Who is this page for (and not for)?
This page is about paper savings bonds that have reached their term limit (matured) and, thus, have stopped earning interest.
It's not relevant for electronic savings bonds because we pay for them automatically as soon as they stop earning interest.
You also want a different page for these situations:
- Your paper or electronic EE or I savings bond has not yet reached 30 years from the date we issued it but you want to cash it in: Cashing EE or I savings bonds
- Your HH savings bond has not yet reached 20 years from the date we issued it but you want to cash it in: Cashing in HH savings bonds
- You wonder if a Treasury marketable security (not a savings bond, but instead a Bill, Bond, Note, TIPS, or FRN) has matured and is no longer earning interest: Auction Query
What savings bonds have stopped earning interest?
If you have a savings bond from any of the following series, it no longer earns interest: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, and all Savings Notes.
The only savings bonds that still earn interest are I bonds and some EE and HH bonds. For those, you must look at the issue date. EE and I bonds earn interest for 30 years from the issue date. HH bonds earn interest for 20 years from the issue date.
How do I know if my bond has already been cashed?
If you have the serial numbers of your old bonds, but you are not sure if they have been cashed, you can write to us:
Treasury Retail Securities Services
P.O. Box 9150
Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150
Are there bonds I may have forgotten about? (Treasury Hunt)
With your Social Security Number (or Taxpayer Identification Number) or name and state, you can use our Treasury Hunt search to see if you have any savings bonds listed in our database. If you do, you'll get information on how to claim and cash them. We update Treasury Hunt every month.
How do I get my money for savings bonds?
Information for special circ*mstances:
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:
Send the form and the bonds to us at the address on FS Form 1522.
Will I get a form for my tax return?
For most savings bonds, yes, you will receive a form for the year you cash the bond. For Series A, B, and C bonds of all years and for Series D bonds issued through February 1941, no, because they are not subject to federal income tax.
For a Series HH bond that carries deferred interest, you will get a tax form either after you cash the bond or after it matures, whichever comes first.
Can I authorize someone else to cash my bonds?
You may authorize an attorney-in-fact to cash your bonds. See our instructions for an attorney-in-fact.
FAQs
Generally, if you're listed as the registered owner of the savings bond, you should need to bring just the paper bond and one or two current forms of identification to a bank or credit union. While a paper savings bond looks like a check, do not sign it until you are told to do so during the redemption process.
How do I cash a large amount of savings bonds? ›
You can redeem a savings bond online at the Treasury Department's TreasuryDirect website, by mail or at your local bank or credit union, if they offer the service. Your savings bond must be at least a year old, and you'll need government-issued identification to prove that the bond is yours.
How do I cash out my Series I Bonds? ›
Electronic I bonds can be cashed online through TreasuryDirect.gov. Paper I bonds can be cashed online, or they may be accepted by some banks. If you hold an I bond for less than five years, you'll lose three months' interest.
What is the penalty for not cashing matured 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.
How much is a $100 savings bond worth after 20 years? ›
How to get the most value from your savings bonds
| Face Value | Purchase Amount | 20-Year Value (Purchased May 2000) |
|---|
| $50 Bond | $100 | $109.52 |
| $100 Bond | $200 | $219.04 |
| $500 Bond | $400 | $547.60 |
| $1,000 Bond | $800 | $1,095.20 |
Log into your primary TreasuryDirect® account. Click the ManageDirect® tab at the top of the page. Under the heading Manage My Securities, click "Redeem securities". On the Redemption page, choose the button beside the security type you want to redeem and click "Submit".
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.
What documents do I need to cash a savings bond? ›
In addition to the bonds, you'll need to provide proof of identity, like a United States driver's license, and partner with a notary to notarize and certify your signature on an unsigned FS Form 1522 to your local bank or credit union.
Why can't I cash my savings bonds? ›
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 do I sell Series I bonds on TreasuryDirect? ›
The process for selling your I Bonds is quite similar to how you bought your I Bonds. Log in to your TreasuryDirect account, select the bonds you want to cash, and follow the on-screen instructions. The money will be deposited directly into your linked bank account.
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.
Should I cash in my Series I bonds? ›
Chances are you bought your I Bonds at the 0.0% fixed rate in 2021 or 2022, so as they are renewing your rates are coming in below 4%, compared to other interest rate accounts at roughly 5%. Keep in mind that cashing out in the first 5 years will cause you to lose your prior 3 months' interest.
How do you avoid tax on treasury bonds? ›
Using the money for higher education may keep you from paying federal income tax on your savings bond interest.
Can a savings bond be too old to redeem? ›
Series I savings bonds, commonly referred to as "I Bonds," fully mature after 30 years. However, you can redeem them as early as one year after purchase. If you do redeem them early, you'll give up the last three months of interest, so you'll need to make sure you really need the money if you want to cash out early.
What happens to uncashed savings bonds? ›
For those fully matured bonds remaining unredeemed, there is no active program by the Bureau to locate the bondholders and pay them the proceeds to which they are entitled. Traditionally, it has been up to the registered owner to remember to redeem the matured bond decades after the initial purchase.
Can you cash out a Treasury bond at any time? ›
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.
Will banks cash Treasury bonds? ›
Banks and credit unions can redeem savings bonds over the counter.
Can you sell Treasury bonds whenever you want? ›
You can hold a bond until it matures or sell it before it matures. EE Bonds, I Bonds, and HH Bonds are U.S. savings bonds. For information, see U.S. Savings Bonds.
How do I cash out my Treasury bills? ›
You can hold Treasury bills until they mature or sell them before they mature. To sell a bill you hold in TreasuryDirect or Legacy TreasuryDirect, first transfer the bill to a bank, broker, or dealer, then ask the bank, broker, or dealer to sell the bill for you.
