[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 26, Volume 12] [Revised as of April 1, 2004] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 26CFR1.1502-4] [Page 250-254] TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents Sec. 1.1502-4 Consolidated foreign tax credit. (a) In general. The credit under section 901 for taxes paid or accrued to any foreign country or possession of the United States shall be allowed to the group only if the common parent corporation chooses to use such credit in the computation of the tax liability of the group for the consolidated return year. If this choice is made, no deduction may be taken on the consolidated return for such taxes paid or accrued by any member of the group. See section 275(a)(4). (b) Limitation effective under section 904(a) for the group--(1) Common parent's limitation effective for group. The determination of whether the overall limitation or the per-country limitation applies for a consolidated return year shall be made by reference to the limitation effective with respect to the common parent corporation for such year. If the limitation effective with respect to a member for its immediately preceding separate return year differs from the limitation effective with respect to the common parent corporation for the consolidated return year, then such member shall, if the overall limitation is effective with respect to the common parent, be deemed to have made an election to use such overall limitation, or, if the per-country limitation is effective with respect to the common parent, be deemed to have revoked its election to use the overall limitation. Consent of the Secretary or his delegate (if otherwise required) is hereby given to such member for such election or revocation. Any such election or revocation shall apply only prospectively beginning with such consolidated return year. [[Page 251]] (2) Limitation effective for subsequent years. The limitation effective with respect to a member for the last year for which it joins in the filing of a consolidated return with a group shall remain in effect for a subsequent separate return year and may be changed by such corporation for such subsequent year only in accordance with the provisions of section 904(b) (and this paragraph if it joins in the filing of a consolidated return with another group). Any retroactive change in the limitation by the common parent corporation for such member's last consolidated return year shall change the election effective with respect to such member for such last period. Thus, if the common parent (P) elects the overall limitation with respect to calendar year 1966, such election would be effective with respect to its subsidiary S for 1966. If S leaves the group at the beginning of calendar year 1967, such election shall be effective for 1967 with respect to S (unless S revokes such election for 1967 or a subsequent year in accordance with section 904(b), or this paragraph if it joins in the filing of a consolidated return with another group). However, if P retroactively changes back to the per-country limitation with respect to 1966, such limitation would be effective with respect to S for 1966 and subsequent years (unless S elects the overall limitation for any such subsequent year). (c) Computation of consolidated foreign tax credit. The foreign tax credit for the consolidated return year shall be determined on a consolidated basis under the principles of sections 901 through 905 and section 960. For example, if the per-country limitations applies to the consolidated return year, taxes paid or accrued for such year (including those deemed paid or accrued under sections 902 and 960(a) and paragraph (e) of this section) to each foreign country or possession by the members of the group shall be aggregated. If the overall limitation applies, taxes paid or accrued for such year (including those deemed paid or accrued) to all foreign countries and possessions by members of the group shall be aggregated. If the overall limitation applies and a member of the group qualifies as a Western Hemisphere trade corporation, see section 1503(b). (d) Computation of limitation on credit. For purposes of computing the group's applicable limitation under section 904(a), the following rules shall apply: (1) Computation of taxable income from foreign sources. The numerator of the applicable limiting fraction under section 904(a) shall be an amount (not in excess of the amount determined under subparagraph (2) of this paragraph) equal to the aggregate of the separate taxable incomes of the members from sources within each foreign country or possession of the United States (if the per-country limitation is applicable), or from sources without the United States (if the overall limitation is applicable), determined under Sec. 1.1502-12, adjusted for the following items taken into account in the computation of consolidated taxable income: (i) The portion of the consolidated net operating loss deduction, the consolidated charitable contributions deduction, the consolidated dividends received deduction, and the consolidated section 922 deduction, attributable to such foreign source income; (ii) Any such foreign source capital gain net income (net capital gain for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1977) (determined without regard to any net capital loss carryover or carryback); (iii) Any such foreign source net capital loss and section 1231 net loss, reduced by the portion of the consolidated net capital loss attributable to such foreign source loss; and (iv) The portion of any consolidated net capital loss carryover or carryback attributable to such foreign source income which is absorbed in the taxable year. (2) Computation of entire taxable income. The denominator of the applicable limiting fraction under section 904(a) (that is, the entire taxable income of the group) shall be the consolidated taxable income of the group computed in accordance with Sec. 1.1502-11. (3) Computation of tax against which credit is taken. The tax against which the limiting fraction under section 904(a) is applied shall be the consolidated tax liability of the group determined under Sec. 1.1502-2, but without regard to paragraphs (b), (c), (d), and (j) [[Page 252]] thereof, and without regard to any credit against such liability. (e) Carryover and carryback of unused foreign tax--(1) Allowance of unused foreign tax as consolidated carryover or carryback. The aggregate of the consolidated unused foreign tax carryovers and carrybacks to the taxable year, to the extent absorbed for such year under the principles of section 904(d), shall be deemed to be paid or accrued to a foreign country or possession for such year. The consolidated unused foreign tax carryovers and carrybacks to the taxable year shall consist of any consolidated unused foreign tax, plus any unused foreign tax of members for separate return years of such members, which may be carried over or back to the taxable year under the principles of section 904 (d) and (e). However, such consolidated carryovers and carrybacks shall not include any consolidated unused foreign taxes apportioned to a corporation for a separate return year pursuant to Sec. 1.1502-79(d) and shall be subject to the limitations contained in paragraphs (f) and (g) of this section. A consolidated unused foreign tax is the excess of the foreign taxes paid or accrued by the group (or deemed paid or accrued by the group, other than by reason of section 904(d) over the applicable limitation for the consolidated return year. (2) Absorption rules. For purposes of determining the amount, if any, of an unused foreign tax (consolidated or separate) which can be carried to a taxable year (consolidated or separate), the amount of such unused tax which is absorbed in a prior consolidated return year under section 904(d) shall be determined by: (i) Applying all unused foreign taxes which can be carried to such prior year in the order of the taxable years in which such unused taxes arose, beginning with the taxable year which ends earliest, and (ii) Applying all such unused taxes which can be carried to such prior year from taxable years ending on the same date on a pro rata basis. (f) Limitation on unused foreign tax carryover or carryback from separate return limitation years--(1) General rule. In the case of an unused foreign tax of a member of the group arising in a separate return limitation year (as defined in paragraph (f) of Sec. 1.1502-1) of such member, the amount which may be included under paragraph (e) of this section (computed without regard to the limitation contained in paragraph (g) of this section) shall not exceed the amount determined under subparagraph (2) of this paragraph. (2) Computation of limitation. The amount referred to in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph with respect to a member of the group is the excess, if any, of: (i) The section 904(a) limitation of the group, minus such limitation recomputed by excluding the items of income and deduction of such member, over (ii) The sum of (a) the foreign taxes paid (or deemed paid, other than by reason of section 904(d)) by such member for the consolidated return year, and (b) the unused foreign tax attributable to such member which may be carried to such consolidated return year arising in taxable years ending prior to the particular separate return limitation year. (3) Limitation on unused foreign tax credit carryover or carryback from separate return limitation years. Paragraphs (f)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply for consolidated return years for which the due date of the income tax return (without extensions) is after March 13, 1998. For consolidated return years for which the due date of the income tax return (without extensions) is after March 13, 1998, a group shall include an unused foreign tax of a member arising in a SRLY without regard to the contribution of the member to consolidated tax liability for the consolidated return year. See also Sec. 1.1502-3(d)(4) for an optional effective date rule (generally making the rules of paragraphs (f)(1) and (2) of this section also inapplicable to a consolidated return year beginning on or after January 1, 1997, if the due date of the income tax return (without extensions) for such year is on or before March 13, 1998). (g) Limitation on unused foreign tax carryover where there has been a consolidated return change of ownership--(1) General rule. If a consolidated return change of ownership (as defined in [[Page 253]] paragraph (g) of Sec. 1.1502-1) occurs during the taxable year or an earlier taxable year, the amount which may be included under paragraph (e) of this section in the consolidated unused foreign tax carryovers to the taxable year with respect to the aggregate unused credits attributable to the old members of the group (as defined in paragraph (g)(3) of Sec. 1.1502-1) arising in taxable years (consolidated or separate) ending on the same day and before the taxable year in which the consolidated return change of ownership occurred shall not exceed the amount determined under subparagraph (2) of this paragraph. (2) Computation of limitation. The amount referred to in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph shall be the excess of the section 904(a) limitation of the group for the taxable year, recomputed by including only the items of income and deduction of the old members of the group, over the sum of: (i) The aggregate foreign taxes paid (or deemed paid, other than by reason of section 904(d)) by the old members for the taxable year, and (ii) The aggregate unused foreign tax attributable to the old members which can be carried to the taxable year arising in taxable years ending prior to the particular unused foreign tax year or years. (3) Special effective date for CRCO limitation. Paragraphs (g)(1) and (2) of this section apply only to a consolidated return change of ownership that occurred during a consolidated return year for which the due date of the income tax return (without extensions) is on or before March 13, 1998. See also Sec. 1.1502-3(d)(4) for an optional effective date rule (generally making the rules of paragraph (g)(1) and (2) of this section also inapplicable if the consolidated return change of ownership occurred on or after January 1, 1997, and during a consolidated return year for which the due date of the income tax return (without extensions) is on or before March 13, 1998). (h) Amount of credit with respect to interest income. If any member of the group has interest income described in section 904(f)(2) (for a year for which it filed on a consolidated or separate basis), the group's foreign tax credit with respect to such interest shall be computed separately in accordance with the principles of section 904(f) and this section. (i) [Reserved] (j) Examples. The provisions of this section may be illustrated by the following examples: Example (1). Domestic corporation P is incorporated on January 1, 1966. On that same day it also incorporates domestic corporations S and T, wholly owned subsidiaries. P, S, and T file consolidated returns for 1966 and 1967 on the basis of a calendar year. T engages in business solely in country A. S transacts business solely in countries A and B. P does business solely in the United States. During 1966 T sold an item of inventory to P at a profit of $2,000. Under Sec. 1.1502-13 (as contained in the 26 CFR part 1 edition revised as of April 1, 1995) such profit is deferred and none of the circumstances of restoration contained in paragraph (d), (e), or (f) of Sec. 1.1502-13 have occurred as of the close of 1966. The taxable income for 1966 from foreign and United States sources, and the foreign taxes paid on such foreign income are as follows: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Country A Country B U.S. ---------------------------------------- Total Corporation taxable Taxable Foreign Taxable Foreign taxable income income tax paid income tax paid income ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- P................................................... $40,000 ........ ........ ........ ........ $40,000 T................................................... ........ $20,000 $12,000 ........ ........ 20,000 S................................................... ........ 10,000 6,000 $10,000 $3,000 20,000 --------- ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ $80,000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Such taxable income was computed by taking into account the rules provided in Sec. 1.1502-12. Thus, the $2,000 deferred profit is not included in T's taxable income for 1966 (but will be included for the taxable year for which one of the events specified in paragraph (d), (e), or (f) of Sec. 1.1502-13 occurs). The consolidated taxable income of the group (computed in accordance with Sec. 1.1502-11) is $80,000. The consolidated tax liability against which the credit may be taken (computed in accordance with paragraph (d)(3) of this section) is $31,900. [[Page 254]] (i) Assuming P chooses to use the foreign taxes paid as a credit and the group is subject to the per-country limitation, the group may take as a credit against the consolidated tax liability $11,962.50 of the amount paid to country A, plus the $3,000 paid to country B. Such amounts are computed as follows: The aggregate taxes paid to country A of $18,000 is limited to $11,962.50 ($31,900 times $30,000/$80,000). The unused foreign tax with respect to country A is $6,037.50 ($18,000 less $11,962.50), and is a consolidated unused foreign tax which shall be carried to the years prescribed by section 904(d). A credit of $3,000 is available with respect to the taxes paid to country B since such amount is less than the limitation of $3,987.50 ($31,900 times $10,000/ $80,000). (ii) Assuming the overall limitation is in effect for the taxable year, the group may take $15,950 as a credit, computed as follows: The aggregate taxes paid to all foreign countries of $21,000 is limited to $15,950 ($31,900 times $40,000/$80,000). The unused foreign tax is $5,050 ($21,000 less $15,950), and is a consolidated unused foreign tax which shall be carried to the years prescribed by section 904(d). Example (2). Assume the same facts as in example (1), except that T has a $10,000 long-term capital gain (derived from a sale to a nonmember in country A) and P has a $10,000 long-term capital loss (derived from a sale to a nonmember in the United States). Notwithstanding that the consolidated net capital gain (capital gain net income for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1976) of the group is zero, T's capital gain shall be reflected in full in the computation of taxable income from foreign sources. Example (3). Assume the same facts as in example (1), except that the group had a consolidated section 172 deduction of $8,000 which is attributable to a net operating loss sustained by T. The $8,000 consolidated net operating loss deduction is offset against T's income from country A, thus reducing T's taxable income from country A to $12,000. [T.D. 6894, 31 FR 11794, Sept. 8, 1966, as amended by T.D. 7728, 45 FR 72650, Nov. 3, 1980; T.D. 8597, 60 FR 36679, July 18, 1995; T.D. 8766, 63 FR 12642, Mar. 16, 1998; T.D. 8884, 65 FR 33758, May 25, 2000]