More than 55 million Americans own savings bonds,
often purchased through payroll withholding plans or received as
gifts. All U.S. Savings Bonds stop earning interest at final maturity,
forty years or less from the issue date.
The total value of unredeemed bonds that have reached final maturity
currently exceeds $17 billion. And each year over 15,000 savings bonds
and 25,000 savings bond interest payments go undelivered, when the
owner moves and fails to provide a forwarding address. With added
interest, unredeemed U.S. Savings Bonds can now be worth more than
five times the original face value.
Only owners of Series H or HH savings bonds that pay interest by check
(less than 1% of all bonds) are notified when bonds reach final
maturity. All others, including holders of Series EE U.S. Savings
Bonds and family members whose deceased relatives may have owned
savings bonds, must take affirmative action to replace or redeem lost
or missing bonds.
For a search of the unredeemed and undelivered bond database, and to
receive claims forms and information for lost and destroyed savings
bonds complete the form below.
