That Old Savings Bond May Still Be Worth Money, and You Do Not Owe Anyone a Finder's Fee to Get It

The myth: 'You have to pay someone to find your old bonds'

Maybe you found a paper savings bond in a drawer. Maybe a parent or grandparent bought one for you years ago. You may have heard that you need to hire a company to track it down or cash it in. That is the myth.

Here is the truth. Checking on savings bonds and cashing them in is free through the U.S. government. You do not owe a finder a cut of your own money. Any company that promises to locate your bonds for a percentage is charging you for something you can do yourself at no cost.

Why old bonds get forgotten

A U.S. savings bond is money you lent to the government. In return, the government pays you back later plus interest. Bonds earn interest for up to 30 years, then they stop.

Once a bond stops earning interest, it does not keep growing. That is why it pays to check. Many people hold bonds long past the point where they still earn anything. Others simply lose track of paper bonds bought decades ago.

The government sold many bond series since 1935. HH bonds, for example, stopped selling in 2004, and as of August 1, 2024, all HH bonds have reached final maturity.

The free official path, step by step

Start at TreasuryDirect, the official U.S. Treasury site. You can look up how much a paper bond is worth, check interest rates, and search for matured bonds.

If you still hold the paper bond, you can find its value and cash it in. If you think a bond exists but cannot find it, TreasuryDirect is where the search begins. Matured, unclaimed bonds can also flow to state unclaimed property programs, so your state database is a second place to look.

This is a good time of year to check. In September, many states announce budget-surplus relief and post updates to their unclaimed property lists. Every state runs its own free unclaimed property program, and you can search yours at no cost.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay a company to find my old savings bonds?

No. Checking a bond's value, searching for matured bonds, and cashing them in are free through TreasuryDirect. You never owe a finder a percentage of your own money.

How do I know if my bond still earns interest?

Use the tools on the official TreasuryDirect savings bonds page to find how much your paper bond is worth and check its interest status. Bonds earn interest for up to 30 years, then stop.

What if my bond ended up in state unclaimed property?

Matured, unclaimed bonds can flow to state unclaimed property programs. Every state runs its own free program, so search your state's official database at no cost.

Can OpenFinancial get my bond money faster?

No. We are not a bank or a government agency, and no service can speed up or guarantee results. We just point you to the free official path at TreasuryDirect.