Title 26—Internal Revenue--Volume 1
PART 1—INCOME TAXES
§ 1.1502-77B   Agent for the group applicable for consolidated return years beginning on or after June 28, 2002, and before April 1, 2015.
(a) Scope of agency —(1) In general —(i) Common parent. Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(3) and (6) of this section, the common parent (or a substitute agent described in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section) for a consolidated return year is the sole agent (agent for the group) that is authorized to act in its own name with respect to all matters relating to the tax liability for that consolidated return year, for—
(A) Each member in the group; and
(B) Any successor (see paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section) of a member.
(ii) Substitute agents. For purposes of this section, any corporation designated as a substitute agent pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section to replace the common parent or a previously designated substitute agent acts as agent for the group to the same extent and subject to the same limitations as are applicable to the common parent, and any reference in this section to the common parent includes any such substitute agent.
(iii) Successor. For purposes of this section only, the term successor means an individual or entity (including a disregarded entity) that is primarily liable, pursuant to applicable law (including, for example, by operation of a state or Federal merger statute), for the tax liability of a member of the group. Such determination is made without regard to § 1.1502-1(f)(4) or 1.1502-6(a). (For inclusion of a successor in references to a subsidiary or member, see paragraph (c)(2) of this section.)
(iv) Disregarded entity. If a subsidiary of a group becomes, or its successor is or becomes, a disregarded entity for Federal tax purposes, the common parent continues to serve as the agent with respect to that subsidiary's tax liability under § 1.1502-6 for consolidated return years during which it was included in the group, even though the entity generally is not treated as a person separate from its owner for Federal tax purposes.
(v) Transferee liability. For purposes of assessing, paying and collecting transferee liability, any exercise of or reliance on the common parent's agency authority pursuant to this section is binding on a transferee (or subsequent transferees) of a member, regardless of whether the member's existence terminates prior to such exercise or reliance.
(vi) Purported common parent. If any corporation files a consolidated return purporting to be the common parent of a consolidated group but is subsequently determined not to have been the common parent of the claimed group, that corporation is treated, to the extent necessary to avoid prejudice to the Commissioner, as if it were the common parent.
(2) Examples of matters subject to agency. With respect to any consolidated return year for which it is the common parent—
(i) The common parent makes any election (or similar choice of a permissible option) that is available to a subsidiary in the computation of its separate taxable income, and any change in an election (or similar choice of a permissible option) previously made by or for a subsidiary, including, for example, a request to change a subsidiary's method or period of accounting;
(ii) All correspondence concerning the income tax liability for the consolidated return year is carried on directly with the common parent;
(iii) The common parent files for all extensions of time, including extensions of time for payment of tax under section 6164, and any extension so filed is considered as having been filed by each member;
(iv) The common parent gives waivers, gives bonds, and executes closing agreements, offers in compromise, and all other documents, and any waiver or bond so given, or agreement, offer in compromise, or any other document so executed, is considered as having also been given or executed by each member;
(v) The common parent files claims for refund, and any refund is made directly to and in the name of the common parent and discharges any liability of the Government to any member with respect to such refund;
(vi) The common parent takes any action on behalf of a member of the group with respect to a foreign corporation, for example, elections by, and changes to the method of accounting of, a controlled foreign corporation in accordance with § 1.964-1(c)(3);
(vii) Notices of claim disallowance are mailed only to the common parent, and the mailing to the common parent is considered as a mailing to each member;
(viii) Notices of deficiencies are mailed only to the common parent (except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section), and the mailing to the common parent is considered as a mailing to each member;
(ix) Notices of final partnership administrative adjustment under section 6223 with respect to any partnership in which a member of the group is a partner may be mailed to the common parent, and, if so, the mailing to the common parent is considered as a mailing to each member that is a partner entitled to receive such notice (for other rules regarding partnership proceedings, see paragraphs (a)(3)(v) and (a)(6)(iii) of this section);
(x) The common parent files petitions and conducts proceedings before the United States Tax Court, and any such petition is considered as also having been filed by each member;
(xi) Any assessment of tax may be made in the name of the common parent, and an assessment naming the common parent is considered as an assessment with respect to each member; and
(xii) Notice and demand for payment of taxes is given only to the common parent, and such notice and demand is considered as a notice and demand to each member.
(3) Matters reserved to subsidiaries. Except as provided in this paragraph (a)(3) and paragraph (a)(6) of this section, no subsidiary has authority to act for or to represent itself in any matter related to the tax liability for the consolidated return year. The following matters, however, are reserved exclusively to each subsidiary—
(i) The making of the consent required by § 1.1502-75(a)(1);
(ii) Any action with respect to the subsidiary's liability for a federal tax other than the income tax imposed by chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code (including, for example, employment taxes under chapters 21 through 25 of the Internal Revenue Code, and miscellaneous excise taxes under chapters 31 through 47 of the Internal Revenue Code);
(iii) The making of an election under section 936(e);
(iv) The making of an election to be treated as a DISC under § 1.992-2; and
(v) Any actions by a subsidiary acting as tax matters partner under sections 6221 through 6234 and the accompanying regulations (but see paragraph (a)(2)(ix) of this section regarding the mailing of a final partnership administrative adjustment to the common parent).
(4) Term of agency —(i) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (a)(4)(iii) of this section, the common parent for the consolidated return year remains the agent for the group with respect to that year until the common parent's existence terminates, regardless of whether one or more subsidiaries in that year cease to be members of the group, whether the group files a consolidated return for any subsequent year, whether the common parent ceases to be the common parent or a member of the group in any subsequent year, or whether the group continues pursuant to § 1.1502-75(d) with a new common parent in any subsequent year.
(ii) Replacement of substitute agent designated by Commissioner. If the Commissioner replaces a previously designated substitute agent pursuant to paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section, the replaced substitute agent ceases to be the agent after the Commissioner designates another substitute agent.
(iii) New common parent after a group structure change. If the group continues in existence with a new common parent pursuant to § 1.1502-75(d) during a consolidated return year, the common parent at the beginning of the year is the agent for the group through the date of the § 1.1502-75(d) transaction, and the new common parent becomes the agent for the group beginning the day after the transaction, at which time it becomes the agent for the group with respect to the entire consolidated return year (including the period through the date of the transaction) and the former common parent is no longer the agent for that year.
(5) Identifying members in notice of a lien. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this paragraph (a), any notice of a lien, any levy or any other proceeding to collect the amount of any assessment, after the assessment has been made, must name the entity from which such collection is to be made.
(6) Direct dealing with a member —(i) Several liability. The Commissioner may, upon issuing to the common parent written notice that expressly invokes the authority of this provision, deal directly with any member of the group with respect to its liability under § 1.1502-6 for the consolidated tax of the group, in which event such member has sole authority to act for itself with respect to that liability. However, if the Commissioner believes or has reason to believe that the existence of the common parent has terminated, the Commissioner may deal directly with any member with respect to that member's liability under § 1.1502-6 without giving the notice required by this provision.
(ii) Information requests. The Commissioner may, upon informing the common parent, request information relevant to the consolidated tax liability from any member of the group. However, if the Commissioner believes or has reason to believe that the existence of the common parent has terminated, the Commissioner may request such information from any member of the group without informing the common parent.
(iii) Members as partners in partnerships. The Commissioner generally will deal directly with any member in its capacity as a partner of a partnership that is subject to the provisions of sections 6221 through 6234 and the accompanying regulations (but see paragraph (a)(2)(ix) of this section regarding the mailing of a final partnership administrative adjustment to the common parent). However, if requested to do so in accordance with the provisions of § 301.6223(c)-1(b) of this chapter, the Commissioner may deal with the common parent as agent for such member on any matter related to the partnership, except in regards to a settlement under section 6224(c) and except to the extent the member acts as tax matters partner of the partnership.
(b) Copy of notice of deficiency to entity that has ceased to be a member of the group. An entity that ceases to be a member of the group during or after a consolidated return year may file a written notice of that fact with the Commissioner and request a copy of any notice of deficiency with respect to the tax for a consolidated return year during which the entity was a member, or a copy of any notice and demand for payment of such deficiency, or both. Such filing does not limit the scope of the agency of the common parent provided for in paragraph (a) of this section. Any failure by the Commissioner to comply with such request does not limit an entity's tax liability under § 1.1502-6. For purposes of this paragraph (b), references to an entity include a successor of such entity.
(c) References to member or subsidiary. For purposes of this section, all references to a member or subsidiary for a consolidated return year include—
(1) Each corporation that was a member of the group during any part of such year (except that any reference to a subsidiary does not include the common parent);
(2) Except as indicated otherwise, a successor (as defined in paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section) of any corporation described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section; and
(3) Each corporation whose income was included in the consolidated return for such year, notwithstanding that the tax liability of such corporation should have been computed on the basis of a separate return, or as a member of another consolidated group, under the provisions of § 1.1502-75.
(d) Termination of common parent —(1) Designation of substitute agent by common parent. (i) If the common parent's existence terminates, it may designate a substitute agent for the group and notify the Commissioner, as provided in this paragraph (d)(1).
(A) Subject to the Commissioner's approval under paragraph (d)(1)(ii) of this section, before the common parent's existence terminates, the common parent may designate, for each consolidated return year for which it is the common parent and for which the period of limitations either for assessment, for collection after assessment, or for claiming a credit or refund has not expired, one of the following to act as substitute agent in its place—
( 1 ) Any corporation that was a member of the group during any part of the consolidated return year and, except as provided in paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, has not subsequently been disregarded as an entity separate from its owner or reclassified as a partnership for Federal tax purposes; or
( 2 ) Any successor (as defined in paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section) of such a corporation or of the common parent that is a domestic corporation (and, except as provided in paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, is not disregarded as an entity separate from its owner or classified as a partnership for Federal tax purposes), including a corporation that will become a successor at the time that the common parent's existence terminates.
(B) The common parent must notify the Commissioner in writing (under procedures prescribed by the Commissioner) of the designation and provide the following—
( 1 ) An agreement executed by the designated corporation agreeing to serve as the group's substitute agent; and
( 2 ) If the designated corporation was not itself a member of the group during the consolidated return year (because the designated corporation is a successor of a member of the group for the consolidated return year), a statement by the designated corporation acknowledging that it is or will be primarily liable for the consolidated tax as a successor of a member.
(ii) A designation under paragraph (d)(1)(i)(A) of this section does not apply unless and until it is approved by the Commissioner. The Commissioner's approval of such a designation is not effective before the existence of the common parent terminates.
(2) Default substitute agent. If the common parent fails to designate a substitute agent for the group before its existence terminates and if the common parent has a single successor that is a domestic corporation, such successor becomes the substitute agent for the group upon termination of the common parent's existence. However, see paragraph (d)(4) of this section regarding the consequences of the successor's failure to notify the Commissioner of its status as default substitute agent in accordance with procedures established by the Commissioner.
(3) Designation by the Commissioner. (i) In the event the common parent's existence terminates and no designation is made and approved under paragraph (d)(1) of this section and the Commissioner believes or has reason to believe that there is no successor of the common parent that satisfies the requirements of paragraph (d)(2) of this section (or the Commissioner believes or has reason to believe there is such a successor but has no last known address on file for such successor), the Commissioner may, at any time, with or without a request from any member of the group, designate a corporation described in paragraph (d)(1)(i)(A) of this section to act as the substitute agent. The Commissioner will notify the designated substitute agent in writing of its designation, and the designation is effective upon receipt by the designated substitute agent of such notice. The designated substitute agent must give notice of the designation to each corporation that was a member of the group during any part of the consolidated return year, but a failure by the designated substitute agent to notify any such member of the group does not invalidate the designation.
(ii) At the request of any member, the Commissioner may, but is not required to, replace a substitute agent previously designated under paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section with another corporation described in paragraph (d)(1)(i)(A) of this section.
(4) Absence of designation or notification of default substitute agent. Until a designation of a substitute agent for the group under paragraph (d)(1) of this section has become effective, the Commissioner has received notification in accordance with procedures established by the Commissioner that a successor qualifying under paragraph (d)(2) of this section has become the substitute agent by default, or the Commissioner has designated a substitute agent under paragraph (d)(3) of this section—
(i) Any notice of deficiency or other communication mailed to the common parent, even if no longer in existence, is considered as having been properly mailed to the agent for the group; and
(ii) The Commissioner is not required to act on any communication (including, for example, a claim for refund) submitted on behalf of the group by any person other than the common parent (including a successor of the common parent qualifying as a default substitute agent under paragraph (d)(2) of this section).
(e) Termination of a corporation's existence —(1) In general. For purposes of paragraphs (a)(1)(v), (a)(4)(i), (d), and (j) of this section, the existence of a corporation is deemed to terminate if—
(i) Its existence terminates under applicable law; or
(ii) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(3) of this section, it becomes, for Federal tax purposes, either—
(A) An entity that is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner; or
(B) An entity that is reclassified as a partnership.
(2) Purported agency. If the existence of the agent for the group terminates under circumstances described in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section, until the Commissioner has approved the designation of a substitute agent for the group pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this section or the Commissioner designates a substitute agent and notifies the designated substitute agent pursuant to paragraph (d)(3) of this section, any post-termination action by that purported agent on behalf of the group has the same effect, to the extent necessary to avoid prejudice to the Commissioner, as if the agent's corporate existence had not terminated.
(3) Exceptions where no eligible corporation exists. (i) For purposes of the common parent's term as agent under paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section and the term as agent of the substitute agent designated under paragraph (d) of this section, if a corporation either becomes disregarded as an entity separate from its owner or is reclassified as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, its existence is not deemed to terminate if the effect of such termination would be that no corporation remains eligible to serve as the substitute agent for the group's consolidated return year.
(ii) Similarly, for purposes of paragraph (d) of this section, an entity that is either disregarded as an entity separate from its owner or reclassified as a partnership for Federal tax purposes is not precluded from designation as a substitute agent merely because of such classification if the effect of the inability to make such designation would be that no corporation remains eligible to serve as the substitute agent for the group's consolidated return year.
(iii) Any entity described in paragraphs (e)(3)(i) or (ii) of this section that remains or becomes the agent for the group is treated as a corporation for purposes of this section.
(4) Exception for section 338 transactions. Notwithstanding section 338(a)(2), a target corporation for which an election is made under section 338 is not deemed to terminate for purposes of this section.
(f) Examples. The following examples illustrate the principles of this section. Unless otherwise indicated, each example addresses the question of which corporation is the proper party to execute a consent to waive the statute of limitations for Years 1 and 2 or the more general question of which corporation may be designated as a substitute agent for the group for Years 1 and 2. In each example, as of January 1 of Year 1, the P group consists of P and its two subsidiaries, S and S-1. P, as the common parent of the P group, files consolidated returns for the P group in Years 1 and 2. On January 1 of Year 1, domestic corporations S-2, U, V, W, W-1, X, Y, Z and Z-1 are not related to P or the members of the P group. All corporations are calendar year taxpayers. For none of the tax years at issue does the Commissioner exercise the authority under paragraph (a)(6) of this section to deal with any member separately. Any surviving corporation in a merger is a successor as described in paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section. Any notification to the Commissioner of the designation of the P group's substitute agent also contains a statement signed on behalf of the designated agent that it agrees to act as the group's substitute agent and, in the case of a successor, that it is primarily liable as a successor of a member. The examples are as follows:
(g) Cross-reference. For further rules applicable to groups that include insolvent financial institutions, see § 301.6402-7 of this chapter.
(h) Effective/applicability date —(1) Application —(i) In general. This section applies to consolidated return years beginning on or after June 28, 2002, and before April 1, 2015. For instructions regarding communications relating to the determination of a substitute agent and other matters under this section, see Rev. Proc. 2002-43, 2002-2 CB 99 (see § 601.601(d)(2)(ii)( b ) of this chapter). For rules governing the resignation of certain agents for the group subject to this section, see § 1.1502-77(c)(7) and (j)(2).

(ii) Election to apply for prior taxable years. Notwithstanding paragraphs (h)(1)(i) and (h)(2) of this section, the common parent may elect to apply paragraph (d)(1) of this section in lieu of § 1.1502-77A(d) in designating a substitute agent for taxable years beginning before June 28, 2002. The common parent makes such an election by expressly referring to the election under this paragraph (h)(1)(ii) in notifying the Commissioner of the designation of the substitute agent. Once made, such election applies to any subsequent designation of a substitute agent for the consolidated return year(s) subject to the election.
(2) Prior law. For taxable years beginning before June 28, 2002, see § 1.1502-77A.
(3) Designation of a domestic substitute agent —(i) In general. The provisions of paragraphs (e)(1) and (j) of this section apply to taxable years for which the consolidated Federal income tax return is due (without extensions) after July 23, 2007.
(ii) Prior law. For taxable years for which the consolidated Federal income tax return is due (without extensions) on or before July 23, 2007, see § 1.1502-77(e)(1) as contained in the 26 CFR part 1 edition revised as of April 1, 2007. For taxable years for which the consolidated Federal income tax return is due (without extensions) after March 14, 2006, and on or before July 23, 2007, see § 1.1502-77T as contained in the 26 CFR part 1 edition revised as of April 1, 2007.
(i) [Reserved]
(j) Designation by Commissioner if common parent is treated as a domestic corporation under section 7874 or section 953(d) —(1) In general. If the common parent is an entity created or organized under the law of a foreign country and is treated as a domestic corporation by reason of section 7874 (or regulations under that section) or a section 953(d) election (a foreign common parent), the Commissioner may at any time, with or without a request from any member of the group, designate another member of the group to act as the agent for the group (a domestic substitute agent) for any taxable year for which the consolidated Federal income tax return is due (without extensions) after July 23, 2007, and the foreign common parent would otherwise be the agent for the group. For each such year, the domestic substitute agent will be the sole agent for the group even though the foreign common parent remains in existence. The foreign common parent ceases to be the agent for the group when the Commissioner's designation of a domestic substitute agent becomes effective. The Commissioner may designate a domestic substitute agent for the term of a single taxable year, multiple years, or on a continuing basis.
(2) Domestic substitute agent. The domestic substitute agent, by designation or by succession, shall be a domestic corporation described in paragraph (d)(1)(i)(A) of this section (determined without regard to section 7874, a section 953(d) election or section 1504(d)).
(3) Designation by the Commissioner. The Commissioner will notify the domestic substitute agent in writing by mail or faxed transmission of the designation. The domestic substitute agent's designation is effective on the earliest of the 14th day following the date of a mailing, the 4th day following a faxed transmission, or the date the Commissioner receives written confirmation of the designation by a duly authorized officer of the domestic substitute agent (within the meaning of section 6062). The domestic substitute agent must give notice of its designation to the foreign common parent and each corporation that was a member of the group during any part of any consolidated return year for which the domestic substitute agent will be the agent. A failure of the domestic substitute agent to notify the foreign common parent or any member of the group does not invalidate the designation. The Commissioner will send a copy of the notification to the foreign common parent, and if applicable, to any domestic substitute agent the designation replaces; a failure to send a copy of the notification does not invalidate the designation.
(4) Term of agency —(i) Taxable years for which domestic substitute agent is the agent. If the Commissioner designates a domestic substitute agent for one or more taxable years, unless the designation is expressly limited to such term, such domestic substitute agent will continue as the group's sole agent for subsequent taxable years until the domestic substitute agent ceases to be a member of the continuing group, is replaced by a new domestic common parent (as provided in paragraph (j)(4)(iv)(A) of this section), is replaced by the Commissioner, or is replaced by a default substitute agent (as provided in paragraph (j)(5)(ii) of this section). If during the course of a consolidated return year the domestic substitute agent ceases to be a member of the continuing group or is replaced, it shall no longer act as agent for such taxable year or subsequent taxable years in any matter.
(ii) Continuing agency for prior taxable years. Unless replaced by a default substitute agent (as provided in paragraph (j)(5)(ii) of this section) or by the Commissioner, the domestic substitute agent at the end of a taxable year of the group will remain the agent for such year until its existence terminates, even if the group subsequently ceases to exist or the domestic substitute agent subsequently ceases to be a member of the group.
(iii) Replacement of a § 1.1502-77(d)(1) agent. If, pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the common parent of the group designates a foreign common parent as the agent for the group for any taxable year, the Commissioner may, at any time, designate a domestic substitute agent to replace the foreign common parent, even if the Commissioner approved the terminating common parent's designation.
(iv) Group continues with a new common parent —(A) Year the new common parent becomes the common parent. If the group has a domestic substitute agent and the group continues in existence with a new common parent during a consolidated return year, and such new common parent is a domestic corporation (determined without regard to section 7874 or a section 953(d) election), the domestic substitute agent at the beginning of the year is the agent for the group through the date of the transaction in which the new common parent becomes the common parent, and the new common parent becomes the agent for the group beginning the day after the transaction, at which time it becomes the agent for the group with respect to the entire consolidated return year (including the period through the date of the transaction) and the former domestic substitute agent will no longer be the agent for the group for that year.
(B) Years preceding the year the new common parent becomes the common parent. If after the Commissioner's designation of a domestic substitute agent the group remains in existence with a new common parent, and such new common parent is a domestic corporation (determined without regard to section 7874 or a section 953(d) election), the Commissioner may designate the new common parent as the sole agent for the group for any of the group's prior taxable years (for which the consolidated Federal income tax return is due (without extensions) after July 23, 2007) in which the new common parent was a member of the group. For this purpose, the new common parent is treated as having been a member of the group for any taxable year it is primarily liable for the group's income tax liability.
(v) Replacement of domestic substitute agent by the Commissioner. The Commissioner may at any time, with or without a request from any member of the group, designate a replacement for a domestic substitute agent (or a successor to such agent).
(5) Deemed § 1.1502-77(d) designation —(i) In general. If the Commissioner designates a domestic substitute agent under this paragraph (j), it will be treated as a designation of a substitute agent under paragraph (d) of this section.
(ii) Default substitute agent. If the domestic substitute agent's existence terminates and it has a single successor that is a domestic corporation (without regard to section 269B) that is eligible to be a domestic substitute agent, such successor becomes the domestic substitute agent and is treated as a default substitute agent under paragraph (d)(2) of this section. See paragraph (d)(4) of this section regarding the consequences of the successor's failure to notify the Commissioner of its status as a default substitute agent. The default substitute agent shall use procedures in section 9 of Rev. Proc. 2002-43 (2002-2 CB 99) or a corresponding provision of a successor revenue procedure for notification. (See § 601.601(d)(2)(ii)( b ) of this chapter.)
(6) Request that IRS designate a domestic substitute agent —(i) Original designation. If the common parent of the group is a foreign common parent, and the IRS has not designated a domestic substitute agent, one or more members of the group may request the IRS to make a designation for taxable years for which the consolidated Federal income tax return is due (without extensions) after July 23, 2007. Such request is deemed to be a request under paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section. Members of the group shall use the procedures in section 10 of Rev. Proc. 2002-43 (2002-2 CB 99) or a corresponding provision of a successor revenue procedure for this purpose. (See § 601.601(d)(2)(ii)( b ) of this chapter.)
(ii) Request that IRS replace a previously designated substitute agent. If the IRS designates a domestic substitute agent pursuant to this paragraph (j), one or more members of the group may request that the IRS replace the designated domestic substitute agent with another member (or successor to another member). Such a request is deemed to be a request pursuant to paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section. Members of the group shall use the procedures in section 11 of Rev. Proc. 2002-43 (2002-2 CB 99) or a corresponding provision of a successor revenue procedure for this purpose. (See § 601.601(d)(2)(ii)( b ) of this chapter.)
§ 1.1551-1   Disallowance of surtax exemption and accumulated earnings credit.
(a) In general. If:
(1) Any corporation transfers, on or after January 1, 1951, and before June 13, 1963, all or part of its property (other than money) to a transferee corporation,
(2) Any corporation transfers, directly or indirectly, after June 12, 1963, all or part of its property (other than money) to a transferee corporation, or
(3) Five or fewer individuals are in control of a corporation and one or more of them transfer, directly or indirectly, after June 12, 1963, property (other than money) to a transferee corporation, and the transferee was created for the purpose of acquiring such property or was not actively engaged in business at the time of such acquisition, and if after such transfer the transferor or transferors are in control of the transferee during any part of the taxable year of the transferee, then for such taxable year of the transferee the Secretary or his delegate may disallow the surtax exemption defined in section 11(d) or the accumulated earnings credit of $150,000 ($100,000 in the case of taxable years beginning before January 1, 1975) provided in paragraph (2) or (3) of section 535(c), unless the transferee establishes by the clear preponderance of the evidence that the securing of such exemption or credit was not a major purpose of the transfer.
(b) Purpose of section 1551. The purpose of section 1551 is to prevent avoidance or evasion of the surtax imposed by section 11(c) or of the accumulated earnings tax imposed by section 531. It is not intended, however, that section 1551 be interpreted as delimiting or abrogating any principle of law established by judicial decision, or any existing provisions of the Code, such as sections 269 and 482, which have the effect of preventing the avoidance or evasion of income taxes. Such principles of law and such provisions of the Code, including section 1551, are not mutually exclusive, and in appropriate cases they may operate together or they may operate separately.
(c) Application of section 269(b) to cases covered by section 1551. The provisions of section 269(b) and the authority of the district director thereunder, to the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of section 1551, are applicable to cases covered by section 1551. Pursuant to the authority provided in section 269(b) the district director may allow to the transferee any part of a surtax exemption or accumulated earnings credit for a taxable year for which such exemption or credit would otherwise be disallowed under section 1551(a); or he may apportion such exemption or credit among the corporations involved. For example, corporation A transfers on January 1, 1955, all of its property to corporations B and C in exchange for all of the stock of such corporations. Immediately thereafter, corporation A is dissolved and its stockholders become the sole stockholders of corporations B and C. Assuming that corporations B and C are unable to establish by the clear preponderance of the evidence that the securing of the surtax exemption defined in section 11(d) or the accumulated earnings credit provided in section 535, or both, was not a major purpose of the transfer, the district director is authorized under sections 1551(c) and 269(b) to allow one such exemption and credit and to apportion such exemption and credit between corporations B and C.
(d) Actively engaged in business. For purposes of this section, a corporation maintaining an office for the purpose of preserving its corporate existence is not considered to be “actively engaged in business” even though such corporation may be deemed to be “doing business” for other purposes. Similarly, for purposes of this section, a corporation engaged in winding up its affairs, prior to an acquisition to which section 1551 is applicable, is not considered to be “actively engaged in business.”
(e) Meaning and application of the term “control” —(1) In general. For purposes of this section, the term “control” means:
(i) With respect to a transferee corporation described in paragraph (a) (1) or (2) of this section, the ownership by the transferor corporation, its shareholders, or both, of stock possessing either ( a ) at least 80 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote, or ( b ) at least 80 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock.
(ii) With respect to each corporation described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, the ownership by five or fewer individuals of stock possessing ( a ) at least 80 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or at least 80 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of the stock of each corporation, and ( b ) more than 50 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or more than 50 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of each corporation, taking into account the stock ownership of each such individual only to the extent such stock ownership is identical with respect to each such corporation.
(2) Special rules. In determining for purposes of this section whether stock possessing at least 80 percent (or more than 50 percent in the case of subparagraph (1)(ii)( b ) of this paragraph) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote is owned, all classes of such stock shall be considered together; it is not necessary that at least 80 percent (or more than 50 percent) of each class of voting stock be owned. Likewise, in determining for purposes of this section whether stock possessing at least 80 percent (or more than 50 percent) of the total value of shares of all classes of stock is owned, all classes of stock of the corporation shall be considered together; it is not necessary that at least 80 percent (or more than 50 percent) of the value of shares of each class be owned. The fair market value of a share shall be considered as the value to be used for purposes of this computation. With respect to transfers described in paragraph (a) (2) or (3) of this section, the ownership of stock shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of section 1563(e) and the regulations thereunder. With respect to transfers described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the ownership of stock shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of section 544 and the regulations thereunder, except that constructive ownership under section 544(a)(2) shall be determined only with respect to the individual's spouse and minor children. In determining control, no stock shall be excluded because such stock was acquired before January 1, 1951 (the effective date of section 1551(a)(1)), or June 13, 1963 (the effective date of section 1551(a) (2) and (3)).
(3) Example. This paragraph may be illustrated by the following example:
(f) Taxable year of allowance or disallowance —(1) In general. The district director's authority with respect to cases covered by section 1551 is not limited to the taxable year of the transferee corporation in which the transfer of property occurs. Such authority extends to the taxable year in which the transfer occurs or any subsequent taxable year of the transferee corporation if, during any part of such year, the transferor or transferors are in control of the transferee.
(2) Examples. This paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:
(g) Nature of transfer —(1) Corporate transfers before June 13, 1963. A transfer made before June 13, 1963, by any corporation of all or part of its assets, whether or not such transfer qualifies as a reorganization under section 368, is within the scope of section 1551(a)(1), except that section 1551(a)(1) does not apply to a transfer of money only. For example, the transfer of cash for the purpose of expanding the business of the transferor corporation through the formation of a new corporation is not a transfer within the scope of section 1551(a)(1), irrespective of whether the new corporation uses the cash to purchase from the transferor corporation stock in trade or similar property.
(2) Corporate transfers after June 12, 1963. A direct or indirect transfer made after June 12, 1963, by any corporation of all or part of its assets to a transferee corporation, whether or not such transfer qualifies as a reorganization under section 368, is within the scope of section 1551(a)(2) except that section 1551(a)(2) does not apply to a transfer of money only. For example, if a transferor corporation transfers property to its shareholders or to a subsidiary, the transfer of that property by the shareholders or the subsidiary to a transferee corporation as part of the same transaction is a transfer of property by the transferor corporation to which section 1551(a)(2) applies. A transfer of property pursuant to a purchase by a transferee corporation from a transferor corporation controlling the transferee is within the scope of section 1551(a)(2), whether or not the purchase follows a transfer of cash from the controlling corporation.
(3) Other transfers after June 12, 1963. A direct or indirect transfer made after June 12, 1963, by five or fewer individuals to a transferee corporation, whether or not such transfer qualifies under one or more other provisions of the Code (for example, section 351), is within the scope of section 1551(a)(3) except that section 1551(a)(3) does not apply to a transfer of money only. Thus, if one of five or fewer individuals who are in control of a corporation transfers property (other than money) to a controlled transferee corporation, the transfer is within the scope of section 1551(a)(3) notwithstanding that the other individuals transfer nothing or transfer only money.
(4) Examples. This paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:
(h) Purpose of transfer. In determining, for purposes of this section, whether the securing of the surtax exemption or accumulated earnings credit constituted “a major purpose” of the transfer, all circumstances relevant to the transfer shall be considered. “A major purpose” will not be inferred from the mere purchase of inventory by a subsidiary from a centralized warehouse maintained by its parent corporation or by another subsidiary of the parent corporation. For disallowance of the surtax exemption and accumulated earnings credit under section 1551, it is not necessary that the obtaining of either such credit or exemption, or both, have been the sole or principal purpose of the transfer of the property. It is sufficient if it appears, in the light of all the facts and circumstances, that the obtaining of such exemption or credit, or both, was one of the major considerations that prompted the transfer. Thus, the securing of the surtax exemption or the accumulated earnings credit may constitute “a major purpose” of the transfer, notwithstanding that such transfer was effected for a valid business purpose and qualified as a reorganization within the meaning of section 368. The taxpayer's burden of establishing by the clear preponderance of the evidence that the securing of either such exemption or credit or both was not “a major purpose” of the transfer may be met, for example, by showing that the obtaining of such exemption, or credit, or both, was not a major factor in relationship to the other consideration or considerations which prompted the transfer.
§ 1.1552-1   Earnings and profits.
(a) General rule. For the purpose of determining the earnings and profits of each member of an affiliated group which is required to be included in a consolidated return for such group filed for a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1953, and ending after August 16, 1954, the tax liability of the group shall be allocated among the members of the group in accordance with one of the following methods, pursuant to an election under paragraph (c) of this section:
(1)(i) The tax liability of the group shall be apportioned among the members of the group in accordance with the ratio which that portion of the consolidated taxable income attributable to each member of the group having taxable income bears to the consolidated taxable income.
(ii) For consolidated return years beginning after December 31, 1965, a member's portion of the tax liability of the group under the method of allocation provided by subdivision (i) of this subparagraph is an amount equal to the tax liability of the group multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the taxable income of such member, and the denominator of which is the sum of the taxable incomes of all the members. For purposes of this subdivision the taxable income of a member shall be the separate taxable income determined under § 1.1502-12, adjusted for the following items taken into account in the computation of consolidated taxable income:
(A) The portion of the consolidated net operating loss deduction, the consolidated charitable contributions deduction, the consolidated dividends received deduction, the consolidated section 247 deduction, the consolidated section 582(c) net loss, and the consolidated section 922 deduction, attributable to such member;
(B) Such member's capital gain net income (determined without regard to any net capital loss carryover attributable to such member);
(C) Such member's net capital loss and section 1231 net loss, reduced by the portion of the consolidated net capital loss attributable to such member; and
(D) The portion of any consolidated net capital loss carryover attributable to such member which is absorbed in the taxable year.
(2)(i) The tax liability of the group shall be allocated to the several members of the group on the basis of the percentage of the total tax which the tax of such member if computed on a separate return would bear to the total amount of the taxes for all members of the group so computed.
(ii) For consolidated return years beginning after December 31, 1965, a member's portion of the tax liability of the group under the method of allocation provided by subdivision (i) of this subparagraph is an amount equal to the tax liability of the group multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the separate return tax liability of such member, and the denominator of which is the sum of the separate return tax liabilities of all the members. For purposes of this subdivision the separate return tax liability of a member is its tax liability computed as if it has filed a separate return for the year except that:
(A) Gains and losses on intercompany transactions shall be taken into account as provided in § 1.1502-13 as if a consolidated return had been filed for the year;
(B) [Reserved]
(C) Transactions with respect to stock, bonds, or other obligations of members shall be reflected as provided in § 1.1502-13 (f) and (g) as if a consolidated return had been filed for the year;
(D) Excess losses shall be included in income as provided in § 1.1502-19 as if a consolidated return had been filed for the year;
(E) In the computation of the deduction under section 167, property shall not lose its character as new property as a result of a transfer from one member to another member during the year;
(F) A dividend distributed by one member to another member during the year shall not be taken into account in computing the deductions under section 243(a)(1), 244(a), 245, or 247 (relating to deductions with respect to dividends received and dividends paid);
(G) Basis shall be determined under §§ 1.1502-31 and 1.1502-32, and earnings and profits shall be determined under § 1.1502-33, as if a consolidated return had been filed for the year;
(H) Subparagraph (2) of § 1.1502-3(f) shall apply as if a consolidated return had been filed for the year; and
(I) For purposes of subtitle A of the Code, if two or more taxable income brackets are set forth in section 11(b) of the Code, the amount in each taxable income bracket is divided by the number of members (or such portion of each bracket which is apportioned to the member pursuant to a schedule attached to the consolidated return for the consolidated return year). However, if for the taxable year some or all of the members are component members of a controlled group of corporations (within the meaning of section 1563) and if there are other such component members which do not join in filing the consolidated return for such year, the amount to be divided among the members filing the consolidated return is (in lieu of the taxable income brackets) the sum of the amounts apportioned to the component members which join in filing the consolidated return.
(3)(i) The tax liability of the group (excluding the tax increases arising from the consolidation) shall be allocated on the basis of the contribution of each member of the group to the consolidated taxable income of the group. Any tax increases arising from the consolidation shall be distributed to the several members in direct proportion to the reduction in tax liability resulting to such members from the filing of the consolidated return as measured by the difference between their tax liabilities determined on a separate return basis and their tax liabilities (determined without regard to the 2-percent increase provided by section 1503(a) and paragraph (a) of § 1.1502-30A (as contained in the 26 CFR edition revised as of April 1, 1996) for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1964) based on their contributions to the consolidated taxable income.
(ii) For consolidated return years beginning after December 31, 1965, a member's portion of the tax liability of the group under the method of allocation provided by subdivision (i) of this subparagraph shall be determined by:
( a ) Allocating the tax liability of the group in accordance with subparagraph (1)(ii) of this paragraph, but
( b ) The amount of tax liability allocated to any member shall not exceed the separate return tax liability of such member, determined in accordance with subparagraph (2)(ii) of this paragraph, and
( c ) The sum of the amounts which would be allocated to the members but for ( b ) of this subdivision (ii) shall be apportioned among the other members in direct proportion to, but limited to, the reduction in tax liability resulting to such other members. Such reduction for any member shall be the excess, if any, of ( 1 ) its separate this paragraph.
(4) The tax liability of the group shall be allocated in accordance with any other method selected by the group with the approval of the Commissioner. No method of allocation may be approved under this subparagraph which may result in the allocation of a positive tax liability for a taxable year, among the members who are allocated a positive tax liability for such year, in a total amount which is more or less than the tax liability of the group for such year. (However, see paragraph (d) of § 1.1502-33.)
(b) Application of rules —(1) Tax liability of the group. For purposes of section 1552 and this section, the tax liability of the group for a taxable year shall consist of the Federal income tax liability of the group for such year determined in accordance with § 1.1502-2 or § 1.1502-30A (as contained in the 26 CFR edition revised as of April 1, 1996), which-ever is applicable. Thus, in the case of a carryback of a loss or credit to such year, although the earnings and profits of the members of the group may not be adjusted until the subsequent taxable year from which the loss or credit was carried back, the effect of the carryback, for purposes of this section, shall be determined by allocating the amount of the adjustment as a part of the tax liability of the group for the taxable year to which the loss or credit is carried. For example, if a consolidated net operating loss is carried back from 1969 to 1967, the allocation of the tax liability of the group for 1967 shall be recomputed in accordance with the method of allocation used for 1967, and the changes resulting from such recomputation shall, for accrual method taxpayers, be reflected in the earnings and profits of the appropriate members in 1969.
(2) Effect of allocation. The amount of tax liability allocated to a corporation as its share of the tax liability of the group, pursuant to this section, shall (i) result in a decrease in the earnings and profits of such corporation in such amount, and (ii) be treated as a liability of such corporation for such amount. If the full amount of such liability is not paid by such corporation, pursuant to an agreement among the members of the group or otherwise, the amount which is not paid will generally be treated as a distribution with respect to stock, a contribution to capital, or a combination thereof, as the case may be.
(c) Method of election. (1) The election under paragraph (a) (1), (2), or (3) of this section shall be made not later than the time prescribed by law for filing the first consolidated return of the group for a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1953, and ending after August 16, 1954 (including extensions thereof). If the group elects to allocate its tax liability in accordance with the method prescribed in paragraph (a) (1), (2), or (3) of this section, a statement shall be attached to the return stating which method is elected. Such statement shall be made by the common parent corporation and shall be binding upon all members of the group. In the event that the group desires to allocate its tax liability in accordance with any other method pursuant to paragraph (a)(4) of this section, approval of such method by the Commissioner must be obtained within the time prescribed above. If such approval is not obtained in such time, the group shall allocate in accordance with the method prescribed in paragraph (a)(1) of this section. The request shall state fully the method which the group wishes to apply in apportioning the tax liability. Except as provided in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, an election once made shall be irrevocable and shall be binding upon the group with respect to the year for which made and for all future years for which a consolidated return is filed or required to be filed unless the Commissioner authorizes a change to another method prior to the time prescribed by law for filing the return for the year in which such change is to be effective.
(2) Each group may make a new election to use any one of the methods prescribed in paragraph (a) (1), (2), or (3) of this section for its first consolidated return year beginning after December 31, 1965, or in conjunction with an election under paragraph (d) of § 1.1502-33, or may request the Commissioner's approval of a method under paragraph (a)(4) of this section for its first consolidated return year beginning after December 31, 1965, irrespective of its previous method of allocation under this section. If such new election is not made in conjunction with an election under paragraph (d) of § 1.1502-33, it shall be effective for the first consolidated return year beginning after December 31, 1965, and all succeeding years. (See § 1.1502-33 for the method of making such new election in conjunction with an election under paragraph (d) of § 1.1502-33.) Any other such new election (or request for the Commissioner's approval of a method under paragraph (a)(4) of this section) shall be made within the time prescribed by law for filing the consolidated return for the first taxable year beginning after December 31, 1965 (including extensions thereof), or within 60 days after July 3, 1968, whichever is later. Such new election shall be made by attaching a statement to the consolidated return for the first taxable year beginning after December 31, 1965, or if such election is made within the time prescribed above but after such return is filed, by filing a statement with the internal revenue officer with whom such return was filed.
(d) Failure to elect. If a group fails to make an election in its first consolidated return, or any other election, in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, the method prescribed under paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall be applicable and shall be binding upon the group in the same manner as if an election had been made to so allocate.
(e) Definitions. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the terms used in this section shall have the same meaning as provided in the regulations under section 1502.
(f) Example. The provisions of this section may be illustrated by the following example:
(g) Applicability date. This section applies to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025. See 26 CFR 1.1552-1, as revised April 1, 2024, for rules applicable prior to January 1, 2025.
§ 1.1561-0   Table of contents.
This section lists the table of contents for §§ 1.1561-1 through 1.1561-3.
(a) In general.
(1) Limitation.
(2) Definitions.
(b) Special rules.
(1) S Corporation.
(2) 52-53-week taxable year.
(c) Tax avoidance.
(d) Effective/applicability date.
(a) Additional tax.
(1) Calculation.
(2) Apportionment.
(3) Examples.
(b) Reduction to the amount exempted from the alternative minimum tax.
(1) Calculation.
(2) Apportionment.
(3) Examples.
(c) Accumulated earnings credit.
(d) [Reserved]
(e) Short taxable year not including a December 31st date.
(1) General rule.
(2) Additional rules.
(3) Calculation of the additional tax.
(4) Calculation of the alternative minimum tax.
(5) Examples.
(f) Effective/applicability date.
(a) Filing of form.
(1) In general.
(2) Exception for component members that are members of a consolidated group.
(b) No apportionment plan in effect.
(c) Apportionment plan in effect.
(1) Adoption of plan.
(2) Limitation on adopting a plan.
(3) Termination of plan.
(d) Effective/applicability date.
§ 1.1561-1   General rules regarding certain tax benefits available to the component members of a controlled group of corporations.
(a) In general —(1)— Limitation. Part II (section 1561 and following) of subchapter B of chapter 6 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) (part II) provides rules to limit the amounts of certain specified tax benefit items of component members of a controlled group of corporations for their tax years which include a particular December 31st date, or, in the case of a short taxable year member (see section 1561(b) and § 1.1561-2(e)), the date substituted for that December 31st date. The amount of the tax items enumerated in section 1561(a) available to any of the component members of a controlled group shall be determined for purposes of subtitle A of the Code as if the component members were a single corporation. Certain other tax items also set forth in section 1561(a) (for example, the additional tax imposed by section 11(b)(1) and the section 55(d)(3) phase out of the alternative minimum tax exemption amount) will be determined by combining the positive taxable income or positive alternative minimum taxable income of the component members of such a group and then allocating the amount of such items among those members.
(2) Definitions. For certain definitions (including the definition of a controlled group of corporations and a component member ) and special rules for purposes of this part II see section 1563.
(b) Special rules —(1) S Corporation. For purposes of this part II, the term corporation includes a small business corporation (as defined in section 1361). However, for the treatment of such a corporation as an excluded member of a controlled group of corporations see § 1.1563-1(b)(2)(ii)(C).
(2) 52-53-week taxable year. In the case of corporations electing a 52-53-week taxable year under section 441(f)(1), the provisions of this part II shall be applied in accordance with the special rule of section 441(f)(2)(A). See § 1.441-2.
(c) Tax avoidance. The provisions of this part II do not delimit or abrogate any principle of law established by judicial decision, or any existing provisions of the Code, such as sections 269, 482, and 1551, which serve to prevent any avoidance or evasion of income taxes.
(d) Effective/applicability date. This section applies to any tax year beginning on or after December 21, 2009. However, taxpayers may apply this section to any Federal income tax return filed on or after December 21, 2009. For tax years beginning before December 21, 2009, see § 1.1561-1T as contained in 26 CFR part 1 in effect on April 1, 2009.
§ 1.1561-2   Special rules for allocating reductions of certain section 1561(a) tax-benefit items.
(a) Additional tax —(1) Calculation —(i) In general. For the purpose of determining the amount, if any, of the additional tax imposed by section 11(b)(1) (the additional tax), the taxable incomes of all of the component members of a controlled group of corporations shall be combined to determine whether either of the income thresholds for imposing the additional tax have been attained.
(ii) Special rules. For purposes of paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section—
(A) Component member means a corporation that is apportioned some part of any applicable tax bracket amount; and
(B) Taxable income means the positive taxable income of a component member for its entire tax year (even if it was not a member of the group for each day of that tax year) that includes the same December 31st testing date, which is also applicable to the other component members of that same controlled group.
(2) Apportionment —(i) General rule. Any additional tax determined under paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall be apportioned among such members in the same manner as the corresponding tax bracket of section 11(b)(1) is apportioned. For rules to apportion the section 11(b)(1) tax brackets among the component members of a controlled group, see § 1.1561-3(b) or (c).
(ii) Apportionment methods. Unless the component members of a controlled group elect to use the first-in-first-out (FIFO) method described in paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(B) of this section, such members are required to apportion the amount of the additional tax using the proportionate method described in paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A) of this section. These component members may elect the FIFO method by specifically adopting such method in their apportionment plan.
(A) Proportionate method. Under the proportionate method, the additional tax is allocated to each component member in the same proportion as the portion of the tax-benefit amount that inured to a member from utilizing lower tax brackets bears to the amount of the group's total tax-benefit amount inuring to it from utilizing those lower tax brackets. The tax-benefit amount that inures to a corporation from using a particular tax bracket is the tax savings that such corporation realizes from having a portion of its taxable income taxed at the lower rate attributed to that tax bracket instead of the high tax rates to which it would otherwise be subject. The steps for applying the proportionate method of allocation are as follows:
( 1 ) Step 1. The regular tax (not including the additional tax) owed by a component member under a particular tax bracket is divided by the total tax owed by all component members under that tax bracket;
( 2 ) Step 2. The percentage calculated under Step 1 is multiplied by the total tax-benefit amount inuring to all the members of the group from their use of this tax bracket. This computed amount equals the portion of the group's tax-benefit amount that inured to such member from using its portion of this tax bracket;
( 3 ) Step 3. The amount determined under Step 2 is divided by the total tax-benefit amount, inuring to all the component members of the group from using all the tax brackets to which any component member's income was subject;
( 4 ) Step 4. The percentage calculated under Step 3 is multiplied by the amount of the group's additional tax. The amount determined under this Step 4 equals the amount of the additional tax apportioned to such member for that tax bracket; and
( 5 ) Step 5. If a component member is liable for regular tax (not including the additional tax) under more than one tax bracket, that member must calculate the amount of the additional tax apportioned to it with respect to each tax bracket. Accordingly, steps 1 through 4 must be applied for each tax bracket applicable to that member. The sum of all the apportioned amounts of additional tax from each tax bracket for which the member is subject is the total amount of the additional tax apportioned to that member.
(B) FIFO method. Under the FIFO method, the first dollars of the additional tax are to be allocated proportionately to the members starting with the lowest tax bracket (that is, the first tax bracket), up to the amount of the tax benefit inuring to those members from using that tax bracket. Any remaining amount of additional tax is then allocated proportionately among the component members who use the next higher tax bracket, and so on, until the entire amount of the additional tax has been fully apportioned among the members. For example, the first $9,500 of the additional tax liability of a controlled group is apportioned entirely to the member(s) that availed themselves of the benefit of the 15 percent tax bracket.
(3) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (a) may be illustrated by the following examples:
(ii) Calculating the tax from the tax brackets and the tax benefit derived from such tax. (A) Regular tax of group subject to a 15 percent tax rate. ( 1 ) Calculating the group's tax which resulted from applying a 15 percent tax rate. The amount of tax under the 15 percent tax bracket is $7,500 (15% × $50,000).
( 2 ) The tax-benefit amount inuring to the group from using the 15 percent tax bracket. A tax benefit inures to those members of the group who avail themselves of the 15 percent tax bracket. That tax benefit results from having the first $50,000 of its income taxed at the 15 percent tax rate, instead of at the 34 percent tax rate. Thus, the tax-benefit amount inuring to this group from using the 15 percent tax bracket is $9,500 ($17,000 (34% × $50,000) minus $7,500 (15% × $50,000)).
(B) Regular tax of group subject to a 25 percent tax rate. ( 1 ) Calculating the group's tax which resulted from applying a 25 percent tax rate. The amount of tax under the 25 percent tax bracket is $6,250 (25% × $25,000 ($75,000−$50,000)).
( 2 ) The tax-benefit amount inuring to the group from using the 25 percent tax bracket. A tax benefit inures to those members of the group who avail themselves of the 25 percent tax bracket. That tax benefit results from having $25,000 of its income taxed at the 25 percent tax rate, instead of at the 34 percent tax rate. Thus, the tax-benefit amount inuring to this group from using the 25 percent tax bracket is $2,250 ($8,500 (34% × $25,000) minus $6,250 (25% × $25,000)).
(C) Regular tax of group subject to a 34 percent tax rate. ( 1 ) Calculating the group's tax which resulted from applying a 34 percent tax rate. The amount of tax under the 34 percent tax bracket is $42,500 (34% × $125,000 ($200,000 (total TI)−$75,000) (amount taxed at lower rates)).
( 2 ) The tax-benefit amount inuring to the group from using the 34 percent tax bracket. The group's total TI of $200,000 is less than the $15,000,000 income threshold for imposing any 3 percent additional tax on the group. Therefore, there is no tax benefit inuring to the members of this group for using the 34 percent tax bracket.
(D) The computation of the additional tax. Since the combined TI of the group exceeds $100,000, a 5 percent additional tax is imposed on the group. That 5 percent additional tax is the lesser amount of 5 percent of the group's taxable income exceeding $100,000 or $11,750. Five percent of that excess amount of taxable income is $5,000 (5% × $100,000 ($200,000−$100,000)). Since $5,000 is less than $11,750, the group's 5 percent additional tax is $5,000.
(iii) Apportioning the amount of additional tax to each applicable tax bracket. (A) The apportioned tax under each bracket. The amount of tax owed by each member under each tax bracket pursuant to the apportionment plan is as follows:
( 1 ) Amount of the additional tax apportioned to X. Pursuant to the plan, X was liable for $6,000 of the group's $7,500 regular tax (80%) owed under the 15 percent tax bracket (and X is not liable for any regular tax under any higher tax bracket). See Step 1 of paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A) of this section. X's portion of the group's tax benefit which it derived from using the 15 percent tax rate is $7,600 (0.8 × $9,500). See Step 2. The tax benefit inuring to the entire group from using the 15 percent and 25 percent tax brackets is $11,750 ($9,500 (from the 15 percent tax bracket) + $2,250 (from the 25 percent tax bracket)). So, X's percentage portion of the group's total tax benefit is $7,600/$11,750 (64.68%). See Step 3. Thus, X's allocated portion of the 5 percent additional tax from using the 15 percent tax bracket is $3,234 (0.6468 × $5,000). See Step 4.
( 2 ) Amount of the additional tax apportioned to Y. ( i ) Regular tax apportioned to Y from using the 15 percent tax bracket. Pursuant to the plan, Y was liable for the remaining $1,500 of the group's $7,500 regular tax (20%) owed under the 15 percent tax bracket. See Step 1. Y's portion of the group's tax benefit which it derived from using the 15 percent tax rate is $1,900 ($9,500−$7,600, or 0.2 × $9,500). See Step 2. So, Y's percentage portion of the group's total tax benefit is $1,900/$11,750 (16.17%). See Step 3. Thus, Y's allocated portion of the 5 percent additional tax from using the 15 percent tax bracket is $809 (0.1617 × $5,000). See Step 4.
( ii ) Regular tax apportioned to Y from using the 25 percent tax bracket. Pursuant to the plan, Y was liable for 100% of the group's regular tax owed under the 25 percent tax bracket, an amount of $6,250. See Step 1. Y is, therefore, entitled to 100% of the group's tax benefit which it derived from using this tax bracket, an amount of $2,250. See Step 2. So, Y's percentage portion of the group's total tax benefit is $2,250/$11,750 (19.15%). See Step 3. Thus, Y's allocated portion of the 5 percent additional tax from using the 25 percent tax bracket is $957 (0.1915 × $5,000). See Step 4. Y's total allocated portion of the additional tax is $1,766 ($809 + $957). See Step 5.
(ii) Controlled group analysis. On December 31st, 2007, X and Y are members of the selling controlled group and M, N and Z are members of the buying controlled group. However, pursuant to section 1563(b)(3), Z is treated as an additional member of the X-Y group on December31st 2007, since it was a member for at least one-half the number of days (243 out of 364) during the period beginning on January 1 and ending on December 30, 2007. Conversely, pursuant to section 1563(b)(2)(A), Z is treated as an excluded member of the M-N controlled group. Therefore, on December 31st, 2007, X, Y, and Z qualify as component members of the selling group, and only M and N qualify as component members of the buying group.
(iii) Additional tax analysis. With regard to X and Y's 2007 tax years, X and Y together owed $5,000 of additional tax, as calculated in Example 1. X's allocated portion of the additional tax is $3,234, as calculated in the manner set forth in Example 1. Y's allocated portion of the additional tax is $1,766, also as calculated in the manner set forth in Example 1.
(ii) Additional tax analysis. For 2007 the X-Y-Z group owed a revised additional tax in the amount of $5,500, allocated as follows: $3,557.40 to X and $1,942.60 to Y. X and Y each filed an amended 2007 tax return to report their portions of the $500 increase to the group's additional tax. Pursuant to their apportionment plan for allocating their regular tax, and as a result of defaulting to the proportionate method for allocating the group's additional tax, X reported $323.40 as its share of the group's increase to its additional tax and Y reported $176.60 as its share of the group's increase to its additional tax.
(b) Reduction to the amount exempted from the alternative minimum tax —(1) Calculation. The alternative minimum taxable incomes of the component members of a controlled group of corporations shall be taken into account in calculating the reduction set forth in section 55(d)(3) to the amount exempted from the alternative minimum tax (the exemption amount). For purposes of the preceding sentence, alternative minimum taxable income means the positive alternative minimum taxable income of a component member for its entire tax year (even if it was not a member of the group for each day of that tax year) that includes the same December 31st testing date, which is also applicable to the other component members of that same controlled group.
(2) Apportionment. Any reduction to the exemption amount shall be apportioned to the component members of a controlled group in the same manner that the amount of the exemption (provided in section 55(d)(2)) to the alternative minimum tax was allocated under section 1561(a). For rules to apportion the section 55(d)(2) exemption amount among the component members of a controlled group, see § 1.1561-3(b) or (c).
(3) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (b) may be illustrated by the following example:
(ii) Calculating the reduction to the exemption amount. Section 55(d)(3)(A) provides that the section 55(d)(2) exemption amount shall be reduced (but not below zero) by an amount equal to 25 percent of the amount by which the AMTI of a corporation exceeds $150,000. For the purpose of computing the group's AMTI, the AMTI of each of the component members, for their tax years that have the same December 31st testing date, shall be taken into account. In accordance with these provisions, the $40,000 exemption amount is reduced by $12,500 (25% × $50,000 ($200,000−$150,000)). Pursuant to the group's allocation plan, the entire $12,500 reduction to the exemption amount is allocated to Z. Thus, after such allocation, Z's $40,000 exemption amount is reduced to $27,500 ($40,000−$12,500).
(c) Accumulated earnings credit. The component members of a controlled group of corporations are permitted to allocate the amount of the accumulated earnings credit unequally if they have an apportionment plan in effect.
(d) [Reserved]
(e) Short taxable years not including a December 31st date —(1) General rule. If a corporation has a short taxable year not including a December 31st date and, after applying the rules of section 1561(b) and paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section, it qualifies as a component member of the group with respect to its short taxable year (short-year member), then, for purposes of subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code, the amount of any tax-benefit item described in section 1561(b) allocated to that component member's short taxable year shall be the amount specified in section 1561(a) for that item, divided by the number of corporations which are component members of that group on the last day of that component member's short taxable year. The component members of such group may not apportion, by an apportionment plan, an amount of such tax-benefit item to any short-year member that differs from equal apportionment of that item.
(2) Additional rules. For purposes of paragraph (e)(1) of this section—
(i) Section 1563(b) shall be applied as if the last day of the taxable year of a short-year member were substituted for December 31st; and
(ii) The term short taxable year does not refer to any portion of a tax year of a corporation for which its income is required to be included in a consolidated return pursuant to § 1.1502-76(b).
(3) Calculation of the additional tax. A short-year member (as defined in paragraph (e)(1) of this section) for its short taxable year calculates its additional tax liability imposed by section 11(b)(1) only on its own income, and therefore the subsequent calculation of the additional tax liability with regard to the remaining members of the group will not include the income of this short-year member.
(4) Calculation of the alternative minimum tax. If a component member has a tax year of less than 12 months, whether or not such tax year includes a December 31st date, see section 443(d) for the annualization method required for calculating the alternative minimum tax.
(5) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (e) may be illustrated by the following examples:
(iii) The members' subsequent tax years. On December 31st, 2007, X, Y and Z are component members of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations. For their tax years that include December 31st, 2007 (X's calendar year ending December 31st, 2007, Z's fiscal year ending March 31, 2008 and Y's fiscal year ending June 30, 2008), X, Y and Z apportion among themselves the full amount of all of the applicable tax brackets pursuant to their apportionment plan. For example, 40% of the 15 percent tax-bracket amount, or $20,000, was apportioned to each of X and Y, and the remaining 10%, or $10,000, was apportioned to Z.
(iii) Apportionment of the 15 percent tax bracket to S 2 for its short taxable year. On July 31, 2007, S 2 is a component member of the P group composed of P, S 2 and S 3 . Pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the group may not apportion any amount of the 15 percent tax bracket to S 2 's short taxable year ending on June 30, 2007. Rather, S 2 is entitled to exactly 1/4 of such bracket amount, or $16,667.
(iv) Apportionment of the 15 percent tax bracket to P and S 3 for each of their calendar tax years. On December 31st, 2007, P and S 3 are component members of the P group. Accordingly, for P and S 3 's 2007 calendar tax year, they are each apportioned $25,000 of the 15 percent tax bracket, pursuant to the applicable P group plan.
(f) Effective/applicability date. This section applies to any tax year beginning on or after December 21, 2009. However, taxpayers may apply this section to any Federal income tax return filed on or after December 21, 2009. For tax years beginning before December 21, 2009, see § 1.1561-2T as contained in 26 CFR part 1 in effect on April 1, 2009.
§ 1.1561-3   Allocation of the section 1561(a) tax items.
(a) Filing of form —(1) In general. For each tax year that a corporation is a component member of the same controlled group of corporations on a December 31st (its testing date), or, in the case of a short-year member (see section 1561(b) and § 1.1561-2(e)), the date substituted for that December 31st date (its testing date), such corporation and all the other component members of such group each must file the required form (that is, Schedule O or any successor form) with the Federal income tax return for that component member's tax year that includes a particular testing date. Each such corporation must file that form with its return whether or not—
(i) An apportionment plan is in effect; or
(ii) Any change is made to the group's apportionment of its section 1561(a) tax benefit items from the previous year.
(2) Exception for component members that are members of a consolidated group. If any of the component members of a controlled group of corporations are also members of a consolidated group, the parent of such consolidated group shall file only one form on behalf of all such members. Such form shall contain the information required for each such member.
(b) No apportionment plan in effect. If the component members of a controlled group of corporations do not have an apportionment plan in effect, the amounts of the section 1561(a) items must be divided equally among all such members. For purposes of the preceding sentence, if any of the component members of a controlled group of corporations are also members of a consolidated group, such members will each be treated as a separate component member of the controlled group.
(c) Apportionment plan in effect —(1) Adoption of plan. The component members of a controlled group of corporations consent to the adoption (or amendment) of an apportionment plan by checking the box to that effect on such form. For purposes of this paragraph (c)—
(i) An apportionment plan that is adopted (including a plan that has been amended) continues in effect until it is terminated;
(ii) A consolidated group is treated collectively as one component member of such group. This treatment occurs even where a member of that consolidated group has joined or left the group, if after such corporation joins or leaves the consolidated group, that group remains in existence, pursuant to § 1.1502-75(d); and
(iii) The members must allocate the amounts of the section 1561(a) items between/among themselves as described in the plan.
(2) Limitation on adopting a plan —(i) Sufficient statute of limitations period for making an assessment of tax. The members may only adopt or amend such a plan if there is at least one year remaining in the statutory period (including any extensions thereof) for the assessment of a deficiency against every member the tax liability of which would be increased by the adoption of such a plan.
(ii) Insufficient statute of limitations period for making an assessment of tax. If any member cannot satisfy the requirement of paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section, the members may not adopt or amend such a plan unless the member not satisfying such requirement has entered into an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service to extend the statute of limitations for the limited purpose of assessing any deficiency against such member attributable to the adoption of such a plan.
(3) Termination of plan. An apportionment plan that is in effect for the component members of a controlled group with respect to a preceding December 31st is terminated with respect to the current December 31st if—
(i) Each member of such group consents to the termination of such a plan for the current December 31st by checking the box to that effect on its form;
(ii) The controlled group ceases to remain in existence (within the meaning of section 1563(a)) during the calendar year ending on the current December 31st;
(iii) Any corporation which was a component member of such group on the preceding December 31st is not a component member of such group on the current December 31st; or
(iv) Any corporation which was not a component member of such group on the preceding December 31st is a component member of such group on the current December 31st.
(d) Effective/applicability date. This section applies to any tax year beginning on or after December 21, 2009. However, taxpayers may apply this section to any Federal income tax return filed on or after December 21, 2009. For tax years beginning before December 21, 2009, see § 1.1561-3T as contained in 26 CFR part 1 in effect on April 1, 2009.
§ 1.1563-1   Definition of controlled group of corporations and component members and related concepts.
(a) Controlled group of corporations —(1) In general —(i) Types of controlled groups. For purposes of sections 1561 through 1563, the term controlled group of corporations means any group of corporations which is—
(A) A parent-subsidiary controlled group (as defined in paragraph (a)(2) of this section);
(B) A brother-sister controlled group (as defined in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section);
(C) A combined group (as defined in paragraph (a)(4) of this section); or
(D) A life insurance controlled group (as defined in paragraph (a)(5) of this section).
(ii) Special rules. In determining whether a corporation is included in a controlled group of corporations, section 1563(b) and paragraph (b) of this section shall not be taken into account. For rules defining a component member of a controlled group of corporations, including rules defining an excluded member and an additional member, see section 1563(b) and paragraph (b) of this section.
(iii) Cross reference. For the exclusion of certain stock for purposes of applying the definitions contained in this paragraph, see section 1563(c) and § 1.1563-2.
(2) Parent-subsidiary controlled group —(i) Definition. The term parent-subsidiary controlled group means one or more chains of corporations connected through stock ownership with a common parent corporation if—
(A) Stock possessing at least 80 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or at least 80 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of each of the corporations, except the common parent corporation, is owned (directly and with the application of § 1.1563-3(b)(1), (2), and (3)) by one or more of the other corporations; and
(B) The common parent corporation owns (directly and with the application of § 1.1563-3(b)(1), (2), and (3)) stock possessing at least 80 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or at least 80 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of at least one of the other corporations, excluding, in computing such voting power or value, stock owned directly by such other corporations.
(ii) Examples. The definition of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations may be illustrated by the following examples:
(3) Brother-sister controlled group —(i) Definition. The term brother-sister controlled group means two or more corporations if the same five or fewer persons who are individuals, estates, or trusts own (directly and with the application of the rules contained in § 1.1563-3(b)) stock possessing more than 50 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or more than 50 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of each corporation, taking into account the stock ownership of each such person only to the extent such stock ownership is identical with respect to each such corporation.
(ii) Additional stock ownership requirement for purposes of certain other provisions of law. For purposes of any provision of law (other than sections 1561 through 1563) that incorporates the section 1563(a) definition of a controlled group, the term brother-sister controlled group means two or more corporations if the same five or fewer persons who are individuals, estates, or trusts own (directly and with the application of the rules contained in § 1.1563-3(b)) stock possessing—
(A) At least 80 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or at least 80 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of each corporation (the 80 percent requirement);
(B) More than 50 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or more than 50 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of each corporation, taking into account the stock ownership of each such person only to the extent such stock ownership is identical with respect to each such corporation (the more-than-50 percent identical ownership requirement); and
(C) The five or fewer persons whose stock ownership is considered for purposes of the 80 percent requirement must be the same persons whose stock ownership is considered for purposes of the more-than-50 percent identical ownership requirement.
(iii) Examples. The principles of paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:
(iv) Special rule if prior law applies. Paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, as amended by TD 8179, applies to taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1970. See, however, the transitional rule in paragraph (d) of this section.
(4) Combined group —(i) Definition. The term combined group means any group of three or more corporations if—
(A) Each such corporation is a member of either a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations or a brother-sister controlled group of corporations; and
(B) At least one of such corporations is the common parent of a parent-subsidiary controlled group and also is a member of a brother-sister controlled group.
(ii) Examples. The definition of a combined group of corporations may be illustrated by the following examples:
(i) X, Y, and Z are each members of either a parent-subsidiary or brother-sister controlled group of corporations; and
(ii) Y is the common parent of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations consisting of Y and Z, and also is a member of a brother-sister controlled group of corporations consisting of X and Y.
(5) Life insurance controlled group —(i) Definition. The term life insurance controlled group means two or more life insurance companies each of which is a member of a controlled group of corporations described in paragraph (a)(2), (a)(3)(i), or (a)(4) of this section and to which § 1.1502-47(f)(6) does not apply. Such insurance companies shall be treated as a controlled group of corporations separate from any other corporations which are members of a controlled group described in such paragraph (a)(2), (a)(3)(i), or (a)(4) of this section. For purposes of this section, the common parent of the controlled group described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section shall be referred to as the common parent of the life insurance controlled group.
(ii) Examples. The following examples illustrate the definition of a life insurance controlled group. In these examples, L indicates a life company, another letter indicates a nonlife company and each corporation uses the calendar year as its taxable year:
(6) Voting power of stock. For purposes of this section, and §§ 1.1563-2 and 1.1563-3, in determining whether the stock owned by a person (or persons) possesses a certain percentage of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote of a corporation, consideration will be given to all the facts and circumstances of each case. A share of stock will generally be considered as possessing the voting power accorded to such share by the corporate charter, by-laws, or share certificate. On the other hand, if there is any agreement, whether express or implied, that a shareholder will not vote the shareholder's stock in a corporation, the formal voting rights possessed by the shareholder's stock may be disregarded in determining the percentage of the total combined voting power possessed by the stock owned by other shareholders in the corporation, if the result is that the corporation becomes a component member of a controlled group of corporations. Moreover, if a shareholder agrees to vote the shareholder's stock in a corporation in the manner specified by another shareholder in the corporation, the voting rights possessed by the stock owned by the first shareholder may be considered to be possessed by the stock owned by such other shareholder if the result is that the corporation becomes a component member of a controlled group of corporations.
(b) Component members —(1) In general —(i) Definition. For purposes of sections 1561 through 1563, a corporation is with respect to its taxable year a component member of a controlled group of corporations for the group's testing date if such corporation—
(A) Is a member of such controlled group on such testing date and is not treated as an excluded member under paragraph (b)(2) of this section; or
(B) Is not a member of such controlled group on such testing date but is treated as an additional member under paragraph (b)(3) of this section.
(ii) Member of a controlled group of corporations. For purposes of sections 1561 through 1563, a member of a controlled group is a corporation connected with other member(s) of a controlled group under the stock ownership rules and the stock qualification rules set forth in section 1563. Under these rules, for a corporation to qualify as a component member of the group with respect to a group's December 31st testing date (or the short-year testing date for a short-year member), that corporation does not have to be a member of that group on that group's testing date. In addition, a corporation that is a member of a controlled group on the group's testing date does not necessarily qualify as a component member of that group with respect to that testing date.
(iii) Additional concepts used in applying the controlled group rules.
(A) The term testing date means the date used for determining the status of controlled group members as either component members or excluded members. That testing date is then also used to determine which taxable years of those component members are to be subjected to the controlled group rules. Generally, a member's testing date is the December 31st date included within that member's taxable year, whether such member is on a calendar or fiscal taxable year. However, if a component member of a controlled group has a short taxable year that does not include a December 31st date, then the last day of that short taxable year becomes that member's testing date.
(B) The term testing period means the time period used for determining the status of controlled group members as either component members or excluded members. The testing period begins on the first day of a member's taxable year and ends on the day before its testing date. (Generally, the testing date is December 31st, but for a component member having a short taxable year not ending on December 31st, the testing date for the short taxable year of that member (and only that member) becomes the last day of that member's short taxable year.) Thus, for a member on a fiscal taxable year, the portion of its taxable year beginning on December 31st and ending on the last day of its taxable year is not taken into account for determining its status as a component member or an excluded member.
(2) Excluded members —(i) Temporal test. A corporation, which is a member of a controlled group of corporations on the group's testing date, a date included within that member's taxable year, but who was a member of such group for less than one-half of the number of days of its testing period, shall be treated as an excluded member of such group for that group's testing date.
(ii) Qualification test. A corporation which is a member of a controlled group of corporations on a testing date shall be treated as an excluded member of such group on such date if, for its taxable year including such date, such corporation is—
(A) Exempt from taxation under section 501(a) (except a corporation which is subject to tax on its unrelated business taxable income under section 511) or 521 for such taxable year;
(B) A foreign corporation not subject to taxation under section 882(a) for the taxable year;
(C) An S corporation (as defined in section 1361) for purposes of any tax benefit item described in section 1561(a) to which it is not subject;
(D) A franchised corporation (as defined in section 1563(f)(4) and § 1.1563-4); or
(E) An insurance company subject to taxation under section 801, unless such insurance company (without regard to this paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(E)) is a component member of a life insurance controlled group described in paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this section or unless § 1.1502-47(f)(6) applies (which treats a life insurance company, for which a section 1504(c)(2) election is effective, as a member (whether eligible or ineligible) of a life-nonlife affiliated group).
(3) Additional members. A corporation shall be treated as an additional member of a controlled group of corporations, that is, an additional component member, on the group's testing date if it—
(i) Is not a member of such group on such date;
(ii) Is not described, with respect to such taxable year, in paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(A), (b)(2)(ii)(B), (b)(2)(ii)(C), (b)(2)(ii)(D), or (b)(2)(ii)(E) of this section; and
(iii) Was a member of such group for one-half (or more) of the number of days in its testing period.
(4) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (b) may be illustrated by the following examples:
(i) Example 1. B, an individual, owns all of the stock of corporations W and X on each day of 1964. W and X each use the calendar year as their taxable year. On January 1, 1964, B also owns all the stock of corporation Y (a fiscal year corporation with a taxable year beginning on July 1, 1964, and ending on June 30, 1965), which stock B sells on October 15, 1964. On December 1, 1964, B purchases all the stock of corporation Z (a fiscal year corporation with a taxable year beginning on September 1, 1964, and ending on August 31, 1965). On December 31, 1964, W, X, and Z are members of the same controlled group. However, the component members of the group on such December 31st are W, X, and Y. Under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, Z is treated as an excluded member of the group on December 31, 1964, since Z was a member of the group for less than one-half of the number of days (29 out of 121 days) during the period beginning on September 1, 1964 (the first day of its taxable year) and ending on December 30, 1964. Under paragraph (b)(3) of this section, Y is treated as an additional member of the group on December 31, 1964, since Y was a member of the group for at least one-half of the number of days (107 out of 183 days) during the period beginning on July 1, 1964 (the first day of its taxable year) and ending on December 30, 1964.
(ii) Example 2. On January 1, 1964, corporation P owns all the stock of corporation S, which in turn owns all the stock of corporation S-1. On November 1, 1964, P purchases all of the stock of corporation X from the public and sells all of the stock of S to the public. Corporation X owns all the stock of corporation Y during 1964. P, S, S-1, X, and Y file their returns on the basis of the calendar year. On December 31, 1964, P, X, and Y are members of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations; also, corporations S and S-1 are members of a different parent-subsidiary controlled group on such date. However, since X and Y have been members of the parent-subsidiary controlled group of which P is the common parent for less than one-half the number of days during the period January 1 through December 30, 1964, they are not component members of such group on such date. On the other hand, X and Y have been members of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of which X is the common parent for at least one-half the number of days during the period January 1 through December 30, 1964, and therefore they are component members of such group on December 31, 1964. Also since S and S-1 were members of the parent-subsidiary controlled group of which P is the common parent for at least one-half the number of days in the taxable years of each such corporation during the period January 1 through December 30, 1964, P, S, and S-1 are component members of such group on December 31, 1964.
(iii) Example 3. Throughout 1964, corporation M owns all the stock of corporation F which, in turn, owns all the stock of corporations L 1 , L 2 , X, and Y. M is a domestic mutual insurance company subject to taxation under section 821, F is a foreign corporation not engaged in a trade or business within the United States, L 1 and L 2 are domestic life insurance companies subject to taxation under section 802, and X and Y are domestic corporations subject to tax under section 11 of the Code. Each corporation uses the calendar year as its taxable year. On December 31, 1964, M, F, L 1 , L 2 , X, and Y are members of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations. However, under paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, M, F, L 1 , and L 2 are treated as excluded members of the group on December 31, 1964. Thus, on December 31, 1964, the component members of the parent-subsidiary controlled group of which M is the common parent include only X and Y.
Furthermore, since paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(E) of this section does not result in L 1 and L 2 being treated as excluded members of a life insurance controlled group, L 1 and L 2 are component members of a life insurance controlled group on December 31, 1964.
(iv) Example 4. Individual A owns all of the stock of corporations X, Y and Z. Each of these corporations is an S corporation. X, Y, and Z are each members of a brother-sister controlled group, even though each such corporation is treated as an excluded member of such group. See § 1.1563-1(b)(2)(ii)(C).
(5) Application of constructive ownership rules. For purposes of paragraphs (b)(2)(i) and (b)(3)(iii) of this section, it is necessary to determine whether a corporation was a member of a controlled group of corporations for one-half (or more) of the number of days in its taxable year which precede the December 31st falling within such taxable year. Therefore, the constructive ownership rules contained in § 1.1563-3(b) (to the extent applicable in making such determination) must be applied on a day-by-day basis. For example, if P Corporation owns all the stock of X Corporation on each day of 1964, and on December 30, 1964, acquires an option to purchase all the stock of Y Corporation (a calendar-year taxpayer which has been in existence on each day of 1964), the application of § 1.1563-3(b)(1) on a day-by-day basis results in Y being a member of the brother-sister controlled group on only one day of Y's 1964 year which precedes December 31, 1964. Accordingly, since Y is not a member of such group for one-half or more of the number of days in its 1964 year preceding December 31, 1964, Y is treated as an excluded member of such group on December 31, 1964.
(c) Overlapping groups —(1) In general. If on a December 31st a corporation is a component member of a controlled group of corporations by reason of ownership of stock possessing at least 80 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of the corporation, and if on such December 31st such corporation is also a component member of another controlled group of corporations by reason of ownership of other stock (that is, stock not used to satisfy the at-least-80 percent total value test) possessing at least 80 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the corporation entitled to vote, then such corporation shall be treated as a component member only of the controlled group of which it is a component member by reason of the ownership of at least 80 percent of the total value of its shares.
(2) Brother-sister controlled groups —(i) One corporation. If on a December 31st, a corporation would, without the application of this paragraph (c)(2), be a component member of more than one brother-sister controlled group on such date, the corporation will be treated as a component member of only one such group on such date. Such corporation may elect the group in which it is to be included by including on or with its income tax return for the taxable year that includes such date a statement entitled, “STATEMENT TO ELECT CONTROLLED GROUP PURSUANT TO § 1.1563-1(c)(2).” This statement must include—
(A) A description of each of the controlled groups in which the corporation could be included. The description must include the name and employer identification number of each component member of each such group and the stock ownership of the component members of each such group; and
(B) The following representation: [INSERT NAME AND EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OF CORPORATION] ELECTS TO BE TREATED AS A COMPONENT MEMBER OF THE [INSERT DESIGNATION OF GROUP].
(ii) Multiple corporations. If more than one corporation would, without the application of this paragraph (c)(2), be a component member of more than one controlled group, those corporations electing to be component members of the same group must file a single statement. The statement must contain the information described in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section, plus the names and employer identification numbers of all other corporations designating the same group. The original statement must be included on or with the original Federal income tax return (including any amended return filed on or before the due date (including extensions) of such return) of the corporation that, among those corporations which would (without the application of this paragraph (c)(2)) belong to more than one group, has the taxable year including such December 31st which ends on the earliest date. That corporation must provide a copy of the statement to each other corporation included in the statement and represent in its statement that it has done so. Either the original or a copy of the statement must be retained by each corporation as part of its records. See § 1.6001-1(e) of this chapter.
(iii) Election. (A) An election filed under this paragraph (c)(2) is irrevocable and effective until a change in the stock ownership of the corporation results in termination of membership in the controlled group in which such corporation has been included.
(B) In the event no election is filed in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph (c)(2), then the Internal Revenue Service will determine the group in which such corporation is to be included. Such determination will be binding for all subsequent years unless the corporation files a valid election with respect to any such subsequent year or until a change in the stock ownership of the corporation results in termination of membership in the controlled group in which such corporation has been included.
(iv) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (c)(2) may be illustrated by the following examples (in which it is assumed that all the individuals are unrelated):
(d) Transitional rules —(1) In general. Treasury decision 8179 amended paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section to revise the definition of a brother-sister controlled group of corporations. In general, those amendments are effective for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1970.
(2) Limited nonretroactivity —(i) Old group. Under the authority of section 7805(b), the Internal Revenue Service will treat an old group as a brother-sister controlled group corporations for purposes of applying sections 401, 404(a), 408(k), 409A, 410, 411, 412, 414, 415, and 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) and sections 202, 203, 204, and 302 of the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) in a plan year or taxable year beginning before March 2, 1988, to the extent necessary to prevent an adverse effect on any old member (or any other corporation), or on any plan or other entity described in such sections (including plans, etc., of corporations not part of such old group), that would result solely from the retroactive effect of the amendment to this section by TD 8179. An adverse effect includes the disqualification of a plan or the disallowance of a deduction or credit for a contribution to a plan. The Internal Revenue Service, however, will not treat an old member as a member of an old group to the extent that such treatment will have an adverse effect on that old member.
(ii) Old member of old group. Section 7805(b) will not be applied pursuant to paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section to treat an old member of an old group as a member of a brother-sister controlled group to prevent an adverse effect for a taxable year if, for that taxable year, that old member treats or has treated itself as not being a member of that old group for purposes of sections 401, 404(a), 408(k), 409A, 410, 411, 412, 414, 415, and 4971 of the Code and sections 202, 203, 204, and 302 and title IV of ERISA for such taxable year (such as by filing, with respect to such taxable year, a return, amended return, or claim for credit or refund in which the amount of any deduction, credit, limitation, or tax due is determined by treating itself as not being a member of the old group for purposes of those sections). However, the fact that one or more (but not all) of the old members do not qualify for section 7805(b) treatment because of the preceding sentence will not preclude that old member (or members) from being treated as a member of the old group under paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section in order to prevent the disallowance of a deduction or credit of another old member (or other corporation) or to prevent the disqualification of, or other adverse effect on, another old member's plan (or other entity) described in the sections of the Code and ERISA enumerated in such paragraph.
(3) Election of general nonretroactivity. In the case of a taxable year ending on or after December 31, 1970, and before March 2, 1988, an old group will be treated as a brother-sister controlled group of corporations for all purposes of the Code for such taxable year if—
(i) Each old member files a statement consenting to such treatment for such taxable year with the District Director having audit jurisdiction over its return within six months after March 2, 1988; and
(ii) No old member—
(A) Files or has filed, with respect to such taxable year, a return, amended return, or claim for credit or refund in which the amount of any deduction, credit, limitation, or tax due is determined by treating any old member as not a member of the old group; or
(B) Treats the employees of all members of the old group as not being employed by a single employer for purposes of sections 401, 404(a), 408(k), 409A, 410, 411, 412, 414, 415, and 4971 of the Code and sections 202, 203, 204, and 302 of ERISA for such taxable year.
(4) Definitions. For purposes of this paragraph (d)—
(i) An old group is a brother-sister controlled group of corporations, determined by applying paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section as in effect before the amendments made by TD 8179, that is not a brother-sister controlled group of corporations, determined by applying paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section as amended by such Treasury decision; and
(ii) An old member is any corporation that is a member of an old group.
(5) Election to choose between membership in more than one controlled group —(i) In general. A corporation may make an election under paragraph (c)(2) of this section by filing an amended return on or before September 2, 1988 if—
(A) An old member has filed an election under paragraph (c)(2) of this section to be treated as a component member of an old group for a December 31st before March 2, 1988; and
(B) That corporation would (without regard to such paragraph (c)(2)) be a component member of more than one brother-sister controlled group (not including an old group) on December 31st.
(ii) Exception. This paragraph (d)(5) does not apply to a corporation that is treated as a member of an old group under paragraph (d)(3) of this section.
(6) Refunds. See section 6511(a) for period of limitation on filing claims for credit or refund.
(e) Applicability dates —(1) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (e)(2) of this section, this section applies to taxable years beginning on or after May 26, 2009. However, taxpayers may apply this section to taxable years beginning before May 26, 2009. For taxable years beginning before May 26, 2009, see § 1.1563-1T as contained in 26 CFR part 1 in effect on April 1, 2009.
(2) Exceptions. (i) Paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section applies to taxable years beginning on or after April 11, 2011.
(ii) Paragraphs (a)(2)(i)(A) and (B), (a)(6), and (b)(4) of this section apply to taxable years beginning on or after December 30, 2024.
§ 1.1563-2   Excluded stock.
(a) Certain stock excluded. For purposes of sections 1561 through 1563 and the regulations thereunder, the term “stock” does not include:
(1) Nonvoting stock which is limited and preferred as to dividends, and
(2) Treasury stock.
(b) Stock treated as excluded stock —(1) Parent-subsidiary controlled group. If a corporation (hereinafter in this paragraph referred to as “parent corporation”) owns 50 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or 50 percent or more of the total value of shares of all classes of stock in another corporation (hereinafter in this paragraph referred to as “subsidiary corporation”), the provisions of subparagraph (2) of this paragraph shall apply. For purposes of this subparagraph, stock owned by a corporation means stock owned directly plus stock owned with the application of the constructive ownership rules of paragraph (b) (1) and (4) of § 1.1563-3, relating to options and attribution from corporations. In determining whether the stock owned by a corporation possesses the requisite percentage of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote of another corporation, see paragraph (a)(6) of § 1.1563-1.
(2) Stock treated as not outstanding. If the provisions of this subparagraph apply, then for purposes of determining whether the parent corporation or the subsidiary corporation is a member of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations within the meaning of paragraph (a)(2) of § 1.1563-1, the following stock of the subsidiary corporation shall, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c) of this section, be treated as if it were not outstanding:
(i) Plan of deferred compensation. Stock in the subsidiary corporation held by a trust which is part of a plan of deferred compensation for the benefit of the employees of the parent corporation or the subsidiary corporation. The term “plan of deferred compensation” shall have the same meaning such term has in section 406(a)(3) and the regulations thereunder.
(ii) Principal stockholders and officers. Stock in the subsidiary corporation owned (directly and with the application of the rules contained in paragraph (b) of § 1.1563-3) by an individual who is a principal stockholder or officer of the parent corporation. A principal stockholder of the parent corporation is an individual who owns (directly and with the application of the rules contained in paragraph (b) of § 1.1563-3) 5 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or 5 percent or more of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of the parent corporation. An officer of the parent corporation includes the president, vice-presidents, general manager, treasurer, secretary, and comptroller of such corporation, and any other person who performs duties corresponding to those normally performed by persons occupying such positions.
(iii) Employees. Stock in the subsidiary corporation owned (directly and with the application of the rules contained in § 1.1563-3(b)) by an employee of the subsidiary corporation if such stock is subject to conditions which substantially restrict or limit the employee's right (or if the employee constructively owns such stock, the direct owner's right) to dispose of such stock and which run in favor of the parent or subsidiary corporation. In general, any condition which extends, directly or indirectly, to the parent corporation or the subsidiary corporation preferential rights with respect to the acquisition of the employee's (or direct owner's) stock will be considered to be a condition described in the preceding sentence. It is not necessary, in order for a condition to be considered to be in favor of the parent corporation or the subsidiary corporation, that the parent or subsidiary be extended a discriminatory concession with respect to the price of the stock. For example, a condition whereby the parent corporation is given a right of first refusal with respect to any stock of the subsidiary corporation offered by an employee for sale is a condition which substantially restricts or limits the employee's right to dispose of such stock and runs in favor of the parent corporation. Moreover, any legally enforceable condition which prohibits the employee from disposing of the employee's stock without the consent of the parent (or a subsidiary of the parent) will be considered to be a substantial limitation running in favor of the parent corporation.
(iv) Controlled exempt organization. Stock in the subsidiary corporation owned (directly and with the application of the rules contained in paragraph (b) of § 1.1563-3) by an organization (other than the parent corporation):
( a ) To which section 501 (relating to certain educational and charitable organizations which are exempt from tax) applies, and
( b ) Which is controlled directly or indirectly by the parent corporation or subsidiary corporation, by an individual, estate, or trust that is a principal stockholder of the parent corporation, by an officer of the parent corporation, or by any combination thereof.
(3) Brother-sister controlled group. If five or fewer persons (hereinafter referred to as common owners) who are individuals, estates, or trusts own (directly and with the application of the rules contained in paragraph (b) of § 1.1563-3) stock possessing 50 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or 50 percent or more of the total value of shares of all classes of stock in a corporation, the provisions of subparagraph (4) of this paragraph shall apply. In determining whether the stock owned by such person or persons possesses the requisite percentage of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote of a corporation, see paragraph (a)(6) of § 1.1563-1.
(4) Stock treated as not outstanding. If the provisions of this subparagraph apply, then for purposes of determining whether a corporation is a member of a brother-sister controlled group of corporations within the meaning of paragraph (a)(3) of § 1.1563-1, the following stock of such corporation shall, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c) of this section, be treated as if it were not outstanding:
(i) Exempt employees' trust. Stock in such corporation held by an employees' trust described in section 401(a) which is exempt from tax under section 501(a), if such trust is for the benefit of the employees of such corporation.
(ii) Employees. Stock in such corporation owned (directly and with the application of the rules contained in § 1.1563-3(b)) by an employee of such corporation if such stock is subject to conditions which run in favor of a common owner of such corporation (or in favor of such corporation) and which substantially restrict or limit the employee's right (or if the employee constructively owns such stock, the record owner's right) to dispose of such stock. The principles of paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section apply in determining whether a condition satisfies the requirements of the preceding sentence. Thus, in general, a condition which extends, directly or indirectly, to a common owner or such corporation preferential rights with respect to the acquisition of the employee's (or record owner's) stock will be considered to be a condition which satisfies such requirements. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(4)(ii), if a condition which restricts or limits an employee's right (or record owner's right) to dispose of the employee's (or record owner's) stock also applies to the stock in such corporation held by such common owner pursuant to a bona fide reciprocal stock purchase arrangement, such condition is not treated as one which restricts or limits the employee's (or record owner's) right to dispose of such stock. An example of a reciprocal stock purchase arrangement is an agreement whereby a common owner and the employee are given a right of first refusal with respect to stock of the employer corporation owned by the other party. If, however, the agreement also provides that the common owner has the right to purchase the stock of the employer corporation owned by the employee in the event that the corporation should discharge the employee for reasonable cause, the purchase arrangement would not be reciprocal within the meaning of this paragraph (b)(4)(ii).
(iii) Controlled exempt organization. Stock in such corporation owned (directly and with the application of the rules contained in paragraph (b) of § 1.1563-3) by an organization:
( a ) To which section 501(c)(3) (relating to certain educational and charitable organizations which are exempt from tax) applies, and
( b ) Which is controlled directly or indirectly by such corporation, by an individual, estate, or trust that is a principal stockholder of such corporation, by an officer of such corporation, or by any combination thereof.
(5) Other controlled groups. The provisions of subparagraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of this paragraph shall apply in determining whether a corporation is a member of a combined group (within the meaning of paragraph (a)(4) of § 1.1563-1) or an insurance group (within the meaning of paragraph (a)(5) of § 1.1563-1). For example, under paragraph (a)(4) of § 1.1563-1, in order for a corporation to be a member of a combined group such corporation must be a member of a parent-subsidiary group or a brother-sister group. Accordingly, the excluded stock rules provided by this paragraph are applicable in determining whether the corporation is a member of such group.
(6) Meaning of employee. For purposes of this section §§ 1.1563-3 and 1.1563-4, the term “employee” has the same meaning such term is given in section 3306(i) of the Code (relating to definitions for purposes of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act). Accordingly, the term employee as used in such sections includes an officer of a corporation.
(7) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:
(i) Example 1. Corporation P owns 70 of the 100 shares of the only class of stock of corporation S. The remaining shares of S are owned as follows: 4 shares by Jones (the general manager of P), and 26 shares by Smith (who also owns 5 percent of the total combined voting power of the stock of P). P satisfies the 50 percent stock ownership requirement of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph with respect to S. Since Jones is an officer of P and Smith is a principal stockholder of P, under subparagraph (2)(ii) of this paragraph the S stock owned by Jones and Smith is treated as not outstanding for purposes of determining whether P and S are members of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations within the meaning of paragraph (a)(2) of § 1.1563-1. Thus, P is considered to own stock possessing 100 percent (70 ÷ 70) of the total voting power and value of all the S stock. Accordingly, P and S are members of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations.
(ii) Example 2. The facts are the same as in paragraph (b)(7)(i) of this section ( Example 1 ), except that Jones owns 15 shares of the 100 shares of the only class of stock of corporation S-1, and corporation S owns 75 shares of such stock. P satisfies the 50 percent stock ownership requirement of paragraph (b)(1) of this section with respect to S-1 since P is considered as owning 52.5 percent (70 percent × 75 percent) of the S-1 stock with the application of § 1.1563-3(b)(4). Since Jones is an officer of P, under paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, the S-1 stock owned by Jones is treated as not outstanding for purposes of determining whether S-1 is a member of the parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations. Thus, S is considered to own stock possessing 88.2 percent (75 ÷ 85) of the voting power and value of the S-1 stock. Accordingly, P, S, and S-1 are members of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations.
(iii) Example 3. Corporation X owns 60 percent of the only class of stock of corporation Y. D, the president of Y, owns the remaining 40 percent of the stock of Y. D has agreed that, if D offers D's stock in Y for sale, D will first offer the stock to X at a price equal to the fair market value of the stock on the first date the stock is offered for sale. Since D is an employee of Y within the meaning of section 3306(i) of the Code, and D's stock in Y is subject to a condition which substantially restricts or limits D's right to dispose of such stock and runs in favor of X, under paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section such stock is treated as if it were not outstanding for purposes of determining whether X and Y are members of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations. Thus, X is considered to own stock possessing 100 percent of the voting power and value of the stock of Y. Accordingly, X and Y are members of a parent-subsidiary controlled group of corporations. The result would be the same if D's spouse, instead of D, owned directly the 40 percent stock interest in Y and such stock was subject to a right of first refusal running in favor of X.
(c) Exception —(1) General. If stock of a corporation is owned by a person directly or with the application of the rules contained in paragraph (b) of § 1.1563-3 and such ownership results in the corporation being a component member of a controlled group of corporations on a December 31, then the stock shall not be treated as excluded stock under the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section if the result of applying such provisions is that such corporation is not a component member of a controlled group of corporations on such December 31.
(2) Illustration. The provisions of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following example:
(d) Applicability date. This section applies to taxable years beginning on or after December 30, 2024. For taxable years beginning before December 30, 2024, see § 1.1563-2 as contained in 26 CFR part 1 in effect on April 1, 2024.
§ 1.1563-3   Rules for determining stock ownership.
(a) In general. In determining stock ownership for purposes of §§ 1.1562-5, 1.1563-1, 1.1563-2, and this section, the constructive ownership rules of paragraph (b) of this section apply to the extent such rules are referred to in such sections. The application of such rules shall be subject to the operating rules and special rules contained in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section.
(b) Constructive ownership —(1) Options. If a person has an option to acquire any outstanding stock of a corporation, such stock shall be considered as owned by such person. For purposes of this subparagraph, an option to acquire such an option, and each one of a series of such options, shall be considered as an option to acquire such stock. For example, assume Smith owns an option to purchase 100 shares of the outstanding stock of M Corporation. Under this subparagraph, Smith is considered to own such 100 shares. The result would be the same if Smith owned an option to acquire the option (or one of a series of options) to purchase 100 shares of M stock.
(2) Attribution from partnerships. (i) Rule. Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a partnership is considered as owned by any partner having an interest of 5 percent or more in either the capital or profits of the partnership in proportion to the partner's interest in capital or profits, whichever such proportion is the greater.
(ii) Example —(A) Facts. Green, Jones, and White are unrelated individuals and are partners in the GJW partnership. The partners' interests in the capital and profits of the partnership are as follows:
Table 1 to Paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(A)
(B) Analysis. The GJW partnership owns the entire outstanding stock (100 shares) of X Corporation. Under this paragraph (b)(2), Green is considered to own the X stock owned by the partnership in proportion to Green's interest in capital (36 percent) or profits (25 percent), whichever such proportion is the greater. Therefore, Green is considered to own 36 shares of the X stock. However, since Jones has a greater interest in the profits of the partnership, Jones is considered to own the X stock in proportion to Jones's interest in such profits. Therefore, Jones is considered to own 71 shares of the X stock. Since White does not have an interest of 5 percent or more in either the capital or profits of the partnership, White is not considered to own any shares of the X stock.
(3) Attribution from estates or trusts. (i) Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for an estate or trust is considered as owned by any beneficiary who has an actuarial interest of 5 percent or more in such stock, to the extent of such actuarial interest. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(3)(i), the actuarial interest of each beneficiary is determined by assuming the maximum exercise of discretion by the fiduciary in favor of such beneficiary and the maximum use of such stock to satisfy the beneficiary's rights as a beneficiary. A beneficiary of an estate or trust who cannot under any circumstances receive any interest in stock held by the estate or trust, including the proceeds from the disposition thereof, or the income therefrom, does not have an actuarial interest in such stock. Thus, where stock owned by a decedent's estate has been specifically bequeathed to certain beneficiaries and the remainder of the estate is bequeathed to other beneficiaries, the stock is attributable only to the beneficiaries to whom it is specifically bequeathed. Similarly, a remainderman of a trust who cannot under any circumstances receive any interest in the stock of a corporation which is a part of the corpus of the trust (including any accumulated income therefrom or the proceeds from a disposition thereof) does not have an actuarial interest in such stock. However, an income beneficiary of a trust does have an actuarial interest in stock if that beneficiary has any right to the income from such stock even though under the terms of the trust instrument such stock can never be distributed to that beneficiary. The factors and methods prescribed in § 20.2031-7 of this chapter (Estate Tax Regulations) for use in ascertaining the value of an interest in property for estate tax purposes must be used for purposes of this paragraph (b)(3)(i) in determining a beneficiary's actuarial interest in stock owned directly or indirectly by or for a trust.
(ii) For the purposes of this paragraph (b)(3), property of a decedent is considered as owned by the decedent's estate if such property is subject to administration by the executor or administrator for the purposes of paying claims against the estate and expenses of administration notwithstanding that, under local law, legal title to such property vests in the decedent's heirs, legatees or devisees immediately upon death. With respect to an estate, the term beneficiary includes any person entitled to receive property of the decedent pursuant to a will or pursuant to laws of descent and distribution. A person no longer is considered a beneficiary of an estate when all the property to which the person is entitled has been received by the person, when the person no longer has a claim against the estate arising out of having been a beneficiary, and when there is only a remote possibility that it will be necessary for the estate to seek the return of property or to seek payment from the person by contribution or otherwise to satisfy claims against the estate or expenses of administration. When pursuant to the preceding sentence, a person ceases to be a beneficiary, stock owned by the estate is not thereafter considered owned by the person.
(iii) Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for any portion of a trust of which a person is considered the owner under Subpart E, Part I, Subchapter J of the Code (relating to grantors and others treated as substantial owners) is considered as owned by such person.
(iv) This subparagraph does not apply to stock owned by any employees' trust described in section 401(a) which is exempt from tax under section 501(a).
(4) Attribution from corporations. (i) Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a corporation shall be considered as owned by any person who owns (within the meaning of section 1563(d)) 5 percent or more in value or its stock in that proportion which the value of the stock which such person so owns bears to the value of all the stock in such corporation.
(ii) Example. Brown, an individual, owns 60 shares of the 100 shares of the only class of outstanding stock of corporation P. Smith, an individual, owns 4 shares of the P stock, and corporation X owns 36 shares of the P stock. Corporation P owns, directly and indirectly, 50 shares of the stock of corporation S. Under this paragraph (b)(4), Brown is considered to own 30 shares of the S stock (60/100 × 50), and X is considered to own 18 shares of the S stock (36/100 × 50). Since Smith does not own 5 percent or more in value of the P stock, Smith is not considered as owning any of the S stock owned by P. If, in this example, Smith's spouse had owned directly 1 share of the P stock, Smith (and Smith's spouse) would each own 5 shares of the P stock, and therefore Smith (and Smith's spouse) would be considered as owning 2.5 shares of the S stock (5/100 × 50).
(5) Spouse. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of this section, an individual is considered to own the stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for the individual's spouse, other than a spouse who is legally separated from the individual under a decree of divorce, whether interlocutory or final, or a decree of separate maintenance.
(ii) An individual is not considered to own stock in a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by or for the individual's spouse on any day of a taxable year of such corporation, provided that each of the following conditions are satisfied with respect to such taxable year:
(A) Such individual does not, at any time during such taxable year, own directly any stock in such corporation.
(B) Such individual is not a member of the board of directors or an employee of such corporation and does not participate in the management of such corporation at any time during such taxable year.
(C) Not more than 50 percent of such corporation's gross income for such taxable year was derived from royalties, rents, dividends, interest, and annuities.
(D) Such stock in such corporation is not, at any time during such taxable year, subject to conditions which substantially restrict or limit the spouse's right to dispose of such stock and which run in favor of the individual or the individual's children who have not attained the age of 21 years. The principles of § 1.1563-2(b)(2)(iii) apply in determining whether a condition is a condition described in the preceding sentence.
(iii) For purposes of subdivision (ii)( c ) of this subparagraph, the gross income of a corporation for a taxable year shall be determined under section 61 and the regulations thereunder. The terms “royalties”, “rents”, “dividends”, “interest”, and “annuities” shall have the same meanings such terms are given for purposes of section 1244(c). See paragraph (e)(1)(ii), (iii), (iv), (v), and (vi) of § 1.1244(c)-1.
(6) Children, grandchildren, parents, and grandparents. (i) An individual is considered to own the stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for the individual's children who have not attained the age of 21 years, and, if the individual has not attained the age of 21 years, the stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for the individual's parents.
(ii) If an individual owns (directly, and with the application of the rules of this paragraph but without regard to this paragraph (b)(6)(ii)) stock possessing more than 50 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or more than 50 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock in a corporation, then such individual is considered to own the stock in such corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by or for the individual's parents, grandparents, grandchildren, and children who have attained the age of 21 years. In determining whether the stock owned by an individual possesses the requisite percentage of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote of a corporation, see § 1.1563-1(a)(6).
(iii) For purposes of section 1563, and §§ 1.1563-1 through 1.1563-4, a legally adopted child of an individual shall be treated as a child of such individual by blood.
(iv) Example —(A) Facts. Individual B owns directly 40 shares of the 100 shares of the only class of stock of Z Corporation. B's child, M (20 years of age), owns directly 30 shares of such stock, and B's child, A (30 years of age), owns directly 20 shares of such stock. The remaining 10 shares of the Z stock are owned by an unrelated person.
(B) B's ownership. Individual B owns 40 shares of the Z stock directly and is considered to own the 30 shares of Z stock owned directly by M. Since, for purposes of the more-than-50-percent stock ownership test contained in paragraph (b)(6)(ii) of this section, B is treated as owning 70 shares or 70 percent of the total voting power and value of the Z stock, B is also considered as owning the 20 shares owned by B's adult child, A. Accordingly, B is considered as owning a total of 90 shares of the Z stock.
(C) M's ownership. Minor child, M, owns 30 shares of the Z stock directly, and is considered to own the 40 shares of Z stock owned directly by B. However, M is not considered to own the 20 shares of Z stock owned directly by M's sibling, A, and constructively by B, because stock constructively owned by B by reason of family attribution is not considered as owned by M for purposes of making another member of B's family the constructive owner of such stock. See paragraph (c)(2) of this section. Accordingly, M owns and is considered as owning a total of 70 shares of the Z stock.
(D) A's ownership. Adult child, A, owns 20 shares of the Z stock directly. Since, for purposes of the more-than-50-percent stock ownership test contained in paragraph (b)(6)(ii) of this section, A is treated as owning only the Z stock which A owns directly, A does not satisfy the condition precedent for the attribution of Z stock from B. Accordingly, A is treated as owning only the 20 shares of Z stock which A owns directly.
(c) Operating rules and special rules —(1) In general. Except as provided in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, stock constructively owned by a person by reason of the application of subparagraph (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), or (6) of paragraph (b) of this section shall, for purposes of applying such subparagraphs, be treated as actually owned by such person.
(2) Members of family. Stock constructively owned by an individual by reason of the application of paragraph (b)(5) or (6) of this section is not treated as owned by the individual for purposes of again applying such paragraphs in order to make another the constructive owner of such stock.
(3) Precedence of option attribution. For purposes of this section, if stock may be considered as owned by a person under subparagraph (1) of paragraph (b) of this section (relating to option attribution) and under any other subparagraph of such paragraph, such stock shall be considered as owned by such person under subparagraph (1) of such paragraph.
(4) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (c) may be illustrated by the following examples:
(i) Example 1. A, 30 years of age, has a 90 percent interest in the capital and profits of a partnership. The partnership owns all the outstanding stock of corporation X and X owns 60 shares of the 100 outstanding shares of corporation Y. Under paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the 60 shares of Y constructively owned by the partnership by reason of paragraph (b)(4) of this section is treated as actually owned by the partnership for purposes of applying paragraph (b)(2) of this section. Therefore, A is considered as owning 54 shares of the Y stock (90 percent of 60 shares).
(ii) Example 2. The facts are the same as in paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section ( Example 1 ), except that that B, who is 20 years of age and the sibling of A, directly owns 40 shares of Y stock. Although the stock of Y owned by B is considered as owned by C (the parent of A and B) under paragraph (b)(6)(i) of this section, under paragraph (c)(2) of this section such stock may not be treated as owned by C for purposes of applying paragraph (b)(6)(ii) of this section in order to make A the constructive owner of such stock.
(iii) Example 3. The facts are the same as in paragraph (c)(4)(ii) of this section ( Example 2 ), except that that C has an option to acquire the 40 shares of Y stock owned by B. The rule contained in paragraph (c)(2) of this section does not prevent the reattribution of such 40 shares to A because, under paragraph (c)(3) of this section, C is considered as owning the 40 shares by reason of option attribution and not by reason of family attribution. Therefore, since A satisfies the more-than-50-percent stock ownership test contained in paragraph (b)(6)(ii) of this section with respect to Y, the 40 shares of Y stock constructively owned by C are reattributed to A, and A is considered as owning a total of 94 shares of Y stock.
(d) Special rule of section 1563 (f)(3)(B) —(1) In general. If the same stock of a corporation is owned (within the meaning of section 1563(d)) by two or more persons, then such stock shall be treated as owned by the person whose ownership of such stock results in the corporation being a component member of a controlled group on a December 31 which has at least one other component member on such date.
(2) Component member of more than one group. (i) If, by reason of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, a corporation would (but for this subparagraph) become a component member of more than one controlled group on a December 31, such corporation shall be treated as a component member of only one such controlled group on such date. The determination as to which group such corporation is treated as a component member of shall be made in accordance with the rules contained in paragraphs (d)(2)(ii), (iii) and (iv) of this section.
(ii) In any case in which a corporation is a component member of a controlled group of corporations on a December 31 as a result of treating each share of its stock as owned only by the person who owns such share directly, then each such share shall be treated as owned by the person who owns such share directly.
(iii) If the application of subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph does not result in a corporation being treated as a component member of only one controlled group on a December 31, then the stock of such corporation described in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph shall be treated as owned by the one person described in such subparagraph who owns, directly and with the application of the rules contained in paragraph (b) (1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, the stock possessing the greatest percentage of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of the corporation.
(iv) Statement. If the application of paragraph (d)(2)(ii) or (iii) of this section does not result in a corporation being treated as a component member of only one controlled group of corporations on a December 31, then such corporation will be treated as a component member of only one such group on such date. Such corporation may elect the group in which it is to be included by including on or with its income tax return a statement entitled, “STATEMENT TO ELECT CONTROLLED GROUP PURSUANT TO § 1.1563-3(d)(2)(iv).” The statement must include—
(A) A description of each of the controlled groups in which the corporation could be included. The description must include the name and employer identification number of each component member of each such group and the stock ownership of the component members of each such group; and
(B) The following representation: [INSERT NAME AND EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OF CORPORATION] ELECTS TO BE TREATED AS A COMPONENT MEMBER OF THE [INSERT DESIGNATION OF GROUP].
(v) Election —(A) Election filed. An election filed under paragraph (d)(2)(iv) of this section is irrevocable and effective until paragraph (d)(2)(ii) or (iii) of this section applies or until a change in the stock ownership of the corporation results in termination of membership in the controlled group in which such corporation has been included.
(B) Election not filed. In the event no election is filed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (d)(2)(iv) of this section, then the Internal Revenue Service will determine the group in which such corporation is to be included. Such determination will be binding for all subsequent years unless the corporation files a valid election with respect to any such subsequent year or until a change in the stock ownership of the corporation results in termination of membership in the controlled group in which such corporation has been included.
(3) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (d) may be illustrated by the following examples, in which each corporation referred to uses the calendar year as its taxable year and the stated facts are assumed to exist on each day of 1970 (unless otherwise provided in the example):
(i) Example 1. Jones owns all the stock of corporation X and has an option to purchase from Smith all the outstanding stock of corporation Y. Smith owns all the outstanding stock of corporation Z. Since the Y stock is considered as owned by two or more persons, under paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section, the Y stock is treated as owned only by Smith since Smith has direct ownership of such stock. Therefore, on December 31, 1970, Y and Z are component members of the same brother-sister controlled group. If, however, Smith had owned Smith's stock in corporation Z for less than one-half of the number of days of Z's 1970 taxable year, then under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the Y stock would be treated as owned only by Jones since Jones's ownership results in Y being a component member of a controlled group on December 31,1970.
(ii) Example 2. Individual A owns directly all the outstanding stock of corporation M. B (the spouse of A) owns directly all the outstanding stock of corporation N. Neither spouse is considered as owning the stock directly owned by the other because each of the conditions prescribed in paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of this section is satisfied with respect to each corporation's 1970 taxable year. A owns directly 60 percent of the only class of stock of corporation P and B owns the remaining 40 percent of the P stock. Under paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section, the stock of P is treated as owned only by A since A owns (directly and with the application of the rules contained in paragraphs (b)(1) through (4) of this section) the stock possessing the greatest percentage of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of P. Accordingly, on December 31, 1970, P is treated as a component member of a brother-sister group consisting of M and P.
(iii) Example 3. Unrelated individuals A and B each own 49 percent of all the outstanding stock of corporation R, which in turn owns 70 percent of the only class of outstanding stock of corporation S. The remaining 30 percent of the stock of corporation S is owned by unrelated individual C. C also owns the remaining 2 percent of the stock of corporation R. Under the attribution rule of paragraph (b)(4) of this section, A and B are each considered to own 34.3 percent of the stock of corporation S. Accordingly, since five or fewer persons own at least 80 percent of the stock of corporations R and S and also own more than 50 percent identically (A's and B's identical ownership each is 34.3 percent, C's identical ownership is 2 percent), on December 31, 1970, corporations R and S are treated as component members of the same brother-sister controlled group for purposes of § 1.1563-1(a)(3)(ii).
(e) Applicability dates. This section applies to taxable years beginning on or after December 30, 2024. For taxable years beginning before December 30, 2024, see § 1.1563-3 as contained in 26 CFR part 1 in effect on April 1, 2024.
§ 1.1563-4   Franchised corporations.
(a) In general. For purposes of paragraph (b)(2)(ii)( d ) of § 1.1563-1, a member of a controlled group of corporations shall be considered to be a franchised corporation for a taxable year if each of the following conditions is satisfied for one-half (or more) of the number of days preceding the December 31 included within such taxable year (or, if such taxable year does not include a December 31, for one-half or more of the number of days in such taxable year preceding the last day of such year):
(1) Such member is franchised to sell the products of another member, or the common owner, of such controlled group.
(2) More than 50 percent (determined on the basis of cost) of all the goods held by such member primarily for sale to its customers are acquired from members or the common owner of the controlled group, or both.
(3) The stock of such member is to be sold to an employee (or employees) of such member pursuant to a bona fide plan designed to eliminate the stock ownership of the parent corporation (as defined in paragraph (b)(1) of § 1.1563-2) or of the common owner (as defined in paragraph (b)(3) of § 1.1563-2) in such member.
(4) Such employee owns (or such employees in the aggregate own) directly more than 20 percent of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of such member. For purposes of this subparagraph, the determination of whether an employee (or employees) owns the requisite percentage of the total value of the stock of the member shall be made without regard to paragraph (b) of § 1.1563-2, relating to certain stock treated as excluded stock. Furthermore, if the corporation has more than one class of stock outstanding, the relative voting rights as between each such class of stock shall be disregarded in making such determination.
(b) Plan for elimination of stock ownership. (1) A plan referred to in paragraph (a)(3) of this section must:
(i) Provide a reasonable selling price for the stock of the member, and
(ii) Require that a portion of the employee's compensation or dividends, or both, from such member be applied to the purchase of such stock (or to the purchase of notes, bonds, debentures, or similar evidences of indebtedness of such member held by the parent corporation or the common owner).
(2) A plan for the elimination of the stock ownership of the parent corporation or of the common owner will satisfy the requirements of paragraph (a)(3) of this section and subparagraph (1) of this paragraph even though it does not require that the stock of the member be sold to an employee (or employees) if it provides for the redemption of the stock of the member held by the parent or common owner and under the plan the amount of such stock to be redeemed during any period is calculated by reference to the profits of such member during such period.
§ 1.5000A-0   Table of contents.
This section lists the captions contained in §§ 1.5000A-1 through 1.5000A-5.
(a) In general.
(b) Coverage under minimum essential coverage.
(1) In general.
(2) Special rule for United States citizens or residents residing outside the United States or residents of territories.
(c) Liability for shared responsibility payment.
(1) In general.
(2) Liability for dependents.
(i) In general.
(ii) Special rules for dependents adopted or placed in foster care during the taxable year.
(A) Taxpayers adopting an individual.
(B) Taxpayers placing an individual for adoption.
(C) Examples.
(3) Liability of individuals filing a joint return.
(d) Definitions.
(1) Affordable Care Act.
(2) Employee.
(3) Exchange.
(4) Family.
(5) Family coverage.
(6) Group health insurance coverage.
(7) Group health plan.
(8) Health insurance coverage.
(9) Health insurance issuer.
(10) Household income.
(i) In general.
(ii) Modified adjusted gross income.
(11) Individual market.
(12) Large and small group market.
(13) Month.
(14) Qualified health plan.
(15) Rating area.
(16) Self-only coverage.
(17) Shared responsibility family.
(18) State.
(a) In general.
(b) Government-sponsored program.
(1) In general.
(i) Medicare.
(ii) Medicaid.
(iii) Children's Health Insurance Program.
(iv) TRICARE.
(v) Veterans programs.
(vi) Peace Corp program.
(vii) Nonappropriated Fund Health Benefits Program.
(2) Certain health care coverage not minimum essential coverage under a government-sponsored program.
(c) Eligible employer-sponsored plan.
(1) In general.
(2) Government-sponsored program generally not an eligible employer-sponsored plan.
(d) Plan in the individual market.
(1) In general.
(2) Qualified health plan offered by an Exchange.
(e) Grandfathered health plan.
(f) Other coverage that qualifies as minimum essential coverage.
(g) Excepted benefits not minimum essential coverage.
(a) Members of recognized religious sects.
(1) In general.
(2) Exemption certification.
(b) Member of health care sharing ministries.
(1) In general.
(2) Health care sharing ministry.
(c) Exempt noncitizens.
(1) In general.
(2) Exempt noncitizens.
(d) Incarcerated individuals.
(1) In general.
(2) Incarcerated.
(e) Individuals with no affordable coverage.
(1) In general.
(2) Required contribution percentage.
(i) In general.
(ii) Indexing.
(iii) Plan year.
(3) Individuals eligible for coverage under eligible employer-sponsored plans.
(i) Eligibility.
(A) In general.
(B) Multiple eligibility.
(C) Special rule for post-employment coverage.
(ii) Required contribution for individuals eligible for coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan.
(A) Employees.
(B) Individuals related to employees.
(C) Required contribution for part-year period.
(D) Employer contributions to health reimbursement arrangements.
(E) Wellness program incentives.
(iii) Examples.
(4) Individuals ineligible for coverage under eligible employer-sponsored plans.
(i) Eligibility for coverage other than an eligible employer-sponsored plan.
(ii) Required contribution for individuals ineligible for coverage under eligible employer-sponsored plans.
(A) In general.
(B) Applicable plan.
( 1 ) In general.
( 2 ) Lowest cost bronze plan does not cover all individuals included in the taxpayer's nonexempt family.
( i ) In general.
( ii ) Optional simplified method for applicable plan identification.
(C) Wellness program incentives.
(D) Credit allowable under section 36B.
(E) Required contribution for part-year period.
(iii) Examples.
(f) Household income below filing threshold.
(1) In general.
(2) Applicable filing threshold.
(i) In general.
(ii) Certain dependents.
(3) Manner of claiming the exemption.
(g) Members of Indian tribes.
(h) Individuals with hardship exemption certification.
(1) In general.
(2) Hardship exemption certification.
(3) Hardship exemption without hardship exemption certification.
(i) [Reserved]
(j) Individuals with certain short coverage gaps.
(1) In general.
(2) Short coverage gap.
(i) In general.
(ii) Coordination with other exemptions.
(iii) More than one short coverage gap during calendar year.
(3) Continuous period.
(i) In general.
(ii) Continuous period straddling more than one taxable year.
(4) Examples.
(a) In general.
(b) Monthly penalty amount.
(1) In general.
(2) Flat dollar amount.
(i) In general.
(ii) Applicable dollar amount.
(iii) Special applicable dollar amount for individuals under age 18.
(iv) Indexing of applicable dollar amount.
(3) Excess income amount.
(i) In general.
(ii) Income percentage.
(c) Monthly national average bronze plan premium.
(d) Examples.
(a) In general.
(b) Special rules.
(1) Waiver of criminal penalties.
(2) Limitations on liens and levies.
(3) Authority to offset against overpayment.
(c) Effective/applicability date.
§ 1.5000A-1   Maintenance of minimum essential coverage and liability for the shared responsibility payment.
(a) In general. For each month during the taxable year, a nonexempt individual must have minimum essential coverage or pay the shared responsibility payment. For a month, a nonexempt individual is an individual in existence for the entire month who is not an exempt individual described in § 1.5000A-3.
(b) Coverage under minimum essential coverage —(1) In general. An individual has minimum essential coverage for a month in which the individual is enrolled in and entitled to receive benefits under a program or plan identified as minimum essential coverage in § 1.5000A-2 for at least one day in the month.
(2) Special rule for United States citizens or residents residing outside the United States or residents of territories. An individual is treated as having minimum essential coverage for a month—
(i) If the month occurs during any period described in section 911(d)(1)(A) or section 911(d)(1)(B) that is applicable to the individual; or
(ii) If, for the month, the individual is a bona fide resident of a possession of the United States (as determined under section 937(a)).
(c) Liability for shared responsibility payment —(1) In general. A taxpayer is liable for the shared responsibility payment for a month for which—
(i) The taxpayer is a nonexempt individual without minimum essential coverage; or
(ii) A nonexempt individual for whom the taxpayer is liable under paragraph (c)(2) or (c)(3) of this section does not have minimum essential coverage.
(2) Liability for dependents —(i) In general. For a month when a nonexempt individual does not have minimum essential coverage, if the nonexempt individual is a dependent (as defined in section 152) of another individual for the other individual's taxable year including that month, the other individual is liable for the shared responsibility payment attributable to the dependent's lack of coverage. An individual is a dependent of a taxpayer for a taxable year if the individual satisfies the definition of dependent under section 152, regardless of whether the taxpayer claims the individual as a dependent on a Federal income tax return for the taxable year. If an individual may be claimed as a dependent by more than one taxpayer in the same calendar year, the taxpayer who properly claims the individual as a dependent for the taxable year is liable for the shared responsibility payment attributable to the individual. If more than one taxpayer may claim an individual as a dependent in the same calendar year but no one claims the individual as a dependent, the taxpayer with priority under the rules of section 152 to claim the individual as a dependent is liable for the shared responsibility payment for the individual.
(ii) Special rules for dependents adopted or placed in foster care during the taxable year —(A) Taxpayers adopting an individual. If a taxpayer adopts a nonexempt dependent (or accepts a nonexempt dependent who is an eligible foster child as defined in section 152(f)(1)(C)) during the taxable year and is otherwise liable for the nonexempt dependent under paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section, the taxpayer is liable under paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section for the nonexempt dependent only for the full months in the taxable year that follow the month in which the adoption or acceptance occurs.
(B) Taxpayers placing an individual for adoption. If a taxpayer who is otherwise liable for a nonexempt dependent under paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section places (or, by operation of law, must place) the nonexempt dependent for adoption or foster care during the taxable year, the taxpayer is liable under paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section for the nonexempt dependent only for the full months in the taxable year that precede the month in which the adoption or foster care placement occurs.
(C) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this paragraph (c)(2)(ii). In each example the taxpayer's taxable year is a calendar year.
(ii) Under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, E and F are not liable for a shared responsibility payment attributable to G for January through May of 2016, but are liable for a shared responsibility payment attributable to G, if any, for June through December of 2016. H is not liable for a shared responsibility payment attributable to G for any month in 2016, because G is not H's dependent for 2016 under section 152.
(ii) Under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, H is liable for a shared responsibility payment attributable to G, if any, for January through July of 2016, but is not liable for a shared responsibility payment attributable to G for August through December of 2016. E and F are not liable for a shared responsibility payment attributable to G for any month in 2016, because G is not E and F's dependent for 2016 under section 152.
(3) Liability of individuals filing a joint return. Married individuals (within the meaning of section 7703) who file a joint return for a taxable year are jointly liable for any shared responsibility payment for a month included in the taxable year.
(d) Definitions. The definitions in this paragraph (d) apply to this section and §§ 1.5000A-2 through 1.5000A-5.
(1) Affordable Care Act. Affordable Care Act refers to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148 (124 Stat. 119 (2010)), and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, Public Law 111-152 (124 Stat. 1029 (2010)), as amended.
(2) Employee. Employee includes former employees.
(3) Exchange. Exchange has the same meaning as in 45 CFR 155.20.
(4) Family. A taxpayer's family means the individuals for whom the taxpayer properly claims a deduction for a personal exemption under section 151 for the taxable year.
(5) Family coverage. Family coverage means health insurance that covers more than one individual.
(6) Group health insurance coverage. Group health insurance coverage has the same meaning as in section 2791(b)(4) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-91(b)(4)).
(7) Group health plan. Group health plan has the same meaning as in section 2791(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-91(a)(1)).
(8) Health insurance coverage. Health insurance coverage has the same meaning as in section 2791(b)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-91(b)(1)).
(9) Health insurance issuer. Health insurance issuer has the same meaning as in section 2791(b)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-91(b)(2)).
(10) Household income —(i) In general. Household income means the sum of—
(A) A taxpayer's modified adjusted gross income; and
(B) The aggregate modified adjusted gross income of all other individuals who—
( 1 ) Are included in the taxpayer's family under paragraph (d)(4) of this section; and
( 2 ) Are required to file a Federal income tax return for the taxable year.
(ii) Modified adjusted gross income. Modified adjusted gross income means adjusted gross income (within the meaning of section 62) increased by—
(A) Amounts excluded from gross income under section 911; and
(B) Tax-exempt interest the taxpayer receives or accrues during the taxable year.
(11) Individual market. Individual market has the same meaning as in section 1304(a)(2) of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18024(a)(2)).
(12) Large and small group market. Large group market and small group market have the same meanings as in section 1304(a)(3) of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18024(a)(3)).
(13) Month. Month means calendar month.
(14) Qualified health plan. Qualified health plan has the same meaning as in section 1301(a) of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18021(a)).
(15) Rating area. Rating area has the same meaning as in § 1.36B-1(n).
(16) Self-only coverage. Self-only coverage means health insurance that covers one individual.
(17) Shared responsibility family. Shared responsibility family means, for a month, all nonexempt individuals for whom the taxpayer (and the taxpayer's spouse, if the taxpayer is married and files a joint return with the spouse) is liable for the shared responsibility payment under paragraph (c) of this section.
(18) State. State means each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
§ 1.5000A-2   Minimum essential coverage.
(a) In general. Minimum essential coverage means coverage under a government-sponsored program (described in paragraph (b) of this section), an eligible employer-sponsored plan (described in paragraph (c) of this section), a plan in the individual market (described in paragraph (d) of this section), a grandfathered health plan (described in paragraph (e) of this section), or other health benefits coverage (described in paragraph (f) of this section). Minimum essential coverage does not include coverage described in paragraph (g) of this section. All terms defined in this section apply for purposes of this section and § 1.5000A-1 and §§ 1.5000A-3 through 1.5000A-5.
(b) Government-sponsored program —(1) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (2), government-sponsored program means any of the following:
(i) Medicare. The Medicare program under part A of Title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395c and following sections);
(ii) Medicaid. The Medicaid program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 and following sections);
(iii) Children's Health Insurance Program. The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) under Title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa and following sections);
(iv) TRICARE. Medical coverage under chapter 55 of Title 10, U.S.C., including coverage under the TRICARE program;
(v) Veterans programs. The following health care programs under chapter 17 or 18 of Title 38, U.S.C.:
(A) The medical benefits package authorized for eligible veterans under 38 U.S.C. 1710 and 38 U.S.C. 1705;
(B) The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) authorized under 38 U.S.C. 1781; and
(C) The comprehensive health care program authorized under 38 U.S.C. 1803 and 38 U.S.C. 1821 for certain children of Vietnam Veterans and Veterans of covered service in Korea who are suffering from spina bifida.
(vi) Peace Corp program. A health plan under section 2504(e) of Title 22, U.S.C. (relating to Peace Corps volunteers); and
(vii) Nonappropriated Fund Health Benefits Program. The Nonappropriated Fund Health Benefits Program of the Department of Defense, established under section 349 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 (Pub. L. 103-337; 10 U.S.C. 1587 note).
(2) Certain health care coverage not minimum essential coverage under a government-sponsored program. Government-sponsored program does not mean any of the following:
(i) Optional coverage of family planning services under section 1902(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XXI) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XXI));
(ii) Optional coverage of tuberculosis-related services under section 1902(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XII) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XII));
(iii) Coverage of pregnancy-related services under section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i)(IV) and (a)(10)(A)(ii)(IX) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(IV), (a)(10)(A)(ii)(IX));
(iv) Coverage limited to treatment of emergency medical conditions in accordance with 8 U.S.C. 1611(b)(1)(A), as authorized by section 1903(v) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(v));
(v) Coverage for medically needy individuals under section 1902(a)(10)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(C)) and 42 CFR 435.300 and following sections;
(vi) Coverage authorized under section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315(a));
(vii) Coverage under 10 U.S.C. 1079(a), 1086(c)(1), or 1086(d)(1) that is solely limited to space available care in a facility of the uniformed services for individuals excluded from TRICARE coverage for care from private sector providers;
(viii) Coverage under 10 U.S.C. 1074a and 1074b for an injury, illness, or disease incurred or aggravated in the line of duty for individuals who are not on active duty; and
(ix) Medicaid coverage limited to COVID-19 testing and diagnostic services provided under section 6004(a)(3) of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Pub. L. 116-127, 134 Stat. 178 (March 18, 2020).
(c) Eligible employer-sponsored plan —(1) In general. Eligible employer-sponsored plan means, with respect to any employee:
(i) Group health insurance coverage offered by, or on behalf of, an employer to the employee that is—
(A) A governmental plan (within the meaning of section 2791(d)(8) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-91(d)(8)));
(B) Any other plan or coverage offered in the small or large group market within a State; or
(C) A grandfathered health plan (within the meaning of paragraph (e) of this section) offered in a group market; or
(ii) A self-insured group health plan under which coverage is offered by, or on behalf of, an employer to the employee.
(2) Government-sponsored program generally not an eligible employer-sponsored plan. Except for the program identified in paragraph (b)(1)(vii) of this section, a government-sponsored program described in paragraph (b) of this section is not an eligible employer-sponsored plan.
(d) Plan in the individual market —(1) In general. Plan in the individual market means health insurance coverage offered to individuals in the individual market within a state, other than short-term limited duration insurance within the meaning of section 2791(b)(5) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-91(b)(5)).
(2) Qualified health plan offered by an Exchange. A qualified health plan offered by an Exchange is a plan in the individual market. If a territory of the United States elects to establish an Exchange under section 1323(a)(1) and (b) of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18043(a)(1), (b)), a qualified health plan offered by that Exchange is a plan in the individual market.
(e) Grandfathered health plan. Grandfathered health plan means any group health plan or group health insurance coverage to which section 1251 of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18011) applies.
(f) Other coverage that qualifies as minimum essential coverage. Minimum essential coverage includes any plan or arrangement recognized by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, as minimum essential coverage.
(g) Excepted benefits not minimum essential coverage. Minimum essential coverage does not include any coverage that consists solely of excepted benefits described in section 2791(c)(1), (c)(2), (c)(3), or (c)(4) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-91(c)).
§ 1.5000A-3   Exempt individuals.
(a) Members of recognized religious sects —(1) In general. An individual is an exempt individual for a month that includes a day on which the individual has in effect a religious conscience exemption certification described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
(2) Exemption certification. A religious conscience exemption certification is issued by an Exchange in accordance with the requirements of section 1311(d)(4)(H) of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18031(d)(4)(H)), 45 CFR 155.605(c), and 45 CFR 155.615(b) and certifies that an individual is—
(i) A member of a recognized religious sect or division of the sect that is described in section 1402(g)(1); and
(ii) An adherent of established tenets or teachings of the sect or division as described in that section.
(b) Member of health care sharing ministries —(1) In general. An individual is an exempt individual for a month that includes a day on which the individual is a member of a health care sharing ministry.
(2) Health care sharing ministry. For purposes of this section, health care sharing ministry means an organization—
(i) That is described in section 501(c)(3) and is exempt from tax under section 501(a);
(ii) Members of which share a common set of ethical or religious beliefs and share medical expenses among themselves in accordance with those beliefs and without regard to the state in which a member resides or is employed;
(iii) Members of which retain membership even after they develop a medical condition;
(iv) That (or a predecessor of which) has been in existence at all times since December 31, 1999;
(v) Members of which have shared medical expenses continuously and without interruption since at least December 31, 1999; and
(vi) That conducts an annual audit performed by an independent certified public accounting firm in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and makes the annual audit report available to the public upon request.
(c) Exempt noncitizens —(1) In general. An individual is an exempt individual for a month that the individual is an exempt noncitizen.
(2) Exempt noncitizens. For purposes of this section, an individual is an exempt noncitizen for a month if the individual—
(i) Is not a U.S. citizen or U.S. national for any day during the month; and
(ii) Is either—
(A) A nonresident alien (within the meaning of section 7701(b)(1)(B)) for the taxable year that includes the month; or
(B) An individual who is not lawfully present (within the meaning of 45 CFR 155.20) on any day in the month.
(d) Incarcerated individuals —(1) In general. An individual is an exempt individual for a month that includes a day on which the individual is incarcerated.
(2) Incarcerated. For purposes of this section, the term incarcerated means confined, after the disposition of charges, in a jail, prison, or similar penal institution or correctional facility.
(e) Individuals with no affordable coverage —(1) In general. An individual is an exempt individual for a month in which the individual lacks affordable coverage. For purposes of this paragraph (e), an individual lacks affordable coverage in a month if the individual's required contribution (determined on an annual basis) for minimum essential coverage for the month exceeds the required contribution percentage (as defined in paragraph (e)(2) of this section) of the individual's household income. For purposes of this paragraph (e), an individual's household income is increased by any amount of the required contribution made through a salary reduction arrangement that is excluded from gross income.
(2) Required contribution percentage —(i) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of this section, the required contribution percentage is 8 percent.
(ii) Indexing. For plan years beginning in any calendar year after 2014, the required contribution percentage is the percentage determined by the Department of Health and Human Services that reflects the excess of the rate of premium growth between the preceding calendar year and 2013 over the rate of income growth for the period.
(iii) Plan year. For purposes of this paragraph (e), plan year means the eligible employer-sponsored plan's regular 12-month coverage period, or for a new employee or an individual who enrolls during a special enrollment period, the remainder of a 12-month coverage period.
(3) Individuals eligible for coverage under eligible employer-sponsored plans —(i) Eligibility —(A) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (e)(3)(i)(B) of this section, an employee or related individual (as defined in paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(B) of this section) is treated as eligible for coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan for a month during a plan year if the employee or related individual could have enrolled in the plan for any day in that month during an open or special enrollment period, regardless of whether the employee or related individual is eligible for any other type of minimum essential coverage.
(B) Multiple eligibility. For purposes of this paragraph (e)(3), an employee eligible for coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan offered by the employee's employer is not treated as eligible as a related individual for coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan (for example, an eligible employer-sponsored plan offered by the employer of the employee's spouse) for any month included in the plan year of the eligible employer-sponsored plan offered by the employee's employer.
(C) Special rule for post-employment coverage. A former employee or an individual related to a former employee, who may enroll in continuation coverage required under Federal law or a state law that provides comparable continuation coverage, or in retiree coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan, is eligible for coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan only if the individual enrolls in the coverage.
(ii) Required contribution for individuals eligible for coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan —(A) Employees. In the case of an employee who is eligible to purchase coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan sponsored by the employee's employer, the required contribution is the portion of the annual premium that the employee would pay (whether through salary reduction or otherwise) for the lowest cost self-only coverage.
(B) Individuals related to employees. In the case of an individual who is eligible for coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan because of a relationship to an employee and for whom a personal exemption deduction under section 151 is claimed on the employee's Federal income tax return (related individual), the required contribution is the portion of the annual premium that the employee would pay (whether through salary reduction or otherwise) for the lowest cost family coverage that would cover the employee and all related individuals who are included in the employee's family and are not otherwise exempt under § 1.5000A-3.
(C) Required contribution for part-year period. For each individual described in paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(A) or (e)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, affordability under this paragraph (e)(3) is determined separately for each employment period that is less than a full calendar year or for the portions of an employer's plan year that fall in different taxable years of the individual. Coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan is affordable for a part-year period if the annualized required contribution for self-only coverage (in the case of the employee) or family coverage (in the case of a related individual) under the plan for the part-year period does not exceed the required contribution percentage of the individual's household income for the taxable year. The annualized required contribution is the required contribution determined under paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(A) or (e)(3)(ii)(B) of this section for the part-year period times a fraction, the numerator of which is 12 and the denominator of which is the number of months in the part-year period during the individual's taxable year. Only full calendar months are included in the computation under this paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(C).
(D) Employer contributions to health reimbursement arrangements. Amounts newly made available for the current plan year under a health reimbursement arrangement that an employee may use to pay premiums, or may use to pay cost-sharing or benefits not covered by the primary plan in addition to premiums, are counted toward the employee's required contribution if the health reimbursement arrangement would be integrated, as that term is used in Notice 2013-54 (2013-40 IRB 287) or in any successor published guidance (see § 601.601(d) of this chapter), with an eligible employer-sponsored plan for an employee enrolled in the plan. The eligible employer-sponsored plan and the health reimbursement arrangement must be offered by the same employer. Employer contributions to a health reimbursement arrangement count toward an employee's required contribution only to the extent the amount of the annual contribution is required under the terms of the plan or otherwise determinable within a reasonable time before the employee must decide whether to enroll in the eligible employer-sponsored plan.
(E) Employer contributions to cafeteria plans. Amounts made available for the current plan year under a cafeteria plan, within the meaning of section 125, are taken into account in determining an employee's or a related individual's required contribution if:
( 1 ) The employee may not opt to receive the amount as a taxable benefit;
( 2 ) The employee may use the amount to pay for minimum essential coverage; and
( 3 ) The employee may use the amount exclusively to pay for medical care, within the meaning of section 213.
(F) Wellness program incentives. Nondiscriminatory wellness program incentives, within the meaning of § 54.9802-1(f) of this chapter, offered by an eligible employer-sponsored plan that affect premiums are treated as earned in determining an employee's required contribution for purposes of affordability of an eligible employer-sponsored plan to the extent the incentives relate exclusively to tobacco use. Wellness program incentives that do not relate to tobacco use or that include a component unrelated to tobacco use are treated as not earned for this purpose. For purposes of this section, the term wellness program incentive has the same meaning as the term reward in § 54.9802-1(f)(1)(i) of this chapter.
(G) Opt-out arrangements. [Reserved]
(iii) Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this paragraph (e)(3). Unless stated otherwise, in each example, each individual's taxable year is a calendar year, the individual is ineligible for any other exemptions described in this section for a month, the rate of premium growth has not exceeded the rate of income growth since 2013, and the individual's employer offers a single plan that uses a calendar plan year and is an eligible employer-sponsored plan as described in § 1.5000A-2(c).
(ii) Under paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(C) of this section, F's annualized required contribution for the period January 2016 through June 2016 is $4,750 ($2,375 paid for premiums in 2016 × 12/6). Under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, F has affordable coverage for January 2016 through June 2016 because F's annualized required contribution ($4,750) does not exceed 8% of F's household income ($4,800).
(iii) Under paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(C) of this section, F's annualized required contribution for the period July 2016 to December 2016 is $5,000 ($2,500 paid for premiums in 2016 × 12/6). Under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, F lacks affordable coverage for July 2016 through December 2016 because F's annualized required contribution ($5,000) exceeds 8% of F's household income ($4,800).
(4) Individuals ineligible for coverage under eligible employer-sponsored plans —(i) Eligibility for coverage other than an eligible employer-sponsored plan. An individual is treated as ineligible for coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan for a month that is not described in paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section.
(ii) Required contribution for individuals ineligible for coverage under eligible employer-sponsored plans —(A) In general. In the case of an individual who is ineligible for coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan, the required contribution is the premium for the applicable plan, reduced by the maximum amount of any credit allowable under section 36B for the taxable year, determined as if the individual was covered for the entire taxable year by a qualified health plan offered through the Exchange serving the rating area where the individual resides.
(B) Applicable plan —( 1 ) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(B)( 2 ) of this section, applicable plan means the single lowest cost bronze plan available in the individual market through the Exchange serving the rating area in which the individual resides (without regard to whether the individual purchased a qualified health plan through the Exchange) that would cover all individuals in the individual's nonexempt family. For purposes of this paragraph (e)(4), an individual's nonexempt family means the family (as defined in § 1.5000A-1(d)(4)) that includes the individual, excluding any family members who are otherwise exempt under section 1.5000A-3 or are treated as eligible for coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan under paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section. The premium for the applicable plan takes into account rating factors (for example, an individual's age or tobacco use) that an Exchange would use to determine the cost of coverage.
( 2 ) Lowest cost bronze plan does not cover all individuals included in the taxpayer's nonexempt family —( i ) In general. If the Exchange serving the rating area where the individual resides does not offer a single bronze plan covering all individuals included in the individual's nonexempt family, the premium for the applicable plan is the sum of the premiums for the lowest cost bronze plans that are offered through the Exchanges serving the rating areas where one or more of the individuals reside that would cover in the aggregate all the individuals in the individual's nonexempt family. For instance, coverage offered through the Exchange in a rating area might not cover a family member living in different rating area or a single policy might not cover all the members in a taxpayer's household.
( ii ) Optional simplified method for applicable plan identification. [Reserved]
(C) Wellness programs incentives. [Reserved]
(D) Credit allowable under section 36B. For purposes of paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, maximum amount of any credit allowable under section 36B means the maximum amount of the credit that would be allowable to the individual, or to the taxpayer who can properly claim the individual as a dependent, under section 36B if all members of the individual's nonexempt family enrolled in a qualified health plan through the Exchange serving the rating area where the individual resides.
(E) Required contribution for part-year period. For each individual, affordability under paragraph (e)(4) of this section is determined separately for each period described in paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(E) of this section that is less than a 12-month period. Coverage under a plan is affordable for a part-year period if the annualized required contribution for coverage under the plan for the part-year period does not exceed the required contribution percentage of the individual's household income for the taxable year. The annualized required contribution is the required contribution determined under paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(A) of this section for the part-year period times a fraction, the numerator of which is 12 and the denominator of which is the number of months in the part-year period during the individual's taxable year. Only full calendar months are included in the computation under this paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(D).
(iii) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this paragraph (e)(4). Unless stated otherwise, in each example the taxpayer's taxable year is a calendar year, the rate of premium growth has not exceeded the rate of income growth since 2013, and the taxpayer is ineligible for any of the exemptions described in paragraphs (a) through (d) and (f) through (j) of this section for a month.
(ii) Under paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(C) of this section, the credit allowable under section 36B is determined pursuant to section 36B. With household income at 358% of the Federal poverty line, G's applicable percentage is 9.5. Because each month in 2016 is a coverage month (within the meaning of § 1.36B-3(c)), G's maximum credit allowable under section 36B is the excess of G's premium for the applicable benchmark plan over the product of G's household income and G's applicable percentage ($1,700). Therefore, under paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, G's required contribution is $3,300. Under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, G lacks affordable coverage for 2016 because G's required contribution ($3,300) exceeds 8% of G's household income ($3,200).
(ii) Under paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(C) of this section, the credit allowable under section 36B is determined pursuant to section 36B. With household income at 347% of the Federal poverty line, the applicable percentage is 9.5. Because each month in 2016 is a coverage month (within the meaning of § 1.36B-3(c)), the maximum credit allowable under section 36B is the excess of the premium for the applicable benchmark plan over the product of the household income and the applicable percentage ($17,400). Therefore, under paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, the required contribution for M, N, P, and Q is $2,600. Under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, M, N, P, and Q have affordable coverage for 2016 because their required contribution ($2,600) does not exceed 8% of their household income ($6,400).
(ii) Under paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(C) of this section, the credit allowable under section 36B is determined pursuant to section 36B. With household income at 217% of the Federal poverty line, the applicable percentage is 6.89. Each month in 2016 is a coverage month (within the meaning of § 1.36B-3(c)) for U and V, but no months in 2016 are coverage months for W and X because they are eligible for CHIP coverage. The maximum credit allowable under section 36B is the excess of the premium for the applicable benchmark plan over the product of the household income and the applicable percentage ($9,055). Therefore, under paragraph (e)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, the required contribution is $10,945. Under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, U, V, W, and X lack affordable coverage for 2016 because their required contribution ($10,945) exceeds 8% of their household income ($4,000).
(f) Household income below filing threshold —(1) In general. An individual is an exempt individual for any taxable year for which the individual's household income is less than the applicable filing threshold.
(2) Applicable filing threshold —(i) In general. For purposes of this section, applicable filing threshold means the amount of gross income that would trigger an individual's requirement to file a Federal income tax return under section 6012(a)(1).
(ii) Certain dependents. The applicable filing threshold for an individual who is properly claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer is equal to the other taxpayer's applicable filing threshold.
(3) Manner of claiming the exemption. A taxpayer is not required to file a Federal income tax return solely to claim the exemption described in this paragraph (f). If a taxpayer has a household income below the applicable filing threshold and nevertheless files a Federal income tax return, the taxpayer may claim the exemption described in this paragraph (f) on the return.
(g) Members of Indian tribes. An individual is an exempt individual for a month that includes a day on which the individual is a member of an Indian tribe. For purposes of this section, Indian tribe means a group or community described in section 45A(c)(6).
(h) Individuals with hardship exemption certification —(1) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (h)(3) of this section, an individual is an exempt individual for a month that includes a day on which the individual has in effect a hardship exemption certification described in paragraph (h)(2) of this section.
(2) Hardship exemption certification. A hardship exemption certification is issued by an Exchange under section 1311(d)(4)(H) of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18031(d)(4)(H)), 45 CFR 155.605(g)(1), (g)(2), (g)(4) and (g)(6), 45 CFR 155.610(i), and 45 CFR 155.615(f), and certifies that an individual has suffered a hardship (as that term is defined in 45 CFR 155.605(g)) affecting the capability to obtain minimum essential coverage.
(3) Hardship exemption without hardship exemption certification. An individual may claim an exemption without obtaining a hardship exemption certification described in paragraph (h)(2) of this section for any month that includes a day on which the individual meets the requirements of any hardship for which:
(i) The Secretary of HHS issues guidance of general applicability describing the hardship and indicating that an exemption for such hardship can be claimed on a Federal income tax return pursuant to guidance published by the Secretary; and
(ii) The Secretary issues published guidance of general applicability, see § 601.601(d)(2) of this chapter, allowing an individual to claim the hardship exemption on a return without obtaining a hardship exemption from an Exchange.
(i) [Reserved]
(j) Individuals with certain short coverage gaps —(1) In general. An individual is an exempt individual for a month the last day of which is included in a short coverage gap.
(2) Short coverage gap —(i) In general. Short coverage gap means a continuous period of less than three months in which the individual is not covered under minimum essential coverage. If the individual does not have minimum essential coverage for a continuous period of three or more months, none of the months included in the continuous period are treated as included in a short coverage gap.
(ii) Coordination with other exemptions. For purposes of this paragraph (j), an individual is treated as having minimum essential coverage for a month in which an individual is exempt under any of paragraphs (a) through (h) of this section.
(iii) More than one short coverage gap during calendar year. If a calendar year includes more than one short coverage gap, the exemption provided by this paragraph (j) only applies to the earliest short coverage gap.
(3) Continuous period —(i) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (j)(3)(ii) of this section, the number of months included in a continuous period is determined without regard to the calendar years in which months included in that period occur. For purposes of paragraph (j) of this section, a continuous period begins no earlier than January 1, 2014.
(ii) Continuous period straddling more than one taxable year. If an individual does not have minimum essential coverage for a continuous period that begins in one taxable year and ends in the next, for purposes of applying this paragraph (j) to the first taxable year, the months in the second taxable year included in the continuous period are disregarded. For purposes of applying this paragraph (j) to the second taxable year, the months in the first taxable year included in the continuous period are taken into account.
(4) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this paragraph (j). Unless stated otherwise, in each example the taxpayer's taxable year is a calendar year and the taxpayer is ineligible for any of the exemptions described in paragraphs (a) through (h) of this section for a month.
(ii) December 2016 is included in the continuous period that includes January 2017. This continuous period is two months and, therefore, January 2017 is the earliest month in 2017 that is included in a short coverage gap. Under paragraph (j)(2)(iii) of this section, the exemption under this paragraph (j) applies only to January 2017. Thus, the continuous period without minimum essential coverage in July and August of 2017 is not a short coverage gap.