Fiscal Service Aids Savings Bonds Owners in Georgia Affected by Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-line Winds; One-year minimum holding period waived

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 6, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, announced it would expedite replacement of lost or destroyed paper U.S. Savings Bonds, and waive the normal one-year minimum holding period for savings bonds to assist survivors of severe storms, tornadoes and straight-line winds in the Georgia counties of Berrien, Cook, Crisp, Dougherty, Thomas, Turner, Wilcox and Worth during the period of January 2, 2017 for Dougherty County and January 21 to January 22, 2017 for all of the counties listed above including Dougherty.

A TreasuryDirect account holder in, or evacuated from, one of the affected counties can request a waiver of the minimum one-year holding period for savings bonds by sending an e-mail from within their account, briefly explaining the circumstances. Local financial institutions are permitted to redeem paper savings bonds that are less than one-year old for bond owners affected by the disaster. Many financial institutions serve as paying agents for savings bonds.

If paper bonds were lost or destroyed, bond owners can complete a downloadable form - FS Form 1048 - available on Fiscal Service′s website, www.treasurydirect.gov. 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 address shown on the form.

To help expedite the processing of claims, write the word "DISASTER" on the front of the envelope. For an updated list of areas affected, visit FEMA's website at www.fema.gov. Assistance for individuals can be found using addresses at www.disasterassistance.gov.