Title 26—Internal Revenue--Volume 1
PART 1—INCOME TAXES
§ 1.901(m)-6   Successor rules.
(a) In general. This section provides successor rules applicable to section 901(m). Paragraph (b) of this section provides rules for the continued application of section 901(m) after an RFA that has unallocated basis difference has been transferred, including special rules applicable to successor transactions that are also CAAs or that involve partnerships. Paragraph (c) of this section provides rules for determining when an aggregate basis difference carryover of a section 901(m) payor either becomes an aggregate basis difference carryover of the section 901(m) payor with respect to another foreign payor or is transferred to another section 901(m) payor, and paragraph (d) of this section provides applicability dates.
(b) Successor rules for unallocated basis difference —(1) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this section, section 901(m) continues to apply after a successor transaction to any unallocated basis difference attached to a transferred RFA until the entire basis difference has been taken into account as a cost recovery amount or a disposition amount (or both) under § 1.901(m)-5.
(2) Definition of a successor transaction. A successor transaction occurs with respect to an RFA if, after a CAA ( prior CAA ), there is a transfer of the RFA for U.S. income tax purposes and the RFA has unallocated basis difference with respect to the prior CAA, determined immediately after the transfer. A successor transaction may occur regardless of whether the transfer of the RFA is a disposition, a CAA, or a non-taxable transaction for purposes of U.S. income tax. If the RFA was subject to multiple prior CAAs, a separate determination must be made with respect to each prior CAA as to whether the transfer is a successor transaction.
(3) Special considerations. (i) If an asset is an RFA with respect to more than one foreign income tax, this paragraph (b) applies separately with respect to each foreign income tax.
(ii) Any subsequent cost recovery amount for an RFA transferred in a successor transaction is determined based on the post-transaction applicable cost recovery method, as described in § 1.901(m)-5(b)(3), that applies to the U.S. basis (or portion thereof) that corresponds to the unallocated basis difference.
(4) Successor transaction is a CAA —(i) In general. An asset may be an RFA with respect to multiple CAAs if a successor transaction is also a CAA ( subsequent CAA ). Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (b)(4), if there is a subsequent CAA, unallocated basis difference with respect to any prior CAAs will continue to be taken into account under section 901(m) after the subsequent CAA. Furthermore, the subsequent CAA may give rise to additional basis difference subject to section 901(m).
(ii) Foreign basis election. If a foreign basis election is made under § 1.901(m)-4(c) with respect to a foreign income tax in a subsequent CAA, any unallocated basis difference with respect to one or more prior CAAs will not be taken into account under section 901(m). The only basis difference that will be taken into account after the subsequent CAA with respect to that foreign income tax is the basis difference with respect to the subsequent CAA.
(iii) Multiple section 743(b) CAAs. If an RFA is subject to two section 743(b) CAAs ( prior section 743(b) CAA and subsequent section 743(b) CAA ) and the same partnership interest is acquired in both the CAAs, the RFA will be treated as having no unallocated basis difference with respect to the prior section 743(b) CAA if the basis difference for the section 743(b) CAA is determined independently from the prior section 743(b) CAA. In this regard, see generally § 1.743-1(f). If the subsequent section 743(b) CAA results from the acquisition of only a portion of the partnership interest acquired in the prior section 743(b) CAA, then the transferor will be required to equitably apportion the unallocated basis difference attributable to the prior section 743(b) CAA between the portion retained by the transferor and the portion transferred. In this case, with respect to the portion transferred, the RFAs will be treated as having no unallocated basis difference with respect to the prior section 743(b) CAA if basis difference for the subsequent section 743(b) CAA is determined independently from the prior section 743(b) CAA.
(5) Example. The following example illustrates the rules of paragraph (b) of this section.
(i) Facts. USP, a domestic corporation, wholly owns CFC, a foreign corporation organized in Country A and treated as a corporation for both U.S. and Country A tax purposes. FT is an unrelated foreign corporation organized in Country A and treated as a corporation for both U.S. and Country A tax purposes. FT owns one asset, a parcel of land (Asset). Country A imposes a single tax that is a foreign income tax. On January 1, Year 1, CFC acquires all of the stock of FT in exchange for 300u in a qualified stock purchase (as defined in section 338(d)(3)) to which section 338(a) applies (Acquisition). Immediately before the Acquisition, Asset had a U.S. basis of 100u, and immediately after the Acquisition, Asset had a U.S. basis of 300u. Effective on February 1, Year 1, FT elects to be a disregarded entity pursuant to § 301.7701-3. As a result of the election, FT is deemed, for U.S. income tax purposes, to distribute Asset to CFC in liquidation (Deemed Liquidation) immediately before the closing of the day before the election is effective pursuant to § 301.7701-3(g)(1)(iii) and (3)(ii). The Deemed Liquidation is disregarded for Country A tax purposes. No gain or loss is recognized on the Deemed Liquidation for either U.S. or Country A tax purposes.
(ii) Result. Under § 1.901(m)-2(b)(1), the acquisition by CFC of the stock of FT is a section 338 CAA. Under § 1.901(m)-2(c)(1), Asset is an RFA with respect to Country A tax and the Acquisition, because immediately after the Acquisition, Asset is relevant in determining foreign income of FT for Country A tax purposes, and FT owned Asset when the Acquisition occurred. Under § 1.901(m)-4(b), the basis difference with respect to Asset is 200u (300u—100u). Under § 1.901(m)-2(b)(2), the Deemed Liquidation is a CAA (subsequent CAA) because the Deemed Liquidation is treated as an acquisition of assets for U.S. income tax purposes and is disregarded for Country A tax purposes. Because the U.S. basis in Asset is 300u immediately before and after the Deemed Liquidation, the subsequent CAA does not give rise to any additional basis difference. The Deemed Liquidation is not a disposition under § 1.901(m)-1(a)(15) because it did not result in gain or loss being recognized with respect to Asset for U.S. or Country A tax purposes. Accordingly, no basis difference with respect to Asset is taken into account under § 1.901(m)-5 as a result of the Deemed Liquidation, and the unallocated basis difference with respect to Asset immediately after the Deemed Liquidation is 200u (200u—0u). Under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the Deemed Liquidation is a successor transaction because there is a transfer of Asset for U.S. income tax purposes from FT to CFC and Asset has unallocated basis difference with respect to the Acquisition immediately after the Deemed Liquidation. Accordingly, under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, section 901(m) will continue to apply to the unallocated basis difference with respect to Asset until the entire 200u basis difference has been taken into account under § 1.901(m)-5.
(c) Successor rules for aggregate basis difference carryover —(1) Transfers of a section 901(m) payor's aggregate basis difference carryover to another person. If a corporation acquires the assets of a section 901(m) payor in a transaction to which section 381 applies, that corporation succeeds to any aggregate basis difference carryovers of the section 901(m) payor.
(2) Transfers of a section 901(m) payor's aggregate basis difference carryover with respect to a foreign payor to another foreign payor. If a section 901(m) payor has an aggregate basis difference carryover, with respect to a foreign income tax and a foreign payor, and substantially all of the assets of the foreign payor are transferred to another foreign payor in which the section 901(m) payor owns an interest, the section 901(m) payor's aggregate basis difference carryover with respect to the first foreign payor is transferred to the section 901(m) payor's aggregate basis difference carryover with respect to the other foreign payor. In such a case, the section 901(m) payor's aggregate basis difference carryover with respect to the first foreign payor is reduced to zero.
(3) Anti-abuse rule. If a section 901(m) payor has an aggregate basis difference carryover with respect to a foreign income tax and a foreign payor and, with a principal purpose of avoiding the application of section 901(m), assets of the foreign payor are transferred to another foreign payor in a transaction not described in paragraph (c)(1) or (2) of this section, then a portion of the aggregate basis difference carryover of the section 901(m) payor is transferred either to the aggregate basis difference carryover of the section 901(m) payor with respect to the other foreign payor or to another section 901(m) payor, as appropriate. The portion of the aggregate basis difference carryover transferred is determined based on the ratio of fair market value of the assets transferred to the fair market value of all of the assets of the foreign payor that transferred the assets. Similar principles apply when, with a principal purpose of avoiding the application of section 901(m), there is a change in the allocation of foreign income for foreign income tax purposes or the allocation of foreign income tax amounts for U.S. income tax purposes that would otherwise separate foreign income tax amounts from the related aggregate basis difference carryover.
(4) Ownership. For purposes of this paragraph (c), a section 901(m) payor owns an interest in a foreign payor if the section 901(m) payor owns the interest directly or indirectly through one or more fiscally transparent entities for U.S. income tax purposes.
(d) Applicability dates. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, this section applies to CAAs occurring on or after March 23, 2020.
(2) Paragraphs (a), (b)(1) and (2), (b)(4)(i) and (iii), and (b)(5) of this section apply to CAAs occurring on or after July 21, 2014, and to CAAs occurring before that date resulting from an entity classification election made under § 301.7701-3 of this chapter that is filed on or after July 29, 2014, and that is effective on or before July 21, 2014. Paragraphs (a), (b)(1) and (2), (b)(4)(i) and (iii), and (b)(5) of this section also apply to CAAs occurring on or after January 1, 2011, and before July 21, 2014, other than CAAs occurring before July 21, 2014, resulting from an entity classification election made under § 301.7701-3 that is filed on or after July 29, 2014, and that is effective on or before July 21, 2014, but only with respect to basis difference determined under § 1.901(m)-4T(e) with respect to the CAA.
(3) Taxpayers may, however, choose to apply provisions in this section before the date such provisions are applicable pursuant to paragraphs (d)(1) and (2) of this section, provided that they (along with any persons that are related (within the meaning of section 267(b) or 707(b)) to the taxpayer)—
(i) Consistently apply this section, § 1.704-1(b)(4)(viii)( c )( 4 )( v ) through ( vii ), § 1.901(m)-1, §§ 1.901(m)-3 through 1.901(m)-5 (excluding § 1.901(m)-4(e)), § 1.901(m)-7, and § 1.901(m)-8 to all CAAs occurring on or after January 1, 2011, and consistently apply § 1.901(m)-2 (excluding § 1.901(m)-2(d)) to all CAAs occurring on or after December 7, 2016, on any original or amended tax return for each taxable year for which the application of the provisions listed in this paragraph (d)(3)(i) affects the tax liability and for which the statute of limitations does not preclude assessment or the filing of a claim for refund, as applicable;
(ii) File all tax returns described in paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section for any taxable year ending on or before March 23, 2020, no later than March 23, 2021; and
(iii) Make appropriate adjustments to take into account deficiencies that would have resulted from the consistent application under paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section for taxable years that are not open for assessment.
§ 1.901(m)-7   De minimis rules.
(a) In general. This section provides rules describing basis difference that is not taken into account under section 901(m) because a CAA results in a de minimis amount of basis difference. Paragraph (b) of this section sets forth the general rule for determining whether the de minimis threshold is met. Paragraph (c) of this section modifies the general rule in the case of CAAs that are part of an aggregated CAA transaction. Paragraph (d) of this section provides rules for applying this section, and paragraph (e) of this section provides an anti-abuse rule applicable to related persons. Paragraph (f) of this section provides examples that illustrate the application of this section. Paragraph (g) of this section provides applicability dates.
(b) General rule —(1) In general. A basis difference with respect to an RFA and a foreign income tax is not taken into account under section 901(m) if the requirements under the cumulative basis difference exemption, the RFA class exemption, or the RFA exemption are satisfied.
(2) Cumulative basis difference exemption. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, a basis difference, with respect to an RFA and a foreign income tax, is not taken into account under section 901(m) ( cumulative basis difference exemption ) if the sum of that basis difference and all other basis differences (including negative basis differences), with respect to a single CAA and a single RFA owner (U.S.), is less than the greater of:
(i) $10 million, or
(ii) 10 percent of the total U.S. basis of all the RFAs immediately after the CAA.
(3) RFA class exemption —(i) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, a basis difference, with respect to an RFA and a foreign income tax, is not taken into account under section 901(m) ( RFA class exemption ) if the RFA is part of a class of RFAs and the absolute value of the sum of the basis differences (including negative basis differences), with respect to a single CAA and a single RFA owner, for all the RFAs in that class is less than the greater of:
(A) $2 million, or
(B) 10 percent of the total U.S. basis of all the RFAs in that class of RFAs immediately after the CAA.
(ii) For purposes of this paragraph (b)(3), the classes of RFAs are the seven asset classes defined in § 1.338-6(b), regardless of whether the CAA is a section 338 CAA.
(4) RFA exemption. A basis difference, with respect to an RFA and a foreign income tax, is not taken into account under section 901(m) ( RFA exemption ) if the absolute value of the basis difference with respect to the RFA is less than $20,000.
(c) Special rule if a CAA is part of an aggregated CAA transaction. If a CAA is part of an aggregated CAA transaction and a single RFA owner (U.S.) does not own all the RFAs attributable to the CAAs that are part of the aggregated CAA transaction, the cumulative basis difference exemption and the RFA class exemption apply to such CAA only if, in addition to satisfying the requirements of paragraph (b)(2) or (b)(3) of this section, respectively, determined without regard to this paragraph (c), the cumulative basis difference exemption or the RFA class exemption, as modified by this paragraph (c), is satisfied. Solely for purposes of this paragraph (c), the cumulative basis difference exemption and the RFA class exemption are applied taking into account all the basis differences with respect to all the RFAs owned by all the RFA owners (U.S.) that are attributable to the CAAs that are part of the aggregated CAA transaction.
(d) Rules of application. The following rules apply for purposes of this section.
(1) Whether a basis difference qualifies for the cumulative basis difference exemption, the RFA class exemption, or the RFA exemption is determined when an asset first becomes an RFA with respect to a CAA. In the case of a subsequent CAA described in § 1.901(m)-6(b)(4), the application of the cumulative basis difference exemption, the RFA class exemption, and the RFA exemption is based on basis difference, if any, that results from the subsequent CAA.
(2) If there is an aggregated CAA transaction, the cumulative basis difference exemption and each RFA class exemption are applied by treating all CAAs that are part of the aggregated CAA transaction as a single CAA.
(3) Basis difference is computed in accordance with § 1.901(m)-4 except that a foreign basis election need not be evidenced if the cumulative basis difference exemption, an RFA class exemption, or the RFA exemption apply to all RFAs with respect to the CAA.
(4) Basis difference is translated into U.S. dollars (if necessary) using the spot rate determined under the principles of § 1.988-1(d) on the date of the CAA.
(e) Anti-abuse rule. The cumulative basis difference exemption, an RFA class exemption, and the RFA exemption are not available if the transferor and transferee in the CAA are related persons (as described in section 267(b) or 707(b)) and the CAA was entered into, or structured, with a principal purpose of avoiding the application of section 901(m). See also § 1.901(m)-8(c), which provides that certain built-in loss assets are not taken into account for purposes of applying this section.
(f) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this section:
(1) Example 1: De minimis; cumulative basis difference exemption —(i) Facts. USP, a domestic corporation, as part of a plan, purchases all of the stock of CFC1 and CFC2 from a single seller. CFC1 and CFC2 are applicable foreign corporations, organized in Country F, and treated as corporations for Country F tax purposes. Country F imposes a single tax that is a foreign income tax. Each acquisition is a qualified stock purchase (as defined in section 338(d)(3)) to which section 338(a) applies. A foreign basis election is not made under § 1.901(m)-4(c). Immediately after the acquisition of the stock of CFC1 and CFC2, the assets of CFC1 and CFC2 give rise to income that is taken into account for Country F tax purposes, and those assets are in a single class, as defined in § 1.338-6(b). Assume that the absolute value of the basis difference with respect to any single RFA is greater than $20,000. At all relevant times, 1u equals $1. All amounts are stated in millions. The additional facts are summarized below.
(ii) Result. (A) Under § 1.901(m)-2(b)(1), USP's acquisitions of the stock of CFC1 and CFC2 are each a section 338 CAA. Under 1.901(m)-1(a)(3), the two section 338 CAAs constitute an aggregated CAA transaction because the acquisitions occur as part of a plan. Under § 1.901(m)-2(c)(1), the assets of CFC1 and CFC2 are RFAs for Country F tax purposes because they are relevant in determining foreign income of CFC1 and CFC 2, respectively, for Country F tax purposes. Under § 1.901(m)-1(a)(37), CFC1 is the RFA owner (U.S.) with respect to its assets, and CFC2 is the RFA owner (U.S.) with respect to its assets.
(B) Under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the application of the cumulative basis difference exemption is based on a single CAA and a single RFA owner (U.S.), subject to the requirements under paragraph (c) of this section that apply when there is an aggregated CAA transaction. In the case of the section 338 CAA with respect to CFC1, without regard to paragraph (c) of this section, the requirements of the cumulative basis difference exemption are satisfied if the sum of the basis differences is less than the threshold of $10 million, the greater of $10 million or $6 million (10% of the total U.S. basis of $60 million (60 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1u)). In this case, the sum of the basis differences is $12 million (12 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1 u). Because the sum of the basis differences of $12 million is not less than the threshold of $10 million, the requirements of the cumulative basis difference exemption are not satisfied. Because the requirements of the cumulative basis difference exemption are not satisfied, without regard to paragraph (c) of this section, paragraph (c) of this section is not applicable. The RFA class exemption is not relevant because all of the RFAs of CFC1 are in a single class. Finally, because the absolute value with respect to each RFA is greater than $20,000, the RFA exemption does not apply. Accordingly, the basis differences with respect to all of the RFAs of CFC1 must be taken into account under section 901(m).
(C) In the case of the section 338 CAA with respect to CFC2, without regard to paragraph (c) of this section, the requirements of the cumulative basis difference exemption are satisfied if the sum of the basis differences is less than the threshold of $10 million, the greater of $10 million or $ 9.6 million (10% of the total U.S. basis of $96 million (96 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1u)) In this case, the sum of the basis differences is ($4) million ((4) million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1 u). Because the sum of the basis differences of ($4) million is less than the threshold of $10 million, the requirements of the cumulative basis difference exemption are satisfied. However, because the section 338 CAA with respect to CFC2 is part of an aggregated CAA transaction that includes the section 338 CAA with respect to CFC1, paragraph (c) of this section is applicable. Under paragraph (c) of this section, the requirements of the cumulative basis difference exemption must also be satisfied taking into account all of the RFAs of both CFC2 and CFC1. In this case, the requirements of the cumulative basis difference exemption for purposes of paragraph (c) of this section are satisfied if the sum of the basis differences with respect to all of the RFAs of CFC2 and CFC1 is less than the threshold of $15.6 million, the greater of $10 million or $15.6 million (10% of the total U.S. basis of $156 million (156 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1u)). In this case, the sum of the basis differences is $8 million (8 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1 u). Because the sum of the basis differences of $8 million is less than the threshold of $15.6 million, the requirements of the cumulative basis difference exemption are satisfied in the case of the section 338 CAA with respect to CFC2. Accordingly, none of the basis differences with respect to the RFAs of CFC2 are taken into account under section 901(m).
(2) Example 2: De minimis; RFA Class Exemption —(i) Facts. USP, a domestic corporation, acquires all the stock of CFC, an applicable foreign corporation organized in Country F and treated as a corporation for Country F tax purposes, in a qualified stock purchase (as defined in section 338(d)(3)) to which section 338(a) applies. Country F imposes a single tax that is a foreign income tax. A foreign basis election is not made under § 1.901(m)-4(c). Immediately after the acquisition of CFC, the assets of CFC give rise to income that is taken into account for Country F tax purposes. Assume that the absolute value of the basis difference with respect to any single RFA is greater than $20,000. At all relevant times, 1u equals $1. All amounts are stated in millions. The additional facts are summarized below.
(ii) Result. (A) Under § 1.901(m)-2(b)(1), USP's acquisition of the stock of CFC is a section 338 CAA. Under § 1.901(m)-2(c)(1), the assets of CFC are RFAs for Country F tax purposes because they are relevant in determining foreign income of CFC for Country F tax purposes.
(B) Under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the requirements of the cumulative basis difference exemption are satisfied if the sum of the basis differences is less than the threshold of $10 million, the greater of $10 million or $5.5 million (10% of the total U.S. basis of $55 million (55 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1u)). In this case, the sum of the basis differences is $12 million (12 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1 u). Because the sum of the basis differences of $12 million is not less than the threshold of $10 million, the requirements of the cumulative basis difference exemption are not satisfied.
(C) Under paragraph (b)(3) of this section, each of CFC's assets is allocated to its class under § 1.338-6(b) for purposes of the RFA class exemption. The requirements of the RFA class exemption with respect to the Class IV RFAs (in this case, inventory) are satisfied if the absolute value of the sum of the basis differences with respect to the Class IV RFAs is less than the threshold of $2 million, the greater of $2 million or $1.5 million (10% of the total U.S. basis of Class IV RFAs of $15 million (15 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1u)). In this case, the absolute value of the sum of the basis differences is $1 million (1 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1 u). Because the sum of the basis differences of $1 million is less than the threshold of $2 million, the requirements of the RFA class exemption are satisfied. Accordingly, the basis differences with respect to the Class IV RFAs are not taken into account under section 901(m).
(D) The requirements of the RFA class exemption with respect to the Class V RFAs (in this case, buildings) is satisfied if the absolute value of the sum of the basis differences with respect to the Class V RFAs is less than the threshold of $3 million, the greater of $2 million or $3 million (10% of the total U.S. basis of Class V RFAs of $30 million (30 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1u)). In this case, the absolute value of the sum of the basis differences is $11 million (11 million u translated into dollars at the exchange rate of $1 = 1 u). Because the sum of the basis differences of $11 million is not less than the threshold of $3 million, the requirements of the RFA class exemption are not satisfied. Finally, because the absolute value with respect to each RFA is greater than $20,000, the RFA exemption does not apply. Accordingly, the basis differences with respect to the Class V RFAs are taken into account under section 901(m).
(E) The Class I RFAs (in this case, cash) are irrelevant because there are no basis differences with respect to those RFAs.
(g) Applicability dates. This section applies to CAAs occurring on or after March 23, 2020. Taxpayers may, however, choose to apply this section before the date this section is applicable provided that they (along with any persons that are related (within the meaning of section 267(b) or 707(b)) to the taxpayer)—
(1) Consistently apply this section, § 1.704-1(b)(4)(viii)( c )( 4 )( v ) through ( vii ), § 1.901(m)-1, §§ 1.901(m)-3 through 1.901(m)-6 (excluding § 1.901(m)-4(e)), and § 1.901(m)-8 to all CAAs occurring on or after January 1, 2011, and consistently apply § 1.901(m)-2 (excluding § 1.901(m)-2(d)) to all CAAs occurring on or after December 7, 2016, on any original or amended tax return for each taxable year for which the application of the provisions listed in this paragraph (g)(1) affects the tax liability and for which the statute of limitations does not preclude assessment or the filing of a claim for refund, as applicable;
(2) File all tax returns described in paragraph (g)(1) of this section for any taxable year ending on or before March 23, 2020, no later than March 23, 2021; and
(3) Make appropriate adjustments to take into account deficiencies that would have resulted from the consistent application under paragraph (g)(1) of this section for taxable years that are not open for assessment.
§ 1.901(m)-8   Miscellaneous.
(a) In general. This section provides guidance on other matters under section 901(m). Paragraph (b) of this section provides guidance on the application of section 901(m) to pre-1987 foreign income taxes. Paragraph (c) of this section provides anti-abuse rules relating to built-in loss assets. Paragraph (d) of this section provides guidance on the interaction of section 901(m) and section 909. Paragraph (e) of this section provides applicability dates.
(b) Application of section 901(m) to pre-1987 foreign income taxes. Section 901(m) and §§ 1.901(m)-1 through 1.901-8 apply to pre-1987 foreign income taxes (as defined in § 1.902-1(a)(10)(iii)) of an applicable foreign corporation.
(c) Anti-abuse rule for built-in loss RFAs. A basis difference with respect to an RFA described in section 901(m)(3)(C)(ii) ( built-in loss RFA ) will not be taken into account for purposes of computing an allocated basis difference for a U.S. taxable year of a section 901(m) payor if any RFA, including an RFA other than built-in loss RFAs, is acquired with a principal purpose of using one or more built-in loss RFAs to avoid the application of section 901(m). Furthermore, a basis difference with respect to a built-in loss RFA will not be taken into account for purposes of the cumulative basis difference exemption or the RFA class exemption under § 1.901(m)-7 if any RFAs, including RFAs other than built-in loss RFAs, are acquired with a principal purpose of avoiding the application of section 901(m).
(d) Interaction with section 909. The amount of a foreign income tax that is disqualified under section 901(m) is determined before applying section 909. However, section 909 may apply to suspend a deduction for the amount of a foreign income tax that is disqualified under section 901(m).
(e) Applicability dates. This section applies to CAAs occurring on or after March 23, 2020. Taxpayers may, however, choose to apply this section before the date this section is applicable provided that they (along with any persons that are related (within the meaning of section 267(b) or 707(b)) to the taxpayer)—
(1) Consistently apply this section, § 1.704-1(b)(4)(viii)( c )( 4 )( v ) through ( vii ), § 1.901(m)-1, and §§ 1.901(m)-3 through 1.901(m)-7 (excluding § 1.901(m)-4(e)) to all CAAs occurring on or after January 1, 2011, and consistently apply § 1.901(m)-2 (excluding § 1.901(m)-2(d)) to all CAAs occurring on or after December 7, 2016, on any original or amended tax return for each taxable year for which the application of the provisions listed in this paragraph (e)(1) affects the tax liability and for which the statute of limitations does not preclude assessment or the filing of a claim for refund, as applicable;
(2) File all tax returns described in paragraph (e)(1) of this section for any taxable year ending on or before March 23, 2020, no later than March 23, 2021; and
(3) Make appropriate adjustments to take into account deficiencies that would have resulted from the consistent application under paragraph (e)(2) of this section for taxable years that are not open for assessment.
§ 1.902-0   Outline of regulations provisions for section 902.
This section lists the provisions under section 902.
(a) Definitions and special effective date.
(1) Domestic shareholder.
(2) First-tier corporation.
(3) Second-tier corporation.
(4) Third- or lower-tier corporation.
(i) Third-tier corporation.
(ii) Fourth-, fifth-, or sixth-tier corporation.
(5) Example.
(6) Upper- and lower-tier corporations.
(7) Foreign income taxes.
(8) Post-1986 foreign income taxes.
(i) In general.
(ii) Distributions out of earnings and profits accumulated by a lower-tier corporation in its taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987, and included in the gross income of an upper-tier corporation in its taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986.
(iii) Foreign income taxes paid or accrued with respect to high withholding tax interest.
(9) Post-1986 undistributed earnings.
(i) In general.
(ii) Distributions out of earnings and profits accumulated by a lower-tier corporation in its taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987, and included in the gross income of an upper-tier corporation in its taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986.
(iii) Reduction for foreign income taxes paid or accrued.
(iv) Special allocations.
(10) Pre-1987 accumulated profits.
(i) Definition.
(ii) Computation of pre-1987 accumulated profits.
(iii) Foreign income taxes attributable to pre-1987 accumulated profits.
(11) Dividend.
(12) Dividend received.
(13) Special effective date.
(i) Rule.
(ii) Example.
(b) Computation of foreign income taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder, first-tier corporation, or lower-tier corporation.
(1) General rule.
(2) Allocation rule for dividends attributable to post-1986 undistributed earnings and pre-1987 accumulated profits.
(i) Portion of dividend out of post-1986 undistributed earnings.
(ii) Portion of dividend out of pre-1987 accumulated profits.
(3) Dividends paid out of pre-1987 accumulated profits.
(4) Deficits in accumulated earnings and profits.
(5) Examples.
(c) Special rules.
(1) Separate computations required for dividends from each first-tier and lower-tier corporation.
(i) Rule.
(ii) Example.
(2) Section 78 gross-up.
(i) Foreign income taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder.
(ii) Foreign income taxes deemed paid by an upper-tier corporation.
(iii) Example.
(3) Creditable foreign income taxes.
(4) Foreign mineral income.
(5) Foreign taxes paid or accrued in connection with the purchase or sale of certain oil and gas.
(6) Foreign oil and gas extraction income.
(7) United States shareholders of controlled foreign corporations.
(8) Effect of certain liquidations, reorganizations, or similar transactions on certain foreign taxes paid or accrued in taxable years beginning on or before August 5, 1997.
(i) General rule.
(ii) Example.
(d) Dividends from controlled foreign corporations and noncontrolled section 902 corporations.
(1) General rule.
(2) Look-through.
(i) Dividends.
(ii) Coordination with section 960.
(e) Information to be furnished.
(f) Examples.
(g) Effective date.
(a) Carryback of deficits in post-1986 undistributed earnings of a first- or lower-tier corporation to pre-effective date taxable years.
(1) Rule.
(2) Examples.
(b) Carryforward of deficit in pre-1987 accumulated profits of a first- or lower-tier corporation to post-1986 undistributed earnings for purposes of section 902.
(1) General rule.
(2) Effect of pre-effective date deficit.
(3) Examples.
(a) Definitions.
(1) Domestic shareholder.
(2) First-tier corporation.
(3) Second-tier corporation.
(4) Third-tier corporation.
(5) Foreign income taxes.
(6) Dividend.
(7) Dividend received.
(b) Domestic shareholder owning stock in a first-tier corporation.
(1) In general.
(2) Amount of foreign taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder.
(c) First-tier corporation owning stock in a second-tier corporation.
(1) In general.
(2) Amount of foreign taxes deemed paid by a first-tier corporation.
(d) Second-tier corporation owning stock in a third-tier corporation.
(1) In general.
(2) Amount of foreign taxes deemed paid by a second-tier corporation.
(e) Determination of accumulated profits of a foreign corporation.
(f) Taxes paid on or with respect to accumulated profits of a foreign corporation.
(g) Determination of earnings and profits of a foreign corporation.
(1) Taxable year to which section 963 does not apply.
(2) Taxable year to which section 963 applies.
(3) Time and manner of making choice.
(4) Determination by district director.
(h) Source of income from first-tier corporation and country to which tax is deemed paid.
(1) Source of income.
(2) Country to which taxes deemed paid.
(i) United Kingdom income taxes paid with respect to royalties.
(j) Information to be furnished.
(k) Illustrations.
(l) Effective date.
(a) In general.
(b) Combined distributions.
(c) Distributions of a first-tier corporation attributable to certain distributions from second- or third-tier corporations.
(d) Illustrations.
§ 1.902-1   Credit for domestic corporate shareholder of a foreign corporation for foreign income taxes paid by the foreign corporation.
(a) Definitions and special effective date. For purposes of section 902, this section, and § 1.902-2, the definitions provided in paragraphs (a)(1) through (12) of this section and the special effective date of paragraph (a)(13) of this section apply.
(1) Domestic shareholder. In the case of dividends received by a domestic corporation from a foreign corporation after December 31, 1986, the term domestic shareholder means a domestic corporation, other than an S corporation as defined in section 1361(a), that owns at least 10 percent of the voting stock of the foreign corporation at the time the domestic corporation receives a dividend from that foreign corporation.
(2) First-tier corporation. In the case of dividends received by a domestic shareholder from a foreign corporation in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986, the term first-tier corporation means a foreign corporation, at least 10 percent of the voting stock of which is owned by a domestic shareholder at the time the domestic shareholder receives a dividend from that foreign corporation. The term first-tier corporation also includes a DISC or former DISC, but only with respect to dividends from the DISC or former DISC that are treated under sections 861(a)(2)(D) and 862(a)(2) as income from sources without the United States.
(3) Second-tier corporation. In the case of dividends paid to a first-tier corporation by a foreign corporation in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986, the foreign corporation is a second-tier corporation if, at the time a first-tier corporation receives a dividend from that foreign corporation, the first-tier corporation owns at least 10 percent of the foreign corporation's voting stock and the product of the following equals at least 5 percent—
(i) The percentage of voting stock owned by the domestic shareholder in the first-tier corporation; multiplied by
(ii) The percentage of voting stock owned by the first-tier corporation in the second-tier corporation.
(4) Third- or lower-tier corporation. — (i) Third-tier corporation. In the case of dividends paid to a second-tier corporation by a foreign corporation in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986, a foreign corporation is a third-tier corporation if, at the time a second-tier corporation receives a dividend from that foreign corporation, the second-tier corporation owns at least 10 percent of the foreign corporation's voting stock and the product of the following equals at least 5 percent—
(A) The percentage of voting stock owned by the domestic shareholder in the first-tier corporation; multiplied by
(B) The percentage of voting stock owned by the first-tier corporation in the second-tier corporation; multiplied by
(C) The percentage of voting stock owned by the second-tier corporation in the third-tier corporation.
(ii) Fourth-, fifth-, or sixth-tier corporation. In the case of dividends paid to a third-, fourth-, or fifth-tier corporation by a foreign corporation in a taxable year beginning after August 5, 1997, the foreign corporation is a fourth-, fifth-, or sixth-tier corporation, respectively, if at the time the dividend is paid, the corporation receiving the dividend owns at least 10 percent of the foreign corporation's voting stock, the chain of foreign corporations that includes the foreign corporation is connected through stock ownership of at least 10 percent of their voting stock, the domestic shareholder in the first-tier corporation in such chain indirectly owns at least 5 percent of the voting stock of the foreign corporation through such chain, such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation (as defined in section 957) and the domestic shareholder is a United States shareholder (as defined in section 951(b)) in the foreign corporation. Taxes paid by a fourth-, fifth-, or sixth-tier corporation shall be taken into account in determining post-1986 foreign income taxes only if such taxes are paid with respect to taxable years beginning after August 5, 1997, in which the corporation was a controlled foreign corporation.
(5) Example. The following example illustrates the ownership requirements of paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section:
(ii) On February 16, 1991, when Corporation B pays a dividend to Corporation A, Corporation M satisfies the 10 percent stock ownership requirement of paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section with respect to Corporation A. Therefore, Corporation A is a first-tier corporation within the meaning of paragraph (a)(2) of this section and Corporation M is a domestic shareholder of Corporation A within the meaning of paragraph (a)(1) of this section. Also on February 16, 1991, Corporation B is a second-tier corporation within the meaning of paragraph (a)(3) of this section because Corporation A owns at least 10 percent of its voting stock, and the percentage of voting stock owned by Corporation M in Corporation A on February 16, 1991 (30 percent) multiplied by the percentage of voting stock owned by Corporation A in Corporation B on February 16, 1991 (40 percent) equals 12 percent. Corporation A shall be deemed to have paid foreign income taxes of Corporation B with respect to the dividend received from Corporation B on February 16, 1991.
(iii) On January 20, 1992, Corporation M satisfies the 10-percent stock ownership requirement of paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section with respect to Corporation A. Therefore, Corporation A is a first-tier corporation within the meaning of paragraph (a)(2) of this section and Corporation M is a domestic shareholder within the meaning of paragraph (a)(1) of this section. Accordingly, for its taxable year ending on June 30, 1992, Corporation M is deemed to have paid a portion of the post-1986 foreign income taxes paid, accrued, or deemed to be paid, by Corporation A. Those taxes will include taxes paid by Corporation B that were deemed paid by Corporation A with respect to the dividend paid by Corporation B to Corporation A on February 16, 1991, even though Corporation B is no longer a second-tier corporation with respect to Corporations A and M on January 20, 1992, and has not been a second-tier corporation with respect to Corporations A and M at any time during the taxable years of Corporations A and M that include January 20, 1992.
(6) Upper- and lower-tier corporations. In the case of a sixth-tier corporation, the term upper-tier corporation means a first-, second-, third-, fourth-, or fifth-tier corporation. In the case of a fifth-tier corporation, the term upper-tier corporation means a first-, second-, third-, or fourth-tier corporation. In the case of a fourth-tier corporation, the term upper-tier corporation means a first-, second-, or third-tier corporation. In the case of a third-tier corporation, the term upper-tier corporation means a first- or second-tier corporation. In the case of a second-tier corporation, the term upper-tier corporation means a first-tier corporation. In the case of a first-tier corporation, the term lower-tier corporation means a second-, third-, fourth-, fifth-, or sixth-tier corporation. In the case of a second-tier corporation, the term lower-tier corporation means a third-, fourth-, fifth-, or sixth-tier corporation. In the case of a third-tier corporation, the term lower-tier corporation means a fourth-, fifth-, or sixth-tier corporation. In the case of a fourth-tier corporation, the term lower-tier corporation means a fifth- or sixth-tier corporation. In the case of a fifth-tier corporation, the term lower-tier corporation means a sixth-tier corporation.
(7) Foreign income taxes. The term foreign income taxes means income, war profits, and excess profits taxes as defined in § 1.901-2(a), and taxes included in the term income, war profits, and excess profits taxes by reason of section 903, that are imposed by a foreign country or a possession of the United States, including any such taxes deemed paid by a foreign corporation under this section. Foreign income, war profits, and excess profits taxes shall not include amounts excluded from the definition of those taxes pursuant to section 901 and the regulations under that section. See section 901(f) and (i) and paragraph (c)(5) of this section. Foreign income, war profits, and excess profits taxes also shall not include taxes for which a credit is disallowed under section 901 and the regulations under section 901. See section 901(j), (k), and (l), and paragraphs (c)(4) and (8) of this section.
(8) Post-1986 foreign income taxes —(i) In general. Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(10) and (13) of this section, the term post-1986 foreign income taxes of a foreign corporation means the sum of the foreign income taxes paid, accrued, or deemed paid in the taxable year of the foreign corporation in which it distributes a dividend plus the foreign income taxes paid, accrued, or deemed paid in the foreign corporation's prior taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986, to the extent the foreign taxes were not attributable to dividends distributed to, or earnings otherwise included (for example, under section 304, 367(b), 551, 951(a), 1248, or 1293) in the income of, a foreign or domestic shareholder in prior taxable years. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this section, foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by the foreign corporation on or with respect to earnings that were distributed or otherwise removed from post-1986 undistributed earnings in prior post-1986 taxable years shall be removed from post-1986 foreign income taxes regardless of whether the shareholder is eligible to compute an amount of foreign taxes deemed paid under section 902, and regardless of whether the shareholder in fact chose to credit foreign income taxes under section 901 for the year of the distribution or inclusion. Thus, if an amount is distributed or deemed distributed by a foreign corporation to a United States person that is not a domestic shareholder within the meaning of paragraph (a)(1) of this section (for example, an individual or a corporation that owns less than 10% of the foreign corporation's voting stock), or to a foreign person that does not meet the definition of an upper-tier corporation under paragraph (a)(6) of this section, then although no foreign income taxes shall be deemed paid under section 902, foreign income taxes attributable to the distribution or deemed distribution that would have been deemed paid had the shareholder met the ownership requirements of paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section shall be removed from post-1986 foreign income taxes. Further, if a domestic shareholder chooses to deduct foreign taxes paid or accrued for the taxable year of the distribution or inclusion, it shall nonetheless be deemed to have paid a proportionate share of the foreign corporation's post-1986 foreign income taxes under section 902(a), and the foreign income taxes deemed paid must be removed from post-1986 foreign income taxes. In the case of a foreign corporation the foreign income taxes of which are determined based on an accounting period of less than one year, the term year means that accounting period. See sections 441(b)(3) and 443.
(ii) Distributions out of earnings and profits accumulated by a lower-tier corporation in its taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987, and included in the gross income of an upper-tier corporation in its taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986. Post-1986 foreign income taxes shall include foreign income taxes that are deemed paid by an upper-tier corporation with respect to distributions from a lower-tier corporation out of nonpreviously taxed pre-1987 accumulated profits, as defined in paragraph (a)(10) of this section, that are received by an upper-tier corporation in any taxable year of the upper-tier corporation beginning after December 31, 1986, provided the upper-tier corporation's earnings and profits in that year are included in its post-1986 undistributed earnings under paragraph (a)(9) of this section. Foreign income taxes deemed paid with respect to a distribution of pre-1987 accumulated profits shall be translated from the functional currency of the lower-tier corporation into dollars at the spot exchange rate in effect on the date of the distribution. To determine the character of the earnings and profits and associated taxes for foreign tax credit limitation purposes, see section 904 and § 1.904-7(a).
(iii) Foreign income taxes paid or accrued with respect to high withholding tax interest. Post-1986 foreign income taxes shall not include foreign income taxes paid or accrued by a noncontrolled section 902 corporation (as defined in section 904(d)(2)(E)(i)) in a taxable year beginning on or before December 31, 2002 with respect to high withholding tax interest (as defined in section 904(d)(2)(B)) to the extent the foreign tax rate imposed on such interest exceeds 5 percent. See section 904(d)(2)(E)(ii) and § 1.904-4(g)(2)(iii) (26 CFR revised as of April 1, 2006). The reduction in foreign income taxes paid or accrued by the amount of tax in excess of 5 percent imposed on high withholding tax interest income must be computed in functional currency before foreign income taxes are translated into U.S. dollars and included in post-1986 foreign income taxes.
(9) Post-1986 undistributed earnings —(i) In general. Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(10) and (13) of this section, the term post-1986 undistributed earnings means the amount of the earnings and profits of a foreign corporation (computed in accordance with sections 964(a) and 986) accumulated in taxable years of the foreign corporation beginning after December 31, 1986, determined as of the close of the taxable year of the foreign corporation in which it distributes a dividend. Post-1986 undistributed earnings shall not be reduced by reason of any earnings distributed or otherwise included in income, for example under section 304, 367(b), 551, 951(a), 1248 or 1293, during the taxable year. Post-1986 undistributed earnings shall be reduced to account for distributions or deemed distributions that reduced earnings and profits and inclusions that resulted in previously-taxed amounts described in section 959(c) (1) and (2) or section 1293(c) in prior taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986. Thus, post-1986 undistributed earnings shall not be reduced to the extent of the ratable share of a controlled foreign corporation's subpart F income, as defined in section 952, attributable to a shareholder that is not a United States shareholder within the meaning of section 951(b) or section 953(c)(1)(A), because that amount has not been included in a shareholder's gross income. Post-1986 undistributed earnings shall be reduced as provided herein regardless of whether any shareholder is deemed to have paid any foreign taxes, and regardless of whether any domestic shareholder chose to claim a foreign tax credit under section 901(a) for the year of the distribution. For rules on carrybacks and carryforwards of deficits and their effect on post-1986 undistributed earnings, see § 1.902-2. In the case of a foreign corporation the foreign income taxes of which are computed based on an accounting period of less than one year, the term year means that accounting period. See sections 441(b)(3) and 443.
(ii) Distributions out of earnings and profits accumulated by a lower-tier corporation in its taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987, and included in the gross income of an upper-tier corporation in its taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986. Distributions by a lower-tier corporation out of non-previously taxed pre-1987 accumulated profits, as defined in paragraph (a)(10) of this section, that are received by an upper-tier corporation in any taxable year of the upper-tier corporation beginning after December 31, 1986, shall be treated as post-1986 undistributed earnings of the upper-tier corporation, provided the upper-tier corporation's earnings and profits for that year are included in its post-1986 undistributed earnings under paragraph (a)(9)(i) of this section. To determine the character of the earnings and profits and associated taxes for foreign tax credit limitation purposes, see section 904 and § 1.904-7(a).
(iii) Reduction for foreign income taxes paid or accrued. In computing post-1986 undistributed earnings, earnings and profits shall be reduced by foreign income taxes paid or accrued regardless of whether the taxes are creditable. Thus, earnings and profits shall be reduced by foreign income taxes paid with respect to high withholding tax interest even though a portion of the taxes is not creditable pursuant to section 904(d)(2)(E)(ii) and is not included in post-1986 foreign income taxes under paragraph (a)(8)(iii) of this section. Earnings and profits of an upper-tier corporation, however, shall not be reduced by foreign income taxes paid by a lower-tier corporation and deemed to have been paid by the upper-tier corporation.
(iv) Special allocations. The term post-1986 undistributed earnings means the total amount of the earnings of the corporation determined at the corporate level. Special allocations of earnings and taxes to particular shareholders, whether required or permitted by foreign law or a shareholder agreement, shall be disregarded. If, however, the Commissioner establishes that there is an agreement to pay dividends only out of earnings in the separate categories for passive or high withholding tax interest income, then only taxes imposed on passive or high withholding tax interest earnings shall be treated as related to the dividend. See § 1.904-6(a)(2).
(10) Pre-1987 accumulated profits —(i) Definition. The term pre-1987 accumulated profits means the amount of the earnings and profits of a foreign corporation computed in accordance with section 902 and attributable to its taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987. If the special effective date of paragraph (a)(13) of this section applies, pre-1987 accumulated profits also includes any earnings and profits (computed in accordance with sections 964(a) and 986) attributable to the foreign corporation's taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986, but before the first day of the first taxable year of the foreign corporation in which the ownership requirements of section 902(c)(3)(B) and paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section are met with respect to that corporation.
(ii) Computation of pre-1987 accumulated profits. Pre-1987 accumulated profits must be computed under United States principles governing the computation of earnings and profits. Pre-1987 accumulated profits are determined at the corporate level. Special allocations of accumulated profits and taxes to particular shareholders with respect to distributions of pre-1987 accumulated profits in taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986, whether required or permitted by foreign law or a shareholder agreement, shall be disregarded. Pre-1987 accumulated profits of a particular year shall be reduced by amounts distributed from those accumulated profits or otherwise included in income from those accumulated profits, for example under sections 304, 367(b), 551, 951(a), 1248 or 1293. If a deficit in post-1986 undistributed earnings is carried back to offset pre-1987 accumulated profits, pre-1987 accumulated profits of a particular taxable year shall be reduced by the amount of the deficit carried back to that year. See § 1.902-2. The amount of a distribution out of pre-1987 accumulated profits, and the amount of foreign income taxes deemed paid under section 902, shall be determined and translated into United States dollars by applying the law as in effect prior to the effective date of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. See §§ 1.902-3, 1.902-4 and 1.964-1.
(iii) Foreign income taxes attributable to pre-1987 accumulated profits. The term pre-1987 foreign income taxes means any foreign income taxes paid, accrued, or deemed paid by a foreign corporation on or with respect to its pre-1987 accumulated profits. Pre-1987 foreign income taxes of a particular year shall be reduced by the amount of taxes paid or deemed paid by the foreign corporation on or with respect to amounts distributed or otherwise included in income from pre-1987 accumulated profits of that year. Thus, pre-1987 foreign income taxes shall be reduced by the amount of taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder (regardless of whether the shareholder chose to credit foreign income taxes under section 901 for the year of the distribution or inclusion) or a first-tier or second-tier corporation, and by the amount of taxes that would have been deemed paid had any other shareholder been eligible to compute an amount of foreign taxes deemed paid under section 902. Foreign income taxes deemed paid with respect to a distribution of pre-1987 accumulated profits shall be translated from the functional currency of the distributing corporation into United States dollars at the spot exchange rate in effect on the date of the distribution.
(11) Dividend. For purposes of section 902, the definition of the term dividend in section 316 and the regulations under that section applies. Thus, for example, distributions and deemed distributions under sections 302, 304, 305(b) and 367(b) that are treated as dividends within the meaning of section 301(c)(1) also are dividends for purposes of section 902. In addition, the term dividend includes deemed dividends under sections 551 and 1248, but not deemed inclusions under sections 951(a) and 1293. For rules concerning excess distributions from section 1291 funds that are treated as dividends solely for foreign tax credit purposes, (see Regulation Project INTL-656-87 published in 1992-1 C.B. 1124; see § 601.601(d)(2)(ii)( b ) of this chapter).
(12) Dividend received. A dividend shall be considered received for purposes of section 902 when the cash or other property is unqualifiedly made subject to the demands of the distributee. See § 1.301-1(c). A dividend also is considered received for purposes of section 902 when it is deemed received under section 304, 367(b), 551, or 1248.
(13) Special effective date —(i) Rule. If the first day on which the ownership requirements of section 902(c)(3)(B) and paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section are met with respect to a foreign corporation, without regard to whether a dividend is distributed, is in a taxable year of the foreign corporation beginning after December 31, 1986, then—
(A) The post-1986 undistributed earnings and post-1986 foreign income taxes of the foreign corporation shall be determined by taking into account only taxable years beginning on and after the first day of the first taxable year of the foreign corporation in which the ownership requirements are met, including subsequent taxable years in which the ownership requirements of section 902(c)(3)(B) and paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section are not met; and
(B) Earnings and profits accumulated prior to the first day of the first taxable year of the foreign corporation in which the ownership requirements of section 902(c)(3)(B) and paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section are met shall be considered pre-1987 accumulated profits.
(ii) Example. The following example illustrates the special effective date rules of this paragraph (a)(13):
(b) Computation of foreign income taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder, first-tier corporation, or lower-tier corporation —(1) General rule. If a foreign corporation pays a dividend in any taxable year out of post-1986 undistributed earnings to a shareholder that is a domestic shareholder or an upper-tier corporation at the time it receives the dividend, the recipient shall be deemed to have paid the same proportion of any post-1986 foreign income taxes paid, accrued or deemed paid by the distributing corporation on or with respect to post-1986 undistributed earnings which the amount of the dividend out of post-1986 undistributed earnings (determined without regard to the gross-up under section 78) bears to the amount of the distributing corporation's post-1986 undistributed earnings. An upper-tier corporation shall not be entitled to compute an amount of foreign taxes deemed paid on a dividend from a lower-tier corporation, however, unless the ownership requirements of paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section are met at each tier at the time the upper-tier corporation receives the dividend. Foreign income taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder or an upper-tier corporation must be computed under the following formula:
(2) Allocation rule for dividends attributable to post-1986 undistributed earnings and pre-1987 accumulated profits —(i) Portion of dividend out of post-1986 undistributed earnings. Dividends will be deemed to be paid first out of post-1986 undistributed earnings to the extent thereof. If dividends exceed post-1986 undistributed earnings and dividends are paid to more than one shareholder, then the dividend to each shareholder shall be deemed to be paid pro rata out of post-1986 undistributed earnings, computed as follows:
(ii) Portion of dividend out of pre-1987 accumulated profits. After the portion of the dividend attributable to post-1986 undistributed earnings is determined under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, the remainder of the dividend received by a shareholder is attributable to pre-1987 accumulated profits to the extent thereof. That part of the dividend attributable to pre-1987 accumulated profits will be treated as paid first from the most recently accumulated earnings and profits. See § 1.902-3. If dividends paid out of pre-1987 accumulated profits are attributable to more than one pre-1987 taxable year and are paid to more than one shareholder, then the dividend to each shareholder attributable to earnings and profits accumulated in a particular pre-1987 taxable year shall be deemed to be paid pro rata out of accumulated profits of that taxable year, computed as follows:
(3) Dividends paid out of pre-1987 accumulated profits. If dividends are paid by a first-tier corporation or a lower-tier corporation out of pre-1987 accumulated profits, the domestic shareholder or upper-tier corporation that receives the dividends shall be deemed to have paid foreign income taxes to the extent provided under section 902 and the regulations thereunder as in effect prior to the effective date of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. See paragraphs (a) (10) and (13) of this section and §§ 1.902-3 and 1.902-4.
(4) Deficits in accumulated earnings and profits. No foreign income taxes shall be deemed paid with respect to a distribution from a foreign corporation out of current earnings and profits that is treated as a dividend under section 316(a)(2), and post-1986 foreign income taxes shall not be reduced, if as of the end of the taxable year in which the dividend is paid or accrued, the corporation has zero or a deficit in post-1986 undistributed earnings and the sum of current plus accumulated earnings and profits is zero or less than zero. The dividend shall reduce post- 1986 undistributed earnings and accumulated earnings and profits.
(5) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this paragraph (b):
(c) Special rules —(1) Separate computations required for dividends from each first-tier and lower-tier corporation —(i) Rule. If in a taxable year dividends are received by a domestic shareholder or an upper-tier corporation from two or more first-tier corporations or two or more lower-tier corporations, the foreign income taxes deemed paid by the domestic shareholder or the upper-tier corporation under sections 902 (a) and (b) and paragraph (b) of this section shall be computed separately with respect to the dividends received from each first-tier corporation or lower-tier corporation. If a domestic shareholder receives dividend distributions from one or more first-tier corporations and in the same taxable year the first-tier corporation receives dividends from one or more lower-tier corporations, then the amount of foreign income taxes deemed paid shall be computed by starting with the lowest-tier corporation and working upward.
(ii) Example. The following example illustrates the application of this paragraph (c)(1):
(2) Section 78 gross-up —(i) Foreign income taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder. Except as provided in section 960(b) and the regulations under that section (relating to amounts excluded from gross income under section 959(b)), any foreign income taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder in any taxable year under section 902(a) and paragraph (b) of this section shall be included in the gross income of the domestic shareholder for the year as a dividend under section 78. Amounts included in gross income under section 78 shall, for purposes of section 904, be deemed to be derived from sources within the United States to the extent the earnings and profits on which the taxes were paid are treated under section 904(g) as United States source earnings and profits. Section 1.904-5(m)(6). Amounts included in gross income under section 78 shall be treated for purposes of section 904 as income in a separate category to the extent that the foreign income taxes were allocated and apportioned to income in that separate category. See section 904(d)(3)(G) and § 1.904-6(b)(3).
(ii) Foreign income taxes deemed paid by an upper-tier corporation. Foreign income taxes deemed paid by an upper-tier corporation on a distribution from a lower-tier corporation are not included in the earnings and profits of the upper-tier corporation. For purposes of section 904, foreign income taxes shall be allocated and apportioned to income in a separate category to the extent those taxes were allocated to the earnings and profits of the lower-tier corporation in that separate category. See section 904(d)(3)(G) and § 1.904-6(b)(3). To the extent that section 904(g) treats the earnings of the lower-tier corporation on which those foreign income taxes were paid as United States source earnings and profits, the foreign income taxes deemed paid by the upper-tier corporation on the distribution from the lower-tier corporation shall be treated as attributable to United States source earnings and profits. See section 904(g) and § 1.904-5(m)(6).
(iii) Example. The following example illustrates the rules of this paragraph (c)(2):
(3) Creditable foreign income taxes. The amount of creditable foreign income taxes under section 901 shall include, subject to the limitations and conditions of sections 902 and 904, foreign income taxes actually paid and deemed paid by a domestic shareholder that receives a dividend from a first-tier corporation. Foreign income taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder under paragraph (b) of this section shall be deemed paid by the domestic shareholder only for purposes of computing the foreign tax credit allowed under section 901.
(4) Foreign mineral income. Certain foreign income, war profits and excess profits taxes paid or accrued with respect to foreign mineral income will not be considered foreign income taxes for purposes of section 902. See section 901(e) and § 1.901-3.
(5) Foreign taxes paid or accrued in connection with the purchase or sale of certain oil and gas. Certain income, war profits, or excess profits taxes paid or accrued to a foreign country in connection with the purchase and sale of oil or gas extracted in that country will not be considered foreign income taxes for purposes of section 902. See section 901(f).
(6) Foreign oil and gas extraction income. For rules relating to reduction of the amount of foreign income taxes deemed paid with respect to foreign oil and gas extraction income, see section 907(a) and the regulations under that section.
(7) United States shareholders of controlled foreign corporations. See paragraph (d) of this section and sections 960 and 962 and the regulations under those sections for special rules relating to the application of section 902 in computing foreign income taxes deemed paid by United States shareholders of controlled foreign corporations.
(8) Effect of certain liquidations, reorganizations, or similar transactions on certain foreign taxes paid or accrued in taxable years beginning on or before August 5, 1997 —(i) General rule. Notwithstanding the effect of any liquidation, reorganization, or similar transaction, foreign taxes paid or accrued by a member of a qualified group (as defined in section 902(b)(2)) shall not be eligible to be deemed paid if they were paid or accrued in a taxable year beginning on or before August 5, 1997, by a corporation that was a fourth-, fifth- or sixth-tier corporation with respect to the taxpayer on the first day of the corporation's first taxable year beginning after August 5, 1997.
(ii) Example. The following examples illustrate the application of this paragraph (c)(8):
(d) Dividends from controlled foreign corporations and noncontrolled section 902 corporations —(1) General rule. If a dividend is described in paragraphs (d)(1)(i) through (iv) of this section, the following rules apply. If a dividend is paid out of post-1986 undistributed earnings or pre-1987 accumulated profits of a foreign corporation attributable to more than one separate category, the amount of foreign income taxes deemed paid by the domestic shareholder or the upper-tier corporation under section 902 and paragraph (b) of this section shall be computed separately with respect to the post-1986 undistributed earnings or pre-1987 accumulated profits in each separate category out of which the dividend is paid. See § 1.904-5(c)(4) and (i), and paragraph (d)(2) of this section. The separately computed deemed-paid taxes shall be added to other taxes paid by the domestic shareholder or upper-tier corporation with respect to income in the appropriate separate category. The rules of this paragraph (d)(1) apply to dividends received by —
(i) A domestic shareholder that is a United States shareholder (as defined in section 951(b) or section 953(c)) from a first-tier corporation that is a controlled foreign corporation;
(ii) A domestic shareholder from a first-tier corporation that is a noncontrolled section 902 corporation;
(iii) An upper-tier controlled foreign corporation from a lower-tier controlled foreign corporation if the corporations are related look-through entities within the meaning of § 1.904-5(i) ( see § 1.904-5(i)(3)); or
(iv) A foreign corporation that is eligible to compute an amount of foreign taxes deemed paid under section 902(b)(1), from a controlled foreign corporation or a noncontrolled section 902 corporation (that is, both the payor and payee corporations are members of the same qualified group as defined in section 902(b)(2) ( see § 1.904-5 (i)(4)).
(2) Look-through —(i) Dividends. Any dividend distribution by a controlled foreign corporation or noncontrolled section 902 corporation to a domestic shareholder or a foreign corporation that is eligible to compute an amount of foreign taxes deemed paid under section 902(b)(1) shall be deemed paid pro rata out of each separate category of income. Any dividend distribution by a controlled foreign corporation to a controlled foreign corporation that is a related look-through entity within the meaning of § 1.904-5(i)(3) shall also be deemed to be paid pro rata out of each separate category of income. See §§ 1.904-5(c)(4) and (i), and 1.904-7. The portion of the foreign income taxes attributable to a particular separate category that shall be deemed paid by the domestic shareholder or upper-tier corporation must be computed under the following formula:
(ii) Coordination with section 960. For rules coordinating the computation of foreign taxes deemed paid with respect to amounts included in gross income under section 951(a) and dividends distributed by a controlled foreign corporation, see section 960 and the regulations under that section.
(e) Information to be furnished. If the credit for foreign income taxes claimed under section 901 includes foreign income taxes deemed paid under section 902 and paragraph (b) of this section, the domestic shareholder must furnish the same information with respect to the foreign income taxes deemed paid as it is required to furnish with respect to the foreign income taxes it directly paid or accrued and for which the credit is claimed. See § 1.905-2. For other information required to be furnished by the domestic shareholder for the annual accounting period of certain foreign corporations ending with or within the shareholder's taxable year, and for reduction in the amount of foreign income taxes paid, accrued, or deemed paid for failure to furnish the required information, see section 6038 and the regulations under that section.
(f) Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this section:
(g) Effective/applicability dates. This section applies to any distribution made in and after a foreign corporation's first taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 1987, except that the provisions of paragraphs (a)(4)(ii), (a)(6), (a)(7), (a)(8)(i), and (c)(8) of this section and, except as provided in § 1.904-7(f)(9), the provisions of paragraph (d) of this section apply to distributions made in taxable years of foreign corporations ending on or after April 20, 2009. See 26 CFR 1.902-1T(a)(4)(ii), (a)(6), (a)(7), (a)(8)(i), and (c)(8) (revised as of April 1, 2009) for rules applicable to distributions made in taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after April 25, 2006, and ending before April 20, 2009, and 26 CFR 1.902-1T(d), except as provided in 26 CFR 1.904-7T(f)(9) (revised as of April 1, 2009), for rules applicable to distributions made in taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after December 31, 2002, and ending before April 20, 2009.
§ 1.902-2   Treatment of deficits in post-1986 undistributed earnings and pre-1987 accumulated profits of a first- or lower-tier corporation for purposes of computing an amount of foreign taxes deemed paid under § 1.902-1.
(a) Carryback of deficits in post-1986 undistributed earnings of a first- or lower-tier corporation to pre-effective date taxable years —(1) Rule. For purposes of computing foreign income taxes deemed paid under § 1.902-1(b) with respect to dividends paid by a first- or lower-tier corporation, when there is a deficit in the post-1986 undistributed earnings of that corporation and the corporation makes a distribution to shareholders that is a dividend or would be a dividend if there were current or accumulated earnings and profits, then the post-1986 deficit shall be carried back to the most recent pre-effective date taxable year of the first- or lower-tier corporation with positive accumulated profits computed under section 902. See § 1.902-3(e). For purposes of this § 1.902-2, a pre-effective date taxable year is a taxable year beginning before January 1, 1987, or a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986, if the special effective date of § 1.902-1(a)(13) applies. The deficit shall reduce the section 902 accumulated profits in the most recent pre-effective date year to the extent thereof, and any remaining deficit shall be carried back to the next preceding year or years until the deficit is completely allocated. The amount carried back shall reduce the deficit in post-1986 undistributed earnings. Any foreign income taxes paid in a post-effective date year will not be carried back to pre-effective date taxable years or removed from post-1986 foreign income taxes. See section 960 and the regulations under that section for rules governing the carryback of deficits and the computation of foreign income taxes deemed paid with respect to deemed income inclusions from controlled foreign corporations.
(2) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this paragraph (a):
(iii) On December 31, 1989, Corporation A distributes a 5u dividend to Corporation M and a 45u dividend to Corporation Z. At that time Corporation A has 100u of post-1986 undistributed earnings and $60 of post-1986 foreign income taxes. Therefore, the dividend is considered paid out of Corporation A's post-1986 undistributed earnings. Foreign taxes deemed paid by Corporation M with respect to the 5u dividend are $3 ($60 × 5%[5u / 100u]). Corporation M must include $3 in gross income under section 78 as a dividend. Both the income inclusion and the foreign taxes deemed paid are subject to a separate limitation for dividends from noncontrolled section 902 corporation A. Corporation A's post-1986 undistributed earnings as of January 1, 1990, are 50u (100u−50u). Corporation A's post-1986 foreign income taxes must be reduced by the amount of foreign taxes that would have been deemed paid if both Corporations M and Z were eligible to compute an amount of deemed paid taxes. Section 1.902-1(a)(8)(i). The amount of foreign income taxes that would have been deemed paid if both Corporations M and Z were eligible to compute an amount of deemed paid taxes on the 50u dividend distributed by Corporation A is $30 ($60 × 50%[50u / 100u]). Thus, post-1986 foreign income taxes as of January 1, 1990, are $30 ($60−$30).
(iii) On December 31, 1990, Corporation A distributes a 12u dividend to Corporation M and a 108u dividend to Corporation Z. At that time Corporation A has 100u in its post-1986 undistributed earnings and $40 in its post-1986 foreign income taxes. The dividend is paid out of post-1986 undistributed earnings to the extent thereof (100u), and the remainder of 20u is paid out of 1986 accumulated profits. Under § 1.902-1(b)(2), the 12u dividend to Corporation M is deemed to be paid out of post-1986 undistributed earnings to the extent of 10u (100u × 12u / 120u) and the remaining 2u is deemed to be paid out of Corporation A's 1986 accumulated profits. Similarly, the 108u dividend to Corporation Z is deemed to be paid out of post-1986 undistributed earnings to the extent of 90u (100u × 108u / 120u) and the remaining 18u is deemed to be paid out of Corporation A's 1986 accumulated profits. Foreign income taxes deemed paid by Corporation M under section 902 with respect to the portion of the dividend paid out of post-1986 undistributed earnings are $4 ($40 × 10%[10u / 100u]), and foreign taxes deemed paid by Corporation M with respect to the portion of the dividend deemed paid out of 1986 accumulated profits are 1.6u (80u × 2u / 100u). Corporation M must include $4 plus 1.6u translated under the rule applicable to foreign income taxes paid on earnings accumulated in taxable years prior to the effective date of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 in gross income as a dividend under section 78. The income inclusion and the foreign income taxes deemed paid are subject to a separate limitation for dividends from noncontrolled section 902 Corporation A. As of January 1, 1991, Corporation A's post-1986 undistributed earnings are 0 (100u-100u). 80u (100u-20u) of accumulated profits remain with respect to 1986. Post-1986 foreign income taxes as of January 1, 1991, are 0, $40 reduced by $40 of foreign income taxes paid that would have been deemed paid if both Corporations M and Z were eligible to compute an amount of deemed paid taxes on the 100u dividend distributed by Corporation A out of post-1986 undistributed earnings ($40 × 100%[100u / 100u]). Corporation A has 64u of foreign income taxes remaining with respect to 1986, 80u reduced by 16u [80u × 20u / 100u] of foreign income taxes that would have been deemed paid if Corporations M and Z both were eligible to compute an amount of deemed paid taxes on the 20u dividend distributed by Corporation A out of 1986 accumulated profits.
(b) Carryforward of deficit in pre-1987 accumulated profits of a first- or lower-tier corporation to post-1986 undistributed earnings for purposes of section 902 —(1) General rule. For purposes of computing foreign income taxes deemed paid under § 1.902-1(b) with respect to dividends paid by a first- or lower-tier corporation out of post-1986 undistributed earnings, the amount of a deficit in accumulated profits of the foreign corporation determined under section 902 as of the end of its last pre-effective date taxable year is carried forward and reduces post-1986 undistributed earnings on the first day of the foreign corporation's first taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986, or on the first day of the first taxable year in which the ownership requirements of section 902(c)(3)(B) and § 1.902-1(a)(1) through (4) are met if the special effective date of § 1.902-1(a)(13) applies. Any foreign income taxes paid with respect to a pre-effective date year shall not be carried forward and included in post-1986 foreign income taxes. Post-1986 undistributed earnings may not be reduced by the amount of a pre-1987 deficit in earnings and profits computed under section 964(a). See section 960 and the regulations under that section for rules governing the carryforward of deficits and the computation of foreign income taxes deemed paid with respect to deemed income inclusions from controlled foreign corporations. For translation rules governing carryforwards of deficits in pre-1987 accumulated profits to post-1986 taxable years of a foreign corporation with a dollar functional currency, see § 1.985-6(d)(2).
(2) Effect of pre-effective date deficit. If a foreign corporation has a deficit in accumulated profits as of the end of its last pre-effective date taxable year, then the foreign corporation cannot pay a dividend out of pre-effective date years unless there is an adjustment made (for example, a refund of foreign taxes paid) that restores section 902 accumulated profits to a pre-effective date taxable year or years. Moreover, if a foreign corporation has a deficit in section 902 accumulated profits as of the end of its last pre-effective date taxable year, then no deficit in post-1986 undistributed earnings will be carried back under paragraph (a) of this section. For rules concerning carrybacks of eligible deficits from post-1986 undistributed earnings to reduce pre-1987 earnings and profits computed under section 964(a), see section 960 and the regulations under that section.
(3) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this paragraph (b):
(iii) The remaining 50u of the 150u distribution cannot be deemed paid out of accumulated profits of a pre-1987 year because Corporation A has an accumulated deficit as of the end of 1986 that eliminated all pre-1987 accumulated profits. See paragraph (b)(2) of this section. The 50u is a dividend out of current earnings and profits under section 316(a)(2), but Corporation M is not deemed to have paid any additional foreign income taxes paid by Corporation A with respect to that 50u dividend out of current earnings and profits. See § 1.902-1(b)(4).
(iii) On December 31, 1989, Corporation A distributes a 10u dividend to Corporation M and a 90u dividend to Corporation Z. Although the distribution is considered a dividend in its entirety out of 1989 earnings and profits pursuant to section 316(a)(2), post-1986 undistributed earnings are (100u). Accordingly, for purposes of section 902, Corporation M is deemed to have paid no post-1986 foreign income taxes. See § 1.902-1(b)(4). Corporation A's post-1986 undistributed earnings as of January 1, 1990, are (200u) ((100u) − 100u). Corporation A's post-1986 foreign income taxes are not reduced because no taxes were deemed paid.
(iv) On December 31, 1990, Corporation A distributes a 5u dividend to Corporation M and a 45u dividend to Corporation Z. At that time Corporation A has 50u of post-1986 undistributed earnings, and $150 of post-1986 foreign income taxes. Foreign taxes deemed paid by Corporation M under section 902 with respect to the 5u dividend are $15 ($150 × 10%[5u / 50u]). Post-1986 undistributed earnings as of January 1, 1991, are -0- (50u − 50u). Post-1986 foreign income taxes as of January 1, 1991, also are -0-, $150 reduced by $150 ($150 × 100%[50u / 50u]) of foreign income taxes that would have been deemed paid if both Corporations M and Z were eligible to compute an amount of deemed paid taxes on the 50u dividend.
§ 1.902-3   Credit for domestic corporate shareholder of a foreign corporation for foreign income taxes paid with respect to accumulated profits of taxable years of the foreign corporation beginning before January 1, 1987.
(a) Definitions. For purposes of section 902 and §§ 1.902-3 and 1.902-4:
(1) Domestic shareholder. In the case of dividends received by a domestic corporation after December 31, 1964, from a foreign corporation, the term “domestic shareholder” means a domestic corporation which owns at least 10 percent of the voting stock of the foreign corporation at the time it receives a dividend from such foreign corporation.
(2) First-tier corporation. In the case of dividends received by a domestic shareholder after December 31, 1964, from a foreign corporation, the term “first-tier corporation” means a foreign corporation at least 10 percent of the voting stock of which is owned by a domestic shareholder at the time it receives a dividend from such foreign corporation. The term “first-tier corporation” also means a DISC or former DISC, but only with respect to dividends from the DISC or former DISC to the extent they are treated under sections 861(a)(2)(D) and 862(a)(2) as income from sources without the United States.
(3) Second-tier corporation. (i) In the case of dividends paid to a first-tier corporation by a foreign corporation after January 12, 1971 (i.e., the date of enactment of Pub. L. 91-684, 84 Stat. 2068), but only for purposes of applying this section for a taxable year of a domestic shareholder ending after that date, the foreign corporation is a “second-tier corporation” if at least 10 percent of its voting stock is owned by the first-tier corporation at the time the first-tier corporation receives the dividend.
(ii) In the case of dividends paid to a first-tier corporation by a foreign corporation after January 12, 1971, but only for purposes of applying this section for a taxable year of a domestic shareholder ending before January 13, 1971, or in the case of any dividend paid to a first-tier corporation by a foreign corporation before January 13, 1971, the foreign corporation is a “second-tier corporation” if at least 50 percent of its voting stock is owned by the first-tier corporation at the time the first-tier corporation receives the dividend.
(4) Third-tier corporation. In the case of dividends paid to a second-tier corporation (as defined in paragraph (a)(3) (i) or (ii) of this section) by a foreign corporation after January 12, 1971, but only for purposes of applying this section for a taxable year of a domestic shareholder ending after that date, the foreign corporation is a “third-tier corporation” if at least 10 percent of its voting stock is owned by the second-tier corporation at the time the second-tier corporation receives the dividend.
(5) Foreign income taxes. The term “foreign income taxes” means income, war profits, and excess profits taxes, and taxes included in the term “income, war profits, and excess profits taxes” by reason of section 903, imposed by a foreign country or a possession of the United States.
(6) Dividend. For the definition of the term “dividend” for purposes of applying section 902 and this section, see section 316 and the regulations thereunder.
(7) Dividend received. A dividend shall be considered received for purposes of section 902 and this section when the cash or other property is unqualifiedly made subject to the demands of the distributee. See § 1.301-1(c).
(b) Domestic shareholder owning stock in a first-tier corporation —(1) In general. (i) If a domestic shareholder receives dividends in any taxable year from its first-tier corporation, the credit for foreign income taxes allowed by section 901 includes, subject to the conditions and limitations of this section, the foreign income taxes deemed, in accordance with paragraph (b)(2) of this section, to be paid by such domestic shareholder for such year.
(ii) If dividends are received by a domestic shareholder from more than one first-tier corporation, the taxes deemed to be paid by such shareholder under section 902(a) and this paragraph (b) shall be computed separately with respect to the dividends received from each of such first-tier corporations.
(iii) Any taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder for the taxable year pursuant to section 902(a) and paragraph (b)(2) of this section shall, except as provided in § 1.960-3(b), be included in the gross income of such shareholder for such year as a dividend pursuant to section 78 and § 1.78-1. For the source of such a section 78 dividend, see paragraph (h)(1) of this section.
(iv) Any taxes deemed, under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, to be paid by the domestic shareholder shall be deemed to be paid by such shareholder only for purposes of the foreign tax credit allowed under section 901. See section 904 for other limitations on the amount of the credit.
(v) For rules relating to reduction of the amount of foreign income taxes deemed paid or accrued with respect to foreign mineral income, see section 901(e) and § 1.901-3.
(vi) For the nonrecognition as a foreign income tax for purposes of this section of certain income, profits, or excess profits taxes paid or accrued to a foreign country in connection with the purchase and sale of oil or gas extracted in such country, see section 901(f) and the regulations thereunder.
(vii) For rules relating to reduction of the amount of foreign income taxes deemed paid with respect to foreign oil and gas extraction income, see section 907(a) and the regulations thereunder.
(viii) See the regulations under sections 960, 962, and 963 for special rules relating to the application of section 902 in computing the foreign tax credit of United States shareholders of controlled foreign corporations.
(2) Amount of foreign taxes deemed paid by a domestic shareholder. To the extent dividends are paid by a first-tier corporation to its domestic shareholder out of accumulated profits, as defined in paragraph (e) of this section, for any taxable year, the domestic shareholder shall be deemed to have paid the same proportion of any foreign income taxes paid, accrued or deemed, in accordance with paragraph (c)(2) of this section, to be paid by such first-tier corporation on or with respect to such accumulated profits for such year which the amount of such dividends (determined without regard to the gross-up under section 78) bears to the amount by which such accumulated profits exceed the amount of such taxes (other than those deemed, under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, to be paid). For determining the amount of foreign income taxes paid or accrued by such first-tier corporation on or with respect to the accumulated profits for the taxable year of such first-tier corporation, see paragraph (f) of this section.
(c) First-tier corporation owning stock in a second-tier corporation —(1) In general. For purposes of applying section 902(a) and paragraph (b)(2) of this section, if a first-tier corporation receives dividends in any taxable year from its second-tier corporation, the foreign income taxes deemed to be paid by the first-tier corporation on or with respect to its own accumulated profits for such year shall be the amount determined in accordance with paragraph (c)(2) of this section. This paragraph (c) shall not apply unless the product of—
(i) The percentage of voting stock owned by the domestic shareholder in the first-tier corporation at the time that the domestic shareholder receives dividends from the first-tier corporation in respect of which foreign income taxes are deemed to be paid by the domestic shareholder under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, and
(ii) The percentage of voting stock owned by the first-tier corporation in the second-tier corporation equals at least 5 percent. The percentage under paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section of voting stock owned by the first-tier corporation in the second-tier corporation is determined as of the time that the dividend distributed by the second-tier corporation is received by the first-tier corporation and thus included in accumulated profits of the first-tier corporation out of which dividends referred to in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section are distributed by the first-tier corporation to the domestic shareholder.
(2) Amount of foreign taxes deemed paid by a first-tier corporation. A first-tier corporation which receives dividends in any taxable year from its second-tier corporation shall be deemed to have paid for such year the same proportion of any foreign income taxes paid, accrued, or deemed, in accordance with paragraph (d)(2) of this section, to be paid by its second-tier corporation on or with respect to the accumulated profits, as defined in paragraph (e) of this section, for the taxable year of the second-tier corporation from which such dividends are paid which the amount of such dividends bears to the amount by which such accumulated profits of the second-tier corporation exceed the taxes so paid or accrued. For determining the amount of the foreign income taxes paid or accrued by such second-tier corporation on or with respect to the accumulated profits for the taxable year of such second-tier corporation, see paragraph (f) of this section.
(d) Second-tier corporation owning stock in a third-tier corporation —(1) In general. For purposes of applying section 902(b)(1) and paragraph (c)(2) of this section, if a second-tier corporation receives dividends in any taxable year from its third-tier corporation, the foreign income taxes deemed to be paid by the second-tier corporation on or with respect to its own accumulated profits for such year shall be the amount determined in accordance with paragraph (d)(2) of this section. This paragraph (d) shall not apply unless the product of—
(i) The percentage of voting stock arrived at in applying the 5-percent requirement of paragraph (c)(1) of this section with respect to dividends received by the first-tier corporation from the second-tier corporation, and
(ii) the percentage of voting stock owned by the second-tier corporation in the third-tier corporation equals at least 5 percent. The percentage under paragraph (d)(1)(ii) of this section of voting stock owned by the second-tier corporation in the third-tier corporation is determined as of the time that the dividend distributed by the third-tier corporation is received by the second-tier corporation and thus included in accumulated profits of the second-tier corporation out of which dividends referred to in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section are distributed by the second-tier corporation to the first-tier corporation.
(2) Amount of foreign taxes deemed paid by a second-tier corporation. For purposes of applying paragraph (c)(2) of this section to a first-tier corporation, a second-tier corporation which receives dividends in its taxable year from its third-tier corporation shall be deemed to have paid for such year the same proportion of any foreign income taxes paid or accrued by its third-tier corporation on or with respect to the accumulated profits, as defined in paragraph (e) of this section, for the taxable year of the third-tier corporation from which such dividends are paid which the amount of such dividends bears to the amount by which such accumulated profits of the third-tier corporation exceed the taxes so paid or accrued. For determining the amount of the foreign income taxes paid or accrued by such third-tier corporation on or with respect to the accumulated profits for the taxable year of such third-tier corporation, see paragraph (f) of this section.
(e) Determination of accumulated profits of a foreign corporation. The accumulated profits for any taxable year of a first-tier corporation and the accumulated profits for any taxable year of a second-tier or third-tier corporation, which are taken into account in applying paragraph (c)(2) or (d)(2) of this section with respect to such first-tier corporation, shall be the sum of—
(1) The earnings and profits of such corporation for such year, and
(2) The foreign income taxes imposed on or with respect to the gains, profits, and income to which such earnings and profits are attributable.
(f) Taxes paid on or with respect to accumulated profits of a foreign corporation. For purposes of this section, the amount of foreign income taxes paid or accrued on or with respect to the accumulated profits of a foreign corporation for any taxable year shall be the entire amount of the foreign income taxes paid or accrued for such year on or with respect to such gains, profits, and income. For purposes of this paragraph (f), the gains, profits, and income of a foreign corporation for any taxable year shall be determined after reduction by any income, war profits, or excess profits taxes imposed on or with respect to such gains, profits, and income by the United States.
(g) Determination of earning and profits of a foreign corporation —(1) Taxable year to which section 963 does not apply. For purposes of this section, the earnings and profits of a foreign corporation for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 1962, other than a taxable year to which paragraph (g)(2) of this section applies, may, if the domestic shareholder chooses, be determined under the rules provided by § 1.964-1 exclusive of paragraphs (d) and (e) of such section. The translation of amounts so determined into United States dollars or other foreign currency shall be made at the proper exchange rate for the date of distribution with respect to which the determination is made.
(2) [Reserved]
(3) Time and manner of making choice. The controlling United States shareholders (as defined in § 1.964-1(c)(5)) of a foreign corporation shall make the choice referred to in paragraph (g)(1) of this section (including the elections permitted by § 1.964-1 (b) and (c)) by filing a written statement to such effect with the Director of the Internal Revenue Service Center, 11601 Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19155, within 180 days after the close of the first taxable year of the foreign corporation during which such shareholders receive a distribution of earnings and profits with respect to which the benefits of this section are claimed or on or before November 15, 1965, whichever is later. For purposes of this paragraph (g)(3), the 180-day period shall commence on the date of receipt of any distribution which is considered paid from the accumulated profits of a preceding year or years under paragraph (g)(4) of this section. See § 1.964-1(c)(3) (ii) and (iii) for procedures requiring notification of the Director of the Internal Revenue Service Center and noncontrolling shareholders of action taken.
(4) Determination by district director. The district director in whose district is filed the income tax return of the domestic shareholder claiming a credit under section 901 for foreign income taxes deemed, under section 902 and this section, to be paid by such shareholder shall have the power to determine, with respect to a foreign corporation, from the accumulated profits of what taxable year or years the dividends were paid. In making such determination the district director shall, unless it is otherwise established to his satisfaction, treat any dividends which are paid in the first 60 days of any taxable year of such a corporation as having been paid from the accumulated profits of the preceding taxable year or years of such corporation and shall, in other respects, treat any dividends as having been paid from the most recently accumulated profits. For purposes of this paragraph (g)(4), in the case of a foreign corporation the foreign income taxes of which are determined on the basis of an accounting period of less than 1 year, the term “year” shall mean such accounting period. See sections 441 (b)(3) and 443.
(h) Source of income from first-tier corporation and country to which tax is deemed paid —(1) Source of income. For purposes of section 904(a)(1) (relating to the per-country limitation), in the case of a dividend received by a domestic shareholder from a first-tier corporation there shall be deemed to be derived from sources within the foreign country or possession of the United States under the laws of which the first-tier corporation is created or organized the sum of the amounts which under paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of § 1.861-3 are treated, with respect to such dividend, as income from sources without the United States.
(2) Country to which taxes deemed paid. For purposes of section 904, all foreign income taxes paid, or deemed under paragraph (c) of this section to be paid, by a first-tier corporation shall be deemed to be paid to the foreign country or possession of the United States under the laws of which such first-tier corporation is created or organized.
(i) United Kingdom income taxes paid with respect to royalties. A taxpayer shall not be deemed under section 902 and this section to have paid any taxes with respect to which a credit is allowable to such taxpayer or any other taxpayer by virtue of section 905(b).
(j) Information to be furnished. If the credit for foreign income taxes claimed under section 901 includes taxes deemed, under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, to be paid, the domestic shareholder must furnish the same information with respect to such taxes as it is required to furnish with respect to the taxes actually paid or accrued by it and for which credit is claimed. See § 1.905-2. For other information required to be furnished by the domestic shareholder for the annual accounting period of certain foreign corporations ending with or within such shareholder's taxable year, and for reduction in the amount of foreign income taxes paid or deemed to be paid for failure to furnish such information, see section 6038 and the regulations thereunder.
(k) Illustrations. The application of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:
B Corporation
M Corporation
(l) Effective date. Except as provided in § 1.902-4, this section applies to any distribution received from a first-tier corporation by its domestic shareholder after December 31, 1964, and before the beginning of the foreign corporation's first taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986. If, however, the first day on which the ownership requirements of section 902(c)(3)(B) and § 1.902-1(a)(1) through (4) are met with respect to the foreign corporation is in a taxable year of the foreign corporation beginning after December 31, 1986, then this section shall apply to all taxable years beginning after December 31, 1964, and before the year in which the ownership requirements are first met. See § 1.902-1(a)(13)(i). For corresponding rules applicable to distributions received by the domestic shareholder prior to January 1, 1965, see § 1.902-5 as contained in the 26 CFR part 1 edition revised April 1, 1976.
§ 1.902-4   Rules for distributions attributable to accumulated profits for taxable years in which a first-tier corporation was a less developed country corporation.
(a) In general. If a domestic shareholder receives a distribution from a first-tier corporation before January 1, 1978, in a taxable year of the domestic shareholder beginning after December 31, 1964, which is attributable to accumulated profits of the first-tier corporation for a taxable year beginning before January 1, 1976, in which the first-tier corporation was a less developed country corporation (as defined in 26 CFR § 1.902-2 revised as of April 1, 1978), then the amount of the credit deemed paid by the domestic shareholder with respect to such distribution shall be calculated under the rules relating to less developed country corporations contained in (26 CFR § 1.902-1 revised as of April 1, 1978).
(b) Combined distributions. If a domestic shareholder receives a distribution before January 1, 1978, from a first-tier corporation, a portion of which is described in paragraph (a) of this section, and a portion of which is attributable to accumulated profits of the first-tier corporation for a year in which the first-tier corporation was not a less developed country corporation, then the amount of taxes deemed paid by the domestic shareholder shall be computed separately on each portion of the dividend. The taxes deemed paid on that portion of the dividend described in paragraph (a) shall be computed as specified in paragraph (a). The taxes deemed paid on that portion of the dividend described in this paragraph (b), shall be computed as specified in § 1.902-3.
(c) Distributions of a first-tier corporation attributable to certain distributions from second- or third-tier corporations. Paragraph (a) shall apply to a distribution received by a domestic shareholder before January 1, 1978, from a first-tier corporation out of accumulated profits for a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1975, if:
(1) The distribution is attributable to a distribution received by the first-tier corporation from a second- or third-tier corporation in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1975.
(2) The distribution from the second- or third-tier corporation is made out of accumulated profits of the second- or third-tier corporation for a taxable year beginning before January 1, 1976, and
(3) The first-tier corporation would have qualified as a less developed country corporation under section 902(d) (as in effect on December 31, 1975), in the taxable year in which it received the distribution.
(d) Illustrations. The application of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:
1976
1975
§ 1.903-1   Taxes in lieu of income taxes.
(a) Overview. Section 903 provides that the term “income, war profits, and excess profits taxes” includes a tax paid in lieu of a tax on income, war profits, or excess profits that is otherwise generally imposed by any foreign country. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section define a tax described in section 903. Paragraph (d) of this section provides examples illustrating the application of this section. Paragraph (e) of this section sets forth the applicability date of this section. For purposes of this section and §§ 1.901-2 and 1.901-2A, a tax described in section 903 is referred to as a “tax in lieu of an income tax” or an “in lieu of tax” and the definitions in § 1.901-2(g) apply for purposes of this section. Determinations of the amount of a tax in lieu of an income tax that is paid by a person and determinations of the person by whom such tax is paid are made under § 1.901-2(e) and (f), respectively. Section 1.901-2A contains additional rules applicable to dual capacity taxpayers (as defined in § 1.901-2(a)(2)(ii)(A)).
(b) Definition of tax in lieu of an income tax —(1) In general. Paragraphs (b)(2) and (c) of this section provide the requirements for a foreign levy to qualify as a tax in lieu of an income tax. The rules of this section are applied independently to each separate levy (within the meaning of §§ 1.901-2(d) and 1.901-2A(a)). A foreign tax either is or is not a tax in lieu of an income tax in its entirety for all persons subject to the tax. It is immaterial whether the base of the in lieu of tax bears any relation to realized net gain. The base of the foreign tax may, for example, be gross income, gross receipts or sales, or the number of units produced or exported. The foreign country's reason for imposing a foreign tax on a base other than net income (for example, because of administrative difficulty in determining the amount of income that would otherwise be subject to a net income tax) is immaterial, although paragraph (c)(1) of this section generally requires a showing that the foreign country made a deliberate and cognizant choice to impose the in lieu of tax instead of a net income tax (see paragraph (c)(1)(iii) of this section).
(2) Requirements. A foreign levy is a tax in lieu of an income tax only if—
(i) It is a foreign tax; and
(ii) It satisfies the substitution requirement of paragraph (c) of this section.
(c) Substitution requirement —(1) In general. A foreign tax (the “tested foreign tax”) satisfies the substitution requirement if, based on the foreign tax law, the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (iv) of this section are satisfied with respect to the tested foreign tax, or the tested foreign tax is a covered withholding tax described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(i) Existence of generally-imposed net income tax. A separate levy that is a net income tax (as described in § 1.901-2(a)(3)) is generally imposed by the same foreign country (the “generally-imposed net income tax”) that imposes the tested foreign tax.
(ii) Non-duplication. Neither the generally-imposed net income tax nor any other separate levy that is a net income tax is also imposed, in addition to the tested foreign tax, by the same foreign country on any persons with respect to any portion of the income to which the amounts (such as sales or units of production) that form the base of the tested foreign tax relate (the “excluded income”). Therefore, a tested foreign tax does not meet the requirement of this paragraph (c)(1)(ii) if a net income tax imposed by the same foreign country applies to the excluded income of any persons that are subject to the tested foreign tax, even if not all persons subject to the tested foreign tax are subject to the net income tax.
(iii) Close connection to excluded income. But for the existence of the tested foreign tax, the generally-imposed net income tax would otherwise have been imposed on the excluded income. The requirement in the preceding sentence is met only if the imposition of such tested foreign tax bears a close connection to the failure to impose the generally-imposed net income tax on the excluded income; the relationship cannot be merely incidental, tangential, or minor. A close connection must be established with proof that the foreign country made a cognizant and deliberate choice to impose the tested foreign tax instead of the generally-imposed net income tax. Such proof must be based on foreign tax law, or the legislative history of either the tested foreign tax or the generally-imposed net income tax that describes the provisions excluding taxpayers subject to the tested foreign tax from the generally-imposed net income tax. Thus, a close connection exists if the generally-imposed net income tax would apply by its terms to the excluded income, but for the fact that the excluded income is expressly excluded, and the tested foreign tax is enacted contemporaneously with the generally-imposed net income tax. A close connection also exists if the generally-imposed net income tax by its terms does not apply to, but does not expressly exclude, the excluded income, and the tested foreign tax is enacted contemporaneously with the generally-imposed net income tax. Where the tested foreign tax is not enacted contemporaneously with the generally-imposed net income tax and the generally-imposed net income tax is not amended contemporaneously with the enactment of the tested foreign tax to exclude the excluded income or to narrow the scope of the generally-imposed net income tax so as not to apply to the excluded income, a close connection can be established only by reference to the legislative history of the tested foreign tax (or a predecessor in lieu of tax). Not all income derived by persons subject to the tested foreign tax need be excluded income, provided the tested foreign tax applies only to amounts that relate to the excluded income.
(iv) Jurisdiction to tax excluded income. If the generally-imposed net income tax, or a hypothetical new tax that is a separate levy with respect to the generally-imposed net income tax, were applied to the excluded income, such generally-imposed net income tax or separate levy would meet the attribution requirement described in § 1.901-2(b)(5).
(2) Covered withholding tax. A tested foreign tax is a covered withholding tax if, based on the foreign tax law, the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (c)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section are met with respect to the tested foreign tax. See also § 1.901-2(d)(1)(iii) for rules treating withholding taxes as separate levies with respect to each class of income subject to the tax or with respect to each subset of a class of income that is subject to different income attribution rules.
(i) Withholding tax on nonresidents. The tested foreign tax is a withholding tax (as defined in section 901(k)(1)(B)) that is imposed on gross income of persons who are nonresidents of the foreign country imposing the tested foreign tax. It is immaterial whether the tested foreign tax is withheld by the payor or is imposed directly on the nonresident taxpayer.
(ii) Non-duplication. The tested foreign tax is not in addition to any net income tax that is imposed by the foreign country on any portion of the net income attributable to the gross income that is subject to the tested foreign tax. Therefore, a tested foreign tax does not meet the requirement of this paragraph (c)(2)(ii) if by its terms it applies to gross income of nonresidents that are also subject to a net income tax imposed by the same foreign country on the same income, even if not all nonresidents subject to the tested foreign tax are also subject to the net income tax.
(iii) Source-based attribution requirement. The income subject to the tested foreign tax satisfies the attribution requirement described in § 1.901-2(b)(5)(i)(B).
(d) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this section.
(1) Example 1: Tax on gross income from services; non-duplication requirement —(i) Facts. Country X imposes a tax at the rate of 3 percent on the gross receipts of companies, wherever resident, from furnishing specified types of electronically supplied services to customers located in Country X (the “ESS tax”). No deductions are allowed in determining the taxable base of the ESS tax. In addition to the ESS tax, Country X imposes a net income tax within the meaning of § 1.901-2(a)(3) on resident companies (the “resident income tax”) and also imposes a net income tax within the meaning of § 1.901-2(a)(3) on the income of nonresident companies that is attributable, under reasonable principles, to the nonresident's permanent establishment within Country X (the “nonresident income tax”). Under Country X tax law, a permanent establishment is defined in the same manner as under the 2016 U.S. Model Income Tax Convention. Both the resident income tax and the nonresident income tax, which are separate levies under § 1.901-2(d)(1)(iii), qualify as generally-imposed net income taxes. Under Country X tax law, the ESS tax applies to both resident and nonresident companies regardless of whether the company is also subject to the resident income tax or the nonresident income tax, respectively.
(ii) Analysis. Under § 1.901-2(d)(1)(iii), the ESS tax comprises two separate levies, one imposed on resident companies (the “resident ESS tax”), and one imposed on nonresident companies (the “nonresident ESS tax”). Under paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section, neither the resident ESS tax nor the nonresident ESS tax satisfies the substitution requirement, because by its terms the income to which the gross receipts subject to the ESS tax relate is also subject to one of the two generally-imposed net income taxes imposed by Country X. Similarly, under paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section, the nonresident ESS tax is not a covered withholding tax because by its terms it is imposed in addition to the nonresident income tax. The fact that nonresident taxpayers that do not have a permanent establishment in Country X are in practice subject to the nonresident ESS tax but not to the nonresident income tax on the gross receipts included in the base of the nonresident ESS tax is not relevant to the determination of whether the ESS tax meets the substitution requirement under paragraph (c)(1) of this section. Therefore, neither the resident ESS tax nor the nonresident ESS tax is a tax in lieu of an income tax.
(2) Example 2: Tax on gross income from services; attribution of income —(i) Facts. The facts are the same as those in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section (the facts in Example 1 ), except that under Country X tax law, the nonresident ESS tax is imposed only if the nonresident company does not have a permanent establishment in Country X. If the nonresident company has a Country X permanent establishment, the nonresident income tax applies to the profits attributable to that permanent establishment. In addition, the statutory language and legislative history to the nonresident ESS tax demonstrate that Country X made a cognizant and deliberate choice to impose the nonresident ESS tax instead of the nonresident income tax with respect to the gross receipts that are subject to the nonresident ESS tax.
(ii) Analysis —(A) General application of substitution requirement. The nonresident ESS tax meets the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section because Country X has two generally-imposed net income taxes and neither generally-imposed net income tax nor any other separate levy that is a net income tax is imposed by Country X on a nonresident's income to which gross receipts that form the base of the nonresident ESS tax relate (which is the excluded income). The statutory language and legislative history to the nonresident ESS tax demonstrate that Country X made a cognizant and deliberate choice not to impose the nonresident income tax on the excluded income. Therefore, the nonresident ESS tax meets the requirement in paragraph (c)(1)(iii) of this section because, but for the existence of the tested foreign tax, the nonresident income tax would otherwise have been imposed on the excluded income. However, the nonresident ESS tax does not meet the requirement in paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this section, because if Country X had chosen to apply the nonresident income tax (rather than the nonresident ESS tax) to the excluded income, the modified nonresident income tax would fail the attribution requirement in § 1.901-2(b)(5). First, the modified tax would not satisfy the requirement in § 1.901-2(b)(5)(i)(A) because the modified tax would not apply to income attributable under reasonable principles to the nonresident's activities within the foreign country, since the modified tax is determined by taking into account the location of customers. Second, the modified tax would not satisfy the requirement in § 1.901-2(b)(5)(i)(B) because the excluded income is from services performed outside of Country X. Third, the modified tax would not satisfy the requirement in § 1.901-2(b)(5)(i)(C) because the excluded income is not from sales or dispositions of real property located in Country X or from property forming part of the business property of a taxable presence in Country X. Because the Country X nonresident income tax as applied to the excluded income would fail to meet the attribution requirement in § 1.901-2(b)(5), as required by paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this section, the nonresident ESS tax does not satisfy the substitution requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.
(B) Covered withholding tax analysis. The nonresident ESS tax meets the requirement in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section because there exists a generally-imposed net income tax. It also meets the requirements in paragraphs (c)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section because it is a withholding tax on gross receipts of nonresidents and the income attributable to those gross receipts is not subject to a net income tax. However, the nonresident ESS tax does not meet the requirement in paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this section because the services income subject to the nonresident ESS tax is from electronically supplied services performed outside of Country X. See § 1.901-2(b)(5)(i)(B). Therefore, the nonresident ESS tax is not a covered withholding tax under paragraph (c)(2) of this section. Because the nonresident ESS tax does not satisfy the substitution requirement of paragraph (c) of this section, it is not a tax in lieu of an income tax.
(3) Example 3: Withholding tax on royalties; attribution requirement —(i) Facts. YCo, a resident of Country Y, is a controlled foreign corporation wholly-owned by USP, a domestic corporation. In Year 1, YCo grants a license to XCo, a resident of Country X unrelated to YCo or USP, for the right to use YCo's intangible property (IP) throughout the world, including in Country X. Under Country X's domestic tax law, all royalties paid by a resident of Country X to a nonresident are sourced in Country X and are subject to a 30% withholding tax on the gross income, regardless of whether the nonresident payee has a taxable presence in Country X. Country X's withholding tax on royalties is a separate levy under § 1.901-2(d)(1)(iii). In Year 1, XCo withholds 30u (units of Country X currency) tax from 100u of royalties owed and paid to YCo under the licensing arrangement, of which 50u is attributable to XCo's use of the YCo IP in Country X and 50u is attributable to use of the YCo IP outside Country X. The United States and Country X have an income tax treaty (U.S.-Country X treaty); under the royalties article of the treaty, Country X agreed to impose its withholding tax on royalties paid to a U.S. resident only on royalties paid for IP used in Country X. Country X and Country Y do not have an income tax treaty.
(ii) Analysis. Under § 1.901-2(d)(1)(iv), the Country X withholding tax on royalties, as modified by the U.S.-Country X treaty, is a separate levy from the unmodified Country X withholding tax to which YCo was subject (because YCo is not a U.S. resident eligible for benefits under the U.S.-Country X treaty). The Country X withholding tax on royalties, unmodified by the U.S.-Country X treaty, does not meet the attribution requirement in § 1.901-2(b)(5)(i)(B) because Country X's source rule for royalties (based upon residence of the payor) is not reasonably similar to the sourcing rules that apply under the Internal Revenue Code. Thus, under paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this section, the Country X withholding tax paid by YCo is not a covered withholding tax, and none of the 30u of Country X withholding tax paid by YCo with respect to the 100u of royalties for the use of the IP is a payment of foreign income tax.
(4) Example 4: Withholding tax on royalties; attribution requirement —(i) Facts. The facts are the same as in paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section (the facts of Example 3 ), except that XCo only uses the IP in Country X and the 100u of royalties paid to YCo in Year 1 is all attributable to XCo's use of the IP in Country X.
(ii) Analysis. The result is the same as in paragraph (d)(3) of this section (the analysis of Example 3 ). Because Country X's source rule for royalties (based upon residence of the payor) is not reasonably similar to the sourcing rules that apply under the Internal Revenue Code, the withholding tax paid by YCo does not meet the attribution requirement in § 1.901-2(b)(5)(i)(B). Under paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this section, the Country X withholding tax paid by YCo is not a covered withholding tax, and none of the 30u of Country X withholding tax paid by YCo with respect to the 100u of royalties for IP used in Country X is a payment of foreign income tax.
(5) Example 5: Multiple in-lieu-of taxes —(i) Facts. Country X imposes a net income tax within the meaning of § 1.901-2(a)(3) on the income of nonresident companies that is attributable, under reasonable principles, to the nonresident's activities within Country X (the “trade or business tax”). The trade or business tax applies to all nonresident corporations that engage in business in Country X except for nonresident corporations that engage in insurance activities, which are instead subject to two different taxes (“insurance taxes”). The insurance taxes apply to nonresident corporations that engage in insurance activities that are attributable, under reasonable principles, to the nonresident's activities within Country X. The insurance taxes do not satisfy the cost recovery requirement in § 1.901-2(b)(4). The trade or business tax and the two insurance taxes were enacted contemporaneously, and the statutory language of the trade or business tax expressly excludes gross income derived by nonresident corporations engaged in insurance activities from the trade or business tax.
(ii) Analysis. The insurance taxes meet the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section because Country X has a generally-imposed net income tax, the trade or business tax, and neither the trade or business tax nor any other separate levy that is a net income tax is imposed by Country X on a nonresident's gross income to which the amounts that form the base of the insurance taxes (the “excluded income”) relate. The Country X tax law expressly provides that the trade or business tax does not apply to nonresident corporations engaged in insurance activities. In addition, the two insurance taxes were enacted contemporaneously with the trade or business tax. Therefore, it is demonstrated that Country X made a cognizant and deliberate choice to impose the insurance taxes in lieu of the generally-imposed trade or business tax, and the insurance taxes meet the requirement in paragraph (c)(1)(iii) of this section. If the trade or business tax also applied to the excluded income, the trade or business tax would meet the requirement in § 1.901-2(b)(5)(i)(A), because it would apply only to income attributable, under reasonable principles, to the nonresident's activities within the foreign country. Thus, the insurance taxes meet the requirement in paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this section. Therefore, the insurance taxes satisfy the substitution requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.
(6) Example 6: Later-enacted in-lieu-of tax; close connection requirement —(i) Facts. The facts are the same as those in paragraph (d)(5)(i) of this section (the facts in Example 5 ), except that one of the two insurance taxes applies only to nonresident corporations engaged in the life insurance business in Country X and was enacted five years after the enactment of the trade or business tax and the other insurance tax enacted contemporaneously with the trade or business tax. The legislative history to the later-enacted insurance tax shows that Country X intended to increase the tax imposed on nonresident corporations engaged in life insurance activities and, instead of amending the first insurance tax to increase the rate applicable to life insurance companies, it enacted the second insurance tax that only applies to life insurance corporations.
(ii) Analysis. The later-enacted insurance tax meets the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section because Country X has a generally-imposed net income tax, the trade or business tax, and neither the trade or business tax nor any other separate levy that is a net income tax is imposed by Country X on the income attributable to the activities that form the base of the later-enacted insurance tax. The later-enacted insurance tax meets the requirement in paragraph (c)(1)(iii) of this section because the legislative history to the later-enacted insurance tax demonstrates that Country X made a cognizant and deliberate choice to impose the later-enacted insurance tax on life insurance companies instead of the trade or business tax. The later-enacted insurance tax also meets the requirement of paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this section for the reasons set forth in paragraph (d)(5)(ii) of this section. Therefore, the later-enacted insurance tax satisfies the substitution requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.
(7) Example 7: Excise tax creditable against net income tax —(i) Facts. Country X imposes an excise tax that does not satisfy the cost recovery requirement in § 1.901-2(b)(4), and a net income tax within the meaning of § 1.901-2(a)(3). The excise tax, which is payable independently of the net income tax, is allowed as a credit against the net income tax. In Year 1, A has a tentative net income tax liability of 100u (units of Country X currency) but is allowed a credit for 30u of excise tax that it paid that year.
(ii) Analysis. Pursuant to § 1.901-2(e)(4), the amount of excise tax A has paid to Country X is 30u and the amount of net income tax A has paid to Country X is 70u. The excise tax paid by A does not satisfy the substitution requirement set forth in paragraph (c)(1) of this section because the excise tax is imposed in addition to, and not in substitution for, the generally-imposed net income tax.
(e) Applicability dates. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (e), this section applies to foreign taxes paid (within the meaning of § 1.901-2(g)(5)) in taxable years beginning on or after December 28, 2021. For foreign taxes paid to Puerto Rico under section 3070.01 of the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code of 2011, as amended (13 L.P.R.A. § 31771) (imposing an excise tax on a controlled group member's acquisition from another group member of certain personal property manufactured or produced in Puerto Rico and certain services performed in Puerto Rico), this section applies to foreign taxes paid (within the meaning of § 1.901-2(g)(5)) in taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023. For foreign taxes described in the preceding sentence that are paid in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2023, see § 1.903-1 as contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised as of April 1, 2021.
§ 1.904-1   Limitation on credit for foreign income taxes.
(a) In general. For each separate category described in § 1.904-5(a)(4)(v), the total credit for foreign income taxes (as defined in § 1.901-2(a)) paid or accrued (including those deemed to have been paid or accrued other than by reason of section 904(c)) to any foreign country (as defined in § 1.901-2(g)) does not exceed that proportion of the tax against which such credit is taken which the taxpayer's taxable income from foreign sources (but not in excess of the taxpayer's entire taxable income) in such separate category bears to the taxpayer's entire taxable income for the same taxable year.
(b) Special computation of taxable income. For purposes of computing the limitation under paragraph (a) of this section, the taxable income in the case of an individual, estate, or trust is computed without any deduction for personal exemptions under section 151 or 642(b).
(c) Joint return. In the case of spouses making a joint return, the applicable limitation prescribed by section 904(a) on the credit for taxes paid or accrued to foreign countries and possessions of the United States is applied with respect to the aggregate taxable income in each separate category from sources without the United States, and the aggregate taxable income from all sources, of the spouses.
(d) Consolidated group. For rules relating to the computation of the foreign tax credit limitation for a consolidated group, see § 1.1502-4.
(e) Applicability dates. This section applies to taxable years that both begin after December 31, 2017, and end on or after December 4, 2018.
§ 1.904-2   Carryback and carryover of unused foreign tax.
(a) Credit for foreign tax carryback or carryover. A taxpayer who chooses to claim a credit under section 901 for a taxable year is allowed a credit under that section not only for taxes otherwise allowable as a credit but also for taxes deemed paid or accrued in that year as a result of a carryback or carryover of an unused foreign tax under section 904(c). However, the taxes so deemed paid or accrued are not allowed as a deduction under section 164(a). Foreign tax paid, accrued, or deemed paid under section 960 with respect to section 951A category income, including section 951A category income that is reassigned to a separate category for income resourced under a treaty, may not be carried back or carried forward or deemed paid or accrued under section 904(c). See § 1.904-6 for rules for allocating and apportioning taxes to separate categories. For special rules regarding these computations in case of taxes paid, accrued, or deemed paid with respect to foreign oil and gas extraction income or foreign oil related income, see section 907(f).
(b) Years to which foreign taxes are carried. If the taxpayer chooses the benefits of section 901 for a taxable year, any unused foreign tax paid or accrued in that year is carried first to the immediately preceding taxable year and then, as applicable, to each of the ten succeeding taxable years, in chronological order, but only to the extent not absorbed as taxes deemed paid or accrued under paragraphs (a) and (d) of this section in a prior taxable year.
(c) Definitions. This paragraph (c) provides definitions that apply for purposes of this section.
(1) Unused foreign tax. The term unused foreign tax means, with respect to each separate category for any taxable year, the excess of the amount of creditable foreign tax paid or accrued, or deemed paid under section 902 (as in effect on December 21, 2017) or section 960, in such year, over the applicable foreign tax credit limitation under section 904 for the separate category in such year. Unused foreign tax does not include any amount for which a credit is disallowed, including foreign income taxes for which a credit is disallowed or reduced when the tax is paid, accrued, or deemed paid.
(2) Separate category. The term separate category has the same meaning as provided in § 1.904-5(a)(4)(v).
(3) Excess limitation —(i) In general. The term excess limitation means, with respect to a separate category for any taxable year (the excess limitation year ) and an unused foreign tax carried from another taxable year (the excess credit year ), the amount (if any) by which the limitation for that separate category with respect to that excess limitation year exceeds the sum of—
(A) The creditable foreign tax actually paid or accrued or deemed paid under section 902 (as in effect on December 21, 2017) or section 960 with respect to the separate category in the excess limitation year; and
(B) The portion of any unused foreign tax for a taxable year preceding the excess credit year that is absorbed as taxes deemed paid or accrued in the excess limitation year under paragraphs (a) and (d) of this section.
(ii) Deduction years. Excess limitation for a taxable year absorbs unused foreign tax, regardless of whether the taxpayer chooses to claim a credit under section 901 for the year. In such case, the amount of the excess limitation, if any, for the year is determined in the same manner as though the taxpayer had chosen to claim a credit under section 901 for that year. For purposes of this determination, if the taxpayer has an overall foreign loss account, the excess limitation in a deduction year is determined based on the amount of the overall foreign loss the taxpayer would have recaptured if the taxpayer had chosen to claim a credit under section 901 for that year and had not made an election under § 1.904(f)-2(c)(2) to recapture more of the overall foreign loss account than is required under § 1.904(f)-2(c)(1).
(d) Taxes deemed paid or accrued —(1) Amount deemed paid or accrued. The amount of unused foreign tax with respect to a separate category that is deemed paid or accrued in any taxable year to which such unused foreign tax may be carried under paragraph (b) of this section is equal to the smaller of—
(i) The portion of the unused foreign tax that may be carried to the taxable year under paragraph (b) of this section; or
(ii) The amount, if any, of the excess limitation for such taxable year with respect to the separate category of such unused foreign tax.
(2) Carryback or carryover tax deemed paid or accrued in the same separate category. Any unused foreign tax, which is deemed to be paid or accrued under section 904(c) in the year to which it is carried, is deemed to be paid or accrued with respect to the same separate category as the category to which it was assigned in the year in which it was actually paid or accrued. However, see paragraphs (h) through (j) of this section for transition rules in the case of certain carrybacks and carryovers.
(3) No duplicate disallowance of creditable foreign tax. Foreign income taxes for which a credit is partially disallowed, including when the tax is paid, accrued, or deemed paid, are not reduced again by reason of the unused foreign tax being deemed to be paid or accrued in the year to which it is carried under section 904(c).
(e) Periods of less than 12 months. A fractional part of a year which is a taxable year under sections 441(b) and 7701(a)(23) is a preceding or a succeeding taxable year for the purpose of determining under section 904(c) the years to which the unused foreign tax may be carried, and any unused foreign tax or excess limitation for such fractional part of a year is the unused foreign tax or excess limitation for a taxable year.
(f) Statement with tax return. Every taxpayer claiming the benefit of a carryback or carryover of the unused foreign tax to any taxable year for which he chooses to claim a credit under section 901 shall file with his return (or with his claim for refund, if appropriate) for that year as an attachment to his Form 1116 or 1118, as the case may be, a statement setting forth the unused foreign tax deemed paid or accrued under this section and all material and pertinent facts relative thereto, including a detailed schedule showing the computation of the unused foreign tax so carried back or over.
(g) [Reserved]
(h) Transition rules for carryovers of pre-2003 unused foreign tax and carrybacks of post-2002 unused foreign tax paid or accrued with respect to dividends from noncontrolled section 902 corporations. For transition rules for carryovers of pre-2003 unused foreign tax, and carrybacks of post-2002 unused foreign tax, paid or accrued with respect to dividends from noncontrolled section 902 corporations, see 26 CFR 1.904-2(h) (revised as of April 1, 2018).
(i) Transition rules for carryovers of pre-2007 unused foreign tax and carrybacks of post-2006 unused foreign tax. For transition rules for carryovers of pre-2007 unused foreign tax, and carrybacks of post-2006 unused foreign tax, see 26 CFR 1.904-2(i) (revised as of April 1, 2018).
(j) Transition rules for carryovers and carrybacks of pre-2018 and post-2017 unused foreign tax —(1) Carryover of unused foreign tax —(i) In general. For purposes of this paragraph (j), the terms post-2017 separate category, pre-2018 separate category, and specified separate category have the meanings set forth in § 1.904(f)-12(j)(1). The rules of this paragraph (j)(1) apply to reallocate to the taxpayer's post-2017 separate categories for foreign branch category income, general category income, passive category income, and specified separate categories of income, any unused foreign taxes (as defined in paragraph (c)(1) of this section) that were paid or accrued or deemed paid under sections 902 and 960 with respect to income in a pre-2018 separate category.
(ii) Allocation to the same separate category. Except as provided in paragraph (j)(1)(iii) of this section, to the extent any unused foreign taxes paid or accrued or deemed paid with respect to a separate category of income are carried forward to a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, such taxes are allocated to the same post-2017 separate category as the pre-2018 separate category from which the unused foreign taxes are carried.
(iii) Exception for certain general category unused foreign taxes —(A) In general. To the extent any unused foreign taxes with respect to general category income are carried forward to a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, a taxpayer may choose to allocate those taxes to the taxpayer's post-2017 separate category for foreign branch category income to the extent the unused foreign taxes would have been allocated to the taxpayer's post-2017 separate category for foreign branch category income, and would have been unused foreign taxes with respect to foreign branch category income if that separate category had applied in the year or years the unused foreign taxes arose. Any remaining unused foreign taxes paid or accrued or deemed paid with respect to general category income carried forward to a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, are allocated to the taxpayer's post-2017 separate category for general category income.
(B) Safe harbor. In lieu of applying paragraph (j)(1)(iii)(A) of this section, the taxpayer may choose to allocate the unused foreign taxes with respect to general category income in a taxable year beginning before January 1, 2018, to the taxpayer's post-2017 separate category for foreign branch category income based on a ratio equal to the amount of foreign income taxes assigned to the general category that were paid or accrued by the taxpayer's foreign branches (as defined in § 1.904-4(f)(3)(vii)) bears to all foreign income taxes assigned to the general category that were paid or accrued, or deemed paid by the taxpayer with respect to such taxable year. The amount of taxes paid or accrued by a foreign branch in a taxable year beginning before January1, 2018, means all foreign income taxes properly reflected on the separate set of books and records (as defined in § 1.989(a)-1(d)(1) and (2)) of the foreign branch as an expense (which does not include any taxes deemed paid under section 902 or 960).
(C) Rules regarding the exception. A taxpayer applying the exception described in this paragraph (j)(1)(iii) (the branch carryover exception ) must apply the exception to all of its unused foreign taxes paid or accrued with respect to general category income that are carried forward to all taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. A taxpayer may apply the branch carryover exception on a timely filed original return (including extensions) or an amended return. A taxpayer that applies the exception on an amended return must make appropriate adjustments to eliminate any double benefit arising from application of the exception to years that are not open for assessment.
(D) Coordination rule. See § 1.904(f)-12(j)(6) for coordination rule with respect to the exception described in paragraph (j)(1)(iii) of this section and the exceptions described in § 1.904(f)-12(j)(2) through (4).
(2) Carryback of unused foreign tax —(i) In general. The rules of this paragraph (j)(2) apply to any unused foreign taxes that were paid or accrued, or deemed paid under section 960, with respect to income in a post-2017 separate category.
(ii) Passive category income and specified separate categories of income described in § 1.904-4(m). Any unused foreign taxes paid or accrued or deemed paid with respect to passive category income or a specified separate category of income in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, that are carried back to a taxable year beginning before January 1, 2018, are allocated to the same pre-2018 separate category as the post-2017 separate category from which the unused foreign taxes are carried.
(iii) General category income and foreign branch category income. Any unused foreign taxes paid or accrued or deemed paid with respect to general category income or foreign branch category income in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, that are carried back to a taxable year beginning before January 1, 2018, are allocated to the taxpayer's pre-2018 separate category for general category income.
(k) Applicability date. Paragraphs (a) through (i) of this section apply to taxable years that both begin after December 31, 2017, and end on or after December 4, 2018. Paragraph (j) of this section applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. Paragraph (j)(2) of this section also applies to the last taxable year beginning before January 1, 2018.
§ 1.904-3   Carryback and carryover of unused foreign tax by spouses making a joint return.
(a) In General. This section provides rules, in addition to those prescribed in § 1.904-2, for the carryback and carryover of the unused foreign tax paid or accrued to a foreign country or possession by spouses making a joint return for one or more of the taxable years involved in the computation of the carryback or carryover. The rules in this section apply separately with respect to each separate category as defined in § 1.904-5(a)(4)(v).
(b) Joint unused foreign tax and joint excess limitation. In the case of spouses the joint unused foreign tax or the joint excess limitation for a taxable year for which a joint return is made shall be computed on the basis of the combined income, deductions, taxes, and credit of both spouses as if the combined income, deductions, taxes, and credit were those of one individual.
(c) Continuous use of joint return. If spouses make a joint return for the current taxable year, and also make joint returns for each of the other taxable years involved in the computation of the carryback or carryover of the unused foreign tax to the current taxable year, the joint carryback or the joint carryover to the current taxable year shall be computed on the basis of the joint unused foreign tax and the joint excess limitations.
(d) From separate to joint return. If spouses make a joint return for the current taxable year, but make separate returns for all of the other taxable years involved in the computation of the carryback or carryover of the unused foreign tax to the current taxable year, the separate carrybacks or separate carryovers shall be a joint carryback or a joint carryover to the current taxable year.
(e) Amounts carried from or through a joint return year to or through a separate return year —(1) In general. It is necessary to allocate to each spouse the spouse's share of an unused foreign tax or excess limitation for any taxable year for which the spouses filed a joint return if—
(i) The spouses file separate returns for the current taxable year and an unused foreign tax is carried thereto from a taxable year for which they filed a joint return;
(ii) The spouses file separate returns for the current taxable year and an unused foreign tax is carried to such taxable year from a year for which they filed separate returns but is first carried through a year for which they filed a joint return; or
(iii) The spouses file a joint return for the current taxable year and an unused foreign tax is carried from a taxable year for which they filed joint returns but is first carried through a year for which they filed separate returns.
(2) Computation and adjustments. In the cases described in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the separate carryback or carryover of each spouse to the current taxable year shall be computed in the manner described in § 1.904-2 but with the modifications set forth in paragraph (f) of this section. Where applicable, appropriate adjustments are made to take into account the fact that, for any taxable year involved in the computation of the carryback or the carryover, either spouse has combined foreign oil and gas income described in section 907(b) with respect to which the limitation in section 907(a) applies.
(f) Allocation of unused foreign tax and excess limitation —

(1) Separate category limitation. The limitation in a separate category of a particular spouse for a taxable year for which a joint return is made shall be the portion of the limitation on the joint return which bears the same ratio to such limitation as such spouse's foreign source taxable income (with gross income and deductions taken into account to the same extent as taken into account on the joint return) in such separate category (but not in excess of the joint foreign source taxable income) bears to the joint foreign source taxable income in such separate category.
(2) Unused foreign tax. For purposes of this section, the term unused foreign tax means, with respect to a particular spouse and separate category for a taxable year for which a joint return is made, the excess of the foreign tax paid or accrued by that spouse with respect to that separate category over that spouse's separate category limitation.
(3) Excess limitation. For purposes of this section, the term excess limitation means, with respect to a particular spouse and separate category for a taxable year for which a joint return is made, the excess of that spouse's separate category limitation over the foreign taxes paid or accrued by such spouse with respect to such separate category for such taxable year.
(4) Excess limitation to be applied. The excess limitation of the particular spouse for any taxable year which is applied against the unused foreign tax of that spouse for another taxable year in order to determine the amount of the unused foreign tax which shall be carried back or over to a third taxable year shall be, in a case in which the excess limitation is determined on a joint return, the sum of the following amounts:
(i) Such spouse's excess limitation determined under subparagraph (3) of this paragraph reduced as provided in subparagraph (5)(i) of this paragraph, and
(ii) The excess limitation of the other spouse determined under subparagraph (3) of this paragraph for that taxable year reduced as provided in subparagraphs (5) (i) and (ii) of this paragraph.
(5) Reduction of excess limitation. (i) The part of the excess limitation which is attributable to each spouse for the taxable year, as determined under subparagraph (3) of this paragraph, shall be reduced by absorbing as taxes deemed paid or accrued under section 904(c) in that year the unabsorbed separate unused foreign tax of such spouse, and the unabsorbed unused foreign tax determined under subparagraph (2) of this paragraph of such spouse, for taxable years which begin before the beginning of the year of origin of the unused foreign tax of the particular spouse against which the excess limitation so determined is being applied.
(ii) In addition, the part of the excess limitation which is attributable to the other spouse for the taxable year, as determined under subparagraph (3) of this paragraph, shall be reduced by absorbing as taxes deemed paid or accrued under section 904(c) in that year the unabsorbed unused foreign tax, if any, of such other spouse for the taxable year which begins on the same date as the beginning of the year of origin of the unused foreign tax of the particular spouse against which the excess limitation so determined is being applied.
(g) [Reserved]
(h) Applicability date. This section is applicable for taxable years that both begin after December 31, 2017, and end on or after December 4, 2018.