[4830-01-u]
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Parts 1 and 602
[TD 8750]
RIN 1545-AV40
General Rules for Making and Maintaining Qualified Electing Fund
Elections
AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.
ACTION: Temporary and final regulations.
SUMMARY: This document contains temporary regulations that
provide guidance to a passive foreign investment company (PFIC)
shareholder that makes the election under section 1295 (section
1295 election) to treat the PFIC as a qualified electing fund
(QEF). This document also contains temporary regulations that
provide guidance for shareholders that wish to make a section
1295 election that will apply on a retroactive basis (retroactive
election). In addition, this document contains a temporary
regulation that provides guidance under section 1291 to a PFIC
shareholder that is a tax-exempt organization. Temporary
regulations are needed to provide taxpayers additional time to
satisfy certain requirements to make the section 1295 election.
The text of these temporary regulations also serves as the text
of proposed regulations set forth in the notice of proposed
rulemaking on this subject in the Proposed Rules section of this
issue of the Federal Register. In addition, this document
removes 1.1291-9(i)(1) of the final regulations, and amends
1.1297-3T. References to sections 1296 and 1297 in this
document are references to sections 1296 and 1297 as in effect
before the effective date of section 1122(a) of the Tax Relief
Act of 1997.
DATES: These regulations are effective January 2, 1998.
For dates of applicability, see 1.1291-1T(e)(2), 1.1293-
1T(a)(2)(ii), 1.1293-1T(c)(3), 1.1295-1T(k), 1.1295-3T(h), and
1.1297-3T(c)(3) of these regulations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gayle Novig, (202) 622-3840
(not a toll-free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Paperwork Reduction Act
These regulations are being issued without prior notice and
public procedure pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (5
U.S.C. 553). For this reason, the collections of information
contained in these regulations have been reviewed and, pending
receipt and evaluation of public comments, approved by the Office
of Management and Budget under control number 1545-1555.
Responses to these collections of information are mandatory.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of information unless the
collection of information displays a valid control number.
For further information concerning these collections of
information, and where to submit comments on the collections of
information and the accuracy of the estimated burden, and
suggestions for reducing this burden, please refer to the
preamble to the cross-referencing notice of proposed rulemaking
published in the Proposed Rules section of this issue of the
Federal Register.
Books or records relating to a collection of information
must be retained as long as their contents may become material in
the administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax
returns and tax return information are confidential, as required
by 26 U.S.C. 6103.
Background
This document contains amendments to the Income Tax
Regulations (26 CFR part 1) under sections 1291, 1293, 1295, and
1297 of the Internal Revenue Code. Sections 1291, 1293, 1295,
and 1297 were added by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, effective for
taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after December
31, 1986. As originally enacted, the section 1295 election was
an election made by the PFIC. The Technical and Miscellaneous
Revenue Act of 1988 (TAMRA) amended section 1295, effective for
taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after December
31, 1986, to change the section 1295 election to a shareholder-
by-shareholder election. Sections 1291, 1293, and 1297 also were
amended by TAMRA; sections 1293 and 1297 were further amended by
the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. Section 1297 also
was amended by the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1989 and the
Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996. In addition, the
Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (1997 TRA) amended section 1 to
provide categories of long-term capital gain and the maximum
rates of tax to which the categories are subject. In certain
cases, this amendment affects the calculation of net capital gain
for purposes of section 1293.
Guidance for making the election under section 1295 was
first provided on March 2, 1988, in the Federal Register (53 FR
6770), with the publication of temporary regulations (TD 8178)
relating to the section 1295 election. These temporary
regulations provided guidance to PFICs making the section 1295
election and therefore became obsolete with the 1988 amendment to
section 1295. The Internal Revenue Service published Notice 88-
125, 1988-2 C.B. 535, to provide guidance to shareholders making
the section 1295 election under section 1295, as amended. Notice
88-125 was an administrative pronouncement, as that term is used
in 1.6661-3(b)(2) of the Income Tax Regulations, and taxpayers
could rely on Notice 88-125 to the same extent as a revenue
ruling or a revenue procedure. Notice 88-125 stated that
taxpayers could rely on the notice until regulations were
published, and that those regulations would be effective for
taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986.
Proposed regulations published April 1, 1992 (57 FR 11024),
provide a general rule regarding the application of section 1291
to a PFIC shareholder that is an organization exempt from tax
under chapter 1. In addition, these proposed regulations provide
general rules regarding the application of section 1293 and
special rules regarding the application of section 1295,
including rules with respect to transfers of PFIC stock subject
to a section 1295 election. Proposed regulation 1.1295-2,
published December 24, 1996 (61 FR 67752), permits certain
shareholders to make a special section 1295 election with respect
to certain preferred stock. Proposed regulation 1.1293-2, also
published December 24, 1996 (61 FR 67752), provides the special
inclusion rules applicable to shareholders that make the special
section 1295 election with respect to their preferred stock.
Temporary regulations 1.1297-3T, published March 2, 1988
(53 FR 6770), provides guidance for making the deemed sale
election under section 1297(b)(1) to purge the PFIC taint from
stock of a foreign corporation that is treated as stock of a PFIC
under section 1297(b)(1). Section 1.1291-9(i)(1) of the
regulations, published December 27, 1996 (61 FR 68149), provides
that the deemed dividend election rules of 1.1291-9 do not
apply to elections made under section 1297(b)(1). A similar rule
had been provided in temporary regulations published April 1,
1992 (57 FR 10992). The temporary regulations, which had been
effective April 1, 1992, sunset April 1, 1995.
Treasury and the Service believe that immediate guidance in
the form of temporary regulations regarding the section 1295
election is necessary. First, the regulations provide
significant new QEF election procedures that are beneficial to
taxpayers. For example, the regulations provide procedures for
both retroactive and protective elections. The benefits provided
by these changes may be jeopardized, or simply unavailable (as a
result of closed taxable years), if taxpayers cannot immediately
rely on them. Second, although the regulations embody guidance
already provided in Notice 88-125, the regulations significantly
reduce the burden for making and maintaining the election and
clarify, most often in favor of taxpayers, significant
ambiguities left by the Notice. Treasury and the Service believe
that the benefits of immediate guidance significantly outweigh
any advantage obtained by issuing the regulations in proposed
form only because these temporary regulations prevent prejudice
to taxpayers as a consequence of a further delay in guidance and
because they benefit taxpayers by providing additional time to
make certain elections. Finally, the temporary regulations
provide guidance concerning the manner in which section 1(h),
which was added to the Code by 1997 TRA, effective for taxable
years ending after May 6, 1997, applies to determine the net
capital gain of the PFIC and the QEF shareholder's pro rata share
of the net capital gain. Therefore, it would be impractical and
contrary to public interest to issue this Treasury decision with
prior notice under section 553(b) of title 5 of the United States
Code.
Explanation of Provisions
A foreign corporation is a passive foreign investment
company (PFIC) for a taxable year if the foreign corporation
satisfies either the income or asset test of section 1296(a) for
that year. A foreign corporation is a PFIC under the income test
if 75 percent or more of its gross income for its taxable year is
passive, or investment-type, income. Alternatively, under the
asset test, a foreign corporation is a PFIC if 50 percent or more
of the average fair market value of its assets during its taxable
year are assets that produce or are held for the production of
passive income. A shareholder of a foreign corporation that
qualifies as a PFIC is subject to the interest charge regime of
section 1291 with respect to certain distributions by the PFIC
and certain dispositions of its stock. Generally, a shareholder
may avoid the interest charge regime by making a timely election
under section 1295 to treat a PFIC as a QEF, in which case the
shareholder will be taxable annually under section 1293 on its
pro rata shares of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of
the PFIC. Under section 1295(a), a section 1295 election will
apply with respect to the PFIC if the PFIC complies with
requirements prescribed by the Secretary for purposes of
determining the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the
PFIC and otherwise carrying out the purposes of the PFIC
provisions.
Section 1295(b)(1) provides that a shareholder may make a
section 1295 election with respect to a PFIC for any taxable year
of the shareholder (shareholder election year). Once made, the
election will apply to that year and to all subsequent years of
the shareholder unless revoked with the consent of the Secretary.
Section 1295(b)(2) prescribes the time for making the election.
In general, for the section 1295 election to be applicable to a
taxable year, the shareholder must make the election by the due
date, as extended under section 6081, for the shareholder's
return for that taxable year. ob体育ever, to the extent provided in
regulations, a section 1295 election may be made for a taxable
year after the time required if the shareholder failed to make a
timely election because the shareholder reasonably believed that
the foreign corporation was not a PFIC.
This document provides temporary regulations that interpret
sections 1291, 1293, 1295, and 1297. In particular, the
temporary regulations incorporate the rules of Notice 88-125,
with certain modifications. The temporary regulations also
clarify the rules of the notice and proposed regulation 1.1295-
1(b) with respect to the application of section 1295 to options,
lapse of PFIC status, cessation of ownership of PFIC stock,
transfer of stock subject to a section 1295 election to a pass
through entity, and tax-exempt organizations. The temporary
regulations also provide rules regarding invalidation,
termination and revocation of a section 1295 election. In
addition, the temporary regulations introduce rules for making a
retroactive election. Finally, the temporary regulations provide
guidance concerning the application of the deemed dividend
election rules to elections under section 1297(b)(1).
1. Rules of Notice 88-125.
Temporary regulation 1.1295-1T(c) through (g) adopts the
rules provided in Notice 88-125, with certain modifications.
These modifications reflect certain comments received with
respect to the notice.
Notice 88-125 describes the requirements a shareholder must
satisfy to make and maintain a section 1295 election. In
particular, each year the shareholder must file Form 8621 with
its income tax return and attach a PFIC Annual Information
Statement (described below). In the year of election, the
shareholder also must attach a Shareholder Election Statement.
Notice 88-125 requires satisfaction of the election and annual
reporting requirements with respect to each PFIC for which the
shareholder makes the section 1295 election.
Commenters indicated that these election and annual
reporting requirements are burdensome, especially if the
shareholder is making the election with respect to many foreign
corporations. In response to the comments, the temporary
regulations change these requirements to reduce the burden on the
electing shareholder. First, the temporary regulations eliminate
the need to file a Shareholder Election Statement. Second, the
temporary regulations eliminate the need to file a copy of the
PFIC Annual Information Statement with Form 8621 and require
instead that the shareholder retain a copy of the PFIC Annual
Information Statement for production upon examination by the
Service. Thus, to make and maintain a section 1295 election, the
shareholder need only file Form 8621 for each PFIC on an annual
basis and maintain records to support the information entered on
that form.
Notice 88-125 imposes certain requirements on PFICs and on
intermediaries through which shareholders own PFIC stock. The
notice requires a PFIC to provide its shareholders with a PFIC
Annual Information Statement containing information necessary to
determine each shareholder's yearly income inclusion. In the
case of indirect ownership of PFIC stock, a nominee or
shareholder of record that has received a PFIC Annual Information
Statement may issue its own statement to the shareholder
containing the relevant information in lieu of passing on the
PFIC Annual Information Statement.
The temporary regulations allow PFICs and intermediaries
more flexibility in fulfilling these requirements. A PFIC that
owns directly or indirectly any shares of one or more PFICs may
provide its shareholders with a PFIC Annual Information Statement
in which it combines the required information and representations
of the PFIC and any lower tier PFICs. The PFIC may use any
format for a combined PFIC Annual Information Statement provided
the required information and representations are clearly
presented and identified with the respective corporations.
Similarly, an intermediary through which a shareholder indirectly
holds stock in more than one PFIC may provide the shareholder a
combined statement based on multiple PFIC Annual Information
Statements. Comments are requested concerning alternative
reporting methods that could further reduce the burden on
electing shareholders.
As provided in Notice 88-125, the PFIC Annual Information
Statement must include the shareholder's pro rata shares of the
ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the PFIC for the PFIC's
taxable year or information that will enable the shareholder to
calculate its pro rata shares. In addition, the PFIC Annual
Information Statement must contain information about
distributions to shareholders and a statement that the PFIC will
permit the shareholder to inspect and copy its permanent books of
account, records, and other documents of the PFC. necessary to
determine that the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the
PFC. have been calculated according to federal income tax
accounting principles. Commenters indicated that it was unclear
in the notice whether a shareholder, rather than the PFC., could
calculate the requisite federal income tax information with
respect to a PFC. that did not keep its books and records
according to U.S. tax accounting rules. In response to the
comments, the temporary regulations clarify that a shareholder
may obtain the books, records and other documents of the foreign
corporation necessary for the shareholder to determine the
correct earnings and profits and net capital gain of the PFC.
according to federal income tax principles and calculate the
shareholder's pro rata shares of the PFC.'s ordinary earnings and
net capital gain. The temporary regulations provide that, in
that case, the PFC. must include a statement in its PFC. Annual
Information Statement that it has permitted the shareholder to
examine the PFC.'s books of account, records, and other documents
necessary for the shareholder to calculate the amounts of
ordinary earnings and net capital gain.
Notice 88-125 provides that a domestic partnership makes the
section 1295 election rather than each individual partner that is
an indirect shareholder of the PFC. by reason of the partner's
interest in the partnership. The notice also provides that an S
corporation makes the section 1295 election. This entity-level
election in the case of domestic partnerships and S corporations
reflects the view that multiple elections by the partners or S
corporation shareholders would be more burdensome than the single
entity-level election. The temporary regulations adopt the rules
of the notice with respect to elections by domestic pass through
entities, clarifying that the section 1295 election with respect
to stock owned directly or indirectly by a domestic trust or
estate generally is also made at the entity level. The temporary
regulations also adopt the rules of the notice with respect to
interests held by foreign pass through entities. Interest
holders in foreign partnerships, trusts, and estates must make
the section 1295 election with respect to their indirect
interests in PFICs held through those entities; foreign entities
may not make the section 1295 election.
Partnerships, S corporations, trusts, and estates are
referred to as pass through entities in the temporary
regulations. The regulations clarify that an election made by a
domestic pass through entity is made in the pass through entity's
capacity as a shareholder, as specially defined in temporary
regulation 1.1295-1T(j) for purposes of the section 1295
election provisions. Thus, the domestic pass through entity
takes the section 1293 inclusion into account in its return for
the year in which or with which the PFC.'s taxable year ends, and
the interest holders in the pass through entity take the section
1293 inclusion into account under the rules applicable to
inclusions of income from the pass through entity. In addition,
the temporary regulations clarify that if an interest holder in a
domestic pass through entity transfers stock of a PFC. subject to
a section 1295 election to the pass through entity, the section
1295 election continues to apply to the interest holder whether
or not the pass through entity makes the section 1295 election.
Similarly, the temporary regulations clarify the effect of
the termination under section 708(b) of a partnership on a
section 1295 election made by the partnership. Section 1.1295-
1T(b)(3)(iii) provides that, notwithstanding the termination of a
section 1295 election when a partnership terminates, the partners
of the former partnership that are partners of the new
partnership are bound by the section 1295 election made by the
former partnership whether or not the new partnership makes a
section 1295 election.
Notice 88-125 does not provide any special rules concerning
tax-exempt entities. As provided in proposed regulations under
section 1291 (see Regulation Project INTL-656-87, published at
1992-1 C.B. 1124), section 1291 and the regulations under section
1291 apply to a tax-exempt organization that is a shareholder of
a PFC. that is not a pedigreed QEF, within the meaning of
1.1291-9(j)(2)(ii), only if a dividend from the PFC. would be
taxable to the organization under subchapter F. Section 1.1291-
1T(e) of these temporary regulations provides the same rule. To
prevent such a tax-exempt organization from being subject to an
unnecessary section 1295 election that may have adverse
consequences to the tax-exempt entity (e.g., an excise tax on
gross investment income of a private foundation that arises as a
consequence of a section 1295 election), the temporary
regulations provide a rule that precludes a tax-exempt entity
that is not taxable with respect to dividends from a PFC. from
making a section 1295 election with respect to that PFC. or from
being subject to a pass through entity level election.
Commenters indicated that Notice 88-125 is unclear about
which taxable year of the PFC. is the first taxable year to which
the section 1295 election applies. Temporary regulation
1.1295-1T(c)(2) clarifies that the section 1295 election is
effective with respect to the taxable year of the foreign
corporation that ends during the shareholder's election year.
Because certain shareholders may have misinterpreted Notice 88-
125, the Commissioner will respect a section 1295 election made
prior to February 1, 1998, that was intended to be effective for
the taxable year of the PFC. that began during the shareholder's
election year provided that it is clear from all the facts and
circumstances that the shareholder intended the election to be
effective for that taxable year of the foreign corporation. For
example, a calendar year shareholder that made the section 1295
election in its 1995 return with respect to a foreign corporation
whose taxable year began in 1995 and ended in 1996, with the
intention that the election first apply to the foreign
corporation's taxable year ended in 1996, will be treated as
having made a valid section 1295 election with respect to that
year.
2. Additional Clarifications.
A. Options.
Options with respect to PFC. stock present unique problems
under section 1295. Section 1297(a)(4) provides that, under
regulations, an option to acquire stock may be treated as
ownership of stock.
Proposed regulations under section 1291 (see Regulation
Project INTL-656-87, published in 1992-1 C.B. 1124) provide that
options are treated like stock for purposes of section 1291.
Under proposed regulation 1.1291-1(d), an option is considered
to be stock of a PFC. that is not a pedigreed QEF for purposes of
applying section 1291 to a disposition of the option, unless the
holder of the actual stock which is subject to the option is
currently including income from the stock under section 1293.
Under proposed regulation 1.1291-1(h)(3), the holding period of
stock acquired upon exercise of an option treated as stock under
1.1291-1(d) includes the period the option was held. These
rules recognize that the value of an option is linked to the
value of the underlying stock and therefore such an option should
be subject to the PFC. rules.
Because of the potential for application of section 1291 to
options or stock acquired upon exercise of options, some option
holders have requested that regulations provide rules for making
a section 1295 election with respect to an option. Application
of a section 1295 election and the section 1293 current inclusion
regime to options would present serious computational issues and
would be administratively burdensome. Therefore, the temporary
regulations continue the rule that any shareholder's section 1295
election with respect to stock of a PFC. does not apply to
options to acquire stock of the PFC. and that an option holder
may not make a section 1295 election with respect to the optioned
stock. Accordingly, if a shareholder of stock subject to a
section 1295 election exercises an option to purchase additional
shares of stock of that PFC., the stock received will be subject
to the section 1295 election made by the shareholder, but,
because of the rules of proposed regulation 1.1291-1(h)(3), the
stock may be treated as stock of an unpedigreed QEF.
Comments are requested concerning the option rule. In
particular, comments are requested that identify any
administratively feasible mechanisms that would permit a
shareholder to make a section 1295 election that will apply to
options.
B. Section 1295 Election Made in a Joint Return.
Section 1.1295-1T(b)(4) of the temporary regulations
clarifies the application of a section 1295 election made in a
joint return within the meaning of section 6013. The temporary
regulations provide that a section 1295 election made in a joint
return will be treated as having been made by both spouses that
join in the filing of that return.
C. Lapse in PFC. Status or in Ownership.
Section 1.1295-1T(c)(2) of the temporary regulations
clarifies the status of a shareholder's section 1295 election
with respect to a foreign corporation after the foreign
corporation ceases to be a PFC. and a QEF, or after the
shareholder ceases to be a shareholder of the PFC. In general,
once a section 1295 election is made with respect to a
corporation, it remains in effect, although not applicable,
during those years that the foreign corporation is not a PFC.
Therefore, if the corporation requalifies as a PFC., the section
1295 election previously made is still valid, and the shareholder
is required to satisfy the requirements of that election.
Furthermore, as indicated in H.R. No. 795, 100th Cong., 2d Sess.,
at 567 (1988), an election remains in effect with respect to a
shareholder, although dormant, after a shareholder disposes of
its entire interest in the PFC. Upon the shareholder's
reacquisition of an interest in the PFC., the section 1295
election will apply to the newly acquired stock.
D. Invalidation, Termination, and Revocation of Section
1295 Elections.
As provided in temporary regulation 1.1295-1T(i)(1), the
Commissioner has discretion to invalidate or terminate a section
1295 election if the shareholder or the QEF fails to satisfy the
section 1295 election requirements. ob体育ever, intentional failure
to satisfy the section 1295 election requirements will not
automatically result in invalidation or termination. If the
Commissioner invalidates a section 1295 election, the shareholder
will be treated as if it never made a section 1295 election with
respect to the PFC. If the Commissioner terminates a section
1295 election for a taxable year, the section 1295 election will
be valid for all taxable years before that year, but inapplicable
to that year and all subsequent taxable years.
Once a shareholder makes a section 1295 election, the
shareholder may revoke its section 1295 election only with the
consent of the Commissioner. Temporary regulation 1.1295-
1T(i)(2) provides the rules for requesting consent to revoke an
election.
The effects of an invalidation, termination, or revocation
of a section 1295 election are provided in 1.1295-1T(i)(3) of
the temporary regulations. In the Commissioner's discretion,
stock of a foreign corporation, with respect to which the section
1295 election is invalidated, terminated, or revoked will be
treated as sold as of the last day of the PFC.'s last taxable
year as a QEF. The Commissioner also has the discretion to
impose any other terms and conditions that the Commissioner deems
necessary to ensure a shareholder's compliance with sections 1291
through 1297. In addition, revocation will terminate all section
1294 elections.
Section 1.1295-1T(i)(4) of the temporary regulations permits
a shareholder to make another section 1295 election with respect
to the PFC. after the fifth taxable year following the
invalidation, termination, or revocation. ob体育ever, the
shareholder may request consent to make the section 1295 election
for an earlier taxable year.
3. Section 1293.
The temporary regulations provide guidance to PFICs
concerning the application of section 1(h) to section 1293 and
the calculation of net capital gain. Section 1.1293-
1T(a)(2) of the temporary regulations provides three alternatives
for a QEF to calculate and report net capital gain. First, the
PFC. may calculate and report to its shareholders the amount of
each category of long-term capital gain provided in section 1(h).
Alternatively, the PFC. may determine and report a single amount
of net capital gain, stating that amount of long-term
capital gain is subject to the highest capital gain rate of tax
applicable to the shareholder. Under the third option, the PFC.
may treat the total of its earnings and profits for the taxable
year as ordinary earnings. The provision of these options is
intended to simplify compliance with the requirements of sections
1293 and 1295. It is anticipated that, without providing these
options, some PFICs would not be willing or able to calculate the
categories of net capital gain required by section 1(h) and
therefore would not provide the information necessary for a QEF
shareholder to maintain a valid section 1295 election. A
shareholder that has access to information necessary to calculate
its pro rata share of the PFC.'s ordinary earnings and net
capital gain may also use any of these options. The Service
requests comments about how net capital gain should be
calculated, especially in light of the 1997 Act changes to
section 1.
The temporary regulations under section 1293 also clarify
the application of the current inclusion rules of section 1293 to
interests in a QEF held through a domestic pass through entity.
The temporary regulations provide generally that a U.S. person
that is a shareholder of the QEF by reason of an interest in a
domestic pass through entity takes into account its pro rata
shares of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the QEF
attributable to the QEF shares held by the pass through entity
according to the general rules applicable to inclusions of income
from the pass through entity.
4. Exempt organizations subject to section 1291.
As stated above, the temporary regulations include the rule
of proposed regulation 1.1291-1(e). Under temporary regulation
1.1291-1T(e), if the shareholder of a PFC. is an organization
exempt from tax under this chapter (including an Individual
Retirement Account (IRA)), section 1291 and these regulations
apply to such shareholder only if a dividend from the PFIC would
be taxable to the organization under subchapter F.
5. Effective Dates of Temporary Regulations 1.1291-1T(e),
1.1293-1T(a)(2), 1.1293-1T(c) and 1.1295-1T.
As stated above, Notice 88-125 provides that the notice's
rules will be provided in regulations applicable to taxable years
beginning after 1986. ob体育ever, because the temporary regulations
do not adopt the rules of Notice 88-125 in their entirety, the
temporary regulations will not be retroactively applied.
Therefore, 1.1295-1T(c) through (j) will apply to taxable years
of shareholders beginning after December 31, 1997. As provided
in 1.1295-1T(h), the Internal Revenue Service will honor
taxpayer reliance on Notice 88-125 for taxable years beginning
after December 31, 1986, and before January 1, 1998. Thus, if a
person made a valid section 1295 election under the rules of
Notice 88-125 for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1998,
and, for those taxable years, complied with the rules of the
notice relating to maintaining that election, the election
remains in effect for taxable years beginning after December 31,
1997. ob体育ever, elections made under Notice 88-125, as well as
elections made under these temporary regulations, must be
maintained as provided in the temporary regulations.
Temporary regulation 1.1291-1T(e) will apply on and after
April 1, 1992. Section 1.1293-1T(a)(2) of the temporary
regulations will apply to sales by QEFs during their taxable
years ending on or after May 7, 1997. Temporary regulation
1.1293-1T(c) and 1.1295-1T(b)(2)(iii), (b)(3), and (b)(4) will
apply to taxable years of shareholders beginning after December
31, 1997.
6. Retroactive Section 1295 Elections.
a. In General.
Section 1295(b)(2) provides that, to the extent provided in
regulations, a shareholder may make a section 1295 election with
respect to a foreign corporation later than the election due date
if the shareholder failed to make a timely section 1295 election
because the shareholder reasonably believed that the foreign
corporation was not a PFIC. In temporary regulation 1.1295-3T,
Treasury and the Service interpret section 1295(b)(2) to permit a
shareholder of a PFIC to make a retroactive election in certain
limited circumstances where the shareholder possessed reasonable
belief that the corporation was not a PFIC or the shareholder
demonstrates that it reasonably relied on the advice of a
qualified tax professional.
As described below, the temporary regulations set forth two
distinct sets of rules for making a retroactive election. Under
the first set of rules, a shareholder of a PFIC that meets
certain conditions may make a retroactive election without
obtaining the consent of the Commissioner (protective regime). A
shareholder may make a retroactive election under the protective
regime only if the shareholder possessed reasonable belief as of
the election due date that the foreign corporation was not a
PFIC. A shareholder of a PFIC may make a retroactive election
under the protective regime even after the issue of PFIC status
has been raised in an audit by the Service.
Under the second set of rules, a shareholder may make a
retroactive election only after obtaining the Commissioner's
consent (consent regime). To make a retroactive election under
the consent regime, the shareholder must demonstrate, to the
satisfaction of the Commissioner, that the shareholder's failure
to make a timely section 1295 election resulted from the
shareholder s reasonable reliance on the advice of a qualified
tax professional. A shareholder of a PFIC may not make a
retroactive election under the consent regime unless the
shareholder files a request for consent before the issue of PFIC
status is raised on audit.
The temporary regulations provide the exclusive rules for
making a retroactive election. Thus, a shareholder that does not
satisfy the requirements of the temporary regulations may not
seek relief under any other provision of the law, including
301.9100 regulations. Although such a shareholder may not make
a retroactive election, the shareholder may be able to attain
certain benefits associated with a retroactive election by making
a section 1295 election for the current year together with a
purging election under section 1291(d)(2).
b. Protective Regime.
A shareholder that satisfies the requirements of the
protective regime may make a retroactive election under the rules
of temporary regulation 1.1295-3T(c) through (e) without
obtaining the Commissioner s consent. This regime requires that
the shareholder possess reasonable belief, contemporaneous with
the election due date, that the foreign corporation was not a
PFIC.
The legislative history of section 1295 suggests that in
certain circumstances a shareholder that reasonably believed that
a foreign corporation was not a PFIC for a taxable year (e.g.,
based on a reasonable valuation of the corporation s assets) may
make a retroactive election if the Service determines, upon
examination, that the corporation was in fact a PFIC for such
taxable year (e.g., based on the Service's valuation of the
corporation's assets for the taxable year). Consistent with the
legislative history, temporary regulation 1.1295-3T(c) through
(e) permits a shareholder to make a retroactive election for a
taxable year of the shareholder (retroactive election year), even
if the Service raises the PFIC status of the corporation upon
audit. Although the shareholder need not request the Service's
consent to make a retroactive election under this regime, the
shareholder must satisfy certain conditions to make a retroactive
election.
First, except for certain small shareholders, the
shareholder must be able to establish that the shareholder
reasonably believed, within the meaning of temporary regulation
1.1295-3T(d), as of the election due date, that the foreign
corporation was not a PFIC. Temporary regulation 1.1295-3T(d)
interprets the reasonable belief standard to require an actual
determination by the shareholder, based on a good faith
application of the law, that a foreign corporation was not a
PFIC. Therefore, to satisfy the reasonable belief requirement,
the shareholder must know and understand the PFIC provisions, and
must make a good faith effort to apply the income and asset tests
of section 1296 to determine whether the foreign corporation is a
PFIC.
Except for certain small shareholders, a shareholder must
file a single Protective Statement pursuant to temporary
regulation 1.1295-3T
(c) that
applies to a taxable year to
preserve the shareholder's ability to make a retroactive election
with respect to such taxable year of the shareholder and
subsequent taxable years. The Protective Statement must contain
information describing the basis for the shareholder s conclusion
as of the election due date that the foreign corporation was not
a PFIC for its taxable year that ended in the first taxable year
of the shareholder for which the Protective Statement applies.
As part of the Protective Statement, the shareholder must extend
the periods of limitations for the assessment of taxes determined
under sections 1291 through 1297 (PFIC related taxes) for all
taxable years to which the Protective Statement will apply, as
provided in 1.1295-3T(c)(4) of the temporary regulations. The
shareholder also must include certain additional information in
the Protective Statement. A special transition rule permits
shareholders to use the protective regime for taxable years
ending prior to January 2, 1998, provided the periods of
limitations on the assessment of taxes for such years have not
expired.
Temporary regulation 1.1295-3T(e) provides special rules
for certain small shareholders. A shareholder that qualifies
under 1.1295-3T(e) for a taxable year will not be required to
satisfy the reasonable belief requirement or file a Protective
Statement to preserve the shareholder's ability to make a
retroactive election with respect to such year (a qualified
shareholder).
Except as provided below, a shareholder is a qualified
shareholder only if the shareholder owns, directly, indirectly or
constructively, less than two percent of the vote and value of
each class of stock of the foreign corporation during such year,
and has not filed a Protective Statement that applies to an
earlier year included in the shareholder's holding period of
stock of the foreign corporation. In addition, for the special
rule to apply to a taxable year of the shareholder, the foreign
corporation or its U.S. counsel must have indicated in a
corporate filing, shareholder mailing or similar document that
the foreign corporation reasonably believed that it was not a
PFIC for the taxable year of the foreign corporation that ended
with or within such taxable year of the shareholder. ob体育ever, no
shareholder will be a qualified shareholder if the shareholder
knew that the corporation was in fact a PFIC or knew or had
reason to know that a corporate filing relating to the
corporation's PFIC status was inaccurate. For this purpose, a
shareholder will be treated as knowing that the corporation was
in fact a PFIC if the principal activity of the foreign
corporation is owning or trading a diversified portfolio of
stock, securities, or other financial contracts. A qualified
shareholder that makes a valid retroactive election in its
earliest open taxable year in which the foreign corporation is a
PFIC may, subject to certain conditions, be treated as a
shareholder of a pedigreed QEF even if the period of limitations
for the assessment of taxes for an earlier taxable year in which
the corporation qualified as a PFIC has expired.
c. Consent Regime.
Certain taxpayers have urged the Service to interpret the
reasonable belief requirement of section 1295(b)(2) to allow a
shareholder to make a retroactive election if the shareholder or
its tax adviser did not know or properly apply the PFIC rules.
In particular, certain taxpayers have recommended adoption of the
reasonable action and good faith standard of 301.9100
regulations for demonstrating reasonable belief.
Treasury and the Service recognize that the PFIC rules are
complex and, in some cases, difficult for shareholders to apply.
Accordingly, the temporary regulations provide that, in certain
limited circumstances, a shareholder may obtain the
Commissioner s consent to make a retroactive election, even if
the shareholder failed to know or properly apply the PFIC rules
in the earlier year. Under temporary regulation 1.1295-3T(f),
a shareholder that reasonably relied on the advice of a qualified
tax professional may request consent to make a retroactive
election.
In response to taxpayer comments, Treasury and the Service
have incorporated into the consent regime certain rules set forth
in 301.9100 regulations. As described below, temporary
regulation 1.1295-3T(f)(1) and (4), respectively, require the
shareholder to have reasonably relied on a qualified tax
professional and to document such reliance. The Service will not
grant consent under this regime if doing so would prejudice the
interests of the government by placing the shareholder in a
position more favorable than if the shareholder had made the
section 1295 election on a timely basis. The temporary
regulations provide that in certain cases the interests of the
government may be preserved by a closing agreement between the
Service and the shareholder requiring the shareholder to make a
payment to the government that compensates the government for
amounts that would have been due in respect of closed years
affected by the retroactive election.
Under temporary regulation 1.1295-3T(f)(2), the Service
will treat a shareholder as having reasonably relied on a
qualified tax professional (including an employee of the
shareholder), within the meaning of the 301.9100 regulations,
if the qualified tax professional failed to identify the
corporation as a PFIC or failed to advise the shareholder of the
consequences of making, or failing to make, a section 1295
election. Therefore, if a qualified tax professional, due to
ignorance of the law or negligence, failed to identify the
corporation as a PFIC or failed to advise the shareholder of the
consequences of making, or failing to make, the section 1295
election, the Commissioner may consent to a retroactive election.
ob体育ever, in no event will the Commissioner consent to a
retroactive election if, prior to the application for such
consent, the Service has raised the PFIC status of the foreign
corporation in an audit of the retroactive election year or any
subsequent year. Furthermore, a shareholder may not disregard
knowledge that the corporation was a PFIC or advice or knowledge
relating to the tax consequences of owning stock of a PFIC and
then request relief under this regime.
d. Who Makes a Retroactive Election and Who Satisfies the
Requirements of the Protective or Consent Regime.
Temporary regulation 1.1295-3T adopts the rules of
temporary regulation 1.1295-1T(d), relating to who may make a
section 1295 election, for purposes of determining the
appropriate person to satisfy the requirements of the protective
or consent regime and to make a retroactive election. Consistent
with these rules, temporary regulation 1.1295-3T(c)(3) provides
that the person that executes and files the Protective Statement
under the protective regime is the person that makes the section
1295 election, as provided in 1.1295-1T(d). Temporary
regulation 1.1295-3T(f)(4)(vi) sets forth a similar rule for
requests for consent under the consent regime. In addition,
temporary regulation 1.1295-3T(g)(3) provides for an entity-
level retroactive election in the case of domestic partnerships,
S corporations, domestic nongrantor trusts, and domestic estates
that own stock of a PFIC, and a partner or beneficiary-level
retroactive election in the case of foreign partnerships, foreign
trusts, domestic grantor trusts, and foreign estates that own
stock of a PFIC.
The Service welcomes comments concerning the benefits of
requiring certain entities, rather than their interest holders,
to satisfy the requirements under the protective and consent
regimes. In particular, comments are requested concerning
whether requiring S corporations, domestic nongrantor trusts, and
domestic estates to satisfy the requirements of the protective
regime at the entity-level is inappropriate.
e. Making a Retroactive Election.
A shareholder that has satisfied the requirements of the
protective regime or has obtained the consent of the Commissioner
under the consent regime must comply with the rules in temporary
regulation 1.1295-3T(g) for making a retroactive election. In
general, the shareholder must file an amended return for the
retroactive election year in which the shareholder complies with
the requirements for making a section 1295 election, report its
pro rata shares of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of
the foreign corporation for that year (section 1293 inclusion),
if any, and pay any taxes resulting from the redetermination of
its income and any applicable section 6621 interest. The
shareholder also must file amended returns for the taxable years
that follow the retroactive election year in which the foreign
corporation is a PFIC and a QEF to report the section 1293
inclusion for each of these years, and pay the resulting tax and
section 6621 interest. If the shareholder's taxable year in
which the corporation first qualified as a PFIC, or the
retroactive election year or any subsequent taxable years, are
closed for the assessment of PFIC related taxes (i.e., in certain
cases where the shareholder is a qualified shareholder or the
shareholder has obtained the consent of the Commissioner to file
a retroactive election), the shareholder must file amended
returns to report section 1293 inclusions in all open affected
years beginning with the first taxable year open for the
assessment of tax on such amounts.
7. Removal of 1.1291-9(i)(1).
Section 1121 of the 1997 TRA amends section 1296, adding
section 1296(e). Section 1296(e) provides that after December
31, 1997, a controlled foreign corporation (as defined in section
957(a)) (CFC) will not be treated as a PFIC with respect to a
U.S. shareholder (as defined in section 951(b)) of the CFC.
After a shareholder ceases to qualify for this exception, because
the shareholder ceases to be subject to subpart F, generally the
shareholder will have a new holding period for purposes of the
PFIC provisions pursuant to section 1296(e)(3)(A). ob体育ever,
pursuant to section 1296(e)(3)(B), if the foreign corporation was
a nonqualified fund before the shareholder qualified for this
exception, and the shareholder did not make the section
1297(b)(1) election to purge the stock of its PFIC taint, the
shareholder will not get a new holding period when it ceases to
qualify for the exception for U.S. shareholders of CFCs.
Congress, in the Conference Report to the 1997 TRA, H.R. Rept.
105-220, 105th Congress, 1st session, at 625, stated that "the
stock held by such shareholder continues to be treated as PFIC
stock unless the shareholder makes an election to pay tax and an
interest charge with respect to the unrealized appreciation in
the stock or the accumulated earnings of the corporation."
Congress thus indicated its intent that a shareholder may apply
the rules of either section 1291(d)(2)(A), the deemed sale
election, or section 1291(d)(2)(B), the deemed dividend election,
when making the section 1297(b)(1) election to purge a former
PFIC of its PFIC taint. In order to give effect to that intent,
Treasury and the IRS have decided to remove 1.1291-9(i)(1),
which provides that the rules of 1.1291-9, the deemed dividend
election, do not apply to an election under section 1297(b)(1).
The removal of 1.1291-9(i)(1) is effective as of January 2,
1998. Section 1.1291-9(i)(2) is not affected by the removal of
1.1291-9(i)(1).
8. Section 1297.
The temporary regulations amend 1.1297-3T to provide that
a shareholder of a former PFIC, within the meaning of 1.1291-
9(j)(2)(iv), that was a CFC during its last taxable year as a
PFIC under section 1296(a), may apply the rules of the deemed
dividend election under section 1291(d)(2)(B) and 1.1291-9 to
its section 1297(b)(1) election made by the time and in the
manner provided in 1.1297-3T(b). If the time for making a
section 1297(b)(1) election, provided in 1.1297-3T(b), expired
before January 2, 1998, a shareholder that applied the rules of
section 1291(d)(2)(A) and 1.1291-10 to a section 1297(b)(1)
election, made with respect to a former PFIC that was a CFC in
its last taxable year as a PFIC under section 1296(a), may file
an amended return for its taxable year that includes the
termination date, as defined in 1.1297-3T(a), and apply the
rules of the deemed dividend election to its section 1297(b)(1)
election at any time before the expiration of the period of
limitations for the assessment of taxes for that taxable year.
Section 1.1297-3T(c) is effective as of January 2, 1998.
Special Analyses
It has been determined that this Treasury Decision is not a
significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order
12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required.
Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, these
temporary regulations will be submitted to the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on
their impact on small business. An initial regulatory
flexibility analysis has been prepared for the proposed
regulations for which these temporary regulations serve as a text
and which is set forth in the notice of proposed rulemaking on
this subject in the Proposed Rules section of this issue of the
Federal Register.
Drafting Information
The principal authors of these regulations are Gayle Novig
and Judith Cavell Cohen, of the Office of the Associate Chief
Counsel (International). Other personnel from the IRS and
Treasury Department also participated in the development of these
regulations.
List of Subjects
26 CFR Part l
Income taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
26 CFR Part 602
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Adoption of Amendments to the Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR parts 1 and 602 are amended as follows:
PART 1--INCOME TAXES
Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 is amended
by adding the following entries, in numerical order to read as
follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
Section 1.1291-1T also issued under 26 U.S.C. 1291.* * *
Section 1.1293-1T also issued under 26 U.S.C. 1293.* * *
Section 1.1295-1T also issued under 26 U.S.C. 1295(b).
Section 1.1295-3T also issued under 26 U.S.C. 1295(b).* * *
1.1291-0 [Amended]
Par. 2. Section 1.1291-0 is amended by removing and
reserving the entry for 1.1291-9(i)(1).
Par. 3. The section heading and introductory text for
1.1294-0 are added to read as follows:
1.1294-0 Table of contents.
This section contains a listing of the headings for
1.1294-1T.
Par. 4. The section heading and introductory text for
1.1297-0 are added to read as follows:
1.1297-0 Table of contents.
This section contains a listing of the headings for
1.1297-3T.
1.1291-0T [Amended]
Par. 5. Section 1.1291-0T is amended by:
1. Transferring the listing of the section heading and
entries for 1.1294-1T to new 1.1294-0.
2. Transferring the listing of the section heading and
entries for 1.1297-3T to new 1.1297-0.
3. Removing the section heading and introductory text.
Par. 6. Section 1.1291-1T is added to read as follows.
1.1291-1T Taxation of U.S. persons that are shareholders of
PFICs that re not pedigreed QEFs (temporary).
(a) through (d) [Reserved].
(e) Exempt organization as shareholder--(1) In general.
If the shareholder of a PFIC is an organization exempt from tax
under this chapter, section 1291 and these regulations apply to
such shareholder only if a dividend from the PFIC would be
taxable to the organization under subchapter F.
(2) Effective date. Paragraph (e)(1) of this section is
applicable on and after April 1, 1992.
1.1291-9 [Amended]
Par. 7. Section 1.1291-9 is amended by removing and
reserving paragraph (i)(1).
Par. 8. Section 1.1293-0 is added to read as follows.
1.1293-0 Table of contents.
This section contains a listing of the headings for
1.1293-1T.
1.1293-1T Current inclusion of income of qualified electing
funds (temporary).
(a) In general. [Reserved].
(1) Other rules. [Reserved].
(2) Net capital gain defined.
(i) In general.
(ii) Effective date.
(b) Other rules. [Reserved].
(c) Application of rules of inclusion with respect to stock
held by a pass through entity.
(1) In general.
(2) QEF stock transferred to a pass through entity.
(i) Pass through entity makes a section 1295 election.
(ii) Pass through entity does not make a section 1295
election.
(3) Effective date.
Par. 9. Section 1.1293-1T is added to read as follows:
1.1293-1T Current taxation of income from qualified electing
funds (temporary).
(a) In general. [Reserved].
(1) Other rules. [Reserved].
(2) Net capital gain defined--(i) In general. This
paragraph (a)(2) defines the term net capital gain for purposes
of sections 1293 and 1295 and the regulations under those
sections. The QEF, as defined in 1.1291-9(j)(2)(i), in
determining its net capital gain for a taxable year, may either--
(A) Calculate and report the amount of each category of
long-term capital gain provided in section 1(h) that was
recognized by the PFIC in the taxable year;
(B) Calculate and report the amount of net capital gain
recognized by the PFIC in the taxable year, stating that that
amount is subject to the highest capital gain rate of tax
applicable to the shareholder; or
(C) Calculate its earnings and profits for the taxable year
and report the entire amount as ordinary earnings.
(ii) Effective date. Paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section
is applicable to sales by QEFs during their taxable years ending
on or after May 7, 1997.
(b) Other rules. [Reserved].
(c) Application of rules of inclusion with respect to stock
held by a pass through entity--(1) In general. A domestic pass
through entity takes into account its pro rata shares of the
ordinary earnings and net capital gain attributable to the QEF
shares held by the pass through entity. A U.S. person that
indirectly owns QEF shares through the domestic pass through
entity accounts for its pro rata shares of ordinary earnings and
net capital gain attributable to the QEF shares according to the
general rules applicable to inclusions of income from the
domestic pass through entity. For the definition of pass through
entity, see 1.1295-1T(j).
(2) QEF stock transferred to a pass through entity--(i)
Pass through entity makes a section 1295 election. If a
shareholder transfers stock subject to a section 1295 election to
a domestic pass through entity of which it is an interest holder
and the pass through entity makes a section 1295 election with
respect to that stock, as provided in 1.1295-1T(d)(2), the
shareholder takes into account its pro rata shares of the
ordinary earnings and net capital gain attributable to the QEF
shares under the rules applicable to inclusions of income from
the pass through entity.
(ii) Pass through entity does not make a section 1295
election. If the pass through entity does not make a section
1295 election with respect to the PFIC, the shares of which were
transferred to the pass through entity subject to the 1295
election of the shareholder, the shareholder continues to be
subject, in its capacity as an indirect shareholder, to the
income inclusion rules of section 1293 and reporting rules
required of shareholders of QEFs. Proper adjustments to reflect
an inclusion in income under section 1293 by the indirect
shareholder must be made, under the principles of 1.1291-9(f),
to the basis of the indirect shareholder's interest in the pass
through entity.
(3) Effective date. Paragraph (c) of this section is
applicable to taxable years of shareholders beginning after
December 31, 1997.
Par. 10. Section 1.1295-0 is added to read as follows:
1.1295-0 Table of contents.
This section contains a listing of the headings for
1.1295-1T and 1.1295-3T.
1.1295-1T Qualified electing funds (temporary).
(a) In general. [Reserved].
(b) Application of section 1295 election. [Reserved].
(1) Election personal to shareholder. [Reserved].
(2) Election applicable to specific corporation only.
(i) In general. [Reserved].
(ii) Stock of QEF received in a nonrecognition transfer.
[Reserved].
(iii)Exception for options.
(3) Application of general rules to stock held by a pass
through entity.
(i) Stock subject to a section 1295 election transferred to
a pass through entity.
(ii) Limitation on application of pass through entity's
section 1295 election.
(iii)Effect of partnership termination on section 1295
election.
(iv) Characterization of stock held through a pass through
entity.
(4) Application of general rules to a taxpayer filing a
joint return under section 6013.
(c) Effect of section 1295 election.
(1) In general.
(2) Years to which section 1295 election applies.
(i) In general.
(ii) Effect of PFIC status on election.
(iii)Effect on election of complete termination of a
shareholder's interest in the PFIC.
(iv) Effect on section 1295 election of transfer of stock to
a domestic pass through entity.
(v) Examples.
(d) Who may make a section 1295 election.
(1) General rule.
(2) Application of general rule to pass through entities.
(i) Partnerships.
(A) Domestic partnership.
(B) Foreign partnership.
(ii) S corporation.
(iii)Trust or estate.
(A) Domestic trust or estate.
(1) Nongrantor trust or estate.
(2) Grantor trust.
(B) Foreign trust or estate.
(1) Nongrantor trust or estate.
(2) Grantor trust.
(iv) Indirect ownership of the pass through entity or the
PFIC.
(3) Member of consolidated return group as shareholder.
(4) Option holder.
(5) Exempt organization.
(e) Time for making a section 1295 election.
(f) Manner of making a section 1295 election and the annual
election requirements of the shareholder.
(1) Manner of making the election.
(2) Annual election requirements.
(i) In general.
(ii) Retention of documents.
(g) Annual election requirements of the PFIC or
intermediary.
(1) PFIC Annual Information Statement.
(2) Alternative documentation.
(3) Annual Intermediary Statement.
(4) Combined statements.
(i) PFIC Annual Information Statement.
(ii) Annual Intermediary Statement.
(h) Transition rules.
(i) Invalidation, termination or revocation of section 1295
election.
(1) Invalidation or termination of election at the
discretion of the Commissioner.
(i) In general.
(ii) Deferral of section 1293 inclusion.
(iii)When effective.
(2) Shareholder revocation.
(i) In general.
(ii) Time for and manner of requesting consent to revoke.
(A) Time.
(B) Manner of making request.
(iii)When effective.
(3) Effect of invalidation, termination, or revocation.
(4) Election after invalidation, termination, or
revocation.
(j) Definitions.
(k) Effective date.
1.1295-3T Retroactive elections (temporary).
(a) In general.
(b) General rule.
(c) Protective Statement.
(1) In general.
(2) Reasonable belief statement.
(3) Who executes and files the Protective Statement.
(4) Waiver of the periods of limitations.
(i) Time for and manner of extending periods of
limitations.
(A) In general.
(B) Application of general rule to domestic partnerships.
(1) In general.
(2) Special rules.
(i) Addition of partner to non-TEFRA partnership.
(ii) Change in status from non-TEFRA partnership to TEFRA
partnership.
(C) Application of general rule to domestic nongrantor
trusts and domestic estates.
(D) Application of general rule to S corporations.
(E) Effect on waiver of complete termination of a pass
through entity or pass through entity's business.
(F) Application of general rule to foreign partnerships,
foreign trusts, domestic or foreign grantor trusts, and foreign
estates.
(ii) Terms of waiver.
(A) Scope of waiver.
(B) Period of waiver.
(5) Time for and manner of filing a Protective Statement.
(i) In general.
(ii) Special rule for taxable years ended before January 2,
1998.
(6) Applicability of the Protective Statement.
(i) In general.
(ii) Invalidity of the Protective Statement.
(7) Retention of Protective Statement and information
demonstrating reasonable belief.
(d) Reasonable belief.
(1) In general.
(2) Knowledge of law required.
(e) Special rules for qualified shareholders.
(1) In general.
(2) Qualified shareholder.
(3) Exceptions.
(f) Special consent.
(1) In general.
(2) Reasonable reliance on a qualified tax professional.
(i) In general.
(ii) Shareholder deemed to have not reasonably relied on a
qualified tax professional.
(3) Prejudice to the interests of the United States
government.
(i) General rule.
(ii) Elimination of prejudice to the interests of the
United States government.
(4) Procedural requirements.
(i) Filing instructions.
(ii) Affidavit from shareholder.
(iii)Affidavits from other persons.
(iv) Other information.
(v) Notification of Internal Revenue Service.
(vi) Who requests special consent under this paragraph (f)
and who enters into a closing agreement.
(g) Time for and manner of making a retroactive election.
(1) Time for making a retroactive election.
(i) In general.
(ii) Transition rule.
(iii)Ownership not required at time retroactive election is
made.
(2) Manner of making a retroactive election.
(3) Who makes the retroactive election.
(4) Other elections.
(i) Section 1291(d)(2) election.
(ii) Section 1294 election.
(h) Effective date.
Par. 11. Section 1.1295-1T is added to read as follows:
1.1295-1T Qualified electing funds (temporary).
(a) In general. [Reserved].
(b) Application of section 1295 election. [Reserved].
(1) Election personal to shareholder. [Reserved].
(2) Election applicable to specific corporation only--
(i) In general. [Reserved].
(ii) Stock of QEF received in a nonrecognition transfer.
[Reserved].
(iii) Exception for options. A shareholder's section 1295
election does not apply to any option to buy stock of the PFIC.
(3) Application of general rules to stock held by a pass
through entity--(i) Stock subject to a section 1295 election
transferred to a pass through entity. A shareholder's section
1295 election will not apply to a domestic pass through entity to
which the shareholder transfers stock subject to a section 1295
election, or to any other U.S. person that is an interest holder
or beneficiary of the domestic pass through entity. ob体育ever, as
provided in paragraph (c)(2)(iv) of this section (relating to a
transfer to a domestic pass through entity of stock subject to a
section 1295 election), a shareholder that transfers stock
subject to a section 1295 election to a pass through entity will
continue to be subject to the section 1295 election with respect
to the stock indirectly owned through the pass through entity and
any other stock of that PFIC owned by the shareholder.
(ii) Limitation on application of pass through entity's
section 1295 election. Except as provided in paragraph
(c)(2)(iv) of this section, a section 1295 election made by a
domestic pass through entity does not apply to other stock of the
PFIC held directly or indirectly by the interest holder or
beneficiary.
(iii) Effect of partnership termination on section 1295
election. Termination of a section 1295 election made by a
domestic partnership by reason of the termination of the
partnership under section 708(b) will not terminate the section
1295 election with respect to partners of the terminated
partnership that are partners of the new partnership. Except as
otherwise provided, the stock of the PFIC of which the new
partners are indirect shareholders will be treated as stock of a
QEF only if the new domestic partnership makes a section 1295
election with respect to that stock.
(iv) Characterization of stock held through a pass through
entity. Stock of a PFIC held through a pass through entity will
be treated as stock of a pedigreed QEF with respect to an
interest holder or beneficiary only if--
(A) In the case of PFIC stock acquired (other than in a
transaction in which gain is not recognized pursuant to
regulations under section 1291(f) with respect to that stock),
and held by a domestic pass through entity, the pass through
entity makes the section 1295 election and the PFIC has been a
QEF with respect to the pass through entity for all taxable years
that are included wholly or partly in the pass through entity's
holding period of the PFIC stock and during which the foreign
corporation was a PFIC within the meaning of 1.1291-9(j)(1); or
(B) In the case of PFIC stock transferred by an interest
holder or beneficiary to a pass through entity in a transaction
in which gain is not recognized pursuant to regulations under
section 1291(f) with respect to that stock and held by the pass
through entity, the PFIC stock transferred to the pass through
entity was treated as stock of a pedigreed QEF with respect to
the interest holder or beneficiary at the time of the transfer
and the pass through entity makes a section 1295 election.
(4) Application of general rules to a taxpayer filing a
joint return under section 6013. A section 1295 election made by
a taxpayer in a joint return, within the meaning of section 6013,
will be treated as also made by the spouse that joins in the
filing of that return.
(c) Effect of section 1295 election--(1) In general.
Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (c), the effect of
a shareholder's section 1295 election is to treat the foreign
corporation as a QEF with respect to the shareholder for each
taxable year of the foreign corporation ending with or within a
taxable year of the shareholder for which the election is
effective. A section 1295 election is effective for the
shareholder's election year and all subsequent taxable years of
the shareholder unless invalidated, terminated or revoked as
provided in paragraph (i) of this section. The terms shareholder
and shareholder's election year are defined in paragraph (j) of
this section.
(2) Years to which section 1295 election applies--(i) In
general. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (c), a
foreign corporation with respect to which a section 1295 election
is made will be treated as a QEF for its taxable year ending with
or within the shareholder's election year and all subsequent
taxable years of the foreign corporation that are included wholly
or partly in the shareholder's holding period (or periods) of
stock of the foreign corporation.
(ii) Effect of PFIC status on election. A foreign
corporation will not be treated as a QEF for any taxable year of
the foreign corporation that the foreign corporation is not a
PFIC under section 1296(a) and is not treated as a PFIC under
section 1297(b)(1). ob体育ever, cessation of a foreign
corporation's status as a PFIC will not terminate a section 1295
election.
(iii) Effect on election of complete termination of a
shareholder's interest in the PFIC. Complete termination of a
shareholder's direct and indirect interest in stock of a foreign
corporation will not terminate a shareholder's section 1295
election with respect to the foreign corporation.
(iv) Effect on section 1295 election of transfer of stock
to a domestic pass through entity. The transfer of a
shareholder's direct or indirect interest in stock of a foreign
corporation to a domestic pass through entity (as defined in
paragraph (j) of this section) will not terminate the
shareholder's section 1295 election with respect to the foreign
corporation, whether or not the pass through entity makes a
section 1295 election. For the rules concerning the application
of section 1293 to stock transferred to a domestic pass through
entity, see 1.1293-1T(c).
(v) Examples. The following examples illustrate the
rules of this paragraph (c)(2).
Example 1. In 1998, C, a U.S. person, purchased stock of
FC, a foreign corporation that is a PFIC. Both FC and C are
calendar year taxpayers. C made a timely section 1295 election
to treat FC as a QEF in C's 1998 return, and FC was therefore a
pedigreed QEF. C included its shares of FC's 1998 ordinary
earnings and net capital gain in C's 1998 income and did not make
a section 1294 election to defer the time for payment of tax on
that income. In 1999, 2000, and 2001, FC did not satisfy either
the income or asset test of section 1296(a), and therefore was
neither a PFIC nor a QEF. C therefore did not have to include
its pro rata shares of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain
of FC pursuant to section 1293, or satisfy the section 1295
annual reporting requirements for any of those years. FC
qualified as a PFIC again in 2002. Because C had made a section
1295 election in 1998, and the election had not been invalidated,
terminated, or revoked, within the meaning of paragraph (i) of
this section, C's section 1295 election remains in effect for
2002. C therefore is subject in 2002 to the income inclusion and
reporting rules required of shareholders of QEFs.
Example 2. The facts are the same as in Example (1) except
that FC did not lose PFIC status in any year and C sold all the
FC stock in 1999 and repurchased stock of FC in 2002. Because C
had made a section 1295 election in 1998 with respect to stock of
FC, and the election had not been invalidated, terminated, or
revoked, within the meaning of paragraph (i) of this section, C's
section 1295 election remained in effect and therefore applies to
the stock of FC purchased by C in 2002. C therefore is subject
in 2002 to the income inclusion and reporting rules required of
shareholders of QEFs.
Example 3. The facts are the same as in Example (2) except
that C is a partner in domestic partnership P and C transferred
its FC stock to P in 1999. Because C had made a section 1295
election in 1998 with respect to stock of FC, and the election
had not been invalidated, terminated, or revoked, within the
meaning of paragraph (i) of this section, C's section 1295
election remains in effect with respect to its indirect interest
in the stock of FC. If P does not make the section 1295 election
with respect to the FC stock, C will continue to be subject, in
C's capacity as an indirect shareholder of FC, to the income
inclusion and reporting rules required of shareholders of QEFs in
1999 and subsequent years. If P makes the section 1295 election,
C will take into account its pro rata shares of the ordinary
earnings and net capital gain of the FC under the rules
applicable to inclusions of income from P.
(d) Who may make a section 1295 election--(1) General
rule. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (d), any
U.S. person that is a shareholder (as defined in paragraph (j) of
this section) of a PFIC, including a shareholder that holds stock
of a PFIC in bearer form, may make a section 1295 election with
respect to that PFIC. The shareholder need not own directly or
indirectly any stock of the PFIC at the time the shareholder
makes the section 1295 election provided the shareholder is a
shareholder of the PFIC during the taxable year of the PFIC that
ends with or within the taxable year of the shareholder for which
the section 1295 election is made. Except in the case of a
shareholder that is an exempt organization that may not make a
section 1295 election, as provided in paragraph (d)(5) of this
section, in a chain of ownership only the first U.S. person that
is a shareholder of the PFIC may make the section 1295 election.
(2) Application of general rule to pass through entities--
(i) Partnerships--(A) Domestic partnership. A domestic
partnership that holds an interest in stock of a PFIC makes the
section 1295 election with respect to that PFIC. The partnership
election applies only to the stock of the PFIC held directly or
indirectly by the partnership and not to any other stock held
directly or indirectly by any partner. As provided in 1.1293-
1T(c)(1), shareholders owning stock of a QEF by reason of an
interest in the partnership take into account the section 1293
inclusions with respect to the QEF shares owned by the
partnership under the rules applicable to inclusions of income
from the partnership.
(B) Foreign partnership. A U.S. person that holds an
interest in a foreign partnership that, in turn, holds an
interest in stock of a PFIC makes the section 1295 election with
respect to that PFIC. A partner's election applies to the stock
of the PFIC owned directly or indirectly by the foreign
partnership and to any other stock of the PFIC owned by that
partner. A section 1295 election by a partner applies only to
that partner.
(ii) S corporation. An S corporation that holds an
interest in stock of a PFIC makes the section 1295 election with
respect to that PFIC. The S corporation election applies only to
the stock of the PFIC held directly or indirectly by the S
corporation and not to any other stock held directly or
indirectly by any S corporation shareholder. As provided in
1.1293-1T(c)(1), shareholders owning stock of a QEF by reason
of an interest in the S corporation take into account the section
1293 inclusions with respect to the QEF shares under the rules
applicable to inclusions of income from the S corporation.
(iii) Trust or estate--(A) Domestic trust or estate--(1)
Nongrantor trust or estate. A domestic nongrantor trust or a
domestic estate that holds an interest in stock of a PFIC makes
the section 1295 election with respect to that PFIC. The trust
or estate's election applies only to the stock of the PFIC held
directly or indirectly by the trust or estate and not to any
other stock held directly or indirectly by any beneficiary. As
provided in 1.1293-1T(c)(1), shareholders owning stock of a QEF
by reason of an interest in a domestic trust or estate take into
account the section 1293 inclusions with respect to the QEF
shares under the rules applicable to inclusions of income from
the trust or estate.
(2) Grantor trust. A U.S. person that is treated under
sections 671 through 678 as the owner of the portion of a
domestic trust that owns an interest in stock of a PFIC makes the
section 1295 election with respect to that PFIC. If that person
ceases to be treated as the owner of the portion of the trust
that owns an interest in the PFIC stock and is a beneficiary of
the trust, that person's section 1295 election will continue to
apply to the PFIC stock indirectly owned by that person under the
rules of paragraph (c)(2)(iv) of this section as if the person
had transferred its interest in the PFIC stock to the trust.
ob体育ever, the stock will be treated as stock of a PFIC that is not
a QEF with respect to other beneficiaries of the trust, unless
the trust makes the section 1295 election as provided in
paragraph (d)(2)(iii)(A)(1) of this section.
(B) Foreign trust or estate--(1) Nongrantor trust or
estate. A U.S. person that is a beneficiary of a foreign
nongrantor trust or estate that holds an interest in stock of a
PFIC makes the section 1295 election with respect to that PFIC.
A beneficiary's section 1295 election applies to all the PFIC
stock owned directly and indirectly by the trust or estate and to
the other PFIC stock owned directly or indirectly by the
beneficiary. A section 1295 election by a beneficiary applies
only to that beneficiary.
(2) Grantor trust. A U.S. person that is treated under
sections 671 through 679 as the owner of the portion of a foreign
trust that owns an interest in stock of a PFIC stock makes the
section 1295 election with respect to that PFIC. If that person
ceases to be treated as the owner of the portion of the trust
that owns an interest in the PFIC stock and is a beneficiary of
the trust, that person's section 1295 election will continue to
apply to the PFIC stock indirectly owned by that person under the
rules of paragraph (c)(2)(iv) of this section. ob体育ever, as
provided in paragraph (d)(2)(iii)(B)(1) of this section, any
other shareholder that is a beneficiary of the trust and that
wishes to treat the PFIC as a QEF must make the section 1295
election.
(iv) Indirect ownership of the pass through entity or the
PFIC. The rules of this paragraph (d)(2) apply whether or not
the shareholder holds its interest in the pass through entity
directly or indirectly and whether or not the pass through entity
holds its interest in the PFIC directly or indirectly.
(3) Member of consolidated return group as shareholder.
Pursuant to 1.1502-77(a), the common parent of an affiliated
group of corporations that join in filing a consolidated income
tax return makes a section 1295 election for all members of the
affiliated group. An election by a common parent will be
effective for all members of the affiliated group with respect to
interests in PFIC stock held at the time the election is made or
at any time thereafter. A separate election must be made by the
common parent for each PFIC of which a member of the affiliated
group is a shareholder.
(4) Option holder. A holder of an option to acquire stock
of a PFIC may not make a section 1295 election that will apply to
the option or to the stock subject to the option.
(5) Exempt organization. A tax-exempt organization that is
not taxable under section 1291, pursuant to 1.1291-1T(e), with
respect to a PFIC may not make a section 1295 election with
respect to that PFIC. In addition, such an exempt organization
will not be subject to any section 1295 election made by a
domestic pass through entity.
(e) Time for making a section 1295 election. Except as
provided in 1.1295-3T, a shareholder making the section 1295
election must make the election on or before the due date, as
extended under section 6081 (election due date), for filing the
shareholder's income tax return for the first taxable year to
which the election will apply. The section 1295 election must be
made in the original return for that year, or in an amended
return, provided the amended return is filed on or before the
election due date.
(f) Manner of making a section 1295 election and the annual
election requirements of the shareholder--(1) Manner of making
the election. A shareholder must make a section 1295 election
by--
(i) Completing Form 8621 in the manner required by that
form and this section for making the section 1295 election;
(ii) Attaching Form 8621 to its federal income tax return
filed by the election due date for the shareholder's election
year;
(iii) Receiving and reflecting in Form 8621 the information
provided in the PFIC Annual Information Statement described in
paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the Annual Intermediary
Statement described in paragraph (g)(3) of this section, or the
applicable combined statement described in paragraph (g)(4) of
this section, for the taxable year of the PFIC ending with or
within the taxable year for which Form 8621 is being filed. If
the PFIC Annual Information Statement contains a statement
described in paragraph (g)(1)(ii)(C) of this section, the
shareholder must attach a statement to Form 8621 that indicates
that the shareholder rather than the QEF calculated the QEF's
ordinary earnings and net capital gain; and
(iv) Filing a copy of Form 8621 with the Philadelphia
Service Center, P.O. 21086, Philadelphia, PA 19114 by the
election due date.
(2) Annual election requirements--(i) In general. A
shareholder that makes a section 1295 election with respect to a
PFIC held directly or indirectly, for each taxable year to which
the section 1295 election applies, must--
(A) Complete Form 8621 in the manner required by that form
and this section;
(B) Attach Form 8621 to its federal income tax return filed
by the due date of the return, as extended;
(C) Receive and reflect in Form 8621 the PFIC Annual
Information Statement described in paragraph (g)(1) of this
section, the Annual Intermediary Statement described in paragraph
(g)(3) of this section, or the applicable combined statement
described in paragraph (g)(4) of this section, for the taxable
year of the PFIC ending with or within the taxable year for which
Form 8621 is being filed. If the PFIC Annual Information
Statement contains a statement described in paragraph
(g)(1)(ii)(C) of this section, the shareholder must attach a
statement to its Form 8621 that the shareholder rather than the
PFIC provided the calculations of the PFIC's ordinary earnings
and net capital gain; and
(D) File a copy of Form 8621 with the Philadelphia Service
Center, P.O. 21086, Philadelphia, PA 19114 by the election due
date.
(ii) Retention of documents. For all taxable years subject
to the section 1295 election, the shareholder must retain copies
of all Forms 8621, with their attachments, and PFIC Annual
Information Statements or Annual Intermediary Statements.
Failure to produce those documents at the request of the
Commissioner in connection with an examination may result in
invalidation or termination of the shareholder's section 1295
election.
(g) Annual election requirements of the PFIC or
intermediary--(1) PFIC Annual Information Statement. For each
year of the PFIC ending in a taxable year of a shareholder to
which the shareholder's section 1295 election applies, the PFIC
must provide the shareholder with a PFIC Annual Information
Statement. The PFIC Annual Information Statement is a statement
of the PFIC, signed by the PFIC or an authorized representative
of the PFIC, that contains the following information and
representation--
(i) The first and last days of the taxable year of the PFIC
to which the PFIC Annual Information Statement applies;
(ii) Either--
(A) The shareholder's pro rata shares of the ordinary
earnings and net capital gain (as defined in 1.1293-1T(a)(2))
of the PFIC for the taxable year indicated in paragraph (g)(1)(i)
of this section; or
(B) Sufficient information to enable the shareholder to
calculate its pro rata shares of the PFIC's ordinary earnings and
net capital gain, for that taxable year; or
(C) A statement that the foreign corporation has permitted
the shareholder to examine the books of account, records, and
other documents of the foreign corporation for the shareholder to
calculate the amounts of the PFIC's ordinary earnings and the net
capital gain according to federal income tax accounting
principles and to calculate the shareholder's pro rata shares of
the PFIC's ordinary earnings and net capital gain;
(iii) The amount of cash and the fair market value of other
property distributed or deemed distributed to the shareholder
during the taxable year of the PFIC to which the PFIC Annual
Information Statement pertains; and
(iv) Either--
(A) A statement that the PFIC will permit the shareholder
to inspect and copy the PFIC's permanent books of account,
records, and such other documents as may be maintained by the
PFIC to establish that the PFIC's ordinary earnings and net
capital gain are computed in accordance with U.S. income tax
principles, and to verify these amounts and the shareholder's pro
rata shares thereof; or
(B) In lieu of the statement required in paragraph
(g)(1)(iv)(A) of this section, a description of the alternative
documentation requirements approved by the Commissioner, with a
copy of the private letter ruling and the closing agreement
entered into by the Commissioner and the PFIC pursuant to
paragraph (g)(2) of this section.
(2) Alternative documentation. In rare and unusual
circumstances, the Commissioner will consider alternative
documentation requirements necessary to verify the ordinary
earnings and net capital gain of a PFIC other than the
documentation requirements described in paragraph (g)(1)(iv)(A)
of this section. Alternative documentation requirements will be
allowed only pursuant to a private letter ruling and a closing
agreement entered into by the Commissioner and the PFIC
describing an alternative method of verifying the PFIC's ordinary
earnings and net capital gain. If the PFIC has not obtained a
private letter ruling from the Commissioner approving an
alternative method of verifying the PFIC's ordinary earnings and
net capital gain by the time a shareholder is required to make a
section 1295 election, the shareholder may not use an alternative
method for that taxable year.
(3) Annual Intermediary Statement. In the case of a U.S.
person that is a shareholder of a PFIC through an intermediary,
as defined in paragraph (j) of this section, an Annual
Intermediary Statement issued by an intermediary containing the
information described in paragraph (g)(1) of this section and
reporting the indirect owner's pro rata shares of the ordinary
earnings and net capital gain of the QEF as described in
paragraph (g)(1)(ii)(A) of this section, may be provided to the
indirect owner in lieu of the PFIC Annual Information Statement
if the following conditions are satisfied--
(i) The intermediary receives a copy of the PFIC Annual
Information Statement or the intermediary receives an annual
intermediary statement from another intermediary which contains a
statement that the other intermediary has received a copy of the
PFIC Annual Information Statement and represents that the
conditions of paragraphs (g)(3)(ii) and (g)(3)(iii) of this
section are met;
(ii) The representations and information contained in the
Annual Intermediary Statement reflect the representations and
information contained in the PFIC Annual Information Statement;
and
(iii) The PFIC Annual Information Statement issued to the
intermediary contains either the representation set forth in
paragraph (g)(1)(iv)(A) of this section, or, if alternative
documentation requirements were approved by the Commissioner
pursuant to paragraph (g)(2) of this section, a copy of the
private letter ruling and closing agreement between the
Commissioner and the PFIC, agreeing to an alternative method of
verifying PFIC ordinary earnings and net capital gain as
described in paragraph (g)(2) of this section;
(4) Combined statements--(i) PFIC Annual Information
Statement. A PFIC that owns directly or indirectly any stock of
one or more PFICs with respect to which a shareholder may make
the section 1295 election may prepare a PFIC Annual Information
Statement that combines with its own information and
representations the information and representations of all the
PFICs. The PFIC may use any format for a combined PFIC Annual
Information Statement provided the required information and
representations are separately stated and identified with the
respective corporations.
(ii) Annual Intermediary Statement. An intermediary
described in paragraph (g)(3) of this section that owns directly
or indirectly stock of one or more PFICs with respect to which an
indirect shareholder may make the section 1295 election may
prepare an Annual Intermediary Statement that combines with its
own information and representations the information and
representations with respect to all the PFICs. The intermediary
may use any format for a combined Annual Intermediary Statement
provided the required information and representations are
separately stated and identified with the intermediary and the
respective corporations.
(h) Transition rules. The rules of Notice 88-125, 1988-2
C.B. 535 (see 601.601(d)(2)(ii)(b) of this chapter), apply for
making elections and maintaining elections for taxable years
beginning after December 31, 1986, and before January 1, 1998.
Elections made under Notice 88-125 must be maintained as provided
in 1.1295-1T for taxable years beginning after December 31,
1997. A section 1295 election made prior to February 1, 1998,
that was intended to be effective for the taxable year of the
PFIC that began during the shareholder's election year will be
effective for that taxable year of the foreign corporation
provided that it is clear from all the facts and circumstances
that the shareholder intended the election to be effective for
that taxable year of the foreign corporation.
(i) Invalidation, termination, or revocation of section
1295 election--(1) Invalidation or termination of election at
the discretion of the Commissioner--(i) In general. The
Commissioner, in the Commissioner's discretion, may invalidate or
terminate a section 1295 election applicable to a shareholder if
the shareholder, the PFIC, or any intermediary fails to satisfy
the requirements for making a section 1295 election or the annual
election requirements of this section to which the shareholder,
PFIC, or intermediary is subject, including the requirement to
provide, on request, copies of the books and records of the PFIC
or other documentation substantiating the ordinary earnings and
net capital gain of the PFIC.
(ii) Deferral of section 1293 inclusion. The Commissioner
may invalidate any pass through entity section 1295 election with
respect to an interest holder or beneficiary if the section 1293
inclusion with respect to that interest holder or beneficiary is
not included in the gross income of either the pass through
entity, an intermediate pass through entity, or the interest
holder or beneficiary within two years of the end of the PFIC's
taxable year due to nonconforming taxable years of the interest
holder and the pass through entity or any intermediate pass
through entity.
(iii) When effective. Termination of a shareholder's
section 1295 election will be effective for the taxable year of
the PFIC determined by the Commissioner in the Commissioner's
discretion. An invalidation of a shareholder's section 1295
election will be effective for the first taxable year to which
the section 1295 election applied, and the shareholder whose
election is invalidated will be treated as if the section 1295
election never was made.
(2) Shareholder revocation--(i) In general. In the
Commissioner's discretion, upon a finding of a substantial change
in circumstances, the Commissioner may consent to a shareholder's
request to revoke a section 1295 election. Request for
revocation must be made by the shareholder that made the election
and at the time and in the manner provided in paragraph
(i)(2)(ii) of this section.
(ii) Time for and manner of requesting consent to revoke--
(A) Time. The shareholder must request consent to revoke the
section 1295 election no later than 12 calendar months after the
discovery of the substantial change of circumstances that forms
the basis for the shareholder's request to revoke the section
1295 election.
(B) Manner of making request. A shareholder requests
consent to revoke a section 1295 election by filing a ruling
request with the Office of the Associate Chief Counsel
(International). The ruling request must satisfy the
requirements, including payment of the user fee, for filing
ruling requests with that office.
(iii) When effective. Unless otherwise determined by the
Commissioner, revocation of a section 1295 election will be
effective for the first taxable year of the PFIC beginning after
the date the Commissioner consents to the revocation.
(3) Effect of invalidation, termination, or revocation. An
invalidation, termination, or revocation of a section 1295
election--
(i) Terminates all section 1294 elections, as provided in
1.1294-1T(e), and the undistributed PFIC earnings tax liability
and interest thereon are due by the due date, without regard to
extensions, for the return for the last taxable year of the
shareholder to which the section 1295 election applies;
(ii) In the Commissioner's discretion, results in a deemed
sale of the QEF stock on the last day of the PFIC's last taxable
year as a QEF, in which gain, but not loss, will be recognized
and with respect to which appropriate basis and holding period
adjustments will be made; and
(iii) Subjects the shareholder to any other terms and
conditions that the Commissioner determines are necessary to
ensure the shareholder's compliance with sections 1291 through
1297 or any other provisions of the Code.
(4) Election after invalidation, termination, or
revocation. Without the Commissioner's consent a shareholder
whose section 1295 election was invalidated, terminated, or
revoked under this paragraph (i) may not make the section 1295
election with respect to the PFIC before the sixth taxable year
ending after the taxable year in which the invalidation,
termination, or revocation became effective.
(j) Definitions. For purposes of this section--
Intermediary is a nominee or shareholder of record that
holds stock on behalf of the shareholder or on behalf of another
person in a chain of ownership between the shareholder and the
PFIC, and any direct or indirect beneficial owner of PFIC stock
(including a beneficial owner that is a pass through entity) in
the chain of ownership between the shareholder and the PFIC.
Pass through entity is a partnership, S corporation, trust,
or estate.
Shareholder has the same meaning as the term shareholder in
1.1291-9(j)(3), except that for purposes of this section, a
partnership and an S corporation also are treated as
shareholders. Furthermore, unless otherwise provided, an
interest holder of a pass through entity, which is treated as a
shareholder of a PFIC, also will be treated as a shareholder of
the PFIC.
Shareholder's election year is the taxable year of the
shareholder for which it made the section 1295 election.
(k) Effective date. Section 1.1295-1T(b)(2)(iii), (b)(3),
(b)(4), and (c) through (j) is applicable to taxable years of
shareholders beginning after December 31, 1997.
Par. 12. Section 1.1295-3T is added to read as follows:
1.1295-3T Retroactive elections (temporary).
(a) In general. This section prescribes the exclusive
rules under which a shareholder, as defined in 1.1295-1T(j),
may make a section 1295 election for a taxable year after the
election due date, as defined in 1.1295-1T(e) (retroactive
election). Therefore, a shareholder may not seek such relief
under any other provision of the law, including 301.9100 of
this chapter. Paragraph (b) of this section describes the
general rules for a shareholder to preserve the ability to make a
retroactive election. These rules require that the shareholder
possess reasonable belief as of the election due date that the
foreign corporation was not a PFIC for its taxable year that
ended in the shareholder's taxable year to which the election due
date pertains, and that the shareholder file a Protective
Statement to preserve its ability to make a retroactive election.
Paragraph (c) of this section establishes the terms, conditions
and other requirements with respect to a Protective Statement
required to be filed under the general rules. Paragraph (d) of
this section sets forth factors that establish a shareholder's
reasonable belief that a foreign corporation was not a PFIC.
Paragraph (e) of this section prescribes special rules for
certain shareholders that are deemed to satisfy the reasonable
belief requirement and therefore are not required to file a
Protective Statement. Paragraph (f) of this section describes
the limited circumstances under which the Commissioner may permit
a shareholder that lacked the requisite reasonable belief or
failed to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (b) or (e) of
this section to make a retroactive election. Paragraph (g) of
this section provides the time for and manner of making a
retroactive election. Paragraph (h) of this section provides the
effective date of this section.
(b) General rule. Except as provided in paragraphs (e) and
(f) of this section, a shareholder may make a retroactive
election for a taxable year of the shareholder (retroactive
election year) only if the shareholder--
(1) Reasonably believed, within the meaning of paragraph
(d) of this section, as of the election due date that the foreign
corporation was not a PFIC for its taxable year that ended during
the retroactive election year;
(2) Filed a Protective Statement with respect to the
foreign corporation, applicable to the retroactive election year,
in which the shareholder described the basis for its reasonable
belief and extended, in the manner provided in paragraph (c)(4)
of this section, the periods of limitations on the assessment of
taxes determined under sections 1291 through 1297 with respect to
the foreign corporation (PFIC related taxes) for all taxable
years of the shareholder to which the Protective Statement
applies; and
(3) Complied with the other terms and conditions of the
Protective Statement.
(c) Protective Statement--(1) In general. A Protective
Statement is a statement executed under penalties of perjury by
the shareholder, or a person authorized to sign a federal income
tax return on behalf of the shareholder, that preserves the
shareholder's ability to make a retroactive election. To file a
Protective Statement that applies to a taxable year of the
shareholder, the shareholder must reasonably believe as of the
election due date that the foreign corporation was not a PFIC for
the foreign corporation s taxable year that ended during the
retroactive election year. The Protective Statement must
contain--
(i) The shareholder's reasonable belief statement, as
described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section;
(ii) The shareholder's agreement extending the periods of
limitations on the assessment of PFIC related taxes for all
taxable years to which the Protective Statement applies, as
provided in paragraph (c)(4) of this section; and
(iii) The following information and representations--
(A) The shareholder s name, address, taxpayer
identification number, and the shareholder's first taxable year
to which the Protective Statement applies;
(B) The foreign corporation's name, address, and taxpayer
identification number, if any; and
(C) The highest percentage of shares of each class of stock
of the foreign corporation held directly or indirectly by the
shareholder during the shareholder's first taxable year to which
the Protective Statement applies.
(2) Reasonable belief statement. The Protective Statement
must contain a reasonable belief statement, as described in
paragraph (c)(1) of this section. The reasonable belief
statement is a description of the shareholder s basis for its
reasonable belief that the foreign corporation was not a PFIC for
its taxable year that ended with or within the shareholder s
first taxable year to which the Protective Statement applies. If
the Protective Statement applies to a taxable year or years
described in paragraph (c)(5)(ii) of this section, the reasonable
belief statement must describe the shareholder s basis for its
reasonable belief that the foreign corporation was not a PFIC for
the foreign corporation s taxable year or years that ended in
such taxable year or years of the shareholder. The reasonable
belief statement must discuss the application of the income and
asset tests to the foreign corporation and the factors, including
those stated in paragraph (d) of this section, that affect the
results of those tests.
(3) Who executes and files the Protective Statement. The
person that executes and files the Protective Statement is the
person that makes the section 1295 election, as provided in
1.1295-1T(d).
(4) Waiver of the periods of limitations--(i) Time for and
manner of extending periods of limitations. (A) In general. A
shareholder that files the Protective Statement with the
Commissioner must extend the periods of limitations on the
assessment of all PFIC related taxes for all of the shareholder's
taxable years to which the Protective Statement applies, as
provided in this paragraph (c)(4). The shareholder is required
to execute the waiver on such form as the Commissioner may
prescribe for purposes of this paragraph (c)(4). Until that form
is published, the shareholder must execute a statement in which
the shareholder agrees to extend the periods of limitations on
the assessment of taxes for all the shareholder's taxable years
to which the Protective Statement applies, as provided in this
paragraph (c)(4), and agrees to the restrictions in paragraph
(c)(4)(ii)(A) of this section. The shareholder or a person
authorized to sign the shareholder's federal income tax return
must sign the form or statement. A properly executed form or
statement authorized by this paragraph (c)(4) will be deemed
consented to and signed by a Service Center Director or the
Assistant Commissioner (International) for purposes of
301.6501(c)-1(d) of this chapter.
(B) Application of general rule to domestic partnerships--
(1) In general. A domestic partnership that holds an interest
in stock of a PFIC satisfies the waiver requirement of paragraph
(c)(4) of this section pursuant to the rules of this paragraph
(c)(4)(i)(B)(1). The partnership must file one or more waivers
obtained or arranged under this paragraph (c)(4)(i)(B) as part of
the Protective Statement, as provided in paragraph (c)(1) of this
section. The partnership must either--
(i) Obtain from each partner the partner's waiver of the
periods of limitations;
(ii) Obtain from each partner a duly executed power of
attorney under 601.501 of this chapter authorizing the
partnership to extend that partner's periods of limitations, and
execute a waiver on behalf of the partners; or
(iii) In the case of a domestic partnership governed by the
unified audit and litigation procedures of sections 6221 through
6233 (TEFRA partnership), arrange for the tax matters partner (or
any other person authorized to enter into an agreement to extend
the periods of limitations), as provided in section 6229(b), to
execute a waiver on behalf of all the partners.
(2) Special rules--(i) Addition of partner to non-TEFRA
partnership. In the case of any individual who becomes a partner
in a domestic partnership other than a TEFRA partnership (non-
TEFRA partnership) in a taxable year subsequent to the year in
which the partnership filed a Protective Statement, the partner
and the partnership must comply with the rules applicable to non-
TEFRA partnerships, as provided in paragraph (c)(4)(i)(B)(1) of
this section, by the due date, as extended, for the federal
income tax return of the partnership for the taxable year during
which the individual became a partner. Failure to so comply will
render the Protective Statement invalid with respect to the
partnership and partners.
(ii) Change in status from non-TEFRA partnership to TEFRA
partnership. If a partnership is a non-TEFRA partnership in one
taxable year but becomes a TEFRA partnership in a subsequent
taxable year, the partnership must file one or more waivers
obtained or arranged under this paragraph (c)(4)(i)(B)(2)(ii), as
part of the Protective Statement, as provided in paragraph (c)(1)
of this section. The partnership must either obtain from any new
partner the partner's waiver described in this paragraph (c)(4);
obtain from the new partner a duly executed power of attorney
under 601.501 of this chapter authorizing the partnership to
extend the partner's periods of limitations, and execute a waiver
on behalf of the new partner; or arrange for the tax matters
partner (or any other person authorized to enter into an
agreement to extend the periods of limitations) to execute a
waiver on behalf of all the partners. In each case, the
partnership must attach any new waiver of a partner's periods of
limitations, and a copy of the Protective Statement to its
federal income tax return for that taxable year.
(C) Application of general rule to domestic nongrantor
trusts and domestic estates. A domestic nongrantor trust or a
domestic estate that holds an interest in stock of a PFIC
satisfies the waiver requirement of this paragraph (c)(4) at the
entity level. For this purpose, such entity must comply with
rules similar to those applicable to non-TEFRA partnerships, as
provided in paragraph (c)(4)(i)(B)(1) of this section.
(D) Application of general rule to S corporations. An S
corporation that holds an interest in stock of a PFIC satisfies
the waiver requirement of this paragraph (c)(4) at the S
corporation level. For this purpose, the S corporation must
comply with rules similar to those applicable to non-TEFRA
partnerships, as provided in paragraph (c)(4)(i)(B)(1) of this
section. ob体育ever, in the case of an S corporation that was
governed by the unified audit corporate proceedings of sections
6241 through 6245 for any taxable year to which a Protective
Statement applies (former TEFRA S corporation), the tax matters
person (or any other person authorized to enter into such an
agreement), as was provided in sections 6241 through 6245, may
execute a waiver described in this paragraph (c)(4) that applies
to such taxable year; for any other taxable year, the former
TEFRA S corporation must comply with rules similar to those
applicable to non-TEFRA partnerships.
(E) Effect on waiver of complete termination of a pass
through entity or pass through entity's business. The complete
termination of a pass through entity described in paragraphs
(c)(4)(i)(B) through (D) of this section, or a pass through
entity's trade or business, will not terminate a waiver that
applies to a partner, shareholder, or beneficiary.
(F) Application of general rule to foreign partnerships,
foreign trusts, domestic or foreign grantor trusts, and foreign
estates. A U.S. person that is a partner or beneficiary of a
foreign partnership, foreign trust, or foreign estate that holds
an interest in stock of a PFIC satisfies the waiver requirement
of this paragraph (c)(4) at the partner or beneficiary level. A
U.S. person that is treated under sections 671 through 679 as the
owner of the portion of a domestic or foreign trust that owns an
interest in PFIC stock also satisfies the waiver requirement at
the owner level. A waiver by a partner or beneficiary applies
only to that partner or beneficiary, and is not affected by a
complete termination of the entity or the entity's trade or
business.
(ii) Terms of waiver--(A) Scope of waiver. The waiver of
the periods of limitations is limited to the assessment of PFIC
related taxes. If the period of limitations for a taxable year
affected by a retroactive election has expired with respect to
the assessment of other non-PFIC related taxes, no adjustments,
other than consequential changes, may be made by the Internal
Revenue Service or by the shareholder to any other items of
income, deduction, or credit for that year. If the period of
limitations for refunds or credits for a taxable year affected bya retroactive election is open only by virtue of the assessment
period extension and section 6511(c), no refund or credit is
allowable on grounds other than adjustments to PFIC related taxes
and consequential changes.
(B) Period of waiver. The extension of the periods of
limitations on the assessment of PFIC related taxes will be
effective for all of the shareholder's taxable years to which the
Protective Statement applies. In addition, the waiver, to the
extent it applies to the period of limitations for a particular
year, will terminate with respect to that year no sooner than
three years from the date on which the shareholder files an
amended return, as provided in paragraph (g) of this section, for
that year. For the suspension of the running of the period of
limitations for the collection of taxes for which a shareholder
has elected under section 1294 to extend the time for payment, as
provided in paragraph (g)(3)(ii) of this section, see sections
6503(
i
) and 6229(h).
(5) Time for and manner of filing a Protective Statement--
(
i
) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(5)(ii) of
this section, a Protective Statement must be attached to the
shareholder's federal income tax return for the shareholder's
first taxable year to which the Protective Statement will apply.
The shareholder also must file a copy of the Protective Statement
with the Philadelphia Service Center, P.O. 21086, Philadelphia,
PA 19114. The shareholder must file its return and the copy ofthe Protective Statement by the due date, as extended, for the
return.
(ii) Special rule for taxable years ended before January 2,
1998. A shareholder may file a Protective Statement that applies
to the shareholder's taxable year or years that ended before
January 2, 1998, provided the period of limitations on the
assessment of taxes for any such year has not expired (open
year). The shareholder must file the Protective Statement
applicable to such open year or years, as provided in paragraph
(c)(5)(
i
) of this section, by the due date, as extended, for the
shareholder's return for the first taxable year ending after
January 2, 1998.
(6) Applicability of the Protective Statement--(
i
) In
general. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (c)(6),
a Protective Statement applies to the shareholder's first taxable
year for which the Protective Statement was filed and to each
subsequent taxable year. The Protective Statement will not apply
to any taxable year of the shareholder during which the
shareholder does not own any stock of the foreign corporation or
to any taxable year thereafter. Accordingly, if the shareholder
has not made a retroactive election with respect to the
previously owned stock by the time the shareholder reacquires
stock of the foreign corporation, the shareholder must file
another Protective Statement to preserve its right to make a
retroactive election with respect to the later acquired stock.
For the rule that provides that a section 1295 election made withrespect to a foreign corporation applies to stock of that
corporation acquired after a lapse in ownership, see 1.1295-
1T(c)(2)(iii).
(ii) Invalidity of the Protective Statement. A shareholder
will be treated as if it never filed a Protective Statement if--
(A) The shareholder failed to make a retroactive election
by the date prescribed for making the retroactive election in
paragraph (g)(1) of this section; or
(B) The waiver of the periods of limitations terminates (by
reason of a court decision or other determination) with respect
to any taxable year before the expiration of three years from the
date of filing of an amended return for that year pursuant to
paragraph (g) of this section.
(7) Retention of Protective Statement and information
demonstrating reasonable belief. A shareholder that files a
Protective Statement must retain a copy of the Protective
Statement and its attachments and must, for each taxable year of
the shareholder to which the Protective Statement applies, retain
information sufficient to demonstrate the shareholder's
reasonable belief that the foreign corporation was not a PFIC for
the taxable year of the foreign corporation ending during each
such taxable year of the shareholder.
(d) Reasonable belief--(1) In general. A foreign
corporation is a PFIC for a taxable year if the foreign
corporation satisfies either the income or asset test of section
1296(a). To determine whether a shareholder had reasonablebelief that the foreign corporation is not a PFIC under section
1296(a), the shareholder must consider all relevant facts and
circumstances. Reasonable belief may be based on a variety of
factors, including reasonable asset valuations as well as
reasonable interpretations of the applicable provisions of the
Code, regulations, and administrative guidance regarding the
direct or indirect ownership of the income or assets of the
foreign corporation, the proper character of that income or those
assets, and similar issues. Reasonable belief may be based on
reasonable predictions regarding income to be earned and assets
to be owned in subsequent years where qualification of the
foreign corporation as a PFIC for the current taxable year will
depend on the qualification of the corporation as a PFIC in a
subsequent year. Reasonable belief may be based on an analysis
of generally available financial information of the foreign
corporation. To determine whether a shareholder had reasonable
belief that the foreign corporation was not a PFIC, the
Commissioner may consider the size of the shareholder's interest
in the foreign corporation.
(2) Knowledge of law required. Reasonable belief must be
based on a good faith effort to apply the Code, regulations, and
related administrative guidance. Any person's failure to know or
apply these provisions will not form the basis of reasonable
belief.
(e) Special rules for qualified shareholders--(1) Ingeneral. A shareholder that is a qualified shareholder, as
defined in paragraph (e)(2) of this section, for a taxable year
of the shareholder is not required to satisfy the reasonable
belief requirement of paragraph (b)(1) of this section or file a
Protective Statement to preserve its ability to make a
retroactive election with respect to such taxable year.
Accordingly, a qualified shareholder may make a retroactive
election for any open taxable year in the shareholder's holding
period. The retroactive election will be treated as made in the
earliest taxable year of the shareholder during which the foreign
corporation qualified as a PFIC (including a taxable year ending
prior January 2, 1998) and the shareholder will be treated as a
shareholder of a pedigreed QEF, as defined in 1.1291-
9(j)(2)(ii), provided the shareholder--
(
i
) Has been a qualified shareholder with respect to the
foreign corporation for all taxable years of the shareholder
included in the shareholder's holding period during which the
foreign corporation was a PFIC, or in the case of taxable years
ending before January 2, 1998, the shareholder satisfies the
criteria of a qualified shareholder, for all such years; or
(ii) Has been a qualified shareholder, or in the case of
taxable years ending before January 2, 1998, satisfies the
criteria of a qualified shareholder, for all taxable years in its
holding period before it filed a Protective Statement, which
Protective Statement is applicable to all subsequent years,beginning with the first taxable year in which the shareholder is
not a qualified shareholder.
(2) Qualified shareholder. A shareholder will be treated
as a qualified shareholder for a taxable year if the shareholder
did not file a Protective Statement applicable to an earlier
taxable year included in the shareholder's holding period of the
stock of the foreign corporation currently held and--
(
i
) At all times during the taxable year the shareholder
owned, within the meaning of section 958, directly, indirectly,
or constructively, less than two percent of the vote and value of
each class of stock of the foreign corporation; and
(ii) With respect to the taxable year of the foreign
corporation ending within the shareholder's taxable year, the
foreign corporation or U.S. counsel for the foreign corporation
indicated in a public filing, disclosure statement or other
notice provided to U.S. persons that are shareholders of the
foreign corporation (corporate filing) that the foreign
corporation--
(A) Reasonably believes that it is not or should not
constitute a PFIC for the corporation's taxable year; or
(B) Is unable to conclude that it is not or should not be a
PFIC (due to certain asset valuation or interpretation issues, or
because PFIC status will depend on the income or assets of the
foreign corporation in the corporation's subsequent taxable
years) but reasonably believes that, more likely than not, it
ultimately will not be a PFIC.
(3) Exceptions. Notwithstanding paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of
this section, a shareholder will not be treated as a qualified
shareholder for a taxable year of the shareholder if the
shareholder knew or had reason to know that a corporate filing
regarding the foreign corporation's PFIC status was inaccurate,
or knew that the foreign corporation was a PFIC for the taxable
year of the foreign corporation ending with or within such
taxable year of the shareholder. For purposes of this paragraph,
a shareholder will be treated as knowing that a foreign
corporation was a PFIC if the principal activity of the foreign
corporation, directly or indirectly, is owning or trading a
diversified portfolio of stock, securities, or other financial
contracts.
(f) Special consent--(1) In general. A shareholder that
has not satisfied the requirements of paragraph (b) or (e) of
this section may request the consent of the Commissioner to make
a retroactive election for a taxable year of the shareholder
provided the shareholder satisfies the requirements set forth in
this paragraph (f). The Commissioner will grant relief under
this paragraph (f) only if--
(i) The shareholder reasonably relied on a qualified tax
professional, within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of this
section;
(ii) Granting consent will not prejudice the interests of
the United States government, as provided in paragraph (f)(3) ofthis section;
(iii) The shareholder requests consent under paragraph (f)
of this section before a representative of the Internal Revenue
Service raises upon audit the PFIC status of the corporation for
any taxable year of the shareholder; and
(iv) The shareholder satisfies the procedural requirements
set forth in paragraph (f)(4) of this section.
(2) Reasonable reliance on a qualified tax professional--
(
i
) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (f)(2)(ii) of
this section, a shareholder is deemed to have reasonably relied
on a qualified tax professional only if the shareholder
reasonably relied on a qualified tax professional (including a
tax professional employed by the shareholder) who failed to
identify the foreign corporation as a PFIC or failed to advise
the shareholder of the consequences of making, or failing to
make, the section 1295 election. A shareholder will not be
considered to have reasonably relied on a qualified tax
professional if the shareholder knew, or reasonably should have
known, that the foreign corporation was a PFIC and the
availability of a section 1295 election, or knew or reasonably
should have known that the qualified tax professional--
(A) Was not competent to render tax advice with respect to
the ownership of shares of a foreign corporation; or
(B) Did not have access to all relevant facts and
circumstances. (ii) Shareholder deemed to have not reasonably relied on a
qualified tax professional. For purposes of this paragraph
(f)(2), a shareholder is deemed to have not reasonably relied on
a qualified tax professional if the shareholder was informed by
the qualified tax professional that the foreign corporation was a
PFIC and of the availability of the section 1295 election and
related tax consequences, but either chose not to make the
section 1295 election or was unable to make a valid section 1295
election.
(3) Prejudice to the interests of the United States
government--(
i
) General rule. Except as otherwise provided in
paragraph (f)(3)(ii) of this section, the Commissioner will not
grant consent under paragraph (f) of this section if doing so
would prejudice the interests of the United States government.
The interests of the United States government are prejudiced if
granting relief would result in the shareholder having a lower
tax liability, taking into account applicable interest charges,
in the aggregate for all years affected by the retroactive
election (other than by a de minimis amount) than the shareholder
would have had if the shareholder had made the section 1295
election by the election due date. The time value of money is
taken into account for purposes of this computation.
(ii) Elimination of prejudice to the interests of the United
States government. Notwithstanding the general rule of paragraph
(f)(3)(
i
) of this section, if granting relief would prejudice theinterests of the United States government, the Commissioner may,
in the Commissioner's sole discretion, grant consent to make the
election provided the shareholder enters into a closing agreement
with the Commissioner that requires the shareholder to pay an
amount sufficient to eliminate any prejudice to the United States
government as a consequence of the shareholder s inability to
file amended returns for closed taxable years.
(4) Procedural requirements--(
i
) Filing instructions. A
shareholder requests consent under paragraph (f) of this section
to make a retroactive election by filing with the Office of the
Associate Chief Counsel (International) a ruling request that
includes the affidavits required by this paragraph (f)(4). The
ruling request must satisfy the requirements, including payment
of the user fee, for ruling requests filed with that office.
(ii) Affidavit from shareholder. The shareholder, or a
person authorized to sign a federal income tax return on behalf
of the shareholder, must submit a detailed affidavit describing
the events that led to the failure to make a section 1295
election by the election due date, and to the discovery thereof.
The shareholder's affidavit must describe the engagement and
responsibilities of the qualified tax professional as well as the
extent to which the shareholder relied on the tax professional.
The shareholder must sign the affidavit under penalties of
perjury. An individual who signs for an entity must have
personal knowledge of the facts and circumstances at issue. (iii) Affidavits from other persons. The shareholder must
submit detailed affidavits from individuals having knowledge or
information about the events that led to the failure to make a
section 1295 election by the election due date, and to the
discovery thereof. These individuals must include the qualified
tax professional upon whose advice the shareholder relied, as
well as any individual (including an employee of the shareholder)
who made a substantial contribution to the return's preparation,
and any accountant or attorney, knowledgeable in tax matters, who
advised the shareholder with regard to its ownership of the stock
of the foreign corporation. Each affidavit must describe the
individual's engagement and responsibilities as well as the
advice concerning the tax treatment of the foreign corporation
that the individual provided to the shareholder. Each affidavit
also must include the individual's name, address, and taxpayer
identification number, and must be signed by the individual under
penalties of perjury.
(iv) Other information. In connection with a request for
consent under this paragraph (f), a shareholder must provide any
additional information requested by the Commissioner.
(v) Notification of Internal Revenue Service. The
shareholder must notify the branch of the Associate Chief Counsel
(International) considering the request for relief under this
paragraph (f) if, while the shareholder's request for consent is
pending, the Internal Revenue Service begins an examination ofthe shareholder's return for the retroactive election year or for
any subsequent taxable year during which the shareholder holds
stock of the foreign corporation.
(vi) Who requests special consent under this paragraph (f)
and who enters into a closing agreement. The person that
requests consent under this paragraph (f) is the person that
makes the section 1295 election, as provided in 1.1295-1T(d).
If a shareholder is required to enter into a closing agreement
with the Commissioner, as described in paragraph (f)(3)(ii) of
this section, rules similar to those under paragraphs
(c)(4)(i)(B) through (E) of this section apply for purposes of
determining the person that enters into the closing agreement.
(g) Time for and manner of making a retroactive election--
(1) Time for making a retroactive election--(
i
) In general.
Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (g)(1)(ii) of this
section, a shareholder must make a retroactive election, in the
manner provided in paragraph (g)(2) of this section, on or before
the due date, as extended, for the shareholder's return--
(A
) In the case of a shareholder that makes a retroactive
election pursuant to paragraph (b) or (e) of this section, for
the taxable year in which the shareholder determines or
reasonably should have determined that the foreign corporation
was a PFIC; or
(B) In the case of a shareholder that obtains the consent
of the Commissioner pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section,for the taxable year in which such consent is granted.
(ii) Transition rule. A shareholder that files a
Protective Statement for a taxable year described in paragraph
(c)(5)(ii) of this section may make a retroactive election by the
due date, as extended, for the return for the first taxable year
ended after January 2, 1998, even if the shareholder determined
or should have determined that the foreign corporation was a PFIC
for a year described in paragraph (c)(5)(ii) of this section at
any time on or before January 2, 1998.
(iii) Ownership not required at time retroactive election
is made. The shareholder need not own shares of the foreign
corporation at the time the shareholder makes a retroactive
election with respect to the foreign corporation.
(2) Manner of making a retroactive election. A shareholder
that has satisfied the requirements of paragraph (b) or (e) of
this section, or a shareholder that has been granted consent
under paragraph (f) of this section, must make a retroactive
election in the manner provided in Form 8621 for making a section
1295 election, and must attach Form 8621 to an amended return for
the later of the retroactive election year or the earliest open
taxable year of the shareholder. The shareholder also must file
an amended return for each of its subsequent taxable years
affected by the retroactive election. In each amended return the
shareholder must redetermine its income tax liability for that
year to take into account the assessment of PFIC related taxes. If the period of limitations for the assessment of taxes for a
taxable year affected by the retroactive election has expired
except to the extent the waiver of limitations, described in
paragraph (c)(4) of this section, has extended such period, no
adjustments, other than consequential changes, may be made to any
other items of income, deduction, or credit in that year. In
addition, the shareholder must pay all taxes and interest owing
by reason of the PFIC and QEF status of the foreign corporation
in those years (except to the extent a section 1294 election
extends the time to pay the taxes and interest). A shareholder
that filed a Protective Statement must attach to Form 8621 filed
with each amended return a representation that the shareholder,
until the taxable year in which it determined or reasonably
should have determined that the foreign corporation was a PFIC,
reasonably believed, within the meaning of paragraph (d) of this
section, that the foreign corporation was not a PFIC in the
taxable year for which the amended return is filed, and in all
other taxable years to which the Protective Statement applies. A
shareholder that entered into a closing agreement must comply
with the terms of that agreement, as provided in paragraph
(f)(3)(ii) of this section, to eliminate any prejudice to the
United States government's interests, as described in paragraph
(f)(3) of this section.
(3) Who makes the retroactive election. The person that
makes the retroactive election is the person that makes thesection 1295 election, as provided in 1.1295-1T(d). A partner,
shareholder, or beneficiary for which a pass through entity, as
described in paragraphs (c)(4)(i)(B) through (D) of this section,
filed a Protective Statement may make a retroactive election, if
the pass through entity completely terminates its business or
otherwise ceases to exist.
(4) Other elections--(
i
) Section 1291(d)(2) election. If
the foreign corporation for which the shareholder makes a
retroactive election will be treated as an unpedigreed QEF, as
defined in 1.1291-9(j)(2)(iii), with respect to the
shareholder, the shareholder may make an election under section
1291(d)(2) to purge its holding period of the years or parts of
years before the effective date of the retroactive election. If
the qualification date, within the meaning of 1.1291-9(e) or
1.1291-10(e), falls in a taxable year for which the period of
limitations has expired, the shareholder may treat the first day
of the retroactive election year as the qualification date. The
shareholder may make a section 1291(d)(2) election at the time
that it makes the retroactive election, but no later than two
years after the date that the amended return in which the
retroactive election is made is filed. For the requirements for
making a section 1291(d)(2) election, see 1.1291-9 and 1.1291-
10.
(ii) Section 1294 election. A shareholder may make an
election under section 1294 to extend the time for payment of taxon the shareholder's pro rata shares of the ordinary earnings and
net capital gain of the foreign corporation reported in the
shareholder's amended return, and section 6621 interest
attributable to such tax, but only to the extent the tax and
interest are attributable to earnings that have not been
distributed to the shareholder. The shareholder must make a
section 1294 election for a taxable year at the time that it
files its amended return for that year, as provided in paragraph
(g)(1) of this section. For the requirements for making a
section 1294 election, see 1.1294
-1T
.
(h) Effective date. The rules of this section are
effective as of January 2, 1998.
Par. 13. Section 1.1297-3T(c) is added to read as follows:
1.1297-3T Deemed sale election by a United States person that
is a shareholder of a passive foreign investment company
(temporary).
* * * * *
(c) Application of deemed dividend election rules--(1) In
general. A shareholder of a former PFIC, within the meaning of
1.1291-9(j)(2)(iv), that was a controlled foreign corporation,
within the meaning of section 957(a) (CFC), during its last
taxable year as a PFIC under section 1296(a), may apply the rules
of section 1291(d)(2)(B) and 1.1291-9 to an election under
section 1297(b)(1) and this section made by the time and in the
manner provided in paragraph (b) of this section. (2) Transition rule. If the time for making an election
under this section, as provided in paragraph (b) of this section,
expired before January 2, 1998, a shareholder that applied rules
similar to the rules of section 1291(d)(2)(A) and 1.1291-10 to
an election under this section made with respect to a corporation
that was a CFC during its last taxable year as a PFIC
under section 1296(a) may file an amended return for the taxable
year that includes the termination date, as defined in paragraph
(a) of this section, and apply the rules of section 1291(d)(2)(B)
and 1.1291-9 at any time before the expiration of the period of
limitations for the assessment of taxes for that taxable year.
(3) Effective date. The rules of this paragraph are
effective as of January 2, 1998.
PART 602--OMB CONTROL NUMBERS UNDER THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT
Par. 14. The authority citation for part 602 continues to
read as follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805.
602.101 [Amended]
Par. 15. In 602.101, paragraph (c) is amended by adding
entries in numerical order to the table to read as follows:
602.101 OMB Control numbers.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
_________________________________________________________________
CFR part or section where Current OMB
identified and described Control No.
* * * * *
1.1295-1T.............................................1545-1555
1.1295-3T............................................ 1545-1555
* * * * *
Michael P. Dolan
Deputy Commissioner of Internal Revenue
Approved:
Donald C. Lubick
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Treasury