[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 15]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR36.3121(l)(7)-1]

[Page 451-453]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 36_CONTRACT COVERAGE OF EMPLOYEES OF FOREIGN SUBSIDIARIES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 36.3121(l)(7)-1  Overpayments and underpayments.

    (a) Adjustments--(1) In general. Errors in the payment of amounts 
for which liability equivalent to the employee and employer taxes with 
respect to any payment of remuneration is incurred by a domestic 
corporation pursuant to its agreement are adjustable by the domestic 
corporation in certain cases without interest. However, not all 
corrections made under this section constitute adjustments within the 
meaning of the regulations in this part. The various situations in which 
such corrections constitute adjustments are set forth in paragraphs 
(a)(2) and (3) of this section. All corrections in respect of 
underpayments and all adjustments or credits in respect of overpayments

[[Page 452]]

made under this section must be reported on a return filed by the 
domestic corporation under the regulations in this part and not on a 
return filed with respect to the employee and employer taxes imposed by 
sections 3101 and 3111, respectively. Every return on which such a 
correction (by adjustment, credit, or otherwise) is reported pursuant to 
this section must have securely attached as a part thereof a statement 
explaining the error in respect of which the correction is made, 
designating the calendar quarter in which the error was ascertained, and 
setting forth such other information as would be required if the 
correction were in respect of an overpayment or underpayment of taxes 
under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. An error is ascertained 
when the domestic corporation has sufficient knowledge of the error to 
be able to correct it. An underpayment may not be corrected under this 
section after receipt from the district director or director of the 
service center of written notification of the amount due and demand for 
payment thereof, but the amount shall be paid in accordance with such 
notification.
    (2) Underpayments. If a domestic corporation fails to report, on a 
return filed under the regulations in this part, all or any part of the 
amount for which liability equivalent to the employee and employer taxes 
is incurred under its agreement with respect to any payment of 
remuneration, the domestic corporation shall adjust the underpayment by 
reporting the additional amount due as an adjustment on a return or 
supplemental return filed on or before the last day on which the return 
for the return period in which the error is ascertained is required to 
be filed. The amount of each underpayment adjusted in accordance with 
this subparagraph shall be paid, without interest, at the time fixed for 
reporting the adjustment. If an adjustment is reported pursuant to this 
subparagraph but the amount thereof is not paid when due, interest 
thereafter accrues.
    (3) Overpayments. If a domestic corporation pays more than the 
amount for which liability equivalent to the employee and employer taxes 
is incurred under its agreement with respect to any payment of 
remuneration, the domestic corporation may correct the error, subject to 
the requirements and under the conditions stated in this paragraph, by 
deducting the amount of the overpayment from the amount of liability 
reported on a return filed by the domestic corporation, except that--
    (i) A correction may not be made in respect of any part of an 
overpayment which was collected from an individual by reason of the 
agreement unless the domestic corporation (a) has repaid the amount so 
collected to the individual, has secured the written receipt of the 
individual showing the date and amount of the repayment, and retains 
such receipt as a part of its records, or (b) has reimbursed the 
individual by reducing the amounts which otherwise should have been 
deducted from his remuneration by reason of the agreement; and
    (ii) A correction may not be made in one calendar year in respect of 
any part of an overpayment which was collected from an individual in a 
prior calendar year unless the domestic corporation has secured the 
written statement of the individual showing that he has not claimed and 
will not claim refund or credit of the amount so collected, and retains 
such receipt as a part of its records. See Sec. 31.6413(c)-1 of this 
chapter, relating to claims for special credit or refund.

The correction constitutes an adjustment under this subparagraph only if 
it is reported on the return for the period in which the error is 
ascertained or on the return for the next following period, and then 
only if the correction is reported within the statutory period of 
limitation upon refund or credit of overpayments of amounts due under 
the agreement. See paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section relating to 
such statutory period. A claim for credit or refund may be filed in 
accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this section for 
any overpayment of an amount due under the agreement which is not 
adjusted under this subparagraph.
    (b) Errors not adjustable--(1) Underpayments. If a domestic 
corporation fails to report all or any part of the amount for which 
liability equivalent

[[Page 453]]

to the employee and employer taxes is incurred under its agreement with 
respect to any payment of remuneration, and such underpayment is not 
reported as an adjustment within the time prescribed by paragraph (a)(2) 
of this section, the amount of such underpayment shall be reported on 
the domestic corporation's next return, or shall be reported immediately 
on a supplemental return for the return period in which such payment of 
remuneration was made. The reporting of an underpayment under this 
subparagraph does not constitute an adjustment without interest.
    (2) Overpayments. (i) If more than the correct amount due from a 
domestic corporation pursuant to its agreement (including the amount of 
any interest or addition) is paid and the amount of the overpayment is 
not adjusted under paragraph (a) (3) of this section, the domestic 
corporation may file a claim for refund or credit. Except as otherwise 
provided in this subparagraph, such claim shall be made in the same 
manner and subject to the same conditions as to allowance of the claim 
as would be the case if the claim were in respect of an overpayment of 
taxes under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. Refund or credit of 
an amount erroneously paid by a domestic corporation under its agreement 
may be allowed only to the domestic corporation.
    (ii) Any claim filed under this subparagraph shall be plainly marked 
``Claim under section 3121(1).''
    (iii) No refund or credit of an overpayment of the amount due from a 
domestic corporation under its agreement will be allowed after the 
expiration of 2 years after the date of payment of such overpayment, 
except upon one or more of the grounds set forth in a claim filed prior 
to the expiration of such 2-year period.
    (c) Deductions from employees' remuneration. If a domestic 
corporation deducts, or causes to be deducted, from the remuneration of 
an individual for services covered by the agreement amounts which are 
more or less than the employee tax which would be deductible therefrom 
if such remuneration constituted wages, any repayment to the individual 
(except to the extent otherwise provided in this section), or further 
collection from the individual, in respect of such deduction is a matter 
for settlement between the individual and the domestic corporation or 
such other person as may be concerned.

[T.D. 6145, 25 FR 14021, Dec. 31, 1960, as amended by T.D. 7012, 34 FR 
7694, May 15, 1969]