Tax Playbook · Investment tax wins
I Bonds
I Bonds are U.S. government savings bonds that keep up with inflation, so your money doesn't lose buying power. You don't pay federal tax on the growth until you cash them in (up to 30 years later), and they're always free from state tax. You can only buy $10,000 a year per person, online only. Used for college, they can be federal-tax-free too. Boring — and that's the point.
Good for: Emergency funds and conservative savers.
Learn the basics
Recent articles & guides
- TreasuryDirect — I bonds
- TreasuryDirect — tax information for EE and I bonds
- TreasuryDirect — using bonds for higher education
On this site
Related strategies
1031 exchangesSell a rental property and use the money to buy another one, and the tax on your profit waits — potentially fo…Municipal bondsWhen cities and states borrow money, the interest they pay you is free from federal tax (and often state tax t…Tax-loss harvestingIf one investment lost money, sell it and use the loss to cancel out tax on an investment that made money — do…Direct indexing & tax-managed SMAsInstead of buying one fund holding 500 stocks, you buy the 500 stocks yourself. Then whenever some dip, you se…Asset locationIt's not just what you own, it's where you keep it. Bonds (taxed heavily) go in retirement accounts; stocks (t…QSBS: exclude millions in gainsOwn stock in a small startup? Hold it 5 years and you could pay zero federal tax when you sell — on up to $15 …
Browse all 97 strategies in the interactive playbook
Educational summary, not tax advice. Limits and rules change — confirm current law with your tax adviser.