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If you’ve saved money in a CD, you will need to pay tax on the income earned from interest. The amount of tax you’ll pay on your CD interest depends on your overall taxable income.
The only exception is interest earned from IRA CDs – retirement accounts – which is not subject to taxation.
As a US citizen, you must pay tax on all the income you receive each year, including interest income earned from savings accounts and CDs. So if you’ve earned interest on a CD in the past financial year, you’ll need to declare that amount on your next tax return.
Even if you decide to roll the interest back into the same account – applying it to the principal – you’ll still owe taxes on that interest.
The interest you earn on your CD is considered “ordinary income” and will be taxed at the same rate that applies to the rest of your income. In the US, tax rates are organized into brackets; the more you earn, the more you’ll pay.
Find your filing status below to see how much you’ll pay for taxes due April 15, 2020 or October 15, 2020 with an extension:
Taxable income | Taxes owed |
---|---|
$0 to $9,700 | 10% of taxable income |
$9,701 to $39,475 | $970 plus 12% on the amount over $9,700 |
$39,476 to $84,200 | $4,543 plus 22% on the amount over $39,475 |
$84,201 to $160,725 | $14,382.50 plus 24% on the amount over $84,200 |
$160,726 to $204,100 | $32,748.50 plus 32% on the amount over $160,725 |
$204,101 to $510,300 | $46,628.50 plus 35% on the amount over $204,100 |
$510,301+ | $153,798.50 plus 37% on the amount over $510,300 |
Taxable income | Taxes owed |
---|---|
$0 to $19,400 | 10% of taxable income |
$19,401 to $78,950 | $1,940 plus 12% on the amount over $19,400 |
$78,951 to $168,400 | $9,086 plus 22% on the amount over $78,950 |
$168,401 to $321,450 | $28,765 plus 24% on the amount over $168,400 |
$321,451 to $408,200 | $65,497 plus 32% on the amount over $321,450 |
$408,201 to $612,350 | $93,257 plus 35% on the amount over $408,200 |
$612,351+ | $164,709.50 plus 37% on the amount over $612,350 |
Taxable income | Taxes owed |
---|---|
$0 to $9,700 | 10% of taxable income |
$9,701 to $39,475 | $970 plus 12% on the amount over $9,700 |
$39,476 to $84,200 | $4,543 plus 22% on the amount over $39,475 |
$84,201 to $160,725 | $14,382.50 plus 24% on the amount over $84,200 |
$160,726 to $204,100 | $32,748.50 plus 32% on the amount over $160,725 |
$204,101 to $306,175 | $46,628.50 plus 35% on the amount over $204,100 |
$306,176+ | $82,354.75 plus 37% on the amount over $306,175 |
Taxable income | Taxes owed |
---|---|
$0 to $13,850 | 10% of taxable income |
$13,851 to $52,850 | $1,385 plus 12% on the amount over $13,850 |
$52,851 to $84,200 | $6,065 plus 22% on the amount over $52,850 |
$84,201 to $160,700 | $12,962 plus 24% on the amount over $84,200 |
$160,701 to $204,100 | $31,322 plus 32% on the amount over $160,700 |
$204,101 to $510,300 | $45,210 plus 35% on the amount over $204,100 |
$510,301+ | $152,380 plus 37% on the amount over $510,300 |
Expand your filing status below to see how much you’ll pay for taxes due in 2021:
Taxable income | Taxes owed |
---|---|
$0 to $9,875 | 10% of taxable income |
$9,876 to $40,125 | $987.50 plus 12% on the amount over $9,875 |
$40,126 to $85,525 | $4,617.38 plus 22% on the amount over $40,125 |
$85,526 to $163,300 | $14,605.16 plus 24% of the amount over $85,525 |
$163,301 to $207,350 | $33,270.92 plus 32% of the amount over $163,300 |
$207,351 to $518,400 | $47,366.60 plus 35% of the amount over $207,350 |
$518,401+ | $156,233.75 plus 37% of the amount over $518,400 |
Taxable income | Taxes owed |
---|---|
$0 to $19,750 | 10% of taxable income |
$19,751 to $80,250 | $1,975 plus 12% on the amount over $19,750 |
$80,251 to 171,050 | $9,234.88 plus 22% on the amount over $80,250 |
$171,051 to $326,600 | $29,210.66 plus 24% of the amount over $171,050 |
$326,601 to $414,700 | $66,542.42 plus 32% of the amount over $326,600 |
$414,701 to $622,050 | $94,734.10 plus 35% of the amount over $414,700 |
$622,051+ | $167,306.25 plus 37% of the amount over $622,050 |
Taxable income | Taxes owed |
---|---|
$0 to $9,875 | 10% of taxable income |
$9,876 to $40,125 | $987.50 plus 12% on the amount over $9,875 |
$40,126 to $85,525 | $4,617.38 plus 22% on the amount over $40,125 |
$85,526 to $163,300 | $14,605.16 plus 24% of the amount over $85,525 |
$163,301 to $207,350 | $33,270.92 plus 32% of the amount over $163,300 |
$207,351 to $311,025 | $47,366.60 plus 35% of the amount over $207,350 |
$306,176+ | $83,652.50 plus 37% of the amount over $311,025 |
Taxable income | Taxes owed |
---|---|
$0 to $14,100 | 10% of taxable income |
$14,101 to $53,700 | $1,410 plus 12% on the amount over $14,100 |
$53,701 to $85,500 | $6,161.88 plus 22% on the amount over $53,700 |
$85,501 to $163,300 | $13,157.66 plus 24% of the amount over $85,500 |
$163,301 to $207,350 | $31,829.42 plus 32% of the amount over $163,300 |
$207,351 to $518,400 | $45,925.10 plus 35% of the amount over $207,350 |
$518,401+ | $154,792.25 plus 37% of the amount over $518,400 |
The IRS requires US citizens to pay taxes on CD interest in the financial year it was earned. If your CD has a term of less than one year, the process is relatively straightforward: you will declare any interest payments received on your tax return for that year.
However, you also need to pay interest on tax earned along the way – that is, before that CD has reached maturity. So if you receive regular installments of interest payments, that amount must be added to your overall taxable income in the financial year when it was paid.
When the term ends and your money is returned, the cash is usually considered a return of principal and is not eligible for additional tax.
Original Issue Discount (OID) refers to the situation in which interest paid is deferred for 1 year or more. However, OID is still considered a form of interest. So even if your bank doesn’t pay you directly, you still owe the IRA taxes on the interest accumulating in the account. Your bank should send you a “phantom interest” form, also known as a 1099-OID, to indicate interest that has accumulated.
When a CD matures, many people choose to automatically roll over their initial deposit and any interest earned into a new CD account. However, if you choose this option and re-invest your interest rather than accessing it, you will still need to declare the interest on your tax return.
If your CD is a joint account, for example if you share ownership with your partner, the FDIC assumes that each person has equal ownership of the funds in the account. The interest paid each financial year is therefore equally split between each account holder – 50% each if there are two account holders.
Want to minimize the tax you have to pay on CD interest? Keep the following tips in mind:
Just like with interest earned on savings accounts, tax must be paid on CD interest you receive in any given year. To find a CD that’s worth your while – with APYs up to 3.1% – browse providers to see what they have to offer.
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