{"id":43448,"date":"2026-04-30T14:17:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T14:17:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/?p=43448"},"modified":"2026-04-30T14:17:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T14:17:19","slug":"series-i-bond-rate-is-4-26-through-october-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/?p=43448","title":{"rendered":"Series I bond rate is 4.26% through October 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Jetcityimage | Istock | Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The U.S. Department of the Treasury has announced new rates for Series I bonds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Newly purchased I bonds will pay 4.26% annual interest<\/a> from May 1 through Oct. 31, which is up from the\u00a04.03% yield<\/a>\u00a0offered through April 30.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0new rate\u00a0includes a variable portion\u00a0<\/strong>of 3.34%,\u00a0<\/strong>based on\u00a0inflation data<\/a>, and a fixed portion\u00a0<\/strong>of 0.90%. The combined rate is 4.26% after rounding, according to the Treasury. The fixed rate is the same from 0.90%\u00a0announced in October.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Read more CNBC personal finance coverage<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Amid soaring inflation, the I bond rate hit a\u00a0record high of 9.62%<\/a> in May 2022, and investors poured into the government-backed, nearly risk-free asset.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many shorter-term investors have since redeemed I bonds<\/a> as rates and inflation have fallen. But the higher fixed rate has remained attractive to some longer-term investors, experts say.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, I bond interest was “lukewarm,” according to David Enna, founder of Tipswatch.com, a website that\u00a0tracks Treasury inflation-protected securities, or TIPS,\u00a0and\u00a0I bond rates<\/a>. <\/p>\n

But some investors are watching I bonds again as inflation has ticked higher, he said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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How I bond rates work<\/h2>\n
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I bonds have a\u00a0variable and fixed rate portion<\/a>, which the Treasury adjusts every six months, in May and November. Investors receive the combined “composite rate” for a six-month period.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The variable rate is tied to inflation, and stays the same for six months after your purchase date, regardless of the Treasury’s next update.<\/p>\n

By comparison, your fixed rate doesn’t change after purchasing I bonds. The Treasury doesn’t disclose how it calculates fixed-rate adjustments, making it harder to predict.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How the change impacts current I bond investors<\/h2>\n
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If you already own I bonds, there’s a six-month timeline for rate updates, which shifts depending on your original purchase date.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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After owning I bonds for six months, the variable yield changes to the next announced rate. But the fixed rate stays the same while you own the asset.<\/p>\n

For example, let’s say you purchased I bonds in September<\/a>. Your variable rate would start at 2.86% and shift to 3.12% in March<\/a>. Your fixed rate remains at 1.10%. At that point, your new composite rate would be 4.22%.<\/p>\n

You can earn I bond interest for up to 30 years, or less if you redeem the assets before that. However, you can’t cash in I bonds for at least one year after purchase. If you redeem within five years, you lose your last three months of interest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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