CFR > Title 26 - Internal Revenue > CHAPTER I—INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY > SUBCHAPTER A—INCOME TAX (Parts 1–19) > PART 1—INCOME TAXES > 1.405-3—Taxation of retirement bonds.

1.405-3—Taxation of retirement bonds.

(a) In general. (1) As in the case of employer contributions under a qualified pension, annuity, profit-sharing, or stock bonus plan, employer contributions on behalf of his common-law employees under a qualified bond purchase plan are not includible in the gross income of the employees when made, and employer contributions on behalf of self-employed individuals are deductible as provided in section 405(c) and § 1.405-2. Further, an employee or his beneficiary does not realize gross income upon the receipt of a retirement bond pursuant to a qualified bond purchase plan or from a trust described in section 401(a) which is exempt from tax under section 501(a). Upon redemption of such a bond, ordinary income will be realized to the extent the proceeds thereof exceed the basis (determined in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section) of the bond. The proceeds of a retirement bond are not entitled to the special tax treatment of section 72(n) and § 1.72-18.
(2) In the event a retirement bond is surrendered for partial redemption and reissuance of the remainder, the person surrendering the bond shall be taxable on the proceeds received to the extent such proceeds exceed the basis in the portion redeemed. In such case, the basis shall be determined (in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section) as if the portion redeemed and the portion reissued had been issued as separate bonds.
(3) In the event a retirement bond is redeemed after the death of the registered owner, the amount taxable (as determined in accordance with subparagraph (1) of this paragraph) is income in respect of a decedent under section 691.
(4) The provisions of section 402(a)(2) are not applicable to a retirement bond. In general, section 402(a)(2) provides for capital gains treatment of certain distributions from a qualified trust which constitute the total distributions payable with respect to any employee. The proceeds of a retirement bond received upon redemption will not be entitled to such capital gain treatment even though the bond is received as a part of, or as the whole of, such a total distribution. Nor will such a bond be taken into consideration in determining whether the distribution represents the total amount payable by the trust with respect to an employee. Thus, a distribution by a qualified trust may constitute a total distribution payable with respect to an employee for purposes of section 402(a)(2) even though the trust retains retirement bonds registered in the name of such employee.
(b) Basis. (1) This paragraph is applicable in determining the basis of any retirement bond distributed pursuant to a qualified bond purchase plan or distributed by a trust qualifying under section 401. In the case of such a bond purchased for an individual at the time he is a common-law employee, the basis is that portion of the purchase price attributable to employee contributions. In the case of such a bond purchased for an individual at the time he is a self-employed individual, the basis shall be determined under subparagraph (3) of this paragraph.
(2) At the time a retirement bond is purchased, there shall be indicated on the application for the retirement bond whether the individual for whom the retirement bond is purchased is a common-law employee or a self-employed individual, and in the case of common-law employees the amount of the purchase price, if any, attributable to the employee's contribution. The answers to these questions will appear on the retirement bond, and when the retirement bond is purchased for a common-law employee, the basis for the retirement bond is presumed to be the amount of the purchase price which the retirement bond indicates was contributed by the employee.
(3) (i) Except as provided in subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph, for purposes of determining the basis of retirement bonds purchased for an individual while he was a self-employed individual, all such bonds redeemed during a taxable year shall be considered in the aggregate as a single retirement bond. The basis of such retirement bonds shall be the difference between the aggregate of their face amounts and the lesser of:
(A) 1 One-half the aggregate of their face amounts, or
(B) The aggregate of the unused amounts allowed as a deduction at the end of the taxable year (as determined in subparagraph (4) of this paragraph).
(ii) The basis of a retirement bond purchased for a self-employed individual which is redeemed after his death is the amount determined by multiplying the face amount of such retirement bond by a fraction—
(A) The numerator of which is the aggregate of the face amounts of all the bonds registered in the individual's name at his death which were purchased while he was a self-employed individual reduced by the aggregate of the unused amounts allowed as a deduction at his death (as determined in subparagraph (4) of this paragraph), and
(B) The denominator of which is the aggregate of the face amounts of all such bonds.
(4) (i) In the case of retirement bonds purchased under a qualified bond purchase plan, the aggregate of the unused amounts allowed as a deduction at the end of any taxable year shall be an amount equal to the total of the amounts allowable for such taxable year, and the amounts allowed in all prior taxable years, as a deduction under section 405(c) for contributions used to purchase retirement bonds for the registered owner while he was a self-employed individual, reduced by an amount equal to the portion of the face amounts of such retirement bonds redeemed in prior taxable years which were included in the registered owner's gross income.
(ii) In the case of retirement bonds purchased by a trust described in section 401(a) and exempt under section 501(a), there shall be allocated to the retirement bond the deduction under section 404 attributable to the contributions used to purchase the retirement bond. The amount so allocated shall be treated in the same manner as the deduction allowed under section 405(c) for purposes of computing the unused amounts allowed as a deduction under subdivision (i) of this subparagraph. Further, the amount so allocated shall not be included in the investment in the contract for purposes of section 72 in determining the portion of the other assets distributed by the trust included in gross income.
(5) The application of the rule of subparagraphs (3) and (4) of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

Code of Federal Regulations

Example 1. B, a self-employed individual, adopts a qualified bond purchase plan in 1963. During 1963 the plan purchased $2,000 worth of retirement bonds in his name. As a result of overestimating his income for 1963, only $400 was allowed B as a deduction pursuant to section 405(c). In 1964, prior to B's retirement in June of that year, the plan purchased a $500 retirement bond in B's name for which a deduction was allowable pursuant to section 405(c) in the amount of $250. B redeemed a retirement bond with a face amount of $500 in September of 1964 and another with a face amount of $500 in October of 1964. Of the proceeds received in 1964 from the redemption of the bonds, $1,000 plus interest, B shall exclude from his gross income $500 (face amount of the retirement bonds, $1,000, less $500, one-half of the face amount, the latter being less than the aggregate of the unused amounts allowed as a deduction, $250 allowable for the taxable year in which the bonds were redeemed plus $400, the unused amounts allowed in prior taxable years, or $650). The aggregate of the unused amounts allowed as a deduction shall be reduced by the amount so excluded ($650−$500=$150). During the following year, B redeems another retirement bond with a face amount of $500. Of the proceeds received from the redemption of such retirement bond, $500 plus interest, B shall exclude from his gross income $350 (face amount of the retirement bonds, $500, less $150, the aggregate of the unused amounts allowed as a deduction, the latter being less than one-half of the face amount of the bond, $250). The aggregate of the unused amounts allowed as a deduction is reduced to zero ($150−$150=0). Upon redemption of the remaining retirement bonds registered in B's name, B shall exclude from his gross income with respect to such proceeds an amount equal to the face amounts of the bonds redeemed.
Code of Federal Regulations 547

Code of Federal Regulations

Example 2. C, a self-employed individual, participated in a qualified bond purchase plan during the years 1963 through 1966. The plan purchased in his name retirement bonds in the aggregate of $10,000. C deducted $4,000 from his gross income for the four years ($1,000 for each year) with respect to the purchase of such retirement bonds. C retired in December of 1966 and during the following year redeemed one retirement bond with a face amount of $1,000. C excluded from his gross income $500 of the proceeds of the bond. C died without redeeming any of the remaining retirement bonds registered in his name. The basis of each remaining retirement bond shall be determined by multiplying the face amount of each retirement bond by $5,500÷$9,000. The numerator is the aggregate of the face amounts registered in C's name (as a self-employed individual) at his death, $9,000, reduced by the aggregate of the unused amounts allowed as a deduction at his death, $3,500 (amounts allowed as a deduction under section 405(c), $4,000, reduced by the portion of the face amount of the retirement bond redeemed by C which was included in C's gross income, $500), or $5,500. The denominator is the face amount of the retirement bonds registered in his name as a self-employed individual at his death, $9,000.

Code of Federal Regulations

[T.D. 6675, 28 FR 10131, Sept. 17, 1963]