How to find your savings bond's current value

The U.S. Department of the Treasury maintains a free tool called the Savings Bond Calculator at treasurydirect.gov. You enter the bond's series (Series EE, Series I, or Series HH), the issue date, and the denomination you paid for it, and the calculator shows you what it's worth right now. That number changes every month for Series I bonds and every six months for Series EE bonds, so the value you see today will be different from the value next month.

If you've lost track of your bonds or don't know the exact issue date, you can search the Treasury's Savings Bond Database, also at treasurydirect.gov. You'll need your Social Security number and the last name on the bond. The database shows all registered bonds in your name and their current values.

For bonds issued before May 2003, you may still have paper certificates. The same calculator works for those — you just need to know when it was issued and how much you paid for it originally.

Key Takeaways

  • Series EE and Series I bonds increase in value every month or every six months, so your bond is worth more now than when you bought it.
  • The Treasury's Savings Bond Calculator at treasurydirect.gov shows the exact current value if you know the series, issue date, and original purchase price.
  • Series I bonds adjust for inflation every six months, so their value depends partly on what inflation was during the last six-month period.
  • You can search the Treasury's database by Social Security number if you don't remember which bonds you own or when you bought them.
  • Bonds purchased before May 2003 as paper certificates are still valid and can be valued the same way as electronic bonds.

Why Series EE and Series I bonds grow at different rates

Series EE bonds are may provide to double in value over 20 years, no matter what happens to interest rates. The Treasury sets a fixed interest rate when you buy the bond, and that rate stays the same for the life of the bond. Right now, new Series EE bonds earn a rate that the Treasury announces every six months. The rate you see when you buy is locked in for your bond alone.

Series I bonds work differently. They have two parts: a fixed rate (which stays the same for 30 years) and an inflation rate (which changes every six months based on the Consumer Price Index). The inflation part is what makes Series I bonds valuable during periods when prices are rising quickly. If inflation is high, your Series I bond's value jumps more than it would in a low-inflation period.

This means a Series I bond you bought two years ago is worth more today if inflation has been high during those two years. A Series EE bond you bought two years ago is worth more because of the fixed rate you locked in, but the increase is steady and predictable — not tied to inflation.

What happens to your bond's value after 30 years

Both Series EE and Series I bonds stop earning interest after 30 years. At that point, the value you see in the calculator is the final value — it will not go up anymore. You can still hold the bond, but it's no longer growing.

Series EE bonds can be cashed in anytime after one year, though you'll lose the last three months of interest if you cash in before five years have passed. Series I bonds have the same early-redemption penalty: you can cash them in after one year, but you lose three months of interest if you redeem before five years.

If you hold either bond past 30 years without cashing it in, the value stays frozen at whatever it reached at the 30-year mark. The Treasury does not extend the earning period or move the bond to a new series automatically.

How to read the value the calculator gives you

When you use the Savings Bond Calculator, the number it shows is what you would receive if you cashed the bond in today. That includes all the interest earned since you bought it. If you paid $50 for a Series EE bond 15 years ago and the calculator shows $87.50, that means you've earned $37.50 in interest, and $87.50 is what the Treasury would send you.

The calculator also shows you the issue date, the final maturity date (when the bond stops earning), and the current interest rate. For Series I bonds, it breaks down the fixed rate and the inflation rate separately so you can see which part of your earnings came from inflation protection.

Keep in mind that the value shown is before any taxes you owe. Savings bond interest is subject to federal income tax (though not state or local tax). You don't pay the tax until you cash the bond in or it reaches final maturity, so the full value shown in the calculator is yours to keep until that point.

Checking your bonds if you inherited them or found old certificates

Inherited bonds and old paper certificates are still valid. Use the same Savings Bond Calculator — you just need the series letter, the issue date, and the denomination. If the bond is in someone else's name (because you inherited it), you can still look up its value, but you'll need to work with the Treasury to transfer ownership or cash it in.

If you have a paper certificate and want to know its value, look at the front of the certificate for the series (usually printed as "Series EE" or "Series I"), the issue date (printed as a month and year), and the denomination (the amount printed on the bond itself). Enter those three pieces of information into the calculator.

Bonds issued before 1974 may have stopped earning interest decades ago. The calculator will show you if a bond has reached final maturity — the value will be frozen and won't change month to month anymore.

What affects your bond's value between now and when you cash it

For Series EE bonds, the value is locked in the moment you buy it. The interest rate you receive is set, and the bond will earn that rate every month until it reaches 30 years. Nothing you do or don't do changes that rate. The only variable is time — the longer you hold it, the more it's worth.

For Series I bonds, the inflation rate changes every six months (in May and November). If you own a Series I bond, its value will jump on those dates when the new inflation rate takes effect. You don't have to do anything — the Treasury updates the value automatically. This is why a Series I bond's value can seem to jump suddenly in May or November, while a Series EE bond's value increases smoothly every month.

Interest rates set by the Federal Reserve do not directly affect the value of bonds you already own. The Treasury's rates for new bonds do change based on market conditions, but your existing bond's rate is locked in and won't change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cash in my bond for the value the calculator shows?

Yes, if the bond is at least one year old. You'll receive the full value shown in the calculator minus three months of interest if you cash it in before five years have passed. After five years, you get the full value with no penalty. You can cash in Series EE and Series I bonds through your bank or directly through TreasuryDirect.

Why does my Series I bond's value jump sometimes but stay steady other times?

Series I bonds update their value every month, but the inflation rate changes only twice a year (May and November). When the new inflation rate takes effect, the bond's monthly growth rate changes, which can make the value jump more than usual that month. Series EE bonds grow at the same rate every month because their rate never changes.

What if the calculator shows my bond is worth less than I paid for it?

This should not happen for Series EE or Series I bonds — they are may provide never to lose value. If the calculator shows a lower value than you expected, double-check that you entered the correct issue date and series. If you're still seeing a lower value, contact the Treasury's Savings Bond Operations at 1-800-553-2663.

Do I have to pay taxes on the value the calculator shows?

You owe federal income tax on the interest your bond earned, but you don't pay it until you cash the bond in or it reaches final maturity at 30 years. The value shown in the calculator includes all that interest. You can report the tax each year or wait until you redeem the bond — either way, the full amount shown is taxable.

Is my paper savings bond still worth anything if it's very old?

Yes, as long as it hasn't reached final maturity (30 years from issue). Use the calculator with the series, issue date, and denomination from the certificate. If the bond is older than 30 years, it stopped earning interest but is still worth whatever value it reached at that point. You can still cash it in for that amount.