(a) Application of statutory percentage to earnings and profits. The amount of the minimum distribution required to be received by a United States shareholder with respect to stock to which the election under paragraph (c) of §1.963-1 applies for the taxable year in order to qualify for a section 963 exclusion for such year shall be the amount, if any, determined by the multiplication of the statutory percentage applicable for the taxable year by—
(1) In the case of a first-tier election, such shareholder's proportionate share (as determined under paragraph (d)(2) of this section) of the earnings and profits for the taxable year of the single first-tier corporation to which the election relates,
(2) In the case of a chain election, the consolidated earnings and profits (as determined under paragraph (d)(3) of this section) with respect to such shareholder for the taxable year of the chain to which the election relates, or
(3) In the case of a group election, the consolidated earnings and profits (as determined under paragraph (d)(3) of this section) with respect to such shareholder for the taxable year of the group to which the election relates.
For the requirement that the overall United States and foreign income tax incurred in respect of a minimum distribution from a chain or group must equal or exceed either 90 percent of the United States corporate tax rate applied against pretax and predistribution consolidated earnings and profits or, with the application of the special rules set forth therein, must equal or exceed the overall United States and foreign income tax which would have resulted from a pro rata minimum distribution, see paragraph (a)(1) of §1.963-4.
(b) Statutory percentage. The statutory percentage (referred to in paragraph (a) of this section) for the taxable year shall be determined by applying the effective foreign tax rate (as defined in paragraph (c) of this section) for such year with respect to the single first-tier corporation, chain, or group, as the case may be, against—
(1) The table set forth in section 963(b)(1) in the case of an election to secure an exclusion under section 963 for a taxable year of the United States shareholder beginning in 1963 and a taxable year entirely within the surcharge period ending before January 1, 1970.
(2) The table set forth in section 963(b)(2) in the case of an election to secure an exclusion under section 963 for a taxable year of the U.S. shareholder beginning in 1964 or for a taxable year of such shareholder beginning in 1969 and ending in 1970 to the extent subparagraph (B) of section 963(b)(3) applies,
(3) The table set forth in section 963(b)(3) in the case of an election to secure an exclusion under section 963 for a taxable year of the U.S. shareholder beginning after December 31, 1964 except a taxable year which includes any part of the surcharge period, or
(4) The table set forth in paragraph (b) of §1.963-8 in the case of an election to secure an exclusion under section 963 for the calendar year 1970.
(c) Effective foreign tax rate—(1) Single first-tier corporation. For purposes of section 963 the term “effective foreign tax rate” for a taxable year means, with respect to a single first-tier corporation, the percentage which—
(i) The United States shareholder's proportionate share (as determined under paragraph (e)(1) of this section) of the foreign income tax of such corporation for such taxable year is of—
(ii) The sum of—
(a) The United States shareholder's proportionate share (as determined under paragraph (d)(2) of this section) of the earnings and profits of such corporation for such taxable year, and
(b) The amount referred to in subdivision (i) of this subparagraph.
(2) Chain or group of corporations. For purposes of section 963, the term “effective foreign tax rate” for a taxable year means, with respect to a chain or group, the percentage which—
(i) The consolidated foreign income taxes (as determined under paragraph (e)(2) of this section) of such chain or group with respect to the United States shareholder for such taxable year is of—
(ii) The sum of—
(a) The consolidated earnings and profits (as determined under paragraph (d)(3) of this section) of such chain or group with respect to such United States shareholder for such taxable year, and
(b) The amount referred to in subdivision (i) of this subparagraph.
(3) Treatment of United States tax as foreign tax. For the purpose solely of determining the effective foreign tax rate under this paragraph, if a foreign corporation has pretax earnings and profits attributable to income from sources within the United States for the taxable year upon which it pays United States income tax and if distributions from the earnings and profits of such corporation for such year to the electing United States shareholder with respect to stock to which the election to secure an exclusion under section 963 relates do not entitled such shareholder to the dividends-received deduction under section 245, the amount of the United States income tax shall be taken into account as though such tax were foreign income tax. The amount so treated as foreign income tax shall not exceed 90 percent of an amount determined by multiplying such pretax earnings and profits attributable to income from sources within the United States by a percentage which is the sum of the normal tax rate and the surtax rate (determined without regard to the surtax exemption) prescribed by section 11 for the taxable year of the United States shareholder.
(d) Determination of proportionate share of earnings and profits and consolidated earnings and profits—(1) Earnings and profits of foreign corporations. For purposes of §§1.963-1 through 1.963-8, the earnings and profits, or deficit in earnings and profits, for the taxable year, of a single first-tier corporation or of a foreign corporation in a chain or group shall be the amount of its earnings and profits for such year, determined under section 964(a) and §1.964-1 but without reduction for foreign income tax or for distributions made by such corporation, less—
(i) In the case of a foreign corporation included in a chain or group, the amount of any distributions received (computed without reduction for any income tax paid or accrued by such corporation with respect to such distributions) by such corporation during its taxable year from the earnings and profits (whether or not from earnings and profits of the taxable year to which the election under section 963 applies) of another foreign corporation in the chain or group.
(ii) In the case of every foreign corporation, the amount of foreign income tax paid or accrued by such corporation during its taxable year other than foreign income tax referred to in subdivision (i) and (iii) of this subparagraph, and
(iii) In the case of a foreign corporation included in a chain or group, the foreign income tax paid or accrued by such corporation with respect to distributions from the earnings and profits of any other foreign corporation in the chain or group for the taxable year of such other corporation to which the election under section 963 applies, but only if the U.S. shareholder chooses under this subdivision to take such tax into account in determining the effective foreign tax rate rather than count it toward the amount of the minimum distribution as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of §1.963-3.
In the event that the foreign income tax of a corporation included in a chain or group depends upon the extent to which distributions are made by such corporation, the amount of foreign income tax referred to in subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph shall, only for purposes of determining the effective foreign tax rate, be the amount which would have been paid or accrued if no distributions had been made. For the rules in other cases involving corporations whose foreign income tax varies with distributions, see §1.963-5. For the manner of computing the earnings and profits of a foreign branch treated as a wholly owned foreign subsidiary corporation see paragraph (f)(4)(ii) of §1.963-1.
(2) Shareholder's proportionate share of earnings and profits—(i) Corporation with earnings and profits—(a) In general. A United States shareholder's proportionate share, with respect to stock to which the election to secure an exclusion under section 963 relates, of the earnings and profits of a foreign corporation (not including a foreign branch described in (b) of this subdivision) for its taxable year shall be the share which such shareholder would receive if the total amount of such corporation's earnings and profits, as determined under subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, for such year were distributed on the last day of such corporation's taxable year on which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation or is a foreign corporation by reason of the ownership of stock in which the United States shareholder indirectly owns within the meaning of section 958(a)(2) stock in a controlled foreign corporation.
(b) Foreign branch treated as a foreign subsidiary corporation. A United States shareholder's proportionate share of the earnings and profits, for the taxable year, of a branch treated as a wholly owned foreign subsidiary corporation and included in a group under paragraph (f)(4) of §1.963-1 shall be the total earnings and profits of such branch for the taxable year, as determined under paragraph (f)(4)(ii) of such section.
(c) Indirectly held foreign corporations. If the proportionate share to be determined is of earnings and profits of a foreign corporation the stock of which is owned by the United States shareholder by reason of its ownership of stock (with respect to which the election relates) in another corporation, such shareholder's proportionate share of such earnings and profits for the taxable year shall be determined on the basis of the amount such shareholder would receive from such foreign corporation with respect to stock in such foreign corporation if there were distributed for the taxable year all such earnings and profits, as determined under subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, and of all the earnings and profits of all other corporations through which such earnings and profits must pass in order to be received by such shareholder with respect to the stock to which the election relates. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the amount received by the shareholder from the earnings and profits of a foreign corporation shall be determined without taking into account deductions (whether or not allowable under chapter 1 of the Code) of other foreign corporations through which such earnings and profits are distributed.
(d) More than one class of stock. If a foreign corporation for a taxable year has more than one class of stock outstanding, the earnings and profits of such corporation for such year which shall be taken into account with respect to any one class of such stock shall be the earnings and profits which would be distributed with respect to such class if all earnings and profits of such corporation for such year were distributed on the last day of such corporation's taxable year, on which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation or is a foreign corporation by reason of the ownership of stock in which the United States shareholder indirectly owns within the meaning of section 958(a)(2) stock in a controlled foreign corporation. If an arrearage in dividends for prior taxable years exists with respect to a class of preferred stock of such corporation, the earnings and profits for the taxable year shall be attributed to such arrearage only to the extent such arrearage exceeds the earnings and profits of such corporation remaining from prior taxable years beginning after December 31, 1962. For example, if a controlled foreign corporation, using the calendar year as its taxable year, has earnings and profits for 1963 of $100 accumulated at December 31, 1963, and an arrearage of $150 for such year in respect of preferred stock, the earnings and profits for 1964 attributable to such arrearage may not exceed $50 ($150−$100).
(e) Discretionary power to allocate earnings to different classes of stock. If the allocation of a foreign corporation's earnings and profits for the taxable year between two or more classes of stock depends upon the exercise of discretion by that body of persons which exercises with respect to such corporation the power ordinarily exercised by the board of directors of a domestic corporation, the allocation of such earnings and profits to such classes shall be made for purposes of this subdivision as if such classes constituted one class of stock in which each share has the same rights to dividends as any other share, unless a different method of allocation of such earnings and profits is made by such body not later than 90 days after the close of such taxable year.
(f) Illustrations. The application of this subdivision may be illustrated by the following examples:
(ii) Deficit in earnings and profits of a corporation in a chain or group. A United States shareholder's proportionate share, with respect to stock to which the election to secure an exclusion under section 963 relates, of a deficit in earnings and profits of a foreign corporation in a chain or group for a taxable year shall be the portion of such deficit which, if such corporation had earnings and profits for such year as determined under subparagraph (1) of this paragraph and all of such earnings and profits were distributed on the date described in subdivision (i)(a) of this subparagraph, the share of such earnings and profits such shareholder would receive bears to the total of the earnings and profits which would be so distributed on such date. For the determination of the deficit of a foreign branch treated as a wholly owned foreign subsidiary corporation and included in a group, see paragraph (f)(4)(ii) of §1.963-1. A United States shareholder's proportionate share of the deficit of such a branch shall be the total deficit of such branch for the taxable year.
(iii) Controlled foreign corporation for part of year. If—
(a) Stock in a foreign corporation is owned within the meaning of section 958(a) by a United States shareholder on the last day in the taxable year of such corporation for which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation to which applies an election by such shareholder to secure an exclusion under section 963 with respect to such stock, or
(b) Stock in a foreign corporation which is not a controlled foreign corporation is owned within the meaning of section 958(a) by a United States shareholder on the last day in the taxable year of such corporation on which another foreign corporation (which, by reason of the stock so owned, is owned by such shareholder within the meaning of section 958(a)) is a controlled foreign corporation to which applies an election by such shareholder to secure an exclusion under section 963 with respect to such stock,
the earnings and profits of such foreign corporation for the taxable year which are taken into account in determining such shareholder's proportionate share thereof shall be an amount of such earnings and profits, determined as provided in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, which bears to the total of such earnings and profits the same ratio which the part (computed on a daily basis) of such year during which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation (or, in case such corporation is not a controlled foreign corporation, during which such other corporation is a controlled foreign corporation) bears to the total taxable year. If the United States shareholder by sufficient records and accounts establishes to the satisfaction of the district director the gross income received or accrued, and the deductions paid or accrued, for the part of such year during which such corporation is a controlled foreign corporation (or, in case such corporation is not a controlled foreign corporation, during which such other corporation is a controlled foreign corporation), the amount of earnings and profits based on such records and accounts may be used in lieu of the amount determined under the preceding sentence. The application of this subdivision may be illustrated by the following examples:
(b) If B Corporation had been a controlled foreign corporation throughout 1963, M Corporation's proportionate share of the earnings and profits of corporations A and B for 1963 would have been $20 (0.20 × $100) and $10 (0.20 × 0.50 × $100), respectively.
(c) If corporations A and B had each been a controlled foreign corporation only for the period of January 1, 1963, through June 30, 1963, M Corporation's proportionate share of the earnings and profits of such corporations would have been $9.92 (0.20 × [181/365 × $100]) and $4.98 (0.20 × 0.50 × [181/365 × $100]), respectively.
(d) If A Corporation had been a controlled foreign corporation throughout 1963 or during the period of July 1, 1963, through December 31, 1963, but B Corporation had been a controlled foreign corporation only during the period of January 1, 1963, through June 30, 1963, M Corporation's proportionate share of the earnings and profits of such corporations would have been $20 (0.20 × $100) and $4.96 (0.20 × 0.50 × [181/365 × $100]), respectively.
(3) Consolidated earnings and profits with respect to United States shareholder. The consolidated earnings and profits of a chain or group with respect to any United States shareholder for the taxable year shall be the sum of such shareholder's proportionate shares of the earnings and profits, and of the deficit in earnings and profits, determined under subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, for such year of all foreign corporations, whether or not controlled foreign corporations, in such chain or group.
(e) Foreign income taxes used in determining effective foreign tax rate. For purposes of determining the effective foreign tax rate under paragraph (c) of this section—
(1) Shareholder's proportionate share of taxes of a foreign corporation. The foreign income tax of a foreign corporation for a taxable year shall consist of the foreign income tax referred to in paragraph (d)(1)(ii) of this section with respect to such year and, if the United States shareholder chooses to take the foreign income tax described in paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of this section into account in determining the effective foreign tax rate of a chain or group which includes such foreign corporation, the foreign income tax referred to in such paragraph with respect to such year. A United States shareholder's proportionate share, with respect to stock to which the election to secure an exclusion under section 963 applies, of the foreign income tax of such foreign corporation for a taxable year shall be the same proportion of such foreign income tax that such shareholder's proportionate share (as determined under paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section) of the earnings and profits of such corporation for such year bears to the total earnings and profits of such corporation for such year. A United States shareholder's proportionate share of the foreign income tax, for the taxable year, of a branch treated as a wholly owned foreign subsidiary corporation and included in a group under paragraph (f)(4) of §1.963-1 shall be the total foreign income tax of such branch for the taxable year.
(2) Consolidated foreign income taxes with respect to United States shareholder. The consolidated foreign income taxes of a chain or group with respect to a United States shareholder for the taxable year of such chain or group shall be the sum of such shareholder's proportionate shares (as determined under subparagraph (1) of this paragraph) of the foreign income tax of all foreign corporations, whether or not controlled foreign corporations, in such chain or group.
(3) Taxes paid by foreign corporation on distributions received during its distribution period. If a distribution received by a foreign corporation in a chain or group from another foreign corporation in such chain or group after the close of the recipient's taxable year but during its distribution period for such year is allocated to the earnings and profits of such recipient corporation for such year under paragraph (c)(2) of §1.963-3, then any foreign income tax paid or accrued by such recipient corporation on such distribution shall be treated as paid or accrued for such taxable year.
(f) Illustrations. The application of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:
Dividend | $28.98 |
Gross-up under section 78 ($28.98/ $70 × $30) | 12.42 |
Taxable income | 41.40 |
U.S. tax before foreign tax credit ($41.40 × 0.48) | 19.87 |
Foreign tax credit ($12.42 + [0.06 × $28.98]) | 14.16 |
U.S. tax payable | 5.71 |
(b) Corporation M chooses under paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of this section to take the foreign tax paid by A Corporation on the dividend received from B Corporation into account in determining the effective foreign tax rate of the chain rather than count it toward the amount of the minimum distribution. Thus, to determine consolidated earnings and profits of the chain for 1966, A Corporation's pretax earnings and profits of $151.50 are first reduced by the intercorporate dividend of $51.50 received from B Corporation so that A Corporation has pretax and predistribution earnings and profits of $100 ($151.50 less $51.50). Corporation A's pretax and predistribution earnings and profits of $100 are then reduced by the foreign income tax of $30 (30 percent of $100) paid on such earnings and profits, resulting in predistribution earnings and profits of $70 ($100 less $30). Since M Corporation chooses to count toward the effective foreign tax rate, rather than toward the minimum distribution, A Corporation's foreign income tax of $15.45 (0.30 × 51.50) imposed on the dividend received from B Corporation, such predistribution earnings and profits of $70 of A Corporation are further reduced by such $15.45 of tax to $54.55 ($70−$15.45). Corporation B, having received no dividends from any other corporation in the chain, has predistribution earnings and profits of $70 ($100 less foreign income tax of $30).
(c) The consolidated earnings and profits of the chain for 1966 are $124.55 ($54.55 + $70). The consolidated foreign income taxes for such year are $75.45 ($30 + $15.45 + $30). The effective foreign tax rate of the chain for 1966 is 37.73 percent ($75.45/[$124.55 + $75.45]). The statutory percentage for 1966 under section 963(b)(3) is 51 percent. Thus, the amount of the minimum distribution which M Corporation must receive from the 1966 consolidated earnings and profits of the chain is $63.52 (0.51 × $124.55).
Controlled foreign corporations | |||
---|---|---|---|
A | B | C | |
Predistribution and pretax earnings and profits | $100 | $100 | $100.00 |
Foreign income tax | 15 | 25 | 35.00 |
Predistribution earnings and profits | 85 | 75 | 65.00 |
M Corporation's proportionate share of earnings and profits: | |||
(0.80 × $85) | 68 | ||
(0.60 × $75) | 45 | ||
(0.70 × $65) | 45.50 | ||
Consolidated earnings and profits with respect to M Corporation ($68 + $45 + $45.50) | 158.50 | ||
M Corporation's proportionate share of foreign income tax: | |||
($15 × [$68/$85]) | 12 | ||
($25 × [$45/$75]) | 15 | ||
($35 × [$45.50/$65]) | 24.50 | ||
Consolidated foreign income taxes with respect to M Corporation ($12 + $15 + $24.50) | 51.50 |
The effective foreign tax rate for 1966 is 24.5 percent ($51.50/[$158.50 + $51.50]) and the statutory percentage under section 963(b)(3) for such year is 76 percent. Thus, the amount of the minimum distribution which M Corporation must receive from the 1966 consolidated earnings and profits of the group is $120.46 (0.76 × $158.50).
(b) The consolidated earnings and profits, and the consolidated foreign income taxes, of the chain, and the amount of the minimum distribution for 1966, with respect to M Corporation are determined as follows:
Controlled foreign corporations | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
A | B | C | Total | |
Pretax earnings and profits | $160.00 | $145.50 | $100.00 | |
Reduction for intercorporate dividends: | ||||
(0.60 × $100) | 60.00 | |||
(0.70 × $65) | 45.50 | |||
Pretax and predistribution earnings and profits | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | |
Reduction for foreign income tax on such pretax and predistribution earnings and profits: | ||||
(0.15 × $100) | 15.00 | |||
(0.25 × $100) | 25.00 | |||
(0.35 × $100) | 35.00 | |||
Predistribution earnings and profits | 85.00 | 75.00 | 65.00 | |
Reduction for foreign income tax on intercorporate distributions of 1966 earnings and profits: | ||||
(0.15 × $60) | 9.00 | |||
(0.25 × $45.50) | 11.38 | |||
76.00 | 63.62 | 65.00 | ||
Consolidated earnings and profits with respect to M Corporation: | ||||
(0.80 × $76) | 60.80 | |||
(0.80 × 0.60 × $63.62) | 30.54 | |||
(0.80 × 0.60 × 0.70 × $65) | 21.84 | $113.18 | ||
Consolidated foreign income taxes with respect to M Corporation: | ||||
($60.80/$76 × [$15 + $9]) | 19.20 | |||
($30.54/$63.62 × [$25 + $11.38]) | 17.46 | |||
($21.84/$65 × $35) | 11.76 | $48.42 | ||
Effective foreign tax rate ($48.42/[$113.18 + $48.42]) | 29.96% | |||
Statutory percentage under section 963(b) | 69% | |||
Amount of minimum distribution which M Corporation must receive from 1966 consolidated earnings and profits (0.69 × $113.18), no amount of the tax on intercorporate distributions being counted toward the minimum distribution | $78.0 |
Controlled foreign corporations | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
A | B | C | Total | |
Pretax earnings and profits | $160.00 | $145.50 | $100.00 | |
Reduction for intercorporate dividends: | ||||
(0.60 × $100) | 60.00 | |||
(0.70 × $65) | 45.50 | |||
Pretax and predistribution earnings and profits | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | |
Reduction for foreign income tax on such pretax and predistribution earnings and profits: | ||||
(0.15 × $100) | 15.00 | |||
(0.25 × $100) | 25.00 | |||
(0.35 × $100) | 35.00 | |||
Predistribution earnings and profits | 85.00 | 75.00 | 65.00 | |
Consolidated earnings and profits with respect to M Corporation: | ||||
(0.80 × $85) | 68.00 | |||
(0.80 × 0.60 × $75) | 36.00 | |||
(0.80 × 0.60 × 0.70 × $65) | 21.84 | $125.84 | ||
Consolidated foreign income taxes with respect to M Corporation: | ||||
($68/$85 × $15) | 12.00 | |||
($36/$75 × $25) | 12.00 | |||
($21.84/$65 × $35) | 11.76 | $35.76 | ||
Effective foreign tax rate ($35.76/[$125.84 + $35.76]) | 22.13% | |||
Statutory percentage under section 963(b) | 76% | |||
Amount of minimum distribution to be made from 1966 consolidated earnings and profits with respect to M Corporation: (0.76 × $125.84) | $95.64 | |||
Foreign income tax on intercorporate distributions of 1966 earnings and profits which is counted toward the minimum distribution (see §1.963-3(b)(2)): | ||||
($68/$85 × [0.15 × $60]) | 7.20 | |||
($36/$75 × [0.25 × $45.50]) | 5.46 | $12.66 | ||
Amount of minimum distribution which M Corporation must actually receive from the chain ($95.64−$12.66) | $82.98 |
[T.D. 6759, 29 FR 13329, Sept. 25, 1964, as amended by T.D. 6767, 29 FR 14877, Nov. 3, 1964; T.D. 7100, 36 FR 5335, Mar. 20, 1971]