Potential Benefits for Investors

TIPS offer a number of potential benefits for investors. TIPS are direct obligations of the United States government, and are backed by the full faith and credit of the government. The principal is protected against inflation.

Since the principal is indexed to the Consumer Price Index and grows with inflation, the investor is guaranteed that the real purchasing power of the principal will keep pace with the rate of inflation.** Although deflation could cause the principal to decline, Treasury will pay at maturity an amount that is no less than the par amount as of the date the security was first issued.

Interest is also protected from inflation. The investor will receive semiannual interest payments, based on a fixed semiannual interest rate applied to the inflation-adjusted principal, so that the investor is guaranteed a real rate of return above inflation.