Appendix D to Part 359—Tax Considerations

1. What are some general tax considerations?

General. Interest is subject to all taxes imposed under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The bonds are also subject to Federal and State estate, inheritance, gift, or other excise taxes. The bonds are exempt from all other taxation by any State or local taxing authority.

2. What reporting methods are available for savings bonds?

(a) Reporting methods. You may use either of the following two methods for reporting the increase in the redemption value of the bond for Federal income tax purposes:

(1) Cash basis method. You may defer reporting the increase to the year of final maturity, redemption, or other disposition, whichever is earliest; or

(2) Accrual basis method. You may elect to report the increase each year, in which case the election applies to all Series I bonds that you then own, those subsequently acquired, and to any other obligations purchased on a discount basis, such as savings bonds of Series E or EE.

(b) Changing methods. If you use the cash basis method, you may change to the accrual basis method without obtaining permission from the Internal Revenue Service. However, once you elect to use the accrual basis method in paragraph (a)(2), you may change the method of reporting the increase only by following the specific procedures prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service for making an automatic method change. For further information, you may contact the Internal Revenue Service director for your area, or the Internal Revenue Service, Washington, DC 20224.

3. What transactions have potential tax consequences?

The following types of transactions, among others, may have potential tax consequences:

(a) A reissue that affects the rights of any of the persons named on a definitive Series I savings bonds may have tax consequences for the owner.

(b) The transfer of a book-entry Series I savings bonds from one owner to another may have tax consequences for the purchaser.

(c) The redemption of a book-entry Series I savings bonds by the secondary owner may have tax consequences for the primary owner.

(d) The purchase of a Series I savings bonds as a gift may have gift tax consequences for the purchaser.

[67 FR 64278, Oct. 17, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 24806, May 8, 2003]