How to find the current value of an EE bond
The value of an EE bond depends on how long you have held it and the interest rate it earns. You can find the exact current value by looking up your bond on the Treasury Department's website using the Savings Bond Calculator, which is free and requires no login. You will need the bond's series, denomination, issue date, and the month and year you want to check the value for.
Go to treasurydirect.gov, select "Savings Bond Calculator" from the main menu, and enter your bond information. The calculator shows you what your bond is worth on any date you choose. This is the only official source for accurate values — the number printed on the physical bond itself becomes outdated after the first month.
If you cannot locate your bond's details, you can search for lost or forgotten bonds through the Treasury's Savings Bond Search tool, also on treasurydirect.gov. This tool searches bonds registered to your Social Security number or employer identification number and shows you what they are currently worth.
Key Takeaways
- The Treasury's Savings Bond Calculator on treasurydirect.gov is the official way to find what an EE bond is worth on any specific date.
- EE bonds earn interest monthly, so the value changes every month — the printed amount on the bond is only accurate for the first month after purchase.
- You need the bond's series, denomination, issue date, and the specific month and year you want to check in order to use the calculator.
- If you have lost track of bonds you own, the Treasury's Savings Bond Search tool can locate them and show their current value.
Why the printed value is not the current value
When you buy an EE bond, the amount printed on it — say, $50 or $100 — is the face value, not what it is worth today. EE bonds are sold at half their face value, so a $100 bond costs $50 when you buy it. The bond then earns interest each month until it reaches face value and beyond.
The printed value becomes outdated after the first month because the bond earns interest automatically. A $50 EE bond purchased in January might be worth $50.15 in February, $50.30 in March, and so on. After 20 years, that same bond could be worth $100 or more, depending on the interest rate it earned during that time.
How interest rates affect what your bond is worth
EE bonds purchased before May 2003 and EE bonds purchased from May 2003 onward earn interest in different ways, and this affects their current value.
Bonds purchased before May 2003 earn a fixed interest rate that was set when you bought the bond. That rate never changes. A bond purchased in 1995 still earns the same percentage it earned in 1996, 1997, and today. The longer you hold the bond, the more interest compounds, so a 30-year-old bond is worth significantly more than a 10-year-old bond from the same purchase date.
Bonds purchased from May 2003 onward earn interest based on a formula that changes every six months. The Treasury announces new rates on May 1 and November 1 each year. These bonds earn a composite rate (a combination of a fixed rate and a variable rate based on inflation). The Savings Bond Calculator accounts for all past rate changes and shows you the exact value based on when you bought the bond and what rates applied during each period you held it.
What happens when an EE bond reaches face value
An EE bond continues to earn interest even after it reaches its face value. A $50 bond that grows to $100 does not stop there — it keeps earning interest for up to 30 years from the issue date.
The Treasury guarantees that an EE bond will reach at least its face value within 20 years. This means if you bought a $50 EE bond and held it for 20 years, it would be worth at least $100 even if interest rates were very low. In practice, most EE bonds reach face value much sooner, often within 10 to 15 years.
After 30 years, the bond stops earning interest and is considered mature. At that point, you should redeem it because you are no longer earning anything on your money. You can redeem the bond at any bank or through TreasuryDirect.
Checking the value of bonds you own through TreasuryDirect
If you own EE bonds through TreasuryDirect (the Treasury's online platform), you can see their current value by logging into your account. Your dashboard shows all bonds you own, their purchase dates, denominations, and current values updated daily.
You do not need to use the Savings Bond Calculator for TreasuryDirect bonds because the system shows you the value automatically. However, if you own physical paper EE bonds or bonds registered to someone else, you will need the calculator.
Understanding the difference between purchase price and current value
Many people confuse what they paid for a bond with what it is currently worth. You might have paid $50 for an EE bond in 2010, but that bond could be worth $85 or $95 today depending on the interest it has earned.
The purchase price is what came out of your pocket. The current value is what the bond is worth right now, including all the interest it has earned. When you redeem the bond, you receive the current value, not the purchase price. This is why EE bonds are a form of savings — you get back more than you put in.
What to do if you cannot find your bond information
If you have physical EE bonds but cannot locate the details you need for the calculator, start with the Savings Bond Search tool. Enter your name and Social Security number, and the Treasury will show you all bonds registered to you, including their series, denominations, and issue dates.
If the search does not find your bonds, check any old financial records, bank statements, or letters from when you purchased them. The issue date is printed on the bond itself, so if you have the physical bond, you can read it directly. Once you have the issue date and denomination, the calculator will give you the current value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find out what my EE bond is worth without the issue date?
No, the Savings Bond Calculator requires the issue date to calculate the value accurately. However, the issue date is printed on the physical bond itself. If you have the bond, you can read it directly. If you have lost the bond, the Savings Bond Search tool can locate it using your Social Security number and show you all the details you need.
How often does the value of an EE bond change?
EE bonds earn interest monthly, so the value changes every month. The Treasury updates the value on the first day of each month. If you check the Savings Bond Calculator on different dates, you will see slightly different values depending on which month you are checking.
Is the value shown in the Savings Bond Calculator the amount I will receive if I cash it in?
Yes, the value shown in the calculator is what you will receive when you redeem the bond, minus any federal income tax you owe on the interest earned. The calculator shows the full value before taxes.
What if my EE bond is worth less than what I paid for it?
This can happen if you bought the bond recently and have not held it long enough to earn much interest. EE bonds are designed as long-term savings, and the value grows slowly at first. If you need the money, you can redeem it at any time, but you will receive less than you paid. Holding the bond longer allows the interest to compound and eventually exceed your purchase price.
Can I check the value of someone else's EE bond?
You can use the Savings Bond Calculator if you have the bond's series, denomination, and issue date, but the calculator does not show whose name is on the bond. The Savings Bond Search tool requires a Social Security number or employer identification number, so you can only search for bonds registered to yourself or your business.