When you buy a U.S. savings bond, you lend money to the U.S. government.
In turn, the government agrees to pay that much money back later - plus additional money (interest).
U. S. savings bonds are
Simple
Buy once. Earn interest for up to 30 years.
Safe
Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
Affordable
Buy them for as little as $25.
You can buy 2 types of U. S. savings bonds
EE Bonds
Guaranteed to double in value in 20 years
Earn a fixed rate of interest
Current Rate: 2.70%
For EE bonds issued in November 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024
Electronic only – keep them safe in your TreasuryDirect account
Buy for any amount from $25 up to $10,000.
Maximum purchase each calendar year: $10,000.
Can cash in after 1 year. (But if you cash before 5 years, you lose 3 months of interest.)
(Note: Older EE bonds may be different from ones we sell today.)
I Bonds
Protect against inflation. The interest rate on a particular I bond changes every 6 months, based on inflation.
Current Rate: 5.27%
This includes a fixed rate of 1.30%
For I bonds issued November 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024
Primarily electronic – keep them safe in your TreasuryDirect account (minimum amount $25)
You can choose to use all or part of your IRS tax refund to buy paper I bonds (minimum amount $50)
Maximum purchase each calendar year: $10,000 in electronic I bonds + $5,000 in paper I bonds
Can cash in after 1 year. (But if you cash before 5 years, you lose 3 months of interest.)
Interest rate is calculated from a fixed rate and the inflation rate.
You may have an older bond
HH Bonds
We stopped selling HH savings bonds in 2004
But they have a 20-year life. So, if you have one, you may still be getting interest on it.
Other historical bonds
Since 1935, we've offered many bond series, each with its own rates and terms.
Some even funded special causes — for the Postal Service, the Armed Forces, and others.
More about historical and retired bond series Cashing in (redeeming) an old paper bond
Financial Institutions:
Help Customers Cash In Their Savings Bonds
View special instructions on how to cash in paper Savings Bonds that customers may bring in to your bank.
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