§ 1551. Disallowance of the benefits of the graduated corporate rates and accumulated earnings credit

(a) In general If—

(1) any corporation transfers, on or after January 1, 1951, and on or before June 12, 1963, all or part of its property (other than money) to a transferee corporation,

(2) any corporation transfers, directly or indirectly, after June 12, 1963, all or part of its property (other than money) to a transferee corporation, or

(3) five or fewer individuals who are in control of a corporation transfer, directly or indirectly, after June 12, 1963, property (other than money) to a transferee corporation,

and the transferee corporation was created for the purpose of acquiring such property or was not actively engaged in business at the time of such acquisition, and if after such transfer the transferor or transferors are in control of such transferee corporation during any part of the taxable year of such transferee corporation, then for such taxable year of such transferee corporation the Secretary may (except as may be otherwise determined under subsection (c)) disallow the benefits of the rates contained in section 11(b) which are lower than the highest rate specified in such section, or the accumulated earnings credit provided in paragraph (2) or (3) of section 535(c), unless such transferee corporation shall establish by the clear preponderance of the evidence that the securing of such benefits or credit was not a major purpose of such transfer.

(b) Control For purposes of subsection (a), the term “control” means—

(1) With respect to a transferee corporation described in subsection (a)(1) or (2), the ownership by the transferor corporation, its shareholders, or both, of stock possessing at least 80 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or at least 80 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of the stock; or

(2) With respect to each corporation described in subsection (a)(3), the ownership by the five or fewer individuals described in such subsection of stock possessing—

(A) at least 80 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or at least 80 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of the stock of each corporation, and

(B) more than 50 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or more than 50 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of each corporation, taking into account the stock ownership of each such individual only to the extent such stock ownership is identical with respect to each such corporation.

For purposes of this subsection, section 1563(e) shall apply in determining the ownership of stock.

(c) Authority of the Secretary under this section

The provisions of section 269(c) and the authority of the Secretary under such section, shall, to the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of this section, be applicable to this section.

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 371; Pub. L. 85–866, title II, § 205(a), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1680; Pub. L. 88–272, title II, § 235(b), Feb. 26, 1964, 78 Stat. 125; Pub. L. 94–12, title III, § 304(b), Mar. 29, 1975, 89 Stat. 45; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, §§ 1901(a)(158), 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1790, 1834; Pub. L. 95–600, title III, § 301(b)(18)(A), (B), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2823; Pub. L. 97–34, title II, § 232(b)(2), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 250; Pub. L. 99–514, title XVIII, § 1899A(36), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2960.)

Amendments

Amendments

1986—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “section 269(c)” for “section 269(b)”.

1981—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–34 struck out “$150,000” before “accumulated earnings credit”.

1978—Pub. L. 95–600, § 301(b)(18)(B), substituted “the benefits of the graduated corporate rates” for “surtax exemption” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–600, § 301(b)(18)(A), in provisions following par. (3) substituted “disallow the benefits of the rates contained in section 11(b) which are lower than the highest rate specified in such section” for “disallow the surtax exemption (as defined in section 11(d))” and “such benefits or” for “such exemption or”.

1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–455 §§ 1901(a)(158), 1906(b)(13)(A), substituted “subsection (c)” for “subsection (d)” after “determined under” and struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.

1975—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–12 substituted “$150,000” for “$100,000”.

1964—Pub. L. 88–272 amended section generally, and among other changes, designated provisions as subsecs. (a) to (c), included among corporations who are disallowed surtax exemption and accumulated earnings credit, corporations, and five or fewer individuals in charge of a corporation who, directly or indirectly, transfer property in contravention of subsec. (a) after June 12, 1963, substituted provisions permitting the Secretary or his delegate to disallow the exemption or the earnings credit, for provisions which disallowed the exemption and the credit except as otherwise determined by the Secretary of his delegate, provisions that for purposes of determining ownership of stock, section 1563(e) shall apply, for provisions which determined ownership in accordance with section 544, and defined control, with respect to corporations described in subsec. (a)(3), to include the additional test as stated in subsec. (b)(2)(B).

1958—Pub. L. 85–866 substituted “$100,000” for “$60,000”.

Effective Date Of Amendment

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–34 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1981, see section 232(c) of Pub. L. 97–34, set out as a note under section 535 of this title.

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–600 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1978, see section 301(c) of Pub. L. 95–600, set out as a note under section 11 of this title.

Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by section 1901(a)(158) of Pub. L. 94–455 applicable with respect to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1976, see section 1901(d) of Pub. L. 94–455, set out as a note under section 2 of this title.

Effective Date of 1975 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 94–12 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1974, see section 305(c) of Pub. L. 94–12, set out as a note under section 535 of this title.

Effective Date of 1964 Amendment

Pub. L. 88–272, title II, § 235(d), Feb. 26, 1964, 78 Stat. 127, provided that: “The amendments made by subsections (a) and (c) [enacting sections 1561 to 1563 of this title and amending sections 269, 441, and 802 of this title] shall apply with respect to taxable years ending after December 31, 1963. The amendment made by subsection (b) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to transfers made after June 12, 1963.”

Effective Date of 1958 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 85–866 applicable with respect to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1957, see section 205(b) of Pub. L. 85–866, set out as a note under section 535 of this title.

Miscellaneous

Plan Amendments Not Required Until January 1, 1989

For provisions directing that if any amendments made by subtitle A or subtitle C of title XI [§§ 1101–1147 and 1171–1177] or title XVIII [§§ 1800–1899A] of Pub. L. 99–514 require an amendment to any plan, such plan amendment shall not be required to be made before the first plan year beginning on or after Jan. 1, 1989, see section 1140 of Pub. L. 99–514, as amended, set out as a note under section 401 of this title.