Interest Rates Increase for the Second Quarter of 2011

Notice: Historical Content


This is an archival or historical document and may not reflect current law, policies or procedures.

IR-2011-17, Feb. 17, 2011

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced that interest rates for the calendar quarter beginning April 1, 2011, will increase by one percentage point.  The rates will be: 

  • four (4) percent for overpayments (three (3) percent in the case of a corporation);
  • four (4) percent for underpayments;
  • six (6) percent for large corporate underpayments; and
  • one and one-half (1.5) percent for the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000.

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.  Additionally, the rate for determining the addition to tax for failure to pay estimated tax for the first 15 days in April 2011 is the 4 percent rate that applied to underpayments of tax during the first calendar quarter in 2011.

The interest rates announced today are computed from the federal short-term rate during January 2011 to take effect February 1, 2011, based on daily compounding.

Revenue Ruling 2011-5PDF, announcing the rates of interest, is attached and will appear in Internal Revenue Bulletin No. 2011-13, dated March 28, 2011.

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