How do I cash in my Series I savings bonds?

To redeem I-Bonds, log in to your TreasuryDirect account (TD), navigate to ManageDirect, select Redeem securities, choose Series I bonds, then select the bond(s) to cash and follow prompts to choose a full or partial amount and deposit to your bank account, remembering that redeeming before 5 years costs the last 3 months' interest.

How do you cash in a series I savings bond?

Electronic EE or I savings bonds

1. Go to your TreasuryDirect account.
2. Go to ManageDirect.
3. Under Manage My Securities, click Redeem securities.

How much is a 30 year old $100 savings bond worth today?

A $100 savings bond's value after 30 years depends on the issue date, but for a Series EE bond from October 1994, it's worth about $164.12, having earned $114.12 in interest, as these bonds stop earning interest after 30 years. You can find the exact value using the TreasuryDirect Savings Bond Calculator by entering the bond's series, denomination, and issue date. 

Where can you cash a series EE savings bond?

TreasuryDirect.gov is the one and only place to electronically buy and redeem U.S. Savings Bonds.

What to do with a series I savings bond?

You can cash in (redeem) your I bond after 12 months. However, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest. For example, if you cash in the bond after 18 months, you get the first 15 months of interest.

How do you cash in savings bonds?

Should I redeem series I bonds?

I Bond Basics

You must hold your I bond for at least 12 months after purchase. If you cash in the I bond within five years of purchase, you lose the last three months of interest on the bond. I bond interest rates change every six months because the variable inflation rate is pegged to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Do banks still cash out savings bonds?

Yes, banks still cash paper U.S. savings bonds (Series EE and I), but policies vary, with many requiring you to be an established customer with an account open for some time (often a year or more) and needing proper ID, while some large banks (like Wells Fargo, Chase, Capital One) have stopped cashing them or imposed strict limits. It's essential to call your bank first to confirm they handle savings bonds and understand their specific rules, or you can redeem them electronically via TreasuryDirect or by mail. 

Can banks refuse to cash savings bonds?

Financial institutions now have the option to not cash savings bonds for both non-customers or new customers. Our Secret Service partners recommend that a customer be established for 12 months before cashing bonds at a financial institution.

Are series EE savings bonds worth anything?

Series EE savings bonds are a low-risk way to save money. They earn interest regularly for 30 years (or until you cash them if you do that before 30 years). For EE bonds you buy now, we guarantee that the bond will double in value in 20 years, even if we have to add money at 20 years to make that happen.

How to avoid paying taxes when cashing in savings bonds?

You can cash U.S. Series EE or I savings bonds without paying federal income tax on the interest if you use the funds for qualified higher education expenses for yourself, your spouse, or a dependent, provided you meet income and age requirements (owner must be 24+) and file as 'Married Filing Jointly' or Single, not 'Married Filing Separately'. Alternatively, you can roll the proceeds into a 529 plan, or defer taxes until maturity, but using for education offers the best tax avoidance. 

What is the best time to cash out a savings bond?

Most savings bonds stop earning interest (or reach maturity) between 20 to 30 years. It's possible to redeem a savings bond as soon as one year after it's purchased, but it's usually wise to wait at least five years so you don't lose the last three months of interest when you cash it in.

Why is my $100 savings bond only worth $50?

There are two primary reasons a bond might be worth less than its listed face value. A savings bond, for example, is sold at a discount to its face value and steadily appreciates in price as the bond approaches its maturity date. Upon maturity, the bond is redeemed for the full face value.

Is there a penalty for not cashing EE bonds after 30 years?

Series EE bonds mature after 30 years, at which point they stop earning interest. There is no penalty for holding them beyond this period. When cashed, the interest earned up to maturity is taxable income reported on IRS Form 1099-INT.

What is a 30 year old $100 savings bond worth today?

A $100 savings bond's value after 30 years depends on the issue date, but for a Series EE bond from October 1994, it's worth about $164.12, having earned $114.12 in interest, as these bonds stop earning interest after 30 years. You can find the exact value using the TreasuryDirect Savings Bond Calculator by entering the bond's series, denomination, and issue date. 

How to sell series I savings bonds?

To sell I-Bonds, log into your TreasuryDirect.gov account, select "Redeem securities" under ManageDirect, choose your bonds, and follow the prompts to transfer funds to your linked bank account. Paper bonds require visiting a bank with the bond and ID or mailing them with a certified signature for large amounts. You must hold them at least one year, and selling before five years incurs a penalty of the last three months' interest, but cashing them out can be strategically smart, especially when rates drop, say some financial experts. 

Whose social security number is on a savings bond?

A Social Security Number must be provided. If this is a gift bond purchase, use the owner's name and SSN, if available. If the owner's SSN is not available, use the purchaser's SSN. Use of the purchaser's SSN does not confer rights to the bond or require interest reporting.

What happens to savings bonds if the owner dies?

When a savings bond owner dies, the bond either goes directly to a named surviving co-owner or beneficiary, bypassing probate, or it becomes part of the deceased's estate if no one else is listed, passing through a will or state law. If it's an estate asset, it's handled by an executor (or court-appointed representative) and distributed according to the will or intestacy laws, potentially requiring forms like FS Form 5394 for smaller estates or court involvement for larger ones. 

What is the dirty price of a bond?

A bond's dirty price, also known as the full or invoice price, is the actual cash amount an investor pays, combining the quoted clean price (bond's intrinsic value) with any interest that has accumulated (accrued interest) since the last coupon payment. This means the dirty price rises steadily between coupon dates as interest builds and drops back to the clean price immediately after a coupon is paid.
 

What is the final maturity of a $100 savings bond?

Savings bonds earn interest until they reach "maturity," which is generally 20-30 years, depending on the type purchased. If a bond is held past its maturity, the federal government remains responsible for the debt.

What documents are needed to cash a savings bond?

(If the value of the bond(s) you are cashing is more than $1,000, you must have your signature certified. See FS Form 1522 for more about the signature requirements.) Send the form and the bonds to us at the address on FS Form 1522.

What happens to savings bonds that are never cashed?

For those fully matured bonds remaining unredeemed, there is no active program by the Bureau to locate the bondholders and pay them the proceeds to which they are entitled. Traditionally, it has been up to the registered owner to remember to redeem the matured bond decades after the initial purchase.

Where is the best place to cash in savings bonds?

Electronic Series EE and Series I savings bonds earn interest for 30 years, but are redeemable after 12 months. You can redeem paper savings bonds through the U.S. Treasury Department or at a financial institution.

What can you do with a 30 year old savings bond?

If your savings bond from a Series other than EE, I, or HH has finished its interest-earning life, you could cash it and use the money for something else – a project, a financial need, or a new investment like an interest-earning savings bond or other Treasury security.

Can I cash a savings bond at a bank where I don't have an account?

If you have a paper savings bond but your bank can't cash it, you'll need to redeem it online at TreasuryDirect or at a financial institution that will cash savings bonds for non-account holders. I cashed several bonds at a bank where I am not an account holder, and I needed two forms of ID.

How much is a $50.00 savings bond worth?

A $50 savings bond's worth depends on its Series (EE or I) and Issue Date, but it grows over time, often doubling in value (Series EE) or earning inflation-adjusted interest (Series I), so a 20-year-old bond is worth significantly more than its $50 face value; use the TreasuryDirect Savings Bond Calculator to get its exact current value by entering the Series and Issue Date.