[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 26, Volume 1] [Revised as of April 1, 2003] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 26CFR1.41-6] [Page 133-135] TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY PART 1--INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents Sec. 1.41-6 Aggregation of expenditures. (a) Controlled group of corporations; trades or businesses under common control--(1) In general. In determining the amount of research credit allowed with respect to a trade or business that at the end of its taxable year is a member of a controlled group of corporations or a member of a group of trades or businesses under common control, all members of the group are treated as a single taxpayer and the credit (if any) allowed to the member is determined on the basis of its proportionate share (if any) of the increase in qualified research expenses of the aggregated group. (2) Definition of trade or business. For purposes of this section, a trade or business is a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a trust, an estate, or a corporation that is carrying on a trade or business (within the meaning of section 162). For purposes of this section, any corporation that is a member of a commonly controlled group shall be deemed to be carrying on a trade or business if any other member of that group is carrying on any trade or business. (3) Determination of common control. For rules for determining whether trades or businesses are under common control, see paragraphs (b) through (g) of Sec. 1.52-1 except that the words ``singly or'' in Sec. 1.52-1(d)(1)(i) shall be treated as deleted. (4) Examples. The following examples illustrate provisions of this paragraph. Example 1. (i) Facts. A controlled group of four corporations (all of which are calendar-year taxpayers) had qualified research expenses (``research expenses'') during the base period and taxable year as follows: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Base period Taxable Corporation (average) year Change ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A..................................... $60 $40 ($20) B..................................... 10 15 5 C..................................... 30 70 40 D..................................... 15 25 10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (ii) Total credit. Because the research expenses of the four corporations are treated as if made by one taxpayer, the total amount of incremental expenses eligible for the credit is $35 ($55 increase attributable to B, C, and D less $20 decrease attributable to A). The total amount of credit allowable to members of the group is 20% of the incremental amount or $7.00. (iii) Allocation of credit. No amount of credit is allocated to A since A's research expenses did not increase in the taxable year. The $7.00 credit is allocated to B, C, and D, the members of the group that increased their research expenses. This allocation is made on the basis of the ratio of each corporation's increase in its research expenses to the sum of increases in those expenses. Inasmuch as the total increase made by those members of the group whose research expenses rose (B, C, and D) was $55, B's share of the $7.00 credit is 5/55; C's share is 40/ 55; and D's share is 10/55. Example 2. The facts are the same as in example (1) except that A had zero research expenses in the taxable year. Thus, the controlled group had a decrease rather than an increase in aggregate research expenses. Accordingly, no amount of credit is allowable to any member of the group even though B, C, and D actually increased their research expenses in comparison with their own base period expenses. (b) Minimum base period research expenses. For purposes of this section, the rule in section 41(c)(3) (pertaining to minimum base period research expenses) shall be applied only to the aggregate amount of base period research expenses. See the treatment of corporation C in example (1) of paragraph (a)(4) of this section. [[Page 134]] (c) Tax accounting periods used--(1) In general. The credit allowable to a member of a controlled group of corporations or of a group of trades or businesses under common control is that member's share of the aggregate credit computed as of the end of such member's taxable year. In computing the aggregate credit in the case of a group whose members have different taxable years, a member shall generally treat the taxable year of another member that ends with or within the determination year of the computing member as the determination year of that other member. The base period research expenses taken into account with respect to a determination year of another member shall be the base period research expenses determined for that year under Sec. 1.41-3A, except that Sec. 1.41-3A(c)(2) shall be applied only at the aggregate level. (2) Special rule where timing of research is manipulated. If the timing of research by members using different tax accounting periods is manipulated to generate a credit in excess of the amount that would be allowable if all members of the group used the same tax accounting period, the district director may require each member of the group to calculate the credit in the current taxable year and all future years as if all members of the group had the same taxable year and base period as the computing member. (d) Membership during taxable year in more than one group. A trade or business may be a member of only one group for a taxable year. If, without application of this paragraph, a business would be a member of more than one group at the end of its taxable year, the business shall be treated as a member of the group in which it was included for its preceding taxable year. If the business was not included for its preceding taxable year in any group in which it could be included as of the end of its taxable year, the business shall designate in its timely filed (including extensions) return the group in which it is being included. If the return for a taxable year is due before July 1, 1983, the business may designate its group membership through an amended return for that year filed on or before June 30, 1983. If the business does not so designate, then the district director with audit jurisdiction of the return will determine the group in which the business is to be included. (e) Intra-group transactions--(1) In general. Because all members of a group under common control are treated as a single taxpayer for purposes of determining the research credit, transfers between members of the group are generally disregarded. (2) In-house research expenses. If one member of a group performs qualified research on behalf of another member, the member performing the research shall include in its qualified research expenses any in- house research expenses for that work and shall not treat any amount received or accrued as funding the research. Conversely, the member for whom the research is performed shall not treat any part of any amount paid or incurred as a contract research expense. For purposes of determining whether the in-house research for that work is qualified research, the member performing the research shall be treated as carrying on any trade or business carried on by the member on whose behalf the research is performed. (3) Contract research expenses. If a member of a group pays or incurs contract research expenses to a person outside the group in carrying on the member's trade or business, that member shall include those expenses as qualified research expenses. However, if the expenses are not paid or incurred in carrying on any trade or business of that member, those expenses may be taken into account as contract research expenses by another member of the group provided that the other member-- (i) Reimburses the member paying or incurring the expenses, and (ii) Carries on a trade or business to which the research relates. (4) Lease Payments. The amount paid or incurred to another member of the group for the lease of personal property owned by a member of the group is not taken into account for purposes of section 41. Amounts paid or incurred to another member of the group for the lease of personal property owned by a person outside the group shall be taken [[Page 135]] into account as in-house research expenses for purposes of section 41 only to the extent of the lesser of-- (i) The amount paid or incurred to the other member, or (ii) The amount of the lease expenses paid to the person outside the group. (5) Payment for supplies. Amounts paid or incurred to another member of the group for supplies shall be taken into account as in-house research expenses for purposes of section 41 only to the extent of the lesser of-- (i) The amount paid or incurred to the other member, or (ii) The amount of the other member's basis in the supplies. [T.D. 8251, 54 FR 21204, May 17, 1989. Redesignated and amended by T.D. 8930, 66 FR 295, Jan. 3, 2001]