Glossary
Maturity
The date a bond's loan ends: the issuer is due to repay the face value and any interest payments stop.
Updated September 15, 2026
Maturity is the date a bond's loan ends. On that date the issuer, the government or company that borrowed the money, is due to repay the face value, the sum promised at the end, and any interest payments stop. A bond with a $1,000 face value maturing in 2036 pays interest until then and repays the $1,000.
The US Treasury currently sells bills maturing in a year or less, notes in two to ten years, and bonds in 20 or 30 years.
Holding a bond to maturity is not required. It can be sold earlier in the secondary market, where investors trade bonds they own, for whatever a buyer will pay, which may be less than face value. Longer maturities usually move more in price when interest rates change, and repayment depends on the issuer being able to pay.
Related terms
Used in these lessons
Members
What a bond is
Members
Why bond prices fall when interest rates rise
Weekly report
The week, explained: September 7 to 11, 2026
Members
From CDTs and Fogafín to savings accounts and CDs in the United States
Open to everyone
From Tesouro Direto to US Treasuries
Open to everyone
From CETES to US Treasury bills
Open to everyone
From TES to US Treasury bills, notes and bonds
Members
What inflation does to savings
Weekly report
The week, explained: September 14 to 18, 2026
Weekly report
The week, explained: September 21 to 25, 2026
Weekly report
The week, explained: October 5 to 9, 2026
Weekly report
The week, explained: September 28 to October 2, 2026
Members
Bond funds, corporate bonds and credit ratings
Members
TIPS and I bonds: Treasury securities that adjust for inflation
Weekly report
The week, explained: October 12 to 16, 2026
How this definition was made
- Written by an AI model (Claude) following Teloria's editorial standard.
- Every factual claim was checked by a separate AI fact-check against official US government and regulator sources.
Official sources consulted
- investor.gov · /introduction-investing/investing-basics/investment-products/bonds-or-fixed-income-products/bonds
- treasurydirect.gov · /marketable-securities/treasury-bills/
- treasurydirect.gov · /marketable-securities/treasury-notes/
- treasurydirect.gov · /marketable-securities/treasury-bonds/
- investor.gov · /introduction-investing/general-resources/news-alerts/alerts-bulletins/investor-bulletins-86