So the undetermined inflation rate for November 2022 has to go down to less than 7.12% (annualized) for that (the April case) to be a real "golden" opportunity? How likely is that?
However, since the I bond term readjusts in 6 mo intervals, it's possible for CD rates to catch up in the next two years as interest rates rise.
So if there is anything 'golden' about the situation, it's the opportunity to (perhaps briefly) receive 80s-era guaranteed interest rates.
Can you imagine the people who bought i bonds in the 2000s when the fixed yield part of the return was 3.6%? Though they obviously had their ups and downs, but right now if they held on they are sitting on a year of 10%+ yields.
Bear in mind there are some other technicalities with i-bonds. They are all documented on the treasury direct website:
- you have to hold it for a minimum of 12 months
- there are two parts of the bond a fixed rate (currently 0%) which is set for the lifetime of the bond, and the variable rate which is tried to inflation
- if you hold it for less than 5 years when you withdraw there will be a 3mo interest penalty
- you're limited to 10k purchased per SSN, you can get over 10k if you get your tax refund in i-bonds.