Series EE and Series I savings bonds stop earning interest 30 years after their issue date, and Series E bonds after 40 or 30 years. That date is called final maturity.
On November 11, 2026, every Series E, H and HH bond, every Savings Note and every Series EE bond issued January 1980 to November 1996 has stopped earning. No Series I bond has stopped yet: the first ones reach final maturity in September 2028.
A US savings bond that has stopped earning never expires, and its value stays fixed. ClaimMyBonds is a private, independent reference, not the government; every date on this page comes from TreasuryDirect, the Code of Federal Regulations and Treasury's Fiscal Data files.
The two maturity dates, the rule for each series and what final maturity changes apply to all US savings bonds.
Original Maturity and Final Maturity: The Two Dates of a Savings Bond
Every Series EE and I bond has two maturity dates: original maturity, the end of its first interest period, and final maturity, when interest stops (31 CFR 351.3; 359.5).
Series E bonds had both dates as well; the 1941 terms set a 10-year original maturity. The gap between the two dates is the extension period, in which the bond keeps earning.
The question "how long does it take a savings bond to mature" therefore has two answers for a paper EE bond. Issues from May 1995 onward reach face value, the amount printed on the bond, after 17 or 20 years. Every EE bond stops earning interest after 30 years.
Original Maturity: When a Paper EE Bond Reaches Face Value
Original maturity is 8 to 20 years after issue for Series EE, depending on the issue date (31 CFR 351.19, 351.24, 351.29, 351.34).
Bonds issued January 1980 to April 1995 reached it after 8 to 18 years. Bonds issued May 1995 to May 2003 reached it after 17 years, and bonds issued from June 2003 after 20 years.
What does original maturity guarantee? From May 1995 issues on, a paper EE bond is worth at least its face value at original maturity.
Electronic EE bonds have been held in TreasuryDirect (Treasury's online account system) since 2002. An electronic EE bond, sold at face in TreasuryDirect, is worth at least double its purchase price at original maturity (31 CFR 351.32(b), 351.35(f)).
Older bonds worked differently. EE bonds issued January 1980 to April 1995 entered extension periods after original maturity, each with a guaranteed minimum rate. That minimum was 6% for periods entered May 1, 1989 to February 1, 1993.
For periods entered on or after March 1, 1993, it was 4%, or the minimum in effect when the period began (31 CFR 351.21(a)). A Series I bond has a 20-year original maturity followed by a 10-year extension, for 30 years in total (31 CFR 359.5).
Final Maturity: When Interest Stops for Good
Final maturity is the date a savings bond stops earning interest; after it, the redemption value never changes. The redemption value is the amount Treasury pays when you cash the bond. From final maturity on, that amount is frozen.
Final maturity equals the issue date plus the bond's term. The issue date is the first day of the month in which the issuing agent received payment (31 CFR 351.42). That month is the issue date printed on the bond; the validation (print) date does not count.
The term is 30 years for Series EE and I (31 CFR 351.5, 359.5) and 40 or 30 years for Series E (31 CFR 316.8(b)). Treasury cannot call an EE bond before final maturity (31 CFR 351.7).
Final Maturity by Series: When Each Savings Bond Series Stops Earning
Only four kinds of savings bonds can still earn interest on November 11, 2026: Series I, Series EE issued from December 1996, Retirement Plan Bonds and Individual Retirement Bonds. Every other series has reached final maturity. Series A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, HH and the Savings Notes earn nothing more.
Table 1 gives the life and the final maturity dates of every series, with the number of matured bonds still not cashed.
Table 1: Final maturity by savings bond series, status on November 11, 2026
| Series (issue dates) | Life to final maturity | Final maturity and status | Matured, not cashed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series E (May 1941 to June 1980) | 40 or 30 years (note 1) | May 1981 to June 2010; all stopped | 19,751,346 |
| Series EE (paper January 1980 to December 2011) | 30 years | January 2010 to December 2041; January 1980 to November 1996 issues stopped | 82,673,787 |
| Series I (from September 1998) | 30 years | First in September 2028; all earning | 0 |
| Series HH (January 1980 to August 2004) | 20 years | All by August 1, 2024; all stopped | 454,377 |
| Series H (June 1952 to December 1979) | 29 years 8 months or 30 years (note 2) | February 1982 to December 2009; all stopped | 26,680 |
| Savings Notes (Freedom Shares) (May 1967 to October 1970) | 30 years | May 1997 to October 2000; all stopped | 134,218 |
| Series A to D (March 1935 to April 1941) | 10 years | Last in April 1951; all stopped | 7,855 |
| Series F and G (1941 to April 1952) | 12 years | All stopped | F 9,092; G 5,519 |
| Series J and K (May 1952 to April 1957) | 12 years | All stopped | J 1,767; K 96 |
| Retirement Plan Bonds (January 1963 to April 1982) | No fixed term (note 3) | Varies; may still earn | Not stated |
| Individual Retirement Bonds (January 1975 to April 1982) | No fixed term (note 4) | Varies; may still earn | Not stated |
| All series: types of US savings bonds | 103,064,737 (Series I: 0) |
Note 1: 40 years for issues May 1941 to November 1965, 30 years for December 1965 to June 1980. Note 2: 29 years 8 months for issues June 1952 to January 1957, 30 years for later issues.
Note 3: interest stops by the 60th month after the registered owner's death (31 CFR 341.1(b)). Note 4: interest stops in the month the owner reaches 70 1/2, or 5 years after death if earlier (31 CFR 346.1(b)).
Source: matured unredeemed paper bonds from the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Fiscal Data, "U.S. Treasury Savings Bonds: Issues, Redemptions, and Maturities by Series", record date September 30, 2026. Terms: 31 CFR 316.8, 332.8, 341.1, 342.3, 346.1, 351.5, 352.2, 359.5; TreasuryDirect historical bonds page. Status as of November 11, 2026.
Every Series HH bond stopped earning by August 1, 2024, and only Treasury cashes an HH bond, by mail.
In total, 103,064,737 matured paper savings bonds were still not cashed on September 30, 2026, across Series A to D, E, EE, F, G, H, HH, J, K and the Savings Notes. Treasury publishes this as a count of bonds, and that count is the figure we state.
When Do EE Bonds Mature? Original and Final Maturity by Issue Date
A paper Series EE bond reaches original maturity 8 to 20 years after its issue date and final maturity exactly 30 years after it.
A June 2003 EE bond, for example, reached face value in June 2023 and stops earning in June 2033. Paper EE bonds were sold for half of face value from January 1980 to December 2011 (31 CFR 351.40).
Table 2 lists the original maturity and final maturity of every paper EE issue period.
Table 2: Series EE original and final maturity by issue date
| Issue dates | Original maturity | Final maturity | Status November 11, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January to October 1980 | 11 years | January 2010 to October 2010 | Stopped |
| November 1980 to April 1981 | 9 years | November 2010 to April 2011 | Stopped |
| May 1981 to October 1982 | 8 years | May 2011 to October 2012 | Stopped |
| November 1982 to October 1986 | 10 years | November 2012 to October 2016 | Stopped |
| November 1986 to February 1993 | 12 years | November 2016 to February 2023 | Stopped |
| March 1993 to April 1995 | 18 years | March 2023 to April 2025 | Stopped |
| May 1995 to April 1997 | 17 years | May 2025 to April 2027 | Partly stopped (note 1) |
| May 1997 to May 2003 | 17 years | May 2027 to May 2033 | Earning |
| June 2003 to April 2005 | 20 years | June 2033 to April 2035 | Earning |
| May 2005 to December 2011 (paper) | 20 years | May 2035 to December 2041 | Earning |
Note 1: issues through November 1996 have stopped; December 1996 stops December 1, 2026; January to April 1997 stop January 1 to April 1, 2027.
Source: 31 CFR 351.19 (table), 351.24, 351.29, 351.34, 351.5; status from the Fiscal Data Savings Bonds Value Files, updated November 2, 2026. Final maturity falls on the 1st of the issue month, 30 years later.
The longest original maturity in Table 2, 18 years, belongs to March 1993 to April 1995 issues; the shortest, 8 years, to May 1981 to October 1982 issues. Every EE bond issued January 1980 to November 1996 has stopped earning interest.
The December 1996 issue stops on December 1, 2026, and the January to April 1997 issues stop one per month, January 1 to April 1, 2027.
The last paper EE bonds, issued December 2011, stop in December 2041. Patriot Bonds, paper EE bonds issued December 2001 to December 2011 with a "Patriot Bond" inscription, carry the same 30-year term as any EE bond of their issue month.
The 20-Year Doubling Guarantee: Which EE Bonds It Covers
Only paper EE bonds issued June 2003 or later reach face value exactly 20 years after issue. Issues from May 1995 to May 2003 reach it at 17 years, earlier ones at 8 to 18 years. The 20-year doubling guarantee therefore covers issues from June 2003 onward.
Why "doubling"? The guarantee is double the purchase price, not double the face value. A paper EE bond cost half of its face (31 CFR 351.40), so doubling the price brings it to face: a $100 bond bought for $50 is worth at least $100 at original maturity.
If the interest earned falls short, Treasury makes a one-time adjustment to reach that amount (31 CFR 351.32(b), 351.35(f)).
Paper EE Bonds Still Below Face Value Until Their 20-Year Date
Paper EE bonds issued May 2007 to December 2011 (56 issue months) are below face value in November 2026 and reach face on their 20-year date.
That date falls between May 1, 2027 and December 1, 2031 (31 CFR 351.35(f)(1)). These bonds have not lost value. They were bought at half of face and are still climbing toward the guaranteed amount.
A $1,000 paper EE bond issued May 2007 is worth $964.40 in November 2026 and $1,000.00 from May 1, 2027. Whether to wait for the 20-year date is the owner's decision; the timing rules for cashing are the same as for any EE bond more than 5 years old.
Table 3: Paper Series EE bonds below face value in November 2026 and their 20-year date
| Issue months | $100 bond, November 2026 | $1,000 bond, November 2026 | Reaches face |
|---|---|---|---|
| May to December 2007 | $87.84 to $96.44 | $878.40 to $964.40 | May 1 to December 1, 2027 |
| January to December 2008 | $63.00 to $87.64 | $630.00 to $876.40 | January 1 to December 1, 2028 |
| January to December 2009 | $56.48 to $62.96 | $564.80 to $629.60 | January 1 to December 1, 2029 |
| January to December 2010 | $55.08 to $62.96 | $550.80 to $629.60 | January 1 to December 1, 2030 |
| January to December 2011 | $54.76 to $59.24 | $547.60 to $592.40 | January 1 to December 1, 2031 |
Source: Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Savings Bonds Value Files, updated November 2, 2026, redemption month November 2026. Other face values: the $100 value times face divided by 100.
When Did Series E Bonds Stop Earning? The 40-Year and 30-Year Groups
Series E bonds issued May 1941 to November 1965 stopped earning after 40 years, and those issued December 1965 to June 1980 after 30 years. The last ones stopped in June 2010. The split comes from 31 CFR 316.8(b). No Series E bond earns interest in 2026.
Table 4 shows the two Series E groups and the frozen value of a $100 bond in each.
Table 4: Series E final maturity by issue date and frozen $100 value
| Issue dates | Life | Final maturity | $100 value (frozen) |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1941 to April 1952 | 40 years | May 1981 to April 1992 | $362.36 to $936.44 (all May 1941 to November 1965 issues) |
| May 1952 to November 1965 | 40 years | May 1992 to November 2005 | Same 40-year group as the row above |
| December 1965 to June 1980 | 30 years | December 1995 to June 2010 | $426.68 to $560.04 |
Source: 31 CFR 316.8(b); Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Savings Bonds Value Files, redemption month November 2026 (values frozen since final maturity).
A $100 Series E bond from the 40-year group is worth $362.36 to $936.44, frozen, for issues May 1941 to November 1965. A $100 bond from the 30-year group is worth $426.68 to $560.04, frozen, for issues December 1965 to June 1980.
The break shows in one month: a November 1965 $100 bond is worth $736.12, and a December 1965 bond only $512.48. The December bond earned interest for 10 fewer years.
Series E bonds sold as Defense Savings Bonds in 1941 and War Savings Bonds from 1942 to 1945 all belong to the 40-year group.
These war bonds, issued May 1941 to December 1945, reached final maturity May 1981 to December 1985. A $100 war bond is worth $362.36 to $469.12, frozen, the same as any Series E bond of its issue month.
Which Savings Bonds Stop Earning Next (November 2026 to May 2027)
Five more issue months of Series EE stop earning between December 1, 2026 and April 1, 2027, and May 1997 issues stop on May 1, 2027. These are the December 1996 and January to April 1997 issues, followed by May 1997.
Why do the 1996 and 1997 values in Table 5 sit still for months? EE bonds issued May 1995 to April 1997 add interest only every 6 months.
A January 1997 $100 bond therefore stays at $126.60 until January 1, 2027, when its final value of $128.64 appears. The May 1997 bond follows newer terms, so its value rises or holds each month until May 1, 2027.
Other dates also fall in this window. December 2006 EE bonds reach their 20-year original maturity on December 1, 2026; a $100 bond of that month is already above face at $101.80 in November 2026. No Series I bond stops earning before September 2028.
Table 5: Next Series EE bonds to reach final maturity, $100 face
| Issue month | Value November 2026 | Final maturity | Value from final maturity |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 1996 | $126.60 | December 1, 2026 | $128.64 |
| January 1997 | $126.60 | January 1, 2027 | $128.64 |
| February 1997 | $126.60 | February 1, 2027 | $128.64 |
| March 1997 | $126.60 | March 1, 2027 | $128.64 |
| April 1997 | $126.60 | April 1, 2027 | $128.64 |
| May 1997 | $129.84 (rises or holds monthly) | May 1, 2027 | $132.44 |
Source: Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Savings Bonds Value Files, updated November 2, 2026; values for November 2026 to May 2027. Other face values: the $100 value times face divided by 100.
How to Tell If a Savings Bond Has Reached Final Maturity
A savings bond has reached final maturity once 30 years have passed since its issue date, or 40 years for Series E issued May 1941 to November 1965.
The 30-year rule covers Series EE, Series I, Savings Notes and Series E issued December 1965 to June 1980. Table 1 gives the term of every other series, such as H and HH.
The four steps below check one paper bond.
- Find the series letter on the bond, such as E, EE or I.
- Read the issue month and year, not the print date; on a Series E bond the issue date sits in the upper right, and the validation date in the lower right does not count.
- Add the term for that series from Table 1 to the issue month.
- Check the value and earning status of the bond with our savings bond calculator, built on Treasury's published value files.
Every EE bond dated 1996 or earlier, except the December 1996 issue, has stopped earning interest. So has every Series E bond. A bond that has stopped keeps its value until you cash it.
What Changes When a Savings Bond Reaches Final Maturity
Final maturity changes six things for the owner: interest and value, the tax year, reissue, lost-bond claims, state information sharing and the payment of electronic bonds. Each of the six changes is listed below with its rule.
- Interest and value: interest stops and the redemption value is frozen from then on.
- Tax year: the interest becomes reportable for the year of final maturity, unless the bond was cashed earlier or the interest was reported yearly (26 CFR 1.454-1(a)(1); IRS Publication 550 (2025)). How to handle interest from a final-maturity year that has passed is not settled in IRS guidance; the general rules are under taxes on savings bond interest.
- Reissue: Treasury does not reissue a bond less than one full calendar month before final maturity; it can only be cashed (31 CFR 353.45(b)). The cut-off also applies to reissuing inherited savings bonds instead of cashing them.
- Lost bonds: a lost bond at or within one full calendar month of final maturity is paid, not replaced, on FS Form 1048 (revised March 2026). A claim filed 6 or more years after final maturity needs the serial number (31 CFR 315.29(c), 353.29(c)); Series I claims 10 or more years after maturity are barred (31 CFR 360.29(c)).
- State information sharing: more than 3 years after final maturity, an uncashed bond becomes an "applicable savings bond" under SECURE 2.0 and savings bonds rules (31 U.S.C. 3105(f)(6); 31 CFR 323.11(a)). A state with an information-sharing agreement may then receive the owner's name and address, only to locate the owner. No state is publicly known to have such an agreement as of November 11, 2026.
- Electronic bonds: Treasury pays electronic savings bonds at final maturity (31 CFR 363.126).
Each change runs from the bond's own final maturity date, so two bonds bought a month apart change a month apart. For the tax year, a tax professional advises on an individual return, including a bond whose final maturity year has already passed.
Do Savings Bonds Earn Interest After Final Maturity?
No: a savings bond earns no interest after final maturity, so holding it longer adds nothing. A $100 EE bond issued December 1988 reached final maturity on December 1, 2018. It is worth $207.36 in November 2026, its final value, and that figure does not change.
Do Savings Bonds Expire?
No: US savings bonds never expire, and there is no deadline to cash them (Executive Order 13968 of December 18, 2020, 85 FR 83745, published December 23, 2020). For Series E, 31 CFR 315.35(c) pays a bond "at any time after two months from issue date". A 1941 bond can still be cashed in 2026.
Waiting after final maturity costs two things. The bond adds no interest, and a lost bond gets harder to claim: 6 years after final maturity, the claim needs the serial number. Keeping a record of each bond's serial number protects that claim.
Cashing a Savings Bond That Has Stopped Earning Interest
Five routes lead from a matured bond to the money: a bank, the mail, the heirs' route, a lost-bond claim or a trace. Treasury charges no fee, and the forms are free.
- Cash it at a bank that redeems paper bonds; banks may cash savings bonds but are not required to (FS Publication 0022, revised October 2022). See what banks cash savings bonds.
- Mail FS Form 1522 (revised April 2026) to Treasury Retail Securities Services, Treasury's savings bond office; a notary or certifying officer certifies your signature only above $1,000.
- Follow the full steps for how to cash savings bonds, including electronic bonds.
- Claim a deceased owner's bonds under the rules on savings bonds after death.
- Trace bonds you cannot locate with the steps to find lost or missing savings bonds.
Banks may not pay Series F, G, H, HH, J or K bonds; Treasury pays them by mail (31 CFR 321.7(a)). TreasuryDirect also lists Series A to D as mail only. A matured Series E or EE bond can go to either a bank or the mail.
Savings Bond Maturity Questions
Do savings bonds stop earning interest after 30 years?
Yes: Series EE and I bonds stop earning exactly 30 years after issue, as did Series E bonds issued December 1965 to June 1980. Series E bonds issued May 1941 to November 1965 earned for 40 years.
How much is a 30-year-old $100 US savings bond worth?
A $100 paper EE bond past its 30-year final maturity is worth $123.56 to $334.80 in November 2026, for issues January 1980 to November 1996. The lowest value belongs to May to October 1995 issues, the highest to May to October 1980 issues. A 30-year Series E bond is worth $426.68 to $560.04, frozen; older 40-year E bonds are worth $362.36 to $936.44.
Values by issue year for a $100 savings bond follow the same files.
How long does it take for a $50 savings bond to mature?
A $50 paper EE bond, which cost $25, reaches $50 at original maturity: 20 years for June 2003 and later issues, 17 years for May 1995 to May 2003 issues. Earlier issues took 8 to 18 years. It stops earning at 30 years; issues January 1980 to November 1996 are worth $61.78 to $167.40 in November 2026.
Each issue year of a $50 savings bond has its own value range.
Is it worth keeping EE bonds after 20 years?
An EE bond keeps earning interest after 20 years until its 30-year final maturity. Whether to keep or cash it is the owner's decision. No penalty applies to an EE bond more than 5 years old.
The holding period and the early-cashing penalty are part of when to cash savings bonds.
How are EE bonds taxed at final maturity?
EE interest is federally taxable for the year the bond is cashed, disposed of or reaches final maturity, whichever comes first, unless reported yearly (26 CFR 1.454-1(a)(1); IRS Publication 550 (2025)). The yearly reporting election is in 26 U.S.C. 454. How to handle interest from a final-maturity year that has passed is not settled in IRS guidance. The interest is exempt from state and local income tax (31 U.S.C. 3124(a)); a tax professional advises on individual returns.
What is the maturity date for Patriot Bonds?
Patriot Bonds are paper EE bonds issued December 2001 to December 2011, so they stop earning December 2031 to December 2041. Their original maturity is 17 years for issues through May 2003 and 20 years from June 2003.
When do Series I bonds mature?
Series I bonds stop earning 30 years after issue; the first, issued September 1998, reach final maturity in September 2028. No I bond has stopped earning, so the matured count for Series I is 0. TreasuryDirect's own calculator prices paper I bonds.
The rules for paper I bonds are set out under Series I savings bonds for owners.
Maturity, Interest Rates and Value
A bond's final value comes from its rate history up to final maturity. Values change only on the 1st of a month (31 CFR 351.3), and new rates are announced on May 1 and November 1.
Each issue period has its own savings bond interest rates by issue date. The issue date, not the print date, sets that history, and how to read a paper savings bond depends on its series.
Matured Savings Bonds Nobody Has Cashed
103,064,737 matured paper savings bonds were still not cashed on September 30, 2026, of which 82,673,787 are Series EE and 19,751,346 Series E (Fiscal Data). Treasury publishes this as a piece count, not a dollar total.
Why these bonds are hard to find, and how owners claim them, is part of unclaimed savings bonds.
Claiming from Treasury and from state programs costs nothing, and the forms are free. Found bonds you cannot cash, or a relative's bonds? ClaimMyBonds is a private company, not the government; we can help with the paperwork, tracing and follow-up.