Form 1097-BTC, Bond Tax Credit

2019

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service

Instructions for Form
1097-BTC
Bond Tax Credit
Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless
otherwise noted.

Future Developments

For the latest information about developments related to
Form 1097-BTC and its instructions, such as legislation
enacted after they were published, go to IRS.gov/
Form1097BTC.

Reminders

In addition to these specific instructions, you also should use
the 2019 General Instructions for Certain Information
Returns. Those general instructions include information
about the following topics.
• Who must file.
• When and where to file.
• Electronic reporting.
• Corrected and voided returns.
• Statements to recipients.
• Taxpayer identification numbers (TINs).
• Backup withholding.
• Penalties.
• Other general topics.
You can get the general instructions from General
Instructions for Certain Information Returns at IRS.gov/
1099GeneralInstructions or go to IRS.gov/Form1097BTC.
Online fillable forms. You may fill out the form, found
online at IRS.gov/Form1097BTC, and send Copy B to the
recipient. For filing with the IRS, follow your usual procedures
for filing electronically if you are filing 250 or more forms. If
you are filing this form on paper due to a low volume of
recipients, for this form only, you may send in the
black-and-white Copy A with a Form 1096 that you print from
the IRS website.

Specific Instructions

Issuers of certain tax credit bonds (or their agents) and
recipients of Form 1097-BTC from the bond issuer or agent,
such as mutual funds or partnerships, who are further
distributing the credit must file Form 1097-BTC for each tax
credit distributed from the following tax credit bonds.
• New clean renewable energy bonds.
• Qualified energy conservation bonds.
• Qualified zone academy bonds.
• Qualified school construction bonds.
• Clean renewable energy bonds.
• Build America bonds (Tax Credit).
Filings of Form 1097-BTC with respect to a bond, by the
issuer or the issuer's agent, must be made on a separate
Form 1097-BTC for each bond.
For tax credit bonds issued with two or more maturities,
each maturity must be reported separately on the Form
1097-BTC issued by the bond issuer or its agent.
Oct 09, 2018

Recipients of Form 1097-BTC from the bond issuer or
agent, such as brokers, nominees, mutual funds, or
partnerships, who are further distributing the credit must file
only one Form 1097-BTC per recipient or account,
aggregating credit from all applicable bonds.
Note. Issuers that elected to issue build America bonds
(Direct Pay) under section 54AA(g) or specified tax credit
bonds under section 6431(f) to receive a refundable credit
under section 6431(a) in lieu of tax credits under section 54A
should not file Form 1097-BTC.

Definitions
Tax credit bond. Generally, a tax credit bond is an
obligation issued under sections 54, 54A, 54AA, 1397E, or
1400N(l) that entitles the taxpayer holding such bond on one
or more credit allowance dates occurring during any tax year
to a credit against the federal income tax imposed for that tax
year.

!

CAUTION

Public Law Number 115-97, 131 Stat. 2054 (2017),
repealed sections 54, 54A-F, and 54AA effective for
bonds issued after December 31, 2017.

Qualified tax credit bond. Qualified tax credit bonds under
section 54A include new clean renewable energy bonds
under section 54C, qualified energy conservation bonds
under section 54D, qualified zone academy bonds under
section 54E, and qualified school construction bonds under
section 54F.
New clean renewable energy bond. An obligation issued
before January 1, 2018, that is part of an issue, 100% of the
available project proceeds of which are to be used for capital
expenditures incurred by governmental bodies, public power
providers, or cooperative electric companies for one or more
qualified renewable energy facilities, as defined in section
54C. The annual credit allowed is 70% of the annual credit
amount determined by applying section 54A(b).
Qualified energy conservation bond. An obligation issued
before January 1, 2018, that is part of an issue, 100% of the
available project proceeds of which are to be used for one or
more qualified energy conservation purposes, as defined in
section 54D. The annual credit allowed is 70% of the annual
credit amount determined by applying section 54A(b).
Qualified zone academy bond. An obligation issued
before January 1, 2018, that is part of an issue, 100% of the
available project proceeds of which are to be used for a
qualified purpose with respect to a qualified zone academy
established by an eligible local education agency, as
provided in section 54E; or an obligation that is part of an
issue, 95% or more of the proceeds of which are to be so
used and issued before October 4, 2008, as provided in
section 1397E.

Cat. No. 54657F

Statement to Recipient

Qualified school construction bond. An obligation issued
before January 1, 2018, that is part of an issue, 100% of the
available project proceeds of which are to be used for the
construction, rehabilitation, or repair of a public school facility
or for the acquisition of land on which such a facility is to be
constructed with the proceeds, as provided in section 54F.

If required to file Form 1097-BTC, you must furnish a
statement to the recipient quarterly for each credit amount
indicated on or before the 15th day of the 2nd calendar
month after the close of the calendar quarter in which the
credit was allowed.

Clean renewable energy bond. An obligation issued after
December 31, 2005, and before January 1, 2010, that is part
of an issue, 95% or more of the proceeds of which are used
for capital expenditures incurred by qualified borrowers for
one or more qualified projects, as defined in section 54.

Quarterly Furnishing Dates
Reporting period:

To recipient (on or before):

1 Quarter: January–March

May 15*

2nd Quarter: April–June

August 15*

3 Quarter: July–September

November 15*

Annual/4 Quarter: October–
December

February 15*

st

Build America bond (Tax Credit). An obligation issued
after February 17, 2009, and before January 1, 2011, issued
by a state or local government (excluding private activity
bonds under section 141) as defined in section 54AA(d).

rd

th

Who Must Receive Form 1097-BTC

*Dates may change due to weekends or holidays.

Each person who is allowed a tax credit as a holder, directly
or indirectly, of a tax credit bond or a stripped credit coupon
on one or more credit allowance dates during the calendar
year in an amount of at least $10 must be issued Form
1097-BTC.

For the first 3 quarters, report to the recipient only the
amounts for the months of the applicable quarter. Box 1
should not be completed and box 6 is optional.
You are not required to furnish a separate report solely for
the 4th quarter because the 4th quarter amounts are reported
with the annual filing. For the annual filing, report the credits
for each month in boxes 5a–5l; report the total of those
amounts in box 1; and complete the rest of the form as
applicable. Furnish the annual filing to the recipient by
February 18, 2020.

Credit Allowance Dates

The tax credit from tax credit bonds or stripped credit
coupons is allowed on each credit allowance date for which
the bond was outstanding or to which the stripped credit
coupon corresponds. For qualified tax credit bonds and
clean renewable energy bonds, the credit allowance dates
are March 15, June 15, September 15, December 15, and
the last day on which the bond is outstanding. For bonds
issued during the 3-month period ending on a credit
allowance date, the amount of the credit is determined
ratably based on the portion of the 3-month period during
which the bond is outstanding. The same ratable
determination of credit applies when a bond is redeemed or
matures. For build America bonds (Tax Credit), the credit
allowance dates are the interest payment dates. For qualified
zone academy bonds issued before October 4, 2008, the
credit allowance date is the last day of the 1-year period
beginning on the issue date of the bond and each
anniversary of such day thereafter.

If any amounts previously furnished for the first 3 quarters
need to be corrected, report the correct amounts for the
annual reporting and explain the correction to the recipient;
no explanation is required for the IRS filing.
For the report furnished to the recipient (quarterly or
annual), you may use Copy B or your own substitute
statement reporting all the same applicable information (the
reporting for the first 3 quarters may be furnished
electronically). See Pub. 1179 for specific rules about
providing substitute statements to recipients.
The IRS encourages Form 1097-BTC issuers to provide
the credit information to the recipient monthly if applicable,
and as soon after the end of the month in which a credit
arises as possible.

The tax credit allowed to holders of any tax credit bonds or
stripped credit coupons is treated as interest which is
included in gross income and must be reported as interest
income on a Form 1099-INT or Form 1099-OID, as
applicable. For more information on reporting the tax credit
treated as interest income paid from tax credit bonds, see the
Instructions for Forms 1099-INT and 1099-OID.

For more information about the requirement to furnish a
statement to the recipient, see part M in the 2019 General
Instructions for Certain Information Returns.

When To File

Bond issuer. If issuing the Form 1097-BTC as an issuer of
the bond or its agent, box 2a of the form will always reflect
code “C” and box 2b must reflect the CUSIP number for the
bond or stripped coupon, unless a CUSIP number was not
issued for the bond. See the instructions for boxes 2a and
2b.

Penalties for Failure To File

Form 1097-BTC Issuer's Name, Address, and
Telephone Number

File Copy A of Form 1097-BTC with the IRS by February 28,
2020 (March 31, 2020, if filed electronically). See Statement
to Recipient, later, for furnishing statements to recipients.
There are penalties for failure to file correct information
returns by the due date and for failure to furnish correct
payee statements. See part O in the 2019 General
Instructions for Certain Information Returns for details.
Failure to file Forms 1097-BTC also includes failure to file
electronically, when required. For more information on
penalties for failure to file electronically, see part F in the
2019 General Instructions for Certain Information Returns.

Enter the name, street address, city or town, state or
province, country, ZIP or foreign postal code, and telephone
number of the entity issuing the Form 1097-BTC.
Enter the entity's true name (as set forth in the legal
documents creating it). Enter the address of the entity's
principal office or place of business. Include the suite, room,
or other unit number after the street address. If the post office

-2-

Instructions for Form 1097-BTC (2019)

the bond, or are an entity or a person that received or should
have received a 2019 Form 1097-BTC for credit(s) that was
or should have been reported and that is distributing part or
all of that credit to others.

does not deliver mail to the street address and the entity has
a P.O. box, show the box number instead.
Note. Do not use the address of the registered agent for the
state in which the entity is incorporated. For example, if a
business is incorporated in Delaware or Nevada and the
corporation's principal office is located in Little Rock, AR, the
corporation should enter the Little Rock address.
If the entity receives its mail in care of a third party (such
as an accountant or an attorney), enter for the street address
“C/O” followed by the third party's name and street address
or P.O. box.

Box 1. Total

Enter the total amount of credits distributed to the recipient
with respect to the amounts reported in boxes 5a–5l for the
calendar year.
This box should be only filled out when filing Copy A and
when the annual statement (Copy B of the form) is sent to the
recipient. See Statement to Recipient, earlier.

Form 1097-BTC Issuer's TIN

Box 2a. Code

Enter the Form 1097-BTC issuer's TIN, such as an employer
identification number (EIN). Do not truncate the Form
1097-BTC issuer's TIN. An issuer that does not have an EIN
should apply for one. See Form SS-4, Application for
Employer Identification Number, and its separate
instructions, available at IRS.gov. Applications can be
submitted online, by phone, fax, or mail.

Enter the unique identification number code. Enter “C” for
CUSIP number, “A” for account number, and “O” if the unique
identification number is not an account number or a CUSIP
number, such as a self-provided identification number. If you
checked the first box under Form 1097-BTC issuer, and a
CUSIP number is assigned to the bond(s), enter “C.” If no
CUSIP number is assigned to the bond(s), and you checked
the first box under Form 1097-BTC issuer, use the account
number as the unique identifier and enter “A” or “O” if you are
using any other unique identifying number. See Box 2b.
Unique Identifier next.

Truncating Recipient's TIN on Recipient
Statements

Pursuant to Regulations section 301.6109-4, all filers of this
form may truncate a recipient's TIN (social security number
(SSN), employer identification number (EIN), individual
taxpayer identification number (ITIN), or adoption taxpayer
identification number (ATIN)) on recipient statements.
Truncation is not allowed on any documents the filer files with
the IRS. A filer's TIN may not be truncated on any form. See
part J in the 2019 General Instructions for Certain Information
Returns.

Box 2b. Unique Identifier

The unique identification number is assigned by the Form
1097-BTC issuer and is limited to 39 alphanumeric
characters. It can be the CUSIP number, account number, or
any other unique identification number by which you track the
bond transactions.
For a bond issuer (or its agent) filing the 2019 Form
1097-BTC for a bond, the unique identification number must
start with the CUSIP number(s), if available, and may be
expanded by the account number or any other self-provided
number(s). If a CUSIP number was not issued for the bond,
the bond issuer may use or devise its own unique identifier,
preferably the account number or other reference number by
which you track and account for the bond transaction. A
recipient of a Form 1097-BTC that issues its own Form
1097-BTC to further distribute the credit may use or devise
its own unique identifier using whatever means it deems
best.

Recipient's TIN

Enter the TIN of the recipient of the distributed (or stripped)
credit from the tax credit bond. Do not truncate the recipient's
TIN on the form filed with the IRS. Truncation of the
recipient's TIN is allowed on the statement to the recipient.
See the 2019 General Instructions for Certain Information
Returns.

Recipient's Name

Enter the name of the recipient of the distributed (or stripped)
credit from the tax credit bond. If not an individual, enter the
entity's true name (as set forth in the legal documents
creating it).

Box 3. Bond Type

Enter code “101” for clean renewable energy bonds issued
under section 54. Enter code “199” for all other bonds.

Recipient's Street Address (Including Apt. No.)

Enter the street address, city or town, state or province,
country, and ZIP or foreign postal code of the recipient's
principal residence, office, or place of business. Include the
apartment, suite, room, or other unit number after the street
address. If the post office does not deliver mail to the street
address and the entity has a P.O. box, show the box number
instead.

Multiple bond types can be entered on one Form

TIP 1097-BTC, other than clean renewable energy

bonds. Credits from clean renewable energy bonds
must be reported on a separate Form 1097-BTC.

Box 4.

Reserved.

Note. Do not use the address of the registered agent for the
state in which the recipient is incorporated.
If the recipient receives its mail in care of a third party
(such as an accountant or an attorney), enter for the street
address “C/O” followed by the third party's name and street
address or P.O. box.

Boxes 5a–5l.

Enter the amount of credit allowed for each month during the
calendar year, calculated by using STEPS 1 and 2, following.

STEP 1. For each recipient, multiply the outstanding face
amount of the qualified tax credit bond, clean renewable
energy bond, or qualified zone academy bond issued before
October 4, 2008, by the applicable credit rate. The

Check, as applicable, whether you are the issuer of the
bond (or its agent) filing the initial 2019 Form 1097-BTC for
Instructions for Form 1097-BTC (2019)

-3-

outstanding face amount of the bond is the face amount of
the bond minus any principal that has been paid. The credit
rate for the qualified tax credit bond, clean renewable energy
bond, or qualified zone academy bond issued before
October 4, 2008, is the rate published on the Treasury Direct
website under “IRS Tax Credit Bond Rates” at
TreasuryDirect.gov/govt/rates/rates_irstcb.htm for the first
day on which there is a binding contract in writing for the sale
or exchange of the bond.
The credit rate for qualified zone academy bonds issued
before July 1, 1999, is 110% (1.10) of the long-term
applicable federal rate (AFR), compounded annually, for the
month and year the bond is issued. The IRS announces the
long-term AFR monthly in a series of revenue rulings
published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin.
For build America bonds (Tax Credit), multiply by 35%
(0.35) the amount of interest payable with respect to the
interest payment date for which you are filing Form
1097-BTC or sending a statement to the credit recipient.
Enter the credit amount so determined in boxes 5a–5l for the
month in which the interest payment date occurred. Thus, if
the interest payment dates for a build America bond are June
30 and December 31, enter the credit amounts in boxes 5f
and 5l.

determined in STEP 1 in box 5l and 100% (1.0) of the credit
amount determined in STEP 1 in box 1.
However, the 25% will be prorated for any credit
allowance date if a clean renewable energy bond or qualified
tax credit bond is issued, redeemed, or matures during the
3-month period ending on a credit allowance date with
respect to which you are reporting the credit. The percentage
of credit allowed for that credit allowance date is prorated for
the number of days the bond was outstanding during the
3-month period.
See Caution regarding the repeal of sections 54, 54A, and
54AA, earlier.

For qualified zone academy bonds issued before October
4, 2008, enter the amount so determined in the box 5 that
corresponds to the credit allowance date. When filing the
annual Form 1097-BTC with the IRS, enter the same amount
in box 1.

Proration calculation

Example 2. A qualified zone academy bond that you
issued matures on March 23, 2019. Since the bond was not
outstanding for the entire 3-month period on June 15, 2019,
the prorated portion of the 25% is figured by dividing (a) the
number of days the bond was outstanding beginning on the
day after the prior (March 15) credit allowance date and
ending on March 23, 2019, by (b) the number of days
included in the 3-month period beginning on the day after the
prior (March 15) credit allowance date and ending on the
next (June 15) credit allowance date. See Proration
calculation below.

8 days (number of days from March
16 through March 23)
92 days (number of days from
March 16 through June 15)

STEP 2. For qualified tax credit bonds or clean renewable
energy bonds only, multiply the credit amount so determined
in STEP 1 by 25% (0.25) for each credit allowance date you
hold a qualified tax credit bond or clean renewable energy
bond during your tax year. Enter the credit amount
determined in STEP 2 in the box for the month in which the
credit allowance date occurred.

= 0.087 X 0.25 = 2% (0.02)

Thus, for the credit allowance date with respect to the
3-month period in which the bond matures, you would
multiply the credit amount determined in STEP 1 by the
prorated percentage. In Example 2, for the 2nd quarter
reporting period for 2019, due to the recipient by August 15,
you would enter the amount determined by multiplying 2%
(0.02) with the credit amount determined in STEP 1 in box 5f.
You would carry the same percentage to the Total annual
credit reported in box 1 for the annual/4th quarter reporting
period filed with the IRS and sent to the recipient. Thus, in
Example 2, you would enter in box 1 “27%” (0.27) of the
amount determined in STEP 1.

Example 1. You issued a qualified energy conservation
bond on March 15, 2017. For the Form 1097-BTC statement
for the March 15, 2019, credit allowance date, due to the
recipient by May 15, you would enter 25% (0.25) of the
amount computed in STEP 1 in 5c. For the Form 1097-BTC
statement for the June 15, 2019, credit allowance date, due
to the recipient by August 15, you would enter 25% (0.25) of
the amount computed in STEP 1 in box 5f. For the Form
1097-BTC statement for the September 15, 2019, credit
allowance date, due to the recipient by November 15, you
would enter 25% (0.25) of the amount computed in STEP 1 in
5i. For the annual Form 1097-BTC and December 15, 2019,
credit allowance date, due to the recipient by February 18
and to the IRS by February 28, 2020 (March 31, 2020, if filed
electronically), enter 25% (0.25) of the credit amount

Note. For new clean renewable energy bonds issued under
section 54C and qualified energy conservation bonds issued
under section 54D, report the credit amount after the 70%
limit has been applied.

Box 6. Comments

Enter any additional information.

-4-

Instructions for Form 1097-BTC (2019)