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What Treasury yields looked like on October 6, 2026
The U.S. Treasury’s daily par yield curve reported nominal yields of 4.46% at one year, 4.79% at two years, 5.03% at five years, 5.27% at ten years, and 5.64% at thirty years on October 6, 2026. These are interpolated par yields based on market quotations, not guaranteed total returns or the exact yield an individual buyer will receive. See the Treasury’s daily par yield curve.
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For TIPS, the Treasury’s par real yield curve showed 2.66% at five years, 2.91% at ten years, and 3.35% at thirty years on the same date. These are market yields at constant maturities, not forecasts of inflation. See the Treasury’s real yield curve.
Those figures are a dated snapshot, not a promise that rates will stay high. Treasury yields change, and a par yield curve should not be treated as a quote for a particular security.
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When a Treasury may suit your needs
You can match the maturity to your time horizon
Treasury bills mature in four weeks to 52 weeks; notes mature in two to ten years; and bonds mature in 20 or 30 years. If you hold an individual security to maturity, it pays according to its contractual terms. If you sell earlier, the price you receive depends on the market at that time. TreasuryDirect’s overview of marketable securities explains the types and terms.
A security with a maturity close to when you expect to use the money can reduce the chance that you will have to sell at an unfavorable price. This is not a guarantee: your plans may change, and reinvesting proceeds after a short-term bill matures exposes you to the rates available then.
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You understand the price risk if you sell early
Fixed-rate notes and bonds can lose market value when market yields rise. TreasuryDirect explains that a security’s price depends on its yield to maturity relative to its fixed interest rate: when the yield is higher than the coupon rate, the price is below par; when it is lower, the price is above par. Longer maturities generally leave more time for the market price to move before the investor can collect face value at maturity. TreasuryDirect’s explanation of Treasury pricing.
Being able to sell a marketable Treasury before maturity is useful, but it does not guarantee that the sale will be at face value or at a profit. If you may need cash early, consider whether you could tolerate selling after prices have fallen.
You compare the return with inflation and taxes
A nominal yield is not the same as a real return. If inflation exceeds the nominal return, the money can lose purchasing power even while earning interest. Interest and bill discount income are federally taxable but exempt from state and local income taxes. TIPS principal adjustments may be subject to federal tax in the year they occur, even if you have not received that amount as cash. Individual tax treatment depends on circumstances; consult current tax guidance. TreasuryDirect’s TIPS information and tax information.
Which Treasury security should you consider?
TreasuryDirect identifies five types of marketable securities, all backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Their differences matter more than the headline yield: term, payment structure, inflation treatment, and the risk of selling before maturity.
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| Type | Terms and main feature | What to compare |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Four weeks to 52 weeks; sold at a discount or par and pay face value at maturity. | Maturity date, reinvestment risk, and after-tax yield. |
| Notes | Two to ten years; fixed interest paid every six months. | Yield, maturity, and possible price volatility if sold early. |
| Bonds | 20 or 30 years; fixed interest paid every six months. | Long-term holding ability and greater exposure to price changes as yields move. |
| TIPS | Five, ten, or 30 years; principal adjusts with CPI inflation and a fixed coupon is paid on adjusted principal. | Real yield, inflation protection, deflation treatment at maturity, and tax on annual principal adjustments. |
| Floating-rate notes | Two years; interest payments rise or fall with 13-week Treasury bill discount rates. | Reset terms and comparison with a fixed-rate note. |
Should you buy TIPS or regular Treasuries?
Regular fixed-rate Treasuries offer a nominal rate. TIPS adjust principal with changes in the Consumer Price Index, and their fixed coupon is applied to that adjusted principal. Principal can decline during the term if deflation occurs; TreasuryDirect says repayment at maturity is at least the original principal. Selling before maturity still exposes you to market price changes. Read TreasuryDirect’s TIPS terms.
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How to decide whether a high yield is worth locking in
- Set the date you need the money. Choose a maturity that fits that date as closely as practical; if you may need the money sooner, account for the possibility of selling at a loss.
- Decide which risk matters most. A fixed-rate Treasury has market-price risk if rates rise; a nominal yield also leaves purchasing power exposed to inflation. TIPS address CPI inflation through principal adjustments, but do not remove early-sale risk or tax considerations.
- Compare the quoted yield with your after-tax needs. Consider federal taxes, the state and local tax exemption, and—if assessing TIPS—the tax treatment of principal adjustments.
- Compare like with like. Check maturity and holding period, nominal yield versus real yield, price sensitivity, inflation exposure, liquidity needs, and after-tax return. An individual Treasury held to maturity has a specific maturity date; a bond fund’s portfolio does not have one investor-specific date when it returns face value.
How I bonds compare with marketable Treasuries
Series I savings bonds issued from May 1 through October 31, 2026 had a 4.26% composite rate, including a 0.90% fixed rate. The inflation component resets every six months, so that issue-period rate is not fixed for the life of a future purchase and is not the yield on a marketable Treasury. TreasuryDirect’s I bond information.
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