(a) In general—(1) Erroneous withholding under section 3406 of the Internal Revenue Code. If a payor or broker withholds under section 3406 from a payee in error or withholds more than the proper amount of the tax under section 3406, the payor or broker may refund the amount erroneously withheld as provided in section 6413 and this section. A payor or broker will be considered to have withheld erroneously under section 3406 only if the amount is withheld because of an error by the payor or broker (e.g., an error in flagging or identifying an account that is subject to withholding under section 3406). The payor or broker may, in its discretion, treat the amount withheld as an amount erroneously withheld and refund it to the payee if—

(i) The payor or broker requires a payee described in §31.3406(g)-1(a) or described in a provision of the Internal Revenue Code requiring the reporting of a payment subject to withholding under section 3406 to certify that it is an exempt recipient, the payee fails to make the required certification, and the payor or broker subsequently withholds under section 3406 from a payment to the payee;

(ii) The payor or broker does not require the payee to certify concerning its exempt status and the payor or broker withholds under section 3406;

(iii) The payor or broker withholds under section 3406 from a payee after the payee provides a taxpayer identification number or required certification (including the documentation described in §1.1441-1(e)(1)(ii), 1.6045-1(g)(3), or 1.6049-5(c) of this chapter) to the payor, but before the payor or broker treats the number or required certification as having been received under §31.3406(e)-1(b); or

(iv) The amount is withheld because a payor imposed backup withholding on a payment made to a person because the payee failed to furnish the documentation described in §1.1441-1(e)(1)(ii) of this chapter and the payee subsequently furnishes, completes, or corrects the documentation. The documentation must be furnished, completed, or corrected prior to the end of the calendar year in which the payment is made and prior to the time the payor furnishes a Form 1099 to the payee with respect to the payment for which the withholding erroneously occurred.

(2) For purposes of paragraph (a)(1) of this section (other than erroneous withholding occurring under the circumstances described in paragraph (a)(1)(iv) of this section), if a payor or broker withholds because the payor or broker has not received a taxpayer identifying number or required certification and the payee subsequently provides a taxpayer identifying number or a required certification to the payor, the payor or broker may not refund the amount to the payee.

(b) Refunding amounts erroneously withheld—(1) Time and manner. If a payor or broker withholds under section 3406 from a payee in error (including withholding more than the correct amount, as described in paragraph (a) of this section), the payor or broker may refund the amount erroneously withheld to the payee if the refund is made prior to the end of the calendar year and prior to the time the payor or broker furnishes a Form 1099 to the payee with respect to the payment for which the erroneous withholding occurred. If the amount of the erroneous withholding is refunded to the payee, the payor or broker must—

(i) Keep as part of its records a receipt showing the date and amount of refund and must provide a copy of the receipt to the payee (a canceled check or an entry in a statement is sufficient, provided that the check or statement contains a specific notation that it is a refund of tax erroneously withheld);

(ii) Not report on a Form 1099 as tax withheld any amount which the payor or broker has refunded to a payee; and

(iii) Not deposit the amount erroneously withheld if the payor or broker has not deposited the amount of the tax prior to the time that the refund is made to the payee.

(2) Adjustment after the deposit of the tax—(i) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, if the amount erroneously withheld has been deposited prior to the time that the refund is made to the payee, the payor or broker may adjust any subsequent deposit of the tax collected under chapter 24 of the Internal Revenue Code that the payor or broker is required to make in the amount of the tax that has been refunded to the payee.

(ii) Erroneous withholding from a payee that is a foreign person. Where a payor withholds in error from a payee that is a nonresident alien or foreign person, as described in paragraph (a)(1)(iv) of this section, the payor may refund some or all of the amount subject to backup withholding under section 3406. A refund may be paid in accordance with the requirements of this paragraph (b)(2)(ii) where the documentation is furnished, completed, or corrected prior to the end of the calendar year in which the payment is made and prior to the time the payor furnishes a Form 1099 to the payee with respect to the payment for which the withholding erroneously occurred. The amount of the refund will be the amount erroneously withheld less the amount of tax required to be withheld, if any, under chapter 3 of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations under that chapter. With respect to the amount of the payment to the foreign person and the amount of tax required to be withheld under chapter 3 of the Internal Revenue Code (and the regulations thereunder), returns must be made in accordance with the requirements of §1.1461-1 (b) and (c) of this chapter.

[T.D. 8637, 60 FR 66133, Dec. 21, 1995, as amended by T.D. 8734, 62 FR 53494, Oct. 14, 1997]