Curious as to what some of you financial guru's would suggest. Am starting a new job with the state, and they offer a payroll savings bond plan that I'm considering. You can purchase either E Series Bonds at a 50% discount, or I Series at full price ($50, $75, $100, or $200). While E's are exempt from State & Local tax, they take 20 years to mature; so buying one per month would really create a situation that drags them out. I's can be redeemed at any time after 1 year, with monthly interest added, for up to 30 years. That's about all I know about them. For a 40 year old who has never worked at a place that provided retirement of any sort (I've saved through MF's & IRA's on my own), what would be the best choice?
I was never really able to get any opinions, so I decided to split the baby. I'm contributing a total of $450 each paycheck, split between a purchase of one EE at $250 ($500 face value), and a $200 I-bond.