When Do US Savings Bonds Mature: EE, I, E, and HH Bonds

US savings bonds mature 30 years after their issue date, at which point they stop earning interest entirely. That applies to both Series EE and Series I bonds sold today. Older Series E bonds have all reached final maturity, and the last Series HH bonds finished maturing in 2024. If you own a bond past its 30-year mark, holding it longer gives you nothing, so the maturity date is really a deadline to cash in.

Series EE Bonds: 30 Years, With a 20-Year Milestone

EE bonds earn interest for 30 years from the issue date. They also carry a separate milestone at year 20 called original maturity. At original maturity, the Treasury guarantees the bond is worth at least double what you paid for it, and if the accumulated interest hasn’t gotten there, a one-time adjustment closes the gap.¹

EE bonds issued since May 2005 earn a fixed rate set at purchase, and that rate holds for the life of the bond. For bonds issued between November 2025 and April 2026, the fixed rate is 2.50% per year. New rates are announced every May 1 and November 1.² After the 20-year adjustment, the bond continues earning at its original fixed rate for another 10 years before hitting final maturity at year 30.³

The 20-year mark matters for planning. Because the current fixed rate wouldn’t quite double the bond on its own over two decades, the doubling guarantee effectively boosts the return for anyone who holds to that point. Cashing out at 19 years and 6 months loses the adjustment; waiting the extra half-year captures it.

Series I Bonds: 30 Years, Rate That Resets

I bonds also earn interest for 30 years, but the rate is not fixed. It combines a fixed rate set at purchase with a variable inflation rate that resets each May and November based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. For bonds issued between November 2025 and April 2026, the composite rate is 4.03%.⁴²

Interest is added monthly and compounded semiannually, so the value grows steadily until year 30. Then it stops.⁵ Unlike EE bonds, I bonds carry no doubling guarantee. What the bond is worth at maturity depends entirely on how inflation moved over its lifetime.

Series E Bonds: All Have Already Matured

Series E bonds were sold from May 1941 through June 1980. Their maturity depended on the issue date:⁶

Bonds issued May 1941 through November 1965 had a 40-year maturity. The last of these stopped earning interest in November 2005.
Bonds issued December 1965 through June 1980 had a 30-year maturity. The last of these stopped earning interest in June 2010.

Every Series E bond has reached final maturity.⁷ If you find one in a drawer or safe deposit box, it has not been growing, and it should be cashed.

Series HH Bonds: Also Fully Matured

HH bonds worked differently from other savings bonds. Rather than accumulating interest inside the bond, they paid interest directly to the owner every six months. They were mainly obtained by exchanging matured Series E or EE bonds, and the Treasury stopped offering them on August 31, 2004.⁸

HH bonds have a 20-year maturity. Since the last were issued in 2004, the final Series HH bonds reached maturity in 2024. All HH bonds have now stopped paying interest, and owners should redeem them for their remaining principal value.⁸

How to Find a Specific Bond’s Maturity Date

For paper bonds, three pieces of information printed on the certificate tell you when it matures:

Series type, printed in the upper area of the bond (Series EE, Series I, or Series E).
Issue date, in the upper right corner, showing the month and year the bond was issued. This is the starting point for the maturity clock.
Denomination, the face value printed on the bond.

Add 30 years to the issue date for EE and I bonds, or use the E and HH rules above for older paper. To confirm the exact value and interest earned, the Treasury runs a free Savings Bond Calculator at treasurydirect.gov/BC/SBCPrice.⁹

For electronic bonds, log in to your TreasuryDirect account and open your holdings. Each bond’s purchase date, current value, interest rate, and maturity date show on the dashboard.

Why Holding a Matured Bond Costs You

Once a bond reaches final maturity, two things happen. First, it stops earning interest, so every month you hold it after that is a month your money loses ground to inflation. Second, you owe federal income tax on the accumulated interest in the year the bond stops earning, even if you have not cashed it. Most owners defer reporting savings bond interest until they redeem or the bond hits final maturity, whichever comes first, and receive a Form 1099-INT for the full accumulated amount in that year.¹⁰

That means a matured bond sitting in a drawer creates a tax bill without generating any cash to pay it. Interest on EE and I bonds is subject to federal income tax and exempt from state and local income taxes.¹⁰

Early Redemption Before Maturity

You cannot cash an EE or I bond during the first 12 months after purchase. After that, you can redeem any time, but cashing in before five years forfeits the last three months of interest. Redeem at 18 months and you receive 15 months of interest. After five years, there is no penalty.¹¹

How to Redeem a Matured Bond

For paper bonds, the simplest route is a bank or credit union. Bring the bond and valid government-issued photo ID. Policies vary, and some branches will not cash savings bonds at all, so call first to confirm.¹¹

If a bank cannot help, you can mail the bonds to the Treasury. Download and complete FS Form 1522, the official request for payment. If the total value being cashed exceeds $1,000, your signature on the form must be certified by a notary or authorized certifying officer. Send the completed form and the unsigned bonds to the address printed on the form.¹¹

For electronic bonds held in a TreasuryDirect account, log in, go to ManageDirect, and select “Redeem securities” under Manage My Securities. Choose the bonds you want to cash and the proceeds deposit into your linked bank account within a few business days.¹¹

1
eCFR. 31 CFR Part 351 Subpart B – Series EE Savings Bonds With Issue Dates of May 1, 2005, or Thereafter
2
TreasuryDirect. Fiscal Service Announces New Savings Bonds Rates
3
eCFR. 31 CFR Part 351 – Offering of United States Savings Bonds, Series EE
4
TreasuryDirect. I Bonds Interest Rates
5
TreasuryDirect. I Bonds
6
eCFR. 31 CFR 316.8 – Extended Terms and Yields for Outstanding Bonds
7
TreasuryDirect. Savings Securities Maturity Chart
8
eCFR. 31 CFR Part 352 – Offering of United States Savings Bonds, Series HH
9
TreasuryDirect. Savings Bond Calculator
10
TreasuryDirect. Tax Information for EE and I Bonds
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TreasuryDirect. Cashing EE or I Savings Bonds