Maturity timelines depend on the bond type and the rate it earns

Series EE bonds take 20 years to reach their face value if you bought them at the standard 50% discount. A $100 EE bond costs $50 and becomes worth $100 after 20 years, regardless of the interest rate. Series I bonds and Series HH bonds have different structures and different maturity points. The time to maturity is fixed by the bond type itself — you cannot shorten it or extend it.

The maturity date is printed on your bond or shown in your TreasuryDirect account the moment you buy it. You do not have to calculate it. But understanding what "maturity" means for each type helps you plan when you will actually have access to your full value.

Key Takeaways

  • Series EE bonds reach face value (their full may provide value) after exactly 20 years from the issue date.
  • Series I bonds have no fixed maturity date but earn interest for 30 years, after which they stop earning and should be cashed in.
  • Series HH bonds mature after 20 years, but you can extend them for another 10 years if you choose.
  • You can cash in any savings bond after one year, but you lose the last three months of interest if you cash it in before five years have passed.
  • The maturity date is set when you purchase the bond and appears in your TreasuryDirect account or on the physical bond certificate.

Series EE bonds: 20 years to may provide face value

When you buy a Series EE bond, the U.S. Treasury guarantees that it will be worth its face value after exactly 20 years. If you paid $50 for a $100 bond, you are may provide to have $100 at the 20-year mark. This is true even if interest rates are very low and the bond has earned almost nothing on its own.

Before 20 years pass, the bond earns interest monthly (though interest is only paid when you cash it in or it matures). The actual value climbs slowly at first, then faster as compound interest builds. But the 20-year point is when the Treasury's may provide kicks in — you will have at least the face value, no matter what.

After 20 years, the bond continues to earn interest for another 10 years, up to 30 years total. You are not forced to cash it in at year 20. But if you hold it past 20 years, you are relying on the interest rate it earns, not on a may provide.

Series I bonds: 30-year earning period with no fixed maturity

Series I bonds do not have a maturity date in the traditional sense. Instead, they earn interest for a fixed 30 years from the issue date. After 30 years, they stop earning interest entirely and should be cashed in.

The interest rate on I bonds changes every six months (in May and November). The rate is made up of a fixed portion, which never changes, plus an inflation portion, which adjusts based on the Consumer Price Index. This means the value grows at different speeds depending on when you bought it and what inflation does over the next 30 years.

You can cash in an I bond after one year, but if you do so before five years have passed, you lose the last three months of interest as a penalty. After five years, you can cash it in anytime without penalty. Most people hold I bonds for at least five years to avoid the penalty, but there is no rule forcing you to hold them until 30 years.

Series HH bonds: 20-year maturity with extension option

Series HH bonds mature after 20 years. Unlike EE bonds, HH bonds do not have a may provide face value — they earn a fixed interest rate that is paid to you twice a year in cash. The maturity date is when the bond stops earning and the final interest payment is made.

At the 20-year maturity point, you have the option to extend the bond for another 10 years. If you choose to extend, the bond will earn interest for those 10 additional years at a rate set by the Treasury at the time of extension. If you do not extend, the bond stops earning and you should cash it in.

HH bonds are no longer sold by the Treasury, but if you own older ones, the maturity rules still apply. You can find the exact maturity date on the bond certificate or by contacting TreasuryDirect.

What happens when a bond reaches maturity

When a bond reaches its maturity date, it stops earning interest. For EE and HH bonds, this is a hard stop — the bond will not earn another penny after that date. For I bonds, the 30-year mark is when earnings end.

You are not automatically paid when a bond matures. You have to cash it in yourself through TreasuryDirect (for electronic bonds) or through a bank or broker (for paper bonds). The Treasury does not send you a check or move money to your account on its own. If you forget to cash in a mature bond, your money just sits there earning nothing.

Once you cash in a mature bond, you receive the full value — the original purchase price plus all interest earned. If you bought a $100 EE bond for $50 and held it for 20 years, you would receive $100 (or more if interest rates were high enough to push it above the may provide).

Early redemption and the three-month interest penalty

You can cash in any savings bond after one year, even if it has not reached maturity. But there is a cost: if you cash it in before five years have passed, you lose the last three months of interest. This penalty applies to EE, I, and HH bonds.

The three-month penalty is real money. If your bond has earned $50 in interest over three years, and you cash it in, you lose $12.50 (three months' worth of that interest). This is why financial advisors often say to hold savings bonds for at least five years — once you cross that threshold, you can cash in anytime without losing interest.

After five years, you can cash in a bond anytime without penalty, even if it has not reached maturity. The interest you have earned up to that point is yours to keep.

Finding your bond's maturity date

If you own electronic bonds through TreasuryDirect, log into your account and look at your bond holdings. The maturity date (or final earnings date for I bonds) is listed there. You can also see the current value and the interest earned so far.

If you own paper bonds, the issue date is printed on the certificate. For EE bonds, add 20 years to that date to find maturity. For HH bonds, add 20 years. For I bonds, add 30 years. You can also call the Treasury's customer service line or visit the TreasuryDirect website to look up a paper bond's details if you have the serial number.

Some older bonds may have been issued before TreasuryDirect existed. If you have paper bonds from the 1980s or 1990s, you can still cash them in, but you will need to go through a bank or broker. The maturity rules are the same — 20 years for EE, 30 years for I.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cash in a bond before it matures?

Yes. You can cash in any savings bond after one year. If you cash it in before five years have passed, you lose the last three months of interest. After five years, you can cash it in anytime without penalty, even if the bond has not reached maturity.

What happens if I hold a bond past its maturity date?

The bond stops earning interest on the maturity date. Your money does not disappear, but it is no longer growing. You should cash it in to move the money somewhere it can earn interest. The Treasury does not automatically pay you when a bond matures.

Can I extend a savings bond past its maturity date?

Only HH bonds can be extended. At the 20-year maturity point, you can choose to extend for another 10 years at a new interest rate set by the Treasury. EE bonds cannot be extended, but they do continue to earn interest for 10 more years (up to 30 total) if you do not cash them in at year 20.

How do I know the exact maturity date of my bond?

Check your TreasuryDirect account if you own electronic bonds — the date is listed there. For paper bonds, add 20 years to the issue date for EE bonds, or 30 years for I bonds. You can also contact TreasuryDirect or a bank with the bond's serial number to look it up.

Do I have to cash in my bond on the maturity date?

No. You can cash it in anytime after maturity. But the bond will not earn interest anymore, so there is no benefit to holding it past the maturity date. Most people cash in mature bonds within a few months to reinvest the money.