Tax treatment of deferred annuities.

A deferred annuity accumulates interest on a tax-deferred basis.

Interest earnings are not reported annually while they remain in the contract.

Trigger for taxation.

Federal tax law, followed by Maryland for income reporting, requires taxation only when distributions are received.

Interest is taxed as ordinary income, not capital gains.

Evaluate each option.

A. Annually

Incorrect. This would describe taxable interest accounts, not annuities.

B. After recovering principal

Incorrect. Under the LIFO rules for annuities, interest is taxed first.

C. Upon receiving distributions or income benefits

Correct. This is when taxation occurs.

D. Tax-exempt

Incorrect. Annuities are tax-deferred, not tax-exempt.

Conclusion.

Interest income is reported when distributions are received.