Current EE bond rate and the 20-year double
EE bonds issued November 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027 earn a fixed rate of 2.90% for at least 20 years, and Treasury guarantees the bond will be worth at least twice its price at 20 years, adding money at that point if the rate falls short.[1][2]
Because 2.90% is below 3.53%, the guarantee is what sets the 20-year value: $10,000 grows to $17,784.00 on the rate alone, and Treasury adds $2,216.00 to bring it to $20,000.00. Held to 20 years, that is the same as earning 3.53% a year. Cashed earlier, the bond is worth only what 2.90% has built up, so an EE bond pays well only if you keep it the full 20 years.
| Held | Value | Effective yearly return |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years | $11,548.00 | 2.92% |
| 10 years | $13,336.00 | 2.92% |
| 15 years | $15,396.00 | 2.92% |
| 19 years | $17,276.00 | 2.92% |
| 20 years | $20,000.00 | 3.53% |
| 30 years | $26,676.00 | 3.32% |
The jump between year 19 and year 20 is the guarantee. After 20 years the bond keeps earning its fixed rate on the doubled value until it stops paying interest at 30 years, unless Treasury announces a different rate for those last 10 years before year 20.[3]
How EE bond interest works
- Fixed rate, set when you buy. EE bonds issued since May 2005 keep the rate in force in their issue month; Treasury sets a new one each May 1 and November 1.[2]
- Interest is added monthly and compounds every six months from the issue month.[3]
- Cash after 12 months. Before five years you lose the last three months of interest; the bond never pays back less than you paid.[1][3]
- Original maturity 20 years, final maturity 30 years. After 30 years the bond earns nothing, so cash it then.[3]
- Buying: electronic EE bonds only, through TreasuryDirect, from $25 to the penny, up to $10,000 per Social Security number per calendar year.[1]
Example from the calculator: a $1,000 EE bond bought in May 2024 at 2.70% is worth $1,069.60 in November 2026; cashed now, the three-month penalty of $7.20 leaves $1,062.40. A $1,000 bond from November 2006 at 3.60% passed 20 years this month at $2,042.40 without any top-up, because its rate was above 3.53%.
What is my paper savings bond worth?
A paper EE bond cost half its face value, so a $100 bond was bought for $50; its value is the purchase price plus interest, and Treasury guarantees it reaches at least the face value at 20 years.[2][3] Choose "Paper" and enter the face value printed on the bond with its issue date. Paper EE bonds were sold until the end of 2011.
The $100 bond from May 2010 earns 1.40%: it is worth $62.96 in November 2026, and in May 2030 Treasury raises it to $100.00, $33.90 more than the rate alone would give. Cashing it now gives up that top-up, which is why bonds from the low-rate years are worth keeping until their 20th anniversary.
Low rates, same guarantee16 of the 44 issue periods since 2005 paid 0.10%. Those bonds grow by about 2% in 20 years on the rate, and the doubling guarantee supplies the rest: every one of them is still worth twice its price at 20 years.
EE bond rate history since May 2005
The fixed rate for each six-month issue period, from TreasuryDirect, and what the 20-year guarantee means for a $1,000 bond bought then:[2]
| Issued from | Fixed rate | At 20 years |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2026 | 2.90% | Treasury tops up $221 per $1,000 |
| May 2026 | 2.40% | Treasury tops up $389 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2025 | 2.50% | Treasury tops up $356 per $1,000 |
| May 2025 | 2.70% | Treasury tops up $290 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2024 | 2.60% | Treasury tops up $324 per $1,000 |
| May 2024 | 2.70% | Treasury tops up $290 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2023 | 2.70% | Treasury tops up $290 per $1,000 |
| May 2023 | 2.50% | Treasury tops up $356 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2022 | 2.10% | Treasury tops up $481 per $1,000 |
| May 2022 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2021 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| May 2021 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2020 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| May 2020 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2019 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| May 2019 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2018 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| May 2018 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2017 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| May 2017 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2016 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| May 2016 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2015 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| May 2015 | 0.30% | Treasury tops up $938 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2014 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| May 2014 | 0.50% | Treasury tops up $895 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2013 | 0.10% | Treasury tops up $980 per $1,000 |
| May 2013 | 0.20% | Treasury tops up $959 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2012 | 0.20% | Treasury tops up $959 per $1,000 |
| May 2012 | 0.60% | Treasury tops up $873 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2011 | 0.60% | Treasury tops up $873 per $1,000 |
| May 2011 | 1.10% | Treasury tops up $755 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2010 | 0.60% | Treasury tops up $873 per $1,000 |
| May 2010 | 1.40% | Treasury tops up $678 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2009 | 1.20% | Treasury tops up $730 per $1,000 |
| May 2009 | 0.70% | Treasury tops up $850 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2008 | 1.30% | Treasury tops up $704 per $1,000 |
| May 2008 | 1.40% | Treasury tops up $678 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2007 | 3.00% | Treasury tops up $186 per $1,000 |
| May 2007 | 3.40% | Treasury tops up $37 per $1,000 |
| Nov 2006 | 3.60% | Rate alone doubles it |
| May 2006 | 3.70% | Rate alone doubles it |
| Nov 2005 | 3.20% | Treasury tops up $113 per $1,000 |
| May 2005 | 3.50% | Treasury tops up −$2 per $1,000 |
EE bonds vs I bonds
EE bonds pay a fixed rate and double at 20 years; I bonds pay a fixed rate plus inflation that resets every six months, with no doubling guarantee.[1][5] I bonds bought now earn 5.51% for their first six months.[4]
| EE bond | I bond | |
|---|---|---|
| Rate for new bonds | 2.90% fixed | 5.51% composite (1.40% fixed + inflation) |
| Guarantee | Worth 2× the price at 20 years | Rate never below 0% |
| Best if | You will hold exactly 20 years | You want inflation protection or may cash earlier |
| Cash after | 12 months (3-month penalty before 5 years) | 12 months (3-month penalty before 5 years) |
| Stops earning | 30 years | 30 years |
| Yearly limit | $10,000 electronic | $10,000 electronic |
Switch the calculator to "I bond" to value one; $10,000 of I bonds from November 2022 is worth $11,668.00 in November 2026. The I bond calculator shows every six-month rate it earned, and the I bond rates page explains the fixed and inflation parts.
Taxes on savings bond interest
Savings bond interest is subject to federal income tax but not to state or local income tax. You can report it every year or wait until you cash the bond or it stops earning interest at 30 years, and it may be excluded if you use the money for qualified higher education expenses.[6][7]
Savings bonds are not the same as marketable Treasury notes and bonds, which pay a coupon every six months and can be sold at a market price; the Treasury bond calculator prices those. For money you need sooner, a Treasury bill locks the current short-term rate for weeks to a year, and a CD fixes a bank rate for a set term. The rule of 72 gives the doubling time at any rate: 72 ÷ 2.90 is about 25 years, which is why the 20-year guarantee matters.
Related calculators
- I bond calculatorValue of your I bond month by month with the TreasuryDirect rates
- T-bill calculatorPrice, investment rate and the state-tax edge over a CD
- Rule of 72 calculatorDoubling time, and how far off the shortcut is
- CD calculatorValue at maturity from APY or rate, any term
Frequently asked questions
How much is my savings bond worth?
Choose EE or I, enter the face value and the issue month and year shown on the bond, and the calculator adds every month of interest the bond has earned. For a paper EE bond, the value starts at half the face value.
What is the current EE bond rate?
2.90% fixed for EE bonds issued November 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. The rate lasts at least 20 years, and the bond is guaranteed to double in value at 20 years.
Do EE bonds really double in 20 years?
Yes. For EE bonds bought since June 2003, Treasury guarantees the value at 20 years is at least twice the purchase price and makes a one-time adjustment if the fixed rate fell short. That works out to 3.53% a year if you hold the full 20 years.
When should I cash an EE bond?
Not before its 20th anniversary if its rate is below 3.53%, because the doubling top-up is paid only at 20 years. After 30 years it earns nothing, so cash it then. Before five years you also lose three months of interest.
Are savings bonds taxable?
Interest is taxed federally but not by states or localities. You can defer it until you cash the bond, and it may be tax-free when used for qualified higher education expenses.