US Tax Tools

Bank and investment income

Form 1099-INT Guide

Read Form 1099-INT boxes for taxable interest, Treasury interest, tax-exempt interest, foreign tax, bond premium, and withholding.

1099-INT

Interest Income

Decision point

Use this guide when

  • A bank, credit union, broker, or other payer reported interest income.
  • Your statement includes U.S. Treasury or tax-exempt interest.
  • Foreign tax, bond premium, market discount, or backup withholding appears on the form.

Read the document

Key boxes, columns, and parts

Location Label What it means Next destination
Box 1 Interest income Taxable interest not reported in another specific interest box. Form 1040 interest reporting; Schedule B when required
Box 2 Early withdrawal penalty Penalty charged for withdrawing funds early. Schedule 1 adjustment when eligible
Box 3 Interest on U.S. savings bonds and Treasury obligations Federal taxable interest that may receive different state treatment. Keep with the form records.
Box 4 Federal income tax withheld Backup withholding taken from interest. Federal withholding claimed on Form 1040
Box 8 Tax-exempt interest Interest generally exempt from federal income tax but still reported on the return. Form 1040 tax-exempt interest line
Box 9 Specified private activity bond interest Tax-exempt interest that may be relevant to alternative minimum tax. Keep with the form records.
Box 11 Bond premium Premium reported for a taxable bond. Keep with the form records.
Box 12 Bond premium on Treasury obligations Premium associated with U.S. Treasury obligations. Keep with the form records.
Box 13 Bond premium on tax-exempt bond Premium associated with a tax-exempt obligation. Keep with the form records.
Box 14 Tax-exempt and tax credit bond CUSIP Identifies the obligation associated with certain reported interest. Keep with the form records.

Follow the amounts

From source document to tax return

  1. 1. Separate interest categories

    Do not combine taxable, Treasury, and tax-exempt interest before reporting.

  2. 2. Check Schedule B

    Use Schedule B when the Form 1040 instructions require it for your interest, dividends, or foreign-account facts.

  3. 3. Claim withholding and eligible adjustments

    Reconcile Box 4 withholding and any eligible early-withdrawal penalty.

  4. 4. Check state treatment

    State treatment can differ for Treasury and municipal-bond interest; use the applicable state authority.

Before filing

Four checks that prevent common errors

  • Add forms from all payers; do not rely on a single bank statement.
  • Keep Treasury interest separate from ordinary bank interest.
  • Report tax-exempt interest even when it is not included in federal taxable income.
  • Review foreign tax and private activity bond amounts for additional forms or AMT effects.

Continue the workflow

Related guides and calculators

Common questions

Form 1099-INT FAQ

Is all Form 1099-INT interest taxable?

No. The form can report taxable interest, Treasury interest, and tax-exempt interest in different boxes. Each category follows its own federal and potentially state treatment.

Do I need Schedule B?

Use the current Form 1040 and Schedule B instructions. Schedule B can be required because of the amount or type of interest and dividends or because of certain foreign-account questions.

What if federal tax was withheld?

Box 4 is federal withholding. Reconcile it with your records and claim it with other federal income tax withholding on the return.

Sources