(a) Disqualified imported mismatch amounts—(1) Rule. An imported mismatch payment is a disqualified imported mismatch amount to the extent that, under the set-off rules of paragraph (c) of this section, the income attributable to the payment is directly or indirectly offset by a hybrid deduction incurred by a foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that is related to the imported mismatch payer (or that is a party to a structured arrangement pursuant to which the payment is made). See §1.267A-6(c)(8) through (12) for examples illustrating the application of this section.

(2) Definitions of certain terms. The following definitions apply for purposes of this section:

(i) A foreign tax resident means a tax resident that is not a tax resident of the United States.

(ii) A foreign taxable branch means a taxable branch that is not a U.S. taxable branch.

(iii) An imported mismatch payee means, with respect to an imported mismatch payment, a foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that includes the payment in income, as determined under §1.267A-3(a).

(iv) An imported mismatch payer means, with respect to an imported mismatch payment, the specified party.

(v) An imported mismatch payment means a specified payment to the extent that it is neither a disqualified hybrid amount nor included or includible in income in the United States. For purposes of this paragraph (a)(2)(v), a specified payment is included or includible in income in the United States to the extent that, if the payment were a tentative disqualified hybrid amount (as described in §1.267A-3(b)(1)), it would be reduced under the rules of §1.267A-3(b)(2) through (5).

(b) Hybrid deduction—(1) In general. A hybrid deduction means any of the following:

(i) A deduction allowed to a foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch under its tax law for an amount paid or accrued that is interest (including an amount that would be a structured payment under the principles of §1.267A-5(b)(5)(ii)) or royalty under such tax law, to the extent that a deduction for the amount would be disallowed if such tax law contained rules substantially similar to those under §§1.267A-1 through 1.267A-3 and 1.267A-5. Such a deduction is a hybrid deduction regardless of whether or how the amount giving rise to the deduction would be recognized under U.S. tax law.

(ii) A deduction allowed to a foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch under its tax law with respect to equity (including deemed equity), such as a notional interest deduction (or similar deduction determined with respect to the foreign tax resident's or foreign taxable branch's equity). However, a deduction allowed to a foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch with respect to equity is a hybrid deduction only to the extent that an investor of the foreign tax resident, or the home office of the foreign taxable branch, would include the amount in income if, for purposes of the investor's or home office's tax law, the amount were interest paid by the foreign tax resident ratably (by value) with respect to the interests of the foreign tax resident, or interest paid by the foreign taxable branch to the home office. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(1)(ii), the rules of §1.267A-3(a) apply to determine the extent that an investor or home office would include an amount in income, by treating the amount as the specified payment.

(2) Special rules—(i) Foreign tax law contains hybrid mismatch rules. In the case of a foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch the tax law of which contains hybrid mismatch rules, only the following deductions allowed to the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch under its tax law are hybrid deductions:

(A) A deduction described in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, to the extent that the deduction would be disallowed if the foreign tax resident's or foreign taxable branch's tax law—

(1) Contained a rule substantially similar to §1.267A-2(a)(4) (payments pursuant to interest-free loans and similar arrangements); or

(2) Did not permit an inclusion in income in a third country to discharge the application of its hybrid mismatch rules as to the amount giving rise to the deduction when the amount is not included in income in another country as a result of a hybrid or branch arrangement.

(B) A deduction described in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section (deductions with respect to equity).

(ii) Dual inclusion income used to determine hybrid deductions arising from deemed branch payments in certain cases. In the case of a foreign taxable branch the tax law of which permits a loss of the foreign taxable branch to be shared with a tax resident or taxable branch (without regard to whether it is in fact so shared or whether there is a tax resident or taxable branch with which the loss can be shared), a deduction allowed to the foreign taxable branch for an amount that would be a deemed branch payment were such tax law to contain a provision substantially similar to §1.267A-2(c) is a hybrid deduction to the extent of the excess (if any) of the sum of all such amounts over the foreign taxable branch's dual inclusion income (as determined under the principles of §1.267A-2(b)(3)). The rule in this paragraph (b)(2)(ii) applies without regard to whether the tax law of the home office provides an exclusion or exemption for income attributable to the branch.

(iii) Certain deductions are hybrid deductions only if allowed for an accounting period beginning on or after December 20, 2018. A deduction described in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section (deductions with respect to equity), or a deduction that would be disallowed if the foreign tax resident's or foreign taxable branch's tax law contained a rule substantially similar to §1.267A-2(a)(4) (payments pursuant to interest-free loans and similar arrangements), is a hybrid deduction only if allowed for an accounting period beginning on or after December 20, 2018.

(iv) Certain deductions of a CFC are not hybrid deductions. A deduction that but for this paragraph (b)(2)(iv) would be a hybrid deduction is not a hybrid deduction to the extent that the amount paid or accrued giving rise to the deduction is—

(A) A disqualified hybrid amount (but subject to the special rule of paragraph (g) of this section); or

(B) Included or includible in income in the United States. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(2)(iv)(B), an amount is included or includible in income in the United States to the extent that, if the amount were a tentative disqualified hybrid amount (as described in §1.267A-3(b)(1)), it would be reduced under the rules of §1.267A-3(b)(2) through (5).

(v) Loss carryovers. A hybrid deduction for a particular accounting period includes a loss carryover from another accounting period, but only to the extent that a hybrid deduction incurred in an accounting period ending on or after December 20, 2018, comprises the loss carryover.

(c) Set-off rules—(1) In general. In the order described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, a hybrid deduction directly or indirectly offsets the income attributable to an imported mismatch payment to the extent that, under paragraph (c)(3) of this section, the payment directly or indirectly funds the hybrid deduction. The rules of paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section are applied by taking into account the application of paragraph (c)(4) of this section (adjustments to ensure that amounts not taken into account more than once).

(2) Ordering rules. The following ordering rules apply for purposes of determining the extent that a hybrid deduction directly or indirectly offsets income attributable to imported mismatch payments.

(i) First, the hybrid deduction offsets income attributable to a factually-related imported mismatch payment that directly or indirectly funds the hybrid deduction. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(2)(i), a factually-related imported mismatch payment means an imported mismatch payment that is made pursuant to a transaction, agreement, or instrument entered into pursuant to the same plan or series of related transactions that includes the transaction, agreement, or instrument pursuant to which the hybrid deduction is incurred, provided that a design of the plan or series of related transactions was for the hybrid deduction to offset income attributable to the payment (as determined under the principles of §1.267A-5(a)(20)(i), by treating the offset as the “hybrid mismatch” described in §1.267A-5(a)(20)(i)).

(ii) Second, to the extent remaining, the hybrid deduction offsets income attributable to an imported mismatch payment (other than a factually-related imported mismatch payment) that directly funds the hybrid deduction.

(iii) Third, to the extent remaining, the hybrid deduction offsets income attributable to an imported mismatch payment (other than a factually-related imported mismatch payment) that indirectly funds the hybrid deduction.

(3) Funding rules. The following funding rules apply for purposes of determining the extent that an imported mismatch payment directly or indirectly funds a hybrid deduction.

(i) The imported mismatch payment directly funds a hybrid deduction to the extent that the imported mismatch payee incurs the hybrid deduction.

(ii) The imported mismatch payment indirectly funds a hybrid deduction to the extent that the imported mismatch payee is allocated the hybrid deduction, and provided that the imported mismatch payee is related to the imported mismatch payer (or is a party to a structured arrangement pursuant to which the imported mismatch payment is made).

(iii) The imported mismatch payee is allocated a hybrid deduction to the extent that the imported mismatch payee directly or indirectly makes a funded taxable payment to the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that incurs the hybrid deduction.

(iv) An imported mismatch payee indirectly makes a funded taxable payment to the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that incurs a hybrid deduction to the extent that a chain of funded taxable payments connects the imported mismatch payee, each intermediary foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch, and the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that incurs the hybrid deduction, and provided that each intermediary foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch is related to the imported mismatch payer (or is a party to a structured arrangement pursuant to which the imported mismatch payment is made).

(v) The term funded taxable payment means an amount paid or accrued by a foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch under its tax law (other than an amount that gives rise to a hybrid deduction), to the extent that—

(A) The amount is deductible (but, if such tax law contains hybrid mismatch rules, determined without regard to a provision substantially similar to this section);

(B) Another foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch includes the amount in income, as determined under §1.267A-3(a) (by treating the amount as the specified payment); and

(C) The amount is neither a disqualified hybrid amount (but subject to the special rule of paragraph (g) of this section) nor included or includible in income in the United States. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(3)(v)(C), an amount is included or includible in income in the United States to the extent that, if the amount were a tentative disqualified hybrid amount (as described in §1.267A-3(b)(1)), it would be reduced under the rules of §1.267A-3(b)(2) through (5).

(vi) If a deduction or loss that is not incurred by a foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch is directly or indirectly made available to offset income of the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch under its tax law, then, for purposes of this paragraph (c), the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch to which the deduction or loss is made available and the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that incurs the deduction or loss are treated as a single foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch. For example, if a deduction or loss of one foreign tax resident is made available to offset income of another foreign tax resident under a tax consolidation, fiscal unity, group relief, loss sharing, or any similar regime, then the foreign tax residents are treated as a single foreign tax resident for purposes of this paragraph (c).

(vii) An imported mismatch payee that directly makes a funded taxable payment to the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that incurs a hybrid deduction is allocated the hybrid deduction before the hybrid deduction (to the extent remaining) is allocated to an imported mismatch payee that indirectly makes a funded taxable payment to the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that incurs the hybrid deduction.

(viii) An imported mismatch payee that, through a chain of funded taxable payments consisting of a particular number of funded taxable payments, indirectly makes a funded taxable payment to the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that incurs a hybrid deduction is allocated the hybrid deduction before the hybrid deduction (to the extent remaining) is allocated to an imported mismatch payee that, through a chain of funded taxable payments consisting of a greater number of funded taxable payments, indirectly makes a funded taxable payment to the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that incurs the hybrid deduction.

(4) Adjustments to ensure amounts not taken into account more than once. To the extent that the income attributable to an imported mismatch payment is directly or indirectly offset by a hybrid deduction, the imported mismatch payment, the hybrid deduction, and, if applicable, each funded taxable payment comprising the chain of funded taxable payments connecting the imported mismatch payee, each intermediary foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch, and the foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that incurs the hybrid deduction is correspondingly reduced; as a result, such amounts are not again taken into account under this section.

(d) Calculations based on aggregate amounts during accounting period. For purposes of this section, amounts are determined on an accounting period basis. Thus, for example, the amount of imported mismatch payments made by an imported mismatch payer to a particular imported mismatch payee is equal to the aggregate amount of all such payments made by the imported mismatch payer during the accounting period.

(e) Pro rata adjustments. Amounts are allocated on a pro rata basis if there would otherwise be more than one permissible manner in which to allocate the amounts. Thus, for example, if multiple imported mismatch payers make an imported mismatch payment to a single imported mismatch payee, the sum of such payments exceeds the hybrid deduction incurred by the imported mismatch payee, and the payments are not factually-related imported mismatch payments, then a pro rata portion of each imported mismatch payer's payment is considered to directly fund the hybrid deduction. See §1.267A-6(c)(9) and (12) for examples illustrating the application of this paragraph (e).

(f) Special rules regarding manner in which this section is applied—(1) Initial application of this section. This section is first applied without regard to paragraph (f)(2) of this section and by taking into account only the following hybrid deductions:

(i) A hybrid deduction described in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, to the extent that—

(A) The deduction would be disallowed if the foreign tax resident's or foreign taxable branch's tax law contained a rule substantially similar to §1.267A-2(a)(4) (payments pursuant to interest-free loans and similar arrangements); or

(B) The paid or accrued amount giving rise to the deduction is included in income in a third country but is not included in income in another country as a result of a hybrid or branch arrangement.

(ii) A hybrid deduction described in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section (deductions with respect to equity).

(2) Subsequent application of this section takes into account certain amounts deemed to be imported mismatch payments. After this section is applied pursuant to the rules of paragraph (f)(1) of this section, the section is then applied by taking into account only hybrid deductions other than those described in paragraph (f)(1) of this section. In addition, when applying this section in the manner described in the previous sentence, for purposes of determining the extent to which the income attributable to an imported mismatch payment is directly or indirectly offset by a hybrid deduction, an amount paid or accrued by a foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that is not a specified party is deemed to be an imported mismatch payment (and such foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch and a foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch that includes the amount in income, as determined under §1.267A-3(a), by treating the amount as the specified payment, are deemed to be an imported mismatch payer and an imported mismatch payee, respectively) to the extent that—

(i) The tax law of such foreign tax resident or foreign taxable branch contains hybrid mismatch rules; and

(ii) The amount is subject to disallowance under a provision of the hybrid mismatch rules substantially similar to this section. See §1.267A-6(c)(10) and (12) for examples illustrating the application of paragraph (f)(2) of this section.

(g) Special rule regarding extent to which a disqualified hybrid amount of a CFC prevents a hybrid deduction or a funded taxable payment. A disqualified hybrid amount of a CFC is taken into account for purposes of paragraph (b)(2)(iv)(A) or (c)(3)(v)(C) of this section (certain deductions not hybrid deductions or funded taxable payments to the extent the amount giving rise to the deduction is a disqualified hybrid amount) only to the extent of the excess (if any) of the disqualified hybrid amount over the sum of the amounts described in paragraphs (g)(1) through (3) of this section. See §1.267A-6(c)(11) for an example illustrating the application of this paragraph (g).

(1) The disqualified hybrid amount to the extent that, if allowed as a deduction, it would be allocated and apportioned to residual CFC gross income (as described in §1.951A-2(c)(5)(iii)(B)) of the CFC.

(2) The disqualified hybrid amount to the extent that, if allowed as a deduction, it would be allocated and apportioned (under the rules of section 954(b)(5)) to gross income that is taken into account in determining the CFC's subpart F income (as described in section 952 and §1.952-1), multiplied by the difference of 100 percent and the percentage of stock (by value) of the CFC that, for purposes of sections 951 and 951A, is owned (within the meaning of section 958(a), and determined by treating a domestic partnership as foreign) by one or more tax residents of the United States that are United States shareholders of the CFC.

(3) The disqualified hybrid amount to the extent that, if allowed as a deduction, it would be allocated and apportioned (under the rules of §1.951A-2(c)(3)) to gross tested income of the CFC (as described in section 951A(c)(2)(A) and §1.951A-2(c)(1)), multiplied by the difference of 100 percent and the percentage of stock (by value) of the CFC that, for purposes of sections 951 and 951A, is owned (within the meaning of section 958(a), and determined by treating a domestic partnership as foreign) by one or more tax residents of the United States that are United States shareholders of the CFC.

[T.D. 9896, 85 FR 19836, Apr. 8, 2020]