October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsPC HealthRecommendedCrashes, freezes, slowdowns? Check your PC nowSpot repairable issues before they interrupt work.Check PCOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
The Finance Base
The Money Desk · Blog
Re:

How Treasury Bills Are Taxed: Federal, State and Reporting Rules

For most U.S. individuals who hold a Treasury bill to maturity, the discount is federally taxable interest, exempt from state and local income taxes, and generally reported in the maturity year.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

For a U.S. individual who holds a Treasury bill to maturity, the discount—the difference between what you paid and the bill’s face value—is generally interest income. It is taxable federally but exempt from state and local income taxes. The interest is generally reported in the year the bill matures, not necessarily the year you receive cash if maturity falls near year-end.

How the discount becomes taxable interest

Treasury bills are generally sold for less than their face value and pay the face value at maturity. For the typical hold-to-maturity purchase, the difference between the purchase price and the amount received is interest income, not a capital gain. Bills commonly have terms of 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks. IRS Publication 550 explains the tax treatment and says the interest is generally reported when the bill is paid at maturity.

If you reinvest the maturity proceeds, that does not eliminate the reporting requirement: Publication 550 says the full interest on a bill must be reported by maturity even when the proceeds are reinvested.

Federal, state and local taxes

Treasury bill interest is subject to U.S. federal income tax. Interest from Treasury bills, notes and bonds is exempt from state and local income taxes, as confirmed by IRS Topic No. 403 and TreasuryDirect. This exemption applies to the interest; it does not settle every state filing question or the treatment of a sale, gain or other transaction. Follow the rules that apply to your state and circumstances.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Bill Payment Tracker Notebook, Monthly Bill Organizer with Annual Overview, Subscription & Auto Pay Tracker, Black Spiral Budget Book with Storage Pocket for Bills and Documents
  • STAY ON TOP OF EVERY MONTHLY BILL IN ONE PLACE – This bill tracker notebook is designed to help you organize rent, utilities, insurance, credit cards, subscriptions, and other recurring expenses in one easy system. As a practical monthly bill tracker and bill payment organizer, it helps households, busy families, couples, seniors, and anyone managing monthly bill payment keep everything clear, simple, and easy to review
  • BUILT FOR REAL HOME AND PERSONAL FINANCE USE – More than a basic bill book organizer, this bill organizer notebook includes an annual overview, subscription and auto pay tracking pages, and detailed bill record pages for day-to-day use. Whether you use it at your kitchen counter, home office desk, family command center, or during monthly budgeting sessions, this monthly bill planner helps support better bill organization and a more consistent monthly bills payment checklist routine
  • EASY-TO-USE BILL LOG PAGES THAT HELP REDUCE MISSED PAYMENTS – Each layout is made for simple tracking with space for paid status, bill name, due date, amount due, amount paid, unpaid balance, and notes. This bill payment checklist, payment tracker notebook, and monthly payment book gives you a clear way to track due dates, follow your payment plan, record your monthly payment plan, and keep important reminders in one organized place
  • A4 SIZE WITH BLACK SPIRAL BINDING AND STORAGE POCKET – Designed as a durable bill organizer book and notebook for bills, this planner features a roomy A4 format that gives you more writing space than smaller books, plus black spiral binding for easy flipping and lay-flat use. A transparent storage pocket is placed before the back cover, making it convenient to hold receipts, statements, notices, or loose documents—ideal for anyone wanting a pay bills organizer book, monthly bill payment organizer, or bills book organizer monthly setup at home
  • STURDY COVER, SMOOTH WRITING PAGES, AND A CLEAN PROFESSIONAL LOOK – Made with a 300 gsm coated paper cover and 100 GSM interior pages, this bill ledger book monthly for home is designed for regular monthly use while keeping a neat and polished appearance. It works well as a bill tracker notebook monthly bills organize solution for personal budgeting, household paperwork, and recurring bill management, making it a smart choice for anyone looking for a bills book, bill book monthly, best bill organizer book, or dependable bill payment record book

When to report the interest

For the usual individual hold-to-maturity case, the maturity date generally determines the tax year. TreasuryDirect says it reports bill interest on Form 1099-INT as of the maturity date. For a bill maturing at year-end, the form reflects that maturity date even if the cash payment occurs in the following year. Check the maturity date and the current IRS instructions for the return year rather than relying only on when funds appeared in your account. TreasuryDirect’s tax forms and withholding guidance describes its reporting.

Where the amount appears on Form 1099-INT

IRS Publication 550 says an individual should receive Form 1099-INT showing Treasury interest in box 3. TreasuryDirect also explains that its information returns report interest and gains that may be subject to federal tax. Compare the form with your purchase confirmation and maturity records, especially if the reported amount does not match what you expected.

  • Keep the purchase confirmation, which records the price paid.
  • Keep the maturity or payment record showing the amount received and date.
  • Use the current IRS instructions for the relevant tax return if the information return and your records differ; seek qualified tax help if the discrepancy remains unresolved.

IRS Publication 1212 provides additional information-reporting context for original-issue-discount instruments and short-term obligations redeemed at maturity, including payer rules when purchase-price information is unavailable. It does not resolve every taxpayer’s individual calculation.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Cases that need more than the basic rule

You paid more than face value

Publication 550 says that when a holder pays a premium—more than face value—the premium is generally reported as a section 171 deduction when the bill is paid at maturity. This is the IRS’s general rule; the result can depend on the security and applicable elections, so do not assume it covers every purchase.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

You bought in the secondary market or sold before maturity

A secondary-market purchase, an early sale or exchange, or unusual discount and basis facts can involve additional short-term-obligation rules and calculations. The basic purchase-price-to-face-value explanation is for a typical hold-to-maturity case; it is not a complete method for working out every sale or secondary-market transaction. Keep transaction records and consult the relevant IRS guidance or a tax professional for the specific facts.

Your account or ownership is not an individual taxable account

The general explanation here is for an individual holding a bill to maturity. Trusts, businesses, partnerships, retirement accounts and nonresident taxpayers may have different reporting or tax rules. The information return alone may not answer how those situations should be reported.

Best Value
Florida Business and Finance Study Guide - 2025
  • Updated for Florida business and finance contractor exams
  • Over 1,000 practice questions with reference book locations
  • Practice final exams with guided answer sourcing
  • Exam prep strategies and test-taking techniques included
  • Organized for efficient study and fast information lookup
Rank #4
Sale
TREES Monthly Bill Payment Checklist, 4-Year Bill Organizer and Planner
  • 1️⃣ Take Control of Your Finances - Easily set monthly financial goals and track your income, savings, debts, and expenses. Say goodbye to budget chaos with this comprehensive financial organizer.
  • 2️⃣ Effortless Bill Tracking - Features a detailed bill management system: paid & auto-paid checklist, unpaid bills, due dates, amounts due, amounts paid, and unpaid balances. Includes a monthly overview to keep your income, expenses, and balance in check.
  • 3️⃣ Extra Pages for Versatile Planning - Bill payment organizer includes dedicated sections to save bank account details, track debt payoff, summarize yearly financial progress, brainstorm ideas, and jot down notes for added flexibility.
  • 4️⃣ High-Quality Design for Daily Use - 128 pages with a large 8 x 10-inch (20.32 x 25.4 cm) format for easy reading and writing. Printed with sharp, clear layouts to ensure a top-tier user experience that stands out from competitors.
  • 5️⃣ More Than a Financial Tool - This bill tracker notebook is not just about tracking; it’s about celebrating progress. Over four years, your entries will document milestones and serve as a cherished keepsake of your financial achievements.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More post from the Money Desk

  1. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 267 minMortgage Escrow FAQs: Taxes, Insurance, Shortages, and Refunds
  2. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow Mortgage Escrow Accounts Work and What Homeowners Pay For
  3. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow to Read a Stock Chart, Volume and Market-Cap Data
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.