Treasury securities are debt obligations of the US federal government. T-bills mature in 1 year or less, T-notes in 2–10 years, T-bonds in 20–30 years, and TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities) adjust principal with inflation. I-bonds are savings bonds with an inflation-linked component.
Treasury securities are debt obligations of the US federal government. T-bills mature in 1 year or less, T-notes in 2–10 years, T-bonds in 20–30 years, and TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities) adjust principal with inflation. I-bonds are savings bonds with an inflation-linked component.
Treasuries are the closest thing to a risk-free asset in investing — backed by the full faith and credit of the US government. They're also exempt from state and local income tax, which makes them more valuable in high-tax states than most retirees realize.
TIPS and I-bonds both protect against inflation — but I-bonds are better for small savers and TIPS are better for larger portfolios. I-bonds have purchase limits; TIPS don't, but should live in IRAs to avoid phantom income tax.
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