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Interest on Underpayments and Overpayments of Federal Taxes

(Current through September 2014)

Interest on underpayments of federal tax must accrue interest, compounded daily, at rates published quarterly by the Internal Revenue Service in accordance with section 6621 of the Internal Revenue Code. (See Rev. Proc. 95-17, 1995-1 C.B. 556, for rules on how to calculate compounded interest.)

The rates for the most recent twelve calendar quarters are as follows:

Rates for Underpayments and Overpayments of Tax

Calendar
Quarter

Underpayments

Noncorporate
Overpayments

Corporate
Overpayments

Large Corp.
Overpayments

Large Corp.
Underpayments

Jan-Mar 2011

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Apr-Jun 2011

4%

4%

3%

1.5%

6%

Jul-Sep 2011

4%

4%

3%

1.5%

6%

Oct-Dec 2011

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Jan-Mar 2012

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Apr-Jun 2012

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Jul-Sep 2012

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Oct-Dec 2012

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Jan-Mar 2013

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Apr-Jun 2013

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Jul-Sep 2013

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Oct-Dec 2013

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Jan-Mar 2014

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Apr-Jun 2014

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

Jul-Sep 2014

3%

3%

2%

0.5%

5%

As can be seen from the above table, the interest rate that applies to overpayments of tax by individuals (and other noncorporate taxpayers) is the same rate that applies to underpayments of tax.

For corporations, the interest rate on overpayments of $10,000 or less is 1 point less than the rate for underpayments, and the interest rate on the portion of the overpayment in excess of $10,000 (i.e., "large" overpayments) is 2.5 points less than the rate on underpayments. Corporations also pay interest that is 2 points higher for "large corporate underpayments" (i.e., underpayments of more than $100,000).

The underpayment interest rates that have applied since 1987 are shown below.

Rates for Underpayments

Year

First
Quarter

Second
Quarter

Third
Quarter

Fourth
Quarter

1987

9%

9%

9%

10%

1988

11%

10%

10%

11%

1989

11%

12%

12%

11%

1990

11%

11%

11%

11%

1991

11%

10%

10%

10%

1992

9%

8%

8%

7%

1993

7%

7%

7%

7%

1994

7%

7%

8%

9%

1995

9%

10%

9%

9%

1996

9%

8%

9%

9%

1997

9%

9%

9%

9%

1998

9%

8%

8%

8%

1999

7%

8%

8%

8%

2000

8%

9%

9%

9%

2001

9%

8%

7%

7%

2002

6%

6%

6%

6%

2003

5%

5%

5%

4%

2004

4%

5%

4%

5%

2005

5%

6%

6%

7%

2006

7%

7%

8%

8%

2007

8%

8%

8%

8%

2008

7%

6%

5%

6%

2009

5%

4%

4%

4%

2010

4%

4%

4%

4%

2011

3%

4%

4%

3%

2012

3%

3%

3%

3%

2013

3%

3%

3%

3%

2014

3%

3%

3%


Evans Law Office
Daniel B. Evans, Attorney at Law
P.O. Box 27370
Philadelphia, PA 19118
Telephone: (866) 348-4250
Email: dan@evans-legal.com