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. Political subdivisions include:
- Port authorities,
- Toll road commissions,
- Utility services authorities,
- Community redevelopment agencies, and
- Qualified volunteer fire departments (for certain obligations issued after 1980).
Obligations that are not bonds. Interest on a state or local government obligation may be tax exempt even if the obligation is not a bond. For example, interest on a debt evidenced only by an ordinary written agreement of purchase and sale may be tax exempt. Also, interest paid by an insurer on default by the state or political subdivision may be tax exempt.
Indian tribal governments. Bonds issued after 1982 by an Indian tribal government are treated as issued by a state. Interest on these bonds is generally tax exempt if the bonds are part of an issue of which substantially all of the proceeds are to be used in the exercise of any essential government function. However, interest on private activity bonds (other than certain bonds for tribal manufacturing facilities) is taxable.
Original issue discount (OID) on tax-exempt state or local government bonds is treated as tax-exempt interest.
This information is found in Publication 550, Investment Income and Expenses.
FAQs
To claim exempt, write EXEMPT under line 4c. You may claim EXEMPT from withholding if: o Last year you had a right to a full refund of All federal tax income and o This year you expect a full refund of ALL federal income tax. NOTE: if you claim EXEMPT you must complete a new W-4 annually in February.
What qualifies as tax-exempt interest income? ›
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.
What is the 50% rule for tax-exempt interest in California? ›
Certain mutual funds pay “exempt-interest dividends.” If the mutual fund has at least 50 percent of its assets invested in tax-exempt U.S. obligations and/or in California or its municipal obligations, that amount of dividend is exempt from California tax.
What is an example of exempt interest? ›
Most commonly, any interest, premium, or redemption on any securities or certificates issued by the government or deposits maintained with the government are exempt from income tax.
Are you tax-exempt yes or no? ›
To be exempt from withholding, both of the following must be true: You owed no federal income tax in the prior tax year, and. You expect to owe no federal income tax in the current tax year.
Is tax-exempt good or bad? ›
Exemptions refer to income that is not subject to taxation. For each exemption you claim, a certain amount of your income is excluded from being taxed. If you're eligible to claim exemptions, this can reduce your overall tax liability and increase your take-home pay.
How to avoid paying taxes on interest income? ›
You can make a number of moves to ease the tax burden from savings account interest, which include:
- 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.
Key Takeaways
Interest on bonds, mutual funds, CDs, and demand deposits of $10 or more is taxable. Taxable interest is taxed just like ordinary income. Payors must file Form 1099-INT and send a copy to the recipient by January 31 each year.
How do I know where my exempt interest dividends are from? ›
In the Dividends and Distributions section of your Form 1099, you may have a value in Box 12: “Exempt-interest dividends.” This value represents dividends received from ETFs like MUB, which hold a broad range of U.S. municipal bonds that pay federal tax-exempt dividends.
How much interest is exempt? ›
Interest income on savings account
If you earn interest income of up to Rs 10,000 from a savings account, you can claim tax deduction under Section 80TTA of the IT Act. However, if this amount exceeds Rs 10,000, it is taxable as per applicable slab rates.
State Income Tax
A "tax-exempt" entity is a corporation, unincorporated association, or trust that has applied for and received a determination letter from the Franchise Tax Board stating it is exempt from California franchise and income tax (California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 23701).
What is the interest deduction limitation rule? ›
The Interest Limitation Rule (ILR) is intended to limit base erosion using excessive interest deductions. It limits the maximum net interest deduction to 30% of Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization (EBITDA).
What counts as tax-exempt interest? ›
The most common sources of tax-exempt interest come from municipal bonds or income-producing assets inside of Roth retirement accounts.
How do I report tax-exempt interest? ›
Key Takeaways
If you receive a Form 1099-INT, you'll need to include the amount shown in Box 1 on the “taxable interest” line of your tax return. Report any tax-exempt interest shown in Box 8 of the 1099-INT on the “tax-exempt interest” line of your tax return.
Is interest on an IRA considered tax-exempt interest? ›
You aren't subject to IRA interest tax on the interest your IRA earns while it remains in your account. Instead, you'll be responsible for any IRA interest tax when you take distributions from the traditional IRA.
How do you explain tax-exempt? ›
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.
How do you explain exempt to an employee? ›
Exempt employees are generally not subject to the FLSA regulations governing minimum wage and overtime pay. Rather, exempt employees are paid on a salary or fee basis, meaning they typically must receive their predetermined salary each workweek regardless of the quality or quantity of work performed.
How do I know if I'm exempt from income tax? ›
You can claim exemption from withholding only if both the following situations apply: For the prior year, you had a right to a refund of all federal income tax withheld because you had no tax liability. For the current year, you expect a refund of all federal income tax withheld because you expect to have no liability.
Why would an employee be tax-exempt? ›
To qualify for this exempt status, the employee must have had no tax liability for the previous year and must expect to have no tax liability for the current year. A Form W-4 claiming exemption from withholding is valid for only the calendar year in which it's furnished to the employer.
