Savings Bonds: About — TreasuryDirect (2024)

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.

EE Bonds

Guaranteed to double in value in 20 years

Earn a fixed rate of interest

Current Rate: 2.70%

For EE bonds issued May 1, 2024 to October 31, 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.)

More about EE bonds

(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: 4.28%

This includes a fixed rate of 1.30%

For I bonds issued May 1, 2024 to October 31, 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.

More about I bonds

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.

More about H/HH bonds

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.