To know the worth of a savings bond, you need to use a savings bond calculator. There are numerous websites that offer this, including the Treasury Department. There are various types of calculators, but they generally work in the following way.

Entering the Right Information

After you get to the website, go to the calculator page or link. Select the series that matches yours. From the drop-down menu choose the denomination as well.

Next, put in the issue date. This is found in the bond itself. You need to put in the two months (example: 01 and 12).

Add in the four numbers (i.e., 1987 or 2000). Most sites also have a bond diagram. This will help you find the abovementioned info to learn the worth of savings bonds.

After entering the data, just press calculate. To create an inventory, just repeat the process. They will be listed together.

Determining its Worth on Other Dates

These calculators don’t just give the bond value today. You can also assess its worth in the past and its possible value in the future. Usually, you just have to alter the figures in the date field.

This is marked as “value of ” in most calculators. After making changes, press refresh or update. You can use this feature to check the bond and an inventory as well.

Note: the instructions should work in most online calculators. If you are having trouble using it, check the help file. It will help you use the gadget to get the worth of a savings bond.

You can save this information for offline use. This can be done using the save as a feature of your browser.

YTD Rates

The YTD interest in the calculator determines how much interest the bond has earned. The period is from the beginning of the year to the dates you enter.

To check the annual interest, enter the right date. If you want to see the interest for 2009, enter 12/2009 in the value. The amount in the YTD is the total interest growth.

Other Data

Here are a few more things you should know about. The serial number is at the lower right section of the bond.

Make a note of this. In case you lose it or it gets damaged, this can help. This isn’t used to check the worth of savings bonds but it is used for record storing.

The series comes in many forms. Usually, those available for calculating am I, EE, and E. Savings Notes are also included. The series is on the upper right of the bond. The denomination is on the left (upper part).

The issue date is just under the series. The info included there are dates when the bond was released and the date of printing.

On the calculator, you‘ll see something like # bonds. This refers to the total in your list. The total price is the amount you paid to get the bonds.

Total interest is the amount it has earned based on the dates you put in. Total value is the money you’ll get if you cash everything out.

The worth of savings bonds varies, so it’s best to keep any you find. You could end up cashing a substantial amount.