United States Code (Last Updated: May 24, 2014) |
Title 26. INTERNAL REVENUE CODE |
SubTitle A. Income Taxes |
Chapter 1. NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES |
SubChapter N. Tax Based on Income From Sources Within or Without the United States |
Part III. INCOME FROM SOURCES WITHOUT THE UNITED STATES |
SubPart A. Foreign Tax Credit |
§ 902. Deemed paid credit where domestic corporation owns 10 percent or more of voting stock of foreign corporation
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(a) Taxes paid by foreign corporation treated as paid by domestic corporation For purposes of this subpart, a domestic corporation which owns 10 percent or more of the voting stock of a foreign corporation from which it receives dividends in any taxable year shall be deemed to have paid the same proportion of such foreign corporation’s post-1986 foreign income taxes as— (1) the amount of such dividends (determined without regard to section 78), bears to (2) such foreign corporation’s post-1986 undistributed earnings. (b) Deemed taxes increased in case of certain lower tier corporations (1) In general If— (A) any foreign corporation is a member of a qualified group, and (B) such foreign corporation owns 10 percent or more of the voting stock of another member of such group from which it receives dividends in any taxable year, such foreign corporation shall be deemed to have paid the same proportion of such other member’s post-1986 foreign income taxes as would be determined under subsection (a) if such foreign corporation were a domestic corporation. (2) Qualified group For purposes of paragraph (1), the term “qualified group” means— (A) the foreign corporation described in subsection (a), and (B) any other foreign corporation if— (i) the domestic corporation owns at least 5 percent of the voting stock of such other foreign corporation indirectly through a chain of foreign corporations connected through stock ownership of at least 10 percent of their voting stock, (ii) the foreign corporation described in subsection (a) is the first tier corporation in such chain, and (iii) such other corporation is not below the sixth tier in such chain. The term “qualified group” shall not include any foreign corporation below the third tier in the chain referred to in clause (i) unless such foreign corporation is a controlled foreign corporation (as defined in section 957) and the domestic corporation is a United States shareholder (as defined in section 951(b)) in such foreign corporation. Paragraph (1) shall apply to those taxes paid by a member of the qualified group below the third tier only with respect to periods during which it was a controlled foreign corporation. (c) Definitions and special rules For purposes of this section— (1) Post-1986 undistributed earnings The term “post-1986 undistributed earnings” means the amount of the earnings and profits of the foreign corporation (computed in accordance with sections 964(a) and 986) accumulated in taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986 —(A) as of the close of the taxable year of the foreign corporation in which the dividend is distributed, and (B) without diminution by reason of dividends distributed during such taxable year. (2) Post-1986 foreign income taxes The term “post-1986 foreign income taxes” means the sum of— (A) the foreign income taxes with respect to the taxable year of the foreign corporation in which the dividend is distributed, and (B) the foreign income taxes with respect to prior taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986 , to the extent such foreign taxes were not attributable to dividends distributed by the foreign corporation in prior taxable years.(3) Special rule where foreign corporation first qualifies after December 31, 1986 (A) In general If the 1st day on which the requirements of subparagraph (B) are met with respect to any foreign corporation is in a taxable year of such corporation beginning after
December 31, 1986 , the post-1986 undistributed earnings and the post-1986 foreign income taxes of such foreign corporation shall be determined by taking into account only periods beginning on and after the 1st day of the 1st taxable year in which such requirements are met.(B) Ownership requirements The requirements of this subparagraph are met with respect to any foreign corporation if— (i) 10 percent or more of the voting stock of such foreign corporation is owned by a domestic corporation, or (ii) the requirements of subsection (b)(2) are met with respect to such foreign corporation. (4) Foreign income taxes (A) In general The term “foreign income taxes” means any income, war profits, or excess profits taxes paid by the foreign corporation to any foreign country or possession of the United States.
(B) Treatment of deemed taxes Except for purposes of determining the amount of the post-1986 foreign income taxes of a sixth tier foreign corporation referred to in subsection (b)(2), the term “foreign income taxes” includes any such taxes deemed to be paid by the foreign corporation under this section.
(5) Accounting periods In the case of a foreign corporation the income, war profits, and excess profits taxes of which are determined on the basis of an accounting period of less than 1 year, the word “year” as used in this subsection shall be construed to mean such accounting period.
(6) Treatment of distributions from earnings before 1987 (A) In general In the case of any dividend paid by a foreign corporation out of accumulated profits (as defined in this section as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986) for taxable years beginning before the 1st taxable year taken into account in determining the post-1986 undistributed earnings of such corporation— (i) this section (as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1986) shall not apply, but (ii) this section (as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of such Act) shall apply. (B) Dividends paid first out of post-1986 earnings Any dividend in a taxable year beginning after
December 31, 1986 , shall be treated as made out of post-1986 undistributed earnings to the extent thereof.(7) Constructive ownership through partnerships Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a partnership shall be considered as being owned proportionately by its partners. Stock considered to be owned by a person by reason of the preceding sentence shall, for purposes of applying such sentence, be treated as actually owned by such person. The Secretary may prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this paragraph, including rules to account for special partnership allocations of dividends, credits, and other incidents of ownership of stock in determining proportionate ownership.
(8) Regulations The Secretary shall provide such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this section and section 960, including provisions which provide for the separate application of this section and section 960 to reflect the separate application of section 904 to separate types of income and loss.
(d) Cross references (1) For inclusion in gross income of an amount equal to taxes deemed paid under subsection (a), see section 78. (2) For application of subsections (a) and (b) with respect to taxes deemed paid in a prior taxable year by a United States shareholder with respect to a controlled foreign corporation, see section 960. (3) For reduction of credit with respect to dividends paid out of post-1986 undistributed earnings for years for which certain information is not furnished, see section 6038.
References In Text
The date of the enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, referred to in subsec. (c)(6)(A), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 99–514, which was approved
The Tax Reform Act of 1986, referred to in subsec. (c)(6)(A)(i), is Pub. L. 99–514,
Amendments
2004—Subsec. (c)(7), (8). Pub. L. 108–357 added par. (7) and redesignated former par. (7) as (8).
1997—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–34, § 1113(a)(1), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) consisted of pars. (1) to (3) relating to deemed taxes increased in case of certain 2nd and 3rd tier foreign corporations.
Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 105–34, § 1163(a), substituted “attributable to” for “deemed paid with respect to”.
Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 105–34, § 1113(a)(2)(C), substituted “where foreign corporation first qualifies” for “where domestic corporation acquires 10 percent of foreign corporation” in heading.
Pub. L. 105–34, § 1113(a)(2)(D), struck out “ownership” after “on which the” and “in which such” in subpar. (A) and before “requirements of this subparagraph” in introductory provisions of subpar. (B).
Subsec. (c)(3)(B). Pub. L. 105–34, § 1113(a)(2)(A), inserted “or” at end of cl. (i), added cl. (ii), and struck out former cls. (ii) and (iii) which read as follows:
“(ii) the requirements of subsection (b)(3)(A) are met with respect to such foreign corporation and 10 percent or more of the voting stock of such foreign corporation is owned by another foreign corporation described in clause (i), or
“(iii) the requirements of subsection (b)(3)(B) are met with respect to such foreign corporation and 10 percent or more of the voting stock of such foreign corporation is owned by another foreign corporation described in clause (ii).”
Subsec. (c)(4)(B). Pub. L. 105–34, § 1113(a)(2)(B), substituted “sixth tier foreign corporation” for “3rd foreign corporation”.
1988—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(b)(2), substituted “sections 964(a) and 986” for “sections 964 and 986”.
Subsec. (c)(7). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(b)(1), substituted “section 960” for “secton 960” and “this section and section 960” for second reference to “this section”.
1986—Pub. L. 99–514 amended section generally, substituting “Deemed paid credit where domestic corporation owns 10 percent or more of voting stock of foreign corporation” for “Credit for corporate stockholder in foreign corporation” as section catchline and substituting present provisions generally relating to post-1986 earnings and taxes for former provisions which had provided in subsec. (a) for a general rule with respect to treatment of taxes paid by foreign corporations, in subsec. (b) for treatment of taxes by a foreign subsidiary of first and second foreign corporations, in subsec. (c) for rules defining accumulated profits and determining accounting periods, and in subsec. (d) for cross references.
1976—Pub. L. 94–455, § 1033(a), struck out provisions by which dividends from less developed country corporations are not grossed-up by the amount of foreign taxes paid on the underlying income and the deemed-paid foreign tax credits attributable to those dividends are reduced proportionately, struck out subsec. (d) which defined less developed country corporations, and redesignated subsec. (e) as (d).
1975—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94–12 substituted “paragraph (3) or (4)”, “paragraph (3)”, “paragraph (3)(A)”, and “paragraph (3)(B)” for “section 955(c)(1) or (2)”, “section 955(c)(1)”, “section 955(c)(1)(A)”, and “section 955(c)(1)(B)”, respectively, in existing provisions and added pars. (3), (4), and (5) and provisions following par. (5).
1971—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91–684, § 1, substituted “Foreign subsidiary of first and second foreign corporation” for “Foreign subsidiary of foreign corporation” in heading, designated existing provisions as par. (1) and inserted terminology denominating corporations involved as first foreign corporation and second foreign corporation, and reduced the ownership percentage requirement in voting stock from 50 percent to 10 percent between the first and second foreign corporations, and added pars. (2) and (3).
Subsec. (c)(1)(A). Pub. L. 91–684, § 2(1), substituted “(b)(1)(A), and (b)(2)(A)” for “and (b)(1)”.
Subsec. (c)(1)(B). Pub. L. 91–684, § 2(2), substituted “(b)(1)(B), and (b)(2)(B)” for “and (b)(2)”.
1962—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 87–834 limited provisions which required a domestic corporation owning at least 10 per cent of the voting stock of a foreign corporation from which it receives dividends in any taxable year to be deemed to have paid the same proportion of any income, war profits, or excess profits taxes paid or deemed to be paid by such foreign corporation to any foreign country or to any possession of the United States which the amount of such dividends bears to the amount of accumulated profits to those cases where a foreign corporation paid such dividends out of accumulated profits of a year for which such foreign corporation is a less developed country corporation, and inserted provisions requiring, in the case of a domestic corporation which owns at least 10 percent of the voting stock of a foreign corporation from which it receives dividends in a taxable year, to the extent such dividends are paid by such foreign corporation out of accumulated profits of a year for which such foreign corporation is not a less developed country corporation, to be deemed to have paid the same proportion of any income, war profits, or excess profits taxes paid or deemed to be paid by such foreign corporation to any foreign country or to any possession of the United States on or with respect to such accumulated profits, which the amount of such dividends (determined without regard to section 78) bears to the amount of such accumulated profits in excess of such income, war profits, and excess profits taxes (other than those deemed paid).
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 87–834 substituted “from which such dividends were paid which—
“(1) for purposes of applying subsection (a)(1), the amount of such dividends bears to the amount of the accumulated profits (as defined in subsection (c)(1)(A)) of such other foreign corporation from which such dividends were paid in excess of such income, war profits, and excess profits taxes, or
“(2) for purposes of applying subsection (a)(2), the amount of such dividends bears to the amount of the accumulated profits (as defined in subsection (c)(1)(B)) of such other foreign corporation from which such dividends were paid”
for “from which such dividends were paid, which the amount of such dividends bears to the amount of such accumulated profits”.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 87–834 defined “accumulated profits” for purposes of subsecs. (a)(1) and (b)(1) as meaning the amount of its gains, profits, or income computed without reduction by the amount of the income, war profits, and excess profits taxes imposed on or with respect to such profits or income by and foreign country or any possession of the United States, and limited provisions defining “accumulated profits” as the amount of its gains, profits, or income in excess of the income, war profits, and excess profits taxes imposed on or with respect to such profits or income to subsecs. (a)(2) and (b)(2).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 87–834 substituted provisions defining “less developed country corporation” for provisions which established special rules for certain wholly-owned foreign corporations.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 87–834 designated existing provisions as par. (3) and added pars. (1) and (2).
1960—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 86–780 added subsec. (e).
Effective Date Of Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 108–357 applicable to taxes of foreign corporations for taxable years of such corporations beginning after
Pub. L. 105–34, title XI, § 1113(c),
Pub. L. 105–34, title XI, § 1163(c),
Amendment by Pub. L. 100–647 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provision of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, Pub. L. 99–514, to which such amendment relates, see section 1019(a) of Pub. L. 100–647, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, § 1202(e),
Pub. L. 94–455, title X, § 1033(c),
Amendment by Pub. L. 94–12 applicable to taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after
Pub. L. 91–684, § 3,
Pub. L. 87–834, § 9(e),
Amendment by Pub. L. 86–780 applicable to taxable years beginning after
Miscellaneous
Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(b)(3),