26 USC 884 - Branch profits tax

Collapse to view only § 884. Branch profits tax

§ 881. Tax on income of foreign corporations not connected with United States business
§ 882. Tax on income of foreign corporations connected with United States business
§ 883. Exclusions from gross income
§ 884. Branch profits tax
§ 885. Cross references

§ 881. Tax on income of foreign corporations not connected with United States business

(a) Imposition of taxExcept as provided in subsection (c), there is hereby imposed for each taxable year a tax of 30 percent of the amount received from sources within the United States by a foreign corporation as—

(1) interest (other than original issue discount as defined in section 1273), dividends, rents, salaries, wages, premiums, annuities, compensations, remunerations, emoluments, and other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits, and income,

(2) gains described in section 631(b) or (c),

(3) in the case of—

(A) a sale or exchange of an original issue discount obligation, the amount of the original issue discount accruing while such obligation was held by the foreign corporation (to the extent such discount was not theretofore taken into account under subparagraph (B)), and

(B) a payment on an original issue discount obligation, an amount equal to the original issue discount accruing while such obligation was held by the foreign corporation (except that such original issue discount shall be taken into account under this subparagraph only to the extent such discount was not theretofore taken into account under this subparagraph and only to the extent that the tax thereon does not exceed the payment less the tax imposed by paragraph (1) thereon), and

(4) gains from the sale or exchange after October 4, 1966, of patents, copyrights, secret processes and formulas, good will, trademarks, trade brands, franchises, and other like property, or of any interest in any such property, to the extent such gains are from payments which are contingent on the productivity, use, or disposition of the property or interest sold or exchanged,

but only to the extent the amount so received is not effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

(b) Exception for certain possessions

(1) Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin IslandsFor purposes of this section and section 884, a corporation created or organized in Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands or under the law of any such possession shall not be treated as a foreign corporation for any taxable year if—

(A) at all times during such taxable year less than 25 percent in value of the stock of such corporation is beneficially owned (directly or indirectly) by foreign persons,

(B) at least 65 percent of the gross income of such corporation is shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary to be effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in such a possession or the United States for the 3-year period ending with the close of the taxable year of such corporation (or for such part of such period as the corporation or any predecessor has been in existence), and

(C) no substantial part of the income of such corporation is used (directly or indirectly) to satisfy obligations to persons who are not bona fide residents of such a possession or the United States.

(2) Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

(A) In generalIf dividends are received during a taxable year by a corporation—

(i) created or organized in, or under the law of, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and

(ii) with respect to which the requirements of subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1) are met for the taxable year,

subsection (a) shall be applied for such taxable year by substituting “10 percent” for “30 percent”.

(B) Applicability

(3) Definitions

(A) Foreign personFor purposes of paragraph (1), the term “foreign person” means any person other than—

(i) a United States person, or

(ii) a person who would be a United States person if references to the United States in section 7701 included references to a possession of the United States.

(B) Indirect ownership rules

(1) In general

(2) Portfolio interest

(A) would be subject to tax under subsection (a) but for this subsection, and

(B) is paid on an obligation—

(i) which is in registered form, and

(ii) with respect to which—(I) the person who would otherwise be required to deduct and withhold tax from such interest under section 1442(a) receives a statement which meets the requirements of section 871(h)(5) that the beneficial owner of the obligation is not a United States person, or(II) the Secretary has determined that such a statement is not required in order to carry out the purposes of this subsection.

(3) Portfolio interest shall not include interest received by certain personsFor purposes of this subsection, the term “portfolio interest” shall not include any portfolio interest which—

(A) except in the case of interest paid on an obligation of the United States, is received by a bank on an extension of credit made pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business,

(B) is received by a 10-percent shareholder (within the meaning of section 871(h)(3)(B)), or

(4) Portfolio interest not to include certain contingent interest

(5) Special rules for controlled foreign corporations

(A) In generalIn the case of any portfolio interest received by a controlled foreign corporation, the following provisions shall not apply:

(i) Subparagraph (A) of section 954(b)(3) (relating to exception where foreign base company income is less than 5 percent or $1,000,000).

(ii) Paragraph (4) of section 954(b) (relating to exception for certain income subject to high foreign taxes).

(iii) Clause (i) of section 954(c)(3)(A) (relating to certain income received from related persons).

(B) Controlled foreign corporation

(6) Secretary may cease application of this subsection

(7) Registered form

(d) Tax not to apply to certain interest and dividends

(e) Tax not to apply to certain dividends of regulated investment companies

(1) Interest-related dividends

(A) In general

(B) ExceptionSubparagraph (A) shall not apply—

(i) to any dividend referred to in section 871(k)(1)(B), and

(ii) to any interest-related dividend received by a controlled foreign corporation (within the meaning of section 957(a)) to the extent such dividend is attributable to interest received by the regulated investment company from a person who is a related person (within the meaning of section 864(d)(4)) with respect to such controlled foreign corporation.

(2) Short-term capital gain dividends

(f) Cross reference

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 282; Pub. L. 89–809, title I, § 104(a), Nov. 13, 1966, 80 Stat. 1555; Pub. L. 92–178, title III, § 313(a), (c), Dec. 10, 1971, 85 Stat. 526, 527; Pub. L. 92–606, § 1(e)(1), Oct. 31, 1972, 86 Stat. 1497; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1901(b)(3)(I), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1793; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title I, §§ 42(a)(10), 127(b), 128(b), 130(a), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 557, 650, 654, 660; Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, §§ 1211(b)(6), 1214(c)(2), 1223(b)(2), 1273(b)(1), (2)(A), title XVIII, §§ 1810(d)(1)(B), (3)(C), (e)(2)(B), 1899A(22), (23), (68), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2536, 2542, 2558, 2595, 2596, 2825, 2826, 2959, 2962; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(i)(17), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3510; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, § 13237(a)(2), (c)(2), (3), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 507, 508; Pub. L. 108–357, title IV, §§ 411(a)(2), 420(a), (c), Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1503, 1513, 1514; Pub. L. 109–135, title IV, § 412(jj), Dec. 21, 2005, 119 Stat. 2639; Pub. L. 111–147, title V, § 502(b)(2)(B), Mar. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 107.)

§ 882. Tax on income of foreign corporations connected with United States business

(a) Imposition of tax

(1) In general

(2) Determination of taxable income

(3) [Cross reference 2

2 Par. (3) span editorially supplied.

]

(b) Gross income

In the case of a foreign corporation, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise, gross income includes only—

(1) gross income which is derived from sources within the United States and which is not effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, and

(2) gross income which is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

(1) Allocation of deductions

(A) General rule

(B) Charitable contributions

(2) Deductions and credits allowed only if return filed

(3) Foreign tax credit

(4) Cross reference

(d) Election to treat real property income as income connected with United States business

(1) In general

A foreign corporation which during the taxable year derives any income—

(A) from real property located in the United States, or from any interest in such real property, including (i) gains from the sale or exchange of real property or an interest therein, (ii) rents or royalties from mines, wells, or other natural deposits, and (iii) gains described in section 631(b) or (c), and

(B) which, but for this subsection, would not be treated as income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States,

may elect for such taxable year to treat all such income as income which is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States. In such case, such income shall be taxable as provided in subsection (a)(1) whether or not such corporation is engaged in trade or business within the United States during the taxable year. An election under this paragraph for any taxable year shall remain in effect for all subsequent taxable years, except that it may be revoked with the consent of the Secretary with respect to any taxable year.

(2) Election after revocation, etc.

(e) Interest on United States obligations received by banks organized in possessions

In the case of a corporation created or organized in, or under the law of, a possession of the United States which is carrying on the banking business in a possession of the United States, interest on obligations of the United States which is not portfolio interest (as defined in section 881(c)(2)) shall—

(1) for purposes of this subpart, be treated as income which is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, and

(2) shall be taxable as provided in subsection (a)(1) whether or not such corporation is engaged in trade or business within the United States during the taxable year.

(f) Returns of tax by agent

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 282; Pub. L. 89–809, title I, § 104(b)(1), Nov. 13, 1966, 80 Stat. 1555; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834; Pub. L. 95–600, title III, § 301(b)(13), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2822; Pub. L. 96–499, title XI, § 1122(c)(2), Dec. 5, 1980, 94 Stat. 2687; Pub. L. 97–424, title V, § 515(b)(6)(F), Jan. 6, 1983, 96 Stat. 2182; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title IV, § 474(r)(19), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 843; Pub. L. 99–514, title VII, § 701(e)(4)(F), title XII, § 1236(a), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2343, 2576; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(s)(2)(B), title II, § 2001(c)(2), title VI, § 6133(a), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3527, 3594, 3721; Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, § 221(a)(12)(F), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4038; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, §§ 12001(b)(14), 13001(b)(2)(L), 14401(d)(2), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2094, 2097, 2233; Pub. L. 117–169, title I, § 10101(a)(4)(E), Aug. 16, 2022, 136 Stat. 1822.)

§ 883. Exclusions from gross income

(a) Income of foreign corporations from ships and aircraft

The following items shall not be included in gross income of a foreign corporation, and shall be exempt from taxation under this subtitle:

(1) Ships operated by certain foreign corporations

(2) Aircraft operated by certain foreign corporations

(3) Railroad rolling stock of foreign corporations

(4) Special rules

(5) Special rule for countries which tax on residence basis

(b) Earnings derived from communications satellite system

(1) In general

(2) Treatment of controlled foreign corporations

(3) Special rules for publicly traded corporations

(A) Exception

(B) Treatment of stock owned by publicly traded corporation

(4) Stock ownership through entities

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 283; Pub. L. 90–622, § 1(a), Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1311; Pub. L. 94–164, § 6(a), Dec. 23, 1975, 89 Stat. 975; Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, § 1212(c)(3)–(5), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2538; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(e)(1), (2)(A), (5), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3499, 3500; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7811(i)(8)(D), (10), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2411; Pub. L. 108–357, title IV, § 419(b), Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1513.)

§ 884. Branch profits tax

(a) Imposition of tax

(b) Dividend equivalent amountFor purposes of subsection (a), the term “dividend equivalent amount” means the foreign corporation’s effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year adjusted as provided in this subsection:

(1) Reduction for increase in U.S. net equityIf—

(A) the U.S. net equity of the foreign corporation as of the close of the taxable year, exceeds

(B) the U.S. net equity of the foreign corporation as of the close of the preceding taxable year,

the effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year shall be reduced (but not below zero) by the amount of such excess.

(2) Increase for decrease in net equity

(A) In generalIf—

(i) the U.S. net equity of the foreign corporation as of the close of the preceding taxable year, exceeds

(ii) the U.S. net equity of the foreign corporation as of the close of the taxable year,

the effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year shall be increased by the amount of such excess.

(B) Limitation

(i) In general

(ii) Accumulated effectively connected earnings and profitsFor purposes of clause (i), the term “accumulated effectively connected earnings and profits” means the excess of—(I) the aggregate effectively connected earnings and profits for preceding taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986, over(II) the aggregate dividend equivalent amounts determined for such preceding taxable years.

(1) In generalThe term “U.S. net equity” means—

(A) U.S. assets, reduced (including below zero) by

(B) U.S. liabilities.

(2) U.S. assets and U.S. liabilitiesFor purposes of paragraph (1)—

(A) U.S. assets

(B) U.S. liabilities

(d) Effectively connected earnings and profitsFor purposes of this section—

(1) In general

(2) Exception for certain incomeThe term “effectively connected earnings and profits” shall not include any earnings and profits attributable to—

(A) income not includible in gross income under paragraph (1) or (2) of section 883(a),

(B) income treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States under section 921(d) or 926(b) (as in effect before their repeal by the FSC Repeal and Extraterritorial Income Exclusion Act of 2000),

(D) income treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States under section 953(c)(3)(C), or

(E) income treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States under section 882(e).

Property and liabilities of the foreign corporation treated as connected with such income under regulations prescribed by the Secretary shall not be taken into account in determining the U.S. assets or U.S. liabilities of the foreign corporation.

(e) Coordination with income tax treaties; etc.

(1) Limitation on treaty exemptionNo treaty between the United States and a foreign country shall exempt any foreign corporation from the tax imposed by subsection (a) (or reduce the amount thereof) unless—

(A) such treaty is an income tax treaty, and

(B) such foreign corporation is a qualified resident of such foreign country.

(2) Treaty modificationsIf a foreign corporation is a qualified resident of a foreign country with which the United States has an income tax treaty—

(A) the rate of tax under subsection (a) shall be the rate of tax specified in such treaty—

(i) on branch profits if so specified, or

(ii) if not so specified, on dividends paid by a domestic corporation to a corporation resident in such country which wholly owns such domestic corporation, and

(B) any other limitations under such treaty on the tax imposed by subsection (a) shall apply.

(3) Coordination with withholding tax

(A) In general

(B) Limitation on certain treaty benefitsIf—

(i) any dividend described in section 861(a)(2)(B) is received by a foreign corporation, and

(ii) subparagraph (A) does not apply to such dividend,

rules similar to the rules of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (f)(3) shall apply to such dividend.

(4) Qualified residentFor purposes of this subsection—

(A) In generalExcept as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the term “qualified resident” means, with respect to any foreign country, any foreign corporation which is a resident of such foreign country unless—

(i) 50 percent or more (by value) of the stock of such foreign corporation is owned (within the meaning of section 883(c)(4)) by individuals who are not residents of such foreign country and who are not United States citizens or resident aliens, or

(ii) 50 percent or more of its income is used (directly or indirectly) to meet liabilities to persons who are not residents of such foreign country or citizens or residents of the United States.

(B) Special rule for publicly traded corporationsA foreign corporation which is a resident of a foreign country shall be treated as a qualified resident of such foreign country if—

(i) the stock of such corporation is primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market in such foreign country, or

(ii) such corporation is wholly owned (either directly or indirectly) by another foreign corporation which is organized in such foreign country and the stock of which is so traded.

(C) Corporations owned by publicly traded domestic corporationsA foreign corporation which is a resident of a foreign country shall be treated as a qualified resident of such foreign country if—

(i) such corporation is wholly owned (directly or indirectly) by a domestic corporation, and

(ii) the stock of such domestic corporation is primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States.

(D) Secretarial authority

(5) Exception for international organizations

(f) Treatment of interest allocable to effectively connected income

(1) In generalIn the case of a foreign corporation engaged in a trade or business in the United States (or having gross income treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States), for purposes of this subtitle—

(A) any interest paid by such trade or business in the United States shall be treated as if it were paid by a domestic corporation, and

(B) to the extent that the allocable interest exceeds the interest described in subparagraph (A), such foreign corporation shall be liable for tax under section 881(a) in the same manner as if such excess were interest paid to such foreign corporation by a wholly owned domestic corporation on the last day of such foreign corporation’s taxable year.

To the extent provided in regulations, subparagraph (A) shall not apply to interest in excess of the amounts reasonably expected to be allocable interest.

(2) Allocable interest

(3) Coordination with treaties

(A) Payor must be qualified residentIn the case of any interest described in paragraph (1) which is paid or accrued by a foreign corporation, no benefit under any treaty between the United States and the foreign country of which such corporation is a resident shall apply unless—

(i) such treaty is an income tax treaty, and

(ii) such foreign corporation is a qualified resident of such foreign country.

(B) Recipient must be qualified residentIn the case of any interest described in paragraph (1) which is received or accrued by any corporation, no benefit under any treaty between the United States and the foreign country of which such corporation is a resident shall apply unless—

(i) such treaty is an income tax treaty, and

(ii) such foreign corporation is a qualified resident of such foreign country.

(g) Regulations

(Added Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, § 1241(a), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2576; amended Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(q)(1)(A), (2)–(6), (14), title VI, § 6133(b), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3522–3525, 3721; Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1704(f)(3)(A), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1879; Pub. L. 110–172, § 11(g)(8), Dec. 29, 2007, 121 Stat. 2490.)

§ 885. Cross references

(1) For special provisions relating to foreign corporations carrying on an insurance business within the United States, see section 842.

(2) For rules applicable in determining whether any foreign corporation is engaged in trade or business within the United States, see section 864(b).

(3) For adjustment of tax in case of corporations of certain foreign countries, see section 896.

(4) For allowance of credit against the tax in case of a foreign corporation having income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, see section 906.

(5) For withholding at source of tax on income of foreign corporations, see section 1442.

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 283, § 884; Pub. L. 89–809, title I, § 104(m)(1), Nov. 13, 1966, 80 Stat. 1563; Pub. L. 91–172, title I, § 101(j)(21), Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 528; renumbered § 885, Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, § 1241(a), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2576.)