How do you know if a bond is tax-exempt?
Income from bonds issued by state, city, and local governments (municipal bonds, or munis) is generally free from federal taxes. * You will, however, have to report this income when filing your taxes. Municipal bond income is also usually free from state tax in the state where the bond was issued.
Municipal bonds issued by the state are free from federal taxes and are often free from taxes from the state that issued the bond. Munis are often free from state taxes if the bond issuer is not in the purchaser's state of residence.
However, some interest you receive may be tax-exempt. You should receive Copy B of Form 1099-INT or Form 1099-OID reporting payments of interest and/or tax-exempt interest of $10 or more. You may receive these forms as part of a composite statement from a broker.
"Tax-exempt" means that the interest component of bond debt service payments is exempt from federal and sometimes state and local income taxes for the bond holder. Therefore, with regard to credit quality and term of the bonds, the interest rate will be lower than for a taxable bond.
The interest earned by purchasing and holding savings bonds is subject to federal tax at the time the bonds are redeemed. However, interest earned on savings bonds is not taxable at the state or local level.
Although municipal bonds generally aren't subject to federal taxes, the IRS does include income from such bonds in your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) when determining how much of your Social Security benefit is taxable.
The main difference between a taxable municipal bond and a tax-exempt muni is that taxable munis pay interest income that's subject to federal and state income taxes, whereas tax-exempt munis pay interest income that's generally exempt from federal and state income taxes.
- Report interest each year and pay taxes on it annually.
- Defer reporting interest until you redeem the bonds or give up ownership of the bond and it's reissued or the bond is no longer earning interest because it's matured.
The most common sources of tax-exempt interest come from municipal bonds or income-producing assets inside of Roth retirement accounts.
Interest from Treasuries is generally taxable at the federal level, but not at the state level. Interest from munis is generally exempt from federal taxes, and if you live in the state where the bond was issued, the interest may also be exempt from state taxes.
Are mortgage bonds tax-exempt?
Investors are willing to accept a lower rate of return for Housing Bonds than they would get on other investments because the interest on the bonds is exempt from federal income tax.
State and local governments sell tax-exempt Housing Bonds, commonly known as Mortgage Revenue Bonds (MRBs) and Multifamily Housing Bonds, and use the proceeds to finance low-cost mortgages for lower-income first-time homebuyers or the production of apartments at rents affordable to lower-income families.
Normally, the interest you earn on your savings bonds becomes part of your gross income for tax purposes.
Face Value | Purchase Amount | 20-Year Value (Purchased May 2000) |
---|---|---|
$50 Bond | $100 | $109.52 |
$100 Bond | $200 | $219.04 |
$500 Bond | $400 | $547.60 |
$1,000 Bond | $800 | $1,095.20 |
The principal difference between municipal bonds and Treasury bonds, aside from the credit considerations, is that municipal bonds are tax-exempt, that is interest is exempt from federal income taxation.
The interest is taxed in the year the bond is redeemed or reaches maturity, whichever comes first. Investors can defer paying taxes on the interest until the bond is redeemed or matures, or they can pay taxes annually on the interest earned.
Because the interest income on state and local debt is excluded from federal income taxation, the interest rate on this “tax-exempt” debt is lower than the interest rate on taxable debt.
Tax-exempt refers to income or transactions that are free from tax at the federal, state, or local level. The reporting of tax-free items may be on a taxpayer's individual or business tax return and shown for informational purposes only. The tax-exempt article is not part of any tax calculations.
Most all interest income earned on municipal bonds is exempt from federal income taxes. When you buy muni bonds issued by the state where you file state taxes, the interest you earn is usually also exempt from state income taxes.
Cons: Rates are variable, there's a lockup period and early withdrawal penalty, and there's a limit to how much you can invest. Only taxable accounts are allowed to invest in I bonds (i.e., no IRAs or 401(k) plans).
Do you get a 1099 when you cash in savings bonds?
At a bank: If a bank cashes your savings bond, they are responsible for getting you a 1099-INT. They may give or mail you the 1099-INT as soon as you cash the bond or they may wait until the following January.
The income from taxable bond funds is generally taxed at the federal and state level at ordinary income tax rates in the year it was earned. Funds that exclusively hold U.S. Treasury bonds may be exempt from state taxes.
However, income earned from Treasury bills is not subject to state tax or local income taxes. Are Treasury bills taxed as capital gains? Normally no. However, if you buy a T-bill in the secondary market and then achieve a profit, you may be liable for capital gains depending on your exact purchase price.
Interest earned on certain U.S. savings bonds, such as Series EE and Series I bonds, is exempt from state and local income taxes. Government bonds such as Series HH bonds and Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) may also be tax-exempt. Interest earned on 529 plans is usually exempt from federal taxes.
CDs and Treasurys are both safe, relatively riskless investments. Since CDs are considered deposit accounts, they're covered by Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) insurance, up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank. You can check if a bank is FDIC-insured on the BankFind Suite website.
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