Cashing US Savings Bonds

Another post about banking and the DPOA reminded me of a different financial topic.

When I was clearing out my dad’s safe deposit box before a cross-country move, I found a stash of paper US series EE savings bonds that were well past their maturity date. I was able to arrange to get these cashed by taking him to a bank and having him sign the request form in front of a notary. Then I mailed everything to the Treasury Dept.

“Of sound mind” in such cases means that the person signing is aware of what they’re doing and why at the time they are signing. It’s not as though they have to state the year or their address or life history. I read the form to my dad in front of the notary, explained what it would do, and asked, “Is this what you want?” He agreed, and he signed.

This was all totally aboveboard. A check was sent to my father, I deposited it in his bank account, and it paid for several months’ of memory care.

But I worried about this for weeks, not sure that signing yet another legal document was possible at this point in the disease progression.

Info on cashing savings bonds is here:

https://www.treasurydirect.gov/savings-bonds/cashing-a-bond/