11.   If you redeem Series EE bonds within five years of their issue date, then you give up three months of interest as a penalty.

12.   If federal surpluses are not available to redeem those bonds, tax hikes could be necessary down the road to fulfill the obligations to the trust funds.

13.   If the bond is redeemed to pay for college tuition, investors may exclude part or all of the interest in calculating their income taxes.

14.   In future years, the government will need huge sums of money to redeem these bonds and thereby ensure Social Security has enough money to continue cutting benefit checks.

15.   Interest is taxed as ordinary income, but is not due until you redeem the bond.

16.   Interest is added to the value of the bond and is paid out, along with principal, when the bond is redeemed.

17.   Investors can redeem the bond at the end of every year starting from the third year.

18.   Ixe said the bonds can be redeemed before their scheduled maturity.

19.   Just redeem the bonds, take the cash and reinvest it in funds.

20.   Mortgage securities gained as much as Treasuries amid expectations that the rise in rates this year has reduced the risk that the bonds will be redeemed early.