[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 2]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.72-15]

[Page 267-273]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.72-15  Applicability of section 72 to accident or health plans.

    (a) Applicability of section. This section provides the rules for 
determining the taxation of amounts received from an employer-
established plan which provides for distributions that are taxable under 
section 72 (or for distributions that are taxable under section 402 
(a)(2) or (e), or section 403(a)(2), in the case of lump sum 
distributions) and which also provides for distributions that may be 
excludable from gross income under section 104 or 105 as accident or 
health benefits. For example, this section will apply to a pension plan 
described in section 401 and exempt under section 501 which provides for 
the payment of pensions at retirement and the payment of an earlier 
pension in the event of permanent disability. This section will also 
apply to a profit-sharing plan described in section 401 and exempt under 
section 501 which provides for periodic distribution of the amount 
standing to the account of a participant during any period that the 
participant is absent from work due to a personal injury or sickness and 
for the distribution of any balance standing to the account of the 
participant upon his separation from service. For purposes of this 
section, the term ``contributions of the employee'' includes 
contributions by the employer which were includible in the employee's 
gross income. For special rules for taxable years ending before January 
27, 1975, relating to certain accident or health benefits which were 
treated as distributions to which section 72 applied, see paragraph (i) 
of this section.
    (b) General rule. Section 72 does not apply to any amount received 
as an accident or health benefit, and the tax treatment of any such 
amount shall be determined under sections 104 and 105. See paragraphs 
(c) and (d) of this section, paragraph (d) of Sec. 1.104-1, and 
Sec. Sec. 1.105-1 through 1.105-5. Section 72 (or, in the case of 
certain total distributions, section 402(a)(2) or section 403(a)(2)) 
does apply to any amount which is received under a plan to which this 
section applies and which is not an accident or health benefit. See 
paragraph (e) of this section.
    (c) Accident or health benefits attributable to employee 
contributions. (1) If a plan to which this section applies provides that 
any portion of the accident or health benefits is attributable to the 
contributions of the employee to such plan, then such portion of such 
benefits is excludable from gross income under section 104(a)(3) and 
paragraph (d) of Sec. 1.104-1. Neither section 72 nor section 105 
applies to any accident or health benefits (whether paid before or after 
retirement) attributable to contributions of the employee. Since such 
portion is excludable under section 104(a)(3), such portion is not 
subject to the dollar limitation of section 105(d) and if such portion 
is payable after the retirement of the employee, it is excludable 
without regard to the provisions of Sec. 1.105-4 and section 72.
    (2) In determining the taxation of any amounts received as accident 
or health benefits from a plan to which this secton applies, the first 
step is to determine the portion, if any, of the contributions of the 
employee which is used to provide the accident or health benefits and 
the portion of the accident or health benefits attributable to such 
portion of the employee's contributions. If such a plan expressly 
provides that the accident or health benefits are provided in whole or 
in part by employee contributions and the portion of employee 
contributions to be used for such purpose, the contributions so used 
will be treated as used to provide accident or health benefits. However, 
if the plan does not expressly provide that the accident or health 
benefits are to

[[Page 268]]

be provided with employee contributions and the portion of employee 
contributions to be used for such purpose, it will be presumed that none 
of the employee contributions is used to provide such benefits. Thus, in 
the case of a contributory pension plan, it will be presumed that the 
disability pension is provided by employer contributions, unless the 
plan expressly provides otherwise, or in the case of a contributory 
profit-sharing plan providing that a portion of the amount standing to 
the account of each participant will be used to purchase accident or 
health insurance, it will be presumed that such insurance is purchased 
with employer contributions, unless the plan expressly provides 
otherwise. Similarly, unless the plan expressly provides otherwise, it 
will be presumed that if a contributory profit-sharing plan provides for 
periodic distributions from the account of a participant during any 
absence from work because of a personal injury or sickness, all such 
distributions which do not exceed the contributions of the employer plus 
earnings thereon are provided by employer contributions.
    (3) Any employee contributions that are treated under subparagraph 
(2) of this paragraph as used to provide accident or health benefits 
shall not be included for any purpose under section 72 as employee 
contributions or as aggregate premiums or other consideration paid. 
Thus, in the case of a pension plan, or in the case of a profit-sharing 
plan providing that a portion of the amount standing to the account of 
each participant will be used to purchase accident or health insurance, 
any employee whose contributions are so used must make the adjustment 
provided by this subparagraph irrespective of whether such employee 
receives any accident or health benefits under such plan. However, in 
the case of a profit-sharing plan providing for periodic distributions 
from the account of a participant during any absence from work because 
of a personal injury or sickness, an adjustment under this subparagraph 
is required only when an employee receives distributions in excess of 
the employer contributions and earnings thereon or receives 
distributions consisting in whole or in part of his own contributions.
    (4) If any of the employee contributions are treated under 
subparagraph (2) of this paragraph as used to provide any of the 
accident or health benefits, the portion of the benefits attributable to 
employee contributions shall be determined in accordance with Sec. 
1.105-1. Any accident or health benefits that are excludable under 
section 104(a)(3) shall not be included in the expected return for 
purposes of section 72.
    (d) Accident or health benefits attributable to employer 
contributions. Any amounts received as accident or health benefits and 
not attributable to contributions of the employee are includable in 
gross income except to the extent that such amounts are excludable from 
gross income under section 105 (b), (c), or (d) and the regulations 
thereunder. Thus, such amounts may be excludable under section 105(d) as 
payments under a wage continuation plan. However, if such payments, when 
added to other such payments attributable to employer contributions, 
exceed the limitations of section 105(d), then the excess is includable 
in gross income under section 105(a). Such excess is not excludable 
under section 72. See, however, paragraph (i) of this section, for 
special rules for taxable years ending before January 27, 1975, relating 
to certain accident or health benefits which were treated as 
distributions to which section 72 applied.
    (e) Other benefits under the plan. The taxability of amounts that 
are received under a plan to which this section applies and that are not 
accident or health benefits is determined under section 72 (or, in the 
case of certain total distributions, under section 402(a)(2) or section 
403(a)(2)) without regard to any exclusion or inclusion of accident or 
health benefits under sections 104 and 105. For example, the investment 
in the contract or aggregate premiums paid is determined without regard 
to the exclusion of any amount under section 104 or 105, and the annuity 
starting date is determined without regard to the receipt of any 
accident or health benefits. However, if any employee contributions are 
used to provide any accident or health benefits,

[[Page 269]]

the investment in the contract or aggregate premiums paid must be 
adjusted as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section.
    (f) Examples. The principles of this section may be illustrated by 
the following examples:

    Example (1). A, an employee, is a participant in a contributory 
pension plan described in section 401(a) and exempt under section 
501(a). Such plan provides for the payment of a pension to each 
participant when he retires at age 65 or when he retires earlier if the 
retirement is due to permanent and total disability. In 1964, A, who was 
age 52, became totally and permanently disabled because of an injury, 
was hospitalized, and commenced to receive a pension of $74 a week under 
this plan. The weekly amounts received by A do not exceed 75 percent of 
his ``regular weekly rate of wages'' under section 105(d). A had 
contributed $11,500 to the plan. The plan does not expressly provide 
that any portion of the disability pension is purchased with employee 
contributions. Accordingly, it is presumed that no portion of the 
disability pension is purchased with A's contributions. The disability 
pension which A receives qualifies as payments under a wage continuation 
plan for purposes of section 105(d) and Sec. 1.105-4, and if such 
payments are the only accident or health benefits which are attributable 
to the contributions of his employer, such payments are entirely 
excludable under section 105(d) until A reaches age 65, his mandatory 
retirement age under the plan. The payments which A receives after he 
becomes age 65 are taxable under section 72. The payments which A 
receives do constitute an annuity as defined in paragraph (b) of Sec. 
1.72-2, but since the amounts which he will receive during the first 
three years after attaining age 65 exceed his contributions, he shall 
exclude under Sec. 1.72-13 the entire amount of all payments that he 
receives as an annuity after attaining age 65 until such amounts equal 
his contributions to the plan, or $11,500. Thereafter, the payments that 
he receives under the plan are includible in gross income.
    Example (2). B, an employee, is a participant in a contributory 
profit-sharing plan described in section 401(a) and exempt under section 
501(a). Such plan provides that, in the event a participant is absent 
from work because of a personal injury or sickness, he will be paid $125 
a week out of his account in such plan. Such weekly amount does not 
exceed 75 percent of B's ``regular weekly rate of wages'' under section 
105(d). Any amount standing to the account of a participant at the time 
of his separation from service will be paid to him at such time. During 
1964, B incurred a personal injury, was hospitalized, and as a result 
was absent from work for nine weeks. He received nine weekly payments of 
$125, or a total of $1,125, on account of such absence from work. At the 
time B was injured, he had contributed $5,000 to the plan. The plan did 
not expressly provide that a participant's contributions are to be used 
to provide for the distributions during disability. Accordingly, it is 
presumed that B's contributions were not used to provide the accident or 
health benefits under the plan. Since these weekly payments are paid 
because of B's absence from work due to the injury, and since such 
payments are considered as attributable to contributions of his 
employer, such payments are required under section 105(a) to be included 
in B's gross income except to the extent that they are excludable under 
section 105(d). If B receives no other payments under a wage 
continuation plan attributable to contributions of his employer, during 
the first 30 days in the period of absence $75 of each weekly payment is 
excludable from gross income under section 105(d), but $50 of each 
weekly payment is includable in gross income under section 105(a). 
Amounts attributable to the period of absence in excess of 30 days are 
excludable from gross income under section 105(d) to the extent of $100 
a week and includible in gross income under section 105(a) to the extent 
of $25 a week. The excludable portion of payments does not reduce B's 
investment in the contract or the amount of premiums considered to have 
been paid by B for purposes of any subsequent computations under section 
72.
    Example (3). The facts are the same as in example (2) except that B 
was absent from work for 130 weeks. At the time B was injured, his 
employer had contributed $10,000 to the plan on his account, and $6,000 
of earnings of the plan had been allocated to his account. Thus, at the 
time he was injured, B's account included $21,000, and $14,000 of such 
amount consists of employer contributions of $10,000 plus earnings of 
$4,000 thereon. The first 112 weekly payments (totaling $14,000) which B 
receives are treated in the manner set forth in example (2). However, 
since the remaining payments exceed the employer contributions plus 
earnings thereon, such remaining payments are considered to be 
distributions of B's contributions plus earnings thereon. Since the 
total of such payments, or $2,250, is less than B's contributions to the 
plan, $5,000, the entire amount of such payments is excludable from B's 
gross income, but a corresponding adjustment with respect to the return 
of B's contributions shall be made to his consideration in determining 
the taxation of any lump sum paid to B upon separation from service.

    (g) Payments to or on behalf of a self-employed individual. A self-
employed individual is not considered an employee

[[Page 270]]

for purposes of section 105, relating to amounts received by employees 
under accident and health plans, nor for purposes of excluding under 
section 104(a)(3) amounts received by him under an accident and health 
plan as referred to in section 105(e). See section 105(g) and paragraph 
(a) of Sec. 1.105-1. Therefore, the other paragraphs of this section 
are not applicable to amounts received by or on behalf of a self-
employed individual. Except where accident or health benefits are 
provided through an insurance contract or an arrangement having the 
effect of insurance, all amounts received by or on behalf of a self-
employed individual from a plan described in section 401(a) and exempt 
under section 501(a) or a plan described in section 403(a) shall be 
taxed as otherwise provided in section 72, 402, or 403. If the accident 
or health benefits are paid under an insurance contract or under an 
arrangement having the effect of insurance, section 104(a)(3) shall 
apply. Section 72 shall not apply to any amounts received under such 
circumstances. For the treatment of the amounts paid for such accident 
or health benefits, see section 404(e)(3) and paragraph (f) of Sec. 
1.404(e)-1.
    (h) Medical benefits for retired employees, etc. Employer 
contributions to provide medical benefits described in section 401(h) 
under a qualified pension or annuity plan are not includible in the 
gross income of the employee on whose behalf such contributions were 
made. Similarly, if the trustee of a trust forming a part of a qualified 
pension plan applies employer contributions which have been contributed 
to provide medical benefits described in section 401(h) or earnings 
thereon, to purchase insurance contracts which provide such benefits, 
the amount so applied is not includible in the gross income of the 
employee on whose behalf such insurance was purchased. The payment of 
medical benefits described in section 401(h) as defined in paragraph (a) 
of Sec. 1.401-14 under a plan established by an employer shall be 
treated in the same manner as the payment of any other accident or 
health benefits under an employer-established plan. See paragraphs (b), 
(c), and (d) of this section.
    (i) Special rules. (1) Special rule for taxable years ending before 
January 27, 1975. A taxpayer who has reached retirement age, as defined 
in Sec. 1.79-2(b)(3) (hereinafter referred to as ``initial retirement 
age''), before January 27, 1975, and who has received payments under a 
plan described in paragraph (a) of this section, which are wage 
continuation benefits to which section 105(d) and this section apply, or 
which are treated as such by reason of the employee having so agreed 
under Sec. 1.105-6, shall be entitled to an exclusion, in taxable years 
ending before January 27, 1975, with respect to payments received after 
initial retirement age but before mandatory retirement age, as defined 
in Sec. 1.105-4(a)(3)(i)(B), which is the greater of:
    (i) The amount actually excluded on an original return under section 
72 (b) or (d) with respect to payments received after initial retirement 
age, to the extent such amount does not exceed an amount properly 
excludable under section 72 (b) or (d) if this paragraph and paragraph 
(b) of this section did not apply; or
    (ii) The amount that would have been properly excludable under 
section 105(d) during the same period.
    (2) Investment in the annuity contract. A taxpayer described in 
paragraph (i)(1) of this section, shall redetermine his investment in, 
consideration for, or basis of his annuity contract (hereinafter 
referred to in this paragraph as the ``investment in the contract'') in 
accordance with the applicable rules of section 72 and the regulations 
thereunder, and the rules of this paragraph. In making such 
redetermination the taxpayer's investment in his contract shall be 
decreased, by the excess (if any) of the amount which the taxpayer is 
entitled to exclude under paragraph (i)(1) of this section over the 
amount which could have been excluded under section 105(d) (subject to 
the limitations contained in such provision). Such investment in the 
contract shall be decreased only by the excess of the amount excluded 
under section 72 in taxable years ending before January 27, 1975, over 
the amount which could have been excluded under section 105(d) during 
the same period. For example, the investment in the contract shall not 
be decreased in the case of an individual who was retired from work on 
account

[[Page 271]]

of injury or sickness or a full taxable year, if the amount excluded 
under section 72 was less than $5,200, since the entire amount could 
have been excluded under section 105(d). On the other hand, if the 
amount excluded under section 72 was equal to or greater than $5,200 for 
a full taxable year, for example, $6,000 for the full taxable year, then 
$5,200 shall be treated as excluded under section 105(d) and the 
investment in the contract shall be reduced by $800 ($6,000-$5,200).
    (3) Surviving annuitants and beneficiaries. (i) The rights of a 
surviving annuitant or beneficiary, with respect to the application of 
the rules of section 72, shall be based on the employee's investment in 
his annuity contract, as adjusted in accordance with the provisions of 
this paragraph. Thus, where an employee dies after having recomputed his 
investment as provided in paragraph (i)(2) of this section, and his 
contract provided a survivorship element, the survivor would assume the 
employee's recomputed investment for purposes of determining 
excludability of amounts under section 72.
    (ii) Where a beneficiary failed to increase the amount treated as an 
employee's contribution toward his annuity contract to reflect the 
employee death benefit under section 101(b) and Sec. 1.72-8(b), because 
the employee had treated his initial retirement age as his annuity 
starting date, such beneficiary may apply section 101(b) as if the 
appropriate addition to basis had been made in the year of the 
employee's death, but only if the employee had not reached his mandatory 
retirement age (as defined in section Sec. 1.105-4(a)(3)(i)(B)). For 
purposes of this paragraph, the amount treated as the secton 101(b) 
death benefit would be valued as of the date of the employee's death.
    (4) Records. (i) For purposes of section 72 (b) and (d), and this 
section, the taxpayer shall maintain such records as are necessary to 
substantiate the amount treated as his investment in his annuity 
contract.
    (ii) The Commissioner may prescribe a form and instructions with 
respect to the taxpayer's past and current treatment of amounts received 
under section 72 or 105, and the taxpayer's computation, or 
recomputation, of his investment in his annuity contract. Such form may 
be required to be filed with the taxpayer's returns for years in which 
amounts are excluded under section 72 or 105.
    (5) Cross references. (i) See section 72(b)(4) and Sec. 1.72-4(b) 
with respect to annuity starting dates.
    (ii) See Sec. Sec. 1.72-8(b) and 1.101-2(a)(2) with respect to 
treating certain amounts received by an estate or beneficiary as 
employee death benefits.
    (iii) See Sec. 1.105-4(a)(3)(i)(B) for the definition of 
``mandatory retirement age.''
    (iv) See Sec. 1.105-6 with respect to the application of section 
105(d) to certain amounts received as retirement annuities before 
January 27, 1975, where the employee would otherwise have been eligible 
for benefits to which section 105(d) applies.
    (6) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph may be illustrated by 
the following examples. In such examples assume that the plan does not 
expressly provide that any portion of the disability pension is 
purchased with employee contributions. Accordingly, it is presumed that 
no portion of the disability pension is purchased with employee 
contributions. Also, assume that in each case the taxpayer retired only 
after he had been absent from work for at least 30 days on account of 
personal injuries or sickness:

    Example (1). A, a calendar year taxpayer, retired because of 
disability on January 1, 1968, his 58th birthday, receiving $80 per week 
($4,160 per year) under a plan which qualifies as a wage continuation 
plan under section 105(d) and Sec. 1.105-4. Under the plan, A's initial 
retirement age is age 60 (January 1, 1970), and his mandatory retirement 
age is 65 (January 1, 1975). A's consideration for the contract was 
$10,000. For payments received in 1968 and 1969 A excluded the entire 
amount under section 105(d). Payments received with respect to periods 
after A's initial retirement age (January 1, 1970) were excluded under 
section 72(d) until his entire $10,000 consideration for his contract 
had been excluded. Thus, A applied section 72(d) to exclude $4,160 each 
year for taxable years 1970 and 1971, and $1,680 ($10,000-
($4,160+$4,160)) for 1972. In late 1974 A realized that he was entitled 
to treat the full amount received under his annuity as excludable under 
secton 105(d) rather than section 72 for the taxable years 1970 through 
1974. Consequently, A

[[Page 272]]

filed amended returns for 1972 and 1973 excluding an additional $2,480 
($4,160-$1,680) and $4,160, respectively, claiming refunds based upon 
such additional exclusions. Moreover, A's annuity starting date is 
January 1, 1975 (A's mandatory retirement age), and he excludes under 
section 72(d) for 1975, 1976, and 1977, $4,160, $4,160 and $1,680 
($10,000-($4,160+$4,160)), respectively.
    Example (2). B, a calendar year taxpayer retired because of 
disability, July 1, 1970, on his 58th birthday, receiving $1,000 per 
month under a plan which qualifies as a wage continuation plan for 
purposes of section 105(d) and Sec. 1.105-4. Under the plan, B's 
initial retirement age is age 60 (July 1, 1972), and his mandatory 
retirement age is 65 (July 1, 1977). B's consideration for the contract 
was $25,000. For payments received in 1970 and 1971 B excluded under 
section 105(d) $2,600 and $5,200, respectively, of the $6,000 (6x$1,000) 
and $12,000 (12x$1,000) received under the plan. For the period January 
1, 1972, through June 30, 1972, B excluded an additional $2,600 under 
section 105(d). For the period July 1, 1972, through December 31, 1972, 
B excluded under section 72(d)(1) the entire $6,000 in payments received 
under the plan. Similarly, under section 72(d)(1), B excluded the entire 
$12,000 in payments received under the plan in 1973, and in 1974 B 
excluded the remaining $7,000 of his annuity basis. In 1975, B realized 
that he will be entitled to take full advantage of the exclusion under 
section 105(d) for periods through June 30, 1977, when he would reach 
age 65. B need not file amended returns for 1972, 1973, and 1974, even 
though the amounts he excluded under section 72(d) (exceeded the amount 
he was entitled to exclude under section 105(d)). He must, however, 
recompute the amount that will be treated as his investment in his 
annuity contract. Thus, on July 1, 1977, B's annuity starting date, his 
investment in his annuity contract would be $13,000, recomputed as 
follows:

B's original investment.......................................   $25,000
Less amounts excluded under section 72 to the extent they
 exceed amounts that would have been excludable during the
 same period under section 105(d):
    1972 ($6,000-2,600).......................................     3,400
    1973 ($12,000-5,200)......................................     6,800
    1974 ($7,000-5,200).......................................     1,800
                                                               ---------
      Total...................................................    12,000
B's recomputed investment in his annuity contract.............   $13,000
                                                               =========


    Example (3). Assume the same facts as in example (2) except that B's 
investment in his annuity contract is $37,000, and he excluded under 
section 72(b) 16.9 percent, or $2,028, of the $12,000 received per year. 
Thus, for the period July 1, 1972, through December 31, 1972, B excluded 
under section 72(b) $1,014 (16.9 percent of $6,000), and $2,028 in both 
1973 and 1974. B files amended returns for 1972, 1973 and 1974 claiming 
the exclusion under section 105(d). Thus, B restored to income $1,014 
for 1972, and $2,028 for both 1973 and 1974, claiming $2,600 ($5,200-
$2,600) exclusion under section 105(d) for 1972 and a $5,200 exclusion 
in both 1973 and 1974. Thus, for 1972 B is entitled to an additional 
exclusion of $1,586 ($2,600-$1,014), and, for both 1973 and 1974, an 
additional exclusion of $3,172 ($5,200-$2,028). On July 1, 1977, B's 
investment in the contract is $37,000.
    Example (4). C, a calendar year taxpayer, retired because of 
disability on January 1, 1965, his 58th birthday, receiving payments of 
$500 per month under a plan which qualifies as a wage continuation plan 
for purposes of section 105(d) and Sec. 1.105-4. C had contributed 
$18,000 toward the cost of his annuity contract. Under the plan, C's 
initial retirement age is age 60 (January 1, 1967) and C's mandatory 
retirement age is age 70 (January 1, 1977). For taxable years 1965 and 
1966 C excluded from gross income under section 105(d) $5,200 of the 
$6,000 (12x$500) he received from his employer as wage continuation 
benefits. On January 1, 1967, C began excluding all of the benefits C 
received in accordance with the rules of section 72(d). Thus, for 1967, 
1968 and 1969, C excluded 100 percent of the annuity payments. For his 
taxable years 1970 through 1973, C included in his gross income all 
annuity payments. In 1974, C realized that he will be entitled to use 
the exclusion under section 105(d) through December 31, 1976 (until he 
reaches age 70). In 1974, C filed a timely claim for refund for his 
taxable years 1971, 1972, and 1973 (refunds for taxable year 1970 and 
prior years were barred by the statute of limitations), and continues to 
claim the exclusion under section 105(d) for 1974, 1975, and 1976. For 
1977, C treats January 1, 1977, as the annuity starting date, and treats 
$15,600 as the investment in the contract. The $15,600 represents the 
$18,000 original investment in the contract reduced by the excess, 
$2,400, of the amount excluded under section 72 for 1967, 1968 and 1969 
($18,000) over the amount excludable under section 105(d) ($5,200x3) for 
such years.
    Example (5). (i) D, a calendar year taxpayer, retired because of 
disability on June 30, 1965, receiving $100 per month under a plan which 
qualifies as a wage continuation plan for purposes of section 105(d) and 
Sec. 1.105-4. Under the plan, the initial retirement age of D, whose 
birthday is January 1, is age 60 (January 1, 1967), and D's mandatory 
retirement age is age 70 (January 1, 1977). D had contributed $6,000 
toward the cost of the annuity contract under such plan. For 1965 and 
1966, D excluded under section 105(d) the entire amount received under 
the plan ($1600 and $1,200 respectively). For 1967 through 1973, D 
excluded $330 per year under section 72(b), or 27.5 percent of the 
$1,200 payment received under the plan per year.
    (ii) In 1974, D realized that he will be entitled to use the 
exclusion provided in section

[[Page 273]]

105(d) up until January 1, 1977, when he reaches his mandatory 
retirement age, and that he improperly applied section 72 to payments 
received in the years 1967 through 1973. In 1974, D filed a timely claim 
for refund with respect to the section 105(d) wage continuation 
benefits, for 1971, 1972 and 1973 (refunds for taxable year 1970 and 
prior years were barred by the statute of limitations), and continues to 
claim the section 105(d) exclusion for 1974, 1975 and 1976. D is 
entitled to an additional exclusion of $870 ($1,200-$330) for each of 
the years 1971, 1972 and 1973.
    (iii) Upon reaching mandatory retirement age on January 1, 1977, D 
treats such date as the annuity starting date, and treats $6,000 as the 
investment in the contract. The investment in the contract is not 
reduced, because the amount excluded under section 72(b) for 1967 
through 1970 ($330 per year) does not exceed the amount excludable under 
section 105(d) ($1,200 per year), and the $330 per year excluded for 
1971, 1972, and 1973 were restored to the investment in the contract. 
Therefore, assuming that D would be entitled to exclude 41.3 percent of 
the payments under the plan if the annuity starting date is January 1, 
1977, D would be entitled to exclude $495.60 (41.3 percent of $1,200) 
per annum.
    Example (6). Assume the facts stated in example (5) except that D's 
investment in his annuity contract is $100,000 and he received payments 
equaling $10,000 per year. Assume also, that D had excluded under 
section 72(b) 54.9 percent of the payments received under the plan 
through 1974. Consequently, he excluded $5,490 (54.9 percent of $10,000) 
from his gross income for the years 1967 through 1974. D need not file 
amended returns for 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1974, even though the amount 
he excluded under section 72(b) exceeded the amounts he was entitled to 
exclude under section 105(d). He must, however, recompute the amount 
that will be treated as his investment in his annuity contract. Thus, on 
January 1, 1977, D's annuity starting date, his investment in his 
annuity contract would be $97,680. This figure represents the original 
investment ($100,000) reduced by the amount excluded under section 72(b) 
for the years 1967-1974 (8x$5,490 = $43,920) over the amount properly 
excludable during those years under section 105(d) ($5,200x8 = $41,600).
    Example (7). Assume the same facts as in example (6) except that D's 
mandatory retirement age is 63 (January 1, 1970). D would redetermine 
his exclusion ratio for purposes of section 72(b) as of January 1, 1970, 
since D's mandatory retirement age is D's annuity starting date. D would 
treat $99,130 as his investment in his annuity contract as of such date 
for purposes of section 72(b). Assuming refunds for 1970 and prior 
taxable years were barred by the statute of limitations, the $99,130 
represents the original investment of $100,000 reduced by the excess of 
the amount excluded under section 72(b) for 1967, 1968, and 1969 
($5,490x3 = $16,470) over the amount otherwise excludable during those 
years under section 105(d) ($5,200x3 = $15,600). Therefore, assuming 
that D would be entitled to exclude 61.2 of the payments received under 
the plan if the annuity starting date is January 1, 1970, D would be 
entitled to exclude $6,120 (61.2 percent of the $10,000 received under 
the plan) per annum for 1971 and subsequent years. However, D is not 
entitled to exclude the additional $630 ($6,120-$5,490) for 1970, 
because credit or refund for 1970 and prior years is barred by the 
statute of limitations.

[T.D. 6500, 25 FR 11402, Nov. 26, 1960, as amended by T.D. 6676, 28 FR 
10135, Sept. 17, 1963; T.D. 6722, 29 FR 5069, Apr. 14, 1964; T.D. 6770, 
29 FR 15366, Nov. 17, 1964; T.D. 7352, 40 FR 16664, Apr. 14, 1975]