Resources

FAQ

View frequently asked questions (FAQ) for The Commonwealth of Kentucky.

General Questions

How to Buy Kentucky Bonds

The Commonwealth provides individual investors the opportunity to place orders to buy bonds before other investors. Individual investors have the opportunity to place retail orders before other investors through a priority order period.

You will be responsible for consulting your own advisors and making your own independent investigation and appraisal of the risks, benefits, appropriateness and suitability of transactions. The Commonwealth is not making any recommendations or giving any investment advice.

Step 1 - Learn about the bonds

Read the Preliminary Official Statement (POS) available from this website or from the participating brokers to learn more about the bonds, including their security, maturity dates, credit ratings, the types of projects they finance and other information that you may find important to help you make an informed investment decision. This website is not an offer to sell any bonds.

Step 2 - Open a brokerage account

You must have an account with one of the brokerage firms participating in the bond sale, or with another firm that can place an order through a brokerage firm participating in the bond sale. Please check to determine if your broker can place an order through the participating brokers. (If you have a brokerage account, go to Step 3.) If you do not have an account, you may open one and purchase bonds during the Retail Sale Order Period. A list of brokers participating in the sale can be found on the left side of this page.

Investors are encouraged to begin the New Account process well in advance of the sale date. Depending on the brokerage firm, internal new account procedures may take some time to process.

Step 3 - Place your order

Contact the broker with whom you have an account, either online or by phone, to get more information about how to buy bonds during the Retail Sales period. Discuss with the broker the number of bonds, the maturity date and the price at which you are willing to purchase the bonds, as well as any questions you may have from examining the Preliminary Official Statement (POS).

What are the interest rates of the bonds?

Interest rates are determined on the date of sale and can vary depending on the term of the bond, market conditions, investor demand, and security structure.

Can I buy Kentucky bonds directly from the Commonwealth to save on broker’s commissions?

No, bonds must be purchased through a registered broker or dealer. The Commonwealth of Kentucky does not endorse any particular mutual fund, broker, or dealer.

Do you have an official government website?

Yes it is OFM.ky.gov.