(a) In general. Every stock life insurance company subject to the tax imposed by section 802 shall establish and maintain a policyholders surplus account. This account shall be established as of January 1, 1959, and the beginning or opening balance of the policyholders surplus account on that date shall be zero.

(b) Additions to policyholders surplus account. The amount added to the policyholders surplus account for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 1958, shall be the sum of:

(1) An amount equal to 50 percent of the amount by which the gain from operations for the taxable year exceeds the taxable investment income,

(2) The deduction allowed or allowable under section 809(d)(5) (as limited by section 809(f)) for certain nonparticipating contracts, and

(3) The deduction allowed or allowable under section 809(d)(6) (as limited by section 809(f)) for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1963, for group life and group accident and health insurance contracts, and for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1962, for accident and health insurance and group life insurance contracts.

(c) Subtractions from policyholders surplus account—(1) In general. There shall be subtracted from the cumulative balance in the policyholders surplus account at the end of any taxable year, computed without diminution by reason of distributions made during the taxable year, an amount equal to the sum of:

(i) The amount which (without regard to subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph) is treated under section 815(a) as distributed out of the policyholders surplus account for the taxable year, plus

(ii) The amount (determined without regard to section 802(a)(3)) by which the tax imposed for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1962, by section 802(a)(1), and for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1961, by section 802(a), is increased by reason of section 802(b)(3).

In addition, there shall be subtracted from the policyholders surplus account for the taxable year those amounts which, at the close of the taxable year, are subtracted or treated as subtracted from the policyholders surplus account under section 815(d) (1) and (4) and paragraphs (a) and (d) of §1.815-6. For purposes of this paragraph, the subtractions from the policyholders surplus account shall be treated as made in the following order:

(a) First the amount determined under section 815(c)(3) by reason of distributions to shareholders during the taxable year which are treated as being made out of the policyholders surplus account;

(b) Next the amount elected to be subtracted from the policyholders surplus account for the taxable year under section 815(d)(1);

(c) Then the amount which is treated as a subtraction from the policyholders surplus account for the taxable year by reason of the limitation provided in section 815(d)(4); and

(d) Finally the amount taken into account upon termination as a life insurance company as provided in section 815(d)(2).

(2) Method of computing amount subtracted from policyholders surplus account—(i) Where life insurance company taxable income, computed without regard to section 802(b)(3), exceeds $25,000. If the life insurance company taxable income for any taxable year computed under section 802(b), computed without regard to section 802(b)(3), exceeds $25,000, the amount subtracted from the policyholders surplus account shall be determined by multiplying the amount treated as distributed out of such account by a ratio, the numerator of which is 100 percent and the denominator of which is 100 percent minus the sum of the normal tax rate and the surtax rate for the taxable year.

(ii) Where life insurance company taxable income does not exceed $25,000. If the life insurance company taxable income for any taxable year, computed under section 802(b), does not exceed $25,000, the amount subtracted from the policyholders surplus account shall be determined by multiplying the amount treated as distributed out of such account by a ratio, the numerator of which is 100 percent and the denominator of which is 100 percent minus the normal tax rate for the taxable year.

(iii) Where life insurance company taxable income, computed without regard to section 802(b)(3) does not exceed $25,000, but computed with regard to section 802(b)(3) does exceed $25,000. If the life insurance company taxable income for any taxable year, computed without regard to section 802(b)(3) does not exceed $25,000, but computed with regard to section 802(b)(3) does exceed $25,000, the amount subtracted from the policyholders surplus account shall be determined in the following manner:

(a) First, determine the amount by which $25,000 exceeds the amount determined under section 802(b) (1) and (2);

(b) Then, multiply the amount determined under (a) by a ratio, the numerator of which is 100 percent minus the normal tax rate and the denominator of which is 100 percent;

(c) Next, determine the amount by which the amount treated as distributed out of the policyholders surplus account exceeds the amount determined under (b) and multiply such excess by a ratio, the numerator of which is 100 percent and the denominator of which is 100 percent minus the sum of the normal tax rate and the surtax rate; and

(d) Finally, add the amounts determined under (a) and (c).

(3) Illustration of principles. The application of section 815(c)(3) and subparagraph (2) of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

(d) Illustration of principles. The application of section 815(c) and this section may be illustrated by the following example:

(e) Special rule for 1959 and 1960. For a special transitional rule applicable to any increase in tax liability under section 802(b)(3) for the taxable years 1959 and 1960 which is due solely to the operation of section 815(c)(3) and this section, see section 802(a)(3).

[T.D. 6535, 26 FR 543, Jan. 20, 1961, as amended by T.D. 6886, 31 FR 8689, June 23, 1966; T.D. 9849, 84 FR 9236, Mar. 14, 2019]