Vanessa McGrady of Forbes.com includes Joe Franklin, president at Franklin Wealth Management, in an article about alternative ways to gift money to children apart from the traditional savings bond. “If held for 19 years and 11 months, the $1,000 invested in these bonds will earn $61.50. But if held for over 20 years, they will earn an extra $1,000. The only time frame worth looking at is 20 years and not holding any longer,” he says.