principal plus accrued interest of a Series EE savings bond, as of the date of potential or actual redemption. In the case of a book-entry Series EE savings bond, it also refers to a portion of the principal amount plus a proportionate amount of accrued interest of a bond, as of the date of potential or actual redemption.
Registration means that the names of all persons named on the bond and the taxpayer identification number (TIN) of the owner, first-named coowner, or purchaser of a gift bond are maintained on our records.
Secondary owner means the second individual named in the registration of a book-entry bond held in New Treasury Direct registered “John Doe SSN 123-45-6789 with Joseph Doe SSN 987-65-4321.” In this example, Joseph Doe is the secondary owner.
Semiannual rate periods or semiannual earnings periods are the six-month periods beginning on the issue date and on each semiannual anniversary of the issue date to final maturity.
Series EE savings bond is an accrual-type savings bond, offered at a discount, either in definitive (paper) form or in book-entry form, that pays interest on the principal based on rates determined by Treasury.
Single owner means the person named in the registration of a savings bond without a coowner, beneficiary or secondary owner.
Taxpayer identification number (TIN) means the identifying number required on tax returns and other documents submitted to the Internal Revenue Service; for example, an individual’s social security account number (SSN) or an employer identification number (EIN). A SSN is composed of nine digits separated by two hyphens, for example, 123-45-6789. An EIN is composed of nine digits separated by one hyphen, for example, 12-3456789. The hyphens are an essential part of the numbers.
We, us, or our refers to the agency, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The term extends to the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary’s delegates at the Treasury Department and Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The term also extends to any fiscal or financial agent we designate to act on behalf of the United States.
You or your refers to an owner of a Series EE savings bond.