26 USC 954 - Foreign base company income

View all text of Subpart F [§ 951 - § 965]

§ 954. Foreign base company income

(a) Foreign base company incomeFor purposes of section 952(a)(2), the term “foreign base company income” means for any taxable year the sum of—

(1) the foreign personal holding company income for the taxable year (determined under subsection (c) and reduced as provided in subsection (b)(5)),

(2) the foreign base company sales income for the taxable year (determined under subsection (d) and reduced as provided in subsection (b)(5)), and

(3) the foreign base company services income for the taxable year (determined under subsection (e) and reduced as provided in subsection (b)(5)).

(b) Exclusion and special rules

[(1) Repealed. Pub. L. 94–12, title VI, § 602(c)(1), Mar. 29, 1975, 89 Stat. 58]

[(2) Repealed. Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, § 1221(c)(1), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2553]

(3) De minimis, etc., rulesFor purposes of subsection (a) and section 953—

(A) De minimis ruleIf the sum of foreign base company income (determined without regard to paragraph (5)) and the gross insurance income for the taxable year is less than the lesser of—

(i) 5 percent of gross income, or

(ii) $1,000,000,

no part of the gross income for the taxable year shall be treated as foreign base company income or insurance income.

(B) Foreign base company income and insurance income in excess of 70 percent of gross income

(4) Exception for certain income subject to high foreign taxes

(5) Deductions to be taken into account

(1) In generalFor purposes of subsection (a)(1), the term “foreign personal holding company income” means the portion of the gross income which consists of:

(A) Dividends, etc.

(B) Certain property transactionsThe excess of gains over losses from the sale or exchange of property—

(i) which gives rise to income described in subparagraph (A) (after application of paragraph (2)(A)) other than property which gives rise to income not treated as foreign personal holding company income by reason of subsection (h) or (i) for the taxable year,

(ii) which is an interest in a trust, partnership, or REMIC, or

(iii) which does not give rise to any income.

Gains and losses from the sale or exchange of any property which, in the hands of the controlled foreign corporation, is property described in section 1221(a)(1) shall not be taken into account under this subparagraph.

(C) Commodities transactionsThe excess of gains over losses from transactions (including futures, forward, and similar transactions) in any commodities. This subparagraph shall not apply to gains or losses which—

(i) arise out of commodity hedging transactions (as defined in paragraph (5)(A)),

(ii) are active business gains or losses from the sale of commodities, but only if substantially all of the controlled foreign corporation’s commodities are property described in paragraph (1), (2), or (8) of section 1221(a), or

(iii) are foreign currency gains or losses (as defined in section 988(b)) attributable to any section 988 transactions.

(D) Foreign currency gains

(E) Income equivalent to interest

(F) Income from notional principal contracts

(i) In general

(ii) Coordination with other categories of foreign personal holding company income

(G) Payments in lieu of dividends

(H) Personal service contracts

(i) Amounts received under a contract under which the corporation is to furnish personal services if—(I) some person other than the corporation has the right to designate (by name or by description) the individual who is to perform the services, or(II) the individual who is to perform the services is designated (by name or by description) in the contract, and

(ii) amounts received from the sale or other disposition of such a contract.

This subparagraph shall apply with respect to amounts received for services under a particular contract only if at some time during the taxable year 25 percent or more in value of the outstanding stock of the corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, by or for the individual who has performed, is to perform, or may be designated (by name or by description) as the one to perform, such services.

(2) Exception for certain amounts

(A) Rents and royalties derived in active business

(B) Certain export financing

(C) Exception for dealersExcept as provided by regulations, in the case of a regular dealer in property which is property described in paragraph (1)(B), forward contracts, option contracts, or similar financial instruments (including notional principal contracts and all instruments referenced to commodities), there shall not be taken into account in computing foreign personal holding company income—

(i) any item of income, gain, deduction, or loss (other than any item described in subparagraph (A), (E), or (G) of paragraph (1)) from any transaction (including hedging transactions and transactions involving physical settlement) entered into in the ordinary course of such dealer’s trade or business as such a dealer, and

(ii) if such dealer is a dealer in securities (within the meaning of section 475), any interest or dividend or equivalent amount described in subparagraph (E) or (G) of paragraph (1) from any transaction (including any hedging transaction or transaction described in section 956(c)(2)(I)) entered into in the ordinary course of such dealer’s trade or business as such a dealer in securities, but only if the income from the transaction is attributable to activities of the dealer in the country under the laws of which the dealer is created or organized (or in the case of a qualified business unit described in section 989(a), is attributable to activities of the unit in the country in which the unit both maintains its principal office and conducts substantial business activity).

(3) Certain income received from related persons

(A) In generalExcept as provided in subparagraph (B), the term “foreign personal holding company income” does not include—

(i) dividends and interest received from a related person which (I) is a corporation created or organized under the laws of the same foreign country under the laws of which the controlled foreign corporation is created or organized, and (II) has a substantial part of its assets used in its trade or business located in such same foreign country, and

(ii) rents and royalties received from a corporation which is a related person for the use of, or the privilege of using, property within the country under the laws of which the controlled foreign corporation is created or organized.

To the extent provided in regulations, payments made by a partnership with 1 or more corporate partners shall be treated as made by such corporate partners in proportion to their respective interests in the partnership.

(B) Exception not to apply to items which reduce subpart F income

(4) Look-thru rule for certain partnership sales

In general

(B) 25-percent owner

(5) Definition and special rules relating to commodity transactions

(A) Commodity hedging transactionsFor purposes of paragraph (1)(C)(i), the term “commodity hedging transaction” means any transaction with respect to a commodity if such transaction—

(i) is a hedging transaction as defined in section 1221(b)(2), determined—(I) without regard to subparagraph (A)(ii) thereof,(II) by applying subparagraph (A)(i) thereof by substituting “ordinary property or property described in section 1231(b)” for “ordinary property”, and(III) by substituting “controlled foreign corporation” for “taxpayer” each place it appears, and

(ii) is clearly identified as such in accordance with section 1221(a)(7).

(B) Treatment of dealer activities under paragraph (1)(C)

(6) Look-thru rule for related controlled foreign corporations

(A) In general

(B) Exception

(d) Foreign base company sales income

(1) In generalFor purposes of subsection (a)(2), the term “foreign base company sales income” means income (whether in the form of profits, commissions, fees, or otherwise) derived in connection with the purchase of personal property from a related person and its sale to any person, the sale of personal property to any person on behalf of a related person, the purchase of personal property from any person and its sale to a related person, or the purchase of personal property from any person on behalf of a related person where—

(A) the property which is purchased (or in the case of property sold on behalf of a related person, the property which is sold) is manufactured, produced, grown, or extracted outside the country under the laws of which the controlled foreign corporation is created or organized, and

(B) the property is sold for use, consumption, or disposition outside such foreign country, or, in the case of property purchased on behalf of a related person, is purchased for use, consumption, or disposition outside such foreign country.

For purposes of this subsection, personal property does not include agricultural commodities which are not grown in the United States in commercially marketable quantities.

(2) Certain branch income

(3) Related person definedFor purposes of this section, a person is a related person with respect to a controlled foreign corporation, if—

(A) such person is an individual, corporation, partnership, trust, or estate which controls, or is controlled by, the controlled foreign corporation, or

(B) such person is a corporation, partnership, trust, or estate which is controlled by the same person or persons which control the controlled foreign corporation.

For purposes of the preceding sentence, control means, with respect to a corporation, the ownership, directly or indirectly, of stock possessing more than 50 percent of the total voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or of the total value of stock of such corporation. In the case of a partnership, trust, or estate, control means the ownership, directly or indirectly, of more than 50 percent (by value) of the beneficial interests in such partnership, trust, or estate. For purposes of this paragraph, rules similar to the rules of section 958 shall apply.

(4) Special rule for certain timber productsFor purposes of subsection (a)(2), the term “foreign base company sales income” includes any income (whether in the form of profits, commissions, fees, or otherwise) derived in connection with—

(A) the sale of any unprocessed timber referred to in section 865(b), or

(B) the milling of any such timber outside the United States.

Subpart G shall not apply to any amount treated as subpart F income by reason of this paragraph.

(e) Foreign base company services income

(1) In generalFor purposes of subsection (a)(3), the term “foreign base company services income” means income (whether in the form of compensation, commissions, fees, or otherwise) derived in connection with the performance of technical, managerial, engineering, architectural, scientific, skilled, industrial, commercial, or like services which—

(A) are performed for or on behalf of any related person (within the meaning of subsection (d)(3)), and

(B) are performed outside the country under the laws of which the controlled foreign corporation is created or organized.

(2) ExceptionParagraph (1) shall not apply to income derived in connection with the performance of services which are directly related to—

(A) the sale or exchange by the controlled foreign corporation of property manufactured, produced, grown, or extracted by it and which are performed before the time of the sale or exchange, or

(B) an offer or effort to sell or exchange such property.

Paragraph (1) shall also not apply to income which is exempt insurance income (as defined in section 953(e)) or which is not treated as foreign personal holding income by reason of subsection (c)(2)(C)(ii), (h), or (i).

[(f) Repealed. Pub. L. 108–357, title IV, § 415(a)(2), Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1511]

[(g) Repealed. Pub. L. 115–97, title I, § 14211(b)(3), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2217]

(h) Special rule for income derived in the active conduct of banking, financing, or similar businesses

(1) In general

(2) Eligible controlled foreign corporationFor purposes of this subsection—

(A) In generalThe term “eligible controlled foreign corporation” means a controlled foreign corporation which—

(i) is predominantly engaged in the active conduct of a banking, financing, or similar business, and

(ii) conducts substantial activity with respect to such business.

(B) Predominantly engagedA controlled foreign corporation shall be treated as predominantly engaged in the active conduct of a banking, financing, or similar business if—

(i) more than 70 percent of the gross income of the controlled foreign corporation is derived directly from the active and regular conduct of a lending or finance business from transactions with customers which are not related persons,

(ii) it is engaged in the active conduct of a banking business and is an institution licensed to do business as a bank in the United States (or is any other corporation not so licensed which is specified by the Secretary in regulations), or

(iii) it is engaged in the active conduct of a securities business and is registered as a securities broker or dealer under section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or is registered as a Government securities broker or dealer under section 15C(a) of such Act (or is any other corporation not so registered which is specified by the Secretary in regulations).

(3) Qualified banking or financing incomeFor purposes of this subsection—

(A) In generalThe term “qualified banking or financing income” means income of an eligible controlled foreign corporation which—

(i) is derived in the active conduct of a banking, financing, or similar business by—(I) such eligible controlled foreign corporation, or(II) a qualified business unit of such eligible controlled foreign corporation,

(ii) is derived from one or more transactions—(I) with customers located in a country other than the United States, and(II) substantially all of the activities in connection with which are conducted directly by the corporation or unit in its home country, and

(iii) is treated as earned by such corporation or unit in its home country for purposes of such country’s tax laws.

(B) Limitation on nonbanking and nonsecurities businesses

(D) Determinations made separatelyFor purposes of this paragraph, the qualified banking or financing income of an eligible controlled foreign corporation and each qualified business unit of such corporation shall be determined separately for such corporation and each such unit by taking into account—

(i) in the case of the eligible controlled foreign corporation, only items of income, deduction, gain, or loss and activities of such corporation not properly allocable or attributable to any qualified business unit of such corporation, and

(ii) in the case of a qualified business unit, only items of income, deduction, gain, or loss and activities properly allocable or attributable to such unit.

(E) Direct conduct of activitiesFor purposes of subparagraph (A)(ii)(II), an activity shall be treated as conducted directly by an eligible controlled foreign corporation or qualified business unit in its home country if the activity is performed by employees of a related person and—

(i) the related person is an eligible controlled foreign corporation the home country of which is the same as the home country of the corporation or unit to which subparagraph (A)(ii)(II) is being applied,

(ii) the activity is performed in the home country of the related person, and

(iii) the related person is compensated on an arm’s-length basis for the performance of the activity by its employees and such compensation is treated as earned by such person in its home country for purposes of the home country’s tax laws.

(4) Lending or finance businessFor purposes of this subsection, the term “lending or finance business” means the business of—

(A) making loans,

(B) purchasing or discounting accounts receivable, notes, or installment obligations,

(C) engaging in leasing (including entering into leases and purchasing, servicing, and disposing of leases and leased assets),

(D) issuing letters of credit or providing guarantees,

(E) providing charge and credit card services, or

(F) rendering services or making facilities available in connection with activities described in subparagraphs (A) through (E) carried on by—

(i) the corporation (or qualified business unit) rendering services or making facilities available, or

(ii) another corporation (or qualified business unit of a corporation) which is a member of the same affiliated group (as defined in section 1504, but determined without regard to section 1504(b)(3)).

(5) Other definitionsFor purposes of this subsection—

(A) Customer

(B) Home countryExcept as provided in regulations—

(i) Controlled foreign corporation

(ii) Qualified business unit

(D) Qualified business unit

(E) Related person

(6) Coordination with exception for dealers

(7) Anti-abuse rulesFor purposes of applying this subsection and subsection (c)(2)(C)(ii)—

(A) there shall be disregarded any item of income, gain, loss, or deduction with respect to any transaction or series of transactions one of the principal purposes of which is qualifying income or gain for the exclusion under this section, including any transaction or series of transactions a principal purpose of which is the acceleration or deferral of any item in order to claim the benefits of such exclusion through the application of this subsection,

(B) there shall be disregarded any item of income, gain, loss, or deduction of an entity which is not engaged in regular and continuous transactions with customers which are not related persons,

(C) there shall be disregarded any item of income, gain, loss, or deduction with respect to any transaction or series of transactions utilizing, or doing business with—

(i) one or more entities in order to satisfy any home country requirement under this subsection, or

(ii) a special purpose entity or arrangement, including a securitization, financing, or similar entity or arrangement,

if one of the principal purposes of such transaction or series of transactions is qualifying income or gain for the exclusion under this subsection, and

(D) a related person, an officer, a director, or an employee with respect to any controlled foreign corporation (or qualified business unit) which would otherwise be treated as a customer of such corporation or unit with respect to any transaction shall not be so treated if a principal purpose of such transaction is to satisfy any requirement of this subsection.

(8) Regulations

(i) Special rule for income derived in the active conduct of insurance business

(1) In general

(2) Qualified insurance incomeThe term “qualified insurance income” means income of a qualifying insurance company which is—

(A) received from a person other than a related person (within the meaning of subsection (d)(3)) and derived from the investments made by a qualifying insurance company or a qualifying insurance company branch of its reserves allocable to exempt contracts or of 80 percent of its unearned premiums from exempt contracts (as both are determined in the manner prescribed under paragraph (4)), or

(B) received from a person other than a related person (within the meaning of subsection (d)(3)) and derived from investments made by a qualifying insurance company or a qualifying insurance company branch of an amount of its assets allocable to exempt contracts equal to—

(i) in the case of property, casualty, or health insurance contracts, one-third of its premiums earned on such insurance contracts during the taxable year (as defined in section 832(b)(4)), and

(ii) in the case of life insurance or annuity contracts, 10 percent of the reserves described in subparagraph (A) for such contracts.

(3) Principles for determining insurance incomeExcept as provided by the Secretary, for purposes of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2)—

(A) in the case of any contract which is a separate account-type contract (including any variable contract not meeting the requirements of section 817), income credited under such contract shall be allocable only to such contract, and

(B) income not allocable under subparagraph (A) shall be allocated ratably among contracts not described in subparagraph (A).

(4) Methods for determining unearned premiums and reservesFor purposes of paragraph (2)(A)—

(A) Property and casualty contractsThe unearned premiums and reserves of a qualifying insurance company or a qualifying insurance company branch with respect to property, casualty, or health insurance contracts shall be determined using the same methods and interest rates which would be used if such company or branch were subject to tax under subchapter L, except that—

(i) the interest rate determined for the functional currency of the company or branch, and which, except as provided by the Secretary, is calculated in the same manner as the Federal mid-term rate under section 1274(d), shall be substituted for the applicable Federal interest rate, and

(ii) such company or branch shall use the appropriate foreign loss payment pattern.

(B) Life insurance and annuity contracts

(i) In generalExcept as provided in clause (ii), the amount of the reserve of a qualifying insurance company or qualifying insurance company branch for any life insurance or annuity contract shall be equal to the greater of—(I) the net surrender value of such contract (as defined in section 807(e)(1)(A)), or(II) the reserve determined under paragraph (5).

(ii) Ruling request, etc.

(5) Amount of reserveThe amount of the reserve determined under this paragraph with respect to any contract shall be determined in the same manner as it would be determined if the qualifying insurance company or qualifying insurance company branch were subject to tax under subchapter L, except that in applying such subchapter—

(A) the interest rate determined for the functional currency of the company or branch, and which, except as provided by the Secretary, is calculated in the same manner as the Federal mid-term rate under section 1274(d), shall be substituted for the applicable Federal interest rate,

(B) the highest assumed interest rate permitted to be used in determining foreign statement reserves shall apply, and

(C) tables for mortality and morbidity which reasonably reflect the current mortality and morbidity risks in the company’s or branch’s home country shall be substituted for the mortality and morbidity tables otherwise used for such subchapter.

The Secretary may provide that the interest rate and mortality and morbidity tables of a qualifying insurance company may be used for 1 or more of its qualifying insurance company branches when appropriate.

(6) Definitions

(Added Pub. L. 87–834, § 12(a), Oct. 16, 1962, 76 Stat. 1009; amended Pub. L. 91–172, title IX, § 909(a), Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 718; Pub. L. 94–12, title VI, § 602(b), (c)(1), (2), (d)(1), (e), Mar. 29, 1975, 89 Stat. 58, 60, 64; Pub. L. 94–455, title X, §§ 1023(a), 1024(a), title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1620, 1834; Pub. L. 97–248, title II, § 212(a)–(e), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 451, 452; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title I, § 137(a), title VII, § 712(f), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 672, 947; Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, §§ 1201(c), 1221(a)(1), (b)(3)(B), (c)(1)–(3)(A), (d), (e), 1223(a), title XVIII, § 1810(k), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2525, 2549, 2553, 2557, 2830; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, §§ 1012(i)(12), (14)(A), (18), (20), (25)(B), 1018(u)(38), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3509–3512, 3592; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7811(i)(3), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2409; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, §§ 13233(a)(1), 13235(a)(3), (b), 13239(d), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 502, 504, 505, 509; Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1704(t)(25), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1888; Pub. L. 105–34, title X, § 1051(a), (b), title XI, § 1175(a), (b), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 940, 990, 993; Pub. L. 105–277, div. J, title I, § 1005(a), (b)(2), (c)–(e), title IV, § 4003(j), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–890, 2681–897, 2681–899, 2681–900, 2681–910; Pub. L. 106–170, title V, §§ 503(a), 532(c)(2)(Q), Dec. 17, 1999, 113 Stat. 1921, 1931; Pub. L. 107–147, title IV, § 417(24)(B)(ii), title VI, § 614(a)(2), (b)(1), Mar. 9, 2002, 116 Stat. 57, 61; Pub. L. 108–357, title IV, §§ 412(a), 413(b)(2), 414(a)–(c), 415(a), (b), (c)(2), 416(a), Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1505, 1506, 1510, 1511; Pub. L. 109–135, title IV, §§ 403(m), 412(ll), (mm), Dec. 21, 2005, 119 Stat. 2626, 2639; Pub. L. 109–222, title I, § 103(a)(2), (b)(1), May 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 346; Pub. L. 109–432, div. A, title IV, § 426(a)(1), Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 2974; Pub. L. 110–172, §§ 4(a), 11(a)(19), (20), (g)(15)(B), Dec. 29, 2007, 121 Stat. 2475, 2486, 2491; Pub. L. 110–343, div. C, title III, §§ 303(b), 304(a), Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3866, 3867; Pub. L. 111–312, title VII, §§ 750(a), 751(a), Dec. 17, 2010, 124 Stat. 3320, 3321; Pub. L. 112–240, title III, §§ 322(b), 323(a), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2332, 2333; Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title I, §§ 134(b), 135(a), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4019; Pub. L. 114–113, div. Q, title I, §§ 128(b), 144(a), Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 3054, 3065; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, §§ 13517(b)(5), 14211(a), (b)(2), (3), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2147, 2216, 2217; Pub. L. 116–94, div. Q, title I, § 145(a), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3236; Pub. L. 116–260, div. EE, title I, § 111(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3050.)