[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 10]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.959-2]

[Page 375-377]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.959-2  Exclusion from gross income of controlled foreign 
corporations of previously taxed earnings and profits.

    (a) Applicable rule. The earnings and profits for a taxable year of 
a controlled foreign corporation attributable to amounts which are, or 
have been, included in the gross income of a

[[Page 376]]

United States shareholder under section 951(a) shall not, when 
distributed through a chain of ownership described in section 958(a), be 
also included in the gross income of another controlled foreign 
corporation in such chain for purposes of the application of section 
951(a) to such other controlled foreign corporation with respect to such 
United States shareholder. See section 959(b). The exclusion from the 
income of such other foreign corporation also applies with respect to 
any other United States shareholder who acquires from such United States 
shareholder or any other person any portion of the interest of such 
United States shareholder in the controlled foreign corporation, but 
only to the extent the acquiring shareholder establishes to the 
satisfaction of the district director his right to such exclusion. An 
acquiring shareholder claiming the exclusion under section 959(b) shall 
furnish to the district director with his return for the taxable year 
the information required under paragraph (d) of Sec. 1.959-1 to support 
the exclusion under this paragraph.
    (b) Illustration. The application of this section may be illustrated 
by the following example:

    Example. (a) A, a United States shareholder, owns 100 percent of the 
only class of stock of M Corporation which in turn owns 100 percent of 
the only class of stock of N Corporation. A and corporations M and N use 
the calendar year as a taxable year and corporations M and N are 
controlled foreign corporations throughout the period here involved.
    (b) During 1963, N Corporation invests $100 in tangible property 
(other than property described in section 956(b)(2)) located in the 
United States and has earnings and profits in excess of $100. A is 
required to include $100 in his gross income for 1963 under section 
951(a)(1)(B) by reason of his indirect ownership of the stock of N 
Corporation. During 1963, M Corporation has no income or investments 
other than the income derived from a distribution of $100 from N 
Corporation. Corporation M has earnings and profits of $100 for 1963. 
Under paragraph (a) of Sec. 1.954-2, the $100 distribution received by 
M Corporation from N Corporation would otherwise constitute subpart F 
income of M Corporation; however, by reason of section 959(b) and this 
section, this amount does not constitute gross income of M Corporation 
for purposes of determining amounts includible in A's gross income under 
section 951(a)(1)(A)(i).
    (c) During 1964, N Corporation derives $100 of subpart F income and 
distributes $100 to M Corporation which has no subpart F income for 1964 
but which invests the $100 distribution in tangible property (other than 
property described in section 956(b)(2)) located in the United States. 
Corporation N's earnings and profits for 1964 are in excess of $100, and 
M Corporation's current and accumulated earnings and profits (before 
taking into account distributions made during 1964) are in excess of 
$100. A is required with respect to N Corporation to include $100 in his 
gross income for 1964 under section 951(a)(1)(A)(i) by reason of his 
indirect ownership of the stock of N Corporation. The investment by M 
Corporation in United States property would otherwise constitute an 
investment of earnings in United States property to which section 956 
applies; however, by reason of section 959(b) and this section, such 
amount does not constitute gross income of M Corporation for purposes of 
determining amounts includible in A's gross income under section 
951(a)(1)(B).
    (d) If during 1965, N Corporation invests $100 in tangible property 
(other than property described in section 956(b)(2)) located in the 
United States and has earnings and profits in excess of $100, A will be 
required with respect to N Corporation to include $100 in his gross 
income for 1965 under section 951(a)(1)(B), because the $100 of earnings 
and profits for 1964 attributable to N Corporation's subpart F income 
which was taxed to A in 1964 was distributed to M Corporation in such 
year.
    (e) If, with respect to 1966--
    (1) Corporation N owns 100 percent of the only class of stock of R 
Corporation,
    (2) Corporation R derives $100 of subpart F income, has earnings and 
profits in excess of $100, and makes no distributions to N Corporation,
    (3) Corporation N invests $25 in tangible property (other than 
property described in section 956(b)(2)) located in the United States 
and has current and accumulated earnings and profits in excess of $25, 
and
    (4) Corporation M has no income or investments and does not have a 
deficit in earnings and profits,

the $100 of subpart F income derived by R Corporation is includible in 
A's gross income for 1966 under section 951(a)(1)(A)(i) and the $25 
investment of earnings in United States property by N Corporation is 
includible in A's gross income for 1966 under section 951(a)(1)(B).
    (f) If, however, the facts are the same as in paragraph (e) of this 
example except that--
    (1) During 1966, R Corporation distributes $20 to N Corporation, and
    (2) Corporation N makes no distributions during such year to M 
Corporation,
of the $25 investment in United States property by N Corporation, $20 is 
not includible

[[Page 377]]

in A's gross income for 1966 because such amount represents earnings and 
profits which are attributable to amounts included in A's gross income 
for such year under section 951(a)(1)(A)(i) with respect to R 
Corporation and which have been distributed to N Corporation by R 
Corporation. By reason of section 959(B) and this section, such $20 
distribution to N Corporation does not constitute gross income of N 
Corporation for purposes of determining amounts includible in A's gross 
income under section 951(a)(1)(B); however, the remaining $5 of 
investment of earnings in United States property by N Corporation in 
1966 is includible in A's gross income for such year under section 
951(a)(1)(B).

[T.D. 6795, 30 FR 944, Jan. 29, 1965]