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The Daily Insight

Is accrued loan interest taxable?

Author

John Thompson

Published Apr 08, 2026

The price you pay for the bond will include this accrued interest. The accrued interest is taxable to the seller, whereas the interest that is earned from the date of purchase to the end of the year is taxable to the purchaser. If the interest is tax exempt, then the total interest is not taxable.

What is the tax basis of a promissory note?

Components of a Promissory Note The note’s principal is the loaned amount, which also constitutes the tax basis. The interest is the income the lender earns for loaning the money. An investment basis is equal to the original price along with costs for acquiring the investment.

Is accrued but unpaid interest taxable?

When a creditor is a cash-basis taxpayer, the taxability of “accrued interest” depends on whether the interest is truly accrued but unpaid interest or, alternatively, PIK interest. To the extent a cash-basis taxpayer’s tax year ends during a debt instrument’s accrual period, the taxpayer will have accrued interest.

How do I report tax exempt accrued interest paid?

In general, your tax-exempt stated interest should be shown in box 8 of Form 1099-INT or, for a tax-exempt OID bond, in box 2 of Form 1099-OID, and your tax-exempt OID should be shown in box 11 of Form 1099-OID. Enter the total on line 2a of your Form 1040 or 1040-SR.

Can I use a promissory note as income?

Generally, any income you generate from a promissory note is taxable income and must be reported. The income generated is simply the interest you earned on the note for the tax year in question. If you lent the money personally rather than through your business, report the income on your personal income tax return.

How do you forgive a promissory note?

The debt owed on a promissory note either can be paid off, or the noteholder can forgive the debt even if it has not been fully paid. In either case, a release of promissory note needs to be signed by the noteholder.

Is tax exempt accrued interest paid deductible?

You deduct the accrued interest paid at purchase from the tax-exempt income total on your Form 1099 to arrive at the amount that should be entered on line 8b of Form 1040.

How is accrued interest paid on tax return treated?

Accrued interest paid is generally a reduction of interest income in the year in which the related interest income is reported. Taxable amounts of accrued interest paid should be reflected on IRS Form 1040 Schedule B, line 1, as a reduction of interest income; it should be identified as accrued interest.

Can a promissory note have no interest?

No, the Lender can choose whether or not to charge interest. If the Lender decides to charge interest, they can pick how much interest to charge. However, there may be tax consequences to the Lender or Borrower if interest is charged but it is not a reasonable rate.