Title 26 — Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-73
§74 Prizes and awards
Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - Income Taxes › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES › Subchapter Subchapter B— - Computation of Taxable Income › Part PART II— - ITEMS SPECIFICALLY INCLUDED IN GROSS INCOME › § 74
Summary
Prizes and awards are normally counted as taxable income. Awards given mainly to honor religious, charitable, scientific, educational, artistic, literary, or civic work are not taxable if three things are true: the person didn’t enter or try to win, the person doesn’t have to do substantial future work to get it, and the giver sends the prize money to a government or qualifying charity that the person names. Employee achievement awards (like length-of-service or safety awards) can be tax-free up to the amount the employer can deduct. If the employer spends more than it can deduct, part or all of the award becomes taxable. Tax-exempt employers use a notional deductible amount. Very small fringe benefits follow separate rules. Medals and prize money from the U.S. Olympic Committee are tax-free unless the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income (calculated without using this Olympic rule) is over $1,000,000 ($500,000 if married filing separately). For certain other tax rules (sections 85(c), 86, 135, 137, 219, 221, and 469), adjusted gross income is figured after applying the Olympic exclusion and before applying the $1,000,000 limit.
Full Legal Text
Title 26, §74
Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Except as otherwise provided in this section or in section 117 (relating to qualified scholarships), gross income includes amounts received as prizes and awards.
(b)Gross income does not include amounts received as prizes and awards made primarily in recognition of religious, charitable, scientific, educational, artistic, literary, or civic achievement, but only if—
(1)the recipient was selected without any action on his part to enter the contest or proceeding;
(2)the recipient is not required to render substantial future services as a condition to receiving the prize or award; and
(3)the prize or award is transferred by the payor to a governmental unit or organization described in paragraph (1) or (2) of section 170(c) pursuant to a designation made by the recipient.
(c)(1)Gross income shall not include the value of an employee achievement award (as defined in section 274(j)) received by the taxpayer if the cost to the employer of the employee achievement award does not exceed the amount allowable as a deduction to the employer for the cost of the employee achievement award.
(2)If the cost to the employer of the employee achievement award received by the taxpayer exceeds the amount allowable as a deduction to the employer, then gross income includes the greater of—
(A)an amount equal to the portion of the cost to the employer of the award that is not allowable as a deduction to the employer (but not in excess of the value of the award), or
(B)the amount by which the value of the award exceeds the amount allowable as a deduction to the employer.
(3)In the case of an employer exempt from taxation under this subtitle, any reference in this subsection to the amount allowable as a deduction to the employer shall be treated as a reference to the amount which would be allowable as a deduction to the employer if the employer were not exempt from taxation under this subtitle.
(4)For provisions excluding certain de minimis fringes from gross income, see section 132(e).
(d)(1)Gross income shall not include the value of any medal awarded in, or any prize money received from the United States Olympic Committee on account of, competition in the Olympic Games or Paralympic Games.
(2)(A)Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any taxpayer for any taxable year if the adjusted gross income (determined without regard to this subsection) of such taxpayer for such taxable year exceeds $1,000,000 (half of such amount in the case of a married individual filing a separate return).
(B)For purposes of section 85(c), 86, 135, 137, 219, 221, and 469, adjusted gross income shall be determined after the application of paragraph (1) and before the application of subparagraph (A).
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2021—Subsec. (d)(2)(B). Pub. L. 117–2 inserted “85(c),” before “86”. 2020—Subsec. (d)(2)(B). Pub. L. 116–260 struck out “222,” after “221,”. 2017—Subsec. (d)(2)(B). Pub. L. 115–97 struck out “199,” after “137,”. 2016—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 114–239 added subsec. (d). 1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–514, § 123(b)(1), which directed that subsec. (a) be amended by substituting “(relating to qualified scholarships)” for “(relating to scholarship and fellowship grants)”, was executed by making the substitution for “(relating to scholarships and fellowship grants)” to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Pub. L. 99–514, § 122(a)(1)(A), substituted “Except as otherwise provided in this section or” for “Except as provided in subsection (b) and”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–514, § 122(a)(1)(B), (C), inserted “for certain prizes and awards transferred to charities” in heading and added par. (3). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–514, § 122(a)(1)(D), added subsec. (c).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
References to the United States Olympic Committee deemed to refer to the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, see section 220502(c) of Title 36, Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, and Organizations.
Effective Date
of 2021 Amendment Pub. L. 117–2, title IX, § 9042(c), Mar. 11, 2021, 135 Stat. 122, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by this section [amending this section and section 85, 86, 135, 137, 219, 221, 222, and 469 of this title] shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019.”
Effective Date
of 2020 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 116–260 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2020, see section 104(c) of div. EE of Pub. L. 116–260, set out as a note under section 25A of this title.
Effective Date
of 2017 Amendment Pub. L. 115–97, title I, § 13305(c), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2126, as amended by Pub. L. 115–141, div. T, § 101(c), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1156, provided that: “(1) In general.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
Amendments
made by this section [amending this section and section 86, 135, 137, 170, 172, 219, 221, 222, 246, 469, 613, and 613A of this title and repealing section 199 of this title] shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. “(2) Transition rule for qualified payments of patrons of cooperatives.—“(A) In general.—The
Amendments
made by this section shall not apply to a qualified payment received by a taxpayer from a specified agricultural or horticultural cooperative in a taxable year of the taxpayer beginning after December 31, 2017, which is attributable to qualified production activities income with respect to which a deduction is allowable to the cooperative under section 199 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as in effect before the
Amendments
made by this section) for a taxable year of the cooperative beginning before January 1, 2018. Any term used in this subparagraph which is also used in section 199 of such Code (as so in effect) shall have the same meaning as when used in such section. “(B) Coordination with section 199a.—No deduction shall be allowed under section 199A of such Code for any qualified payment to which subparagraph (A) applies.” [Amendment by Pub. L. 115–141 to section 13305(c) of Pub. L. 115–97, set out above, effective as if included in section 13305 of Pub. L. 115–97, see section 101(d) of Pub. L. 115–141, set out as a note under section 62 of this title.]
Effective Date
of 2016 Amendment Pub. L. 114–239, § 2(b), Oct. 7, 2016, 130 Stat. 973, provided that: “The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply to prizes and awards received after December 31, 2015.”
Effective Date
of 1986 AmendmentAmendment by section 122(a)(1) of Pub. L. 99–514 applicable to prizes and awards granted after Dec. 31, 1986, see section 151(c) of Pub. L. 99–514, set out as a note under section 1 of this title. Amendment by section 123(b)(1) of Pub. L. 99–514 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1986, but only in the case of scholarships and fellowships granted after Aug. 16, 1986, see section 151(d) of Pub. L. 99–514, set out as a note under section 1 of this title. Applicability of Certain
Amendments
by Public Law 99–514 in Relation to Treaty Obligations of United StatesFor nonapplication of amendment by section 123(b)(1) of Pub. L. 99–514 to the extent application of such amendment would be contrary to any treaty obligation of the United States in effect on Oct. 22, 1986, see section 1012(aa)(3) of Pub. L. 100–647, set out as a note under section 861 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
26 U.S.C. § 74
Title 26 — Internal Revenue Code
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73