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TreasuryDirect has changed how customers sign in, ended its Treasury Hunt tool for finding unredeemed savings bonds, and is reporting long processing times for paper-bond requests. The Treasury says high request volumes are causing delays; state unclaimed-property databases are not yet a dependable replacement for Treasury Hunt.
TreasuryDirect has changed account sign-in to require ID.me, discontinued its online Treasury Hunt search tool and is reporting waits of several months for some paper savings bond requests. The changes affect customers managing U.S. savings bonds and other Treasury securities through the federal platform, including people trying to locate, convert or redeem paper bonds.
According to Kiplinger, TreasuryDirect began requiring ID.me sign-in in late October. ID.me is a digital identity-verification service also used to access some other government and business websites. Customers who already have an ID.me account may still need to complete additional verification before using it with TreasuryDirect. Those creating an account may be asked for a Social Security number and government-issued identification, and could also be asked to submit a photo of themselves.
The Treasury discontinued Treasury Hunt last year. The tool had let people search online for missing or unredeemed savings bonds. Kiplinger reports that the change followed a provision in the SECURE 2.0 Act requiring the Treasury to share information about some unredeemed, matured bonds with states, which may add them to unclaimed-property databases. That replacement process is still in the works, and those databases cannot yet be relied on to locate bonds.
For paper-bond requests, TreasuryDirect’s published estimates indicate that claims for lost, stolen or missing bonds can take 11 months or more; converting paper bonds to electronic form can take nine months or longer; and cashing paper bonds may take at least three to five months. The Treasury attributes the delays to a high volume of requests. Kiplinger says claims for missing bonds can be submitted using FS Form 1048, while FS Form 1522 is used for cashing paper bonds.
How the Changes Affect Bondholders
The changes have practical consequences for people who rely on TreasuryDirect to manage savings bonds. Identity checks may add steps to account access, while the end of Treasury Hunt makes finding old or unredeemed bonds less straightforward. The alternative involving state unclaimed-property systems is not yet ready to serve as a reliable substitute, according to the report.
Long processing estimates also matter to bondholders planning around a specific expense. Someone who expects to use paper-bond proceeds for a bill, tuition or another planned payment may need to request redemption well in advance. The estimates are not guarantees about an individual case, but they signal that mailed requests may take months rather than days or weeks. Kiplinger also reports that customers may be able to redeem paper bonds at a local bank or credit union, although some institutions limit the service to their own customers.
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TreasuryDirect Services in Transition
TreasuryDirect.gov is the federal government’s online site for buying and redeeming U.S. savings bonds. It also lets customers buy Treasury bills, notes and bonds, as well as TIPS, or Treasury inflation-protected securities. The account-access change is separate from the changes to paper-bond services: ID.me affects how users log in, while Treasury Hunt’s closure and processing delays affect particular bond-related tasks.
The Treasury Hunt change is linked in the report to a provision of the SECURE 2.0 Act concerning information about certain matured, unredeemed bonds. The intended state-level route is not yet fully available, according to Kiplinger. In the meantime, people who believe they have lost a bond can submit a claim using FS Form 1048 and provide available information, such as the purchaser’s Social Security number, bond serial numbers and issue dates.
For cashing paper bonds, Kiplinger cites adviser David Enna, founder of Tipswatch.com, who recommends allowing several months for a request. The report says that when the total redemption value exceeds $1,000, FS Form 1522 must be signed in the presence of a notary or another certifying officer. Enna also advises sending the request by certified mail with a return receipt to the address on the form.
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What Bondholders Still Cannot Know
The start date and details of the state-level bond search process remain unclear in the cited report. It says the program is still in the works, but does not give a launch date or identify which state databases will have records available first. Until those systems are populated, a search that returns no result would not necessarily show that no bond exists.
The Treasury’s processing estimates are broad time ranges, not a case-specific schedule. The report does not say how long any particular customer’s request will take, whether current wait times will rise or fall, or how quickly the Treasury will work through its backlog. It also does not detail what additional verification steps every existing ID.me user will face. Customers should check current instructions on TreasuryDirect and the relevant forms rather than assume that every request follows the same path.
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Steps for Current Bond Requests
Customers who need to redeem paper bonds should review the current TreasuryDirect instructions and form requirements, then allow for the published processing window before relying on the money for a planned expense. Kiplinger recommends submitting FS Form 1522 several months ahead; for redemptions over $1,000, its report says the signature must be certified by a notary or another authorized officer. The form should be mailed to the address it lists, with certified mail and a return receipt advised by Enna.
People searching for missing bonds can use FS Form 1048 to make a claim and include identifying details they have. Customers should also follow TreasuryDirect updates on the rollout of the state information-sharing process and on request times. No launch date for a dependable replacement to Treasury Hunt is provided in the source material, so the next confirmed development is whether and when those state databases become usable for searches.
Key Questions
What changed about logging in to TreasuryDirect?
TreasuryDirect requires customers to sign in through ID.me, a digital identity-verification service. Existing ID.me users may need additional verification, while new users may be asked for personal information and government-issued identification.
Can I still use Treasury Hunt to find a savings bond?
No. TreasuryDirect discontinued Treasury Hunt last year. State unclaimed-property databases are expected to receive information about some bonds, but Kiplinger reports that the replacement process is still in the works and cannot yet be relied on.
How long do paper savings bond requests take?
The reported estimates are 11 months or more for lost, stolen or missing bond claims, nine months or longer to convert paper bonds to electronic form, and at least three to five months to cash paper bonds. These are general estimates, not a guaranteed timeline for an individual request.
Which form do I use for a missing or paper bond?
Kiplinger says to use FS Form 1048 to claim a lost, stolen or missing savings bond and FS Form 1522 to cash paper bonds. Check the latest TreasuryDirect instructions for current requirements and mailing details.
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