How to Find Lost or Forgotten Savings Bonds
Savings bonds are one of the easiest assets to lose track of — bought decades ago, tucked in a drawer, or gifted by a grandparent and forgotten. More than $26 billion in matured bonds sit uncashed, no longer earning a cent. Here's how to find yours, with the process updated for 2026.
Gather any details you have — serial number, issue date, face value, and the owner's name and Social Security number. To replace a lost, stolen, or destroyed bond, file FS Form 1048 with Treasury Retail Securities Services. For matured, unredeemed bonds, check your state's unclaimed property office — note that the federal Treasury Hunt tool was discontinued in September 2025.
As of September 30, 2025, the U.S. Treasury's Treasury Hunt tool is no longer available. Many existing guides still tell you to use it — that information is now out of date. The current path for matured, unredeemed bonds runs through state unclaimed property offices, covered below.
Why so many bonds go uncashed
Savings bonds are built to be forgotten. They're long-term by design — a Series EE bond is guaranteed to double in value after 20 years, and bonds keep earning interest for up to 30 years. That's a long time for a paper certificate to stay filed away, get misplaced in a move, or outlive the person who bought it.
The scale is striking: the Treasury has reported that owners hold more than $26 billion in matured savings bonds that have stopped earning interest. A matured, uncashed bond isn't growing anymore — it's quietly losing value to inflation while it waits to be found.
"A matured savings bond in a drawer isn't saving anything. It stopped earning interest years ago — it's just waiting for someone to remember it exists."
What information helps you search
You don't need every detail to start, but the more you have, the faster the process. Helpful information includes:
- The bond serial number
- The issue date, or your best estimate of when it was purchased
- The bond's face value
- The number of bonds, if more than one is missing
- The name and Social Security number of the person named on the bond
- The name and Social Security number of the person who bought it
Most people don't have all of this — and that's okay. The Treasury can often locate bond records as long as you can supply some of the details, particularly the Social Security number of the owner or purchaser.
How to find them, step by step
Finding bonds owned by a deceased relative
Inherited or gifted bonds are among the most commonly lost, precisely because the person who bought them may no longer be around to remember them. If you're searching on behalf of a deceased relative, start with their records, old tax returns, and bank documents, and gather their name and Social Security number.
From there, the same steps apply — FS Form 1048 to claim a bond you believe exists, and the unclaimed property office of the state where they lived. As an heir, be prepared to provide additional documentation establishing your right to claim. Keep a log of every form and office you contact, with dates and reference numbers, in case you need to follow up.
Why these get forgotten — and how to not repeat it
A savings bond is a near-perfect example of a quietly important thing that nothing prompts you to check. It doesn't send statements, doesn't email you, and stops earning interest silently at the 30-year mark. The people most likely to benefit from a bond — the ones who received them as children decades ago — are often the least likely to remember they exist.
If you do find bonds, note their final maturity dates somewhere you'll actually see them, so a cashed-in-time bond doesn't quietly become a forgotten one again. The same goes for any you buy or gift going forward.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a lost savings bond?
Gather any details you have — serial number, issue date, face value, and the owner's name and Social Security number. To replace a lost, stolen, or destroyed bond, file FS Form 1048 with Treasury Retail Securities Services. For matured, unredeemed bonds, check your state's unclaimed property office, since the federal Treasury Hunt tool was discontinued in 2025.
Is the Treasury Hunt tool still available?
No. As of September 30, 2025, the Treasury Hunt tool is no longer available. Many older guides still reference it, but it has been retired. To search for matured, unredeemed savings bonds, you now contact your state's unclaimed property office, often via unclaimed.org.
How much money is sitting in uncashed savings bonds?
The Treasury has reported that bond owners hold more than $26 billion in matured savings bonds no longer earning interest. Bonds stop earning interest after 30 years, so a matured, uncashed bond is losing value to inflation while it sits.
What form do I use to replace a lost savings bond?
FS Form 1048, the Claim for Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed United States Savings Bonds. Complete it with as much detail as possible and send it to Treasury Retail Securities Services. Once a replaced bond is found or cashed, the original must be returned to the Treasury.
How do I find savings bonds owned by a deceased relative?
Search their records, old tax returns, and bank documents. Gather their name and Social Security number, file FS Form 1048 if you believe a bond exists but can't locate it, and check the unclaimed property office of the state where they lived. As an heir, you may need additional documentation establishing your claim.
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