§ 1.861-14 Special rules for allocating and apportioning certain expenses (other than interest expense) of an affiliated group of corporations. ( a ) - ( c ) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.861-14T(a) through (c).
( d ) *Definition of affiliated group* — ( 1 ) *General rule.* For purposes of this section, the term *affiliated group* has the same meaning as is given that term by section 1504. Section 1504(a) defines an affiliated group as one or more chains of includible corporations connected through 80-percent stock ownership with a common parent corporation which is an includible corporation (as defined in section 1504(b)). In the case of a corporation that either becomes or ceases to be a member of the group during the course of the corporation's taxable year, only the expenses incurred by the group member during the period of membership shall be allocated and apportioned as if all members of the group were a single corporation. In this regard, the apportionment factor chosen shall relate only to the period of membership. For example, if apportionment on the basis of assets is chosen, the average amount of assets (tax book value or fair market value) for the taxable year shall be multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of months of the corporation's taxable year during which the corporation was a member of the affiliated group, and the denominator of which is the number of months within the corporation's taxable year. If apportionment on the basis of gross income is chosen, only gross income generated during the period of membership shall be taken into account. If apportionment on the basis of units sold or sales receipts is chosen, only units sold or sales receipts during the period of membership shall be taken into account. Expenses incurred by the group member during its taxable year, but not during the period of membership, shall be allocated and apportioned without regard to other members of the group.
( 2 ) [Reserved]
( 3 ) *Inclusion of financial corporations.* For further guidance, see § 1.861-14T(d)(3) through (4).
( 4 ) [Reserved]
( e ) *Expenses to be allocated and apportioned under this section* — ( 1 ) *Expenses not directly allocable to specific income-producing activities or property.* ( i ) The expenses that are required to be allocated and apportioned under the rules of this section are expenses that are not directly allocable to specific income-producing activities or property solely of the member of the affiliated group that incurred the expense, including (but not limited to) certain expenses related to research and experimental expenses, supportive functions, deductions under section 250, legal and accounting expenses, and litigation damages awards, prejudgment interest, and settlement payments. Interest expense of members of an affiliated group of corporations is allocated and apportioned under § 1.861-11T and not under the rules of this section. Expenses that are included in inventory costs or that are capitalized are not subject to allocation and apportionment under the rules of this section. In addition, stewardship expenses are not subject to allocation and apportionment under the rules of this section; instead, stewardship expenses of a taxpayer are allocated and apportioned on a separate entity basis without treating members of the affiliated group as a single taxpayer. See § 1.861-8(e)(4)(ii)(A).
( ii ) For further guidance, see § 1.861-14T(e)(1)(ii).
( 2 ) *Research and experimental expenditures.* R&E expenditures (as defined in § 1.861-17(a)) in the case of an affiliated group are allocated and apportioned under the rules of § 1.861-17 as if all members of the affiliated group were a single taxpayer. Thus, R&E expenditures are allocated to all gross intangible income of all members of the affiliated group reasonably connected with the relevant broad SIC code category. If fewer than all members of the affiliated group derive gross intangible income reasonably connected with that relevant broad SIC code category, then such expenditures are apportioned under the rules of this paragraph (e)(2) only among those members, as if those members were a single taxpayer.
( 3 ) *Expenses related to supportive functions.* For further guidance, see § 1.861-14T(e)(3).
( 4 ) *Section 250 deduction.* Except as provided in this paragraph (e)(4), the deduction allowed under section 250(a) (the section 250 deduction) to a member of an affiliated group is allocated and apportioned on a separate entity basis under the rules of § 1.861-8(e)(13) and (14). However, the section 250 deduction of a member of a consolidated group is not directly allocable to specific income-producing activities or property solely of the member of the affiliated group that is allowed the deduction. See § 1.1502-50 for rules on applying section 250 and §§ 1.250-1 through 1.250(b)-6 to a member of a consolidated group. In such case, the section 250 deduction is allocated and apportioned as if all members of the consolidated group are treated as a single corporation.
( 5 ) *Legal and accounting fees and expenses; damages awards, prejudgment interest, and settlement payments.* Legal and accounting fees and expenses, as well as litigation or arbitral damages awards, prejudgment interest, and settlement payments, are allocated and apportioned under the rules of § 1.861-8(e)(5). To the extent that under § 1.861-14T(c)(2) and (e)(1)(ii) such expenses are not directly allocable to specific income-producing activities or property of one or more members of the affiliated group, such expenses must be allocated and apportioned as if all members of the affiliated group were a single corporation. Specifically, such expenses must be allocated to a class of gross income that takes into account the gross income which is generated, has been generated, or is reasonably expected to be generated by the other members of the affiliated group. If the expenses relate to the gross income of fewer than all members of the affiliated group as determined under § 1.861-14T(c)(2), then those expenses must be apportioned under the rules of § 1.861-14T(c)(2), as if those fewer members were a single corporation. Such expenses must be apportioned taking into account the apportionment factors contributed by the members of the group that are treated as a single corporation.
( 6 ) *Charitable contribution expenses.* A deduction for a charitable contribution by a member of an affiliated group shall be allocated and apportioned under the rules of §§ 1.861-8(e)(12) and 1.861-14T(c)(1).
( f ) *Computation of FSC or DISC combined taxable income.* For further guidance, see § 1.861-14T(f) and (g).
( g ) [Reserved]
( h ) *Special rule for the allocation and apportionment of section 818(f)(1) items of a life insurance company* — ( 1 ) *In general.* Except as provided in paragraph (h)(2) of this section, life insurance company items specified in section 818(f)(1) (“section 818(f)(1) items”) are allocated and apportioned as if all members of the life subgroup (as defined in § 1.1502-47(b)(8)) were a single corporation (“life subgroup method”). See also § 1.861-8(e)(16) for rules on the allocation of reserve expenses with respect to dividends received by a life insurance company.
( 2 ) *Alternative separate entity treatment.* A consolidated group may choose not to apply the life subgroup method and may instead allocate and apportion section 818(f)(1) items solely among items of the life insurance company that generated the section 818(f)(1) items (“separate entity method”). A consolidated group indicates its choice to apply the separate entity method by applying this paragraph (h)(2) for purposes of the allocation and apportionment of section 818(f)(1) items on its Federal income tax return filed for its first taxable year to which this section applies. A consolidated group's use of the separate entity method constitutes a binding choice to use the method chosen for that year for all members of the consolidated group and all taxable years of such members thereafter. The choice to use the separate entity method may not be revoked without the prior consent of the Commissioner.
( i ) - ( j ) [Reserved]
( k ) *Applicability dates.* Except as provided in this paragraph (k), this section applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019. Paragraph (h) of this section applies to taxable years beginning on or after December 28, 2021.
[T.D. 8916, 66 FR 274, Jan. 3, 2001, as amended by T.D. 9211, 70 FR 40663, July 14, 2005; T.D. 9882, 84 FR 69074, Dec. 17, 2019; T.D. 9922, 85 FR 72041, Nov. 12, 2020; T.D. 9959, 87 FR 326, Jan. 4, 2022]