Illustrated Explanation of an Informational Tax Statement

Your Informational Tax Statement has two parts:

  • Informational Tax Reporting Statement—The year–end account information as it would appear in a Fidelity Form 1099 Tax Reporting Statement. It summarizes dividends and other distributions, exempt interest dividends, and sales proceeds. This information is not reported to the IRS.
  • Detail Information—Additional information that you may find helpful, including transaction activity details. This information is not reported to the IRS.

These statements are based on IRS information reporting requirements for individuals. You may be subject to different tax reporting requirements. Depending upon your situation, this information may not be accurate or appropriate for tax preparation purposes and the information in your Informational Tax Statement. We suggest that you consult your tax advisor before using any of this information for tax preparation.

The two parts of your Informational Tax Statement are illustrated and explained in more detail below. Sample statements are for illustrative purposes only. Certain categories of transactions may not pertain to your account.

Informational Tax Reporting Statement

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  • Dividends and Distributions
    1099-DIV-Dividends and Distributions

    Lists all taxable dividends, long–term capital gain distributions, and nondividend distributions from mutual funds held in your account. If an Unrecaptured Section 1250 gain, Section 1202 gain, or Collectibles (28%) gain was distributed, line 2b, 2c, and/or 2d will appear, respectively, in this section. If your fund paid foreign tax, we report the amount that you may be able to claim as a deduction or credit in column 6. We add the foreign tax paid to the dividend amount you received and report the total in column 1a and, if applicable, column 1b. For this reason, the total dividends reported on the statement may be higher than the amount that you actually received.

    For additional 2011 foreign tax credit pass–through information, in early February you will be able to see the Important Information for Corporations about Foreign Tax Paid letter on the Fidelity Fund–Specific Tax Information page in the Tax Center of Fidelity.com.

    A portion of column 1a—Total Ordinary Dividends—may be eligible for the deduction for dividends received from domestic corporations under Internal Revenue Code Section 243. If you received a dividend from a Fidelity mutual fund, which may qualify for the corporate deduction for dividends received, in mid–February you will be able to see the Percentage of Dividends Received which May Qualify for a Deduction letter on the Fidelity Fund–Specific Tax Information page. This letter identifies the percentage of each dividend distribution from a Fidelity mutual fund reported in column 1a that is attributable to dividends received by the fund from domestic corporations and which may qualify for the corporate deduction for dividends received.

  • Interest Income
    Interest Income

    Lists all exempt interest dividends from mutual funds held in your account and the portion (if any) of those dividends that constitutes specified private activity bond interest. We report the exempt interest dividends you received fund by fund, in column 8, labeled "Tax Exempt Interest". The portion of those exempt interest dividends that constitutes specified private activity bond interest is reported, fund by fund, in column 9, labeled "Specified Private Activity Bond Interest". The amount reported as Specified Private Activity Bond Interest may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. For more information, see the IRS Instructions for Form 4626, Alternative Minimum Tax—Corporations. Any federal tax withheld on exempt interest dividends you received in your account is reported, fund by fund, in column 4, labeled "Federal Income Tax Withheld."

    Column 10 (new for this year) shows CUSIP numbers, fund by fund, for tax-exempt Fidelity Funds on which tax-exempt interest was paid to you during the calendar year and reported in column 8.

  • Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions
    Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions

    In comparison with prior years, the IRS has added several new boxes to Form 1099-B. However, as we noted earlier in this guide, most of the new IRS cost basis reporting requirements for non-exempt accounts will only begin to apply to Fidelity Mutual Funds for tax year 2012. You can find more information about securities covered by the new cost basis reporting rules in the introductory portion of this guide. As a result, the 2011 Proceeds from Broker Transactions on your Informational Tax Statement incorporates some new box numbers and accounts for other new boxes with a message under your data labeled, IRS Box 6.

    Proceeds from Broker Transactions lists all proceeds from the sale of Fidelity mutual funds held in your account. We report all transactions on a trade–date basis, and we report the proceeds as gross proceeds. If you are required to file a federal tax return, you will generally be required to provide the adjusted basis for the shares sold, in order to determine the associated realized gain or loss. Fidelity provides estimated cost basis, realized gain and loss, and holding period information in the Detail Information section of your Informational Tax Statement.*

    * Fidelity will report gross proceeds as well as certain cost basis and holding period information to you and to the IRS on Form 1099-B as required or allowed by law, but such information may not reflect adjustments required for tax reporting purposes. However, accounts receiving an Informational Tax Statement are categorized as exempt from IRS reporting. Account holders should verify Fidelity-provided cost basis and holding period information in the Realized Gain/Loss sections of their Informational Tax Statements when calculating reportable gain or loss. Fidelity specifically disclaims any liability arising out of a customer's use of, or any tax position taken in reliance upon, such information. Unless otherwise specified, Fidelity determines cost basis at the time of sale based on the average cost method for open-end mutual funds and based on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method for all other securities. Consult your tax advisor for further information.

Detail Information

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  • Tax–Exempt Income from Fidelity Funds
    Tax-Exempt Income from Fidelity Funds

    This section lists exempt interest dividends from Fidelity municipal funds declared during 2011, and the amounts of those interest dividends that are attributable to in–state obligations and to out–of–state obligations. State tax rules for corporations may render some of these amounts inappropriate for use by corporations. Consult your tax advisor for more details.

  • Short–Term Realized Gain/Loss
    Short-Term Realized Gain/Loss

    Due to new IRS cost basis reporting rules, certain aspects of Fidelity's cost basis reporting have changed, beginning in 2011. However, mutual fund transactions are generally not affected until tax year 2012. See the introductory portion of this guide for further information.

    The Short-Term Realized Gain/Loss section lists estimated cost–basis information* and short–term gain or loss* from the sale or exchange of mutual funds in your account during 2011.

    * Fidelity will report gross proceeds as well as certain cost basis and holding period information to you and to the IRS on Form 1099-B as required or allowed by law, but such information may not reflect adjustments required for tax reporting purposes. However, accounts receiving an Informational Tax Statement are categorized as exempt from IRS reporting. Account holders should verify Fidelity-provided cost basis and holding period information in the Realized Gain/Loss sections of their Informational Tax Statements when calculating reportable gain or loss. Fidelity specifically disclaims any liability arising out of a customer's use of, or any tax position taken in reliance upon, such information. Unless otherwise specified, Fidelity determines cost basis at the time of sale based on the average cost method for open-end mutual funds and based on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method for all other securities. Consult your tax advisor for further information.

  • Long–Term Realized Gain/Loss
    Long-Term Realized Gain/Loss

    Due to new IRS cost basis reporting rules, certain aspects of Fidelity's cost basis reporting have changed, beginning in 2011. However, mutual fund transactions are generally not affected until tax year 2012. See the introductory portion of this guide for further information.

    The Long-Term Realized Gain/Loss section lists estimated cost–basis information* and long–term gain or loss* from the sale or exchange of mutual funds in your account during 2011.

    * Fidelity will report gross proceeds as well as certain cost basis and holding period information to you and to the IRS on Form 1099-B as required or allowed by law, but such information may not reflect adjustments required for tax reporting purposes. However, accounts receiving an Informational Tax Statement are categorized as exempt from IRS reporting. Account holders should verify Fidelity-provided cost basis and holding period information in the Realized Gain/Loss sections of their Informational Tax Statements when calculating reportable gain or loss. Fidelity specifically disclaims any liability arising out of a customer's use of, or any tax position taken in reliance upon, such information. Unless otherwise specified, Fidelity determines cost basis at the time of sale based on the average cost method for open-end mutual funds and based on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method for all other securities. Consult your tax advisor for further information.


Information provided is general and educational in nature and is based on federal tax laws, regulations, and interpretive guidance as in effect on January 25, 2012. It is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal or tax advice. Fidelity does not provide legal or tax advice. Laws of a specific state or laws relevant to a particular situation may affect the applicability, accuracy, or completeness of this information. Consult an attorney or tax advisor regarding your specific legal or tax situation.