Baby gift idea for employee- instead of savings bond

[bjscheel]

An attorney at the law office I work at had a baby this weekend. I am the office manager, so I am working with the other attorney to figure out an appropriate gift. The last time an employee had a baby was when I had my DD11 and the firm gave her a $1000 savings bond. (I don't know offhand if that cost the firm $500 or $1000?)

Now that savings bonds are electronic only, it's not so easy to give as a gift. My boss suggested a contribution to a 529 plan, but unless the parents open one themselves, it doesn't look like we could start one for them.

Any other ideas in the $500-$1000 range that would be a "saving for the kid's future" type of gift and doesn't involve opening an online account on their behalf?

 

[wdwpluto]

An attorney at the law office I work at had a baby this weekend. I am the office manager, so I am working with the other attorney to figure out an appropriate gift. The last time an employee had a baby was when I had my DD11 and the firm gave her a $1000 savings bond. (I don't know offhand if that cost the firm $500 or $1000?)

Now that savings bonds are electronic only, it's not so easy to give as a gift. My boss suggested a contribution to a 529 plan, but unless the parents open one themselves, it doesn't look like we could start one for them.

Any other ideas in the $500-$1000 range that would be a "saving for the kid's future" type of gift and doesn't involve opening an online account on their behalf?

Savings bonds cost 1/2 the face value, so a $1000 bond costs $500. You should still be able to get a paper savings bond at a local bank, I would think.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Ignore; required opening an account

eta: information on purchasing electronic savings bond http://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/planning/plan_gifts.htm

 

[Halle]

you can no longer get a paper voucher for the savings bond at a bank.

 

[dcfromva]

An attorney at the law office I work at had a baby this weekend. I am the office manager, so I am working with the other attorney to figure out an appropriate gift. The last time an employee had a baby was when I had my DD11 and the firm gave her a $1000 savings bond. (I don't know offhand if that cost the firm $500 or $1000?)

Now that savings bonds are electronic only, it's not so easy to give as a gift. My boss suggested a contribution to a 529 plan, but unless the parents open one themselves, it doesn't look like we could start one for them.

Any other ideas in the $500-$1000 range that would be a "saving for the kid's future" type of gift and doesn't involve opening an online account on their behalf?

10 shares of DIS stock....

 

[RumpleMom]

Many years ago when our kids were born, Olan Mills Studios had a new baby package of sittings for x number of years at a discounted price.

We never missed a scheduled photograph session and treasure these photos today. We could not have afforded this with out the package. Some years we had a little extra money to spend, so we bought several poses and other years money was tight, so we just got the included picture and was happy to have it.

This was before digital cameras, but still, there is a difference between a studio picture and an at home picture.

 

[missycj96]

Its not exciting but a gift card for babies r us is always needed

 

[HM]

Was there a registry you could buy from?
My office gave me diaper service for several months when I had my son.

 

[TandEsMommy]

My understanding is that while you will need to set up a Treasury account to buy the bond, you don't have to have an account set up for the recipient; they do that themselves upon receipt. So you could buy the bond, present the electronic voucher, and the parents then set up the account for the child. Since you asked specifically about gifts that can act as an investment vehicle, that is probably still the best choice.

 

[bjscheel]

From the Treasury's tip sheet:
The recipient of a gift savings bond must have a TreasuryDirect account before you can deliver the bond.

Of course, we could still ask her to set one up, and maybe that's what we will do. I would feel comfortable asking her to do it. Now, we have given savings bonds to employees' new grandchildren, and I wouldn't ask those parents (who are not our employee) to do that, so I don't know what we will do for the next one.

Shares of stock? I am looking at oneshare.com, and think Scholastic would be a nice choice- she would like an education stock- but one share would be too cheap.

 

[NotUrsula]

For minors, the gift bond can be linked as part of a parent's account. As the parent is one of your employees, you know the person's SSN, so you don't need to find out the child's SSN in order to give the bond, although I would think that you would have it anyway in order to add the child to the health insurance plan.

 

[disneyfreakk]

For minors, the gift bond can be linked as part of a parent's account. As the parent is one of your employees, you know the person's SSN, so you don't need to find out the child's SSN in order to give the bond, although I would think that you would have it anyway in order to add the child to the health insurance plan.

I am pretty sure that you can't just use someone's social security number for things other than what it was originally provided for. Especially opening up accounts under other peoples ss#, I would think that would be illegal. even if it is a well meaning employer.

 

[cyndik1111]

A share of Apple stock!

 

[trinchick]

How about a cute piggy bank with the cash inside? The bank implies that the purpose of the gift is long-term savings.