What bonds are considered tax free bonds because they are not subject to federal income tax?
A municipal bond, also known as a muni, is debt security used to fund capital expenditures for a county, municipality, or state. Municipal bonds are commonly tax-free at the federal level but can be taxable at state or local income tax levels or under certain circumstances.
Income from bonds issued by state, city, and local governments (municipal bonds, or munis) is generally free from federal taxes.
Municipal bonds offer tax-exempt income and high credit quality, making them an option for income-oriented investors looking to reduce federal and, possibly, state income tax bills.
You can skip paying taxes on interest earned with Series EE and Series I savings bonds if you're using the money to pay for qualified higher education costs.
Most tax-exempt securities come in the form of municipal bonds, which represent obligations of a state, territory or municipality. For some investors, U.S. Savings Bond interest may also be free from federal income taxes.
Examples of Exempt Facility Revenue Bonds
Typical examples are terminals, hangars, aircraft repair facilities, freight forwarding/warehousing facilities, etc. If tax-exempt bonds are to be used to finance such facilities, certain limitations and conditions exist.
Municipal bonds are generally referred to as tax-exempt bonds because the interest earned on the bonds often is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and, in some cases, is also exempt from state and local income taxes.
Interest from corporate bonds and U.S. Treasury bonds interest is typically taxable at the federal level. U.S. Treasuries are exempt from state and local income taxes. Most interest income earned on municipal bonds is exempt from federal income taxes.
- 401(k) / 403(b) Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan. ...
- Traditional IRA / Roth IRA. ...
- Health Savings Account (HSA) ...
- Municipal Bonds. ...
- Tax-Free Exchange Traded Funds. ...
- 529 Education Fund.
Although tax-exempt mutual funds usually produce lower yields, you generally don't have to pay federal taxes on earnings from tax-exempt money market and bond funds. And you can save even more if you live in a state that offers similar exemptions.
Is iBond tax-free?
Is interest income from I bonds taxed as capital gains? No, the interest income earned from I bonds is not considered a capital gain and is therefore taxed differently. Instead, it is taxed as regular income at the federal level and exempt from state and local taxes.
Normally, the interest you earn on your savings bonds becomes part of your gross income for tax purposes. Under certain conditions, though, you can avoid taxes on the interest by using it to pay for higher education.

The most common sources of tax-exempt interest come from municipal bonds or income-producing assets inside of Roth retirement accounts.
- US government securities.
- Canadian government securities.
- National foreign government securities.
- Bank securities.
- Insurance company securities.
- Railroad, common carrier, and public utility securities.
- Federal-covered securities.
- Non-profit securities.
Federally guaranteed obligations take several forms, but the best-known are U.S. Treasury bonds, Treasury notes, and Treasury bills (T-bills).
Cons. Market prices could tank: If interest rates go up, the market prices of existing bonds will go down. That means you could have to sell your bond at a loss. Not inflation-friendly: Municipal bonds don't hold up against inflation as well as stocks do.
Investors favor municipal bonds, or "munis," for two main reasons. They are exempt from federal taxes, and they are relatively low-risk investments. While stable, income-producing bonds warrant a position in any well-diversified portfolio, there are inherent drawbacks to owning munis.
Tax-Exempt Interest. Interest on a bond that is used to finance government operations generally is not taxable if the bond is issued by a state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. possession, or any of their political subdivisions.
16. How are savings bonds taxed? Savings bond interest is exempt from state and local income tax. Savings bond interest is subject to federal income tax; however, taxation can be deferred until redemption, final maturity, or other taxable disposition, whichever occurs first.
Interest income from Treasury securities is subject to federal income tax but exempt from state and local taxes. Income from Treasury bills is paid at maturity and, thus, tax-reportable in the year in which it is received.
Which of the following bonds is exempt from federal income taxes and issued to finance a project?
Generally, the interest on municipal bonds is exempt from federal income tax.
A bond, issued by a state or local government, the interest on which is exempt from taxation.
In the U.S., zero-coupon bonds create a tax liability for interest payments, even though they don't actually pay periodic interest. That creates a phantom income problem for the bondholders. 1 It can be challenging to come up with the money to pay taxes on income that was not received.
Are Municipal Bonds ETFs Tax-Exempt? Municipal bonds ETFs are generally free from federal and state taxes if they hold only tax-exempt bonds. However, if the municipal bond ETF has a combination of tax-free and taxable interest, taxes may be due on the federal and state level.
The interest you earn on Guaranteed Income Bonds will count towards your taxable income in the tax year(s) you receive it. But this doesn't mean you'll have to pay tax on it. It all depends how much interest you earn in total and what rate of tax you pay. You can find out more in our Help section.