Nontaxable Dividends: What it Means, How it Works (2024)

DEFINITION of Nontaxable Dividends

Nontaxable dividends are dividends from a mutual fund or some other regulated investment company that are not subject to taxes. These funds are often not taxed because they invest in municipal or other tax-exempt securities.

BREAKING DOWN Nontaxable Dividends

A mutual fund is an investment vehicle made up of a pool of money collected from many investors. Mutual funds invest in securities such as stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and other assets. Investors receive two types of earnings from mutual fund shares: dividends and interest from the securities held in the fund portfolio, or investment income; and capital gains that result from the for-profit sale of portfolio securities.

Investment income can be reinvested in the fund or paid in cash to the investor. Either way, it is taxable as ordinary income, depending on the investor's marginal tax bracket.

Nontaxable Dividends

Not all dividends are subject to taxation, however. One common type of tax-exempt income is interest earned on municipal bonds, which are bonds issued by states and cities to raise funds for general operations or a specific project. When a taxpayer makes interest income on municipal bonds issued in their state of residence, the profit is exempt from both federal and state taxes.

A mutual fund must primarily invest its capital into tax-exempt investments for its dividends to be classified as nontaxable.

Municipal Bonds

Municipal bonds (or “munis” for short) are debt securities issued by states, cities, counties, and other government entities to fund day-to-day obligations and to finance capital projects such as building schools, highways, or sewer systems. By purchasing municipal bonds, you are in effect lending money to the bond issuer in exchange for a promise of regular interest payments, usually semi-annually, and the return of the original investment, or “principal.” A municipal bond’s maturity date (the date when the issuer of the bond repays the principal) may be years in the future. Short-term bonds mature in one to three years, while long-term bonds won’t mature for more than a decade.

Generally, the interest on municipal bonds is exempt from federal income tax. The interest may also be exempt from state and local taxes if you reside in the state where the bond is issued. Bond investors typically seek a steady stream of income payments and, compared with stock investors, may be more risk-averse and more focused on preserving, rather than increasing, wealth. Given the tax benefits, the interest rate for municipal bonds is usually lower than on taxable fixed-income securities such as corporate bonds.

Nontaxable Dividends: What it Means, How it Works (2024)

FAQs

Nontaxable Dividends: What it Means, How it Works? ›

Nontaxable dividends are dividends from a mutual fund or some other regulated investment company

regulated investment company
What Is a Regulated Investment Company (RIC) A regulated investment company (RIC) can be any one of several investment entities. For example, it may take the form of a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF), a real estate investment trust (REIT), or a unit investment trust (UIT).
https://www.investopedia.com › terms › ric
that are not subject to taxes. These funds are often not taxed because they invest in municipal or other tax-exempt securities.

What is a non-taxable dividend? ›

Nontaxable distributions are payments that are a return of capital. This means that the shareholder's original investment is being returned to the shareholder. These payments are not paid from the corporation's earnings and profits.

What do non taxable stock dividends result in? ›

The correct answer is b. A lower cost per share for all shares than before the stock dividend. The non-taxable dividends are usually paid from the share capital and not the earnings. Therefore, the cost per share is reduced.

What is a non-eligible taxable dividend? ›

Non-eligible dividends are received from small business corporations that earn under $500,000 of net income (most companies). These dividends are also "grossed-up," and they also receive a dividend tax credit.

Do nontaxable dividends reduce basis? ›

An income item will increase stock basis while a loss, deduction, or distribution will decrease stock basis. NOTE: Only non-dividend distributions reduces stock basis, dividend distributions do not.

Do non dividend distributions go on tax return? ›

Any nondividend distribution is not taxable until the basis of the stock is recovered; however, a record needs to be maintained. After the basis of your stock is reduced to zero, the nondividend distribution will need to be reported as a capital gain.

What does non paying dividend mean? ›

Companies that don't pay dividends on stocks are typically reinvesting the money that might otherwise go to dividend payments into the expansion and overall growth of the company. This means that, over time, their share prices are likely to appreciate in value.

How much of a stock dividend is tax free? ›

Qualified and ordinary dividends have different tax implications that impact a return.3 The tax rate is 0% on qualified dividends if taxable income is less than $44,625 for singles and $89,250 for joint-married filers in the 2023 tax year.

What is the point of non dividend stocks? ›

Reasons to Buy Stocks Without Dividends

Thus, investors who buy stocks that do not pay dividends prefer to see these companies reinvest their earnings to fund other projects. They hope these internal investments will yield higher returns via a rising stock price.

What dividend is tax free? ›

If you earn under the dividend allowance of £500, you do not need to do anything. If you earn above this, but below £10,000 in the current tax year, you must contact HMRC. HMRC will give you the option of either adjusting your tax code to pay your dividend tax liability or completing a self-assessment tax return.

Are all dividends nontaxable? ›

Taxability of Dividend Income: Old & New Provisions

The Finance Act of 2020, however, modified the dividend taxation scheme. All dividends paid on or after April 1, 2020, are subject to taxation at the investor's or shareholder's expense. Companies and mutual funds are no longer liable for DDT.

What are taxable non qualified dividends? ›

A nonqualified dividend is one that doesn't meet IRS requirements to qualify for a lower tax rate. These dividends are also known as ordinary dividends because they get taxed as ordinary income by the IRS. Nonqualified dividends include: Dividends paid by certain foreign companies may or may not be qualified.

What is the difference between actual dividends and taxable dividends? ›

Firstly, the actual amount of dividends is “grossed up” to arrive at a larger “taxable” amount that is to be reported on the individual taxpayer's personal tax return. The “grossed up” amount approximates the equivalent before-tax amount in the corporation.

Why are some dividends non taxable? ›

Nontaxable dividends are dividends from a mutual fund or some other regulated investment company that are not subject to taxes. These funds are often not taxed because they invest in municipal or other tax-exempt securities.

How do people live off dividends without paying taxes? ›

You may have some dividends that you don't end up paying federal income tax on. Some people refer to these as tax-free dividends. This can happen if your dividends are qualified and your taxable income falls below a certain threshold or if they are tax-free dividends paid on municipal bonds.

How to record non-dividend distributions? ›

Nondividend Distributions - Report any amounts in excess of your basis in your mutual fund shares on Form 8949. Use Part II if you held the shares more than 1 year. Use Part I if you held your mutual fund shares 1 year or less.

Why would a company pay a non-dividend distribution? ›

Non-dividend distribution is a critical financial concept in the corporate world. It represents ways companies use their profits aside from distributing them as dividends to shareholders. This practice includes reinvesting in the business, paying off debt, acquiring assets, or retaining cash for future opportunities.

Do tax exempt dividends count as income? ›

Exempt interest dividends from mutual funds aren't taxable, but you should report them on your return if you're required to file.

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