1.951-1—Amounts included in gross income of United States shareholders.
(a) In general.
If a foreign corporation is a controlled foreign corporation (within the meaning of section 957) for an uninterrupted period of 30 days or more (determined under paragraph (f) of this section) during any taxable year of such corporation beginning after December 31, 1962, every person—
(1)
Who is a United States shareholder (as defined in section 951(b) and paragraph (g) of this section) of such corporation at any time during such taxable year, and
(2)
Who owns (within the meaning of section 958(a)) stock in such corporation on the last day, in such year, on which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation shall include in his gross income for his taxable year in which or with which such taxable year of the corporation ends, the sum of—
(i)
Such shareholder's pro rata share (determined under paragraph (b) of this section) of the corporation's subpart F income (as defined in section 952) for such taxable year of the corporation,
(ii)
Such shareholder's pro rata share (determined under paragraph (c)(1) of this section) of the corporation's previously excluded subpart F income withdrawn from investment in less developed countries for such taxable year of the corporation,
(iii)
Such shareholder's pro rata share (determined under paragraph (c)(2) of this section) of the corporation's previously excluded subpart F income withdrawn from investment in foreign base company shipping operations for such taxable year of the corporation, and
(iv)
The amount determined under section 956 with respect to such shareholder for such taxable year of the corporation (but only to the extent not excluded from gross income under section 959(a)(2) ).
(3)
For purposes of determining whether a United States shareholder which is a domestic corporation is a personal holding company under section 542 and § 1.542-1, the character of the amount includible in gross income of such domestic corporation under this paragraph shall be determined as if such amount were realized directly by such corporation from the source from which it is realized by the controlled foreign corporation. See paragraph (a) of § 1.957-2 for special limitation on the amount of subpart F income in the case of a controlled foreign corporation described in section 957(b). See section 970(a) and § 1.970-1 which provides for the reduction of subpart F income of export trade corporations.
(b) Limitation on a United States shareholder's pro rata share of subpart F income—
(1) In general.
For purposes of paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, a United States shareholder's pro rata share (determined in accordance with the rules of paragraph (e) of this section) of the foreign corporation's subpart F income for the taxable year of such corporation is—
(i)
The amount which would have been distributed with respect to the stock which such shareholder owns (within the meaning of section 958(a)) in such corporation if on the last day, in such corporation's taxable year, on which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation it had distributed pro rata to its shareholders an amount which bears the same ratio to its subpart F income for such taxable year as the part of such year during which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation bears to the entire taxable year, reduced by—
(ii)
The amount of distributions received by any other person during such taxable year as a dividend with respect to such stock, but only to the extent that such distributions do not exceed the dividend which would have been received by such other person if the distributions by such corporation to all its shareholders had been the amount which bears the same ratio to the subpart F income of such corporation for the taxable year as the part of such year during which such shareholder did not own (within the meaning of section 958(a)) such stock bears to the entire taxable year.
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Corporation M's subpart F income for 1963 | $100 | |
Less: Reduction under section 951(a)(2)(A) for period (1-1-63 through 5-26-63) during which M Corporation is not a controlled foreign corporation ($100×146/365) | 40 | |
Subpart F income for 1963 as limited by section 951(a)(2)(A) | 60 | |
A's pro rata share of subpart F income as determined under section 951 (a)(2)(A) (60 percent of $60) | 36 | |
Less: Reduction under section 951(a)(2)(B) for dividends received by B during 1963 with respect to the stock acquired by A in M Corporation: | ||
(i) Dividend received by B | 15 | |
(ii) B's pro rata share of the amount which bears the same ratio to M Corporation's subpart F income for 1963 ($100) as the period during which A did not own (within the meaning of section 958(a)) his stock (146 days) bears to the entire taxable year (365 days) (60 percent of ($100×146/365)) | 24 | |
(iii) Amount of reduction (lesser of (i) or (ii)) | 15 | |
A's pro rata share of subpart F income as determined under section 951(a)(2) | 21 |
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Corporation R's subpart F income for 1963 | $100 | |
Less: Reduction under section 951(a)(2)(A) for period (1-1-63 through 3-14-63) during which R Corporation is not a controlled foreign corporation ($100×73/365) | 20 | |
Subpart F income for 1963 as limited by section 951(a)(2)(A) | 80 | |
A's pro rata share of subpart F income as determined under section 951 (a)(2)(A) (60 percent of $80) | 48 | |
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Less: Reduction under section 951(a)(2)(B) for dividends received by C during 1963 with respect to the stock indirectly acquired by A in R Corporation: | ||
(i) Dividend received by C | 35 | |
(ii) C's pro rata share of the amount which bears the same ratio to R Corporation's subpart F income for 1963 ($100) as the period during which A did not indirectly own (within the meaning of section 958(a)(2)) his stock (73 days) bears to the entire taxable year (365 days) (60 percent of ($100×73/365)) | 12 | |
(iii) Amount of reduction (lesser of (i) or (ii)) | 12 | |
A's pro rata share of subpart F income as determined under section 951 (a)(2) | 36 |
(c) Limitation on a United States shareholder's pro rata share of previously excluded subpart F income withdrawn from investments—
(1) Investments in less developed countries.
For purposes of paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section, a United States shareholder's pro rata share (determined in accordance with the rules of paragraph (e) of this section) of the foreign corporation's previously excluded subpart F income withdrawn from investment in less developed countries for the taxable year of such corporation shall not exceed an amount which bears the same ratio to such shareholder's pro rata share of such income withdrawn (as determined under section 955(a)(3), as in effect before the enactment of the Tax Reduction Act of 1975, and paragraph (c) of § 1.955-1) for such taxable year as the part of such year during which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation bears to the entire taxable year. See paragraph (c)(2) of § 1.955-1 for a special rule applicable to exclusions and withdrawals occurring before the date on which the United States shareholder acquires his stock.
(2) Investments in foreign base company shipping operations.
For purposes of paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section, a United States shareholder's pro rata share (determined in accordance with the rules of paragraph (e) of this section) of the foreign corporation's previously excluded subpart F income withdrawn from investment in foreign base company shipping operations for the taxable year of such corporation shall not exceed an amount which bears the same ratio to such shareholder's pro rata share of such income withdrawn (as determined under section 955(a)(3) and paragraph (c) of § 1.955A-1) for such taxable year as the part of such year during which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation bears to the entire taxable year. See paragraph (c)(2) of § 1.955A-1 for a special rule applicable to exclusions and withdrawals occurring before the date on which the United States shareholder acquires his stock.
(e) Pro rata share defined—
(1) In general.
For purposes of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, a United States shareholder's pro rata share of the controlled foreign corporation's subpart F income, previously excluded subpart F income withdrawn from investment in less developed countries, or previously excluded subpart F income withdrawn from investment in foreign base company shipping operations, respectively, for any taxable year is his pro rata share determined under § 1.952-1(a), § 1.955-1(c), or § 1.955A-1(c), respectively.
(2) One class of stock.
If a controlled foreign corporation for a taxable year has only one class of stock outstanding, each United States shareholder's pro rata share of such corporation's subpart F income or withdrawal for the taxable year under paragraph (e)(1) of this section shall be determined by allocating the controlled foreign corporation's earnings and profits on a per share basis.
(3) More than one class of stock—
(i) In general.
Subject to paragraphs (e)(3)(ii) through (e)(3)(v) of this section, if a controlled foreign corporation for a taxable year has more than one class of stock outstanding, the amount of such corporation's subpart F income or withdrawal for the taxable year taken into account with respect to any one class of stock for purposes of paragraph (e)(1) of this section shall be that amount which bears the same ratio to the total of such subpart F income or withdrawal for such year as the earnings and profits which would be distributed with respect to such class of stock if all earnings and profits of such corporation for such year (not reduced by actual distributions during the year) were distributed on the last day of such corporation's taxable year on which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation (the hypothetical distribution date), bear to the total earnings and profits of such corporation for such taxable year.
(ii) Discretionary power to allocate earnings to different classes of stock—
(A) In general.
Subject to paragraph (e)(3)(iii) of this section, the rules of this paragraph apply for purposes of paragraph (e)(1) of this section if the allocation of a controlled foreign corporation's earnings and profits for the taxable year between two or more classes of stock depends upon the exercise of discretion by that body of persons which exercises with respect to such corporation the powers ordinarily exercised by the board of directors of a domestic corporation (discretionary distribution rights). First, the earnings and profits of the corporation are allocated under paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section to any class or classes of stock with non-discretionary distribution rights (e.g., preferred stock entitled to a fixed return). Second, the amount of earnings and profits allocated to a class of stock with discretionary distribution rights shall be that amount which bears the same ratio to the remaining earnings and profits of such corporation for such taxable year as the value of all shares of such class of stock, determined on the hypothetical distribution date, bears to the total value of all shares of all classes of stock with discretionary distribution rights of such corporation, determined on the hypothetical distribution date. For purposes of the preceding sentence, in the case where the value of each share of two or more classes of stock with discretionary distribution rights is substantially the same on the hypothetical distribution date, the allocation of earnings and profits to such classes shall be made as if such classes constituted one class of stock in which each share has the same rights to dividends as any other share.
(B) Special rule for redemption rights.
For purposes of paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(A) of this section, discretionary distribution rights do not include rights to redeem shares of a class of stock (even if such redemption would be treated as a distribution of property to which section 301 applies pursuant to section 302(d) ).
(iii) Special allocation rule for stock with mixed distribution rights.
For purposes of paragraphs (e)(3)(i) and (e)(3)(ii) of this section, in the case of a class of stock with both discretionary and non-discretionary distribution rights, earnings and profits shall be allocated to the non-discretionary distribution rights under paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section and to the discretionary distribution rights under paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section. In such a case, paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section will be applied such that the value used in the ratio will be the value of such class of stock solely attributable to the discretionary distribution rights of such class of stock.
(iv) Dividend arrearages.
For purposes of paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section, if an arrearage in dividends for prior taxable years exists with respect to a class of preferred stock of such corporation, the earnings and profits for the taxable year shall be attributed to such arrearage only to the extent such arrearage exceeds the earnings and profits of such corporation remaining from prior taxable years beginning after December 31, 1962, or the date on which such stock was issued, whichever is later.
(v) Earnings and profits attributable to certain
For taxable years of a controlled foreign corporation beginning on or after January 1, 2006, if a controlled foreign corporation has more than one class of stock outstanding and the corporation has earnings and profits and subpart F income for a taxable year attributable to a transaction described in section 304, and such transaction is part of a plan a principal purpose of which is the avoidance of Federal income taxation, the amount of such earnings and profits allocated to any one class of stock shall be that amount which bears the same ratio to the remainder of such earnings and profits as the value of all shares of such class of stock, determined on the hypothetical distribution date, bears to the total value of all shares of all classes of stock of the corporation, determined on the hypothetical distribution date.
(4) Scope of hypothetical distribution—
(i) Redemption rights.
Notwithstanding the terms of any class of stock of the controlled foreign corporation or any agreement or arrangement with respect thereto, no amount shall be considered to be distributed as part of the hypothetical distribution with respect to a particular class of stock for purposes of paragraph (e)(3) of this section to the extent that a distribution of such amount would constitute a distribution in redemption of stock (even if such redemption would be treated as a distribution of property to which section 301 applies pursuant to section 302(d) ), a distribution in liquidation, or a return of capital.
(ii) Certain cumulative preferred stock.
For taxable years of a controlled foreign corporation beginning on or after January 1, 2006, if a controlled foreign corporation has one or more classes of preferred stock with cumulative dividend rights, such stock shall be considered for the purposes of this section as stock with discretionary distribution rights. As a result, the provisions of paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section shall apply for purposes of allocating earnings and profits to such stock, except that earnings and profits shall first be allocated to the stock under paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section to the extent of any dividends paid with respect to the stock during the taxable year. Additional earnings and profits will be allocated to the stock only in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the amount of earnings and profits allocated to the stock under paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section over the amount of such dividends. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a class of redeemable preferred stock with cumulative dividend rights has a mandatory redemption date, and all dividend arrearages with respect to such stock compound at least annually at a rate that is not lower than the applicable Federal rate (as defined in section 1274(d)(1)) (AFR) that applies on the date the stock is issued for the term from such issue date to the mandatory redemption date, based on a comparable compounding assumption, such stock shall not be considered for purposes of this section as stock with discretionary distribution rights.
(5) Restrictions or other limitations on distributions—
(i) In general.
A restriction or other limitation on distributions of earnings and profits by a controlled foreign corporation will not be taken into account, for purposes of this section, in determining the amount of earnings and profits that shall be allocated to a class of stock of the controlled foreign corporation or the amount of the United States shareholder's pro rata share of the controlled foreign corporation's subpart F income or withdrawal for the taxable year.
(ii) Definition.
For purposes of this section, a restriction or other limitation on distributions includes any limitation that has the effect of limiting the allocation or distribution of earnings and profits by a controlled foreign corporation to a United States shareholder, other than currency or other restrictions or limitations imposed under the laws of any foreign country as provided in section 964(b).
(iii) Exception for certain preferred distributions.
The right to receive periodically a fixed amount (whether determined by a percentage of par value, a reference to a floating coupon rate, a stated return expressed in terms of a certain amount of dollars or foreign currency, or otherwise) with respect to a class of stock the distribution of which is a condition precedent to a further distribution of earnings or profits that year with respect to any class of stock (not including a distribution in partial or complete liquidation) is not a restriction or other limitation on the distribution of earnings and profits by a controlled foreign corporation under paragraph (e)(5) of this section.
(iv) Illustrative list of restrictions and limitations.
Except as provided in paragraph (e)(5)(iii) of this section, restrictions or other limitations on distributions include, but are not limited to—
(A)
An arrangement that restricts the ability of the controlled foreign corporation to pay dividends on a class of shares of the corporation owned by United States shareholders until a condition or conditions are satisfied (e.g., until another class of stock is redeemed);
(B)
A loan agreement entered into by a controlled foreign corporation that restricts or otherwise affects the ability to make distributions on its stock until certain requirements are satisfied; or
(C)
An arrangement that conditions the ability of the controlled foreign corporation to pay dividends to its shareholders on the financial condition of the controlled foreign corporation.
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(7) Effective dates.
Except as provided in paragraphs (e)(3)(v) and (e)(4)(ii) of this section, this paragraph (e) applies for taxable years of a controlled foreign corporation beginning on or after January 1, 2005. However, if the application of this paragraph (e) for purposes of a related Internal Revenue Code provision, such as section 1248, results in an allocation to the stock of such corporation of earnings and profits that have already been allocated to the stock for an earlier year under the prior rules of § 1.951-1(e), as contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised April 1, 2005, then the prior rules will continue to apply to the extent necessary to avoid such duplicative allocation.
(f) Determination of holding period.
For purposes of sections 951 through 964, the holding period of an asset (including stock of a controlled foreign corporation) shall be determined by excluding the day on which such asset is acquired and including the day on which such asset is disposed of. The application of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following example:
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(g) United States shareholder defined—
(1) In general.
For purposes of sections 951 through 964, the term “United States shareholder” means, with respect to a foreign corporation, a United States person (as defined in section 957(d)) who owns within the meaning of section 958(a), or is considered as owning by applying the rules of ownership of section 958(b), 10 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote of such foreign corporation.
(2) Percentage of total combined voting power owned by United States person—
(i) Meaning of combined voting power.
In determining for purposes of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph whether a United States person owns the requisite percentage of voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote, consideration will be given to all the facts and circumstances in each case. In any case where—
(a) A foreign corporation has more than one class of stock outstanding, and
(b) One or more United States persons own (within the meaning of section 958) shares of any one class of stock which possesses the power to elect, appoint, or replace a person, or persons, who with respect to such corporation, exercise the powers ordinarily exercised by a member of the board of directors of a domestic corporation,