Question

Joshua loans his son, Seth, $100,000 interest free for five years. Seth uses the money for a down payment on his home. Assume that the applicable federal interest rate is 4 percent. What are the tax consequences of this loan to Joshua and to Seth? How would your answer change if Seth uses the money to invest in corporate bonds paying 8 percent annual interest? [LO

Answer 1

What are the tax consequences of this loan to Joshua and to Seth?

The IRS requires that any loans must charge a minimum interest rate, and in this case, since Joshua is not charging any interest to his son, the IRS will consider the minimum interest rate as a gift and will tax it that way. Since Joshua can make gifts for $15,000 per year, if the threshold is already passed, the IRS will consider $100,000 x 4% = $4,000 as taxable gifts.

How would your answer change if Seth uses the money to invest in corporate bonds paying 8 percent annual interest?

The answer shouldn't change since Joshua is the one that can be taxed here. Seth cannot deduct any interest expense or gift tax expense either.