26 CFR § 3.3
Nontaxability of deposits
June 25, 2020
CFR

(a) In general. Section 607(d) of the Act sets forth the rules concerning the income tax effects of deposits made with respect to ceilings described in section 607(b) and §3.2. The specific treatment of deposits with respect to each of the subceilings is set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) Treatment of deposits—(1) Earnings of agreement vessels. Section 607(d)(1)(A) of the Act provides that taxable income of the party (determined without regard to section 607 of the Act) shall be reduced by an amount equal to the amount deposited for the taxable year out of amounts referred to in section 607(b)(1)(A) of the Act and §3.2(a)(1)(i). For computation of the foreign tax credit, see paragraph (i) of this section.

(2) Net proceeds from agreement vessels and fund earnings.

(i)

(a) Section 607(d)(1)(B) provides that gain from a transaction referred to in section 607(b)(1)(C) of the Act and §3.2(a)(1)(iii) (relating to ceilings on deposits of net proceeds from the sale or other disposition of agreement vessels) is not to be taken into account for purposes of the Code if an amount equal to the net proceeds from transactions referred to in such sections is deposited in the fund. Such gain is to be excluded from gross income of the party for the taxable year to which such deposit relates. Thus, the gain will not be taken into account in applying section 1231 of the Code for the year to which the deposit relates.

(b) [Reserved]

(ii)

(a) Section 607(d)(1)(C) of the Act provides that the earnings (including gains and losses) from the investment and reinvestment of amounts held in the fund and referred to in section 607(b)(1)(D) of the Act and §3.2(a)(1)(iv) shall not be taken into account for purposes of the Code if an amount equal to such earnings is deposited into the fund. Such earnings are to be excluded from the gross income of the party for the taxable year to which such deposit relates.

(b) However, for purposes of the basis adjustment under section 1232(a)(3)(E) of the Code, the ratable monthly portion of original issue discount included in gross income shall be determined without regard to section 607(d)(1)(C) of the Act.

(iii) In determining the tax liability of a party to whom subparagraph (1) of this paragraph applies, taxable income, determined after application of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, is in effect reduced by the portion of deposits which represent gain or earnings respectively referred to in subdivision (i) or (ii) of this subparagraph. The excess, if any, of such portion over taxable income determined after application of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph is taken into account in computing the net operating loss (under section 172 of the Code) for the taxable year to which such deposits relate.

(3) Time for making deposits.

(i) This section applies with respect to an amount only if such amount is deposited in the fund pursuant to the agreement and not later than the time provided in subdivision (ii), (iii), or (iv) of this subparagraph for the making of such deposit or the date the Secretary of Commerce provides, whichever is earlier.

(ii) Except as provided in subdivision (iii) or (iv) of this subparagraph, a deposit may be made not later than the last day prescribed by law (including extensions thereof) for filing the party's Federal income tax return for the taxable year to which such deposit relates.

(iii) If the party is a subsidized operator under an operating-differential subsidy contract, and does not receive on or before the 59th day preceding such last day, payment of all or part of the accrued operating-differential subsidy payable for the taxable year, the party may deposit an amount equivalent to the unpaid accrued operating-differential subsidy on or before the 60th day after receipt of payment of the accrued operating-differential subsidy.

(iv) A deposit pursuant to §3.2(a)(3)(i) (relating to underdeposits caused by audit adjustments) must be made on or before the date prescribed for such a deposit in §3.2(a)(4).

(4) Date of deposits.

(i) Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (ii) and (iii) of this subparagraph (with respect to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1969, and prior to January 1, 1972), in §3.2(a)(2)(i), or in §3.10(b), deposits made in a fund within the time specified in subparagraph (3) of this paragraph are deemed to have been made on the date of actual deposit.

(ii)

(a) For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1969, and prior to January 1, 1971, where an application for a fund is filed by a taxpayer prior to January 1, 1972, and an agreement is executed and entered into by the taxpayer prior to March l, 1972,

(b) For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1970, and prior to January 1, 1972, where an application for a fund is filed by a taxpayer prior to January 1, 1973, and an agreement is executed and entered into by the taxpayer prior to March l, 1973, and

(c) For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1971, and prior to January 1, 1975, where an agreement is executed and entered into by the taxpayer on or prior to the due date, with extensions, for the filing of his Federal income tax return for such taxable year,

deposits in a fund which are made within 60 days after the date of execution of the agreement, or on or before the due date, with extensions thereof, for the filing of his Federal income tax return for such taxable year or years, whichever date shall be later, shall be deemed to have been made on the date of the actual deposit or as of the close of business of the last regular business day of each such taxable year or years to which such deposits relate, whichever day is earlier.

(iii) Notwithstanding subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1970, and ending prior to January 1, 1972, deposits made later than the last date permitted under subdivision (ii) but on or before January 9, 1973, in a fund pursuant to an agreement with the Secretary of Commerce, acting by and through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall be deemed to have been made on the date of the actual deposit or as of the close of business of the last regular business day of such taxable year, whichever is earlier.

(c) Determination of earnings and profits. [Reserved]

(d) Accumulated earnings tax. As provided in section 607(d)(1)(E) of the Act amounts, while held in the fund, are not to be taken into account in computing the “accumulated taxable income” of the party within the meaning of section 531 of the Code. Amounts while held in the fund are considered held for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, or reconstructing a qualified vessel or barges and containers which are part of the complement of a qualified vessel or the payment of the principal on indebtedness incurred in connection with any such acquisition, construction, or reconstruction. Thus, for example, if the reasonable needs of the business (within the meaning of section 537 of the Code) justify a greater amount of accumulation for providing replacement vessels than can be satisfied out of the fund, such greater amount accumulated outside of the fund shall be considered to be accumulated for the reasonable needs of the business. For a further example, although amounts in the fund are not taken into account in applying the tax imposed by section 531 of the Code, to the extent there are amounts in a fund to provide for replacing a vessel, amounts accumulated outside of the fund to replace the same vessel are not considered to be accumulated for the reasonable needs of the business.

(e) Nonapplicability of section 1231. If an amount equivalent to gain from a transaction referred to in section 607(b)(1)(C) of the Act and §3.2(c) (1) and (5) is deposited into the fund and, therefore, such gain is not taken into account in computing gross income under the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this section, then such gain will not be taken into account for purposes of the computations under section 1231 of the Code.

(f) Deposits of capital gains. In respect of capital gains which are not included in the gross income of the party by virtue of a deposit to which section 607(d) of the Act and this section apply, the following provisions of the Code do not apply: the minimum tax for tax preferences imposed by section 56 of the Code; the alternative tax imposed by section 1201 of the Code on the excess of the party's net long-term capital gain over his net short-term capital loss; and, in the case of a taxpayer other than a corporation, the deduction provided by section 1202 of the Code of 50% of the amount of such excess. However, section 56 may apply upon a nonqualified withdrawal with respect to amounts treated under §3.7(d)(2) as being made out of the capital gain account.

(g) Deposits of dividends. The deductions provided by section 243 of the Code (relating to the deductions for dividends from a domestic corporation received by a corporation) shall not apply in respect of dividends (earned on assets held in the fund) which are deposited into a fund, and which, by virtue of such deposits and the provisions of section 607(d) of the Act and this section, are not included in the gross income of the party.

(h) Presumption of validity of deposit. All amounts deposited in the fund shall be presumed to have been deposited pursuant to an agreement unless, after an examination of the facts upon the request of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue or his delegate, the Secretary of Commerce determines otherwise. The Commissioner or his delegate will request such a determination where there is a substantial question as to whether a deposit is made in accordance with an agreement.

(i) Special rules for application of the foreign tax credit—(1) In general. For purposes of computing the limitation under section 904 of the Code on the amount of the credit provided by section 901 of the Code (relating to the foreign tax credit), the party's taxable income from any source without the United States and the party's entire taxable income are to be determined after application of section 607(d) of the Act. Thus, amounts deposited for the taxable year with respect to amounts referred to in section 607(b)(1)(A) of the Act and §3.2(a)(1)(i) (relating to taxable income attributable to the operation of agreement vessels) shall be treated as a deduction in arriving at the party's taxable income from sources without the United States (subject to the apportionment rules and subparagraph (2) of this paragraph) and the party's entire taxable income for the taxable year. Amounts deposited with respect to gain described in section 607(d)(1)(B) of the Act and §3.2(c) (relating to net proceeds from the sale or other disposition of an agreement vessel and net proceeds from insurance or indemnity) and amounts deposited with respect to earnings described in section 607(d)(1)(C) of the Act and paragraph (b)(2)(ii) (relating to earnings from the investment and reinvestment of amounts held in a fund) of this section are not taken into account for purposes of the Code and hence are not included in the party's taxable income from sources without the United States or in the party's entire taxable income for purposes of this paragraph.

(2) Apportionment of taxable income attributable to agreement vessels. For purposes of computing the overall limitation under section 904(a)(2) of the Code the amount of the deposit made with respect to taxable income attributable to agreement vessels pursuant to §3.2(a)(1)(i) which is allocable to sources without the United States is the total amount of such deposit multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the gross income from sources without the United States from the operation of agreement vessels and the denominator of which is the total gross income from the operation of agreement vessels computed as provided in §3.2(b)(2). For purposes of this paragraph, gross income from sources without the United States attributable to the operation of agreement vessels is to be determined under sections 861 through 863 of the Code and under the taxpayer's usual method of accounting provided such method is reasonable and in keeping with sound accounting practice. Any computation under the per-country limitation of section 904(a)(1) shall be made in the manner consistent with the provisions of the preceding sentences of this subparagraph.


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