(a) Carryover requirement. Section 381(c)(11) provides that, for purposes of determining amounts deductible under section 404 for any taxable year, the acquiring corporation shall be considered after the date of distribution or transfer to be the distributor or transferor corporation in respect of any pension, annuity, stock bonus, or profit-sharing plan.

(b) Nature of carryover.

(1) Primarily, section 381(c)(11) and this section apply to the amount of any unused deductions or excess contributions carryovers which, in the absence of the transaction causing section 381 to apply, would have been available to the distributor or transferor corporation under section 404. Thus, for example, this section applies to unused deductions under a profit-sharing or stock bonus trust which, in accordance with the second sentence of section 404(a)(3)(A), would have been available in succeeding taxable years to the transferor corporation if the transfer of assets to the acquiring corporation had not occurred.

(2) Section 381(c)(11) also permits or requires the acquiring corporation to be treated as though it were the distributor or transferor corporation for the purpose of satisfying any conditions which would have been required of the distributor or transferor corporation in the absence of the distribution or transfer, so that it may be determined whether the distributor or transferor corporation, or the acquiring corporation, is entitled to take a deduction under section 404 in respect of a trust or plan established by the distributor or transferor corporation. Thus, for example, in a case when the taxable year of the transferor corporation ends on the date of transfer pursuant to section 381(b)(1), that corporation is entitled, pursuant to the provisions of section 404(a)(6) and paragraph (c) of §1.404(a)-1, to a deduction in such taxable year for a payment to a qualified trust of that corporation made by the acquiring corporation after the close of such taxable year but within the time specified in section 404(a)(6). In further illustration, if the transferor corporation were to establish a qualified plan, and if the plan were maintained as a qualified plan by the acquiring corporation, then any contributions paid under the plan by the acquiring corporation (other than those which are deductible by the transferor corporation by reason of section 404(a)(6)) would be deductible under section 404 by the acquiring corporation even though the plan were exclusively for the benefit of former employees of the transferor corporation. Also, for example, if the transferor corporation were to adopt an annuity plan during its taxable year ending on the date of transfer, the acquiring corporation would be entitled, subject to the provisions of section 401(b), to amend the plan so as to make it retroactively satisfy the requirements of section 401(a)(3), (4), (5), and (6) for the period beginning with the date on which the plan was put into effect.

(c) Taxable year of deduction. The first taxable year of the acquiring corporation in which any amount shall be allowed as a deduction to that corporation by reason of section 381(c)(11) and this section shall be its first taxable year ending after the date of distribution or transfer.

(d) Requirements for deductions.

(1) In order for any amount paid by the acquiring corporation (other than amounts deductible under section 404(a)(5)) to be deductible by the acquiring corporation by reason of this section in respect of a trust or nontrusteed annuity plan which is established by a distributor or transferor corporation and maintained by the acquiring corporation, the contributions must be paid (or deemed to have been paid under section 404(a)(6)) by the acquiring corporation in a taxable year of that corporation which ends with or within a year of the trust for which it is exempt under section 501(a), or, in the case of a nontrusteed annuity plan, for which it meets the requirements of section 404(a)(2). See, however, section 404(a)(4) and §1.404(a)-11 for rules relating to deductions for contributions to foreign-situs trusts. The trust or plan which is established by the distributor or transferor corporation and maintained by the acquiring corporation may separately satisfy the requirements of section 401(a) or section 404(a)(2) or may, together with other trusts or plans of the acquiring corporation, constitute a single plan which qualifies under section 401(a) or meets the requirements of section 404(a)(2).

(2) Excess contributions paid under a qualified trust or plan established by the transferor or distributor corporation may be carried over and, subject to the applicable limitations, deducted by the acquiring corporation in a taxable year ending after the date of distribution or transfer regardless of whether the trust is exempt, or the plan meets the requirements of section 404(a)(2), during such taxable year. There are, however, special rules for computing the limitations on the amount of excess contributions which are deductible in a taxable year ending after the trust or plan has terminated (see paragraph (a) of §1.404(a)-13). For this purpose, the pension, annuity, stock bonus, or profit-sharing plan of the distributor or transferor corporation under which the excess contributions were made shall be considered continued (and not terminated) by the acquiring corporation if, after the date of distribution or transfer, the acquiring corporation continues the plan as a separate and distinct plan of its own which continues to qualify under section 401(a), or to meet the requirements of section 404(a)(2), or consolidates or replaces that plan with a comparable plan. See subparagraph (4) of this paragraph for rules relating to what constitutes a “comparable” plan.

(3) In order for any amount paid by the acquiring corporation to be deductible by the acquiring corporation as an unused deduction carried over from a qualified profit-sharing or stock bonus trust established by a distributor or transferor corporation, the acquiring corporation must continue such trust established by the distributor or transferor corporation as a separate and distinct trust of its own which continues to qualify under section 401(a), or must consolidate or replace that trust with a comparable trust. In addition, the amount paid by the acquiring corporation will be deductible as an unused deduction carried over from the transferor or distributor corporation only if it is paid into the profit-sharing or stock bonus trust established by the transferor or distributor corporation, or the comparable trust, in a taxable year of the acquiring corporation which ends with or within a year of such trust (or such comparable trust) for which it meets the requirements of section 401(a) and is exempt under section 501(a). See subparagraph (4) of this paragraph for rules relating to what constitutes a “comparable” trust.

(4) For purposes of subparagraphs (2) and (3) of this paragraph, a plan under which deductions are determined pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) of section 404(a) shall be considered comparable to another plan under which deductions are determined pursuant to either of those paragraphs, and a plan under which deductions are determined pursuant to paragraph (3) of section 404(a) shall be considered comparable to another plan under which deductions are determined pursuant to such paragraph (3). Thus, a profit-sharing plan (which qualifies under section 401(a)) established by the transferor or distributor corporation shall, for purposes of subparagraphs (2) and (3) of this paragraph, be considered terminated if, after the date of distribution or transfer, the acquiring corporation transfers the funds accumulated under the profit-sharing plan into a pension plan covering the same employees. In such a case, excess contributions paid under the profit-sharing plan by the distributor or transferor corporation may be carried over and deducted by the acquiring corporation in a taxable year ending after the date of distribution or transfer subject to the limitations in section 404(a)(3)(A). On the other hand, unused deductions attributable to the profit sharing plan may not be carried over and used by the acquiring corporation as a basis for deducting amounts contributed by it to the pension plan.

(e) Effect of consolidation or replacement of plan on prior contributions. If a pension, annuity, stock bonus, or profit-sharing plan which was established by a distributor or transferor corporation is terminated after the date of distribution or transfer because of consolidation or replacement with a comparable plan of the acquiring corporation, then the contributions paid to or under its plan by the distributor or transferor corporation on or before the date of distribution or transfer shall not be disallowed under section 404 merely because of the termination of the plan which was established by that corporation, provided that the termination does not cause the plan to fail to qualify under section 401(a).

(f) Amounts deductible under section 404. Section 381(c)(11) and this section apply only to amounts which are otherwise deductible under section 404 and the regulations thereunder. See §§1.404(a)-1 through 1.404(d)-1. Thus, to be deductible by reason of this section, contributions paid by the acquiring corporation must be expenses which otherwise satisfy the conditions of section 162 (relating to trade or business expenses). No deduction shall be allowed by reason of section 381(c)(11) and this section for a contribution which is allowable under section 162 but is not allowable under section 404. Thus, the acquiring corporation shall not be allowed a deduction by reason of this section in respect of a plan established by a distributor or transferor corporation if the contribution would not otherwise be deductible under section 404 by reason of section 404(c) and §1.404(c)-1. On the other hand, any unused deductions or excess contributions of a distributor or transferor corporation which are carried over from 1939 Code years shall be deductible by the acquiring corporation if the requirements of this section, section 404(d), and §1.404(d)-1 are satisfied.

(g) Cost of past service credits. In computing the cost of past service credits under a plan with respect to employees of the distributor or transferor corporation, the acquiring corporation may include the cost of credits for periods during which the employees were in the service of the distributor or transferor corporation.

(h) Separate carryovers required. The excess contributions which are available to a distributor or transferor corporation under the provisions of section 404(a)(1)(D) and section 404(a)(3)(A) at the close of the date of distribution or transfer and are carried over to the acquiring corporation under this section shall be kept separate and distinct from each other and from any excess contributions which are available to the distributor or transferor corporation at that time under the provisions of section 404(a)(7) and are carried over to the acquiring corporation under this section. If there are excess contributions carried over to the acquiring corporation from more than one transferor or distributor corporation, the excess contributions of each transferor or distributor corporation shall be kept separate and distinct from those of the other transferor or distributor corporations and, with respect to each such transferor or distributor corporation, shall be kept separate and distinct as provided in the preceding sentence. See, however, paragraph (i) of this section for rules for applying the provisions of section 404(a)(3)(A) when the acquiring corporation maintains two or more profit-sharing or stock bonus trusts, one or more of which was established by a distributor or transferor corporation. The requirements in this paragraph shall apply with respect to any excess contributions which are carried over to the acquiring corporation from a distributor or transferor corporation under the provisions of section 404(d) and this section.

(i) Limitations applicable to profit-sharing or stock bonus trusts. When contributions are paid by the acquiring corporation after the date of distribution or transfer to two or more profit-sharing or stock bonus trusts, and one or more of such trusts was established by a distributor or transferor corporation, such trusts shall be considered as a single trust in applying the provisions of section 404(a)(3)(A) under this section. Accordingly, in determining its secondary limitation, and its excess contributions carryover, under section 404(a)(3)(A) in any taxable year ending after the date of distribution or transfer, the acquiring corporation shall take into accounts its primary limitations, and the deductions allowed or allowable to it, for all prior years under the limitations provided in those sections, and also the primary limitations of, and deductions allowed or allowable to, the distributor or transferor corporation or corporations for all prior years under the limitations provided in those sections.

(j) Successive carryovers. The provisions of section 381(c)(11) and this section shall apply to an acquiring corporation which, in a distribution or transfer to which section 381(a) applies acquires the assets of a distributor or transferor corporation which has previously acquired the assets of another corporation in a transaction to which section 381(a) applies, even though, in computing an unused deductions or excess contributions carryover to the second acquiring corporation, it is necessary to take into account contributions paid by, and limitations applicable to, the first distributor or transferor corporation.

(k) Information to be furnished by acquiring corporation. The acquiring corporation shall furnish such information with respect to a plan established by a distributor or transferor corporation as will, consistently with the principles of section 404, establish that the provisions of such section and this section apply. For purposes of this section, the district director may require any other information that he considers necessary to determine deductions allowable under section 404 and this section or qualification under section 401. Any unused deductions or excess contributions carried over from a distributor or transferor corporation pursuant to this section shall be properly identified with the corporation which would have been permitted to use those deductions or contributions in the absence of the transaction causing section 381 to apply.

(l) Illustration. The application of this section may be illustrated by the following example:

[T.D. 6556, 26 FR 2405, Mar. 22, 1961, as amended by T.D. 7168, 37 FR 5024, Mar. 9, 1972; T.D. 9849, 84 FR 9233, Mar. 14, 2019]