View all text of Subpart E [§ 816 - § 818]
§ 817. Treatment of variable contracts
(a) Increases and decreases in reservesFor purposes of subsections (a) and (b) of section 807, the sum of the items described in section 807(c) taken into account as of the close of the taxable year with respect to any variable contract shall, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, be adjusted—
(1) by subtracting therefrom an amount equal to the sum of the amounts added from time to time (for the taxable year) to the reserves separately accounted for in accordance with subsection (c) by reason of appreciation in value of assets (whether or not the assets have been disposed of), and
(2) by adding thereto an amount equal to the sum of the amounts subtracted from time to time (for the taxable year) from such reserves by reason of depreciation in value of assets (whether or not the assets have been disposed of).
The deduction allowable for items described in paragraphs (1) and (6) of section 805(a) with respect to variable contracts shall be reduced to the extent that the amount of such items is increased for the taxable year by appreciation (or increased to the extent that the amount of such items is decreased for the taxable year by depreciation) not reflected in adjustments under the preceding sentence.
(b) Adjustment to basis of assets held in segregated asset accountIn the case of variable contracts, the basis of each asset in a segregated asset account shall (in addition to all other adjustments to basis) be—
(1) increased by the amount of any appreciation in value, and
(2) decreased by the amount of any depreciation in value,
to the extent such appreciation and depreciation are from time to time reflected in the increases and decreases in reserves or other items referred to in subsection (a) with respect to such contracts.
(c) Separate accountingFor purposes of this part, a life insurance company which issues variable contracts shall separately account for the various income, exclusion, deduction, asset, reserve, and other liability items properly attributable to such variable contracts. For such items as are not accounted for directly, separate accounting shall be made—
(1) in accordance with the method regularly employed by such company, if such method is reasonable, and
(2) in all other cases, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(d) Variable contract definedFor purposes of this part, the term “variable contract” means a contract—
(1) which provides for the allocation of all or part of the amounts received under the contract to an account which, pursuant to State law or regulation, is segregated from the general asset accounts of the company,
(2) which—
(A) provides for the payment of annuities,
(B) is a life insurance contract, or
(C) provides for funding of insurance on retired lives as described in section 807(c)(6), and
(3) under which—
(A) in the case of an annuity contract, the amounts paid in, or the amount paid out, reflect the investment return and the market value of the segregated asset account,
(B) in the case of a life insurance contract, the amount of the death benefit (or the period of coverage) is adjusted on the basis of the investment return and the market value of the segregated asset account, or
(C) in the case of funds held under a contract described in paragraph (2)(C), the amounts paid in, or the amounts paid out, reflect the investment return and the market value of the segregated asset account.
(e) Pension plan contracts treated as paying annuity
(f) Other special rules
(1) Life insurance reserves
(2) Additional separate computations
(g) Variable annuity contracts treated as annuity contractsFor purposes of this part, the term “annuity contract” includes a contract which provides for the payment of a variable annuity computed on the basis of—
(1) recognized mortality tables, and
(2)
(A) the investment experience of a segregated asset account, or
(B) the company-wide investment experience of the company.
Paragraph (2)(B) shall not apply to any company which issues contracts which are not variable contracts.
(h) Treatment of certain nondiversified contracts
(1) In general
(2) Safe harbor for diversificationA segregated asset account shall be treated as meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) for any quarter of a taxable year if as of the close of such quarter—
(A) it meets the requirements of section 851(b)(3), and
(B) no more than 55 percent of the value of the total assets of the account are assets described in section 851(b)(3)(A)(i).
(3) Special rule for investments in United States obligations
(4) Look-through in certain casesFor purposes of this subsection, if all of the beneficial interests in a regulated investment company or in a trust are held by 1 or more—
(A) insurance companies (or affiliated companies) in their general account or in segregated asset accounts, or
(B) fund managers (or affiliated companies) in connection with the creation or management of the regulated investment company or trust,
the diversification requirements of paragraph (1) shall be applied by taking into account the assets held by such regulated investment company or trust.
(5) Independent investment advisors permitted
(6) Government securities funds
(Added Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title II, § 211(a), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 750; amended Pub. L. 99–514, title XVIII, § 1821(m), (t)(1), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2841, 2844; Pub. L. 100–647, title VI, § 6080(a), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3710; Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1611(a), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1845; Pub. L. 105–34, title XII, § 1271(b)(8), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 1037; Pub. L. 108–218, title II, § 205(b)(5), Apr. 10, 2004, 118 Stat. 610.)