83_FR_55538 83 FR 55324 - Amount Determined Under Section 956 for Corporate United States Shareholders

83 FR 55324 - Amount Determined Under Section 956 for Corporate United States Shareholders

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 214 (November 5, 2018)

Page Range55324-55329
FR Document2018-24140

This document contains proposed regulations that reduce the amount determined under section 956 of the Internal Revenue Code with respect to certain domestic corporations. The proposed regulations affect certain domestic corporations that own (or are treated as owning) stock in foreign corporations.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 214 (Monday, November 5, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 214 (Monday, November 5, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55324-55329]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24140]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service

26 CFR Part 1

[REG-114540-18]
RIN 1545-BO88


Amount Determined Under Section 956 for Corporate United States 
Shareholders

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This document contains proposed regulations that reduce the 
amount determined under section 956 of the Internal Revenue Code with 
respect to certain domestic corporations. The proposed regulations 
affect certain domestic corporations that own (or are treated as 
owning) stock in foreign corporations.

DATES: Written or electronic comments and requests for a public hearing 
must be received by December 5, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send submissions to: CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-114540-18), Internal 
Revenue Service, Room 5203, P.O. Box 7604, Ben Franklin Station, 
Washington, DC 20044. Submissions may be hand-delivered Monday through 
Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-
114540-18), Courier's Desk, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution 
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20224, or sent electronically via the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov (IRS REG-114540-18).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Concerning the proposed regulations, 
Rose E. Jenkins, (202) 317-6934; concerning submissions of comments or 
requests for a public hearing, Regina Johnson, (202) 317-6901 (not 
toll-free numbers).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

I. Section 956

    The Revenue Act of 1962 (the ``1962 Act''), Pub. L. 87-834, sec. 
12, 76 Stat. at 1006, enacted sections 951 and 956 as part of subpart F 
of part III, subchapter N, chapter 1 of the 1954 Internal Revenue Code 
(``subpart F''), as amended. Subpart F was enacted in order to limit 
the use of low-tax jurisdictions for the purposes of obtaining 
indefinite deferral of U.S. tax on certain earnings that would 
otherwise be subject to U.S. federal income tax. H.R. Rep. No. 1447 at 
57 (1962). Congress enacted subpart F in part to address taxpayers who 
had ``taken advantage of the multiplicity of foreign tax systems to 
avoid taxation by the United States on what could ordinarily be 
expected to be U.S. source income.'' Id. at 58.
    Before the 1962 Act, United States shareholders (as defined in 
section 951(b)) (``U.S. shareholders'') of controlled foreign 
corporations (as defined in section 957) (``CFCs'') were not subject to 
U.S. tax on earnings of the foreign corporations unless and until 
earnings of the foreign corporations were distributed to the 
shareholders as a dividend. S. Rep. No. 1881 at 78 (1962). The subpart 
F regime eliminated deferral for certain--generally passive or highly 
mobile--earnings of CFCs by subjecting those earnings to immediate U.S. 
taxation regardless of whether there was an actual distribution. Id. at 
80. Earnings that were not subject to immediate U.S. taxation under the 
subpart F regime were generally taxable only upon repatriation, as 
those earnings did not present the same concerns regarding indefinite 
tax deferral compared to earnings subject to subpart F.
    Section 956 was enacted alongside the subpart F regime in the 1962 
Act to ensure that a CFC's earnings not subject to immediate tax when 
earned (under the subpart F regime) would be taxed when repatriated, 
either through a dividend or an effective repatriation. Recognizing 
that repatriation of foreign earnings was possible through means other 
than a taxable distribution, Congress enacted section 956 ``to prevent 
the repatriation of income to the United States in a manner which does 
not subject it to U.S. taxation.'' H.R. Rep. No. 1447 at 58. Congress 
determined that the investment by a CFC of its earnings in United 
States property, including obligations of a U.S. person, ``is 
substantially the equivalent of a dividend.'' See S. Rep. No. 1881 at 
88 (1962). See also S. Rep. No. 94-938 at 226 (1976) (``[S]ince the 
investment . . . in the stock or debt obligations of a related U.S. 
person or its domestic affiliates makes funds available for use by the 
U.S. shareholders, it constitutes an effective repatriation of earnings 
which should be taxed.''). Accordingly, Congress enacted section 956 as 
an anti-abuse measure to tax a CFC's investment of earnings in United 
States property in the same manner as if it had distributed those 
earnings to the United States. See JCS-10-87 at 1081-82 (1987) (``In 
general, two kinds of transactions are repatriations that end deferral 
and trigger tax. First, an actual dividend payment ends deferral. . . . 
Second, in

[[Page 55325]]

the case of a controlled foreign corporation, an investment in U.S. 
property, such as a loan to the lender's U.S. parent or the purchase of 
U.S. real estate, is also a repatriation that ends deferral (Code sec. 
956).''). Failure to tax CFC investments in United States property 
would have allowed taxpayers to circumvent the U.S. system of deferral 
by effectively repatriating earnings without paying U.S. tax on the 
substantial equivalent of a taxable dividend. Section 956 was thus 
designed to ensure symmetry between the tax treatment of repatriations 
through dividends and effective repatriations. See generally Notice 
2014-52, 2014-42 I.R.B. 712 (``In the absence of section 956, a U.S. 
shareholder of a CFC could access the CFC's funds (untaxed earnings and 
profits) in a variety of ways other than by the payment of an actual 
taxable dividend, such that there would be no reason for the U.S. 
shareholder to incur the dividend tax. Section 956 eliminates this 
disincentive to pay a dividend by ensuring parity of treatment for 
different ways that CFC earnings can be made available for use in the 
United States or for use by the U.S. shareholder.'').
    Section 951(a)(1)(B) requires a U.S. shareholder of a CFC to 
include in gross income the amount determined under section 956 (the 
``section 956 amount'') with respect to the CFC to the extent not 
excluded from gross income under section 959(a)(2) (the inclusion, a 
``section 956 inclusion''). See sections 951(a)(1)(B), 959(a)(2), and 
959(f)(1). Section 951(b) defines a U.S. shareholder as a United States 
person that owns within the meaning of section 958(a), or is considered 
as owning by reason of the constructive ownership rules of section 
958(b), 10 percent or more of the voting power or value of a foreign 
corporation. A U.S. shareholder's section 956 amount with respect to a 
CFC for a taxable year is the lesser of (1) the excess (if any) of such 
shareholder's pro rata share of the average of the amounts of United 
States property held (directly or indirectly) by the CFC as of the 
close of each quarter of such taxable year, over the amount of earnings 
and profits described in section 959(c)(1)(A) with respect to such 
shareholder, or (2) such shareholder's pro rata share of the applicable 
earnings of the CFC. See section 956(a). Applicable earnings are 
defined as the sum of accumulated earnings and profits (not including 
deficits) described in section 316(a)(1) and current earnings and 
profits described in section 316(a)(2), reduced by distributions made 
during the year and earnings and profits described in section 
959(c)(1). See section 956(b)(1). Under section 956(c), United States 
property includes tangible property located in the United States, stock 
of a domestic corporation, an obligation of a United States person, and 
any right to use in the United States certain intangible property. 
Enacted as part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, Pub. 
L. 103-66, sec. 13232(b), 107 Stat. 312, section 956(e) grants the 
Secretary of the Department of Treasury (the ``Secretary'') the 
authority to prescribe ``such regulations as may be necessary to carry 
out the purposes of this section, including regulations to prevent the 
avoidance of the provisions of this section through reorganizations or 
otherwise.''
    This regulatory authority is not limited to the adoption of anti-
avoidance rules, but rather permits the Secretary to ensure that the 
application of section 956 is consistent with the ``purposes of this 
section''--chief among them, to ensure symmetry between the treatment 
of actual dividends and payments which are ``substantially the 
equivalent of a dividend.'' S. Rep. No. 1881 at 88 (1962). Consistent 
with this understanding, the Department of Treasury (the ``Treasury 
Department'') and the IRS have exercised this regulatory authority to 
tailor the application of section 956 to the abuse that motivated its 
adoption, ensuring that the provision applies to the transactions 
Congress sought to tax, but does not extend to transactions the 
taxation of which would be inconsistent with the purpose of section 
956.\1\ For example, in 1964, shortly after section 956 was first 
enacted, the Treasury Department and the IRS issued regulations 
containing Treas. Reg. section 1.956-2(d)(2)(ii), providing that any 
debt collected within one year from the time incurred did not 
constitute an obligation that could be United States property. See T.D. 
6704, 29 FR 2599, 2603. This short-term loan exception was removed when 
the Treasury Department and the IRS issued regulations in 1988 
regarding the treatment of factoring receivables as United States 
property. See T.D. 8209, 53 FR 22163, 22169. A one-year debt exception 
would have been inconsistent with Congress's expansion of section 956 
in 1984 to reach factoring receivables, which are often outstanding for 
less than one year.
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    \1\ In addition to authorizing regulations by the Treasury 
Department and the IRS, Congress has acted on occasion to both 
expand and contract the scope of section 956 based on an evolving 
understanding of the potential means by which taxpayers could 
achieve the abusive results that gave rise to its enactment (that 
is, the tax-free effective repatriation of earnings through 
transactions that are economically equivalent to a taxable 
dividend). Thus, for example, Congress contracted the scope of 
section 956 in 1976, exempting investments in the stock of unrelated 
(tested using a 25 percent ownership threshold) U.S. corporations 
from the definition of United States property. See Pub. L. 94-455, 
sec. 1021, 90 Stat. 1520. Conversely, Congress expanded the scope of 
section 956 in the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984, Pub. L. 98-369, 
sec. 123(b), 98 Stat. 494, by adding certain factoring receivables 
as a type of United States property because it recognized that 
certain ``corporations based in the United States are using foreign 
subsidiaries to factor receivables as a device for repatriating 
foreign earnings tax-free.'' H.R. Rep. No. 98-432 at 1305 (1984).
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    Alongside the removal of the 1964 short-term loan exception in the 
1988 regulations, the Treasury Department and the IRS issued Notice 88-
108, 1988-2 C.B. 466, which indicated that regulations would be issued 
providing a narrower exception from the definition of obligation for 
purposes of section 956 for obligations collected within 30 days from 
the time incurred (the ``30-day rule''). However, the notice provided 
that the exception would not apply to a CFC that holds for 60 or more 
calendar days during the taxable year obligations which, without regard 
to the 30-day rule, would constitute United States property. The 30-day 
rule was expanded to 60 days in order to facilitate the flow of funds 
from foreign subsidiaries during a financial crisis beginning in 2008, 
which expansion was also extended to 2009 and 2010. See Notice 2008-91, 
2008-43 I.R.B. 1001; Notice 2009-10, 2009-5 I.R.B. 419; Notice 2010-12, 
2010-4 I.R.B. 326. The 30 day rule was ultimately adopted in final 
regulations issued on July 12, 2018, as Treas. Reg. section 1.956-
2(d)(2)(iv). See T.D. 9834, 83 FR 32524, 32537-38.
    Since 1964, Congress has modified section 956 several times without 
addressing Treasury's short-term debt exception; indeed, since then 
Congress adopted section 956(e) as a positive grant of regulatory 
authority in 1993, and explicitly validated the short-term debt 
exception in its legislative history. See H.R. Rep. 103-111 at 701 
(1993) (``The bill is not intended to change the measurement of U.S. 
property that may apply, for example, in the case of certain short-term 
obligations, as provided in IRS Notice 88-108 (1988-2 C.B. 445), 
interpreting present law.'').
    Conversely, the Treasury Department and the IRS have at times 
expanded the scope of section 956 by regulation to ensure that the 
provision reaches the type of transactions intended by Congress. See, 
e.g., T.D. 9402, 73 FR 35580, 35582 (adding rules modifying the basis 
of property transferred to a CFC in certain non-recognition 
transactions solely for the purposes of

[[Page 55326]]

section 956 and providing that ``[t]he purpose of this [rule] is to 
prevent the effective repatriation of earnings and profits of a 
controlled foreign corporation that acquires United States property in 
connection with an exchange to which this [rule] applies without a 
corresponding income inclusion under section 951(a)(1)(B) by claiming a 
basis in the United States property less than the amount of earnings 
and profits effectively repatriated''). See also T.D. 9834, 83 FR 
32524.

II. Adoption of Participation Exemption System

    On December 22, 2017, Congress enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 
Public Law 115-97 (the ``Act''), which established a participation 
exemption system for the taxation of certain foreign income. Under 
section 245A(a), in the case of any dividend received from a specified 
10-percent owned foreign corporation by a domestic corporation which is 
a U.S. shareholder with respect to such foreign corporation, there is 
allowed as a deduction an amount equal to the foreign-source portion of 
such dividend. A specified 10-percent owned foreign corporation is 
defined in section 245A(b) as any foreign corporation (other than 
certain passive foreign investment companies) with respect to which a 
domestic corporation is a U.S. shareholder. Section 245A(g) grants the 
Secretary authority to prescribe such regulations or other guidance as 
may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of section 
245A, including regulations for the treatment of U.S. shareholders 
owning stock of a specified 10-percent owned foreign corporation 
through a partnership.
    Under section 246(c)(1) and (5), a domestic corporation that is a 
U.S. shareholder is not permitted a section 245A deduction in respect 
of any dividend on any share of stock of a specified 10-percent owned 
foreign corporation that the domestic corporation holds for 365 days or 
less during the 731-day period beginning on the date that is 365 days 
before the date on which the share becomes ex-dividend with respect to 
the dividend. Under section 246(c)(1)(B), a section 245A deduction is 
also not allowed to the extent the domestic corporation is under an 
obligation to make related payments with respect to positions in 
substantially similar or related property.

Explanation of Provisions

    The Treasury Department and the IRS have determined that as a 
result of the enactment of the participation exemption system, the 
current broad application of section 956 to corporate U.S. shareholders 
would be inconsistent with the purposes of section 956 and the scope of 
transactions it is intended to address. Congress determined that 
certain investments by a CFC of its earnings in United States property 
are ``substantially the equivalent of a dividend'' and enacted section 
956 to provide similar treatment for dividends and certain investments 
in United States property constituting effective repatriations. S. Rep. 
No. 1881 at 88. Before the Act, section 956 applied appropriately to 
domestic corporations because both dividends from, and investments in 
United States property by, CFCs were included in income by such 
domestic corporations. As noted, the purpose of section 956 is 
generally to create symmetry between the taxation of actual 
repatriations and the taxation of effective repatriations, by 
subjecting effective repatriations to tax in the same manner as actual 
repatriations. Under the participation exemption system, however, 
earnings of a CFC that are repatriated to a corporate U.S. shareholder 
as a dividend are typically effectively exempt from tax because the 
shareholder is generally afforded an equal and offsetting dividends 
received deduction under section 245A. A section 956 inclusion of a 
corporate U.S. shareholder, on the other hand, is not eligible for the 
dividends received deduction under section 245A (because it is not a 
dividend). As a result, the application of section 956 after the Act to 
corporate U.S. shareholders of CFCs that would qualify for section 245A 
deductions would result in disparate treatment of actual dividends and 
amounts ``substantially the equivalent of a dividend''--a result 
directly at odds with the manifest purpose of section 956.
    Accordingly, the proposed regulations continue the Treasury 
Department and the IRS's longstanding practice of conforming the 
application of section 956 to its purpose. The proposed regulations 
exclude corporate U.S. shareholders from the application of section 956 
to the extent necessary to maintain symmetry between the taxation of 
actual repatriations and the taxation of effective repatriations. In 
general, under section 245A and the proposed regulations, respectively, 
neither an actual dividend to a corporate U.S. shareholder, nor such a 
shareholder's amount determined under section 956, will result in 
additional U.S. tax.
    To achieve this result, the proposed regulations provide that the 
amount otherwise determined under section 956 with respect to a U.S. 
shareholder for a taxable year of a CFC is reduced to the extent that 
the U.S. shareholder would be allowed a deduction under section 245A if 
the U.S. shareholder had received a distribution from the CFC in an 
amount equal to the amount otherwise determined under section 956. The 
proposed regulations provide special rules with respect to indirect 
ownership. Due to the broad applicability of section 245A, in many 
cases a corporate U.S. shareholder will not have a section 956 
inclusion as a result of a CFC holding U.S. property under the proposed 
regulations.
    Section 956 will continue to apply without modification to U.S. 
shareholders other than corporate U.S. shareholders, such as 
individuals, to ensure that, consistent with the purposes of section 
956, amounts that are substantially the equivalent of a dividend will 
be treated similarly to actual dividends. This treatment will apply to 
individuals regardless of whether they make an election under section 
962. Because individuals are not eligible for a dividends received 
deduction under section 245A even if they make an election under 
section 962, the current application of section 956 to individuals is 
still necessary to ensure substantial equivalence between an actual 
repatriation and a deemed repatriation. Similarly, section 956 will 
continue to apply without reduction to regulated investment companies 
and real estate investment trusts because they are not allowed the 
dividends received deduction under section 245A. See sections 
852(b)(2)(C) and 857(b)(2)(A).
    In addition to carrying out the purposes of section 956, the 
proposed regulations would significantly reduce complexity, costs, and 
compliance burdens for corporate U.S. shareholders of CFCs. Absent the 
proposed regulations, corporate U.S. shareholders would need to 
continue to carefully monitor the application of section 956 to their 
operations, including provisions related to loans, guarantees, and 
pledges, to ensure that earnings were repatriated only through actual 
dividends, and therefore allowed a participation exemption, rather than 
through a deemed repatriation under section 956 subject to additional 
U.S. tax. Similarly, in the absence of the proposed regulations, a 
U.S.-parented group in many cases would need to engage in complex and 
costly restructuring upon the acquisition of a foreign corporation that 
owns domestic subsidiaries (since the foreign corporation becomes a CFC 
and the stock of its domestic subsidiaries represents United States 
property)

[[Page 55327]]

solely to avoid a section 956 inclusion. Absent the proposed 
regulations, section 956 could also serve as a ``trap for the unwary'' 
for domestic corporations that fail to recognize that, even though they 
are entitled to the deduction under section 245A for actual dividends, 
their section 956 inclusions would continue to be fully subject to U.S. 
tax.
    The proposed regulations also add, in proposed Sec.  1.956-1(g)(5), 
the effective date for Sec.  1.956-1(e)(6) that was inadvertently 
deleted in TD 9792, published in the Federal Register on November 3, 
2016 (81 FR 76497, as corrected at 81 FR 95470 and 95471).

Conforming Amendments

    The Treasury Department and the IRS intend to make conforming 
amendments to the examples throughout the regulations under section 956 
upon finalization of the proposed regulations.

Applicability Date

    These changes are proposed to apply to taxable years of a CFC 
beginning on or after the date of publication of the Treasury decision 
adopting these rules as final regulations in the Federal Register (the 
``finalization date''), and to taxable years of a U.S. shareholder in 
which or with which such taxable years of the CFC end. With respect to 
taxable years of a CFC beginning before the finalization date, a 
taxpayer may rely on the proposed regulations for taxable years of a 
CFC beginning after December 31, 2017, and for taxable years of a U.S. 
shareholder in which or with which such taxable years of the CFC end, 
provided that the taxpayer and United States persons that are related 
(within the meaning of section 267 or 707) to the taxpayer consistently 
apply the proposed regulations with respect to all CFCs in which they 
are U.S. shareholders.

Special Analyses

    The Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget, has waived review of 
this proposed rule in accordance with section 6(a)(3)(A) of Executive 
Order 12866. OIRA will subsequently make a significance determination 
of the final rule, pursuant to section 3(f) of Executive Order (E.O.) 
12866 and the April 11, 2018, Memorandum of Agreement between the 
Department of Treasury and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
    Pursuant to the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6), it 
is hereby certified that this regulation, if adopted, will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, 
although some small entities that are domestic corporations could be 
affected by the regulation and comments are requested on the 
application of the regulation to domestic partnerships. However, even 
if a substantial number of small entities were to be affected by this 
regulation, the Treasury Department and the IRS estimate that the 
economic impact on such small entities would not be significant as the 
regulation is expected to marginally reduce compliance costs for 
smaller entities. This is because the Treasury Department and the IRS 
believe that the cost-saving benefits of the proposed regulations with 
respect to complex third-party borrowing arrangements, internal 
financial management structures, and restructurings of worldwide 
operations will generally be available only to large U.S. multinational 
corporations with 20 or more CFCs. The Treasury Department and the IRS 
believe that U.S. multinational corporations with less than 20 CFCs 
generally will not have the types of arrangements in place that would 
otherwise need to be structured and monitored to avoid section 956. The 
proposed regulations, if adopted, generally will not affect small 
entities that are not domestic corporations. The Treasury Department 
and the IRS invite comments on the impact of this rule on small 
entities.
    Pursuant to section 7805(f), this notice of proposed rulemaking has 
been submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration for comment on its impact on small businesses.

Comments and Requests for Public Hearing

    Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations, 
consideration will be given to any comments that are submitted timely 
to the IRS as prescribed in this preamble under the ADDRESSES heading. 
The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on all aspects of 
the proposed rules. In particular, comments are requested as to the 
appropriate application of the proposed regulations to U.S. 
shareholders that are domestic partnerships, which may have partners 
that are a combination of domestic corporations, U.S. individuals, or 
other persons. For example, one approach could be to reduce the amount 
otherwise determined under section 956 with respect to a domestic 
partnership to the extent that a domestic corporate partner would be 
entitled to a section 245A deduction if the partnership received the 
amount as a distribution. An alternative could be to determine a 
domestic partnership's section 956 amount and section 956 inclusion 
without regard to the status of its partners, but then provide that a 
corporate U.S. shareholder partner's distributive share of the section 
956 inclusion is not taxable. Comments are also requested with respect 
to the maintenance of previously taxed earnings and profits accounts 
under section 959 and basis adjustments under section 961. 
Additionally, comments are requested on the interaction between the 
proposed regulations and section 245A(e). All comments will be 
available at http://www.regulations.gov or upon request.
    A public hearing will be scheduled if requested in writing by any 
person that timely submits written comments. If a public hearing is 
scheduled, notice of the date, time, and place for the public hearing 
will be published in the Federal Register.

Drafting Information

    The principal author of these proposed regulations is Joshua G. 
Rabon, formerly of the Office of Associate Chief Counsel 
(International). However, other personnel from the Treasury Department 
and the IRS participated in their development.

List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1

    Income taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Proposed Amendments to the Regulations

    Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 1--INCOME TAXES

    Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 is amended by adding 
an entry to read in part as follows:

    Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *

    Section 1.956-1 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 245A(g) and 956(e).
* * * * *
    Par. 2. Section 1.956-1 is amended by:
    1. Revising paragraph (a).
    2. In the first sentence of paragraph (g)(1), removing the language 
``Paragraph (a)'' and adding in its place ``Paragraph (a)(1)''.
    3. Adding paragraphs (g)(4) and (5).
    The revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  1.956-1  Shareholder's pro rata share of the average of the 
amounts of United States property held by a controlled foreign 
corporation.

    (a) Overview and scope--(1) In general. Subject to the provisions 
of

[[Page 55328]]

section 951(a) and the regulations thereunder, a United States 
shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation is required to include 
in gross income the amount determined under section 956 with respect to 
the shareholder for the taxable year but only to the extent not 
excluded from gross income under section 959(a)(2) and the regulations 
thereunder.
    (2) Reduction for certain United States shareholders--(i) In 
general. For a taxable year of a controlled foreign corporation, the 
amount determined under section 956 with respect to each share of stock 
of the controlled foreign corporation owned (within the meaning of 
section 958(a)) by a United States shareholder is the amount that would 
be determined under section 956 with respect to such share for the 
taxable year, absent the application of this paragraph (a)(2) for the 
taxable year (such amount, the tentative section 956 amount, and in the 
aggregate with respect to all shares owned (within the meaning of 
section 958(a)) by the United States shareholder, the aggregate 
tentative section 956 amount), reduced by the amount of the deduction 
under section 245A that the shareholder would be allowed if the 
shareholder received as a distribution from the controlled foreign 
corporation an amount equal to the tentative section 956 amount with 
respect to such share on the last day during the taxable year on which 
the foreign corporation is a controlled foreign corporation 
(hypothetical distribution).
    (ii) Determination of the amount of the deduction that would be 
allowed under section 245A with respect to a hypothetical distribution. 
For purposes of determining the amount of the deduction under section 
245A that a United States shareholder would be allowed with respect to 
a share of stock of a controlled foreign corporation by reason of a 
hypothetical distribution, the following rules apply--
    (A) If a United States shareholder owns a share of stock of a 
controlled foreign corporation indirectly (within the meaning of 
section 958(a)(2)), then--
    (1) Sections 245A(a) through (d), 246(a), and 959 apply to the 
hypothetical distribution as if the United States shareholder directly 
owned (within the meaning of section 958(a)(1)(A)) the share;
    (2) Section 245A(e) applies to the hypothetical distribution as if 
the distribution were made to the United States shareholder through 
each entity by reason of which the United States shareholder indirectly 
owns such share and pro rata with respect to the equity that gives rise 
to such indirect ownership;
    (3) To the extent that a distribution treated as made to a 
controlled foreign corporation pursuant to the hypothetical 
distribution by reason of paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A)(2) of this section 
would be subject to section 245A(e)(2), the United States shareholder 
is treated as not being allowed a deduction under section 245A by 
reason of the hypothetical distribution; and
    (4) Section 246(c) applies to the hypothetical distribution by 
substituting the phrase ``owned (within the meaning of section 
958(a))'' for the term ``held'' each place it appears in section 
246(c); and
    (B) Section 246(c) applies to the hypothetical distribution by 
substituting ``the last day during the taxable year on which the 
foreign corporation is a controlled foreign corporation'' for the 
phrase ``the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect 
to such dividend'' in section 246(c)(1)(A).
    (3) Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of 
paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
    (i) Example 1. (A) Facts. (1) USP, a domestic corporation, owns all 
of the single class of stock of CFC1, which is treated as equity for 
U.S. income tax purposes and under the laws of the jurisdiction in 
which CFC1 is organized and liable to tax as a resident. The stock of 
CFC1 consists of 100 shares, and USP satisfies the holding period 
requirement of section 246(c) (as modified by paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(B) 
of this section) with respect to each share of CFC1 stock. CFC1 owns 
all of the stock of USS, a domestic corporation. CFC1's adjusted basis 
in the stock of USS is $0x.
    (2) The functional currency of CFC1 is the U.S. dollar. CFC1 has 
$100x of undistributed earnings as defined in section 245A(c)(2), $90x 
of which constitute undistributed foreign earnings as defined in 
section 245A(c)(3), and $10x of which are described in section 
245(a)(5)(B) (that is, earnings attributable to a dividend that CFC1 
received from USS). CFC1 would not receive a deduction or other tax 
benefit with respect to any income, war profits, or excess profits 
taxes on a distribution. None of the earnings and profits of CFC1 are 
described in section 959(c)(1) or (2) or are earnings and profits 
attributable to income excluded from subpart F income under section 
952(b). CFC1's applicable earnings (as defined in section 956(b)(1)) 
are $100x. CFC1 also has held an obligation of USP with an adjusted 
basis of $120x on every day during the taxable year that was acquired 
while all of its stock was owned by USP.
    (B) Analysis. Because USP directly owns all of the stock of CFC1 at 
the end of CFC1's taxable year, USP's aggregate tentative section 956 
amount with respect to CFC1 is $100x, the lesser of USP's pro rata 
share of the average amounts of United States property held by CFC1 
($120x) and its pro rata share of CFC1's applicable earnings ($100x). 
Under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, USP's section 956 amount 
with respect to CFC1 is its aggregate tentative section 956 amount with 
respect to CFC1 reduced by the deduction under section 245A that USP 
would be allowed if USP received an amount equal to its aggregate 
tentative section 956 amount as a distribution with respect to the CFC1 
stock. With respect to the tentative distribution from CFC1 to USP, USP 
would be allowed a $90x deduction under section 245A with respect to 
the foreign-source portion of the $100x hypothetical distribution (that 
is, an amount of the dividend that bears the same ratio to the dividend 
as the $90x of undistributed foreign earnings bears to the $100x of 
undistributed earnings). Accordingly, USP's section 956 amount with 
respect to CFC1 is $10x, its aggregate tentative section 956 amount 
($100x) with respect to CFC1 reduced by the amount of the deduction 
that USP would have been allowed under section 245A with respect to the 
hypothetical distribution ($90x).
    (ii) Example 2. (A) Facts. The facts are the same as in paragraph 
(A) of Example 1 in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section, except that 
all $100x of CFC1's undistributed earnings are described in section 
959(c)(2).
    (B) Analysis. As in paragraph (B) of Example 1 in this paragraph 
(a)(3)(i) of this section, USP's aggregate tentative section 956 amount 
with respect to CFC1 is $100x, the lesser of USP's pro rata share of 
the average amounts of United States property held by CFC1 ($120x) and 
its pro rata share of CFC1's applicable earnings ($100x). However, 
paragraph (a)(2) of this section does not reduce USP's section 956 
amount, because USP would not be allowed any deduction under section 
245A with respect to the $100x hypothetical distribution by reason of 
section 959(a) and (d). Accordingly, USP's section 956 amount is $100x. 
However, under sections 959(a)(2) and 959(f)(1), USP's inclusion under 
section 951(a)(1)(B) with respect to CFC1 is $0, because USP's section 
956 amount with respect to CFC1 does not exceed the earnings and 
profits of CFC1 described in section 959(c)(2) with respect to USP. The 
$100x of earnings and profits of CFC1

[[Page 55329]]

described in section 959(c)(2) are reclassified as earnings and profits 
described in section 959(c)(1).
    (iii) Example 3. (A) Facts. (1) USP, a domestic corporation, owns 
all of the single class of stock of CFC1, and has held such stock for 
five years. CFC1 has held 70% of the single class of stock of CFC2 for 
three years. The other 30% of the CFC2 stock has been held by a foreign 
individual unrelated to USP or CFC1 since CFC2's formation. All of the 
stock of each of CFC1 and CFC2 is treated as equity for U.S. income tax 
purposes and under the laws of the jurisdiction in which each 
respective corporation is organized and liable to tax as a resident. 
CFC2 has a calendar taxable year. On December 1, Year 1, CFC1 acquires 
the remaining 30% of the stock of CFC2 for cash. On June 30, Year 2, 
CFC1 sells to a third party the 30% of CFC2 stock acquired in Year 1 at 
no gain. CFC2 made no distributions during Year 1.
    (2) The functional currency of CFC1 and CFC2 is the U.S. dollar. 
CFC2 has $120x of undistributed earnings as defined in section 
245A(c)(2), all of which constitute undistributed foreign earnings. 
Neither CFC1 nor CFC2 would receive a deduction or other tax benefit 
with respect to any income, war profits, or excess profits taxes on a 
distribution. None of the earnings and profits of CFC2 are described in 
section 959(c)(1) or (2) or are earnings and profits attributable to 
income excluded from subpart F income under section 952(b). CFC2's 
applicable earnings (as defined in section 956(b)(1)) are $120x. CFC2 
has held an obligation of USP with an adjusted basis of $100x on every 
day of Year 1 that was acquired while USP owned all of the stock of 
CFC1 and CFC1 held 70% of the single class of stock of CFC2.
    (B) Analysis. Because USP indirectly owns (within the meaning of 
section 958(a)) all of the stock of CFC2 at the end of Year 1, USP's 
aggregate tentative section 956 amount with respect to CFC2 for Year 1 
is $100x, the lesser of USP's pro rata share of the average amounts of 
United States property held by CFC2 ($100x) and its pro rata share of 
CFC2's applicable earnings ($120x). Under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this 
section, USP's section 956 amount with respect to CFC2 for Year 1 is 
its aggregate tentative section 956 amount with respect to CFC2 reduced 
by the deduction under section 245A that USP would be allowed if USP 
received an amount equal to its aggregate tentative section 956 amount 
as a distribution with respect to the CFC2 stock that USP owns 
indirectly within the meaning of section 958(a)(2). For purposes of 
determining the consequences of this hypothetical distribution, under 
paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A)(1) of this section, USP is treated as owning 
the CFC2 stock directly. In addition, under paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A)(4) 
of this section, the holding period requirement of section 246(c) is 
applied by reference to the period during which USP owned (within the 
meaning of section 958(a)) the stock of CFC2. Therefore, with respect 
to the hypothetical distribution from CFC2 to USP, USP would satisfy 
the holding period requirement under section 246(c) with respect to the 
70% of the CFC2 stock that USP indirectly owned for three years through 
CFC1, but not with respect to the 30% of the CFC2 stock that USP 
indirectly owned through CFC1 for a period of less than 365 days. 
Accordingly, USP's section 956 amount with respect to CFC2 for Year 1 
is $30x, its aggregate tentative section 956 amount ($100x) reduced by 
the amount of the deduction that USP would have been allowed under 
section 245A with respect to the hypothetical distribution ($70x).
* * * * *
    (g) * * *
    (4) Paragraphs (a)(2) and (3) of this section apply to taxable 
years of controlled foreign corporations beginning on or after the date 
of publication of the Treasury decision adopting paragraphs (a)(2) and 
(3) of this section as final regulations in the Federal Register, and 
to taxable years of a United States shareholder in which or with which 
such taxable years of the controlled foreign corporation end.
    (5) Paragraph (e)(6) of this section applies to property acquired 
in exchanges occurring on or after June 24, 2011.

Kirsten Wielobob,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2018-24140 Filed 11-1-18; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 4830-01-P



     55324                Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 214 / Monday, November 5, 2018 / Proposed Rules

     Column Labeling, and Miscellaneous                      DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY                            (1962). Congress enacted subpart F in
     Topics.’’ We are issuing the draft                                                                            part to address taxpayers who had
     guidance consistent with our good                       Internal Revenue Service                              ‘‘taken advantage of the multiplicity of
     guidance practices regulation (21 CFR                                                                         foreign tax systems to avoid taxation by
     10.115). The draft guidance, when                       26 CFR Part 1                                         the United States on what could
     finalized, will represent the current                   [REG–114540–18]                                       ordinarily be expected to be U.S. source
     thinking of FDA on this topic. It does                                                                        income.’’ Id. at 58.
     not establish any rights for any person
                                                             RIN 1545–BO88                                            Before the 1962 Act, United States
                                                                                                                   shareholders (as defined in section
     and is not binding on FDA or the public.                Amount Determined Under Section 956                   951(b)) (‘‘U.S. shareholders’’) of
     You can use an alternate approach if it                 for Corporate United States                           controlled foreign corporations (as
     satisfies the requirements of the                       Shareholders                                          defined in section 957) (‘‘CFCs’’) were
     applicable statutes and regulations. This                                                                     not subject to U.S. tax on earnings of the
     guidance is not subject to Executive                    AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS),
                                                             Treasury.                                             foreign corporations unless and until
     Order 12866.                                                                                                  earnings of the foreign corporations
                                                             ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
        The draft guidance, when finalized,                                                                        were distributed to the shareholders as
     will provide questions and answers on                   SUMMARY:   This document contains                     a dividend. S. Rep. No. 1881 at 78
     topics related primarily to                             proposed regulations that reduce the                  (1962). The subpart F regime eliminated
     implementing two final rules: (1) ‘‘Food                amount determined under section 956                   deferral for certain—generally passive or
     Labeling: Serving Sizes of Foods That                   of the Internal Revenue Code with                     highly mobile—earnings of CFCs by
     Can Reasonably Be Consumed At One                       respect to certain domestic corporations.             subjecting those earnings to immediate
     Eating Occasion; Dual-Column Labeling;                  The proposed regulations affect certain               U.S. taxation regardless of whether there
     Updating, Modifying, and Establishing                   domestic corporations that own (or are                was an actual distribution. Id. at 80.
                                                             treated as owning) stock in foreign                   Earnings that were not subject to
     Certain Reference Amounts Customarily
                                                             corporations.                                         immediate U.S. taxation under the
     Consumed; Serving Size for Breath
                                                                                                                   subpart F regime were generally taxable
     Mints; and Technical Amendments’’ (81                   DATES: Written or electronic comments
                                                                                                                   only upon repatriation, as those
     FR 34000 (May 27, 2016)) and (2) ‘‘Food                 and requests for a public hearing must                earnings did not present the same
     Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and                 be received by December 5, 2018.                      concerns regarding indefinite tax
     Supplement Facts Labels’’ (81 FR 33742                  ADDRESSES: Send submissions to:                       deferral compared to earnings subject to
     (May 27, 2016)). This draft guidance                    CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG–114540–18),                         subpart F.
     also discusses formatting issues for                    Internal Revenue Service, Room 5203,                     Section 956 was enacted alongside the
     dual-column labeling, products that                     P.O. Box 7604, Ben Franklin Station,                  subpart F regime in the 1962 Act to
     have limited space for nutrition                        Washington, DC 20044. Submissions                     ensure that a CFC’s earnings not subject
     labeling, and additional issues dealing                 may be hand-delivered Monday through                  to immediate tax when earned (under
     with compliance.                                        Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and                the subpart F regime) would be taxed
                                                             4 p.m. to CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG–114540–                   when repatriated, either through a
     II. The Paperwork Reduction Act                         18), Courier’s Desk, Internal Revenue                 dividend or an effective repatriation.
                                                             Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW,                 Recognizing that repatriation of foreign
       This draft guidance refers to
                                                             Washington, DC 20224, or sent                         earnings was possible through means
     previously approved collections of                      electronically via the Federal                        other than a taxable distribution,
     information found in FDA regulations.                   eRulemaking Portal at http://                         Congress enacted section 956 ‘‘to
     These collections of information are                    www.regulations.gov (IRS REG–114540–                  prevent the repatriation of income to the
     subject to review by the Office of                      18).                                                  United States in a manner which does
     Management and Budget (OMB) under                       FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      not subject it to U.S. taxation.’’ H.R.
     the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995                     Concerning the proposed regulations,                  Rep. No. 1447 at 58. Congress
     (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520). The collections                  Rose E. Jenkins, (202) 317–6934;                      determined that the investment by a
     of information in 21 CFR part 101 have                  concerning submissions of comments or                 CFC of its earnings in United States
     been approved under OMB control                         requests for a public hearing, Regina                 property, including obligations of a U.S.
     number 0910–0381.                                       Johnson, (202) 317–6901 (not toll-free                person, ‘‘is substantially the equivalent
                                                             numbers).                                             of a dividend.’’ See S. Rep. No. 1881 at
     III. Electronic Access
                                                                                                                   88 (1962). See also S. Rep. No. 94–938
                                                             SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
       Persons with access to the internet                                                                         at 226 (1976) (‘‘[S]ince the investment
     may obtain the draft guidance at either                 Background                                            . . . in the stock or debt obligations of
     https://www.fda.gov/FoodGuidances or                                                                          a related U.S. person or its domestic
                                                             I. Section 956                                        affiliates makes funds available for use
     https://www.regulations.gov. Use the
                                                                The Revenue Act of 1962 (the ‘‘1962                by the U.S. shareholders, it constitutes
     FDA website listed in the previous                      Act’’), Pub. L. 87–834, sec. 12, 76 Stat.             an effective repatriation of earnings
     sentence to find the most current                       at 1006, enacted sections 951 and 956 as              which should be taxed.’’). Accordingly,
     version of the guidance.                                part of subpart F of part III, subchapter             Congress enacted section 956 as an anti-
       Dated: October 30, 2018.                              N, chapter 1 of the 1954 Internal                     abuse measure to tax a CFC’s investment
     Leslie Kux,                                             Revenue Code (‘‘subpart F’’), as                      of earnings in United States property in
     Associate Commissioner for Policy.                      amended. Subpart F was enacted in                     the same manner as if it had distributed
                                                             order to limit the use of low-tax                     those earnings to the United States. See
     [FR Doc. 2018–24124 Filed 11–2–18; 8:45 am]
                                                             jurisdictions for the purposes of                     JCS–10–87 at 1081–82 (1987) (‘‘In
     BILLING CODE 4164–01–P
                                                             obtaining indefinite deferral of U.S. tax             general, two kinds of transactions are
                                                             on certain earnings that would                        repatriations that end deferral and
                                                             otherwise be subject to U.S. federal                  trigger tax. First, an actual dividend
                                                             income tax. H.R. Rep. No. 1447 at 57                  payment ends deferral. . . . Second, in


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                          Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 214 / Monday, November 5, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                              55325

     the case of a controlled foreign                        described in section 959(c)(1). See                     the time incurred did not constitute an
     corporation, an investment in U.S.                      section 956(b)(1). Under section 956(c),                obligation that could be United States
     property, such as a loan to the lender’s                United States property includes tangible                property. See T.D. 6704, 29 FR 2599,
     U.S. parent or the purchase of U.S. real                property located in the United States,                  2603. This short-term loan exception
     estate, is also a repatriation that ends                stock of a domestic corporation, an                     was removed when the Treasury
     deferral (Code sec. 956).’’). Failure to tax            obligation of a United States person, and               Department and the IRS issued
     CFC investments in United States                        any right to use in the United States                   regulations in 1988 regarding the
     property would have allowed taxpayers                   certain intangible property. Enacted as                 treatment of factoring receivables as
     to circumvent the U.S. system of                        part of the Omnibus Budget                              United States property. See T.D. 8209,
     deferral by effectively repatriating                    Reconciliation Act of 1993, Pub. L. 103–                53 FR 22163, 22169. A one-year debt
     earnings without paying U.S. tax on the                 66, sec. 13232(b), 107 Stat. 312, section               exception would have been inconsistent
     substantial equivalent of a taxable                     956(e) grants the Secretary of the                      with Congress’s expansion of section
     dividend. Section 956 was thus                          Department of Treasury (the                             956 in 1984 to reach factoring
     designed to ensure symmetry between                     ‘‘Secretary’’) the authority to prescribe               receivables, which are often outstanding
     the tax treatment of repatriations                      ‘‘such regulations as may be necessary                  for less than one year.
     through dividends and effective                         to carry out the purposes of this section,                 Alongside the removal of the 1964
     repatriations. See generally Notice                     including regulations to prevent the                    short-term loan exception in the 1988
     2014–52, 2014–42 I.R.B. 712 (‘‘In the                   avoidance of the provisions of this                     regulations, the Treasury Department
     absence of section 956, a U.S.                          section through reorganizations or                      and the IRS issued Notice 88–108,
     shareholder of a CFC could access the                   otherwise.’’                                            1988–2 C.B. 466, which indicated that
     CFC’s funds (untaxed earnings and                          This regulatory authority is not                     regulations would be issued providing a
     profits) in a variety of ways other than                limited to the adoption of anti-                        narrower exception from the definition
     by the payment of an actual taxable                     avoidance rules, but rather permits the                 of obligation for purposes of section 956
     dividend, such that there would be no                   Secretary to ensure that the application                for obligations collected within 30 days
     reason for the U.S. shareholder to incur                of section 956 is consistent with the                   from the time incurred (the ‘‘30-day
     the dividend tax. Section 956 eliminates                ‘‘purposes of this section’’—chief among                rule’’). However, the notice provided
     this disincentive to pay a dividend by                  them, to ensure symmetry between the                    that the exception would not apply to a
     ensuring parity of treatment for different              treatment of actual dividends and                       CFC that holds for 60 or more calendar
     ways that CFC earnings can be made                      payments which are ‘‘substantially the                  days during the taxable year obligations
     available for use in the United States or               equivalent of a dividend.’’ S. Rep. No.                 which, without regard to the 30-day
     for use by the U.S. shareholder.’’).                    1881 at 88 (1962). Consistent with this                 rule, would constitute United States
                                                             understanding, the Department of                        property. The 30-day rule was expanded
        Section 951(a)(1)(B) requires a U.S.                                                                         to 60 days in order to facilitate the flow
     shareholder of a CFC to include in gross                Treasury (the ‘‘Treasury Department’’)
                                                             and the IRS have exercised this                         of funds from foreign subsidiaries
     income the amount determined under                                                                              during a financial crisis beginning in
     section 956 (the ‘‘section 956 amount’’)                regulatory authority to tailor the
                                                             application of section 956 to the abuse                 2008, which expansion was also
     with respect to the CFC to the extent not                                                                       extended to 2009 and 2010. See Notice
     excluded from gross income under                        that motivated its adoption, ensuring
                                                             that the provision applies to the                       2008–91, 2008–43 I.R.B. 1001; Notice
     section 959(a)(2) (the inclusion, a                                                                             2009–10, 2009–5 I.R.B. 419; Notice
     ‘‘section 956 inclusion’’). See sections                transactions Congress sought to tax, but
                                                             does not extend to transactions the                     2010–12, 2010–4 I.R.B. 326. The 30 day
     951(a)(1)(B), 959(a)(2), and 959(f)(1).                                                                         rule was ultimately adopted in final
     Section 951(b) defines a U.S.                           taxation of which would be inconsistent
                                                             with the purpose of section 956.1 For                   regulations issued on July 12, 2018, as
     shareholder as a United States person                                                                           Treas. Reg. section 1.956–2(d)(2)(iv). See
     that owns within the meaning of section                 example, in 1964, shortly after section
                                                             956 was first enacted, the Treasury                     T.D. 9834, 83 FR 32524, 32537–38.
     958(a), or is considered as owning by                                                                              Since 1964, Congress has modified
     reason of the constructive ownership                    Department and the IRS issued
                                                             regulations containing Treas. Reg.                      section 956 several times without
     rules of section 958(b), 10 percent or                                                                          addressing Treasury’s short-term debt
     more of the voting power or value of a                  section 1.956–2(d)(2)(ii), providing that
                                                                                                                     exception; indeed, since then Congress
     foreign corporation. A U.S.                             any debt collected within one year from
                                                                                                                     adopted section 956(e) as a positive
     shareholder’s section 956 amount with                      1 In addition to authorizing regulations by the
                                                                                                                     grant of regulatory authority in 1993,
     respect to a CFC for a taxable year is the              Treasury Department and the IRS, Congress has           and explicitly validated the short-term
     lesser of (1) the excess (if any) of such               acted on occasion to both expand and contract the       debt exception in its legislative history.
     shareholder’s pro rata share of the                     scope of section 956 based on an evolving               See H.R. Rep. 103–111 at 701 (1993)
     average of the amounts of United States                 understanding of the potential means by which           (‘‘The bill is not intended to change the
                                                             taxpayers could achieve the abusive results that
     property held (directly or indirectly) by               gave rise to its enactment (that is, the tax-free       measurement of U.S. property that may
     the CFC as of the close of each quarter                 effective repatriation of earnings through              apply, for example, in the case of certain
     of such taxable year, over the amount of                transactions that are economically equivalent to a      short-term obligations, as provided in
     earnings and profits described in section               taxable dividend). Thus, for example, Congress          IRS Notice 88–108 (1988–2 C.B. 445),
                                                             contracted the scope of section 956 in 1976,
     959(c)(1)(A) with respect to such                       exempting investments in the stock of unrelated         interpreting present law.’’).
     shareholder, or (2) such shareholder’s                  (tested using a 25 percent ownership threshold)            Conversely, the Treasury Department
     pro rata share of the applicable earnings               U.S. corporations from the definition of United         and the IRS have at times expanded the
     of the CFC. See section 956(a).                         States property. See Pub. L. 94–455, sec. 1021, 90      scope of section 956 by regulation to
                                                             Stat. 1520. Conversely, Congress expanded the
     Applicable earnings are defined as the                  scope of section 956 in the Deficit Reduction Act
                                                                                                                     ensure that the provision reaches the
     sum of accumulated earnings and                         of 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, sec. 123(b), 98 Stat. 494,     type of transactions intended by
     profits (not including deficits) described              by adding certain factoring receivables as a type of    Congress. See, e.g., T.D. 9402, 73 FR
     in section 316(a)(1) and current earnings               United States property because it recognized that       35580, 35582 (adding rules modifying
                                                             certain ‘‘corporations based in the United States are
     and profits described in section                        using foreign subsidiaries to factor receivables as a
                                                                                                                     the basis of property transferred to a
     316(a)(2), reduced by distributions made                device for repatriating foreign earnings tax-free.’’    CFC in certain non-recognition
     during the year and earnings and profits                H.R. Rep. No. 98–432 at 1305 (1984).                    transactions solely for the purposes of


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     55326                Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 214 / Monday, November 5, 2018 / Proposed Rules

     section 956 and providing that ‘‘[t]he                  application of section 956 to corporate               taxable year of a CFC is reduced to the
     purpose of this [rule] is to prevent the                U.S. shareholders would be inconsistent               extent that the U.S. shareholder would
     effective repatriation of earnings and                  with the purposes of section 956 and the              be allowed a deduction under section
     profits of a controlled foreign                         scope of transactions it is intended to               245A if the U.S. shareholder had
     corporation that acquires United States                 address. Congress determined that                     received a distribution from the CFC in
     property in connection with an                          certain investments by a CFC of its                   an amount equal to the amount
     exchange to which this [rule] applies                   earnings in United States property are                otherwise determined under section
     without a corresponding income                          ‘‘substantially the equivalent of a                   956. The proposed regulations provide
     inclusion under section 951(a)(1)(B) by                 dividend’’ and enacted section 956 to                 special rules with respect to indirect
     claiming a basis in the United States                   provide similar treatment for dividends               ownership. Due to the broad
     property less than the amount of                        and certain investments in United States              applicability of section 245A, in many
     earnings and profits effectively                        property constituting effective                       cases a corporate U.S. shareholder will
     repatriated’’). See also T.D. 9834, 83 FR               repatriations. S. Rep. No. 1881 at 88.                not have a section 956 inclusion as a
     32524.                                                  Before the Act, section 956 applied                   result of a CFC holding U.S. property
                                                             appropriately to domestic corporations                under the proposed regulations.
     II. Adoption of Participation Exemption                                                                          Section 956 will continue to apply
                                                             because both dividends from, and
     System                                                                                                        without modification to U.S.
                                                             investments in United States property
        On December 22, 2017, Congress                       by, CFCs were included in income by                   shareholders other than corporate U.S.
     enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,                      such domestic corporations. As noted,                 shareholders, such as individuals, to
     Public Law 115–97 (the ‘‘Act’’), which                  the purpose of section 956 is generally               ensure that, consistent with the
     established a participation exemption                   to create symmetry between the taxation               purposes of section 956, amounts that
     system for the taxation of certain foreign              of actual repatriations and the taxation              are substantially the equivalent of a
     income. Under section 245A(a), in the                   of effective repatriations, by subjecting             dividend will be treated similarly to
     case of any dividend received from a                    effective repatriations to tax in the same            actual dividends. This treatment will
     specified 10-percent owned foreign                      manner as actual repatriations. Under                 apply to individuals regardless of
     corporation by a domestic corporation                   the participation exemption system,                   whether they make an election under
     which is a U.S. shareholder with respect                however, earnings of a CFC that are                   section 962. Because individuals are not
     to such foreign corporation, there is                   repatriated to a corporate U.S.                       eligible for a dividends received
     allowed as a deduction an amount equal                  shareholder as a dividend are typically               deduction under section 245A even if
     to the foreign-source portion of such                   effectively exempt from tax because the               they make an election under section
     dividend. A specified 10-percent owned                  shareholder is generally afforded an                  962, the current application of section
     foreign corporation is defined in section               equal and offsetting dividends received               956 to individuals is still necessary to
     245A(b) as any foreign corporation                      deduction under section 245A. A                       ensure substantial equivalence between
     (other than certain passive foreign                     section 956 inclusion of a corporate U.S.             an actual repatriation and a deemed
     investment companies) with respect to                   shareholder, on the other hand, is not                repatriation. Similarly, section 956 will
     which a domestic corporation is a U.S.                  eligible for the dividends received                   continue to apply without reduction to
     shareholder. Section 245A(g) grants the                 deduction under section 245A (because                 regulated investment companies and
     Secretary authority to prescribe such                   it is not a dividend). As a result, the               real estate investment trusts because
     regulations or other guidance as may be                 application of section 956 after the Act              they are not allowed the dividends
     necessary or appropriate to carry out the               to corporate U.S. shareholders of CFCs                received deduction under section 245A.
     provisions of section 245A, including                   that would qualify for section 245A                   See sections 852(b)(2)(C) and
     regulations for the treatment of U.S.                   deductions would result in disparate                  857(b)(2)(A).
     shareholders owning stock of a specified                treatment of actual dividends and                        In addition to carrying out the
     10-percent owned foreign corporation                    amounts ‘‘substantially the equivalent of             purposes of section 956, the proposed
     through a partnership.                                  a dividend’’—a result directly at odds                regulations would significantly reduce
        Under section 246(c)(1) and (5), a                   with the manifest purpose of section                  complexity, costs, and compliance
     domestic corporation that is a U.S.                     956.                                                  burdens for corporate U.S. shareholders
     shareholder is not permitted a section                     Accordingly, the proposed regulations              of CFCs. Absent the proposed
     245A deduction in respect of any                        continue the Treasury Department and                  regulations, corporate U.S. shareholders
     dividend on any share of stock of a                     the IRS’s longstanding practice of                    would need to continue to carefully
     specified 10-percent owned foreign                      conforming the application of section                 monitor the application of section 956
     corporation that the domestic                           956 to its purpose. The proposed                      to their operations, including provisions
     corporation holds for 365 days or less                  regulations exclude corporate U.S.                    related to loans, guarantees, and
     during the 731-day period beginning on                  shareholders from the application of                  pledges, to ensure that earnings were
     the date that is 365 days before the date               section 956 to the extent necessary to                repatriated only through actual
     on which the share becomes ex-                          maintain symmetry between the                         dividends, and therefore allowed a
     dividend with respect to the dividend.                  taxation of actual repatriations and the              participation exemption, rather than
     Under section 246(c)(1)(B), a section                   taxation of effective repatriations. In               through a deemed repatriation under
     245A deduction is also not allowed to                   general, under section 245A and the                   section 956 subject to additional U.S.
     the extent the domestic corporation is                  proposed regulations, respectively,                   tax. Similarly, in the absence of the
     under an obligation to make related                     neither an actual dividend to a                       proposed regulations, a U.S.-parented
     payments with respect to positions in                   corporate U.S. shareholder, nor such a                group in many cases would need to
     substantially similar or related property.              shareholder’s amount determined under                 engage in complex and costly
                                                             section 956, will result in additional                restructuring upon the acquisition of a
     Explanation of Provisions                               U.S. tax.                                             foreign corporation that owns domestic
       The Treasury Department and the IRS                      To achieve this result, the proposed               subsidiaries (since the foreign
     have determined that as a result of the                 regulations provide that the amount                   corporation becomes a CFC and the
     enactment of the participation                          otherwise determined under section 956                stock of its domestic subsidiaries
     exemption system, the current broad                     with respect to a U.S. shareholder for a              represents United States property)


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                          Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 214 / Monday, November 5, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                                55327

     solely to avoid a section 956 inclusion.                impact on a substantial number of small               An alternative could be to determine a
     Absent the proposed regulations,                        entities, although some small entities                domestic partnership’s section 956
     section 956 could also serve as a ‘‘trap                that are domestic corporations could be               amount and section 956 inclusion
     for the unwary’’ for domestic                           affected by the regulation and comments               without regard to the status of its
     corporations that fail to recognize that,               are requested on the application of the               partners, but then provide that a
     even though they are entitled to the                    regulation to domestic partnerships.                  corporate U.S. shareholder partner’s
     deduction under section 245A for actual                 However, even if a substantial number                 distributive share of the section 956
     dividends, their section 956 inclusions                 of small entities were to be affected by              inclusion is not taxable. Comments are
     would continue to be fully subject to                   this regulation, the Treasury Department              also requested with respect to the
     U.S. tax.                                               and the IRS estimate that the economic                maintenance of previously taxed
       The proposed regulations also add, in                 impact on such small entities would not               earnings and profits accounts under
     proposed § 1.956–1(g)(5), the effective                 be significant as the regulation is                   section 959 and basis adjustments under
     date for § 1.956–1(e)(6) that was                       expected to marginally reduce                         section 961. Additionally, comments are
     inadvertently deleted in TD 9792,                       compliance costs for smaller entities.                requested on the interaction between
     published in the Federal Register on                    This is because the Treasury                          the proposed regulations and section
     November 3, 2016 (81 FR 76497, as                       Department and the IRS believe that the               245A(e). All comments will be available
     corrected at 81 FR 95470 and 95471).                    cost-saving benefits of the proposed                  at http://www.regulations.gov or upon
                                                             regulations with respect to complex                   request.
     Conforming Amendments
                                                             third-party borrowing arrangements,                      A public hearing will be scheduled if
        The Treasury Department and the IRS                  internal financial management                         requested in writing by any person that
     intend to make conforming amendments                    structures, and restructurings of                     timely submits written comments. If a
     to the examples throughout the                          worldwide operations will generally be                public hearing is scheduled, notice of
     regulations under section 956 upon                      available only to large U.S.                          the date, time, and place for the public
     finalization of the proposed regulations.               multinational corporations with 20 or                 hearing will be published in the Federal
     Applicability Date                                      more CFCs. The Treasury Department                    Register.
                                                             and the IRS believe that U.S.
        These changes are proposed to apply                  multinational corporations with less                  Drafting Information
     to taxable years of a CFC beginning on                  than 20 CFCs generally will not have the                The principal author of these
     or after the date of publication of the                 types of arrangements in place that                   proposed regulations is Joshua G.
     Treasury decision adopting these rules                  would otherwise need to be structured                 Rabon, formerly of the Office of
     as final regulations in the Federal                     and monitored to avoid section 956. The               Associate Chief Counsel (International).
     Register (the ‘‘finalization date’’), and to            proposed regulations, if adopted,                     However, other personnel from the
     taxable years of a U.S. shareholder in                  generally will not affect small entities              Treasury Department and the IRS
     which or with which such taxable years                  that are not domestic corporations. The               participated in their development.
     of the CFC end. With respect to taxable                 Treasury Department and the IRS invite
     years of a CFC beginning before the                                                                           List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1
                                                             comments on the impact of this rule on
     finalization date, a taxpayer may rely on               small entities.                                         Income taxes, Reporting and
     the proposed regulations for taxable                       Pursuant to section 7805(f), this                  recordkeeping requirements.
     years of a CFC beginning after December                 notice of proposed rulemaking has been                Proposed Amendments to the
     31, 2017, and for taxable years of a U.S.               submitted to the Chief Counsel for                    Regulations
     shareholder in which or with which                      Advocacy of the Small Business
     such taxable years of the CFC end,                      Administration for comment on its                       Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is
     provided that the taxpayer and United                   impact on small businesses.                           proposed to be amended as follows:
     States persons that are related (within
                                                             Comments and Requests for Public                      PART 1—INCOME TAXES
     the meaning of section 267 or 707) to
                                                             Hearing
     the taxpayer consistently apply the                                                                             Paragraph 1. The authority citation
     proposed regulations with respect to all                  Before these proposed regulations are               for part 1 is amended by adding an entry
     CFCs in which they are U.S.                             adopted as final regulations,                         to read in part as follows:
     shareholders.                                           consideration will be given to any
                                                                                                                       Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
                                                             comments that are submitted timely to
     Special Analyses                                        the IRS as prescribed in this preamble                  Section 1.956–1 also issued under 26
       The Administrator of the Office of                    under the ADDRESSES heading. The                      U.S.C. 245A(g) and 956(e).
     Information and Regulatory Affairs                      Treasury Department and the IRS                       *      *     *      *    *
     (OIRA), Office of Management and                        request comments on all aspects of the                   Par. 2. Section 1.956–1 is amended
     Budget, has waived review of this                       proposed rules. In particular, comments               by:
     proposed rule in accordance with                        are requested as to the appropriate                      1. Revising paragraph (a).
     section 6(a)(3)(A) of Executive Order                   application of the proposed regulations                  2. In the first sentence of paragraph
     12866. OIRA will subsequently make a                    to U.S. shareholders that are domestic                (g)(1), removing the language
     significance determination of the final                 partnerships, which may have partners                 ‘‘Paragraph (a)’’ and adding in its place
     rule, pursuant to section 3(f) of                       that are a combination of domestic                    ‘‘Paragraph (a)(1)’’.
     Executive Order (E.O.) 12866 and the                    corporations, U.S. individuals, or other                 3. Adding paragraphs (g)(4) and (5).
                                                             persons. For example, one approach                       The revisions and additions read as
     April 11, 2018, Memorandum of
                                                             could be to reduce the amount                         follows:
     Agreement between the Department of
     Treasury and the Office of Management                   otherwise determined under section 956                § 1.956–1 Shareholder’s pro rata share of
     and Budget (OMB).                                       with respect to a domestic partnership                the average of the amounts of United States
       Pursuant to the Regulatory Flexibility                to the extent that a domestic corporate               property held by a controlled foreign
     Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6), it is hereby                  partner would be entitled to a section                corporation.
     certified that this regulation, if adopted,             245A deduction if the partnership                       (a) Overview and scope—(1) In
     will not have a significant economic                    received the amount as a distribution.                general. Subject to the provisions of


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     55328                Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 214 / Monday, November 5, 2018 / Proposed Rules

     section 951(a) and the regulations                      that gives rise to such indirect                      acquired while all of its stock was
     thereunder, a United States shareholder                 ownership;                                            owned by USP.
     of a controlled foreign corporation is                     (3) To the extent that a distribution                 (B) Analysis. Because USP directly
     required to include in gross income the                 treated as made to a controlled foreign               owns all of the stock of CFC1 at the end
     amount determined under section 956                     corporation pursuant to the hypothetical              of CFC1’s taxable year, USP’s aggregate
     with respect to the shareholder for the                 distribution by reason of paragraph                   tentative section 956 amount with
     taxable year but only to the extent not                 (a)(2)(ii)(A)(2) of this section would be             respect to CFC1 is $100x, the lesser of
     excluded from gross income under                        subject to section 245A(e)(2), the United             USP’s pro rata share of the average
     section 959(a)(2) and the regulations                   States shareholder is treated as not                  amounts of United States property held
     thereunder.                                             being allowed a deduction under                       by CFC1 ($120x) and its pro rata share
        (2) Reduction for certain United                     section 245A by reason of the                         of CFC1’s applicable earnings ($100x).
     States shareholders—(i) In general. For                 hypothetical distribution; and                        Under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section,
     a taxable year of a controlled foreign                     (4) Section 246(c) applies to the                  USP’s section 956 amount with respect
     corporation, the amount determined                      hypothetical distribution by substituting             to CFC1 is its aggregate tentative section
     under section 956 with respect to each                  the phrase ‘‘owned (within the meaning                956 amount with respect to CFC1
     share of stock of the controlled foreign                of section 958(a))’’ for the term ‘‘held’’            reduced by the deduction under section
     corporation owned (within the meaning                   each place it appears in section 246(c);              245A that USP would be allowed if USP
     of section 958(a)) by a United States                   and                                                   received an amount equal to its
     shareholder is the amount that would be                    (B) Section 246(c) applies to the                  aggregate tentative section 956 amount
     determined under section 956 with                       hypothetical distribution by substituting             as a distribution with respect to the
     respect to such share for the taxable                   ‘‘the last day during the taxable year on             CFC1 stock. With respect to the
     year, absent the application of this                    which the foreign corporation is a                    tentative distribution from CFC1 to USP,
     paragraph (a)(2) for the taxable year                   controlled foreign corporation’’ for the              USP would be allowed a $90x
     (such amount, the tentative section 956                 phrase ‘‘the date on which such share                 deduction under section 245A with
     amount, and in the aggregate with                       becomes ex-dividend with respect to                   respect to the foreign-source portion of
     respect to all shares owned (within the                 such dividend’’ in section 246(c)(1)(A).              the $100x hypothetical distribution (that
     meaning of section 958(a)) by the United                                                                      is, an amount of the dividend that bears
                                                                (3) Examples. The following examples
     States shareholder, the aggregate                                                                             the same ratio to the dividend as the
                                                             illustrate the application of paragraph
     tentative section 956 amount), reduced                                                                        $90x of undistributed foreign earnings
                                                             (a)(2) of this section.
     by the amount of the deduction under                                                                          bears to the $100x of undistributed
                                                                (i) Example 1. (A) Facts. (1) USP, a
     section 245A that the shareholder                                                                             earnings). Accordingly, USP’s section
                                                             domestic corporation, owns all of the                 956 amount with respect to CFC1 is
     would be allowed if the shareholder                     single class of stock of CFC1, which is
     received as a distribution from the                                                                           $10x, its aggregate tentative section 956
                                                             treated as equity for U.S. income tax                 amount ($100x) with respect to CFC1
     controlled foreign corporation an                       purposes and under the laws of the                    reduced by the amount of the deduction
     amount equal to the tentative section                   jurisdiction in which CFC1 is organized               that USP would have been allowed
     956 amount with respect to such share                   and liable to tax as a resident. The stock            under section 245A with respect to the
     on the last day during the taxable year                 of CFC1 consists of 100 shares, and USP               hypothetical distribution ($90x).
     on which the foreign corporation is a                   satisfies the holding period requirement                 (ii) Example 2. (A) Facts. The facts are
     controlled foreign corporation                          of section 246(c) (as modified by                     the same as in paragraph (A) of Example
     (hypothetical distribution).                            paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(B) of this section)              1 in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section,
        (ii) Determination of the amount of                  with respect to each share of CFC1                    except that all $100x of CFC1’s
     the deduction that would be allowed                     stock. CFC1 owns all of the stock of                  undistributed earnings are described in
     under section 245A with respect to a                    USS, a domestic corporation. CFC1’s                   section 959(c)(2).
     hypothetical distribution. For purposes                 adjusted basis in the stock of USS is                    (B) Analysis. As in paragraph (B) of
     of determining the amount of the                        $0x.                                                  Example 1 in this paragraph (a)(3)(i) of
     deduction under section 245A that a                        (2) The functional currency of CFC1 is             this section, USP’s aggregate tentative
     United States shareholder would be                      the U.S. dollar. CFC1 has $100x of                    section 956 amount with respect to
     allowed with respect to a share of stock                undistributed earnings as defined in                  CFC1 is $100x, the lesser of USP’s pro
     of a controlled foreign corporation by                  section 245A(c)(2), $90x of which                     rata share of the average amounts of
     reason of a hypothetical distribution,                  constitute undistributed foreign                      United States property held by CFC1
     the following rules apply—                              earnings as defined in section                        ($120x) and its pro rata share of CFC1’s
        (A) If a United States shareholder                   245A(c)(3), and $10x of which are                     applicable earnings ($100x). However,
     owns a share of stock of a controlled                   described in section 245(a)(5)(B) (that is,           paragraph (a)(2) of this section does not
     foreign corporation indirectly (within                  earnings attributable to a dividend that              reduce USP’s section 956 amount,
     the meaning of section 958(a)(2)), then—                CFC1 received from USS). CFC1 would                   because USP would not be allowed any
        (1) Sections 245A(a) through (d),                    not receive a deduction or other tax                  deduction under section 245A with
     246(a), and 959 apply to the                            benefit with respect to any income, war               respect to the $100x hypothetical
     hypothetical distribution as if the                     profits, or excess profits taxes on a                 distribution by reason of section 959(a)
     United States shareholder directly                      distribution. None of the earnings and                and (d). Accordingly, USP’s section 956
     owned (within the meaning of section                    profits of CFC1 are described in section              amount is $100x. However, under
     958(a)(1)(A)) the share;                                959(c)(1) or (2) or are earnings and                  sections 959(a)(2) and 959(f)(1), USP’s
        (2) Section 245A(e) applies to the                   profits attributable to income excluded               inclusion under section 951(a)(1)(B)
     hypothetical distribution as if the                     from subpart F income under section                   with respect to CFC1 is $0, because
     distribution were made to the United                    952(b). CFC1’s applicable earnings (as                USP’s section 956 amount with respect
     States shareholder through each entity                  defined in section 956(b)(1)) are $100x.              to CFC1 does not exceed the earnings
     by reason of which the United States                    CFC1 also has held an obligation of USP               and profits of CFC1 described in section
     shareholder indirectly owns such share                  with an adjusted basis of $120x on every              959(c)(2) with respect to USP. The
     and pro rata with respect to the equity                 day during the taxable year that was                  $100x of earnings and profits of CFC1


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                          Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 214 / Monday, November 5, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                                  55329

     described in section 959(c)(2) are                      determining the consequences of this                  Register of September 14, 2018, seeking
     reclassified as earnings and profits                    hypothetical distribution, under                      comments from the public concerning
     described in section 959(c)(1).                         paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A)(1) of this section,           the standard for determining joint-
        (iii) Example 3. (A) Facts. (1) USP, a               USP is treated as owning the CFC2 stock               employer status under the National
     domestic corporation, owns all of the                   directly. In addition, under paragraph                Labor Relations Act. The date to submit
     single class of stock of CFC1, and has                  (a)(2)(ii)(A)(4) of this section, the                 responses to the Notice is extended for
     held such stock for five years. CFC1 has                holding period requirement of section                 30 days.
     held 70% of the single class of stock of                246(c) is applied by reference to the                 DATES: The comment period for the
     CFC2 for three years. The other 30% of                  period during which USP owned                         notice of proposed rulemaking
     the CFC2 stock has been held by a                       (within the meaning of section 958(a))                published at 83 FR 46681 is extended.
     foreign individual unrelated to USP or                  the stock of CFC2. Therefore, with                    Comments must be received by the
     CFC1 since CFC2’s formation. All of the                 respect to the hypothetical distribution              Board on or before December 13, 2018.
     stock of each of CFC1 and CFC2 is                       from CFC2 to USP, USP would satisfy                   Comments replying to the comments
     treated as equity for U.S. income tax                   the holding period requirement under                  submitted during the initial comment
     purposes and under the laws of the                      section 246(c) with respect to the 70%                period must be received by the Board on
     jurisdiction in which each respective                   of the CFC2 stock that USP indirectly                 or before December 20, 2018.
     corporation is organized and liable to                  owned for three years through CFC1, but
     tax as a resident. CFC2 has a calendar                                                                          Dated: October 31, 2018.
                                                             not with respect to the 30% of the CFC2
     taxable year. On December 1, Year 1,                                                                          Farah Z. Qureshi,
                                                             stock that USP indirectly owned
     CFC1 acquires the remaining 30% of the                  through CFC1 for a period of less than                Associate Executive Secretary.
     stock of CFC2 for cash. On June 30, Year                365 days. Accordingly, USP’s section                  [FR Doc. 2018–24134 Filed 11–2–18; 8:45 am]
     2, CFC1 sells to a third party the 30%                  956 amount with respect to CFC2 for                   BILLING CODE P
     of CFC2 stock acquired in Year 1 at no                  Year 1 is $30x, its aggregate tentative
     gain. CFC2 made no distributions                        section 956 amount ($100x) reduced by
     during Year 1.                                          the amount of the deduction that USP                  DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
        (2) The functional currency of CFC1                  would have been allowed under section
     and CFC2 is the U.S. dollar. CFC2 has                   245A with respect to the hypothetical                 Office of the Secretary
     $120x of undistributed earnings as                      distribution ($70x).
     defined in section 245A(c)(2), all of                                                                         32 CFR Part 111
     which constitute undistributed foreign                  *      *     *     *      *
     earnings. Neither CFC1 nor CFC2 would                      (g) * * *                                          [Docket ID: DOD–2016–OS–0116]
                                                                (4) Paragraphs (a)(2) and (3) of this
     receive a deduction or other tax benefit                                                                      RIN 0790–AI99
                                                             section apply to taxable years of
     with respect to any income, war profits,
                                                             controlled foreign corporations                       Transitional Compensation (TC) for
     or excess profits taxes on a distribution.
     None of the earnings and profits of                     beginning on or after the date of                     Abused Dependents
     CFC2 are described in section 959(c)(1)                 publication of the Treasury decision
                                                             adopting paragraphs (a)(2) and (3) of                 AGENCY:  Office of the Under Secretary of
     or (2) or are earnings and profits
                                                             this section as final regulations in the              Defense for Personnel and Readiness,
     attributable to income excluded from
                                                             Federal Register, and to taxable years of             DoD.
     subpart F income under section 952(b).
     CFC2’s applicable earnings (as defined                  a United States shareholder in which or               ACTION: Proposed rule.
     in section 956(b)(1)) are $120x. CFC2                   with which such taxable years of the
                                                             controlled foreign corporation end.                   SUMMARY:   Transitional compensation is
     has held an obligation of USP with an                                                                         one of the many resources available to
     adjusted basis of $100x on every day of                    (5) Paragraph (e)(6) of this section
                                                             applies to property acquired in                       victims of domestic abuse. The
     Year 1 that was acquired while USP                                                                            Transitional Compensation for Abused
     owned all of the stock of CFC1 and                      exchanges occurring on or after June 24,
                                                             2011.                                                 Dependents program is a
     CFC1 held 70% of the single class of                                                                          congressionally-authorized program
     stock of CFC2.                                          Kirsten Wielobob,                                     which provides temporary monetary
        (B) Analysis. Because USP indirectly                 Deputy Commissioner for Services and                  payments and military benefits to
     owns (within the meaning of section                     Enforcement.                                          dependents of Service members, when
     958(a)) all of the stock of CFC2 at the                 [FR Doc. 2018–24140 Filed 11–1–18; 4:15 pm]           the member has been separated from the
     end of Year 1, USP’s aggregate tentative                BILLING CODE 4830–01–P                                military due to a dependent-abuse or
     section 956 amount with respect to
                                                                                                                   child abuse offense. If adopted as final,
     CFC2 for Year 1 is $100x, the lesser of
                                                                                                                   this rulemaking would establish
     USP’s pro rata share of the average
                                                             NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS                              requirements and describes authorized
     amounts of United States property held
                                                             BOARD                                                 benefits for an abused spouse and/or
     by CFC2 ($100x) and its pro rata share
                                                                                                                   abused children affected by the
     of CFC2’s applicable earnings ($120x).                  29 CFR Chapter I                                      separation or forfeiture of pay and
     Under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section,
                                                             RIN 3142–AA13                                         allowances of a military Service
     USP’s section 956 amount with respect
     to CFC2 for Year 1 is its aggregate                                                                           member.
     tentative section 956 amount with                       The Standard for Determining Joint-                   DATES: Comments must be received by
     respect to CFC2 reduced by the                          Employer Status                                       January 4, 2019.
     deduction under section 245A that USP                   AGENCY: National Labor Relations Board                ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
     would be allowed if USP received an                     ACTION:Proposed rulemaking; extension                 identified by docket number and/or RIN
     amount equal to its aggregate tentative                 of comment period.                                    number and title, by any of the
     section 956 amount as a distribution                                                                          following methods:
     with respect to the CFC2 stock that USP                 SUMMARY:  The National Labor Relations                   • Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://
     owns indirectly within the meaning of                   Board (the Board) published a Notice of               www.regulations.gov. Follow the
     section 958(a)(2). For purposes of                      Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal                    instructions for submitting comments.


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Document Created: 2018-11-03 00:28:42
Document Modified: 2018-11-03 00:28:42
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionNotice of proposed rulemaking.
DatesWritten or electronic comments and requests for a public hearing must be received by December 5, 2018.
ContactConcerning the proposed regulations, Rose E. Jenkins, (202) 317-6934; concerning submissions of comments or requests for a public hearing, Regina Johnson, (202) 317-6901 (not toll-free numbers).
FR Citation83 FR 55324 
RIN Number1545-BO88
CFR AssociatedIncome Taxes and Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements

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