§ 852. Taxation of regulated investment companies and their shareholders

§ 852. Taxation of regulated investment companies and their shareholders

(a) Requirements applicable to regulated investment companies The provisions of this part (other than subsection (c) of this section) shall not be applicable to a regulated investment company for a taxable year unless—

The Secretary may waive the requirements of paragraph (1) for any taxable year if the regulated investment company establishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary that it was unable to meet such requirements by reason of distributions previously made to meet the requirements of section 4982.

(1) the deduction for dividends paid during the taxable year (as defined in section 561, but without regard to capital gain dividends) equals or exceeds the sum of—

(A) 90 percent of its investment company taxable income for the taxable year determined without regard to subsection (b)(2)(D); and

(B) 90 percent of the excess of (i) its interest income excludable from gross income under section 103(a) over (ii) its deductions disallowed under sections 265 and 171(a)(2), and

(2) either—

(A) the provisions of this part applied to the investment company for all taxable years ending on or after November 8, 1983, or

(B) as of the close of the taxable year, the investment company has no earnings and profits accumulated in any taxable year to which the provisions of this part (or the corresponding provisions of prior law) did not apply to it.

(b) Method of taxation of companies and shareholders

(1) Imposition of tax on regulated investment companies There is hereby imposed for each taxable year upon the investment company taxable income of every regulated investment company a tax computed as provided in section 11, as though the investment company taxable income were the taxable income referred to in section 11.

(2) Investment company taxable income The investment company taxable income shall be the taxable income of the regulated investment company adjusted as follows:

(A) There shall be excluded the amount of the net capital gain, if any.

(B) The net operating loss deduction provided in section 172 shall not be allowed.

(C) The deductions for corporations provided in part VIII (except section 248) in subchapter B (section 241 and following, relating to the deduction for dividends received, etc.) shall not be allowed.

(D) The deduction for dividends paid (as defined in section 561) shall be allowed, but shall be computed without regard to capital gain dividends and exempt-interest dividends.

(E) The taxable income shall be computed without regard to section 443(b) (relating to computation of tax on change of annual accounting period).

(F) The taxable income shall be computed without regard to section 454(b) (relating to short-term obligations issued on a discount basis) if the company so elects in a manner prescribed by the Secretary.

(G) There shall be deducted an amount equal to the tax imposed by subsections (d)(2) and (i) of section 851 for the taxable year.

(3) Capital gains

(A) Imposition of tax There is hereby imposed for each taxable year in the case of every regulated investment company a tax, determined as provided in section 11(b), on the excess, if any, of the net capital gain over the deduction for dividends paid (as defined in section 561) determined with reference to capital gain dividends only.

(B) Treatment of capital gain dividends by shareholders A capital gain dividend shall be treated by the shareholders as a gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset held for more than 1 year.

(C) Definition of capital gain dividend For purposes of this part—

For special rule for certain losses after October 31, see paragraph (8).

(i) In general Except as provided in clause (ii), a capital gain dividend is any dividend, or part thereof, which is reported by the company as a capital gain dividend in written statements furnished to its shareholders.

(ii) Excess reported amounts If the aggregate reported amount with respect to the company for any taxable year exceeds the net capital gain of the company for such taxable year, a capital gain dividend is the excess of—

(I) the reported capital gain dividend amount, over

(II) the excess reported amount which is allocable to such reported capital gain dividend amount.

(iii) Allocation of excess reported amount

(I) In general Except as provided in subclause (II), the excess reported amount (if any) which is allocable to the reported capital gain dividend amount is that portion of the excess reported amount which bears the same ratio to the excess reported amount as the reported capital gain dividend amount bears to the aggregate reported amount.

(II) Special rule for noncalendar year taxpayers In the case of any taxable year which does not begin and end in the same calendar year, if the post-December reported amount equals or exceeds the excess reported amount for such taxable year, subclause (I) shall be applied by substituting “post-December reported amount” for “aggregate reported amount” and no excess reported amount shall be allocated to any dividend paid on or before December 31 of such taxable year.

(iv) Definitions For purposes of this subparagraph—

(I) Reported capital gain dividend amount The term “reported capital gain dividend amount” means the amount reported to its shareholders under clause (i) as a capital gain dividend.

(II) Excess reported amount The term “excess reported amount” means the excess of the aggregate reported amount over the net capital gain of the company for the taxable year.

(III) Aggregate reported amount The term “aggregate reported amount” means the aggregate amount of dividends reported by the company under clause (i) as capital gain dividends for the taxable year (including capital gain dividends paid after the close of the taxable year described in section 855).

(IV) Post-December reported amount The term “post-December reported amount” means the aggregate reported amount determined by taking into account only dividends paid after December 31 of the taxable year.

(v) Adjustment for determinations If there is an increase in the excess described in subparagraph (A) for the taxable year which results from a determination (as defined in section 860(e)), the company may, subject to the limitations of this subparagraph, increase the amount of capital gain dividends reported under clause (i).

(vi) Special rule for losses late in the calendar year

(D) Treatment by shareholders of undistributed capital gains

(i) Every shareholder of a regulated investment company at the close of the company’s taxable year shall include, in computing his long-term capital gains in his return for his taxable year in which the last day of the company’s taxable year falls, such amount as the company shall designate in respect of such shares in a written notice mailed to its shareholders at any time prior to the expiration of 60 days after close of its taxable year, but the amount so includible by any shareholder shall not exceed that part of the amount subjected to tax in subparagraph (A) which he would have received if all of such amount had been distributed as capital gain dividends by the company to the holders of such shares at the close of its taxable year.

(ii) For purposes of this title, every such shareholder shall be deemed to have paid, for his taxable year under clause (i), the tax imposed by subparagraph (A) on the amounts required by this subparagraph to be included in respect of such shares in computing his long-term capital gains for that year; and such shareholder shall be allowed credit or refund, as the case may be, for the tax so deemed to have been paid by him.

(iii) The adjusted basis of such shares in the hands of the shareholder shall be increased, with respect to the amounts required by this subparagraph to be included in computing his long-term capital gains, by the difference between the amount of such includible gains and the tax deemed paid by such shareholder in respect of such shares under clause (ii).

(iv) In the event of such designation the tax imposed by subparagraph (A) shall be paid by the regulated investment company within 30 days after close of its taxable year.

(v) The earnings and profits of such regulated investment company, and the earnings and profits of any such shareholder which is a corporation, shall be appropriately adjusted in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

(E) Certain distributions In the case of a distribution to which section 897 does not apply by reason of the second sentence of section 897(h)(1), the amount of such distribution which would be included in computing long-term capital gains for the shareholder under subparagraph (B) or (D) (without regard to this subparagraph)—

(i) shall not be included in computing such shareholder’s long-term capital gains, and

(ii) shall be included in such shareholder’s gross income as a dividend from the regulated investment company.

(4) Loss on sale or exchange of stock held 6 months or less

(A) Loss attributable to capital gain dividend If—

then any loss (to the extent not disallowed under subparagraph (B)) on the sale or exchange of such share shall, to the extent of the amount described in clause (i), be treated as a long-term capital loss.

(i) subparagraph (B) or (D) of paragraph (3) provides that any amount with respect to any share is to be treated as long-term capital gain, and

(ii) such share is held by the taxpayer for 6 months or less,

(B) Loss attributable to exempt-interest dividend If—

then any loss on the sale or exchange of such share shall, to the extent of the amount of such exempt-interest dividend, be disallowed.

(i) a shareholder of a regulated investment company receives an exempt-interest dividend with respect to any share, and

(ii) such share is held by the taxpayer for 6 months or less,

(C) Determination of holding periods For purposes of this paragraph, in determining the period for which the taxpayer has held any share of stock—

(i) the rules of paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 246(c) shall apply, and

(ii) there shall not be taken into account any day which is more than 6 months after the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend.

(D) Losses incurred under a periodic liquidation plan To the extent provided in regulations, subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall not apply to losses incurred on the sale or exchange of shares of stock in a regulated investment company pursuant to a plan which provides for the periodic liquidation of such shares.

(E) Exception to holding period requirement for certain regularly declared exempt-interest dividends

(i) Daily dividend companies Except as otherwise provided by regulations, subparagraph (B) shall not apply with respect to a regular dividend paid by a regulated investment company which declares exempt-interest dividends on a daily basis in an amount equal to at least 90 percent of its net tax-exempt interest and distributes such dividends on a monthly or more frequent basis.

(ii) Authority to shorten required holding period with respect to other companies In the case of a regulated investment company (other than a company described in clause (i)) which regularly distributes at least 90 percent of its net tax-exempt interest, the Secretary may by regulations prescribe that subparagraph (B) (and subparagraph (C) to the extent it relates to subparagraph (B)) shall be applied on the basis of a holding period requirement shorter than 6 months; except that such shorter holding period requirement shall not be shorter than the greater of 31 days or the period between regular distributions of exempt-interest dividends.

(5) Exempt-interest dividends If, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50 percent of the value (as defined in section 851(c)(4)) of the total assets of the regulated investment company consists of obligations described in section 103(a), such company shall be qualified to pay exempt-interest dividends, as defined herein, to its shareholders.

(A) Definition of exempt-interest dividend

(i) In general Except as provided in clause (ii), an exempt-interest dividend is any dividend or part thereof (other than a capital gain dividend) paid by a regulated investment company and reported by the company as an exempt-interest dividend in written statements furnished to its shareholders.

(ii) Excess reported amounts If the aggregate reported amount with respect to the company for any taxable year exceeds the exempt interest of the company for such taxable year, an exempt-interest dividend is the excess of—

(I) the reported exempt-interest dividend amount, over

(II) the excess reported amount which is allocable to such reported exempt-interest dividend amount.

(iii) Allocation of excess reported amount

(I) In general Except as provided in subclause (II), the excess reported amount (if any) which is allocable to the reported exempt-interest dividend amount is that portion of the excess reported amount which bears the same ratio to the excess reported amount as the reported exempt-interest dividend amount bears to the aggregate reported amount.

(II) Special rule for noncalendar year taxpayers In the case of any taxable year which does not begin and end in the same calendar year, if the post-December reported amount equals or exceeds the excess reported amount for such taxable year, subclause (I) shall be applied by substituting “post-December reported amount” for “aggregate reported amount” and no excess reported amount shall be allocated to any dividend paid on or before December 31 of such taxable year.

(iv) Definitions For purposes of this subparagraph—

(I) Reported exempt-interest dividend amount The term “reported exempt-interest dividend amount” means the amount reported to its shareholders under clause (i) as an exempt-interest dividend.

(II) Excess reported amount The term “excess reported amount” means the excess of the aggregate reported amount over the exempt interest of the company for the taxable year.

(III) Aggregate reported amount The term “aggregate reported amount” means the aggregate amount of dividends reported by the company under clause (i) as exempt-interest dividends for the taxable year (including exempt-interest dividends paid after the close of the taxable year described in section 855).

(IV) Post-December reported amount The term “post-December reported amount” means the aggregate reported amount determined by taking into account only dividends paid after December 31 of the taxable year.

(V) Exempt interest The term “exempt interest” means, with respect to any regulated investment company, the excess of the amount of interest excludable from gross income under section 103(a) over the amounts disallowed as deductions under sections 265 and 171(a)(2).

(B) Treatment of exempt-interest dividends by shareholders An exempt-interest dividend shall be treated by the shareholders for all purposes of this subtitle as an item of interest excludable from gross income under section 103(a). Such purposes include but are not limited to—

(i) the determination of gross income and taxable income,

(ii) the determination of distributable net income under subchapter J,

(iii) the allowance of, or calculation of the amount of, any credit or deduction, and

(iv) the determination of the basis in the hands of any shareholder of any share of stock of the company.

(6) Section 311(b) not to apply to certain distributions Section 311(b) shall not apply to any distribution by a regulated investment company to which this part applies, if such distribution is in redemption of its stock upon the demand of the shareholder.

(7) Time certain dividends taken into account For purposes of this title, any dividend declared by a regulated investment company in October, November, or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month shall be deemed—

The preceding sentence shall apply only if such dividend is actually paid by the company during January of the following calendar year.

(A) to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year, and

(B) to have been paid by such company on December 31 of such calendar year (or, if earlier, as provided in section 855).

(8) Elective deferral of certain late-year losses

(A) In general Except as otherwise provided by the Secretary, a regulated investment company may elect for any taxable year to treat any portion of any qualified late-year loss for such taxable year as arising on the first day of the following taxable year for purposes of this title.

(B) Qualified late-year loss For purposes of this paragraph, the term “qualified late-year loss” means—

(i) any post-October capital loss, and

(ii) any late-year ordinary loss.

(C) Post-October capital loss For purposes of this paragraph, the term “post-October capital loss” means—

(i) any net capital loss attributable to the portion of the taxable year after October 31, or

(ii) if there is no such loss—

(I) any net long-term capital loss attributable to such portion of the taxable year, or

(II) any net short-term capital loss attributable to such portion of the taxable year.

(D) Late-year ordinary loss For purposes of this paragraph, the term “late-year ordinary loss” means the sum of any post-October specified loss and any post-December ordinary loss.

(E) Post-October specified loss For purposes of this paragraph, the term “post-October specified loss” means the excess (if any) of—

(i) the specified losses (as defined in section 4982(e)(5)(B)(ii)) attributable to the portion of the taxable year after October 31, over

(ii) the specified gains (as defined in section 4982(e)(5)(B)(i)) attributable to such portion of the taxable year.

(F) Post-December ordinary loss For purposes of this paragraph, the term “post-December ordinary loss” means the excess (if any) of—

(i) the ordinary losses not described in subparagraph (E)(i) and attributable to the portion of the taxable year after December 31, over

(ii) the ordinary income not described in subparagraph (E)(ii) and attributable to such portion of the taxable year.

(G) Special rule for companies determining required capital gain distributions on taxable year basis In the case of a company to which an election under section 4982(e)(4) applies—

(i) if such company’s taxable year ends with the month of November, the amount of qualified late-year losses (if any) shall be computed without regard to any income, gain, or loss described in subparagraphs (C) and (E), and

(ii) if such company’s taxable year ends with the month of December, subparagraph (A) shall not apply.

(9) Dividends treated as received by company on ex-dividend date For purposes of this title, if a regulated investment company is the holder of record of any share of stock on the record date for any dividend payable with respect to such stock, such dividend shall be included in gross income by such company as of the later of—

(A) the date such share became ex-dividend with respect to such dividend, or

(B) the date such company acquired such share.

(c) Earnings and profits

(1) Treatment of nondeductible items

(A) Net capital loss If a regulated investment company has a net capital loss for any taxable year—