Don’t use any other sites to check your bond’s value. There are scam sites out there that ask for sensitive information that isn’t required to calculate a bond’s value.

Hit “calculate” to determine the bond’s current value as of today. Don’t confuse the issue date for the print date, which is another date located in the center of the bond on the right. If you’re checking the value of multiple bonds, you can make an inventory by following Treasury Direct’s instructions here.

You can buy and sell municipal bonds and company bonds with a brokerage account, and you can buy/sell treasury bonds (aka T-notes) at a brokerage, but you cannot hold savings bonds anywhere other than Treasury Direct. If you cannot open your account, click “forgot your account number” or “forgot your password” and follow the instructions to reset your account. If you do not have a Treasury Direct account, you do not own any electronic savings bonds unless they were gifted to you. You’ll get an email with a link to your account if the bonds are a gift.

This is ideal for matured bonds, which are bonds that have already produced the maximum amount of interest. If you bond is still in the process of maturing, you might not want to cash it yet! You can fill out FS Form 1522 and mail the bond to the federal government (using the address on the form) to cash it if you prefer. It’s much faster and easier to go to a bank, though. [5] X Trustworthy Source Treasury Direct Website run by the U. S. Bureau of Fiscal Service that allows individuals to buy U. S. Treasury securities Go to source

Matured electronic bonds are automatically paid out. Once electronic bonds fully mature (30 years after the issue date), the money will be deposited into your Treasury Direct account. [7] X Trustworthy Source Treasury Direct Website run by the U. S. Bureau of Fiscal Service that allows individuals to buy U. S. Treasury securities Go to source If you sell EE or I bonds before they’re at least 5 years old, you will forfeit 3 months interest. For example, if you held the bond for 22 months and you sell early, you will only receive 19 months of interest. [8] X Trustworthy Source Treasury Direct Website run by the U. S. Bureau of Fiscal Service that allows individuals to buy U. S. Treasury securities Go to source You must hold EE and I bonds for at least 1 year before you can cash them out.

If you do not have a compelling reason to sell your bonds early, just wait until they mature.

If your choice comes down to dipping into savings versus selling a bond, check the interest rate in your savings account. If you’re earning more there, sell the bond. If the bond’s rate is better, dip into savings.

The “face value” of a bond refers to the amount it was purchased for originally. The interest of an EE bond depends on entirely on when it was bought. All EE bonds mature 30 years after their issue date. Patriot bonds are identical to EE bonds. The name “patriot bond” was used for EE bonds from 2001 to 2011. You can only buy $10,000 worth of EE bonds annually.

For example, as of October 2022, the interest rate I bonds is 9. 62%. If inflation goes down the next 6 months, that rate will fall. If inflation goes up, that rate will rise. All I bonds fully mature 30 years after their issue date. Like EE bonds, you can only buy $10,000 worth of I bonds annually.

The one exception is HH bonds. You can’t buy them anymore, but the last round of HH bonds stop maturing in 2024. They are identical to EE bonds, except they all collect 1. 5% in interest. The government stopped printing paper bonds in 2011.