Interest Rates Lower For First Quarter Of 2003.

Rev. Rul. 2002-70

[1] Section 6621 of the Internal Revenue Code establishes the rates for interest on tax overpayments and tax underpayments. Under § 6621(a)(1), the overpayment rate beginning January 1, 2003, is the sum of the federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points (2 percentage points in the case of a corporation), except the rate for the portion of a corporate overpayment of tax exceeding $10,000 for a taxable period is the sum of the federal short-term rate plus 0.5 of a percentage point for interest computations made after December 31, 1994. Under § 6621(a)(2), the underpayment rate is the sum of the federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points.

[2] Section 6621(c) provides that for purposes of interest payable under § 6601 on any large corporate underpayment, the underpayment rate under § 6621(a)(2) is determined by substituting "5 percentage points" for "3 percentage points." See § 6621(c) and § 301.6621-3 of the Regulations on Procedure and Administration for the definition of a large corporate underpayment and for the rules for determining the applicable date. Section 6621(c) and § 301.6621-3 are generally effective for periods after December 31, 1990.

[3] Section 6621(b)(1) provides that the Secretary will determine the federal short-term rate for the first month in each calendar quarter.

[4] Section 6621(b)(2)(A) provides that the federal short-term rate determined under §6621(b)(1) for any month applies during the first calendar quarter beginning after such month.

[5] Section 6621(b)(2)(B) provides that in determining the addition to tax under § 6654 for failure to pay estimated tax for any taxable year, the federal short-term rate that applies during the third month following such taxable year also applies during the first 15 days of the fourth month following such taxable year.

[6] Section 6621(b)(3) provides that the federal short-term rate for any month is the federal short-term rate determined during such month by the Secretary in accordance with § 1274(d), rounded to the nearest full percent (or, if a multiple of 1/2 of 1 percent, the rate is increased to the next highest full percent).

[7] Notice 88-59, 1988-1 C.B. 546, announced that, in determining the quarterly interest rates to be used for overpayments and underpayments of tax under § 6621, the Internal Revenue Service will use the federal short-term rate based on daily compounding because that rate is most consistent with § 6621 which, pursuant to § 6622, is subject to daily compounding.

[8] Rounded to the nearest full percent, the federal short- term rate based on daily compounding determined during the month of October 2002 is 2 percent. Accordingly, an overpayment rate of 5 percent (4 percent in the case of a corporation) and an underpayment rate of 5 percent are established for the calendar quarter beginning January 1, 2003. The overpayment rate for the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000 for the calendar quarter beginning January 1, 2003, is 2.5 percent. The underpayment rate for large corporate underpayments for the calendar quarter beginning January 1, 2003, is 7 percent. These rates apply to amounts bearing interest during that calendar quarter.

[9] The 5 percent rate also applies to estimated tax underpayments for the first calendar quarter in 2003 and for the first 15 days in April 2003.

[10] Interest factors for daily compound interest for annual rates of 2.5 percent, 4 percent, 5 percent, and 7 percent are published in Tables 10, 13, 15, and 19 of Rev. Proc. 95-17, 1995-1 C.B. 556, 564, 567, 569, and 573.

[11] Annual interest rates to be compounded daily pursuant to § 6622 that apply for prior periods are set forth in the tables accompanying this revenue ruling.

DRAFTING INFORMATION

[12] The principal author of this revenue ruling is Raymond Bailey of the Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration) Administrative Provisions and Judicial Practice Division. For further information regarding this revenue ruling, contact Mr. Bailey on (202) 622-6226 (not a toll-free call).

                        TABLE OF INTEREST RATES