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Conference moira::parenting_v3

Title:Parenting
Notice:READ 1.27 BEFORE WRITING
Moderator:CSC32::DUBOIS
Created:Wed May 30 1990
Last Modified:Tue May 27 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1364
Total number of notes:23848

1161.0. "Info. on SAVINGS BONDS" by WMOIS::BLOOD_J () Tue Oct 08 1991 09:19

    
    I'd like to open a note on SAVINGS BONDS.
    
    I'd like general information on them.  My son received 2
    savings bonds for his christening.   One is in his name with
    my name second.  The other has my name first and Brian's
    second.  We are intending to put them away for his college.
    I think I read somewhere that if we want them to be tax
    exempt for college, the bond must be named to someone over
    18 or 21 ??? (can't remember 18 or 21).  Does this mean
    at the time of cash-in he must be either 18 or 21?  Or does
    this mean they must be in my (or husbands) name now because
    the baby isn't 18 yet ?????
    
    Are there any Savings Bond experts out there that can
    enlighten us as to the rules ???
    
    Thanks,
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
1161.1QUARK::LIONELFree advice is worth every centTue Oct 08 1991 11:594
Check the current (October?) issue of Consumer Reports - it has an article on
saving for college which describes this.

				Steve
1161.2Interest only Tax-Exempt for Certain IncomesJUNCO::LROSSFri Oct 11 1991 14:4610
    
    
      Also keep in mind that in order for the interest to be tax-exempt,
    your annual family income must be under a certain value (presently 
      this is somewhere around 65K.)  I'm not sure what their plans are
      for increasing this limit, but with inflation, by the time a newborn
       is 18, a 65K family income shouldn't be hard to exceed.
    
    
      
1161.3How to Check a SS# on Bond?)YOSMTE::TOWERS_MIFri Oct 11 1991 14:5612
    A question for any of you.  Is there a way to find out who sent a
    savings bond?  We got one for our son in the mail.  It has a SS#  on it
    that is neither mine nor my husbands nor the baby's.  We called a bank
    to check it and we thought we had the sender but no.  The SS office
    will not release info on the number.  No one has called to ask if we
    received anything.  We are going nuts.  The number is not a family
    member either.
    
    Any ideas?
    
    Michelle
    
1161.4CSC32::J_OPPELTIlliterate? Write for free help.Sat Oct 19 1991 19:146
    	Run a credit check on that SS#.  (Don't ask me how to do it or
    	how much it costs, 'cause I don't know.)  That's how your credit
    	info is accessed -- by SS#.  The credit report should provide the
    	name.
    
    	Joe Oppelt
1161.5ItOS2PS2::taberNight comes, then the day, then night again.Mon Oct 21 1991 12:0038
>  A question for any of you.  Is there a way to find out who sent a
>  savings bond?  We got one for our son in the mail.  It has a SS#  on it
>  that is neither mine nor my husbands nor the baby's.  We called a bank
...
>>        Run a credit check on that SS#.  

Does it matter?  If someone wants to send an anonymous gift, it seems a 
little gauche to ferret out their identity (assuming you can.  The SSN 
will be of the person who bought the bond, who may not be the person 
who gave the bond.)  My first impulse would just be to change the SSN to 
the child's.  The local Federal Reserve Bank should be able to help you 
out there.

OK, so there's some reason you HAVE to know....  Doing a credit check 
would be difficult.  Though credit companies file information by SSN, 
they aren't in the habit of passing out information based SOLELY on SSN.  
If you don't even know the person's name, I don't think you could convice 
TRW that you have a legitimate need for the information.  

Driver's license numbers are often the same as SSN's.  If you have a 
friend who is a cop, you might be able to look it up that way.

You could also ask the local IRS office to match up the SSN because the 
bond is an interest-bearing instrument and you want to make sure it gets 
properly handled. (It would take some smooth talking, but they might go 
for it. On the other hand, they might just tell you to have the bond 
changed to the child's SSN.)  There was a time when they would forward a 
message to the holder of the SSN telling them to contact you.  That was 
before the Feds started having to live on a budget like the rest of us, 
so that's probably gone away.

Finally, there is the issuing bank.  That should be documented on the 
bond itself.  You could call them and ask if they would tell you who it 
was or ask that person to contact you.

>>>==>PStJTT


1161.6you can't change the numberRANGER::S_DIMARIOThu Oct 24 1991 18:3810
    
    I tried to change the social security number on a savings bond and
    was told that the Federal Reserve doesn't let you do it since the
    number on the bond doesn't really matter very much.  They don't
    seem to feel that it's worth the trouble
    
    Apparently, the social security number of the person that cashes
    the bond is used for tax purposes.