26 USC 861 - Income from sources within the United States

Collapse to view only § 861. Income from sources within the United States

§ 861. Income from sources within the United States
§ 862. Income from sources without the United States
§ 863. Special rules for determining source
§ 864. Definitions and special rules
§ 865. Source rules for personal property sales

§ 861. Income from sources within the United States

(a) Gross income from sources within United StatesThe following items of gross income shall be treated as income from sources within the United States:

(1) InterestInterest from the United States or the District of Columbia, and interest on bonds, notes, or other interest-bearing obligations of noncorporate residents or domestic corporations not including—

(A) interest—

(i) on deposits with a foreign branch of a domestic corporation or a domestic partnership if such branch is engaged in the commercial banking business, and

(ii) on amounts satisfying the requirements of subparagraph (B) of section 871(i)(3) which are paid by a foreign branch of a domestic corporation or a domestic partnership, and

(B) in the case of a foreign partnership, which is predominantly engaged in the active conduct of a trade or business outside the United States, any interest not paid by a trade or business engaged in by the partnership in the United States and not allocable to income which is effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected) with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States.

(2) DividendsThe amount received as dividends—

(A) from a domestic corporation, or

(B) from a foreign corporation unless less than 25 percent of the gross income from all sources of such foreign corporation for the 3-year period ending with the close of its taxable year preceding the declaration of such dividends (or for such part of such period as the corporation has been in existence) was effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected other than income described in section 884(d)(2)) with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States; but only in an amount which bears the same ratio to such dividends as the gross income of the corporation for such period which was effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected other than income described in section 884(d)(2)) with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States bears to its gross income from all sources; but dividends (other than dividends for which a deduction is allowable under section 245(b)) from a foreign corporation shall, for purposes of subpart A of part III (relating to foreign tax credit), be treated as income from sources without the United States to the extent (and only to the extent) exceeding the amount which is 100/50th of the amount of the deduction allowable under section 245 in respect of such dividends, or

(C) from a foreign corporation to the extent that such amount is required by section 243(e) (relating to certain dividends from foreign corporations) to be treated as dividends from a domestic corporation which is subject to taxation under this chapter, and to such extent subparagraph (B) shall not apply to such amount, or

(D) from a DISC or former DISC (as defined in section 992(a)) except to the extent attributable (as determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary) to qualified export receipts described in section 993(a)(1) (other than interest and gains described in section 995(b)(1)).

In the case of any dividend from a 20-percent owned corporation (as defined in section 243(c)(2)), subparagraph (B) shall be applied by substituting “100/65th” for “100/50th”.

(3) Personal servicesCompensation for labor or personal services performed in the United States; except that compensation for labor or services performed in the United States shall not be deemed to be income from sources within the United States if—

(A) the labor or services are performed by a nonresident alien individual temporarily present in the United States for a period or periods not exceeding a total of 90 days during the taxable year,

(B) such compensation does not exceed $3,000 in the aggregate, and

(i) a nonresident alien, foreign partnership, or foreign corporation, not engaged in trade or business within the United States, or

(ii) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, a domestic partnership, or a domestic corporation, if such labor or services are performed for an office or place of business maintained in a foreign country or in a possession of the United States by such individual, partnership, or corporation.

In addition, compensation for labor or services performed in the United States shall not be deemed to be income from sources within the United States if the labor or services are performed by a nonresident alien individual in connection with the individual’s temporary presence in the United States as a regular member of the crew of a foreign vessel engaged in transportation between the United States and a foreign country or a possession of the United States.

(4) Rentals and royalties

(5) Disposition of United States real property interest

(6) Sale or exchange of inventory property

(7) Amounts received as underwriting income (as defined in section 832(b)(3)) derived from the issuing (or reinsuring) of any insurance or annuity contract—

(A) in connection with property in, liability arising out of an activity in, or in connection with the lives or health of residents of, the United States, or

(B) in connection with risks not described in subparagraph (A) as a result of any arrangement whereby another corporation receives a substantially equal amount of premiums or other consideration in respect to issuing (or reinsuring) any insurance or annuity contract in connection with property in, liability arising out of activity in, or in connection with the lives or health of residents of, the United States.

(8) Social security benefits

(9) GuaranteesAmounts received, directly or indirectly, from—

(A) a noncorporate resident or domestic corporation for the provision of a guarantee of any indebtedness of such resident or corporation, or

(B) any foreign person for the provision of a guarantee of any indebtedness of such person, if such amount is connected with income which is effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected) with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States.

(b) Taxable income from sources within United States

(d) Income from certain railroad rolling stock treated as income from sources within the United States

(1) General ruleFor purposes of subsection (a) and section 862(a), if—

(A) a taxpayer leases railroad rolling stock which is section 1245 property (as defined in section 1245(a)(3)) to a domestic common carrier by railroad or a corporation which is controlled, directly or indirectly, by one or more such common carriers, and

(B) the use under such lease is expected to be use within the United States,

all amounts includible in gross income by the taxpayer with respect to such railroad rolling stock (including gain from sale or other disposition of such railroad rolling stock) shall be treated as income from sources within the United States. The requirements of subparagraph (B) of the preceding sentence shall be treated as satisfied if the only expected use outside the United States is use by a person (whether or not a United States person) in Canada or Mexico on a temporary basis which is not expected to exceed a total of 90 days in any taxable year.

(2) Paragraph (1) not to apply where lessor is a member of controlled group which includes a railroad

(3) Denial of foreign tax credit

(e) Cross reference

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 275; Pub. L. 86–779, § 3(b), Sept. 14, 1960, 74 Stat. 998; Pub. L. 87–834, § 9(c), Oct. 16, 1962, 76 Stat. 1001; Pub. L. 89–809, title I, § 102(a)(1)–(3), (b), (c), Nov. 13, 1966, 80 Stat. 1541–1543; Pub. L. 91–172, title IV, § 435(a), Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 625; Pub. L. 92–9, § 3(a)(2), Apr. 1, 1971, 85 Stat. 15; Pub. L. 92–178, title III, § 314(a), title V, § 503, Dec. 10, 1971, 85 Stat. 528, 550; Pub. L. 93–625, §§ 8, 9(a), Jan. 3, 1975, 88 Stat. 2116; Pub. L. 94–455, title X

§ 862. Income from sources without the United States

(a) Gross income from sources without United States

The following items of gross income shall be treated as income from sources without the United States:

(1) interest other than that derived from sources within the United States as provided in section 861(a)(1);

(2) dividends other than those derived from sources within the United States as provided in section 861(a)(2);

(3) compensation for labor or personal services performed without the United States;

(4) rentals or royalties from property located without the United States or from any interest in such property, including rentals or royalties for the use of or for the privilege of using without the United States patents, copyrights, secret processes and formulas, good will, trade-marks, trade brands, franchises, and other like properties;

(5) gains, profits, and income from the sale or exchange of real property located without the United States;

(6) gains, profits, and income derived from the purchase of inventory property (within the meaning of section 865(i)(1)) within the United States and its sale or exchange without the United States;

(7) underwriting income other than that derived from sources within the United States as provided in section 861(a)(7);

(8) gains, profits, and income from the disposition of a United States real property interest (as defined in section 897(c)) when the real property is located in the Virgin Islands; and

(9) amounts received, directly or indirectly, from a foreign person for the provision of a guarantee of indebtedness of such person other than amounts which are derived from sources within the United States as provided in section 861(a)(9).

(b) Taxable income from sources without United States

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 276; Pub. L. 92–178, title III, § 314(b), Dec. 10, 1971, 85 Stat. 528; Pub. L. 94–455, title X, § 1036(b), title XIX, § 1901(b)(26)(C), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1633, 1798; Pub. L. 95–30, title I, § 102(b)(10), May 23, 1977, 91 Stat. 138; Pub. L. 97–34, title VIII, § 831(a)(2), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 352; Pub. L. 99–514, title I, § 104(b)(12), title XII, § 1211(b)(1)(C), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2105, 2536; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(e)(4), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3500; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7811(i)(2), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2409; Pub. L. 111–240, title II, § 2122(b), Sept. 27, 2010, 124 Stat. 2568.)

§ 863. Special rules for determining source

(a) Allocation under regulations

(b) Income partly from within and partly from without the United States

In the case of gross income derived from sources partly within and partly without the United States, the taxable income may first be computed by deducting the expenses, losses, or other deductions apportioned or allocated thereto and a ratable part of any expenses, losses, or other deductions which cannot definitely be allocated to some item or class of gross income; and the portion of such taxable income attributable to sources within the United States may be determined by processes or formulas of general apportionment prescribed by the Secretary. Gains, profits, and income—

(1) from services rendered partly within and partly without the United States,

(2) from the sale or exchange of inventory property (within the meaning of section 865(i)(1)) produced (in whole or in part) by the taxpayer within and sold or exchanged without the United States, or produced (in whole or in part) by the taxpayer without and sold or exchanged within the United States, or

(3) derived from the purchase of inventory property (within the meaning of section 865(i)(1)) within a possession of the United States and its sale or exchange within the United States,

shall be treated as derived partly from sources within and partly from sources without the United States. Gains, profits, and income from the sale or exchange of inventory property described in paragraph (2) shall be allocated and apportioned between sources within and without the United States solely on the basis of the production activities with respect to the property.

(1) Transportation beginning and ending in the United States

(2) Other transportation having United States connection

(A) In general

50 percent of all transportation income attributable to transportation which—

(i) is not described in paragraph (1), and

(ii) begins or ends in the United States,

shall be treated as from sources in the United States.

(B) Special rule for personal service income

Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any transportation income which is income derived from personal services performed by the taxpayer, unless such income is attributable to transportation which—

(i) begins in the United States and ends in a possession of the United States, or

(ii) begins in a possession of the United States and ends in the United States.

In the case of transportation income derived from, or in connection with, a vessel, this subparagraph shall only apply if the taxpayer is a citizen or resident alien.

(3) Transportation income

For purposes of this subsection, the term “transportation income” means any income derived from, or in connection with—

(A) the use (or hiring or leasing for use) of a vessel or aircraft, or

(B) the performance of services directly related to the use of a vessel or aircraft.

For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “vessel or aircraft” includes any container used in connection with a vessel or aircraft.

(d) Source rules for space and certain ocean activities

(1) In general

Except as provided in regulations, any income derived from a space or ocean activity—

(A) if derived by a United States person, shall be sourced in the United States, and

(B) if derived by a person other than a United States person, shall be sourced outside the United States.

(2) Space or ocean activity

For purposes of paragraph (1)—

(A) In general

The term “space or ocean activity” means—

(i) any activity conducted in space, and

(ii) any activity conducted on or under water not within the jurisdiction (as recognized by the United States) of a foreign country, possession of the United States, or the United States.

Such term includes any activity conducted in Antarctica.

(B) Exception for certain activities

The term “space or ocean activity” shall not include—

(i) any activity giving rise to transportation income (as defined in section 863(c)),

(ii) any activity giving rise to international communications income (as defined in subsection (e)(2)), and

(iii) any activity with respect to mines, oil and gas wells, or other natural deposits to the extent within the United States or any foreign country or possession of the United States (as defined in section 638).

For purposes of applying section 638, the jurisdiction of any foreign country shall not include any jurisdiction not recognized by the United States.

(e) International communications income

(1) Source rules

(A) United States persons

(B) Foreign persons

(i) In general

(ii) Special rule for income attributable to office or fixed place of business in the United States

(2) Definition

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 277; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, §§ 1901(b)(26)(C), (D), 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1798, 1799, 1834; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title I, § 124(a), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 646; Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, §§ 1211(b)(1)(A), 1212(a), (e), 1213(a), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2536, 2539, 2540; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(e)(3)(A), (f), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3500; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7811(i)(2), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2409; Pub. L. 105–34, title XI, § 1174(a)(2), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 989; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, § 14303(a), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2225.)

§ 864. Definitions and special rules

(a) Produced

(b) Trade or business within the United StatesFor purposes of this part, part II, and chapter 3, the term “trade or business within the United States” includes the performance of personal services within the United States at any time within the taxable year, but does not include—

(1) Performance of personal services for foreign employerThe performance of personal services—

(A) for a nonresident alien individual, foreign partnership, or foreign corporation, not engaged in trade or business within the United States, or

(B) for an office or place of business maintained in a foreign country or in a possession of the United States by an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States or by a domestic partnership or a domestic corporation,

by a nonresident alien individual temporarily present in the United States for a period or periods not exceeding a total of 90 days during the taxable year and whose compensation for such services does not exceed in the aggregate $3,000.

(2) Trading in securities or commodities

(A) Stocks and securities

(i) In general

(ii) Trading for taxpayer’s own account

(B) Commodities

(i) In general

(ii) Trading for taxpayer’s own account

(iii) Limitation

(1) General ruleFor purposes of this title—

(A) In the case of a nonresident alien individual or a foreign corporation engaged in trade or business within the United States during the taxable year, the rules set forth in paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (6), (7), and (8) shall apply in determining the income, gain, or loss which shall be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

(B) Except as provided in paragraph (6) 1

1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.

(7), or (8) or in section 871(d) or sections 882(d) and (e), in the case of a nonresident alien individual or a foreign corporation not engaged in trade or business within the United States during the taxable year, no income, gain, or loss shall be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

(2) Periodical, etc., income from sources within United States—factorsIn determining whether income from sources within the United States of the types described in section 871(a)(1), section 871(h), section 881(a), or section 881(c), or whether gain or loss from sources within the United States from the sale or exchange of capital assets, is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, the factors taken into account shall include whether—

(A) the income, gain, or loss is derived from assets used in or held for use in the conduct of such trade or business, or

(B) the activities of such trade or business were a material factor in the realization of the income, gain, or loss.

In determining whether an asset is used in or held for use in the conduct of such trade or business or whether the activities of such trade or business were a material factor in realizing an item of income, gain, or loss, due regard shall be given to whether or not such asset or such income, gain, or loss was accounted for through such trade or business.

(3) Other income from sources within United States

(4) Income from sources without United States

(A) Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), no income, gain, or loss from sources without the United States shall be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

(B) Income, gain, or loss from sources without the United States shall be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States by a nonresident alien individual or a foreign corporation if such person has an office or other fixed place of business within the United States to which such income, gain, or loss is attributable and such income, gain, or loss—

(i) consists of rents or royalties for the use of or for the privilege of using intangible property described in section 862(a)(4) derived in the active conduct of such trade or business;

(ii) consists of dividends, interest, or amounts received for the provision of guarantees of indebtedness, and either is derived in the active conduct of a banking, financing, or similar business within the United States or is received by a corporation the principal business of which is trading in stocks or securities for its own account; or

(iii) is derived from the sale or exchange (outside the United States) through such office or other fixed place of business of personal property described in section 1221(a)(1), except that this clause shall not apply if the property is sold or exchanged for use, consumption, or disposition outside the United States and an office or other fixed place of business of the taxpayer in a foreign country participated materially in such sale.

Any income or gain which is equivalent to any item of income or gain described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) shall be treated in the same manner as such item for purposes of this subparagraph.

(C) In the case of a foreign corporation taxable under part I or part II of subchapter L, any income from sources without the United States which is attributable to its United States business shall be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

(D) No income from sources without the United States shall be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States if it either—

(i) consists of dividends, interest, or royalties paid by a foreign corporation in which the taxpayer owns (within the meaning of section 958(a)), or is considered as owning (by applying the ownership rules of section 958(b)), more than 50 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote, or

(ii) is subpart F income within the meaning of section 952(a).

(5) Rules for application of paragraph (4)(B)For purposes of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4)—

(A) in determining whether a nonresident alien individual or a foreign corporation has an office or other fixed place of business, an office or other fixed place of business of an agent shall be disregarded unless such agent (i) has the authority to negotiate and conclude contracts in the name of the nonresident alien individual or foreign corporation and regularly exercises that authority or has a stock of merchandise from which he regularly fills orders on behalf of such individual or foreign corporation, and (ii) is not a general commission agent, broker, or other agent of independent status acting in the ordinary course of his business,

(B) income, gain, or loss shall not be considered as attributable to an office or other fixed place of business within the United States unless such office or fixed place of business is a material factor in the production of such income, gain, or loss and such office or fixed place of business regularly carries on activities of the type from which such income, gain, or loss is derived, and

(C) the income, gain, or loss which shall be attributable to an office or other fixed place of business within the United States shall be the income, gain, or loss property allocable thereto, but, in the case of a sale or exchange described in clause (iii) of such subparagraph, the income which shall be treated as attributable to an office or other fixed place of business within the United States shall not exceed the income which would be derived from sources within the United States if the sale or exchange were made in the United States.

(6) Treatment of certain deferred payments, etc.For purposes of this title, in the case of any income or gain of a nonresident alien individual or a foreign corporation which—

(A) is taken into account for any taxable year, but

(B) is attributable to a sale or exchange of property or the performance of services (or any other transaction) in any other taxable year,

the determination of whether such income or gain is taxable under section 871(b) or 882 (as the case may be) shall be made as if such income or gain were taken into account in such other taxable year and without regard to the requirement that the taxpayer be engaged in a trade or business within the United States during the taxable year referred to in subparagraph (A).

(7) Treatment of certain property transactionsFor purposes of this title, if—

(A) any property ceases to be used or held for use in connection with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, and

(B) such property is disposed of within 10 years after such cessation,

the determination of whether any income or gain attributable to such disposition is taxable under section 871(b) or 882 (as the case may be) shall be made as if such sale or exchange occurred immediately before such cessation and without regard to the requirement that the taxpayer be engaged in a trade or business within the United States during the taxable year for which such income or gain is taken into account.

(8) Gain or loss of foreign persons from sale or exchange of certain partnership interests

(A) In general

(B) Amount treated as effectively connectedThe amount determined under this subparagraph with respect to any partnership interest sold or exchanged—

(i) in the case of any gain on the sale or exchange of the partnership interest, is—(I) the portion of the partner’s distributive share of the amount of gain which would have been effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States if the partnership had sold all of its assets at their fair market value as of the date of the sale or exchange of such interest, or(II) zero if no gain on such deemed sale would have been so effectively connected, and

(ii) in the case of any loss on the sale or exchange of the partnership interest, is—(I) the portion of the partner’s distributive share of the amount of loss on the deemed sale described in clause (i)(I) which would have been so effectively connected, or(II) zero if no loss on such deemed sale would be have been so effectively connected.

(D) Sale or exchange

(E) Secretarial authority

(d) Treatment of related person factoring income

(1) In general

(2) Provisions to which paragraph (1) appliesThe provisions set forth in this paragraph are as follows:

(A) Section 904 (relating to limitation on foreign tax credit).

(B) Subpart F of part III of this subchapter (relating to controlled foreign corporations).

(3) Trade or service receivableFor purposes of this subsection, the term “trade or service receivable” means any account receivable or evidence of indebtedness arising out of—

(A) the disposition by a related person of property described in section 1221(a)(1), or

(B) the performance of services by a related person.

(4) Related personFor purposes of this subsection, the term “related person” means—

(A) any person who is a related person (within the meaning of section 267(b)), and

(B) any United States shareholder (as defined in section 951(b)) and any person who is a related person (within the meaning of section 267(b)) to such a shareholder.

(5) Certain provisions not to applyThe following provisions shall not apply to any amount treated as interest under paragraph (1) or (6):

(A) Section 904(d)(2)(B)(iii)(I) (relating to exceptions for export financing interest).

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

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

(6) Special rule for certain income from loans of a controlled foreign corporationAny income of a controlled foreign corporation (within the meaning of section 957(a)) from a loan to a person for the purpose of financing—

(A) the purchase of property described in section 1221(a)(1) of a related person, or

(B) the payment for the performance of services by a related person,

shall be treated as interest described in paragraph (1).

(7) Exception for certain related persons doing business in same foreign countryParagraph (1) shall not apply to any trade or service receivable acquired by any person from a related person if—

(A) the person acquiring such receivable and such related person are created or organized under the laws of the same foreign country and such related person has a substantial part of its assets used in its trade or business located in such same foreign country, and

(B) such related person would not have derived any foreign base company income (as defined in section 954(a), determined without regard to section 954(b)(3)(A)), or any income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, from such receivable if it had been collected by such related person.

(8) Regulations

(e) Rules for allocating interest, etc.For purposes of this subchapter—

(1) Treatment of affiliated groups

(2) Gross income and fair market value methods may not be used for interest

(3) Tax-exempt assets not taken into account

(4) Basis of stock in nonaffiliated 10-percent owned corporations adjusted for earnings and profits changes

(A) In generalFor purposes of allocating and apportioning expenses on the basis of assets, the adjusted basis of any stock in a nonaffiliated 10-percent owned corporation shall be—

(i) increased by the amount of the earnings and profits of such corporation attributable to such stock and accumulated during the period the taxpayer held such stock, or

(ii) reduced (but not below zero) by any deficit in earnings and profits of such corporation attributable to such stock for such period.

(B) Nonaffiliated 10-percent owned corporationFor purposes of this paragraph, the term “nonaffiliated 10-percent owned corporation” means any corporation if—

(i) such corporation is not included in the taxpayer’s affiliated group, and

(ii) members of such affiliated group own 10 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of such corporation entitled to vote.

(i) In general

(ii) Stock ownership requirements

(iii) Stock owned through entities

(D) Coordination with subpart F, etc.

(5) Affiliated groupFor purposes of this subsection—

(A) In generalExcept as provided in subparagraph (B), the term “affiliated group” has the meaning given such term by section 1504. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, a foreign corporation shall be treated as a member of the affiliated group if—

(i) more than 50 percent of the gross income of such foreign corporation for the taxable year is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, and

(ii) at least 80 percent of either the vote or value of all outstanding stock of such foreign corporation is owned directly or indirectly by members of the affiliated group (determined with regard to this sentence).

(B) Treatment of certain financial institutions

(i) such corporation is a financial institution described in section 581 or 591,

(ii) the business of such financial institution is predominantly with persons other than related persons (within the meaning of subsection (d)(4)) or their customers, and

(iii) such financial institution is required by State or Federal law to be operated separately from any other entity which is not such an institution.

(D) Treatment of bank holding companiesTo the extent provided in regulations—

(i) a bank holding company (within the meaning of section 2(a) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956), and

(ii) any subsidiary of a financial institution described in section 581 or 591 or of any bank holding company if such subsidiary is predominantly engaged (directly or indirectly) in the active conduct of a banking, financing, or similar business,

shall be treated as a corporation described in subparagraph (C).

(6) Allocation and apportionment of other expenses

(7) RegulationsThe Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section, including regulations providing—

(A) for the resourcing of income of any member of an affiliated group or modifications to the consolidated return regulations to the extent such resourcing or modification is necessary to carry out the purposes of this section,

(B) for direct allocation of interest expense incurred to carry out an integrated financial transaction to any interest (or interest-type income) derived from such transaction and in other circumstances where such allocation would be appropriate to carry out the purposes of this subsection,

(C) for the apportionment of expenses allocated to foreign source income among the members of the affiliated group and various categories of income described in section 904(d)(1),

(D) for direct allocation of interest expense in the case of indebtedness resulting in a disallowance under section 246A,

(E) for appropriate adjustments in the application of paragraph (3) in the case of an insurance company,

(F) preventing assets or interest expense from being taken into account more than once, and

(G) that this subsection shall not apply for purposes of any provision of this subchapter to the extent the Secretary determines that the application of this subsection for such purposes would not be appropriate.

[(f) Repealed. Pub. L. 117–2, title IX, § 9671(a), Mar. 11, 2021, 135 Stat. 184]

(g) Allocation of research and experimental expenditures

(1) In generalFor purposes of sections 861(b), 862(b), and 863(b), qualified research and experimental expenditures shall be allocated and apportioned as follows:

(A) Any qualified research and experimental expenditures expended solely to meet legal requirements imposed by a political entity with respect to the improvement or marketing of specific products or processes for purposes not reasonably expected to generate gross income (beyond de minimis amounts) outside the jurisdiction of the political entity shall be allocated only to gross income from sources within such jurisdiction.

(B) In the case of any qualified research and experimental expenditures (not allocated under subparagraph (A)) to the extent—

(i) that such expenditures are attributable to activities conducted in the United States, 50 percent of such expenditures shall be allocated and apportioned to income from sources within the United States and deducted from such income in determining the amount of taxable income from sources within the United States, and

(ii) that such expenditures are attributable to activities conducted outside the United States, 50 percent of such expenditures shall be allocated and apportioned to income from sources outside the United States and deducted from such income in determining the amount of taxable income from sources outside the United States.

(C) The remaining portion of qualified research and experimental expenditures (not allocated under subparagraphs (A) and (B)) shall be apportioned, at the annual election of the taxpayer, on the basis of gross sales or gross income, except that, if the taxpayer elects to apportion on the basis of gross income, the amount apportioned to income from sources outside the United States shall at least be 30 percent of the amount which would be so apportioned on the basis of gross sales.

(2) Qualified research and experimental expenditures

(3) Special rules for expenditures attributable to activities conducted in space, etc.

(A) In generalAny qualified research and experimental expenditures described in subparagraph (B)—

(i) if incurred by a United States person, shall be allocated and apportioned under this section in the same manner as if they were attributable to activities conducted in the United States, and

(ii) if incurred by a person other than a United States person, shall be allocated and apportioned under this section in the same manner as if they were attributable to activities conducted outside the United States.

(B) Description of expendituresFor purposes of subparagraph (A), qualified research and experimental expenditures are described in this subparagraph if such expenditures are attributable to activities conducted—

(i) in space,

(ii) on or under water not within the jurisdiction (as recognized by the United States) of a foreign country, possession of the United States, or the United States, or

(iii) in Antarctica.

(4) Affiliated group

(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the allocation and apportionment required by paragraph (1) shall be determined as if all members of the affiliated group (as defined in subsection (e)(5)) were a single corporation.

(B) For purposes of the allocation and apportionment required by paragraph (1)—

(i) sales and gross income from products produced in whole or in part in a possession by an electing corporation (within the meaning of section 936(h)(5)(E)),2 and

(ii) dividends from an electing corporation,

shall not be taken into account, except that this subparagraph shall not apply to sales of (and gross income and dividends attributable to sales of) products with respect to which an election under section 936(h)(5)(F) 2 is not in effect.

(C) The qualified research and experimental expenditures taken into account for purposes of paragraph (1) shall be adjusted to reflect the amount of such expenditures included in computing the cost-sharing amount (determined under section 936(h)(5)(C)(i)(I)).2

(D) The Secretary may prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this paragraph, including regulations providing for the source of gross income and the allocation and apportionment of deductions to take into account the adjustments required by subparagraph (B) or (C).

(E) Paragraph (6) of subsection (e) shall not apply to qualified research and experimental expenditures.

(5) Regulations

(6) Applicability

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 278; Pub. L. 89–809, title I, § 102(d), Nov. 13, 1966, 80 Stat. 1544; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1901(a)(113), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1783; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title I, §§ 123(a), 127(c), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 644, 651; Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, §§ 1201(d)(4), 1211(b)(2), 1215(a), (b)(1), 1221(a)(2), 1223(b)(1), 1242(a), (b), 1275(c)(7), title XVIII, §§ 1810(c)(2), (3), 1899A(21), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2525, 2536, 2544, 2545, 2550, 2558, 2580, 2599, 2824, 2959; Pub. L. 100–203, title X, § 10242(b), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–423; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(a)(1)(B), (d)(7), (10), (g)(5), (h)(1), (2)(A), (3)–(6), (p)(30), (r), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3494, 3498, 3499, 3501–3503, 3521, 3525; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7111, Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2326; Pub. L. 101–508, title XI, § 11401(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–472; Pub. L. 102–227, title I, § 101(a), Dec. 11, 1991, 105 Stat. 1686; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, § 13234, Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 504; Pub. L. 105–34, title XI, § 1162(a), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 987; Pub. L. 106–170, title V, § 532(c)(2)(N)–(P), Dec. 17, 1999, 113 Stat. 1931; Pub. L. 106–519, § 4(3), Nov. 15, 2000, 114 Stat. 2432; Pub. L. 108–357, title I, § 101(b)(6), title IV, §§ 401(a), (b), 403(b)(6), 413(c)(12), title VIII, § 894(a), Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1423, 1488, 1491, 1494, 1507, 1647; Pub. L. 110–289, div. C, title III, § 3093(a), (b), July 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 2912; Pub. L. 111–92, § 15(a), (b), Nov. 6, 2009, 123 Stat. 2996; Pub. L. 111–147, title V, § 551(a), Mar. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 117; Pub. L. 111–226, title II, § 216(a), Aug. 10, 2010, 124 Stat. 2400; Pub. L. 111–240, title II, § 2122(c), Sept. 27, 2010, 124 Stat. 2568; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, §§ 13501(a), 14502(a), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2138, 2235; Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title IV, § 401(a)(152), (d)(1)(D)(x), (xvii)(IV), (V), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1191, 1207, 1208; Pub. L. 117–2, title IX, § 9671(a), Mar. 11, 2021, 135 Stat. 184.)

§ 865. Source rules for personal property sales

(a) General ruleExcept as otherwise provided in this section, income from the sale of personal property—

(1) by a United States resident shall be sourced in the United States, or

(2) by a nonresident shall be sourced outside the United States.

(b) Exception for inventory propertyIn the case of income derived from the sale of inventory property—

(1) this section shall not apply, and

(2) such income shall be sourced under the rules of sections 861(a)(6), 862(a)(6), and 863.

Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any income from the sale of any unprocessed timber which is a softwood and was cut from an area in the United States shall be sourced in the United States and the rules of sections 862(a)(6) and 863(b) shall not apply to any such income. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “unprocessed timber” means any log, cant, or similar form of timber.

(1) In generalGain (not in excess of the depreciation adjustments) from the sale of depreciable personal property shall be allocated between sources in the United States and sources outside the United States—

(A) by treating the same proportion of such gain as sourced in the United States as the United States depreciation adjustments with respect to such property bear to the total depreciation adjustments, and

(B) by treating the remaining portion of such gain as sourced outside the United States.

(2)

(3) United States depreciation adjustmentsFor purposes of this subsection—

(A) In general

(B) Special rule for certain propertyExcept in the case of property of a kind described in section 168(g)(4), if, for any taxable year—

(i) such property is used predominantly in the United States, or

(ii) such property is used predominantly outside the United States,

all of the depreciation deductions allowable for such year shall be treated as having been allocated to income from sources in the United States (or, where clause (ii) applies, from sources outside the United States).

(4) Other definitionsFor purposes of this subsection—

(A) Depreciable personal property

(B) Depreciation adjustments

(d) Exception for intangibles

(1) In generalIn the case of any sale of an intangible—

(A) this section shall apply only to the extent the payments in consideration of such sale are not contingent on the productivity, use, or disposition of the intangible, and

(B) to the extent such payments are so contingent, the source of such payments shall be determined under this part in the same manner as if such payments were royalties.

(2) Intangible

(3) Special rule in the case of goodwill

(4) Coordination with subsection (c)

(A) Gain not in excess of depreciation adjustments sourced under subsection (c)

(B) Subsection (c)(2) not to apply to intangibles

(e) Special rules for sales through offices or fixed places of business

(1) Sales by residents

(A) In general

(B) Tax must be imposed

(2) Sales by nonresidents

(A) In general

(B) Exception

(3) Sales attributable to an office or other fixed place of business

(f) Stock of affiliatesIf—

(1) a United States resident sells stock in an affiliate which is a foreign corporation,

(2) such sale occurs in a foreign country in which such affiliate is engaged in the active conduct of a trade or business, and

(3) more than 50 percent of the gross income of such affiliate for the 3-year period ending with the close of such affiliate’s taxable year immediately preceding the year in which the sale occurred was derived from the active conduct of a trade or business in such foreign country,

any gain from such sale shall be sourced outside the United States. For purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3), the United States resident may elect to treat an affiliate and all other corporations which are wholly owned (directly or indirectly) by the affiliate as one corporation.

(g) United States resident; nonresidentFor purposes of this section—

(1) In generalExcept as otherwise provided in this subsection—

(A) United States residentThe term “United States resident” means—

(i) any individual who—(I) is a United States citizen or a resident alien and does not have a tax home (as defined in section 911(d)(3)) in a foreign country, or(II) is a nonresident alien and has a tax home (as so defined) in the United States, and

(ii) any corporation, trust, or estate which is a United States person (as defined in section 7701(a)(30)).

(B) Nonresident

(2) Special rules for United States citizens and resident aliens

(3) Special rule for certain stock sales by residents of Puerto RicoParagraph (2) shall not apply to the sale by an individual who was a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico during the entire taxable year of stock in a corporation if—

(A) such corporation is engaged in the active conduct of a trade or business in Puerto Rico, and

(B) more than 50 percent of its gross income for the 3-year period ending with the close of such corporation’s taxable year immediately preceding the year in which such sale occurred was derived from the active conduct of a trade or business in Puerto Rico.

For purposes of the preceding sentence, the taxpayer may elect to treat a corporation and all other corporations which are wholly owned (directly or indirectly) by such corporation as one corporation.

(h) Treatment of gains from sale of certain stock or intangibles and from certain liquidations

(1) In generalIn the case of gain to which this subsection applies—

(A) such gain shall be sourced outside the United States, but

(B) subsections (a), (b), and (c) of section 904 and sections 907 and 960 shall be applied separately with respect to such gain.

(2) Gain to which subsection appliesThis subsection shall apply to—

(A) Gain from sale of certain stock or intangiblesAny gain—

(i) which is from the sale of stock in a foreign corporation or an intangible (as defined in subsection (d)(2)) and which would otherwise be sourced in the United States under this section,

(ii) which, under a treaty obligation of the United States (applied without regard to this section), would be sourced outside the United States, and

(iii) with respect to which the taxpayer chooses the benefits of this subsection.

(B) Gain from liquidation in possessionAny gain which is derived from the receipt of any distribution in liquidation of a corporation—

(i) which is organized in a possession of the United States, and

(ii) more than 50 percent of the gross income of which during the 3-taxable year period ending with the close of the taxable year immediately preceding the taxable year in which the distribution is received is from the active conduct of a trade or business in such possession.

(i) Other definitionsFor purposes of this section—

(1) Inventory property

(2) Sale includes exchange

(3) Treatment of possessions

(4) Affiliate

(5) Treatment of partnerships

(j) RegulationsThe Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purpose of this section, including regulations—

(1) relating to the treatment of losses from sales of personal property,

(2) applying the rules of this section to income derived from trading in futures contracts, forward contracts, options contracts, and other instruments, and

(3) providing that, subject to such conditions (which may include provisions comparable to section 877) as may be provided in such regulations, subsections (e)(1)(B) and (g)(2) shall not apply for purposes of sections 931 and 933.

(k) Cross references

(1) For provisions relating to the characterization as dividends for source purposes of gains from the sale of stock in certain foreign corporations, see section 1248.

(2) For sourcing of income from certain foreign currency transactions, see section 988.

(Added Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, § 1211(a), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2533; amended Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(d)(1)–(6), (8), (9), (11), (12), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3497–3499; Pub. L. 101–508, title XI, § 11813(b)(18), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–555; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, § 13239(c), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 509; Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1704(f)(4)(A), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1880; Pub. L. 106–170, title V, § 532(c)(1)(E), Dec. 17, 1999, 113 Stat. 1930; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, § 14301(c)(6), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2222; Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title IV, § 401(d)(1)(D)(xi), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1208.)