Savings bonds must be purchased through the US Treasury. Your social security number (SSN) is needed to buy a bond. The bond owner will be asked to provide his or her social security number for tax purposes when they cash the bond.
But, if you're buying a gift and don't know the person's number, you can use your own. Using your SSN doesn't mean you will have a tax liability when the bond is cashed. The bond owner will be asked to provide his or her social security number for tax purposes when they cash the bond.
The owner's employer identification number is used for bonds bought for corporations, associations, public and private organizations, fiduciaries, and other entities as single owners.
On paper savings bonds, the first five digits of your social security number or employer identification number will be masked and replaced with asterisks beginning August 1, 2006. This is being done to protect your privacy and to prevent the information from being used for identity theft.
Gift bonds purchased in TreasuryDirect must have the recipient’s SSN and can be delivered or held in the Gift Box. Fiduciary and corporate registrations are not permitted in TreasuryDirect.