§454 — Obligations issued at discount
12 citing cases
Statute Text — 26 U.S.C. §454
If, in the case of a taxpayer owning any non-interest-bearing obligation issued at a discount and redeemable for fixed amounts increasing at stated intervals or owning an obligation described in paragraph (2) of subsection (c), the increase in the redemption price of such obligation occurring in the taxable year does not (under the method of accounting used in computing his taxable income) constitute income to him in such year, such taxpayer may, at his election made in his return for any taxable year, treat such increase as income received in such taxable year. If any such election is made with respect to any such obligation, it shall apply also to all such obligations owned by the taxpayer at the beginning of the first taxable year to which it applies and to all such obligations thereafter acquired by him and shall be binding for all subsequent taxable years, unless on application by the taxpayer the Secretary permits him, subject to such conditions as the Secretary deems necessary, to change to a different method. In the case of any such obligations owned by the taxpayer at the beginning of the first taxable year to which his election applies, the increase in the redemption price of such obligations occurring between the date of acquisition (or, in the case of an obligation described in paragraph (2) of subsection (c), the date of acquisition of the series E bond involved) and the first day of such taxable year shall also be treated as income received in such taxable year.
In the case of any obligation—
of the United States; or
of a State or a possession of the United States, or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing, or of the District of Columbia,
which is issued on a discount basis and payable without interest at a fixed maturity date not exceeding 1 year from the date of issue, the amount of discount at which such obligation is originally sold shall not be considered to accrue until the date on which such obligation is paid at maturity, sold, or otherwise disposed of.
In the case of a taxpayer who—
holds a series E United States savings bond at the date of maturity, and
pursuant to regulations prescribed under chapter 31 of title 31 (A) retains his investment in such series E bond in an obligation of the United States, other than a current income obligation, or (B) exchanges such series E bond for another nontransferable obligation of the United States in an exchange upon which gain or loss is not recognized because of section 1037 (or so much of section 1031 as relates to section 1037),
the increase in redemption value (to the extent not previously includible in gross income) in excess of the amount paid for such series E bond shall be includible in gross income in the taxable year in which the obligation is finally redeemed or in the taxable year of final maturity, whichever is earlier. This subsection shall not apply to a corporation, and shall not apply in the case of any taxable year for which the taxpayer’s taxable income is computed under an accrual method of accounting or for which an election made by the taxpayer under subsection (a) applies.
Treasury Regulations
-
Treas. Reg. §1.454-1Obligations issued at discount
(a) Certain non-interest-bearing obligations issued at discount—(1) Election to include increase in income currently. If a taxpayer owns—
(i) A non-interest-bearing obligation issued at a discount and redeemable for fixed amounts increasing at stated intervals (other than an obligation issued by a corporation after May 27, 1969, as to which ratable inclusion of original issue discount is required under section 1232(a)(3)), or
(ii) An obligation of the United States, other than a current income obligation, in which he retains his investment in a matured series E U.S. savings bond, or
(iii) A nontransferable obligation (whether or not a current income obligation) of the United States for which a series E U.S. savings bond was exchanged (whether or not at final maturity) in an exchange upon which gain is not recognized because of section 1037(a) (or so much of section 1031(b) as relates to section 1037),
and if the increase, if any, in redemption price of such obligation described in subdivision (i), (ii), or (iii) of this subparagraph during the taxable year (as described in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph) does not constitute income for such year under the method of accounting used in computing his taxable income, then the taxpayer may, at his election, treat the increase as constituting income for the year in which such increase occurs. If the election is not made and section 1037 (or so much of section 1031 as relates to section 1037) does not apply, the taxpayer shall treat the increase as constituting income for the year in which the obligation is redeemed or disposed of, or finally matures, whichever is earlier. Any such election must be made in the taxpayer's return and may be made for any taxable year. If an election is made with respect to any such obligation described in subdivision (i), (ii), or (iii) of this subparagraph, it shall apply also to all other obligations of the type described in such subdivisions owned by the taxpayer at the beginning of the first taxable year to which the election applies, and to those thereafter acquired by him, and shall be binding for the taxable year for which the return is filed and for all subsequent taxable years, unless the Commissioner permits the taxpayer to change to a different method of reporting income from such obligations. See section 446(e) and paragraph (e) of § 1.446-1, relating to requirement respecting a change of accounting method. Although the election once made is binding upon the taxpayer, it does not apply to a transferee of the taxpayer.
(2) Amount of increase in case of non-interest-bearing obligations. In any case in which an election is made under section 454, the amount which accrues in any taxable year to which the election applies is measured by the actual increase in the redemption price occurring in that year. This amount does not accrue ratably between the dates on which the redemption price changes. For example, if two dates on which the redemption price increases (February 1 and August 1) fall within a taxable year and if the redemption price increases in the amount of 50 cents on each such date, the amount accruing in that year would be $1 ($0.50 on February 1 and $0.50 on August 1). If the taxpayer owns a non-interest-bearing obligation of the character described in subdivision (i), (ii), or (iii) of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph acquired prior to the first taxable year to which his election applies, he must also include in gross income for such first taxable year (i) the increase in the redemption price of such obligation occurring between the date of acquisition of the obligation and the first day of such first taxable year and (ii), in a case where a series E bond was exchanged for such obligation, the increase in the redemption price of such series E bond occurring between the date of acquisition of such series E bond and the date of the exchange.
(3) Amount of increase in case of current income obligations. If an election is made under section 454 and the taxpayer owns, at the beginning of the first taxable year to which the election applies, a current income obligation of the character described in subparagraph (1)(iii) of this paragraph acquired prior to such taxable year, he must also include in gross income for such first taxable year the increase in the redemption price of the series E bond which was surrendered to the United States in exchange for such current income obligation; the amount of the increase is that occurring between the date of acquisition of the series E bond and the date of the exchange.
(4) Illustrations. The application of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:
(b) Short-term obligations issued on a discount basis. In the case of obligations of the United States or any of its possessions, or of a State, or Territory, or any political subdivision thereof, or of the District of Columbia, issued on a discount basis and payable without interest at a fixed maturity date not exceeding one year from the date of issue, the amount of discount at which such obligation originally sold does not accrue until the date on which such obligation is redeemed, sold, or otherwise disposed of. This rule applies regardless of the method of accounting used by the taxpayer. For examples illustrating rules for computation of income from sale or other disposition of certain obligations of the type described in this paragraph, see section 1221 and the regulations thereunder.
(c) Matured U.S. savings bonds—(1) Inclusion of increase in income upon redemption or final maturity. If a taxpayer (other than a corporation) holds—
(i) A matured series E U.S. savings bond,
(ii) An obligation of the United States, other than a current income obligation, in which he retains his investment in a matured series E U.S. savings bond, or
(iii) A nontransferable obligation (whether or not a current income obligation) of the United States for which a series E U.S. savings bond was exchanged (whether or not at final maturity) in an exchange upon which gain is not recognized because of section 1037(a) (or so much of section 1031(b) as relates to section 1037(a)),
the increase in redemption price of the series E bond in excess of the amount paid for such series E bond shall be included in the gross income of such taxpayer for the taxable year in which the obligation described in subdivision (i), (ii), or (iii) of this subparagraph is redeemed or disposed of, or finally matures, whichever is earlier, but only to the extent such increase has not previously been includible in the gross income of such taxpayer or any other taxpayer. If such obligation is partially redeemed before final maturity, or partially disposed of by being partially reissued to another owner, such increase in redemption price shall be included in the gross income of such taxpayer for such taxable year on a basis proportional to the total denomination of obligations redeemed or disposed of. The provisions of section 454 (c) and of this subparagraph shall not apply in the case of any taxable year for which the taxpayer's taxable income is computed under an accrual method of accounting or for a taxable year for which an election made by the taxpayer under section 454(a) and paragraph (a) of this section applies. For rules respecting the character of the gain realized upon the disposition or redemption of an obligation described in subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph, see paragraph (b) of § 1.1037-1.
(2) Illustrations. The application of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples, in which it is assumed that the taxpayer uses the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting and the calendar year as his taxable year:
-
Treas. Reg. §1.454-1(a)Certain non-interest-bearing obligations issued at discount—(1) Election to include increase in income currently.
Certain non-interest-bearing obligations issued at discount—(1) Election to include increase in income currently. If a taxpayer owns—
-
Treas. Reg. §1.454-1(b)Short-term obligations issued on a discount basis.
Short-term obligations issued on a discount basis. In the case of obligations of the United States or any of its possessions, or of a State, or Territory, or any political subdivision thereof, or of the District of Columbia, issued on a discount basis and payable without interest at a fixed maturity date not exceeding one year from the date of issue, the amount of discount at which such obligation originally sold does not accrue until the date on which such obligation is redeemed, sold, or otherwise disposed of. This rule applies regardless of the method of accounting used by the taxpayer. For examples illustrating rules for computation of income from sale or other disposition of certain obligations of the type described in this paragraph, see section 1221 and the regulations thereunder.
-
Treas. Reg. §1.454-1(c)Matured U.
Matured U.S. savings bonds—(1) Inclusion of increase in income upon redemption or final maturity. If a taxpayer (other than a corporation) holds—
-
Treas. Reg. §1.454-1(i)A matured series E U.
A matured series E U.S. savings bond,
(ii) An obligation of the United States, other than a current income obligation, in which he retains his investment in a matured series E U.S. savings bond, or
(iii) A nontransferable obligation (whether or not a current income obligation) of the United States for which a series E U.S. savings bond was exchanged (whether or not at final maturity) in an exchange upon which gain is not recognized because of section 1037(a) (or so much of section 1031(b) as relates to section 1037(a)),
the increase in redemption price of the series E bond in excess of the amount paid for such series E bond shall be included in the gross income of such taxpayer for the taxable year in which the obligation described in subdivision (i), (ii), or (iii) of this subparagraph is redeemed or disposed of, or finally matures, whichever is earlier, but only to the extent such increase has not previously been includible in the gross income of such taxpayer or any other taxpayer. If such obligation is partially redeemed before final maturity, or partially disposed of by being partially reissued to another owner, such increase in redemption price shall be included in the gross income of such taxpayer for such taxable year on a basis proportional to the total denomination of obligations redeemed or disposed of. The provisions of section 454 (c) and of this subparagraph shall not apply in the case of any taxable year for which the taxpayer's taxable income is computed under an accrual method of accounting or for a taxable year for which an election made by the taxpayer under section 454(a) and paragraph (a) of this section applies. For rules respecting the character of the gain realized upon the disposition or redemption of an obligation described in subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph, see paragraph (b) of § 1.1037-1.
(2) Illustrations. The application of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples, in which it is assumed that the taxpayer uses the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting and the calendar year as his taxable year:
12 Citing Cases
454 provides m pertment part: 1.
Respondent agrees that, following his mother’s death, petitioner, as her personal representative, could have filed a final return on her behalf for the year 1999, in which petitioner could have elected, on behalf of her estate, under section 454, to have the interest included as income for that year on his deceased mother’s final 1999 return.
- 4 - States savings bonds issued at a discount has an election as to when he will report the interest” pursuant to section 454 and the regulations thereunder.2 Id.