The time it takes a savings bond to reach face (par) value depends on the series of bond and the value at which it was sold. There are presently three different series of U.S. savings bonds. Series EE and Series I are intended to be savings bonds, and Series HH is intended to be an investment bond.
In general, though, a savings bond is sold as a zero-coupon bond at a discount, and will reach its full value at its maturity. Therefore, savings bonds mature to their full face value.
Key Takeaways
Savings bonds are sold by governments to their citizens to help fund federal spending, and provide savers with a risk-free return.
Savings bonds are sold at a discount and do not pay regular interest. Instead, as they mature, they increase in value until they reach full face value at maturity.
The time to maturity for savings bonds will depend on which series issue is owned.
In 1935, during theGreat Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation that allowed theU.S. Department of the Treasuryto issue federally backed savings bonds, Series A. In 1941, the Series E bond was first issued to help finance World War IIand were called Defensive Bonds. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, they were called War Savings Bonds, and the money invested in them went directly towardthe war effort.
After the war ended, Americans were encouraged to purchase savings bonds, which provided a way for individuals and families to earn returns on their investments while enjoying the absolute guarantee of the United States government.
Series EE Bonds
Series EE bondsmature after 20 years, meaning they can earn interest for that period of time. EE bonds are sold for half of the face value, and the U.S. Treasury Department guarantees that they will reach face value after 20 years. If the interest payments don't cause the bond to reach full face value at the end of 20 years, the government will do a one-time adjustment to bring the bond's value to equal face value.
It's important to keep in mind, however, that EE bonds must be owned for at least one year before redemption. If they are redeemed before five years, the last three months' worth of interest is forfeited, but after five years, they can be redeemed with no penalty. The annual interest rate for EE bondsissued from Nov. 1, 2018, to April 30, 2019, is0.10%.
Series EE savings bonds originated as Series E war bonds during the WWII era to help fund the war effort.
Series I Bonds
Series I bondsare sold at face value and mature after 30 years. Redemption rules are the same with Series I bonds as Series EE bonds.The composite rate for Series I bonds issued fromNov.1, 2019, throughApril 30, 2020, is2.22%. This rate applies for the first six months that you own the bond.
Series HH Bonds
Series HH bondsare also sold at face value, with bondholders receiving interest payments through direct deposit every six months for the 20-year life of the bond. As of Jan. 2003, HH bonds have earned an interest rate of 1.5%. HH bonds have not been available for purchase since Aug. 2004, but bondholders will continue to receive interest payments until the bonds'maturity.
U.S. Savings Bonds mature after 20 or 30 years, depending on the type of bond: Series EE bonds
Series EE bonds
Key Takeaways. Series EE Bonds are interest-bearing U.S. government savings bonds guaranteed to at least double in value over their typical 20-year initial terms. Some Series EE bonds pay interest beyond the original maturity date, up to 30 years from issuance. There is a $25 minimum investment requirement for EE bonds ...
mature after 20 years. They are sold at half their face value and are worth their full value at maturity. Series I bonds are sold at face value and mature after 30 years.
They're available to be cashed in after a single year, though there's a penalty for cashing them in within the first five years. Otherwise, you can keep savings bonds until they fully mature, which is generally 30 years. These days, you can only purchase electronic bonds, but you can still cash in paper bonds.
Savings Bond purchases are generally issued to your TreasuryDirect account within one business day of the purchase date. If you select a non-business day as your purchase date, we will change it to the next available business day.
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.
All Series EE bonds reach final maturity 30 years from issue. Series EE savings bonds purchased from May 1995 through April 1997 increase in value every six months.
You can get your cash for an EE or I savings bond any time after you have owned it for 1 year. However, the longer you hold the bond, the more it earns for you (for up to 30 years for an EE or I bond). Also, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest.
Where do I cash in a savings bond? You can cash paper bonds at a bank or through the U.S. Department of the Treasury's TreasuryDirect website. Not all banks offer the service, and many only provide it if you are an account holder, according to a NerdWallet analysis of the 20 largest U.S. banks.
How are savings bonds taxed? Savings bond interest is exempt from state and local income tax. Savings bond interest is subject to federal income tax; however, taxation can be deferred until redemption, final maturity, or other taxable disposition, whichever occurs first.
While the Treasury will not penalize you for holding a U.S. Savings Bond past its date of maturity, the Internal Revenue Service will. Interest accumulated over the life of a U.S. Savings Bond must be reported on your 1040 form for the tax year in which you redeem the bond or it reaches final maturity.
Most bonds can be cashed in after one year, but you will lose three months' worth of interest if you cash them in before five years. If you are holding hundreds of dollars in savings bonds, you will still get them back at their current value.
You can skip paying taxes on interest earned with Series EE and Series I savings bonds if you're using the money to pay for qualified higher education costs. That includes expenses you pay for yourself, your spouse or a qualified dependent. Only certain qualified higher education costs are covered, including: Tuition.
After 20 years, the Patriot Bond is guaranteed to be worth at least face value. So a $50 Patriot Bond, which was bought for $25, will be worth at least $50 after 20 years. It can continue to accrue interest for as many as 10 more years after that.
A Series EE Savings bond could be a good investment if you're looking for something that's long term and low risk, since it's backed by the Treasury and is guaranteed to double its value in 20 years. However, 20 years to see only two times your initial investment might not help you meet certain goals.
How long should I wait to cash in a savings bond? It's a good idea to hang on to your bond for as long as possible, ideally until it matures, so you can take full advantage of compound and accrued interest.
If you moved your EE bond into a TreasuryDirect account, we pay you for the bond as soon as it reaches 30 years and stops earning interest. If you still have a paper EE bond, check the issue date. If that date is more than 30 years ago, it is no longer increasing in value and you may want to cash it.
Series I savings bonds, commonly referred to as "I Bonds," fully mature after 30 years. However, you can redeem them as early as one year after purchase. If you do redeem them early, you'll give up the last three months of interest, so you'll need to make sure you really need the money if you want to cash out early.
You can get your cash for an EE or I savings bond any time after you have owned it for 1 year. However, the longer you hold the bond, the more it earns for you (for up to 30 years for an EE or I bond). Also, if you cash in the bond in less than 5 years, you lose the last 3 months of interest.
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