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When do savings bonds mature

What Does It Mean for a Savings Bond to Mature?

A savings bond matures when it stops earning interest, marking the end of its growth period. Understanding maturity helps bondholders decide when to cash in and maximize the value they receive.

U.S. savings bonds are issued by the federal government and can be bought and redeemed electronically through TreasuryDirect.gov, the official platform for U.S. savings bonds.

Series EE Bond Maturity Timeline

Series EE savings bonds earn interest regularly for 30 years. If you cash them before 30 years, you receive interest only up to the point of redemption.

A key milestone for EE bonds occurs at 20 years: the U.S. Treasury guarantees that the bond will double in value at that point, even if additional money must be added to fulfill that guarantee. This makes the 20-year mark a significant financial event within the bond's overall 30-year life.

Series I Bond Maturity and Interest

Series I savings bonds are another low-risk savings option offered through TreasuryDirect. Cashing an I bond before its interest-earning period ends means the bond stops accruing interest at the time of redemption.

I bonds currently carry a composite rate that includes both a fixed rate and an inflation-adjusted component, reflecting the government's approach to protecting purchasing power over the bond's life.

How to Find Out What Your Bond Is Worth

Because bond values depend on the issue date, series type, and current interest rates, the exact value at any given time can be difficult to calculate manually. Using a free savings bond calculator can help you quickly estimate current value and see how close a bond is to maturity.

TreasuryDirect also offers an official Savings Bond Value Calculator to help bondholders look up values based on series, denomination, and issue date.

Key takeaways

  • Series EE savings bonds earn interest for 30 years; cashing them before that date means interest stops at the time of redemption.
  • Series EE bonds carry a special guarantee: they will double in value by the 20-year mark, even if the Treasury must add funds to make that happen.

Related tools

Estimate materials with our free savings bond calculator on Savings Bond Calculator.

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