This week, we’re talking about Series I Savings Bonds to help educate and inform, as we’ve been getting a lot of questions recently.

Key points about I Bonds:

• Issued directly by the U.S. Treasury; cannot be held at brokerages or sold at banks.

• Earn interest based on a fixed rate plus a variable rate tied to inflation.

• Maximum annual purchase: $10,000 per person, plus $5,000 using your federal tax refund.

• Maturity: 30 years. Cannot be redeemed before 1 year. Redeeming after 1 year but before 5 years forfeits the last 3 months of interest.

• Current variable rate: 9.62% (effective May through October). Resets every 6 months.

To purchase, visit TreasuryDirect.gov. I Bonds are not sold on the open market, at banks, or through Raymond James.

For complete information, visit SavingsBonds.gov or contact the U.S. Treasury with questions.