Strategizing International Tax Best Practices – by Keith Brockman

Posts tagged ‘Foreign tax credit’

US int’l developments

As 2019 year-end is quickly approaching, there are important items of legislation still pending, including the following:

  • US Tax Act (TCJA) technical corrections, including the ability to apply transition tax overpayments (several Republicans and Democrats have already agreed to sponsor a relevant bill), and CFC downward attribution rules
  • Tax extenders, including the important look-through rules for CFC’s, which expires at the end of this year
  • Additional tax treaties will be reviewed, following the recent ratification of Spain and Japan treaties with the US
  • Final BEAT regulations, with new proposed regulations in some areas
  • Section 163(j) rules for application to CFC’s
  • GILTI high-tax exclusions
  • Final foreign tax credit regulations
  • Section 245A dividends received deduction regulations
  • FDII and anti-hybrid regulations

The above items are important as stand-alone items, and represent a significant amount of regulations to absorb prior to year-end if they can be issued this year.

These changes may significantly impact the annual ETR of multinationals in the fourth quarter, as well as introduce new TCJA concepts into treaties and complex Limitation of Benefit (LOB) clauses therein.

The TCJA complexities, and interpretations thereto, continue this year and next, posing compliance and planning uncertainties going forward.

EY’s Global Tax Alert provided additional details, as referenced.

Click to access 2019G_001146-19Gbl_Report%20on%20recent%20US%20international%20tax%20developments%20-%2013%20Sept%202019.pdf

New US Reg’s: GILTI, 245A,et al.

IRS and Treasury released, on June 14th, a set of proposed and final Regulations on GILT, in addition to Temporary and Proposed Regulations on Section 245A that relate, partly, to GILTI.  A copy of the proposals are provided for reference, with some highlights to date:

  • REG 106282-18 is a Notice of proposed rule making with temporary regulations that limit the dividends received deduction available for certain dividends received from current or former controlled foreign corporations (CFCs).  Per the Notice, “only small U.S. taxpayers with fiscal year CFCs that transfer assets in related party transactions during the gap period, or U.S. taxpayers that transfer more than 10 percent of their stock of a CFC in a taxable year or U.S. taxpayers that reduce their ownership of stock of a CFC by more than 10 percent, have the potential to be affected by these regulations.”
  • REG 101828-19, Notice of proposed rule making re: domestic partnership treatment ( adopting an aggregate approach), and proposed GILTI regulations for gross income subject to a high rate of foreign tax.  Note the GILTI final regulations adopt the GILTI high tax exclusions of the original proposed regulations without change, however the proposed regulations would allow an expanded election whereby the high-tax determination is made at the QBU level.  An election made with respect to a CFC applies with respect to each high-taxed QBU of the CFC, and a U.S. shareholder must make the same election with respect to each of its CFCs.  This high-tax change would apply to taxable years of foreign corporations beginning on or after the date that final regulations are published in the Federal Register.
  • TD9865, Final temporary regulations under Section 245A
  • TD9866, Final and temporary regulations re: GILTI guidance, pro-rata shares of Subpart F income and certain foreign tax credit provisions.  Note that future guidance is reserved re: allocation and apportionment of expenses for the foreign tax credit limitation under Section 904.  
    • Future guidance is expected to clarify that Sec. 250 does not apply to CFCs as an allocable deduction
    • Final regulations retain the current GILTI high tax exclusion, noting that the rules prescribed by a separate notice of proposed rule making for an expanded exclusion cannot be used until the relevant regulations are effective.
    • De minimis and full inclusion rules are clarified
    • The effect of a qualified deficit or a chain deficit in determining gross tested income is disregarded, and the final regulations are revised accordingly
    • Final regulations retain the tested loss QBAI exclusion, although there is a reduction to tested interest expense of a CFC for a “tested loss QBAI amount”
    • Final regulations retain the netting approach for determining specified interest expense, with certain modifications
    • Final regulations define “interest expense” and “interest income” by reference to Section 163(j) 
    • Rules for basis adjustment of tested loss CFCs will be a separate project

The regulations/notice of proposed rule making are extensive, complex and represent over 500 pages of guidance, although certain provisions and clarifications represent favorable rules based on comments received.

The rules clarify current law, comments received and explanations why they were, or were not, considered.  Thus, a detailed review refreshes such insights into the long history of the international tax provisions.

Click to access 2019-12436.pdf

Click to access 2019-12442.pdf

Click to access 2019-12437.pdf

Click to access 2019-12441.pdf

US int’l tax update

The latest US tax updates are summarized in EY’s Global Tax Alert, with a referenced link

  • Tax Reform 2.0: House is moving forward with three separate bills, hoping at least one will pass, although Senate will not review prior to Nov. midterm elections
  • GILTI: Additional rules re: interaction of Foreign Tax Credit and GILTI by Dec. 31, 2018  (It is hoped that the calculation of Sec. 163(j) interest limitations will be addressed re: application on a separate CFC basis, consolidated basis, or other method)
  • GILTI: Final regulations June 2019
  • IRS plans to establish separate webpages for the major international tax provisions enacted by the 2017 tax reform to provide informal taxpayer guidance. The webpages will follow a similar format that was adopted by the IRS to offer informal information regarding the TCJA’s transition tax.
  • IRS: Restructuring the Advance Pricing and Mutual Agreement program (APMA) to consolidate resources and improve internal processes, including economists.

There is still significant uncertainty re: Sec. 965 repatriation tax, GILTI, FDII and BEAT provisions by taxpayers.  It is hopeful that meaningful guidance will be issued shortly.      

Click to access 2018G_011226-18Gbl_Report%20on%20recent%20US%20international%20tax%20developments%20-%2028%20Sept%202018.pdf

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