About Treasury Marketable Securities — TreasuryDirect (2024)

FAQs

What are Treasury marketable securities? ›

Treasury marketable securities are direct obligations of the U.S. government that can be bought and sold in the secondary market.

You cannot sell a Treasury marketable security directly from your TreasuryDirect account. To sell a Treasury marketable security that is in your TreasuryDirect account, you must transfer the security to a broker/dealer account. The broker/dealer can sell the security for you.

Securities purchased through TreasuryDirect cannot be sold in the secondary market before they mature. This lack of liquidity could be a disadvantage for investors who may need to access their investment capital before the securities' maturity.

A series I bond is a non-marketable, interest-bearing U.S. government savings bond. Series I bonds give investors a return plus inflation protection on their purchasing power and are considered a low-risk investment. The bonds cannot be bought or sold in the secondary markets.

Stocks, bonds, preferred shares, and ETFs are among the most common examples of marketable securities. Money market instruments, futures, options, and hedge fund investments can also be marketable securities. The overriding characteristic of marketable securities is their liquidity.

A marketable security can be defined as any unrestricted financial instrument that can be sold or bought on a public stock exchange. It can also be purchased on a public bond exchange. That means that marketable securities can be either classified as marketable equity security or marketable debt security.

When the bill matures, you are paid its face value. You can hold a bill until it matures or sell it before it matures. Note about Cash Management Bills: We also sell Cash Management Bills (CMBs) at various times and for variable terms. Cash Management Bills are only available through a bank, broker, or dealer.

If the beneficiary has a TreasuryDirect account, the security will be transferred to that account. If the beneficiary does not have an account, he or she may establish an account. Alternatively, a beneficiary named on a savings bond may request redemption.

1099 forms are available by January 31 of each tax year. If you invest in Legacy Treasury Direct, each year you'll receive a 1099 during January (1042-S during March if you're a foreign investor) showing the interest you've earned. If you have registered securities, you'll receive your 1099 through the mail in January.

For many people, TreasuryDirect is a good option; however, retirement savers and investors who already have brokerage accounts are often better off buying bonds on the secondary market or with exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Treasury money market accounts also offer more convenience and liquidity than TreasuryDirect.

Is TreasuryDirect a good idea? ›

Treasury securities are considered a safe and secure investment option because the full faith and credit of the U.S. government guarantees that interest and principal payments will be paid on time.

Cons of Investing in Treasury Bonds

Interest rate risk: As interest rates ascend, the value of existing bonds with lower interest rates tends to diminish, potentially leading to capital losses if the bonds are sold prior to maturity.

Original Issue Holding Period

4-Week Bills bought at original issue in TreasuryDirect may not be transferred at all because the term of the security is less than 45 days. The mandatory holding period also applies to securities issued through reinvestment which were not fully funded from the maturing security.

The United States Treasury offers five types of Treasury marketable securities: Treasury Bills, Treasury Notes, Treasury Bonds, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), and Floating Rate Notes (FRNs).

Treasury Non-marketable securities include savings bonds as well as special securities issued only to state and local governments and Federal trust funds such as Social Security.

Treasury securities—including Treasury bills, notes, and bonds—are debt obligations issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Treasury securities are considered one of the safest investments because they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

Common examples of non-marketable securities include U.S. savings bonds, rural electrification certificates, private shares, state and local government securities, and federal government series bonds.