An old savings bond tucked inside a desk drawer could hold real money, even if its owner bought it decades ago. But the date on the bond matters more than its age, and some bonds stopped earning interest years ago. The first thing to check is the issue date, not the amount printed on the front. A bond marked $100 might be worth more than $100 today, while another bond with the same face value might have reached its final value years ago. Neither outcome tells the whole story about what happens next.
Finding a bond also raises a family question. If your parents bought it, does the money belong to you, another relative, or your parents’ estate? Before anyone celebrates a forgotten windfall, a few details deserve a closer look.
