Savings bonds mature on a fixed schedule set when you buy them
A savings bond reaches maturity on a specific date printed on the bond itself — usually 20 or 30 years after you purchase it, depending on the type. Series EE bonds mature in 30 years. Series I bonds mature in 30 years. Series HH bonds (no longer sold) matured in 20 years. Once a bond reaches its maturity date, it stops earning interest, even if you keep holding it.
The maturity date is not the same as the date you can cash it in. You can redeem most savings bonds after just one year of ownership, but if you cash in a Series EE or I bond before five years have passed, you lose the last three months of interest as a penalty. After five years, you can cash it with no penalty. The maturity date is simply when the bond's earning period ends.
You can find your bond's maturity date by looking at the issue date on the bond certificate itself. If you own bonds through TreasuryDirect (the U.S. Treasury's online platform), log in to your account and the maturity date appears next to each bond in your holdings list.
Key Takeaways
- Series EE and I bonds stop earning interest 30 years after the issue date, which is printed on your bond certificate or visible in your TreasuryDirect account.
- You can cash in a bond before maturity without penalty after holding it for five years, but cashing it earlier costs you the last three months of interest.
- After a bond matures, it no longer grows in value, so holding it past maturity means leaving money that could be earning interest elsewhere.
- The Treasury does not automatically cash your bonds at maturity — you must request the redemption yourself through your bank or TreasuryDirect.
What happens to your money when a bond reaches maturity
When your bond reaches its maturity date, the principal (the amount you originally paid) plus all accumulated interest stops growing. The bond sits at its final value indefinitely unless you redeem it. The Treasury does not automatically send you the money or move it anywhere — you have to take action to cash it in.
If you own the bond through TreasuryDirect, you can redeem it online by logging into your account, selecting the bond, and requesting a redemption. The money typically arrives in your linked bank account within a few business days. If you own a paper bond, you take it to your bank and request redemption there. Some banks charge a small fee for this service, though many do not.
Once you redeem a matured bond, you receive the full value it had reached at maturity. There is no additional tax at redemption — you will have already reported the interest earned on your tax return in the year the bond matured (or earlier if you chose to report interest annually).
Why you should not leave money in a matured bond
A bond that has reached maturity is essentially a savings account earning zero percent interest. If you leave $10,000 in a matured Series EE bond, it will still be worth $10,000 in five years, while money in a high-yield savings account or a new bond would continue to grow.
Current interest rates on Series I bonds and Series EE bonds change every six months (May and November). If rates have risen since your bond matured, a new bond will earn more. Even if rates have fallen, keeping cash in a matured bond means you are missing out on whatever return you could earn elsewhere, even if that return is small.
The practical step is to redeem your matured bond within a few months of the maturity date and decide what to do with the money — whether that is buying new bonds, moving it to savings, or using it for something else. There is no penalty for cashing in a matured bond, and there is no benefit to waiting.
How to track maturity dates across multiple bonds
If you own several bonds purchased over different years, keeping track of maturity dates manually can become confusing. TreasuryDirect shows all your bonds in one place with their issue dates and maturity dates listed. You can sort by maturity date to see which bonds are approaching their final earning date.
For paper bonds, write the maturity date on the certificate itself or keep a simple spreadsheet with the bond serial number, issue date, and maturity date. Some people set a phone reminder for six months before maturity so they have time to plan what to do with the money.
If you have inherited bonds or received them as a gift and do not know the issue date, you can look it up through TreasuryDirect if the bond is registered there, or contact the Treasury's Savings Bonds customer service at 1-800-553-2663. They can tell you the issue date and calculate the maturity date for you.
The difference between maturity and final redemption date
Savings bonds have a final redemption date that is different from the maturity date. For Series EE and I bonds, the final redemption date is 30 years after issue, which is the same as the maturity date. However, some older bond series had extended final redemption dates — meaning they could be held and redeemed for a period after they stopped earning interest.
Series HH bonds, for example, had a maturity of 20 years but a final redemption date of 30 years. This meant you could hold an HH bond for 10 years after it stopped earning interest and still redeem it for its final value. Once the final redemption date passes, the bond becomes worthless and cannot be redeemed.
If you own older bonds, check the Treasury's bond information page or call their customer service to confirm your bond's final redemption date. This matters because if you miss the final redemption date, you lose the money entirely.
Reinvesting when your bond matures
When you redeem a matured bond, you have several options for what to do with the money. You can buy new Series EE or I bonds through TreasuryDirect, which will have a new 30-year maturity date and will earn interest at the current rate. You can also move the money to a high-yield savings account, a money market account, or another investment depending on your goals and timeline.
If you are buying new bonds, remember that Series I bonds are designed to protect against inflation — the interest rate adjusts every six months based on inflation data. Series EE bonds earn a fixed rate for the entire 30-year period. Your choice depends on whether you expect inflation to be high or low over the next 30 years.
Some people use matured bonds as a trigger to review their entire savings and investment strategy. If your financial situation has changed since you bought the original bond, maturity is a natural time to reassess whether bonds are still the right place for that money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cash in my bond before the maturity date?
Yes. You can redeem most savings bonds after holding them for one year, though you will lose the last three months of interest if you cash in before five years have passed. After five years, you can redeem with no penalty. The maturity date is when the bond stops earning interest, not when you can first access your money.
What if I lose track of a bond's maturity date?
If the bond is in TreasuryDirect, log in and the maturity date appears next to each holding. For paper bonds, call the Treasury at 1-800-553-2663 with the serial number and they will tell you the issue date and maturity date. Write it down so you do not lose track again.
Do I have to cash in my bond on the maturity date?
No. You can hold a matured bond indefinitely, but it will not earn any interest. There is no penalty for cashing it in after maturity, so most people redeem within a few months to put the money somewhere it can continue to grow.
What happens if I never redeem my bond after it matures?
The bond keeps its final value but earns nothing. If you hold it past the final redemption date (30 years for most current bonds), it becomes worthless and cannot be redeemed. Check your bond's final redemption date to make sure you do not miss the deadline.
Are there taxes owed when a bond matures?
No additional tax is owed at maturity. You report the interest earned on your tax return in the year the bond matures, or you may have already reported it annually if you chose that option. When you redeem the bond, you simply receive the full value with no tax withheld.