26 CFR 1.59A-3 – Base erosion payments and base erosion tax benefits
(a) Scope. This section provides definitions and related rules regarding base erosion payments and base erosion tax benefits. Paragraph (b) of this section provides definitions and rules regarding base erosion payments. Paragraph (c) of this section provides rules for determining the amount of base erosion tax benefits. Paragraph (d) of this section provides examples illustrating the rules described in this section.
(b) Base erosion payments—(1) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, a base erosion payment means—
(i) Any amount paid or accrued by the taxpayer to a foreign related party of the taxpayer and with respect to which a deduction is allowable under chapter 1 of subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code;
(ii) Any amount paid or accrued by the taxpayer to a foreign related party of the taxpayer in connection with the acquisition of property by the taxpayer from the foreign related party if the character of the property is subject to the allowance for depreciation (or amortization in lieu of depreciation);
(iii) Any premium or other consideration paid or accrued by the taxpayer to a foreign related party of the taxpayer for any reinsurance payments that are taken into account under section 803(a)(1)(B) or 832(b)(4)(A); or
(iv) Any amount paid or accrued by the taxpayer that results in a reduction of the gross receipts of the taxpayer if the amount paid or accrued is with respect to—
(A) A surrogate foreign corporation, as defined in section 59A(d)(4)(C)(i), that is a related party of the taxpayer (but only if the corporation first became a surrogate foreign corporation after November 9, 2017); or
(B) A foreign person that is a member of the same expanded affiliated group, as defined in section 59A(d)(4)(C)(ii), as the surrogate foreign corporation.
(2) Operating rules—(i) In general. The determination of the amount paid or accrued, and the identity of the payor and recipient of any amount paid or accrued, is made under general U.S. federal income tax law.
(ii) Amounts paid or accrued in cash and other consideration. For purposes of paragraph (b)(1) of this section, an amount paid or accrued includes an amount paid or accrued using any form of consideration, including cash, property, stock, a partnership interest, or the assumption of a liability, including any exchange transaction. A distribution of property that is not part of an exchange (such as a distribution under section 301, without regard to whether section 301(c)(1), (c)(2), or (c)(3) applies), is not received with respect to an amount paid or accrued and does not give rise to a base erosion payment. In contrast, a redemption of stock by a corporation within the meaning of section 317(b) (such as a redemption described in section 302(a) or (d) or section 306(a)(2)), or a transaction in which there is an exchange for stock (such as a section 304 or section 331 transaction), is an amount paid or accrued by the shareholder to the corporation (or by the acquiring corporation to the transferor in a section 304 transaction), without regard to the treatment of such transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes. See paragraph (b)(3)(viii) of this section for an exception for specified nonrecognition transactions (as defined in paragraph (b)(3)(viii)(A) of this section).
(iii) Transactions providing for net payments. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this section or as permitted by the Internal Revenue Code or the regulations, the amount of any base erosion payment is determined on a gross basis, regardless of any contractual or legal right to make or receive payments on a net basis. For this purpose, a right to make or receive payments on a net basis permits the parties to a transaction or series of transactions to settle obligations by offsetting any amounts to be paid by one party against amounts owed by that party to the other party. For example, any premium or other consideration paid or accrued by a taxpayer to a foreign related party for any reinsurance payments is not reduced by or netted against other amounts owed to the taxpayer from the foreign related party or by reserve adjustments or other returns.
(iv) Amounts paid or accrued with respect to mark-to-market position. For any transaction with respect to which the taxpayer applies the mark-to-market method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the rules set forth in § 1.59A-2(e)(3)(vi) apply to determine the amount of the base erosion payment.
(v) Coordination among categories of base erosion payments. A payment that does not satisfy the criteria of one category of base erosion payment may be a base erosion payment described in one of the other categories.
(vi) Certain domestic passthrough entities—(A) In general. If a taxpayer pays or accrues an amount that would be a base erosion payment except for the fact that the payment is made to a specified domestic passthrough, then the taxpayer will be treated as making a base erosion payment to each specified foreign related party for purposes of section 59A and §§ 1.59A-2 through 1.59A-10. This rule has no effect on the taxation of the specified domestic passthrough under subchapter J or subchapter M of the Code (as applicable).
(B) Amount of base erosion payment. The amount of the base erosion payment is equal to the lesser of the amount paid or accrued by the taxpayer to or for the benefit of the specified domestic passthrough and the amount of the deduction allowed under section 561, 651, or 661 to the specified domestic passthrough with respect to amounts paid, credited, distributed, deemed distributed, or required to be distributed to a specified foreign related party.
(C) Specified domestic passthrough. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(2)(vi), specified domestic passthrough means:
(1) A domestic trust that is not a grantor trust under subpart E of subchapter J of chapter 1 of the Code (“domestic trust”) and which domestic trust is allowed a deduction under section 651 or section 661 with respect to amounts paid, credited, or required to be distributed to a specified foreign related party;
(2) A real estate investment trust (as defined in § 1.856-1(a)) that pays, or is deemed to pay, a dividend to a specified foreign related party for which a deduction is allowed under section 561; or
(3) A regulated investment company (as defined in § 1.851-1(a)) that pays, or is deemed to pay, a dividend to a specified foreign related party for which a deduction is allowed under section 561.
(D) Specified foreign related party. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(2)(vi), specified foreign related party means, with respect to a specified domestic passthrough, any foreign related party of a taxpayer that is a direct or indirect beneficiary or shareholder of the specified domestic passthrough.
(vii) Transfers of property to related taxpayers. If a taxpayer owns property of a character subject to the allowance for depreciation (or amortization in lieu of depreciation) with respect to which paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section applies, and the taxpayer sells, exchanges, or otherwise transfers the property to another taxpayer that is a member of an aggregate group that includes the taxpayer (taking into account § 1.59A-7), any deduction for depreciation (or amortization in lieu of depreciation) by the transferee taxpayer remains subject to paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section to the same extent the amounts would have been so subject in the hands of the transferor. See paragraph (d)(7) of this section (Example 7) for an illustration of this rule.
(viii) Reductions to determine gross income. For purposes of paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, any amount resulting in a reduction to determine gross income under section 61, including an amount properly treated as cost of goods sold under the Code, is not a base erosion payment.
(ix) Losses recognized on the sale or transfer of property. If a taxpayer recognizes a loss on a sale or transfer of property to a foreign related party, the loss recognized with respect to the sale or transfer is not a deduction that would cause the payment to be treated as a base erosion payment under paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section. However, if a taxpayer uses property to make a payment to a foreign related party and the payment otherwise meets the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the amount of the payment that is treated as a base erosion payment equals the fair market value of the property at the time of the transfer.
(3) Exceptions to base erosion payment. Paragraph (b)(1) of this section does not apply to the types of payments or accruals described in paragraphs (b)(3)(i) through (ix) of this section.
(i) Certain services cost method amounts—(A) In general. Amounts paid or accrued by a taxpayer to a foreign related party for services that meet the requirements in paragraph (b)(3)(i)(B) of this section, but only to the extent of the total services cost of those services. Thus, any amount paid or accrued to a foreign related party in excess of the total services cost of services eligible for the services cost method exception (the mark-up component) remains a base erosion payment. For this purpose, services are an activity as defined in § 1.482-9(l)(2) performed by a foreign related party (the renderer) that provides a benefit as defined in § 1.482-9(l)(3) to the taxpayer (the recipient).
(B) Eligibility for the services cost method exception. To be eligible for the services cost method exception, all of the requirements of § 1.482-9(b) must be satisfied, except that:
(1) The requirements of § 1.482-9(b)(5) do not apply for purposes of determining eligibility for the service cost method exception in this section; and
(2) Adequate books and records must be maintained as described in paragraph (b)(3)(i)(C) of this section, instead of as described in § 1.482-9(b)(6).
(C) Adequate books and records. Permanent books of account and records must be maintained for as long as the costs with respect to the services are incurred by the renderer. The books and records must be adequate to permit verification by the Commissioner of the amount charged for the services and the total services costs incurred by the renderer, including a description of the services in question, identification of the renderer and the recipient of the services, calculation of the amount of profit mark-up (if any) paid for the services, and sufficient documentation to allow verification of the methods used to allocate and apportion the costs to the services in question in accordance with § 1.482-9(k). For example, where a renderer incurs costs that are attributable to performing a service for the taxpayer that includes services eligible for the services cost method exception under this section (regardless of whether the taxpayer determined its payments for those services based on the services cost method) and another service that is not eligible for the services cost method exception, books and records must be maintained that show, among other things: the total amount of costs that are attributable to each of those services, the method chosen under § 1.482-9(k) to apportion the costs between the service eligible for the services cost method under this section and the other service, and the application of that method in calculating the amount eligible for the services cost method exception. This paragraph (b)(3)(i)(C) does not affect the recordkeeping requirements imposed by any other provision, including § 1.6001-1.
(D) Total services cost. For purposes of this section, total services cost has the same meaning as total services costs in § 1.482-9(j).
(ii) Qualified derivative payments. Any qualified derivative payment as described in § 1.59A-6.
(iii) Effectively connected income—(A) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(B) of this section, amounts paid or accrued to a foreign related party that are subject to U.S. federal income taxation as income that is, or is treated as, effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States under an applicable provision of the Internal Revenue Code or regulations. Paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section applies only if the taxpayer receives a withholding certificate on which the foreign related party claims an exemption from withholding under section 1441 or 1442 because the amounts are effectively connected income.
(B) Application to certain treaty residents. If a foreign related party determines its taxable income pursuant to the business profits provisions of an applicable income tax treaty, amounts paid or accrued to the foreign related party that are taken into account in determining its taxable income.
(C) Application to partnerships. To the extent that paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(A) or (B) of this section would apply to a payment or accrual made directly by a taxpayer to a foreign related party, paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(A) or (B) of this section apply to an amount treated as paid or accrued by a taxpayer to a foreign related party under § 1.59A-7(b) or (c) (generally applying aggregate principles to treat partnership transactions as partner-level transactions for purposes of section 59A). The certification requirement in paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(A) of this section is met if the taxpayer receives a written statement from the foreign related party that is comparable to the certification provided in paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(A) of this section but based on the deemed transaction under § 1.59A-7(b) or (c) and the extent to which paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(A) or (B) of this section would have applied to that deemed transaction. The taxpayer may rely on the written statement unless it has reason to know or actual knowledge that the statement is incorrect.
(iv) Exchange loss on a section 988 transaction. Any exchange loss within the meaning of § 1.988-2 from a section 988 transaction described in § 1.988-1(a)(1) that is an allowable deduction and that results from a payment or accrual by the taxpayer to a foreign related party.
(v) Amounts paid or accrued with respect to TLAC securities and foreign TLAC securities—(A) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3)(v)(B) and (F) of this section, amounts paid or accrued to foreign related parties with respect to TLAC securities and foreign TLAC securities.
(B) Limitation on exclusion for TLAC securities. The amount excluded under paragraph (b)(3)(v)(A) of this section is no greater than the product of the scaling ratio and amounts paid or accrued to foreign related parties with respect to TLAC securities for which a deduction is allowed.
(C) Scaling ratio. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(3)(v), the scaling ratio for a taxable year of a taxpayer is a fraction the numerator of which is 115 percent of the average TLAC long-term debt required amount and the denominator of which is the average TLAC securities amount. The scaling ratio may in no event be greater than one.
(D) Average TLAC securities amount. The average TLAC securities amount for a taxable year is the average of the TLAC securities amounts for the year, computed at regular time intervals in accordance with this paragraph. The TLAC securities amount used in calculating the average TLAC securities amount is computed on a monthly basis.
(E) Average TLAC long-term debt required amount. The average TLAC long-term debt required amount for a taxable year is the average of the TLAC long-term debt required amounts, computed on a monthly basis.
(F) Limitation on exclusion for foreign TLAC securities—(1) In general. The amount excluded under paragraph (b)(3)(v)(A) of this section for foreign TLAC securities is limited to the extent that interest deducted by a U.S. trade or business or permanent establishment with respect to foreign TLAC securities exceeds the interest expense associated with the foreign TLAC long-term debt required amount, applying the scaling ratio principles set forth under paragraphs (b)(3)(v)(B) through (E) of this section.
(2) Foreign TLAC long-term debt required amount. For purposes of paragraph (b)(3)(v) of this section, the term foreign TLAC long-term debt required amount means in the case of a trade or business or a permanent establishment in the United States, the lesser of—
(i) The specified minimum amount of debt, if any, required pursuant to a bank regulatory requirement imposed under the laws or regulations of a foreign country that are comparable to 12 CFR 252.160-167; or
(ii) The specified minimum amount of debt, if any, that would be required pursuant to 12 CFR 252.162(a) if the trade or business or permanent establishment were a U.S. person (as determined under Federal Reserve regulations).
(3) No specified minimum provided by local law. For purposes of paragraph (b)(3)(v)(F)(2)(ii) of this section, if the bank regulatory requirements imposed under the laws or regulations of a foreign country do not specify a minimum amount, the limitation for purposes of paragraph (b)(3)(v)(F)(2) of this section is determined by reference solely to paragraph (b)(3)(v)(F)(2)(ii) of this section.
(4) Foreign TLAC security. For purposes of paragraph (b)(3)(v) of this section, the term foreign TLAC security means an internal debt security issued under a bank regulatory requirement imposed under the laws or regulations of a foreign country that is comparable to 12 CFR 252.160-167. The laws or regulations of a foreign country are comparable to 12 CFR 252.160-167 if the requirement is imposed by a Financial Stability Board member state and those laws or regulations are substantially consistent with TLAC standards of the Financial Stability Board.
(vi) Amounts paid or accrued in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2018. Any amount paid or accrued in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2018.
(vii) Business interest carried forward from taxable years beginning before January 1, 2018. Any disallowed business interest described in section 163(j)(2) that is carried forward from a taxable year beginning before January 1, 2018.
(viii) Specified nonrecognition transactions—(A) In general. Subject to paragraph (b)(3)(viii)(B) and (C) of this section, any amount transferred to, or exchanged with, a foreign related party pursuant to a transaction to which sections 332, 351, 355, or 368 apply (“specified nonrecognition transaction”). See § 1.59A-9(b)(4) for anti-abuse rules.
(B) Other property transferred to a foreign related party in a specified nonrecognition transaction. If a taxpayer transfers other property (as defined in paragraph (b)(3)(viii)(D) of this section) to a foreign related party pursuant to a specified nonrecognition transaction, the other property is treated as an amount paid or accrued to which paragraph (b)(3) of this section does not apply, regardless of whether gain is recognized on the transaction.
(C) Other property received from a foreign related party in certain specified nonrecognition transactions. If, in a transaction described in section 351, 355, or 368, the taxpayer transfers property and receives other property (as defined in paragraph (b)(3)(viii)(D) of this section) from a foreign related party, the property transferred by the taxpayer is treated as an amount paid or accrued to which paragraph (b)(3) of this section does not apply, regardless of whether gain is recognized on the transaction.
(D) Definition of other property. Solely for purposes of this paragraph (b)(3)(viii), the term other property has the meaning of the phrase “other property or money” as used in section 351(b), with respect to a transaction to which section 351 applies, and as used in sections 356(a)(1)(B) and 361(b), with respect to a transaction to which sections 355 or 368 apply, as applicable, including liabilities treated as money under section 357(b). However, the term other property does not include the sum of any money and the fair market value of any other property to which section 361(b)(3) applies. The term other property also includes liabilities that are assumed by the taxpayer in the specified nonrecognition transaction, but only to the extent of the amount of gain recognized under section 357(c).
(E) Allocation of other property. Other property is treated as exchanged for property in a specified nonrecognition transaction in a manner consistent with U.S. federal income tax law. For purposes making the allocation under this paragraph (b)(3)(viii)(E), liabilities described in paragraph (b)(3)(viii)(D) of this section are treated as money received.
(ix) Reinsurance losses incurred and claims payments—(A) In general. Any amounts paid by a taxpayer subject to tax under subchapter L to a foreign related party that is a regulated insurance company under a reinsurance contract between the taxpayer and the regulated foreign insurance company for losses incurred (as defined in section 832(b)(5)) and claims and benefits under section 805(a)(1), to the extent that the amounts paid or accrued are properly allocable to amounts required to be paid by the regulated foreign insurance company (or indirectly through another regulated foreign insurance company), pursuant to an insurance, annuity, or reinsurance contract, to a person other than a related party. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(3)(ix), the determination of whether a contract is an insurance contract or an annuity contract is made without regard to sections 72(s), 101(f), 817(h), and 7702, provided that the contract is regulated as a life insurance or annuity contract in its jurisdiction of issuance and no policyholder, insured, annuitant or beneficiary with respect to the contract is a United States person.
(B) Regulated foreign insurance company. The term regulated foreign insurance company means any foreign corporation which—
(1) Is subject to regulation as an insurance (or reinsurance) company by the country in which the corporation is created, organized, or maintains its registered office, and is licensed, authorized, or regulated by the applicable insurance regulatory body for that country to sell insurance, annuity, or reinsurance contracts to persons other than related parties in that country, and
(2) Would be subject to tax under subchapter L if it were a domestic corporation.
(4) Rules for determining the amount of certain base erosion payments. The following rules apply in determining the amount that is a base erosion payment.
(i) Interest expense allocable to a foreign corporation’s effectively connected income—(A) Methods described in § 1.882-5. A foreign corporation that has interest expense allocable under section 882(c) to income that is, or is treated as, effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States applying the method described in § 1.882-5(b) through (d) or the method described in § 1.882-5(e) has base erosion payments under paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section for the taxable year equal to the sum of—
(1) The interest expense on a liability described in § 1.882-5(a)(1)(ii)(A) or (B) (direct allocations) that is paid or accrued by the foreign corporation to a foreign related party;
(2) The interest expense on U.S.-booked liabilities, as described in § 1.882-5(d)(2), determined by taking into account paragraph (b)(4)(i)(B) of this section, that is paid or accrued by the foreign corporation to a foreign related party; and
(3) The interest expense on U.S.-connected liabilities, as described in § 1.882-5(d) or 1.882-5(e), in excess of interest expense on U.S.-booked liabilities as described in § 1.882-5(d)(2), if any (hereafter, excess U.S.-connected liabilities), multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the foreign corporation’s average worldwide interest expense due to a foreign related party, and the denominator of which is the foreign corporation’s average total worldwide interest expense. The numerator and denominator of this fraction are determined by translating interest expense into the functional currency of the foreign corporation using any reasonable method, consistently applied. Any interest expense that is interest expense on a U.S.-booked liability or is subject to a direct allocation is excluded from both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction.
(B) U.S.-booked liabilities determination. For purposes of paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A) of this section, the determination of the interest expense on U.S.-booked liabilities, as described in § 1.882-5(d)(2), is made without regard to whether the foreign corporation applies the method described in § 1.882-5(b) through (d) or the method described in § 1.882-5(e) for purposes of determining interest expense.
(C) U.S.-booked liabilities in excess of U.S.-connected liabilities. For purposes of paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A)(2) of this section, if a foreign corporation has U.S.-booked liabilities, as described in § 1.882-5(d)(2), in excess of U.S.-connected liabilities, as described in § 1.882-5(d) or § 1.882-5(e), the foreign corporation applies the scaling ratio pro-rata to all interest expense on U.S.-booked liabilities consistent with § 1.882-5(d)(4) for purposes of determining the amount of allocable interest expense on U.S.-booked liabilities that is a base erosion payment. This paragraph (b)(4)(i)(C) applies without regard to whether the foreign corporation applies the method described in § 1.882-5(b) through (d) or the method described in § 1.882-5(e) for purposes of determining its interest expense.
(D) Election to use financial statements. A foreign corporation may elect to calculate the fraction described in paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A)(3) of this section on the basis of its applicable financial statement rather than U.S. tax principles. For purposes of this section, an applicable financial statement has the meaning provided in section 451(b)(3). The applicable financial statement must be the applicable financial statement of the foreign corporation, not a consolidated applicable financial statement. A foreign corporation makes this election in accordance with the requirements of Form 8991 (or successor).
(E) Coordination with certain tax treaties—(1) In general. If a foreign corporation elects to determine its taxable income pursuant to business profits provisions of an income tax treaty rather than provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, or the regulations published under 26 CFR chapter I, for determining effectively connected income, and the foreign corporation does not apply § 1.882-5 to allocate interest expense to a permanent establishment, then paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A) through (D) of this section applies to determine the amount of hypothetical § 1.882-5 interest expense that is a base erosion payment under paragraph (b)(1) of this section. Interest expense allowed to the permanent establishment in excess of the hypothetical § 1.882-5 interest expense, if any, is treated as an amount paid or accrued by the permanent establishment to the foreign corporation’s home office or to another branch of the foreign corporation and is a base erosion payment to the extent that the payment or accrual is described under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(2) Hypothetical § 1.882-5 interest expense defined. The hypothetical § 1.882-5 interest expense is equal to the amount of interest expense that would have been allocable under section 882(c) to income that is, or is treated as, effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States if the foreign corporation determined interest expense in accordance with section § 1.882-5. However, the hypothetical § 1.882-5 interest expense shall not exceed the amount of interest expense allowed to the permanent establishment.
(3) Consistency requirement. For purposes of determining the amount described in paragraph (b)(4)(i)(E)(2) of this section and applying paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A) through (D) of this section, the elections of § 1.882-5 must be applied consistently and are subject to the rules and limitations of § 1.882-5, including limitations on the time period in which an election may be made or revoked. If a foreign corporation otherwise meets the requirements for making or revoking an election under § 1.882-5, then solely for purposes of this section, the foreign corporation is treated as making or revoking the election in accordance with the requirements of Form 8991 (or successor) and its instructions.
(F) Coordination with exception for foreign TLAC securities. For purposes of paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A) of this section, amounts paid or accrued to a foreign related party with respect to securities that are eligible for the foreign TLAC exception in paragraph (b)(3)(v) of this section are not treated as paid to a foreign related party.
(ii) Other deductions allowed with respect to effectively connected income. A deduction allowed under § 1.882-4 for an amount paid or accrued by a foreign corporation to a foreign related party (including a deduction for an amount apportioned in part to effectively connected income and in part to income that is not effectively connected income) is a base erosion payment under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(iii) Depreciable property. Any amount paid or accrued by a foreign corporation to a foreign related party of the taxpayer in connection with the acquisition of property by the foreign corporation from the foreign related party if the character of the property is subject to the allowance for depreciation (or amortization in lieu of depreciation) is a base erosion payment to the extent the property so acquired is used, or held for use, in the conduct of a trade or business within the United States.
(iv) Coordination with ECI exception. For purposes of paragraph (b)(4) of this section, amounts paid or accrued to a foreign related party treated as effectively connected income (or, in the case of a foreign related party that determines taxable income pursuant to the business profits provisions of an applicable income tax treaty, such amounts that are taken into account in determining taxable income) are not treated as paid to a foreign related party.
(v) Coordination with certain tax treaties—(A) Allocable expenses. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4)(i)(E) of this section with respect to interest, if a foreign corporation determines its taxable income on a net basis pursuant to an applicable income tax treaty rather than provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, or the regulations published under 26 CFR chapter I, for determining effectively connected income, then the foreign corporation must determine whether each allowable deduction is a base erosion payment under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(B) Internal dealings under certain income tax treaties. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4)(i)(E) of this section with respect to interest, if, pursuant to the terms of an applicable income tax treaty, a foreign corporation determines the profits attributable to a permanent establishment based on the assets used, risks assumed, and functions performed by the permanent establishment, then any deduction attributable to any amount paid or accrued (or treated as paid or accrued) by the permanent establishment to the foreign corporation’s home office or to another branch of the foreign corporation (an “internal dealing”) is a base erosion payment to the extent that the payment or accrual is described under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(vi) Business interest expense arising in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. Any disallowed business interest expense described in section 163(j)(2) that resulted from a payment or accrual to a foreign related party that first arose in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, is treated as a base erosion payment under paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section in the year that the business interest expense initially arose. See paragraph (c)(4) of this section for rules that apply when business interest expense is limited under section 163(j)(1) in order to determine whether the disallowed business interest is attributed to business interest expense paid to a person that is not a related party, a foreign related party, or a domestic related party.
(c) Base erosion tax benefit—(1) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, a base erosion tax benefit means:
(i) In the case of a base erosion payment described in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, any deduction that is allowed under chapter 1 of subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code for the taxable year with respect to that base erosion payment;
(ii) In the case of a base erosion payment described in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section, any deduction allowed under chapter 1 of subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code for the taxable year for depreciation (or amortization in lieu of depreciation) with respect to the property acquired with that payment;
(iii) In the case of a base erosion payment described in paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section, any reduction under section 803(a)(1)(B) in the gross amount of premiums and other consideration on insurance and annuity contracts for premiums and other consideration arising out of indemnity reinsurance, or any deduction under section 832(b)(4)(A) from the amount of gross premiums written on insurance contracts during the taxable year for premiums paid for reinsurance; or
(iv) In the case of a base erosion payment described in paragraph (b)(1)(iv) of this section, any reduction in gross receipts with respect to the payment in computing gross income of the taxpayer for the taxable year for purposes of chapter 1 of subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code.
(2) Exception to base erosion tax benefit—(i) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, any base erosion tax benefit attributable to any base erosion payment is not taken into account as a base erosion tax benefit if tax is imposed on that payment under section 871 or 881, and the tax has been deducted and withheld under section 1441 or 1442. If a payment is taken into account for purposes of the fraction described in paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A)(3) of this section, and tax is imposed on the payment under section 871 or 881, and the tax has been deducted and withheld under section 1441 or 1442, the payment is treated as not paid or accrued to a foreign related party.
(ii) Branch-level interest tax. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, any base erosion tax benefit of a foreign corporation attributable to any base erosion payment determined under paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A)(3) of this section or attributable to interest expense in excess of the hypothetical section 1.882-5 interest expense determined under paragraph (b)(4)(i)(E)(1) of this section is not taken into account as a base erosion tax benefit to the extent of the amount of excess interest, as defined in § 1.884-4(a)(2), if any, on which tax is imposed on the foreign corporation under section 884(f) and § 1.884-4, if the tax is properly reported on the foreign corporation’s income tax return and paid in accordance with § 1.884-4(a)(2)(iv).
(3) Effect of treaty on base erosion tax benefit. If any treaty between the United States and any foreign country reduces the rate of tax imposed by section 871 or 881, the amount of base erosion tax benefit that is not taken into account under paragraph (c)(2) of this section is equal to the amount of the base erosion tax benefit before the application of paragraph (c)(2) of this section multiplied by a fraction of—
(i) The rate of tax imposed under the treaty; over
(ii) The rate of tax imposed without regard to the treaty.
(4) Application of section 163(j) to base erosion payments—(i) Classification of payments or accruals of business interest expense based on the payee. The following rules apply for corporations and partnerships:
(A) Classification of payments or accruals of business interest expense of a corporation. For purposes of this section, in the year that business interest expense of a corporation is paid or accrued the business interest expense is classified as foreign related business interest expense, domestic related business interest expense, or unrelated business interest expense.
(B) Classification of payments or accruals of business interest expense by a partnership. For purposes of this section, in the year that business interest expense of a partnership is paid or accrued, the business interest expense that is allocated to a partner is classified separately with respect to each partner in the partnership as foreign related business interest expense, domestic related business interest expense, or unrelated business interest expense.
(C) Classification of payments or accruals of business interest expense paid or accrued to a foreign related party that is subject to an exception—(1) ECI exception. For purposes of paragraph (c)(4)(i)(A) and (B) of this section, business interest expense paid or accrued to a foreign related party to which the exception in paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section (effectively connected income) applies is classified as domestic related business interest expense.
(2) TLAC interest and interest subject to withholding tax. For purposes of paragraph (c)(4)(i)(A) and (B) of this section, if the exception in paragraph (b)(3)(v) of this section (TLAC securities) or paragraph (c)(2) or (3) of this section (withholding tax) applies to business interest expense paid or accrued to a foreign related party, that business interest expense remains classified as foreign related business interest expense, and retains its classification as eligible for those exceptions, on a pro-rata basis with other foreign related business interest expense.
(ii) Ordering rules for business interest expense that is limited under section 163(j)(1) to determine which classifications of business interest expense are deducted and which classifications of business interest expense are carried forward—(A) In general. Section 163(j) and the regulations published under 26 CFR chapter I provide a limitation on the amount of business interest expense allowed as a deduction in a taxable year by a corporation or a partner in a partnership. In the case of a corporation with a disallowed business interest expense carryforward, the regulations under section 163(j) determine the ordering of the business interest expense deduction that is allowed on a year-by-year basis by reference first to business interest expense incurred in the current taxable year and then to disallowed business interest expense carryforwards from prior years. To determine the amount of base erosion tax benefit under paragraph (c)(1) of this section, this paragraph (c)(4)(ii) sets forth ordering rules that determine the amount of the deduction of business interest expense allowed under section 163(j) that is classified as paid or accrued to a foreign related party for purposes of paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section. This paragraph (c)(4)(ii) also sets forth similar ordering rules that apply to disallowed business interest expense carryforwards for which a deduction is permitted under section 163(j) in a later year.
(B) Ordering rules for treating business interest expense deduction and disallowed business interest expense carryforwards as foreign related business interest expense, domestic related business interest expense, and unrelated business interest expense—(1) General ordering rule for allocating business interest expense deduction between classifications. For purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, if a deduction for business interest expense is not subject to the limitation under section 163(j)(1) in a taxable year, the deduction is treated first as foreign related business interest expense and domestic related business interest expense (on a pro-rata basis), and second as unrelated business interest expense. The same principle applies to business interest expense of a partnership that is deductible at the partner level under § 1.163(j)-6(f).
(2) Ordering of business interest expense incurred by a corporation. If a corporation’s business interest expense deduction allowed for any taxable year is attributable to business interest expense paid or accrued in that taxable year and to disallowed business interest expense carryforwards from prior taxable years, the ordering of business interest expense deduction provided in paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B)(1) of this section among the classifications described therein applies separately for the carryforward amount from each taxable year, following the ordering set forth in § 1.163(j)-5(b)(2). Corresponding adjustments to the classification of disallowed business interest expense carryforwards are made consistent with this year-by-year approach. For purposes of section 59A and this section, an acquiring corporation in a transaction described in section 381(a) will succeed to and take into account the classification of any disallowed business interest expense carryforward. See § 1.381(c)(20)-1.
(3) Ordering of business interest expense incurred by a partnership and allocated to a corporate partner. For a corporate partner in a partnership that is allocated a business interest expense deduction under § 1.163(j)-6(f), the ordering rule provided in paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B)(1) of this section applies separately to the corporate partner’s allocated business interest expense deduction from the partnership; that deduction is not comingled with the business interest expense deduction addressed in paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B)(1) or (2) of this section or the corporate partner’s items from any other partnership. Similarly, when a corporate partner in a partnership is allocated excess business interest expense from a partnership under the rules set forth in § 1.163(j)-6(f) and the excess interest expense becomes deductible to the corporate partner, that partner applies the ordering rule provided in paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B)(1) of this section separately to that excess interest expense on a year-by-year basis. Corresponding adjustments to the classification of disallowed business interest expense carryforwards are made consistent with this year-by-year and partnership-by-partnership approach.
(5) Allowed deduction. Solely for purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, all deductions (and any premium or other consideration paid or accrued by the taxpayer for any reinsurance payments that are taken into account under section 803(a)(1)(B) or 832(b)(4)(A)) that could be properly claimed by a taxpayer for the taxable year (determined after giving effect to the taxpayer’s permissible method of accounting and to any election, such as the election under section 173 to capitalize circulation expenditures or the election under section 168(g)(7) to use the alternative depreciation system of depreciation) are treated as allowed deductions under chapter 1 of subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code.
(6) Election to waive allowed deductions—(i) In general. If a taxpayer elects to waive certain deductions, in whole or in part, pursuant to this paragraph (c)(6)(i), the amount of allowed deductions as described in paragraph (c)(5) of this section is reduced by the amounts that are properly waived. In order to make the election or increase the amount of the deduction waived, the taxpayer must determine that it could satisfy the requirements of § 1.59A-2(b) absent the election to waive certain deductions. For rules applicable to partners and partnerships, see paragraph (c)(6)(iv) of this section. For rules addressing waiver of premium or other consideration paid or accrued by a taxpayer for any reinsurance payments that are taken into account under section 803(a)(1)(B) or 832(b)(4)(A), see paragraph (c)(6)(v) of this section.
(ii) Time and manner for election to waive deduction—(A) In general. A taxpayer may make the election described in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section on its original filed Federal income tax return. In addition, a taxpayer may elect to waive deductions or increase the amount of deductions waived pursuant to the election described in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section on an amended Federal income tax return filed within the later of three years from the date the original return was filed, taking into account section 6501(b)(1), for the taxable year for which the election is made or the period described in section 6501(c)(4), or during the course of an examination of the taxpayer’s income tax return for the relevant taxable year pursuant to procedures prescribed by the Commissioner. However, a taxpayer may not decrease the amount of deductions waived by the election, or otherwise revoke the election that is described in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section on any amended Federal income tax return or during the course of an examination. To make the election, a taxpayer must complete the appropriate part of Form 8991, Tax on Base Erosion Payments of Taxpayers With Substantial Gross Receipts (or successor), including the information described in paragraph (c)(6)(ii)(B) of this section and any other information required by the form or instructions. A taxpayer makes the election described in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section on an annual basis, and the taxpayer does not need the consent of the Commissioner if the taxpayer chooses not to make the election for a subsequent taxable year. The election described in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section may not be made in any other manner than as described in this paragraph (c)(6)(ii) (for example, by filing an application for a change in accounting method).
(B) Information required to make the election to waive allowed deductions. To make this election, a taxpayer must maintain contemporaneous documentation and provide information related to each deduction waived as required by applicable forms and instructions issued by the Commissioner, including—
(1) A description of the item or property to which the deduction relates, including sufficient information to identify that item or property on the taxpayer’s books and records;
(2) The date on which, or period in which, the waived deduction was paid or accrued;
(3) The provision of the Internal Revenue Code (and regulations, as applicable) that allows the deduction for the item or property to which the election relates;
(4) The amount of the deduction that is claimed for the taxable year with respect to the item or property;
(5) The amount of the deduction being waived for the taxable year with respect to the item or property;
(6) A description of where the deduction is reflected (or would have been reflected) on the Federal income tax return (such as a line number); and
(7) The name, Taxpayer Identification Number (or, if the foreign person does not have a Taxpayer Identification Number, the foreign equivalent), and country of organization of the foreign related party that is or will be the recipient of the payment that generates the deduction.
(iii) Effect of election to waive deduction—(A) In general—(1) Consistent treatment. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (c)(6)(iii), any deduction waived under paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section is treated as having been waived for all purposes of the Internal Revenue Code and regulations.
(2) No allocation and apportionment of waived deductions. The waiver of deductions described in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section is treated as occurring before the allocation and apportionment of deductions under §§ 1.861-8 through 1.861-14T and 1.861-17 (such as for purposes of section 904).
(3) Effect of waiver of deductions described in §§ 1.861-10 and 1.861-10T. To the extent that any waived deduction is interest expense that would have been directly allocated under the rules of § 1.861-10 or 1.861-10T and would have resulted in the reduction of value of any assets for purposes of allocating other interest expense under §§ 1.861-9 and 1.861-9T, the value of the assets is reduced to the same extent as if the taxpayer had not elected to waive the deduction.
(4) Effect of the election to waive deductions on the stock basis of a consolidated group member. For purposes of § 1.1502-32, any deduction waived under paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section is a noncapital, nondeductible expense under § 1.1502-32(b)(2)(iii).
(B) Effect of the election to waive deductions disregarded for certain purposes. If a taxpayer makes the election to waive a deduction, in whole or in part, under paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section, the election is disregarded for determining—
(1) The taxpayer’s overall method of accounting, or the taxpayer’s method of accounting for any item, under section 446;
(2) Whether a change in the taxpayer’s overall plan of accounting or the taxpayer’s treatment of a material item is a change in method of accounting under section 446(e) and § 1.446-1(e);
(3) The amount allowable under subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code for depreciation or amortization for purposes of section 167(c) and section 1016(a)(2) or section 1016(a)(3) and any other adjustment to basis under section 1016(a);
(4) For purposes of applying the exclusive apportionment rule in § 1.861-17(b), the geographic source where the research and experimental activities which account for more than fifty percent of the amount of the deduction for research and experimentation was performed;
(5) The application of section 482;
(6) The amount of the taxpayer’s earnings and profits; and
(7) Any other item as necessary to prevent a taxpayer from receiving the benefit of a waived deduction.
(C) Not a method of accounting. The election described in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section is not a method of accounting under section 446.
(D) Effect of the election in determining section 481(a) adjustments. A taxpayer making the election described in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section agrees that if the method of accounting for a waived deduction is changed, the amount of adjustment taken into account under section 481(a)(2) is determined without regard to the election described in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section. As a result, a waived deduction has no effect on the amount of a section 481(a) adjustment compared to what the adjustment would have been if the deduction had not been waived. See paragraph (d)(9) of this section (Example 9).
(iv) Rules applicable to partners and partnerships—(A) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(6)(iv)(D) of this section, deductions allocated to a corporate partner by a partnership may only be waived by the partner and not by the partnership, and then only to the extent the partner otherwise qualifies for the waiver under paragraph (c)(6) of this section. For purposes of complying with the documentation requirements in paragraph (c)(6)(ii)(B) of this section, the partner is not required to report the information in paragraphs (c)(6)(ii)(B)(2) and (3) of this section, and in lieu of reporting the information in paragraphs (c)(6)(ii)(B)(1) of this section, the partner is required to report the partnership from which the item is allocated.
(B) Rule for determining the adjusted basis of a partner’s interest in a partnership. If a partner elects to waive a deduction or increases the amount of deduction waived with respect to deductions allocated to it by a partnership, the partner treats the waived amount as a nondeductible expenditure under section 705(a)(2)(B).
(C) Rule for applying section 163(j). If a partner waives a deduction pursuant to paragraph (c)(6)(iv)(A) of this section that was taken into account by the partnership in determining the partnership’s adjusted taxable income for purposes of section 163(j), then the increase in the partner’s income resulting from the waiver is treated by the partner (but not the partnership) as a partner basis item (as defined in § 1.163(j)-6(b)(2)) for purposes of section 163(j).
(D) Limited application of election to waive deductions with respect to adjustments made pursuant to audit procedures under sections 6221 through 6241. Except as provided in this paragraph (c)(6)(iv)(D), a partner is not permitted to waive any adjustment by the Secretary to any partnership-related items that is made pursuant to subchapter C of chapter 63. A partner in a partnership subject to subchapter C of chapter 63 may only make an election to waive any increase in a deduction due to an adjustment made under subchapter C of chapter 63 that the partner takes into account under section 6225(c)(2)(A), 6226, or 6227 in a manner consistent with paragraph (c)(6) of this section. If the partner makes an election under paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section, the partner will compute its additional reporting year tax (as described in § 301.6226-3 of this chapter) or amount due under § 301.6225-2(d)(2)(ii)(A) of this chapter taking into account the rules in paragraph (c)(6) of this section with respect to the increase in the deduction that is waived.
(v) Rule applicable to premium and other consideration paid or accrued by the taxpayer for any reinsurance payments that are taken into account under section 803(a)(1)(B) or 832(b)(4)(A). For purposes of paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section, a taxpayer may elect to waive (or increase the amount waived of) any premium or other consideration paid or accrued by the taxpayer for any reinsurance payments that are taken into account under section 803(a)(1)(B) or 832(b)(4)(A) that would be a base erosion tax benefit within the meaning of section 59A(c)(2)(A)(iii), in accordance with the rules and principles of this paragraph (c)(6).
(d) Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this section. For purposes of all the examples, assume that the taxpayer is an applicable taxpayer and all payments apply to a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017.
(1) Example 1: Determining a base erosion payment—(i) Facts. FP is a foreign corporation that owns all of the stock of FC, a foreign corporation, and DC, a domestic corporation. FP has a trade or business in the United States with effectively connected income (USTB). DC owns FDE, a foreign disregarded entity. DC pays interest to FDE and FC. FDE pays interest to USTB. All interest paid by DC to FC and by FDE to USTB is deductible by DC in the current year for regular income tax purposes. FDE also acquires depreciable property from FP during the taxable year. FP’s income from the sale of the depreciable property is not effectively connected with the conduct of FP’s trade or business in the United States. DC and FP (based only on the activities of USTB) are applicable taxpayers under § 1.59A-2(b).
(ii) Analysis. The payment of interest by DC to FC is a base erosion payment under paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section because the payment is made to a foreign related party and the interest payment is deductible. The payment of interest by DC to FDE is not a base erosion payment because the transaction is not a payment to a foreign person and the transaction is not a deductible payment. With respect to the payment of interest by FDE to USTB, if FP’s USTB treats the payment of interest by FDE to USTB as income that is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States pursuant to section 864 or as profits attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment of a tax treaty resident, and if DC receives a withholding certificate from FP with respect to the payment, then the exception in paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section applies. Accordingly, the payment from DC, through FDE, to USTB is not a base erosion payment even though the payment is to the USTB of FP, a foreign related party. The acquisition of depreciable property by DC, through FDE, from FP is a base erosion payment under paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section because there is a payment to a foreign related party in connection with the acquisition by the taxpayer of property of a character subject to the allowance for depreciation and the exception in paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section does not apply because FP’s income from the sale of the depreciable property is not effectively connected with the conduct of FP’s trade or business in the United States. See § 1.59A-2 for the application of the aggregation rule with respect to DC and FP’s USTB.
(2) Example 2: Interest allocable under § 1.882-5—(i) Facts. FC, a foreign corporation, has income that is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States. FC determines its interest expense under the three-step process described in § 1.882-5(b) through (d) with a total interest expense of $125x. The total interest expense is comprised of interest expense of $100x on U.S.- booked liabilities ($60x paid to a foreign related party and $40x paid to unrelated persons) and $25x of interest on excess U.S.-connected liabilities. FC has average worldwide interest expense (not including interest expense on U.S.-booked liabilities) of $500x, of which $100x is interest expense paid to a foreign related party. FC is an applicable taxpayer with respect to its effectively connected income. Assume all of the interest expense is deductible in the current taxable year and that none of the interest is subject to the effectively connected income exception in paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section.
(ii) Analysis. Under paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section, the total amount of interest expense determined under § 1.882-5 that is a base erosion payment is $65x ($60x + 5x). FC has $60x of interest on U.S.-booked liabilities that is paid to a foreign related party and that is treated as a base erosion payment under paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A)(2) of this section. Additionally, $5x of the $25x of interest expense on excess U.S.-connected liabilities is treated as a base erosion payment under paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A)(3) of this section ($25x * ($100x/$500x)).
(3) Example 3: Interaction with section 163(j)—(i) Facts. Foreign Parent (FP) is a foreign corporation that owns all of the stock of DC, a domestic corporation that is an applicable taxpayer. DC does not conduct a utility trade or business as described in section 163(j)(7)(A)(iv), an electing real property trade or business as described in section 163(j)(7)(B), or an electing farming business as described in section 163(j)(7)(C). In Year 1, DC has adjusted taxable income, as defined in section 163(j)(8), of $1000x and pays the following amounts of business interest expense: $420x that is paid to unrelated Bank, and $360x that is paid to FP. DC does not earn any business interest income or incur any floor plan financing interest expense in Year 1. None of the exceptions in paragraph (b)(3) of this section apply, and the interest is not subject to withholding.
(ii) Analysis—(A) Classification of business interest. In Year 1, DC is permitted to deduct only $300x of business interest expense under section 163(j)(1) ($1000x × 30%). Paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B) of this section provides that for purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section the deduction is treated first as foreign related business interest expense and domestic related business interest expense (here, only FP); and second as unrelated business interest expense (Bank). As a result, the $300x of business interest expense that is permitted under section 163(j)(1) is treated entirely as the business interest paid to the related foreign party, FP. All of DC’s $300x deductible interest is treated as an add-back to modified taxable income in the Year 1 taxable year for purposes of § 1.59A-4(b)(2)(i).
(B) Ordering rules for disallowed business interest expense carryforward. Under section 163(j)(2), the $480x of disallowed business interest ($420x + $360x?$300x) is carried forward to the subsequent year. Under paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B)(1) and (2) of this section, the disallowed business interest carryforward is correspondingly treated first as unrelated business interest expense, and second pro-rata as foreign related business interest expense and domestic related business interest expense. As a result, $420x of the $480x disallowed business interest expense carryforward is treated first as business interest expense paid to Bank and the remaining $60x of the $480x disallowed business interest expense carryforward is treated as interest paid to FP and as an add-back to modified taxable income.
(4) Example 4: Interaction with section 163(j); carryforward—(i) Facts. The facts are the same as in paragraph (d)(3) of this section (the facts in Example 3), except that in addition, in Year 2, DC has adjusted taxable income of $250x, and pays the following amounts of business interest expense: $50x that is paid to unrelated Bank, and $45x that is paid to FP. DC does not earn any business interest income or incur any floor plan financing interest expense in Year 2. None of the exceptions in paragraph (b)(3) of this section apply.
(ii) Analysis—(A) Classification of business interest. In Year 2, for purposes of section 163(j)(1), DC is treated as having paid or accrued total business interest expense of $575x, consisting of $95x business interest expense actually paid in Year 2 and $480x of business interest expense that is carried forward from Year 1. DC is permitted to deduct $75x of business interest expense in Year 2 under the limitation in section 163(j)(1) ($250x × 30%). Section 1.163(j)-5(b)(2) provides that, for purposes of section 163(j), the allowable business interest expense is first attributed to amounts paid or accrued in the current year, and then attributed to amounts carried over from earlier years on a first-in-first-out basis from the earliest year. Accordingly, the $75x of deductible business interest expense is deducted entirely from the $95x business interest expense incurred in Year 2 for section 163(j) purposes. Because DC’s business interest expense deduction is limited under section 163(j)(1) and because DC’s total business interest expense is attributable to more than one taxable year, paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B)(2) of this section provides that the ordering rule in paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B)(1) of this section is applied separately to each annual amount of section 163(j) disallowed business interest expense carryforward. With respect to the Year 2 layer, which is deducted first, paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B) of this section provides that, for purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the Year 2 $75x deduction is treated first as foreign related business interest expense and domestic related business interest expense (here, only FP, $45x); and second as unrelated business interest expense (Bank, $30x). Consequentially, all of the $45x deduction of business interest expense that was paid to FP in Year 2 is treated as a base erosion tax benefit and an add-back to modified taxable income for the Year 2 taxable year for purposes of § 1.59A-4(b)(2)(i).
(B) Ordering rules for disallowed business interest expense carryforward. The disallowed business interest expense carryforward of $20x from Year 2 is correspondingly treated first as business interest expense paid to Bank under paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section. The disallowed business interest expense carryforward of $480x from the Year 1 layer that is also not allowed as a deduction in Year 2 remains treated as $420x paid to Bank and $60 paid to FP.
(5) Example 5: Interaction with section 163(j); carryforward—(i) Facts. The facts are the same as in paragraph (d)(4) of this section (the facts in Example 4), except that in addition, in Year 3, DC has adjusted taxable income of $4000x and pays no business interest expense. DC does not earn any business interest income or incur any floor plan financing interest expense in Year 3.
(ii) Analysis. In Year 3, DC is treated as having paid or accrued total business interest expense of $500x, consisting of $480x of business interest expense that is carried forward from Year 1 and $20x of business interest expense that is carried forward from Year 2 for purposes of section 163(j)(1). DC is permitted to deduct $1200x of business interest expense in Year 3 under the limitation in section 163(j)(1) ($4000x × 30%). For purposes of section 163(j), DC is treated as first deducting the business interest expense from Year 1 then the business interest expense from Year 2. See § 1.163(j)-5(b)(2). Because none of DC’s $500x business interest expense is limited under section 163(j), the stacking rule in paragraph (c)(4)(ii) of this section for allowed and disallowed business interest expense does not apply. For purposes of § 1.59A-4(b)(2)(i), DC’s add-back to modified taxable income is $60x determined by the classifications in paragraph (c)(4)(i)(A) of this section ($60x treated as paid to FP from Year 1).
(6) Example 6: Interaction with section 163(j); partnership—(i) Facts. The facts are the same as in paragraph (d)(4) of this section (the facts in Example 4), except that in addition, in Year 2, DC forms a domestic partnership (PRS) with Y, a domestic corporation that is not related to DC within the meaning of § 1.59A-1(b)(17). PRS does not conduct a utility trade or business as described in section 163(j)(7)(A)(iv), an electing real property trade or business as described in section 163(j)(7)(B) or an electing farming business as described in section 163(j)(7)(C) subject to section 163(j). PRS is not a small business described in section 163(j)(3). DC and Y are equal partners in partnership PRS. In Year 2, PRS has ATI of $100x and $48x of business interest expense. $12x of PRS’s business interest expense is paid to Bank, and $36x of PRS’s business interest expense is paid to FP. PRS allocates the items comprising its $100x of ATI $50x to DC and $50x to Y. PRS allocates its $48x of business interest expense $24x to DC and $24x to Y. DC classifies its $24x of business interest expense as $6x unrelated business interest expense (Bank) and $18x as foreign related business interest expense (FP) under paragraph (c)(4)(i)(B) of this section. Y classifies its $24x of business interest expense as entirely unrelated business interest expense of Y (Bank and FP) under paragraph (c)(4)(i)(B) of this section. None of the exceptions in paragraph (b)(3) of this section apply.
(ii) Partnership level analysis. In Year 2, PRS’s section 163(j) limit is 30 percent of its ATI, or $30x ($100x × 30 percent). Thus, PRS has $30x of deductible business interest expense and $18x of excess business interest expense ($48x?$30x). The $30x of deductible business interest expense is includible in PRS’s non-separately stated income or loss, and is not subject to further limitation under section 163(j) at the partners’ level.
(iii) Partner level allocations analysis. Pursuant to § 1.163(j)-6(f)(2), DC and Y are each allocated $15x of deductible business interest expense and $9x of excess business interest expense. At the end of Year 2, DC and Y each have $9x of excess business interest expense from PRS, which under § 1.163(j)-6 is not treated as paid or accrued by the partner until such partner is allocated excess taxable income or excess business interest income from PRS in a succeeding year. Pursuant to § 1.163(j)-6(e), DC and Y, in computing their limit under section 163(j), do not increase any of their section 163(j) items by any of PRS’s section 163(j) items.
(iv) Partner level allocations for determining base erosion tax benefits. The $15x of deductible business interest expense allocated to DC is treated first as foreign related business interest expense (FP) under paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B) of this section. DC’s excess business interest expense from PRS of $9x is classified first as the unrelated business interest expense with respect to Bank ($6x) and then as the remaining portion of the business interest expense paid to FP ($3x, or $18x?$15x). Under paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B)(3) of this section, these classifications of the PRS items apply irrespective of the classifications of DC’s own interest expense as set forth in paragraph (d)(4) of this section (Example 4).
(v) Computation of modified taxable income. For Year 2, DC is treated as having incurred base erosion tax benefits of $60x, consisting of the $15x base erosion tax benefit with respect to its interest in PRS that is computed in paragraph (d)(6)(iii) of this section (Example 6) and $45x that is computed in paragraph (d)(4) of this section (Example 4).
(7) Example 7: Transfers of property to related taxpayers—(i) Facts. FP is a foreign corporation that owns all of the stock of DC1 and DC2, both domestic corporations. DC1 and DC2 are both members of the same aggregate group but are not members of the same consolidated tax group under section 1502. In Year 1, FP sells depreciable property to DC1. On the first day of the Year 2 tax year, DC1 sells the depreciable property to DC2.
(ii) Analysis—(A) Year 1. The acquisition of depreciable property by DC1 from FP is a base erosion payment under paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section because there is a payment to a foreign related party in connection with the acquisition by the taxpayer of property of a character subject to the allowance for depreciation.
(B) Year 2. The acquisition of the depreciable property in Year 2 by DC2 is not itself a base erosion payment because DC2 did not acquire the property from a foreign related party. However, under paragraph (b)(2)(viii) of this section any depreciation expense taken by DC2 on the property acquired from DC1 is a base erosion payment and a base erosion tax benefit under paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section because the acquisition of the depreciable property was a base erosion payment by DC1 and the property was sold to a member of the aggregate group; therefore, the depreciation expense continues as a base erosion tax benefit to DC2 as it would have been to DC1 if it continued to own the property.
(8) Example 8: Effect of election to waive deduction on method of accounting—(i) Facts. DC, a domestic corporation, purchased and placed in service a depreciable asset (Asset A) from a foreign related party on the first day of its taxable year 1 for $100x. DC elects to use the alternative depreciation system under section 168(g) to depreciate all properties placed in service during taxable year 1. Asset A is not eligible for the additional first year depreciation deduction. Beginning in taxable year 1, DC depreciates Asset A under the alternative depreciation system using the straight-line depreciation method, a 5-year recovery period, and the half-year convention. This depreciation method, recovery period, and convention are permissible for Asset A under section 168(g). On its timely filed original Federal income tax return for taxable year 1, DC does not elect to waive any deductions and DC claims a depreciation deduction of $10x for Asset A. On its timely filed original Federal income tax return for taxable year 2, DC does not elect to waive any deductions and DC claims a depreciation deduction of $20x for Asset A. During taxable year 3, DC files an amended return for taxable year 1 to elect to waive the depreciation deduction for Asset A and reports in accordance with paragraph (c)(6)(ii) of this section with its amended return for taxable year 1 that the amount of the waived depreciation deduction for Asset A is $10x and the amount of the claimed depreciation deduction is $0x.
(ii) Analysis. Pursuant to paragraph (c)(6)(iii)(B)(1) of this section, DC’s election to waive the depreciation deduction for Asset A for taxable year 1 is disregarded for determining DC’s method of accounting for Asset A. Accordingly, after DC’s election to waive the depreciation deduction for Asset A for taxable year 1, DC’s method of accounting for depreciation for Asset A continues to be the straight-line depreciation method, a 5-year recovery period, and the half-year convention. Pursuant to paragraph (c)(6)(iii)(C) of this section, the election made by DC in taxable year 3 on its amended return for taxable year 1 is not a method of accounting.
(9) Example 9: Change of accounting method when taxpayer has waived a deduction—(i) Facts. DC, a domestic corporation, purchased and placed in service a depreciable asset (Asset B) from a foreign related party on the first day of its taxable year 1 for $100x. DC elects to use the alternative depreciation system under section 168(g) to depreciate all properties placed in service during taxable year 1. Asset B is not eligible for the additional first year depreciation deduction. Beginning in taxable year 1, DC depreciates Asset B under the alternative depreciation system using the straight-line depreciation method, a 10-year recovery period, and the half-year convention. Under this method of accounting, the depreciation deductions for Asset B are $5x for taxable year 1 and $10x for taxable year 2. However, for taxable years 1 and 2, DC elects to waive $3x and $6x, respectively, of the depreciation deductions for Asset B and reports the information required under paragraph (c)(6)(ii) of this section with its returns. In taxable year 3, DC realizes that the correct recovery period for Asset B is 5 years. If DC had used the correct recovery period for Asset B, the depreciation deductions for Asset B would have been $10x for taxable year 1 and $20x for taxable year 2. DC timely files a Form 3115 to change its method of accounting for Asset B from a 10-year recovery period to a 5-year recovery period, beginning with taxable year 3. DC was not under examination as of the date on which it timely filed this Form 3115.
(ii) Analysis—(A) Computation of the section 481(a) adjustment. In determining the net negative section 481(a) adjustment for this method change, DC compares the depreciation deductions under its present method of accounting to the depreciation deductions under its proposed method of accounting. Pursuant to paragraph (c)(6)(iii)(D) of this section, DC agreed that, by making the election to waive depreciation deductions for Asset B, DC will not take into account the fact that depreciation deductions for Asset B were waived under paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section. Accordingly, DC’s net negative section 481(a) adjustment for this method change is $15x, which is calculated by determining the difference between the depreciation deductions for Asset B for taxable years 1 and 2 under DC’s present method of accounting ($15x) and the depreciation deductions that would have been allowable for Asset B for taxable years 1 and 2 under DC’s proposed method of accounting ($30x).
(B) Computation of basis adjustments. Pursuant to paragraph (c)(6)(iii)(B)(3) of this section, DC’s elections to waive the depreciation deductions for Asset B for taxable years 1 and 2 are disregarded for determining the amount allowable for depreciation for purposes of section 1016(a)(2). The amount allowable for depreciation of Asset B is determined based on the proper method of computing depreciation for Asset B. Accordingly, Asset B’s adjusted basis at the end of taxable year 1 is $90x ($100x?$10x) and at the end of taxable year 2 is $70x ($90x?$20x).