Cash EE or I savings bonds — TreasuryDirect (2024)

Cashing savings bonds

You may be holding unredeemed, mature U.S. Savings Bonds. Find out how to securely redeem your earnings. Learn More

This page is only about Series EE and I savings bonds. For other bonds:

Cashing in HH savings bonds

Cashing old bonds from other series

For these special situations, you want a different page.

Affected by a disaster

Death of a savings bond owner

Living estates (where a court has appointed a legal guardian for someone who owns bonds)

Trusts (where a trustee wants to cash savings bonds)

You can get your cash for an EE or I savings bond any time after you have owned it for 1 year.

However, the longer you hold the bond, the more it earns for you (for up to 30 years for an EE or I bond).

Also, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest.

Electronic EE or I savings bonds

How do I know how much my bond is worth? Go to your TreasuryDirect account.

Check under Current Holdings.

How much can I cash at one time? Any amount of $25 or more to the penny.

If you cash only part of what a bond is worth, you must leave at least $25 in your account.

If you cash only part of what a bond is worth, you get the interest only on the part you cash.

How do I cash my electronic bonds?
  1. Go to your TreasuryDirect account.
  2. Go to ManageDirect.
  3. Use the link for cashing securities.
When will I get a form for my tax return?

The 1099-INT that you need for your tax return will be available in your TreasuryDirect account in January of the year after you cash in the bond.

See more in Tax information for EE and I savings bonds.

Paper EE or I savings bonds

Note: Do not buy savings bonds from someone else or in an online auction site. You cannot cash them. You can only cash bonds that you own or co-own unless you have legal evidence or other documentation that we accept to show you are entitled to cash the bond.

How do I know how much my bond is worth? Use our Savings Bond Calculator.
How much can I cash at one time? Note: You cannot cash part of a paper savings bond. A paper savings bond must be cashed for its entire value.

At a bank: Banks vary in how much they will cash at one time – or if they cash savings bonds at all.

With us: We have no limit on the value or number of savings bonds you can cash at one time as long as the bonds meet the requirements for cashing.

How do I cash my paper savings bonds? Information for special circumstances:

Cashing savings bonds outside the United States

Cashing a young child's bond

Cashing your (adult's) bonds in the United States

At a bank where you have a bank account: Contact them. Ask:

  • Will they cash your savings bonds
  • How much will they cash at one time
  • What identification or other documents do you need

With us:

  • Get FS Form 1522.
  • Fill it out.
  • Get your signature certified, if necessary.
  • (If the value of the bond(s) you are cashing is more than $1,000, you must have your signature certified. See FS Form 1522 for more about the signature requirements.)
  • Send the form and the bonds to us at the address on FS Form 1522.
When will I get a form for my tax return? At a bank: If a bank cashes your savings bond, they are responsible for getting you a 1099-INT. They may give or mail you the 1099-INT as soon as you cash the bond or they may wait until the following January.

With us: If we cash your paper savings bond, we mail you the 1099-INT the following January.

See more about tax information for EE and I savings bonds.

Can I authorize someone else to cash my bonds? You can authorize an attorney-in-fact to cash your bonds. See our instructions for an attorney-in-fact.
What if I'm not sure if a paper EE or I savings bond has already been cashed or replaced? If you are not sure because you got the bonds when someone died, see Death of a savings bond owner.

Otherwise, check with your bank. They may be able to tell you.

If they can't tell you and you are the owner or co-owner of the bond, write to us.

  • Include the serial number(s) of the bond(s).
  • Do NOT send the actual bonds.

  • Sign the letter.
  • Mail the letter to

    Cash EE or I savings bonds — TreasuryDirect (1)

    Treasury Retail Securities Services
    P.O. Box 9150
    Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150

Treasury Hunt®

Do I own a savings bond?

Use the Treasury Hunt® tool to discover if you own savings bonds.

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Cash EE or I savings bonds — TreasuryDirect (2)
Cash EE or I savings bonds — TreasuryDirect (2024)

FAQs

Can you cash in redeem an EE or I savings bond? ›

You can get your cash for an EE or I savings bond any time after you have owned it for 1 year. However, the longer you hold the bond, the more it earns for you (for up to 30 years for an EE or I bond). Also, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest.

What is the best way to cash in savings bonds? ›

The only option for cashing electronic savings bonds is by logging in to your TreasuryDirect account online. If you have paper savings bonds, you can fill out the appropriate form and mail it and the bonds you want to cash to the Treasury Retail Securities Services — the address is listed on FS Form 1522.

Does cashing EE bonds count as income? ›

I cashed some Series E, Series EE, and Series I savings bonds. How do I report the interest? In general, you must report the interest in income in the taxable year in which you redeemed the bonds to the extent you did not include the interest in income in a prior taxable year.

How much is a $100 series EE bond worth after 30 years? ›

How to get the most value from your savings bonds
Face ValuePurchase Amount30-Year Value (Purchased May 1990)
$50 Bond$100$207.36
$100 Bond$200$414.72
$500 Bond$400$1,036.80
$1,000 Bond$800$2,073.60

How do I avoid taxes when cashing in savings bonds? ›

You can skip paying taxes on interest earned with Series EE and Series I savings bonds if you're using the money to pay for qualified higher education costs. That includes expenses you pay for yourself, your spouse or a qualified dependent. Only certain qualified higher education costs are covered, including: Tuition.

How do I redeem I bonds from TreasuryDirect? ›

Log into your primary TreasuryDirect® account. Click on the ManageDirect tab at the top of the page. Click "Redeem securities" under the Manage My Securities heading. On the Redemption page, choose the radio button beside Zero-Percent C of I and click "Submit".

How long does it take to get money from TreasuryDirect? ›

You just bought a security from the U.S. Treasury. Securities are generally issued to your account within two business days of the purchase date for savings bonds or within one week of the auction date for Bills, Notes, Bonds, FRNs, and TIPS.

How to cash out EE bonds? ›

Paper EE savings bonds

You may be able to cash in paper EE bonds at a bank where you have an account or through TreasuryDirect. Ask your bank about its process for cashing savings bonds. Ask your bank how much it will cash at one time. Determine the identification or other documents you will need.

Is there a penalty for not cashing in matured EE savings bonds? ›

While the Treasury will not penalize you for holding a U.S. Savings Bond past its date of maturity, the Internal Revenue Service will. Interest accumulated over the life of a U.S. Savings Bond must be reported on your 1040 form for the tax year in which you redeem the bond or it reaches final maturity.

When should you cash in EE bonds? ›

You can cash in (redeem) your EE bond after 12 months. However, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest. For example, if you cash in the bond after 18 months, you get the first 15 months of interest.

Do you pay taxes on I bonds when you cash them in? ›

They can pay federal income tax each year on the interest earned or defer the tax bill to the end. Most people choose the latter. They report the interest income on their Form 1040 for the year the bonds mature (generally, 30 years) or when they're cashed in, whichever comes first.

Do you have to pay taxes on I bonds when you cash them in? ›

The interest is taxed in the year the bond is redeemed or reaches maturity, whichever comes first. Investors can defer paying taxes on the interest until the bond is redeemed or matures, or they can pay taxes annually on the interest earned.

Do EE bonds really double in 20 years? ›

EE bonds you buy now have a fixed interest rate that you know when you buy the bond. That rate remains the same for at least the first 20 years. It may change after that for the last 10 of its 30 years. We guarantee that the value of your new EE bond at 20 years will be double what you paid for it.

How long does it take for a $100 EE savings bond to mature? ›

All Series EE bonds reach final maturity 30 years from issue. Series EE savings bonds purchased from May 1995 through April 1997 increase in value every six months.

How much is a $50 Patriot bond worth after 20 years? ›

After 20 years, the Patriot Bond is guaranteed to be worth at least face value. So a $50 Patriot Bond, which was bought for $25, will be worth at least $50 after 20 years. It can continue to accrue interest for as many as 10 more years after that.

How do I cash out my EE bonds? ›

You may be able to cash in paper EE bonds at a bank where you have an account or through TreasuryDirect. Ask your bank about its process for cashing savings bonds. Ask your bank how much it will cash at one time. Determine the identification or other documents you will need.

Can you redeem an I Bond? ›

You can cash in (redeem) your I bond after 12 months.

What happens to EE bonds after 30 years? ›

If you moved your EE bond into a TreasuryDirect account, we pay you for the bond as soon as it reaches 30 years and stops earning interest. If you still have a paper EE bond, check the issue date. If that date is more than 30 years ago, it is no longer increasing in value and you may want to cash it.

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