Do I need to report I bonds on my tax return?
If you cashed in I bonds last year, you must report the interest on line 2b of Form 1040 and pay tax to the extent you didn't otherwise include the interest income in a prior year.
More In Help. I cashed some Series E, Series EE, and Series I savings bonds. How do I report the interest? In general, you must report the interest in income in the taxable year in which you redeemed the bonds to the extent you did not include the interest in income in a prior taxable year.
If your securities are in your TreasuryDirect account, your 1099 is available at the beginning of each year. To see and print your Form 1099 from TreasuryDirect: Go to your TreasuryDirect account.
Examples of taxable interest
Interest income from Treasury bills, notes and bonds - This interest is subject to federal income tax, but is exempt from all state and local income taxes.
Income tax on bonds
Income from bonds held outside an ISA, SIPP, or other tax-free wrapper is subject to income tax. Interest payments from gilts are also subject to income tax. This applies if you make any income, regardless of whether the bond was bought directly from a company or via bond funds.
What do I need to do? When you file your tax return, include IRS Form 8888. Complete Part 2 to tell the IRS you want to use part (or all) of your refund to purchase paper I bonds.
Municipal Bonds
Most bonds issued by government agencies are tax-exempt. This means interest on these bonds are excluded from gross income for federal tax purposes.
If a financial institution pays the bond, you get a 1099-INT from that financial institution either soon after you cash your bond or by January 31 of the following year. If your bonds are in your TreasuryDirect account, your 1099-INT is available in your account by January 31 of the following year.
If you cash a paper savings bond at a local bank, that bank is responsible for giving you a 1099. If you cash a paper savings bond by mailing it to Treasury Retail Securities Services, we mail you a 1099 by January 31 of the following year. (You can call us for a duplicate statement, if needed, beginning February 15.)
Use the Education Exclusion. With that in mind, you have one option for avoiding taxes on savings bonds: the education exclusion. You can skip paying taxes on interest earned with Series EE and Series I savings bonds if you're using the money to pay for qualified higher education costs.
Is TreasuryDirect taxable?
Whenever a transfer is completed in your account, TreasuryDirect calculates the reportable proceeds amount from the time the Treasury marketable security was issued in your account. All your taxable transactions are available with your online, printable IRS Form 1099 each calendar year.
If you received less than $10 in interest from your financial institution, they're not required to send you Form 1099-INT, but you're still supposed to report the interest. Although you didn't get a 1099-INT, report the interest in the 1099-INT section.
If you receive a Form 1099-INT and do not report the interest on your tax return, the IRS will likely send you a CP2000, Underreported Income notice. This IRS notice will propose additional tax, penalties and interest on your interest payments and any other unreported income.
Capital gains, which are any profit you make from selling a bond before maturity. (Capital losses are also possible.) The tax rate charged will depend on how long you held the bond. If you've held it for less than a year, you'll be charged at your regular income tax rate.
- Investing in a tax-deferred account such as a traditional individual retirement account or a 401(k).
- Stashing money in a tax-exempt account such as a Roth 401(k) or a Roth IRA.
Some of the most popular investment vehicles that generate investment income include: Stocks. Bonds. Investment funds, such as mutual funds or ETFs and other securities.
| Face Value | Purchase Amount | 30-Year Value (Purchased May 1990) |
|---|---|---|
| $50 Bond | $100 | $207.36 |
| $100 Bond | $200 | $414.72 |
| $500 Bond | $400 | $1,036.80 |
| $1,000 Bond | $800 | $2,073.60 |
Key Takeaways
Interest from Treasury bills (T-bills) is subject to federal income taxes but not state or local taxes. The interest income received in a year is recorded on Form 1099-INT. Investors can opt to have up to 50% of their Treasury bills' interest earnings automatically withheld.
tax-exempt interest income — interest income that is not subject to income tax. Tax-exempt interest income is earned from bonds issued by states, cities, or counties and the District of Columbia.
I bonds also have important tax advantages for owners. For example, interest earned on I bonds is exempt from state and local taxation. Also, owners can defer federal income tax on the accrued interest for up to 30 years. Unfortunately, though, the federal tax rules aren't always straightforward.
How do I know if my bond interest is tax-exempt?
Tax-Exempt Interest. Interest on a bond that is used to finance government operations generally is not taxable if the bond is issued by a state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. possession, or any of their political subdivisions.
Bonds are divided into two classes: taxable and tax-exempt. A bond's tax-exempt status applies only to the bond's interest income. Any capital gains generated from selling a bond or bond fund before its maturity date is taxable, regardless of the type of bond.
I bonds have an annual purchase limit of $15,000 per person, but using your tax refund is the only way to hit that threshold. The Treasury Department set a $10,000 annual limit on digital I bond purchases and a $5,000 limit for paper I bond purchases.
If the executor doesn't include predeath interest on the decedent's final return, then the beneficiary owes federal income tax on all pre- and post-death interest on the earlier of the bond's maturity or redemption.
Go to www.irs.gov/Form8888 for the latest information. Attach to your income tax return. Complete this part if you want to buy paper bonds with a portion of your refund.
