Original issue discount
Encyclopedia
Original Issue Discount is a type of interest
that is not payable as it accrues. OID is normally created when a debt
, usually a bond
, is issued at a discount. In effect, selling a bond at a discount converts stated principal into a return on investment, or interest. The accurate determination of principal and interest is necessary in United States tax law to determine the basis of property and to determine whether an amount paid is deductible and includible as interest, or simply a nontaxable debt repayment.
Example Original Issue Discount
Most loans require interest payments. Loans that require inadequate or no interest payments bear original issue discount. Whether interest is adequate is determined with reference to the applicable federal rate (AFR). Under the Federal Income Tax Code, original issue discounts on debt instruments are taxed each year, even though the debt may not be repaid until a later date. The tax system will impute an interest rate on the loan. The rules for calculating the original issue discount utilize a compounding interest formula, with the principal recalculated every six months. Section 1272(a) of the tax code requires that the amount of taxable income is equal to the daily portion of the original issue discount..
The daily portion of the discount uses a compounded interest formula with the principal recalculated every six months. The following table illustrates how to calculate the original issue discount for a $7,462 bond with a $10,000 repayment and a three year maturity date:
The portion of the loan that is repaid consists of a repayment of capital and a payment of interest. Original issue discount rules separate the portion of the repayment that is attributable to interest and then taxes that amount at ordinary income rates. These rules prevent the avoidance of tax that might otherwise be available by characterizing the repayment as a capital gain, which is taxed at a lower rate, or by deferring the recognition of income until the bond is repaid at maturity.
There are a number of exceptions to the original issue discount rule, including:
Interest
Interest is a fee paid by a borrower of assets to the owner as a form of compensation for the use of the assets. It is most commonly the price paid for the use of borrowed money, or money earned by deposited funds....
that is not payable as it accrues. OID is normally created when a debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
, usually a bond
Bond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
, is issued at a discount. In effect, selling a bond at a discount converts stated principal into a return on investment, or interest. The accurate determination of principal and interest is necessary in United States tax law to determine the basis of property and to determine whether an amount paid is deductible and includible as interest, or simply a nontaxable debt repayment.
Example Original Issue Discount
| Bond Issuance Price | $7,462 |
| Bond Redemption Price | $10,000 |
| Original Issue Discount | $2,538 |
Most loans require interest payments. Loans that require inadequate or no interest payments bear original issue discount. Whether interest is adequate is determined with reference to the applicable federal rate (AFR). Under the Federal Income Tax Code, original issue discounts on debt instruments are taxed each year, even though the debt may not be repaid until a later date. The tax system will impute an interest rate on the loan. The rules for calculating the original issue discount utilize a compounding interest formula, with the principal recalculated every six months. Section 1272(a) of the tax code requires that the amount of taxable income is equal to the daily portion of the original issue discount..
The daily portion of the discount uses a compounded interest formula with the principal recalculated every six months. The following table illustrates how to calculate the original issue discount for a $7,462 bond with a $10,000 repayment and a three year maturity date:
| Period | Adjusted Issue Price | Yield | Original Issue Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7,462 | .05 | $373 |
| 2 | $7,835 | .05 | $392 |
| 3 | $8,227 | .05 | $411 |
| 4 | $8,638 | .05 | $432 |
| 5 | $9,070 | .05 | $454 |
| 6 | $9,524 | .05 | $476 |
| Redemption | $10,000 |
The portion of the loan that is repaid consists of a repayment of capital and a payment of interest. Original issue discount rules separate the portion of the repayment that is attributable to interest and then taxes that amount at ordinary income rates. These rules prevent the avoidance of tax that might otherwise be available by characterizing the repayment as a capital gain, which is taxed at a lower rate, or by deferring the recognition of income until the bond is repaid at maturity.
There are a number of exceptions to the original issue discount rule, including:
- Tax exempt obligations
- United States savings bonds
- Short-term obligations (less than 1 year to maturity)
- Obligations fixed by natural persons before 3/2/1984
- Loans between natural persons