This article was expert reviewed byLisa Niser, EA, an enrolled agent and tax advisor.
Expert Reviewed
Our stories are reviewed by tax professionals to ensure you get the most accurate and useful information about your taxes. For more information, visit our tax review board.
- Do I have to pay taxes on my savings account interest?
- How do I keep track of my savings account interest earnings?
Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate tax products to write unbiased product reviews.
- Interest on high-yield savings accounts and CDs is subject to ordinary income tax.
- You will receive Form 1099-INT from any account that earned more than $10 during the year.
- For most savers, the benefits of a high-yield account outweigh any minor bump in taxes.
- See Personal Finance Insider's picks for the best tax software.
It's good practice to store cash for virtually any short-term goal in a high-yield savings account, where your money stays safe, accessible, and growing.
Even when interest rates are low, you can still earn more by keeping cash in a high-yield versus traditional savings account. A CD is a good option for storing money you don't need access to immediately, and may score you an even higher rate.
But the interest earned in a high-yield account — formally referred to as the APY, or annual percentage yield — isn't a total handout. Interest is actually considered income by the IRS, and it's taxed as such.
Do I have to pay taxes on my savings account interest?
Any interest you earnis include ded in your gross income, along with any salaries, wages, and tips, and is taxed as ordinary income. This means that interest income you receive will be taxed at your marginal tax rate after all the appropriate deductions have been taken. For example, if your effective tax rate is 22%, you will pay 22% in taxes for the income received.
To be clear, you're never taxed on your contributions to any high-yield account, only on your earnings. But if you take advantage of a cash bonus offer for opening a new high-yield account, that amount is also added to your interest income total for the year since it's not your own contribution.
For most taxpayers, interest income from a high-yield account isn't enough to significantly increase tax liability, unless the amount of money held in the interest-bearing account is substantial. The benefit of keeping cash in a growing and secure account usually outweighs any minor bump in taxes.
TurboTax
On TurboTax's website
Insider’s Rating
4.2/5
Perks
Offers a high-quality user interface and access to experts and is especially valuable for self-employed filers who use QuickBooks integration.
Fees
$0 for Free Edition, $69 for Deluxe, $129 for Premium
Pros
- Can be good for relatively complex tax situations that may require help navigating deductions and forms
- Offers step-by-step guidance
- Ability to upgrade for instant access to an expert
Cons
- Not all users will qualify for a $0 filing option
- Most expensive option for many tax situations
- No brick-and-mortar locations to meet with a tax pro
Insider’s Take
TurboTax is among the most expensive options for filing taxes online, but offers a high-quality user interface and access to experts. It's especially valuable for self-employed filers who use QuickBooks integration.
Product Details
- Tell TurboTax about your life and it will guide you step by step. Jumpstart your taxes with last year’s info.
- Snap a photo of your W-2 or 1099-NEC and TurboTax will put your info in the right places.
- CompleteCheck™ scans your return so you can be confident it’s 100% accurate.
- You won’t pay for TurboTax until it’s time to file and you’re fully satisfied.
- TurboTax is committed to getting you your maximum refund, guaranteed.
How do I keep track of my savings account interest earnings?
If you earn interest throughout the year from a high-yield savings account, CD, or money-market accounttotaling more than $10, each bank will send you Form 1099-INT to include with your tax return at the start of tax season. Box 1 on the form will list exactly how much interest you earned in your account.
If you earned interest from more than one bank during the tax year, you'll get Form 1099-INT for each one and will need to add up the total interest and record it on Schedule 1 of Form 1040 (US Individual Income Tax Return). If your total interest income is more than $1,500 for the year, your interest income will be reported on Schedule B of Form 1040.
Since you haven't yet paid taxes on the interest income you report on your tax return, you'll owe money to the IRS if the taxes due outweigh the amount of taxes you paid throughout the tax year. However, if you're due for a refund, the taxes you owe in relation to the earned interest income will just reduce the size of your refund.
Do I have to pay taxes on HYSA?
Yes, you have to pay taxes on the interest earned from a savings account. If you earn more than $10 in interest on your savings account, the bank holding your account will send you a Form 1099-T to include in your tax return. This is one reason why you shouldn't keep retirement savings in a savings account.
Tanza is a CFP® professional and former correspondent for Personal Finance Insider. She broke down personal finance news and wrote about taxes, investing, retirement, wealth building, and debt management. She helmed a biweekly newsletter and a column answering reader questions about money.Tanza is the author of two ebooks, A Guide to Financial Planners and "The One-Month Plan to Master your Money."In 2020, Tanza was the editorial lead on Master Your Money, a yearlong original series providing financial tools, advice, and inspiration to millennials.Tanza joined Business Insider in June 2015 and is an alumna of Elon University, where she studied journalism and Italian. She is based in Los Angeles.
Top Offers From Our Partners
Capital One 360 Performance Savings Earn 4.25% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on any balance with a $0 minimum opening deposit. FDIC Insured. Rate as of 4/11/24
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
NEW LOOK
Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview
Thanks for signing up!
Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go.
