EE bonds mature at 30 years from the issue date

An EE bond stops earning interest after 30 years. The date printed on your bond certificate — the issue date — is the day you start counting. If you bought an EE bond on March 15, 2020, it reaches maturity on March 15, 2050. After that date, no new interest accrues, even if you hold the bond.

The maturity date matters because it marks the end of the bond's earning life. You can still cash the bond after maturity, and you will receive the full value it had on the maturity date. But waiting longer will not increase that value.

Key Takeaways

  • EE bonds stop earning interest exactly 30 years after the issue date printed on the bond.
  • You can cash an EE bond at any time after you have held it for one year, but you will lose the last three months of interest if you cash it before five years have passed.
  • The Treasury guarantees that an EE bond will double in value by the 20-year mark, even if market interest rates fall below the bond's rate.
  • After maturity, the bond holds its value but earns nothing, so cashing it or moving the money becomes the practical next step.

The 20-year doubling may provide and what happens after

The U.S. Treasury makes a specific promise with EE bonds: the bond will be worth at least double its purchase price after 20 years. If you bought a $50 EE bond (which costs $25), it will be worth at least $50 on the 20-year anniversary, regardless of interest rate changes. This may provide applies to all EE bonds issued after May 2003.

Between year 20 and year 30, the bond continues to earn interest at its original rate. The interest compounds semiannually — meaning the Treasury adds interest twice a year, and that new interest itself earns interest. By year 30, most EE bonds have grown well beyond the doubled value.

Once the bond reaches year 30, this earning stops. The value you see on the maturity date is locked in. If you do not cash the bond, it simply sits at that final value with no further growth.

How to find your bond's exact maturity date

The issue date is printed directly on the bond certificate itself. Look for the line labeled "Issue Date" — this is the month and year the bond was issued. Count forward 30 years from that month and year to find maturity.

If you own bonds through TreasuryDirect (the Treasury's online system), log into your account and view your bond holdings. The system displays the issue date and automatically calculates the maturity date for each bond. You can also download a text file of all your bonds with their dates and current values.

For paper bonds you hold physically, the certificate itself is your record. Write the maturity date on the certificate or keep a separate list, especially if you own multiple bonds with different issue dates.

What to do when a bond reaches maturity

You are not required to do anything on the maturity date. The bond will not disappear or lose value. However, because it stops earning interest, holding it beyond maturity means your money is no longer growing.

Your options are to cash the bond, reinvest the proceeds in a new savings vehicle, or leave it as is if you do not need the money. If you hold the bond through TreasuryDirect, you can request a redemption (cash-out) online, and the Treasury will deposit the funds into your linked bank account within a few business days. For paper bonds, you will need to take them to a bank or credit union that redeems savings bonds and complete a redemption form.

Some people hold matured bonds as a form of savings they have already decided not to touch. There is no penalty for keeping a matured bond, but the opportunity cost is real — that money could be earning interest elsewhere.

Early redemption and the three-month interest penalty

You can cash an EE bond before maturity, but the timing affects how much interest you receive. If you cash the bond before it has been held for five years, the Treasury withholds the last three months of interest as a penalty. This means you lose the interest that would have been paid in the most recent quarter.

After five years, you can cash the bond without any penalty, and you receive all interest earned up to the redemption date. Between year five and year 30, there is no reason to wait — you get the full value whenever you choose to cash it.

The one-year minimum applies before you can cash at all. EE bonds cannot be redeemed during the first 12 months of ownership.

Tracking multiple bonds with different maturity dates

If you own several EE bonds purchased in different years, each one has its own maturity date. A bond issued in 2015 matures in 2045, while one issued in 2010 already matured in 2040. Keeping track prevents you from accidentally holding a matured bond that could be earning interest elsewhere.

Create a simple spreadsheet or list with the issue date, purchase price, and calculated maturity date for each bond. Update it annually with the current value from TreasuryDirect or your bank statement. This makes it easy to see which bonds are approaching maturity and plan your next steps.

If you have lost track of paper bonds you own, the Treasury's Bond Lookup tool on TreasuryDirect can help you search for registered bonds by name and Social Security number. You can then add them to your online account and monitor them in one place.

Tax considerations at maturity

EE bonds are subject to federal income tax on the interest you earned, but you have a choice about when to report that income. You can report the interest each year as it accrues, or you can wait and report all the interest in the year you cash the bond or the year it matures — whichever comes first.

Most people choose to report the interest when they redeem the bond, because it delays the tax bill. However, if a bond matures and you do not cash it, you must report the interest in that tax year even if the money stays in the bond. This is an important detail if you plan to hold a matured bond for any length of time.

State and local taxes do not apply to EE bond interest, only federal tax. If you are in a lower tax bracket in the year you cash the bond, you may want to time the redemption to minimize your tax burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cash an EE bond after it matures?

Yes. A matured bond can be cashed at any time. You will receive the full value it had on the maturity date. The bond does not expire or become worthless — it simply stops earning interest. You can hold it indefinitely, but there is no financial benefit to doing so.

What if I lose track of when my bond matures?

Check the issue date on the bond certificate and add 30 years. If you own bonds through TreasuryDirect, your account shows the maturity date for each bond. For paper bonds, you can contact the Treasury or your bank for help locating the issue date if the certificate is unclear.

Do I have to pay a penalty to cash a matured bond?

No. Once a bond has matured, there is no penalty to redeem it. The three-month interest penalty only applies if you cash the bond before the five-year mark. After maturity, you receive the full value with no deduction.

What happens to the interest if I do not cash my bond at maturity?

The interest stops accruing on the maturity date. If you hold the bond past maturity without cashing it, you must still report all the interest earned on your federal tax return in the year of maturity, even though you have not received the money yet.

Can I roll the money from a matured EE bond into another bond?

You can cash the matured bond and use the proceeds to buy new EE bonds or other Treasury securities. There is no automatic rollover — you must redeem the old bond and then purchase new bonds separately through TreasuryDirect or a bank.