Cashing (Redeeming) EE and E Savings Bonds

NOTE: Tax questions? We have answers!

On this page:

When can I cash my EE and E bonds?

After they are 12 months old.

  • If you cash an EE bond before it is five years old, you will lose the last three months of interest.
  • EE bonds earn interest for 30 years if you don't cash the bonds before they mature. So the longer you hold the bond (up to 30 years), the more it is worth.
  • If you've been affected by a disaster, special provisions may apply.
  • All E bonds and some EE bonds have stopped earning interest.

What are my EE and E bonds worth?

If you hold an electronic bond in TreasuryDirect, you can find the bond's current value there. Use the "Current Holdings" tab inside your account.

For a paper bond, use the Savings Bond Calculator.

How do I cash my EE and E bonds?

Electronic bonds Log in to TreasuryDirect and follow the directions there. The cash amount can be credited to your checking or savings account within two business days of the redemption date.
Paper bonds Two options:

  • If you hold an account at a local bank and it cashes savings bonds, ask the bank if it will cash yours. The answer may depend on how long you've held an account there. If the bank will cash for you, find out what dollar limit, if any, it has on redemptions and what identification and other documents you need.
  • Send them to Treasury Retail Securities Services along with FS Form 1522 (download or order). You don't need to sign the bonds. You will have to validate your identity. FS Form 1522 tells how; see the "Certification" section of the form. The form also gives our address.

Information for special circumstances:

How do I authorize an attorney-in-fact to cash my bonds?

For instructions, please see FS Publication 0105 (download or order).

How much can I cash at one time?

For electronic bonds in TreasuryDirect, you can cash a minimum of $25 or any amount above that in 1-cent increments.  If you cash only a portion of the bond's value, you must leave at least $25 in the TreasuryDirect account.  Redemptions are comprised of principal and interest.  (In a partial redemption, we pay interest only on the partial amount you cash.)

For paper bonds, local banks have varying policies on how much they will cash in one transaction and some banks don't cash savings bonds at all. If you send your bonds to Treasury Retail Securities Services, we cash them regardless of value if you meet requirements for cashing.

Note: Individual paper bonds may not be split and must be cashed in full.

What will I need to cash a paper bond?

Regardless of where you cash your bonds, if you are not listed as the owner or co-owner on the bond, you have to submit legal evidence or other documentation to show you are entitled to cash the bond. (We don't return legal evidence.)

Note: Savings bonds cannot be transferred. If you find a bond that belongs to someone else or buy a bond on an online auction site, you cannot cash it. (If you inherit a bond through the death of the bond owner, see Death of a Savings Bond Owner.)

Will I get a form for my taxes?

Yes. IRS Form 1099-INT is provided for cashed bonds.

Electronic bonds 1099-INTs are posted in TreasuryDirect in the following January. Use the link on the ManageDirect page.
Paper bonds If you cash at a bank, it provides the form. The bank may give you the form immediately or may mail it later-possibly not until after the end of the year in which you cash the bond.
If you cash with Treasury Retail Securities Services, we mail the form to you in the following January.

Tax Considerations for EE and E bonds

Can I find out if an EE or E bond has already been cashed or replaced?

Start with your local financial institution. It may be able to tell you if the bond is eligible for redemption. If the bank can't help, you may contact us. If you are the owner or co-owner, send a signed request to the address below. Be sure to include the serial number of the bond.

If the owner or both co-owners have died, you must provide proof such as a copy of the death certificate for each deceased person. Send this with your request.

Send your request to:

Treasury Retail Securities Services
PO Box 9150
Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150

What if I think I may be missing a bond that is over 30 years old and I don't know if it was ever cashed?

Start with a quick search of our Treasury Hunt search engine to see if any bonds you own appear in the database. If so, you’ll get information on how to claim and cash them. Treasury Hunt is updated monthly.