On 4 June 2020, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service announced that interest rates for overpaid and underpaid tax for the calendar quarter beginning 1 July 2020, which are reduced by 2% compared to the previous quarter.
The rates will be:
- three (3) percent for overpayments [two (2) percent in the case of a corporation];
- one-half (0.5) percent for the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000;
- three (3) percent for underpayments; and
- five (5) percent for large corporate underpayments.
The interest rates are computed from the federal short-term rate determined during April 2020 to take effect May 1, 2020, based on daily compounding.
Under the Internal Revenue Code, the rate of interest is determined on a quarterly basis. For taxpayers other than corporations, the overpayment and underpayment rate is the federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points. Generally, in the case of a corporation, the underpayment rate is the federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points and the overpayment rate is the federal short-term rate plus 2 percentage points. The rate for large corporate underpayments is the federal short-term rate plus 5 percentage points. The rate on the portion of a corporate overpayment of tax exceeding $10,000 for a taxable period is the federal short-term rate plus one-half (0.5) of a percentage point.
