FS Form 1048 is the Claim for Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed United States Savings Bonds, and you file it with the U.S. Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service when paper savings bonds you own go missing, get stolen, or are damaged. You use it to ask the Treasury to either replace your bonds in electronic form or pay you their value.
The form fixes a real problem: a paper savings bond is a bearer-style document, so if it vanishes, you can lose hundreds or thousands of dollars in matured value unless you prove ownership and ask for relief. Get a field wrong and the Treasury can pause your case for months while it hunts for your bond record. The Treasury holds more than $30 billion in matured, unredeemed savings bonds, and a 1048 is often the only path to claim money tied to bonds you can no longer find, as the marketplace report on misplaced bonds explains.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 🔎 How to describe missing bonds in Item 1 even when you have no serial number
- 🖊️ How to certify your signature the right way so your claim is not bounced
- 💵 How to choose between electronic replacement bonds and a direct deposit payment
- ⚰️ How to file when the bond owner has died or a minor is named on the bond
- 📬 Where to mail the form, what to attach, and what happens after you file
What FS Form 1048 Is and Who Must File It
FS Form 1048, Revised March 2026, OMB No. 1530-0021, is the official Treasury claim form for savings bonds that are lost, stolen, or destroyed. The current copy lives on the official TreasuryDirect form page, and you should check the revision date in the bottom corner before you start so you are not using an old version. The word bonds on this form means Savings Bonds, Savings Notes, Retirement Plan Bonds, and Individual Retirement Bonds.
The form must be completed and signed by all persons named on the bonds, or by an authorized representative such as a parent, guardian, or court-appointed executor. So if a bond reads “John Smith OR Mary Smith,” both owners normally sign, and if John has died, you attach proof of death and claim under your own authority. The Treasury cross-checks the names and Social Security Numbers you list against its ownership records to confirm you have the right to the money.
The agency that receives the form is the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, through its servicing arm, Treasury Retail Securities Services in Minneapolis. The form is authorized by federal public-debt law under 31 U.S.C. Chapter 31, and the privacy rules sit in 31 CFR Part 323, as stated on the form itself. There is no filing fee and no firm deadline, but bonds stop earning interest at final maturity (30 years for most series), so waiting costs you money.
Three named filers will help illustrate this guide. Maria Lopez lost a single Series I bond she bought and whose serial number she knows. David Chen is the adult son claiming his late mother’s older paper bonds with no serial numbers. Aisha Bello lives in a federally declared disaster area and is filing for bonds damaged in a flood.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Filling out the form goes fast once you gather your facts first. The Treasury estimates the form takes about 20 minutes once you have everything in hand. Missing a single item, such as a death certificate, is the top reason a claim stalls, because the agency cannot return your documents and cannot act without them.
Here is your pre-filing checklist:
- Bond serial numbers — These let the Treasury find your exact bond record fast; without them, your case takes longer and needs more identifying detail.
- Issue dates (month and year) — The Treasury uses these to confirm the bond series and value; a wrong year can point to the wrong record.
- Face amounts — The dollar amount printed on the bond helps match the record and set the payout.
- Full Social Security Numbers on the bonds — The agency matches these to ownership files; a missing SSN can block the search entirely.
- Full names and addresses as printed on the bonds — Names that differ from the record trigger a hold while staff verify identity.
- Certified copy of the death certificate — Required if any registrant has died, and you will not get it back, so order an extra copy.
- Court letters of appointment — Needed if you are an executor or guardian, dated within one year and under court seal to prove your authority.
- A police report or insurance report — Required if bonds were stolen or if the total exceeds $5,000 and an agency investigated.
- Your TreasuryDirect account number — Needed if you want electronic replacement bonds, since paper replacements no longer exist.
- Your bank routing and account numbers — Needed if you want a direct deposit payment instead of replacement bonds.
If you do not have serial numbers, the TreasuryDirect lost-bond help page confirms you can still file by giving the exact month and year of purchase, the complete Social Security Number, full names with middle initials, and the address on the bond. Gather these before you open the form so you do not stall halfway through.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The only source you should trust for the form is the Treasury itself. Download the current PDF straight from the official FS Form 1048 link, or browse the full list on the TreasuryDirect savings bond forms page. Pulling it from the source guarantees you have the Revised March 2026 version and not an outdated copy from a third-party site.
You can complete the form two ways. You can print it and fill it in by hand in ink, or you can type your answers into the PDF fields and then print it for signing. Either way, the form must be printed at the end because it needs a wet ink signature in front of a notary or certifying officer, so a fully digital submission is not allowed.
If you do not know your serial numbers, start at Treasury Hunt on TreasuryDirect to search for matured, unredeemed bonds tied to your name or Social Security Number. A match there can hand you the serial numbers you need for Item 1. Older bonds bought before 1974 may not appear in the database, which is exactly the wall David Chen hits with his late mother’s bonds, so he files using full identifying details instead.
Keep a blank backup copy too. If you make an error in ink, you cannot scribble it out cleanly, so a fresh copy saves you a trip back to the notary. Many banks also keep blank Treasury forms, but downloading is faster and guarantees the right revision.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out FS Form 1048 Line by Line
Work through the form in order, top to bottom, and use the exact box names printed on it. The walkthrough below follows the structure on the official PDF: the savings bond debt checkbox, then Items 1 through 7, including the certification block.
Top Checkbox: “If this form is being completed as part of a savings bond debt, please check this box”
This checkbox at the very top asks one narrow question: are you filing because the Treasury says you owe a savings bond debt? You answer by leaving it blank in nearly every normal lost-bond case, and checking it only if the Treasury already told you this filing relates to a debt you owe them. Most filers, including Maria Lopez who simply lost her own bond, leave this box empty.
A common edge case is confusion with Item 6C later in the form, which also mentions debt; this top box is just a flag, while 6C is where the actual invoice number goes. The most common mistake is checking it out of caution when no debt exists, which can misroute your claim to a debt-collection queue and slow it down. People wrongly believe every 1048 involves a debt, but the form is overwhelmingly used for ordinary lost, stolen, or damaged bonds, not debts.
Item 1: Description of Bonds
This section asks you to describe each missing bond so the Treasury can find its record. You fill in four columns for every bond: ISSUE DATE (exact date or a range), FACE AMOUNT, BOND SERIAL NUMBER, and INSCRIPTION, which is the registration showing the complete Social Security Number, full names with middle names or initials, and addresses printed on the bond. For a gift bond, you provide the purchaser’s Social Security Number in the inscription column.
Maria Lopez writes 01/2019 for issue date, $500 for face amount, I-123456789-EE for the serial number, and her name, SSN 123-45-6789, and street address in the inscription box. If you run out of room, the form tells you to attach a plain sheet or the FS Form 3500 continuation sheet, so list extra bonds there rather than cramming them.
A frequent edge case is having no serial number at all, like David Chen; he leaves the serial column blank but fully completes issue date range, face amount, and a detailed inscription so the Treasury can still search. The most common mistake here is guessing an issue date by year only when a range would be safer, because a wrong single date can point the search to the wrong record and delay the claim. Many people think the serial number is mandatory, but it is not; complete identifying details can replace it.
Item 2: Details of the Loss
This section asks exactly how the bonds went missing. You mark one box for Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed, then answer the follow-up questions: the date of theft if stolen, whether a police report was filed, when the loss was discovered, who had the bonds last and why, where they were last placed, when they were last seen, and whether any ID documents were lost or stolen too. If you mark Stolen and a report exists, you attach a copy.
Maria Lopez marks Lost, writes that she discovered the loss in March 2026 while moving, notes she kept the bond in a home file box, and answers No to lost identification. If bonds were destroyed, the form says to send any remaining pieces with the claim, so Aisha Bello would pack her water-damaged fragments carefully and include them.
A key edge case is theft with no police report: you can still mark Stolen and answer No to the report question, but a filed report strengthens your claim and is required if the loss tops $5,000 and an agency investigated. The most common mistake is leaving the “when last seen” and “where last placed” lines blank, which makes the loss look vague and invites follow-up questions. People often think these questions are optional small talk, but the Treasury uses them to judge whether relief is justified, so answer each one fully.
Item 3: Authority
This section asks whether you have the legal right to claim bonds that are not in your own name. You answer the question “Are you named on the bonds?” with Yes or No; if Yes, you skip straight to Item 4. If No, you describe your authority, such as parent, guardian, conservator, legal representative, administrator, or executor, and state whether you are court-appointed.
David Chen answers No because the bonds are in his late mother’s name, writes “Executor of the estate of Helen Chen” as his authority, and marks Yes to court-appointed. Because he is court-appointed, he follows the form’s LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE instruction and attaches a court certificate or certified letters of appointment, under court seal and dated within one year, as the form requires.
A common edge case is when no legal representative has been appointed for a deceased owner; the form tells you to advise the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which then sends extra instructions. The most common mistake is claiming as an heir without proof of authority, which gets the claim rejected because the Treasury cannot pay someone who has not shown legal standing. Many people believe being next of kin is enough, but you usually need court papers or a small-estate procedure to claim another person’s bonds.
Item 4: Minors
This section deals with any bond owner who is currently a minor. You answer “Is there a minor named on the bonds?” with Yes or No; if No, you skip to Item 5. If Yes, you give the minor’s name, date of birth, and Social Security Number, then explain your relationship to the minor, whether the minor lives with you, who provides the minor’s chief support, and whether both parents can sign.
For example, Janet Rivera files for a $100 bond registered to her 9-year-old son; she writes his name, his DOB 05/2017, his SSN, marks that he lives with her, and notes she provides his chief support. The form lets a competent minor sign for themselves for a payment request or on Series HH bonds, but a young child needs a parent to complete this item.
A real edge case is when one parent cannot be reached to sign; the form asks why, whether that parent had access to the bonds, and whether that parent could have possession of them. The most common mistake is a parent requesting electronic substitute bonds without completing Item 4 fully, since a minor requesting electronic EE or I bonds always requires the resident parent to fill this in. People often think a minor can never sign, but the notary may accept a minor’s signature if the child clearly understands the transaction.
Item 5: Relief Requested
This section is where you tell the Treasury what you actually want: Substitute Electronic Bonds, Payment by Direct Deposit, or to apply the value to your savings bond debt to the Treasury. You mark the one box that fits your goal. Note that substitute bonds cannot be issued in some cases, including all HH bonds and any bond within one full calendar month of final maturity, in which case you get payment instead.
Maria Lopez marks Substitute Electronic Bonds because she wants to keep earning interest, while David Chen marks Payment by Direct Deposit to settle his mother’s estate in cash. The form is clear that reissued EE and I bonds now come only in electronic form inside TreasuryDirect, never as new paper, and that all HH bonds have reached final maturity and can only be paid.
A common edge case involves newer bonds: EE and I bonds issued February 2003 or later cannot be cashed until one full year after issue, so if you request payment on a bond under a year old, you receive substitute bonds instead. The most common mistake is requesting paper replacement bonds, which no longer exist, leaving the choice unclear and delaying the case. Many people assume they will get a brand-new paper certificate, but electronic replacement is now the only option for EE and I series.
Item 6: Delivery Instructions
This section captures where the money or bonds should go, and you complete only one of three parts. Part A is for electronic substitute EE or I bonds and needs your TreasuryDirect account number, account name, and SSN or EIN. Part B is for direct deposit payment of any series and needs your SSN or EIN, the name on the account, the nine-digit bank routing number, the account type (checking or savings), the account number, and your bank’s name and phone. Part C is only for applying the value to a savings bond debt and needs the invoice number.
Maria Lopez completes Part A with her TreasuryDirect account number and SSN so her replacement I bonds land in her account. David Chen completes Part B with the estate account’s routing and account numbers so the payment is deposited there. Part A also carries a long TAX LIABILITY notice explaining that the principal coowner must report previously unreported interest, and that this duty cannot be passed to someone else through a reissue.
A frequent edge case is a routing number that does not begin with 0, 1, 2, or 3; the form warns the number must start with one of those digits, so a brokerage or invalid routing number will be rejected. The most common mistake is completing more than one part, which confuses the request and can pause the payment. People often think they can fill A and B as a backup, but you pick the single path that matches your Item 5 choice.
Item 7: Signatures and Certification
This final section is where you swear the claim is true and have your signature certified. By signing, you petition the Secretary of the Treasury for relief, assign the original bonds to the United States if relief is granted, and agree under penalty of perjury that the bonds were lost, stolen, or destroyed. You sign in ink in the presence of a notary or certifying officer, then print your name, SSN, mailing address, daytime phone, and email; every person named on the bonds signs.
Maria Lopez takes the unsigned form to her credit union, signs it in front of the certifying officer, and the officer completes the “I CERTIFY that…” block with her name, the date, the city and state, the officer’s signature and title, the institution’s name and address, and its seal or stamp. As the Bankrate guide on lost bonds notes, this certification can usually be done at a local bank or credit union.
A key edge case is which seal is acceptable: the form accepts a notary seal, a financial institution’s Signature Guaranteed or Medallion stamp, and similar approved stamps, but a plain notarization may be refused by some banks that require a Medallion guarantee for larger amounts. The most common mistake is signing the form at home before seeing the officer, which voids the certification because the instructions require you to sign in their presence. People wrongly believe any notary stamp always works, but for higher-value claims a Treasury-approved Medallion signature guarantee is often the safer choice.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Below are three common fact patterns, each following one named filer through the form. The entries show what goes in the most important sections so you can model your own claim.
Scenario 1: Maria Lopez, sole owner, one lost I bond with a serial number
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Top debt checkbox | Leaves blank |
| Item 1 issue date | 01/2019 |
| Item 1 face amount | $500 |
| Item 1 serial number | I-123456789-EE |
| Item 1 inscription | Maria Lopez, SSN 123-45-6789, 12 Oak St, Austin, TX |
| Item 2 type of loss | Marks Lost; discovered March 2026 while moving |
| Item 3 named on bonds | Yes — skips to Item 4 |
| Item 5 relief | Marks Substitute Electronic Bonds |
| Item 6 part used | Part A with TreasuryDirect account number and SSN |
| Item 7 signature | Signs in ink before a credit union certifying officer |
Scenario 2: David Chen, executor claiming a deceased parent’s bonds with no serial numbers
| Form Section | What David Enters |
|---|---|
| Item 1 issue date | Range: 1972–1980 |
| Item 1 face amount | $1,000 total |
| Item 1 serial number | Left blank (unknown) |
| Item 1 inscription | Helen Chen, SSN 987-65-4321, 45 Elm Ave, Toledo, OH |
| Item 2 type of loss | Marks Lost; last seen in mother’s safe deposit box |
| Item 3 authority | No; writes Executor of estate of Helen Chen; court-appointed Yes |
| Attachments | Certified death certificate and court letters of appointment |
| Item 5 relief | Marks Payment by Direct Deposit |
| Item 6 part used | Part B with estate account routing and account numbers |
| Item 7 signature | Signs as executor before a notary with Medallion stamp |
Scenario 3: Aisha Bello, disaster-area filer with flood-damaged bonds
| Form Section | What Aisha Enters |
|---|---|
| Top of page note | Writes DISASTER on page one and on the envelope |
| Item 1 issue date | 06/2010 |
| Item 1 face amount | $200 |
| Item 1 serial number | EE-456789012 |
| Item 1 inscription | Aisha Bello, SSN 234-56-7890, 8 River Rd, New Orleans, LA |
| Item 5 relief | Marks Payment by Direct Deposit |
| Item 6 part used | Part B with her checking account details |
| Item 7 signature | Signs in ink before a notary |
The form’s disaster instruction lets Aisha complete only Parts 1, 5, 6B, and 7, which the TreasuryDirect disaster page confirms as the streamlined path. She also packs any remaining bond pieces and sends them with the form.
How to File the Completed FS Form 1048
You file FS Form 1048 by mail only, since the form needs an original ink signature and a physical certification stamp. Send the completed form and every required attachment to the servicing center; there is no online upload and no fax channel for this claim.
Mail it to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150, the address shown both on the form and on the TreasuryDirect lost-bond help page. There is no filing fee, and you do not enclose payment of any kind. Because the agency cannot return legal evidence, send certified copies of death certificates and court papers, never your only originals.
For proof of filing, use USPS Certified Mail with return receipt or a tracked carrier so you have a record the claim arrived. Keep a full photocopy of the signed, certified form and a list of every attachment before you seal the envelope. If you wrote DISASTER on the form, write it on the front of the envelope too so it routes to the faster disaster track.
If you need help before mailing, the servicing center’s toll-free line is 844-284-2676, listed on the Treasury filing-a-claim instruction sheet. Processing of mailed bond claims commonly takes several weeks to a few months, so file early and keep your tracking receipt until you see the result.
What Happens After You File
After the Treasury receives your form, staff at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service search their ownership records to match the bonds you described and confirm your authority to claim them. This record search is why accurate serial numbers, dates, and Social Security Numbers matter so much; a clean match moves your case forward, while a mismatch triggers a hold and a request for more information.
If relief is granted and you asked for substitute bonds, the Treasury issues electronic EE or I bonds into your TreasuryDirect account, since paper replacements are no longer made. If you asked for payment, the funds arrive by direct deposit to the account you listed in Item 6B. The original bonds become the property of the United States, and you have agreed to surrender them if they ever turn up.
Expect the process to take several weeks to a few months, longer if you had no serial numbers or if documents were missing. The Treasury may contact you by mail or phone if it needs clarification, so keep your contact details current and answer promptly. Once your case closes, watch your TreasuryDirect account or bank account for the replacement bonds or deposit, and keep your filing records until the money or bonds appear.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
Small errors on this form cause big delays, because each field feeds the record search. Watch for these specific mistakes:
- Signing before you reach the notary — The certification is void, and the form is returned unsigned in the agency’s eyes.
- Leaving the serial number blank without adding full inscription details — The search cannot find your bond, and the case stalls.
- Guessing a single issue date instead of a range — A wrong date points to the wrong record and delays matching.
- Skipping the “when last seen” and “where placed” lines in Item 2 — The loss looks vague and invites follow-up questions.
- Claiming as an heir without attaching court papers — The Treasury rejects the claim for lack of proven authority.
- Forgetting the certified death certificate when a registrant has died — The claim cannot proceed and your document is not returned.
- Requesting paper replacement bonds — Paper reissue no longer exists, leaving your relief choice unclear.
- Completing more than one part of Item 6 — Conflicting delivery instructions pause the payment.
- Entering a routing number that does not start with 0, 1, 2, or 3 — The direct deposit is rejected.
- Mailing your only original death certificate or court letters — The agency keeps them and cannot return them.
- Using an outdated revision of the form — Old layouts can cause processing confusion, so confirm the March 2026 date.
- Not writing DISASTER on the envelope when eligible — You lose the faster disaster-track handling.
Do’s and Don’ts
A few simple habits keep your claim clean and fast. Follow these on every 1048.
Do’s
- Do print clearly in ink or type — The Treasury must read every field to match your record.
- Do gather serial numbers and SSNs first — Complete data shortens the search and speeds relief.
- Do sign in front of the notary or certifying officer — The form requires signatures in their presence to be valid.
- Do attach certified copies, not originals — Legal evidence is never returned to you.
- Do keep a full photocopy of the signed form — You will need proof if the claim is questioned.
- Do mail with tracking — A delivery receipt protects you if the form is lost in transit.
Don’ts
- Don’t guess at amounts or dates — A wrong figure can point the search to the wrong bond.
- Don’t fill more than one Item 6 part — Conflicting instructions delay your payment.
- Don’t mail cash or a fee — There is no charge for this claim.
- Don’t skip the authority section as an heir — Unproven authority gets the claim rejected.
- Don’t send your only death certificate — The agency keeps all legal evidence.
- Don’t use a random third-party PDF — Download the current form from TreasuryDirect to avoid an old version.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Most people file FS Form 1048 themselves, but complex cases can justify professional help. Weigh these points before you decide.
Pros of filing on your own
- No cost — You avoid attorney or service fees on a free Treasury process.
- Full control — You handle your own data and timeline directly.
- Fast for simple cases — A sole owner with a serial number, like Maria, can finish in about 20 minutes.
- Direct contact — You can call the servicing line at 844-284-2676 with questions.
- Privacy — You keep your Social Security and bank details in your own hands.
Cons of filing on your own / Pros of getting help
- Estate complexity — Executors and guardians face court-document rules a probate attorney handles smoothly.
- No serial numbers — A professional or Treasury Hunt search can recover details you cannot find alone.
- Higher-value claims — Bonds over $5,000 may need investigation reports and Medallion guarantees that help navigates.
- Tax questions — A tax pro clarifies the interest-reporting duty flagged in the Item 6 tax notice.
- Error risk — Help reduces the chance of a rejection that costs you weeks of delay.
Related Forms and Agencies
| Form or Entity | Role and How It Relates |
|---|---|
| Bureau of the Fiscal Service | The Treasury agency that receives and decides the 1048 claim |
| Treasury Retail Securities Services | The Minneapolis servicing center that processes mailed forms |
| FS Form 3500 | Continuation sheet to list extra bonds when Item 1 runs out of space |
| Treasury Hunt | Online search to find matured, unredeemed bonds and serial numbers |
| TreasuryDirect | The online system where electronic replacement EE and I bonds are issued |
| FS Form 5336 | Voluntary representative claim for small estates without court appointment |
These pieces work together: the Treasury Hunt tool finds the bond, the 1048 claims it, FS Form 3500 extends the list when needed, and TreasuryDirect receives the electronic replacement. For a death with no court-appointed executor, the Treasury may point you to FS Form 5336 instead.
FAQs
Is FS Form 1048 free to file?
Yes. There is no filing fee. You only pay for incidentals like notary service, certified copies of documents, and tracked postage to the Minneapolis servicing center.
Do I need the bond serial number to file?
No. You can file without it if you provide the exact month and year of purchase, the complete Social Security Number, full names with middle initials, and the address printed on the bond.
Can I still get paper replacement bonds?
No. The Treasury now issues replacement EE and I bonds only in electronic form inside TreasuryDirect, and all HH bonds have matured and can only be paid by direct deposit.
Do I write the purchaser’s SSN or the owner’s SSN in the Item 1 inscription?
Yes to the purchaser’s if it was a gift; the form says to provide the purchaser’s Social Security Number for a gift bond, otherwise use the SSN printed on the bond.
In Item 3, do I skip ahead if I am named on the bonds?
Yes. If you answer Yes to “Are you named on the bonds?”, you skip straight to Item 4 and do not complete the authority details.
Do both parents have to sign in Item 4 for a minor’s bond?
No, not always; if one parent cannot sign, you explain why and answer whether that parent had access to or possession of the bonds.
Can I sign the form at home and then visit the notary?
No. You must sign in the presence of the notary or certifying officer, or the certification is invalid and the form is treated as unsigned.
Do I file this form online?
No. FS Form 1048 is mailed to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150, because it needs an ink signature and a physical certification stamp.
Is a regular notary stamp always enough?
No, not always; higher-value claims may require a Treasury-approved Medallion signature guarantee, so confirm with your bank before signing.
Do I send my original death certificate?
No. Send a certified copy, because the Treasury keeps all legal evidence and does not return it.
Can I request both a replacement bond and a cash payment?
No. You choose one relief option in Item 5 and complete only the matching part of Item 6.
Does a disaster filer fill out the whole form?
No. A filer in a federally declared disaster area completes only Parts 1, 5, 6B, and 7 and writes DISASTER on the form and envelope.
Is there a deadline to file FS Form 1048?
No firm deadline exists, but bonds stop earning interest at final maturity, usually 30 years, so filing late can cost you money.
Can a minor sign the form themselves?
Yes, sometimes; the notary may accept a minor’s signature for a payment request or on HH bonds if the child clearly understands the transaction.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out Treasury Form FS-1522 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Treasury Form FS-5336 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Treasury Form FS-1048 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the U.S. Treasury FS Form 1455 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the U.S. Treasury FS Form 1851 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the U.S. Treasury FS Form 5336 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- Are Municipal Bonds a Good Investment? (w/Examples) + FAQs