§884 — Branch profits tax
9 cases·4 followed·5 cited—44% support
Statute Text — 26 U.S.C. §884
In addition to the tax imposed by section 882 for any taxable year, there is hereby imposed on any foreign corporation a tax equal to 30 percent of the dividend equivalent amount for the taxable year.
For purposes of subsection (a), the term “dividend equivalent amount” means the foreign corporation’s effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year adjusted as provided in this subsection:
If—
the U.S. net equity of the foreign corporation as of the close of the taxable year, exceeds
the U.S. net equity of the foreign corporation as of the close of the preceding taxable year,
the effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year shall be reduced (but not below zero) by the amount of such excess.
If—
the U.S. net equity of the foreign corporation as of the close of the preceding taxable year, exceeds
the U.S. net equity of the foreign corporation as of the close of the taxable year,
the effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year shall be increased by the amount of such excess.
The increase under subparagraph (A) for any taxable year shall not exceed the accumulated effectively connected earnings and profits as of the close of the preceding taxable year.
For purposes of clause (i), the term “accumulated effectively connected earnings and profits” means the excess of—
the aggregate effectively connected earnings and profits for preceding taxable years beginning after
December 31, 1986
, over
the aggregate dividend equivalent amounts determined for such preceding taxable years.
For purposes of this section—
The term “U.S. net equity” means—
U.S. assets, reduced (including below zero) by
U.S. liabilities.
For purposes of paragraph (1)—
The term “U.S. assets” means the money and aggregate adjusted bases of property of the foreign corporation treated as connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States under regulations prescribed by the Secretary. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the adjusted basis of any property shall be its adjusted basis for purposes of computing earnings and profits.
The term “U.S. liabilities” means the liabilities of the foreign corporation treated as connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
The regulations prescribed under subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be consistent with the allocation of deductions under section 882(c)(1).
For purposes of this section—
The term “effectively connected earnings and profits” means earnings and profits (without diminution by reason of any distributions made during the taxable year) which are attributable to income which is effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected) with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States.
The term “effectively connected earnings and profits” shall not include any earnings and profits attributable to—
income not includible in gross income under paragraph (1) or (2) of section 883(a),
income treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States under section 921(d) or 926(b) (as in effect before their repeal by the FSC Repeal and Extraterritorial Income Exclusion Act of 2000),
gain on the disposition of a United States real property interest described in section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii),
income treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States under section 953(c)(3)(C), or
income treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States under section 882(e).
Property and liabilities of the foreign corporation treated as connected with such income under regulations prescribed by the Secretary shall not be taken into account in determining the U.S. assets or U.S. liabilities of the foreign corporation.
No treaty between the United States and a foreign country shall exempt any foreign corporation from the tax imposed by subsection (a) (or reduce the amount thereof) unless—
such treaty is an income tax treaty, and
such foreign corporation is a qualified resident of such foreign country.
If a foreign corporation is a qualified resident of a foreign country with which the United States has an income tax treaty—
the rate of tax under subsection (a) shall be the rate of tax specified in such treaty—
on branch profits if so specified, or
if not so specified, on dividends paid by a domestic corporation to a corporation resident in such country which wholly owns such domestic corporation, and
any other limitations under such treaty on the tax imposed by subsection (a) shall apply.
If a foreign corporation is subject to the tax imposed by subsection (a) for any taxable year (determined after the application of any treaty), no tax shall be imposed by section 871(a), 881(a), 1441, or 1442 on any dividends paid by such corporation out of its earnings and profits for such taxable year.
If—
any dividend described in section 861(a)(2)(B) is received by a foreign corporation, and
subparagraph (A) does not apply to such dividend,
rules similar to the rules of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (f)(3) shall apply to such dividend.
For purposes of this subsection—
Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the term “qualified resident” means, with respect to any foreign country, any foreign corporation which is a resident of such foreign country unless—
50 percent or more (by value) of the stock of such foreign corporation is owned (within the meaning of section 883(c)(4)) by individuals who are not residents of such foreign country and who are not United States citizens or resident aliens, or
50 percent or more of its income is used (directly or indirectly) to meet liabilities to persons who are not residents of such foreign country or citizens or residents of the United States.
A foreign corporation which is a resident of a foreign country shall be treated as a qualified resident of such foreign country if—
the stock of such corporation is primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market in such foreign country, or
such corporation is wholly owned (either directly or indirectly) by another foreign corporation which is organized in such foreign country and the stock of which is so traded.
A foreign corporation which is a resident of a foreign country shall be treated as a qualified resident of such foreign country if—
such corporation is wholly owned (directly or indirectly) by a domestic corporation, and
the stock of such domestic corporation is primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States.
The Secretary may, in his sole discretion, treat a foreign corporation as being a qualified resident of a foreign country if such corporation establishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary that such corporation meets such requirements as the Secretary may establish to ensure that individuals who are not residents of such foreign country do not use the treaty between such foreign country and the United States in a manner inconsistent with the purposes of this subsection.
This section shall not apply to an international organization (as defined in section 7701(a)(18)).
In the case of a foreign corporation engaged in a trade or business in the United States (or having gross income treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States), for purposes of this subtitle—
any interest paid by such trade or business in the United States shall be treated as if it were paid by a domestic corporation, and
to the extent that the allocable interest exceeds the interest described in subparagraph (A), such foreign corporation shall be liable for tax under section 881(a) in the same manner as if such excess were interest paid to such foreign corporation by a wholly owned domestic corporation on the last day of such foreign corporation’s taxable year.
To the extent provided in regulations, subparagraph (A) shall not apply to interest in excess of the amounts reasonably expected to be allocable interest.
For purposes of this subsection, the term “allocable interest” means any interest which is allocable to income which is effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected) with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States.
In the case of any interest described in paragraph (1) which is paid or accrued by a foreign corporation, no benefit under any treaty between the United States and the foreign country of which such corporation is a resident shall apply unless—
such treaty is an income tax treaty, and
such foreign corporation is a qualified resident of such foreign country.
In the case of any interest described in paragraph (1) which is received or accrued by any corporation, no benefit under any treaty between the United States and the foreign country of which such corporation is a resident shall apply unless—
such treaty is an income tax treaty, and
such foreign corporation is a qualified resident of such foreign country.
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section, including regulations providing for appropriate adjustments in the determination of the dividend equivalent amount in connection with the distribution to shareholders or transfer to a controlled corporation of the taxpayer’s U.S. assets and other adjustments in such determination as are necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section.
Treasury Regulations
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0 Overview of regulation provisions for section 884
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0(a) Definition of qualified resident.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0(b) Stock ownership requirement.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0(c) Base erosion.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0(d) Publicly-traded corporations.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0(e) Active trade or business.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0(f) Qualified resident ruling.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0(g) Effective dates.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0(h) Transition rule.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0(i) Effective date.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-0(j) Transition rules.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1 Branch profits tax
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(a) General rule.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(b) Dividend equivalent amount—(1) Definition.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(c) U.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(d) U.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(e) U.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(f) Effectively connected earnings and profits—(1) In general.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(g) Corporations resident in countries with which the United States has an income tax treaty—(1) General rule.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(h) Stapled entities.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(i) Effective date—(1) General rule.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(j) Transition rules—(1) General rule.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(v) §1.884-1(v)
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-1(x) Ruling for involuntary conversion.
- Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.884-2 Special rules for termination or incorporation of a U.S. trade or business or liquidation or reorganization of a foreign corporation or its domestic subsidiary
9 Citing Cases
884 applies, P argues that certain of its property did not qualify as part of the base for computing the excess interest tax.
Section 884, here considered by this Court for the first time, was enacted to create parity between foreign corporations that choose to operate in branch form and those that choose to operate through a domestic subsidiary in the United States. See H. Conf. Rept. 99-841 (Vol. II), at 11-646 to 11-647 (1986), 1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 4) 1, 647-648; Staff of
whether LTD is liable for branch profits tax pursuant to section 884 for its taxable years ended June 30, 1988 and 1989; 4.
whether LTD is liable for branch profits tax pursuant to section 884 for its taxable years ended June 30, 1988 and 1989; 4.
llapsing the reported income and expenses of the three trusts into petitioners’ income and expenses, the gain on the sale of petitioners’ residence, and the donation of the van. 7 We note that the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, Pub. L. 108-357, sec. 884, 118 Stat. 1632, effective for years beginning after 2004, added a provision in sec. 170 generally limiting a taxpayer’s charitable deduction relating to a donation of a vehicle to the actual sales price of the vehicle when sold by the donee
llapsing the reported income and expenses of the three trusts into petitioners’ income and expenses, the gain on the sale of petitioners’ residence, and the donation of the van. 7 We note that the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, Pub. L. 108-357, sec. 884, 118 Stat. 1632, effective for years beginning after 2004, added a provision in sec. 170 generally limiting a taxpayer’s charitable deduction relating to a donation of a vehicle to the actual sales price of the vehicle when sold by the donee
llapsing the reported income and expenses of the three trusts into petitioners’ income and expenses, the gain on the sale of petitioners’ residence, and the donation of the van. 7 We note that the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, Pub. L. 108-357, sec. 884, 118 Stat. 1632, effective for years beginning after 2004, added a provision in sec. 170 generally limiting a taxpayer’s charitable deduction relating to a donation of a vehicle to the actual sales price of the vehicle when sold by the donee
884; see also Kuntz & Peroni, U.S. International Taxation, par. C1.05[4][a] (1995). Although the mechanism of taxing the withdrawn earnings and profits under section 884 is different from the withholding tax of section 881(a), the result is the same; namely, that transfer of profits to a foreign person is subject to 30-percent withholding. Sec