Public Debt Aids Savings Bond Owners; Amended Press Release to Add Additional Disaster-Declared Counties in Southern States
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2011
The Bureau of the Public Debt announced on April 22 that it will expedite replacement of lost or destroyed U.S. Savings Bonds, and waive the normal one-year holding period to assist victims affected by severe weather in North Carolina. Additional disaster-declared counties in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee now have this option available to them.
The action takes effect immediately and permits authorized paying agents to redeem Series EE and I savings bonds that are less than one-year old. Most financial institutions serve as paying agents for savings bonds. The one-year holding period for electronic savings bonds held in TreasuryDirect accounts also is waived for owners in the affected areas. Residents in the affected areas will be allowed to redeem these savings bonds through June 2011.
A TreasuryDirect account holder in one of the affected counties who needs a waiver of the one-year holding period in order to redeem electronic savings bonds can send a secure e-mail from within the account. The e-mail should briefly explain that the account holder is in an area affected by the disaster and needs a waiver of the holding period.
If paper bonds were lost or destroyed, bond owners can complete a downloadable form - PD F-1048 - available on Public Debt's website, www.treasurydirect.govwww.treasurydirect.gov. Forms also can be obtained by calling the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland (Pittsburgh Branch) Customer Service Department at (800) 245-2804 or the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Customer Service Department at (800) 553-2663. Bond owners should include as much information as possible about the lost bonds on the form. Claim applications should be signed and signatures should be certified as indicated in the form's instructions. Completed forms can be mailed to the Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt, P.O. Box 7012, Parkersburg, WV 26106-7012. To help expedite the processing of claims, write the word "DISASTER" on the front of the envelope.
Alabama
The counties affected in Alabama are Autauga County, Bibb County, Blount County, Calhoun County, Chambers County, Cherokee County, Chilton County, Choctaw County, Clarke County, Colbert County, Coosa County, Cullman County, DeKalb County, Elmore County, Etowah County, Fayette County, Franklin County, Greene County, Hale County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, Lamar County, Lauderdale County, Lawrence County, Limestone County, Madison County, Marengo County, Marion County, Marshall County, Monroe County, Morgan County, Perry County, Pickens County, Saint Clair County, Shelby County, Sumter County, Talladega County, Tallapoosa County, Tuscaloosa County, Walker County, Washington County, and Winston County.
Arkansas
The counties affected in Arkansas are Benton County, Boone County, Clay County, Crittenden County, Faulkner County, Garland County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County, Madison County, Montgomery County, Phillips County, Pulaski County, Randolph County, Saline County, Washington County, and White County.
Georgia
The counties affected in Georgia are Bartow County, Catoosa County, Cherokee County, Coweta County, Dade County, Floyd County, Gordon County, Greene County, Habersham County, Harris County, Heard County, Lamar County, Lumpkin County, Meriwether County, Monroe County, Morgan County, Newton County, Pickens County, Polk County, Rabun County, Spalding County, Troup County, Upson County, Walker County, and White County.
Mississippi
The counties affected in Mississippi are Alcorn County, Attala County, Chickasaw County, Choctaw County, Clarke County, Clay County, Coahoma County, DeSoto County, Greene County, Grenada County, Hinds County, Holmes County, Jasper County, Kemper County, Lafayette County, Leflore County, Marshall County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Neshoba County, Newton County, Panola County, Quitman County, Smith County, Sunflower County, Tishomingo County, Tunica County, Webster County, and Winston County.
Missouri
The counties affected in Missouri are Butler County, Mississippi County, New Madrid County, Saint Louis County, and Taney County.
North Carolina
The counties affected in North Carolina are Bertie County, Bladen County, Craven County, Cumberland County, Currituck County, Greene County, Halifax County, Harnett County, Hertford County, Hoke County, Johnston County, Lee County, Onslow County, Pitt County, Robeson County, Sampson County, Tyrrell County, Wake County, and Wilson County.
Tennessee
The counties affected in Tennessee are Bledsoe County, Bradley County, Cocke County, Greene County, Hamilton County, Johnson County, McMinn County, Monroe County, Rhea County, and Washington County.
For a list of the most recent counties affected, visit FEMA's website at www.fema.gov.