The value of your EE bond is what the U.S. Treasury will pay you if you cash it in today

An EE bond's value changes every month. The Treasury adds interest to your bond on the first day of each month, so the amount you can cash in for grows steadily. You cannot see this value printed on the bond itself — you have to look it up using a Treasury tool or contact your bank.

The value depends on three things: how much you paid for the bond, how long you have owned it, and the current interest rate the Treasury is paying on new EE bonds. A bond you bought five years ago is worth more than an identical bond you bought last month, even though they cost the same when you bought them.

Key Takeaways

  • The Treasury updates your bond's value on the first day of every month, and you can look up the exact amount through Treasury Direct or a savings bond calculator.
  • An EE bond will never be worth less than what you paid for it, even if interest rates drop, because the Treasury guarantees a minimum value.
  • You can cash in an EE bond at any time after one year of ownership, but you lose the last three months of interest if you cash it in before five years.
  • The longer you hold an EE bond, the more interest it earns, and most EE bonds stop earning interest after 30 years.

How to look up your bond's current value

The easiest way is through Treasury Direct, the U.S. Treasury's official website. If you own the bond through a Treasury Direct account, you can log in and see the exact value of every bond you own. The site shows you the purchase price, the date you bought it, the current value, and when it will stop earning interest.

If you do not have a Treasury Direct account or cannot find your bonds there, use the Savings Bond Calculator on the Treasury website. You enter the bond series (EE), the issue date (the month and year you bought it), and the denomination (how much you paid — usually $25, $50, $100, or $500). The calculator tells you the current value based on the interest rate that was in effect when you bought the bond.

If you own paper bonds and do not know the exact issue date, look at the bond itself. The date is printed on the front. If you own bonds through a bank or brokerage, contact them directly — they can tell you the value or show you how to check it in your account.

Why your bond's value changes every month

The Treasury pays interest on EE bonds every month, on the first day. This interest is added to your bond's value automatically. You do not receive a payment — the interest just sits there, earning interest of its own (this is called compounding).

The interest rate itself changes twice a year, in May and November. The Treasury sets new rates based on inflation and other economic factors. If you bought your bond when rates were higher, your bond earns that higher rate for the entire time you own it — the rate does not go down. If you bought it when rates were lower, it earns the lower rate. This is why two identical bonds bought at different times can have different values.

The Treasury also guarantees that an EE bond will never be worth less than what you paid for it. If interest rates drop so low that your bond would be worth less, the Treasury makes up the difference. This may provide means you cannot lose money on an EE bond, but it also means your return is capped if rates fall very far.

The penalty for cashing in before five years

You can cash in an EE bond at any time after you have owned it for one year. However, if you cash it in before five years, you lose the last three months of interest. This is called the early redemption penalty.

For example, if your bond is worth $1,050 but you cash it in after three years, you lose three months of interest. The Treasury calculates what three months of interest would have been and subtracts it from your value. You might receive $1,035 instead of $1,050. The exact amount depends on the interest rate your bond earns.

If you hold the bond for five years or longer, there is no penalty. You receive the full current value, including all interest earned to date.

When your bond stops earning interest

EE bonds stop earning interest after 30 years. At that point, the value is locked in — it will not grow any further, even if you keep holding it. The Treasury will not cash it in automatically, but there is no reason to keep it after 30 years unless you want to hold it for sentimental reasons.

You can find out when your bond will reach 30 years by looking at the issue date. Count forward 30 years from that month. If you bought a bond in June 2000, it stops earning interest in June 2030. After that date, the value shown in Treasury Direct or the calculator will not change.

What happens if you cannot find your bonds

If you own bonds through Treasury Direct but lost access to your account, you can recover it by going to the Treasury Direct website and using the password reset tool. You will need to verify your identity using your Social Security number and other personal information.

If you own paper bonds and cannot find them, the Treasury keeps a record. You can contact the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which manages savings bonds for the Treasury. They can search their records by your Social Security number and tell you what bonds are registered to you. If you find a bond years later, you can still cash it in — there is no time limit.

How bond value differs from bond price

The price of an EE bond is what you pay when you buy it. You always pay face value — a $100 bond costs $100. You cannot buy an EE bond for more or less than its face value.

The value is what it is worth when you cash it in. This is always at least the price you paid, and usually more, because of the interest. The difference between what you paid and what you cash it in for is your earnings.

This is different from some other bonds, which trade on a secondary market where prices go up and down. EE bonds do not trade — you buy them directly from the Treasury at face value, and you cash them in directly with the Treasury at their current value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see my bond's value without a Treasury Direct account?

Yes. Use the Savings Bond Calculator on the Treasury website. You need the bond series (EE), the issue date, and the denomination. The calculator shows the current value based on publicly available interest rates. If you own bonds through a bank or brokerage, they can also tell you the value.

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

This should not happen. The Treasury guarantees that an EE bond will never be worth less than what you paid for it. If you see a value lower than your purchase price, contact Treasury Direct or your bank — it is likely a display error.

Does the value change if I do not check it?

No. Your bond's value grows automatically on the first of every month, whether you check it or not. You do not have to do anything. The interest is added whether you log into your account or not.

What if I bought my bond more than 30 years ago?

Your bond stopped earning interest 30 years after the issue date. The value is now fixed and will not change. You can still cash it in at any time for that fixed value — there is no deadline to redeem it.

How do I know if my bond is still earning interest?

Check the issue date on your bond or in Treasury Direct. Count forward 30 years. If that date has passed, your bond is no longer earning interest. If the date is in the future, your bond is still earning interest and will continue to grow each month.