Is it safe to buy T-bills from TreasuryDirect?
T-bills pay a fixed rate of interest, which can provide a stable income. However, if interest rates rise, existing T-bills fall out of favor since their return is less than the market. T-bills have interest rate risk, which means there is a risk that existing bondholders might lose out on higher rates in the future.
Buy Treasury bills through a broker or financial advisor
Similar to banks, brokers and advisors can help you buy T-bills, but they may also provide additional services like financial advice or portfolio management.
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Securities purchased through TreasuryDirect cannot be sold in the secondary market before they mature. This lack of liquidity could be a disadvantage for investors who may need to access their investment capital before the securities' maturity.
Buffett reportedly prefers T-bills to other options because he never wants to worry about whether or not Berkshire's pile of cash is safely invested.
A Treasury bill, or T-bill, is a short-term debt obligation backed by the U.S. Treasury Department. It's one of the safest places you can save your cash, as it's backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. T-bills are auctioned off at a discount and then redeemed at maturity for the full amount.
To calculate the price, take 180 days and multiply by 1.5 to get 270. Then, divide by 360 to get 0.75, and subtract 100 minus 0.75. The answer is 99.25. Because you're buying a $1,000 Treasury bill instead of one for $100, multiply 99.25 by 10 to get the final price of $992.50.
| ETF | Expense Ratio | Yield to maturity |
|---|---|---|
| Global X 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (CLIP) | 0.07% | 5.5% |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) | 0.15% | 4.4% |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond BuyWrite Strategy ETF (TLTW) | 0.35% | 4.4% |
| Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF (SCHP) | 0.03% | 4% |
Key Takeaways
Interest from Treasury bills (T-bills) is subject to federal income taxes but not state or local taxes. The interest income received in a year is recorded on Form 1099-INT. Investors can opt to have up to 50% of their Treasury bills' interest earnings automatically withheld.
Does TreasuryDirect charge fees?
TreasuryDirect is a web application from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. TreasuryDirect is free. There are no fees, no matter how much or how little you invest. You may hold both savings bonds and Treasury marketable securities in TreasuryDirect.
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Go to your TreasuryDirect account. Choose the Buy Direct tab. Follow the prompts to choose the security you want, specify the amount you want to buy, and fill in the information required.
Cons: Lower Returns: While treasuries are safe, their yields are generally lower than riskier assets like stocks or corporate bonds. Short-term investors may find their returns to be relatively modest.
Treasury bonds, notes and bills are low-risk investments issued by the U.S. government. You can buy them from the government directly, and many buy them through a brokerage, retirement or bank account.
If you're looking for a short-term investment with low risk, Treasury bills are a great choice. However, if you're looking for a longer-term investment that yields semiannual income with a consistent interest rate, buying Treasury bonds is likely the better choice.
Buffett takes an entirely different approach. Berkshire held more than $360 billion of stocks, $167 billion of cash (mostly Treasury bills), and just $24 billion of bonds at the end of 2023. Nearly all those investments were held at its insurance unit.
Treasury bonds are widely considered a risk-free investment because the U.S. government has never defaulted on its debt. However, investors should understand that even U.S. government bonds have interest rate risk. That is, if market interest rates rise, the prices of these bonds will fall, as they did throughout 2022.
Treasury bills can be a good choice for those looking for a low-risk, fixed-rate investment that doesn't require setting money aside for as long as a CD might call for. However, you still run the risk of losing out on higher rates and returns if the market is on the upswing while your money is locked in.
- Report interest each year and pay taxes on it annually.
- Defer reporting interest until you redeem the bonds or give up ownership of the bond and it's reissued or the bond is no longer earning interest because it's matured.
How long do you have to hold a Treasury bill?
We sell Treasury Bills (Bills) for terms ranging from four weeks to 52 weeks. Bills are sold at a discount or at par (face value). When the bill matures, you are paid its face value. You can hold a bill until it matures or sell it before it matures.
The minimum investment requirement to buy Treasury bills through TreasuryDirect is $100. But if you buy Treasury bills through a bank or brokerage, you may be subject to unique minimum purchase requirements.
The only interest payment to you occurs when your bill matures. At that time, you are paid the par amount (also called face value) of the bill.
Once the securities mature, the government hands over the full amount of the bill. Here's an example of how the process works. Let's say you purchase a $10,000 T-bill with a discount rate of 3% that matures after 52 weeks. That means you pay $9,700 for the T-bill upfront.
When your T-bill matures, its life is over. The US government will pay you the full face value of the bond. In our example above, you'd simply see the bond disappear out of your brokerage account or IRA and be replaced with $1,000.
