What is the difference between a zero-coupon bond and a Treasury bill?
Zero-coupon bonds are often perceived as long-term investments, although one of the most common examples is a “T-Bill,” a short-term investment. U.S. Treasury Bills (or T-Bills) are short-term zero-coupon bonds (< 1 year) issued by the U.S. government.
A zero-coupon bond is a bond that pays no interest and trades at a discount to its face value. It is also called a pure discount bond or deep discount bond. U.S. Treasury bills are an example of a zero-coupon bond.
Key takeaways
Treasury bills have short-term maturities and pay interest at maturity. Treasury notes have mid-range maturities and pay interest every 6 months. Treasury bonds have long maturities and pay interest every 6 months.
With a conventional bond, you can typically expect to receive a coupon payment every six months. Zero-coupon bonds, on the other hand, credit you with interest but don't actually pay any until maturity.
The difference between a coupon bond and a zero coupon bond is that the zero coupon bond pays all of its coupons at maturity.
For example, you might pay $3,500 to purchase a 20-year zero coupon bond with a face value of $10,000. After 20 years, the issuer of the bond pays you $10,000. For this reason, zero coupon bonds are often purchased to meet a future expense such as college costs or an anticipated expenditure in retirement.
Zero-coupon U.S. Treasury bonds have a poor risk-return profile when held alone. Long-dated zero-coupon Treasury bonds are more volatile than the stock market, but they offer the lower long-run returns of U.S. Treasuries. Even worse, there is no guarantee that they will go up when stocks do poorly.
The No. 1 advantage that T-bills offer relative to other investments is the fact that there's virtually zero risk that you'll lose your initial investment. The government backs these securities so there's much less need to worry that you could lose money in the deal compared to other investments.
While interest rates and inflation can affect Treasury bill rates, they're generally considered a lower-risk (but lower-reward) investment than other debt securities. Treasury bills are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. If held to maturity, T-bills are considered virtually risk-free.
To calculate the price, take 180 days and multiply by 1.5 to get 270. Then, divide by 360 to get 0.75, and subtract 100 minus 0.75. The answer is 99.25. Because you're buying a $1,000 Treasury bill instead of one for $100, multiply 99.25 by 10 to get the final price of $992.50.
How is a zero-coupon bond taxed?
Zero coupon bonds are subject to an unusual taxation in which the receipt of interest is imputed each year, requiring holders to pay income taxes on what is called “phantom income.”
Zero-coupon bonds emphasize the discount element of income to the exclusion of coupons; junk bonds emphasize the risk element contained in the interest yield on such securities; and indexed bonds simply match the rate of return, through either coupons or discounts, to some specified index in the hope of accurately ...
A zero coupon bond generally has a reduced market price relative to its par value because the purchaser must maintain ownership of the bond until maturity to turn a profit. A bond that sells for less than its par value is said to sell at a discount.
Treasury bills are also known as Zero Coupon Bonds that are available for a minimum of and in multiples thereof. A treasury bill is basically an instrument of short-term borrowing by the Government of India maturing in less than one year.
A coupon or coupon payment is the annual interest rate paid on a bond, expressed as a percentage of the face value and paid from issue date until maturity. Coupons are usually referred to in terms of the coupon rate (the sum of coupons paid in a year divided by the face value of the bond in question).
The return to the investor of a zero-coupon bond is equal to the difference between the face value of the bond and its purchase price. In exchange for providing the capital in the first place and agreeing not to be paid interest, the purchase price for a zero-coupon is less than its face value.
Although not paid until maturity, income from zero-coupon STRIPS is taxable in the year in which it accrues. Increases in TIPS principal value as a result of inflation adjustments are taxed as capital gains in the year they occur, even though an investor does not collect these gains until TIPS are sold or mature.
| SYMBOL | YIELD | CHANGE |
|---|---|---|
| US 6-MO | 5.374 | -0.002 |
| US 1-YR | 5.172 | -0.013 |
| US 2-YR | 4.988 | -0.002 |
| US 3-YR | 4.821 | -0.008 |
Interest from Treasuries is generally taxable at the federal level, but not at the state level. Interest from munis is generally exempt from federal taxes, and if you live in the state where the bond was issued, the interest may also be exempt from state taxes.
If a zero-coupon bond is held for 12 months or more, it is treated as a long-term capital asset. Proceeds on maturity less cost of acquiring the bonds will then be taxed as long-term capital gain.
Are zero-coupon bonds exempt from state taxes?
Tax-exempt zero coupon bonds may be subject to state and local taxes. While these bonds are exempt from federal income tax, they may still be subject to state and local taxes. Investors should carefully consider their tax situation before investing in these bonds.
Zero coupon bonds are bonds that do not pay interest during the life of the bonds. Instead, investors buy zero coupon bonds at a deep discount from their face value, which is the amount the investor will receive when the bond "matures" or comes due.
T-bills pay a fixed rate of interest, which can provide a stable income. However, if interest rates rise, existing T-bills fall out of favor since their return is less than the market. T-bills have interest rate risk, which means there is a risk that existing bondholders might lose out on higher rates in the future.
If you live in a state with income taxes, and rates are similar for CDs and T-bills, then it makes sense to go with a T-bill. The amount you save on taxes will likely result in a higher payout from a T-bill than a CD. Another benefit of T-bills is their liquidity. You can buy and sell them on a secondary market.
When deciding whether to invest in a CD or Treasury, you must consider your risk tolerance, liquidity needs, and investment horizon. Treasurys are a better choice for those who need more liquidity, have a longer investment horizon, and prefer the tax advantages.
