§ 1.1474-1. Liability for withheld tax and withholding agent reporting.

¶(i) In general. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (a)(3), a withholding agent may authorize an agent to fulfill its obligations under chapter 4. The acts of an agent of a withholding agent (including the receipt of withholding certificates, the payment of amounts subject to withholding, the withholding and deposit of tax withheld, and the reporting required on the relevant form) are imputed to the withholding agent on whose behalf it is acting.

¶(ii) Authorized agent. An agent is authorized only if—

¶(iii) Liability of withholding agent acting through an agent. A withholding agent acting through an agent is liable for any failure of the agent, such as a failure to withhold an amount or make a payment of tax, in the same manner and to the same extent as if the agent's failure had been the failure of the withholding agent. For this purpose, the agent's actual knowledge or reason to know shall be imputed to the withholding agent. Except as otherwise provided in the QI, WP, or WT agreement, an agent of a withholding agent is subject to the same withholding and reporting obligations that apply to any withholding agent under the provisions of chapter 4 and does not benefit from the special procedures or exceptions that apply to a QI, WP, or WT. If the agent is a foreign person, however, a U.S. withholding agent may treat the acts of the foreign agent as its own for purposes of determining whether it has complied with the provisions of chapter 4. The withholding agent's liability under paragraph (a)(2) of this section will exist even if the agent is also a withholding agent and is itself separately liable for failure to comply with the provisions of chapter 4. The same tax, interest, or penalties, however, shall not be collected more than once.

¶(i) In general. A withholding agent that cannot reliably associate a payment with documentation on the date of payment and that does not withhold under § 1.1471-2(a), 1.1471-4(b), or 1.1472-1(b), or withholds at less than the 30 percent rate prescribed, is liable under this section for the tax required to be withheld under § 1.1471-2(a), 1.1471-4(b), or 1.1472-1(b) (including interest, penalties, or additions to tax otherwise applicable in respect of the failure to deduct and withhold) unless—

¶(ii) Withholding satisfied by another withholding agent. If a withholding agent fails to deduct and withhold any amount required to be deducted and withheld under § 1.1471-2(a), 1.1471-4(b), or 1.1472-1(b), and the tax is satisfied by another withholding agent or is otherwise paid, then the amount of tax required to be deducted and withheld shall not be collected from the first-mentioned withholding agent. However, the withholding agent is not relieved from liability in any such case for any interest or penalties or additions to tax otherwise applicable in respect of the failure to deduct and withhold.

¶(i) In general. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (d)(4) of this section or in the instructions to Form 1042-S, every withholding agent must file an information return on Form 1042-S, “Foreign Person's U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding,” (or such other form as the IRS may prescribe) to report to the IRS chapter 4 reportable amounts as described in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section that were paid to a recipient during the preceding calendar year. Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (d)(4)(ii)(B) (certain unknown recipients) and (d)(4)(i)(B) and (d)(4)(iii)(A) of this section (describing payees includable in reporting pools of a participating FFI or registered deemed-compliant FFI), a separate Form 1042-S must be filed with the IRS for each recipient of an amount subject to reporting under paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section and for each separate type of payment made to a single recipient in accordance with paragraph (d)(4)(i) of this section. The Form 1042-S shall be prepared in such manner as the form and its accompanying instructions prescribe. One copy of the Form 1042-S shall be filed with the IRS on or before March 15 of the calendar year following the year in which the amount subject to reporting was paid, with a transmittal form as provided in the instructions to the form. Withholding certificates, certifications, documentary evidence, or other statements or documentation provided to a withholding agent are not required to be attached to the form. A copy of the Form 1042-S must be furnished to the recipient for whom the form is prepared (or any other person, as required under this paragraph or the instructions to the form) and to any intermediary or flow-through entity described in paragraph (d)(3)(vii) of this section on or before March 15 of the calendar year following the year in which the amount subject to reporting was paid. A person required by this paragraph (d)(1)(i) to furnish a copy of Form 1042-S to the recipient for whom it is prepared may furnish the copy of Form 1042-S in an electronic format in lieu of a paper format provided it meets the requirements of § 1.1461-1(c)(1)(i)(A). The withholding agent must retain a copy of each Form 1042-S for the period of limitations on assessment and collection applicable to the tax reportable on the Form 1042 to which the Form 1042-S relates (determined as set forth in paragraph (c)(1) of this section). See paragraph (d)(4)(iii) of this section for the additional reporting requirements of participating FFIs and deemed-compliant FFIs.

¶(ii) Recipient—

¶(i) In general. Subject to paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section, the term chapter 4 reportable amount means each of the following amounts reportable on a Form 1042-S for purposes of chapter 4—

¶(ii) Exception to reporting. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (d)(2)(ii), a chapter 4 reportable amount does not include an amount paid to a U.S. person if the withholding agent treats such U.S. person as a payee for purposes of determining whether withholding is required under §§ 1.1471-2 and 1.1472-1. A chapter 4 reportable amount does, however, include an amount paid to a participating FFI or registered deemed-compliant FFI to the extent allocable to its reporting pool of payees that are U.S. persons as described in paragraph (d)(4)(i)(B) of this section.

¶(iii) Coordination with chapter 3. A payment that is not subject to reporting under this paragraph (d)(2) may be subject to chapter 3 reporting on Form 1042-S to the extent provided on such form and its accompanying instructions or under § 1.1461-1(c)(2). The recipient information and other information required to be reported on Form 1042-S for purposes of chapter 4 shall be in addition to the information required to be provided on Form 1042-S for purposes of chapter 3.

¶(i) The name, address, and EIN or GIIN (as applicable) of the withholding agent (as required on the instructions to the form) and the withholding agent's status for chapter 3 and chapter 4 purposes (as defined in the instructions to the form);

¶(ii) A description of each category of income or payment made based on the income and payment codes provided on the form (for example, interest, dividends, and gross proceeds) and the aggregate amount in each category expressed in U.S. dollars;

¶(iii) The rate and amount of withholding applied or, in the case of a payment of U.S. source FDAP income not subject to withholding and reportable under paragraph (d)(2)(i)(A) of this section, the basis for exempting the payment from withholding under chapter 4 based on exemption codes provided on the form);

¶(iv) The name and address of the recipient and its TIN or GIIN (as applicable) and foreign taxpayer identification number and date of birth (as required on the instructions to the form);

¶(v) In the case of a payment to a person (including a flow-through entity or U.S. branch) for which the payment is reported as effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the United States or, in the case of a U.S. branch that is treated as a U.S. person, the EIN used by the person or U.S. branch to file its U.S. income tax returns;

¶(vi) The name, address of any FFI, flow-through entity that is an NFFE, or U.S. branch or territory financial institution that is not treated as a U.S. person when an account holder or owner of such entity (including an unknown recipient or owner) is treated as the recipient of the payment;

¶(vii) The EIN or GIIN (as applicable), status for chapter 3 and chapter 4 purposes (as required on the instructions to the form) of an entity reported under paragraph (d)(3)(vi) of this section;

¶(viii) The country of incorporation or organization (based on the country codes provided on the form) of any entity the name of which appears on the form; and

¶(ix) Such information as the form or instructions may require in addition to, or in lieu of, information required under this paragraph (d)(3).

¶(i) Payments by U.S. withholding agent to recipients. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (d)(4) or on the Form 1042-S and its accompanying instructions, a withholding agent that is a U.S. person (including a U.S. branch that is treated as a U.S. person and excluding a foreign branch of a U.S. person that is a QI) and that makes a payment of a chapter 4 reportable amount must file a separate form for each recipient that receives such amount. Except as otherwise provided on Form 1042-S or its instructions, only payments for which the income or payment code, exemption code, withholding rate, and recipient code are the same may be reported on a single form filed with the IRS. See paragraph (d)(4)(ii) of this section for reporting of payments made to a person that is not a recipient and that is otherwise required to be reported on Form 1042-S.

¶(ii) Payments made by withholding agents to certain entities that are not recipients—

¶(iii) Reporting by participating FFIs and deemed-compliant FFIs (including QIs, WPs, and WTs) and U.S. branches of FFIs not treated as U.S. persons—

¶(iv) Reporting by territory financial institutions. A territory financial institution that is not treated as a U.S. person will not be required to report on Form 1042-S if another withholding agent has reported the same amount with regard to the same recipient for which such entity would otherwise be required to file a return under this paragraph (d)(4)(iv) and such withholding agent has withheld the entire amount required to be withheld from such payment. A territory financial institution must, however, report payments made to recipients for whom it has failed to provide the appropriate documentation to another withholding agent or to the extent it knows, or has reason to know, that less than the required amount has been withheld. A territory financial institution that is treated as a U.S. person or is otherwise required under this paragraph (d)(4)(iv) to report amounts paid to recipients on Forms 1042-S must report in the same manner as a U.S. withholding agent.

¶(v) Nonparticipating FFIs. A nonparticipating FFI that is a flow-through entity or that acts as an intermediary with respect to a payment may file Forms 1042 and 1042-S only to report and allocate tax withheld to the account holders, partners, owners, or beneficiaries of the nonparticipating FFI.

¶(vi) Other withholding agents. Any person that is a withholding agent that is not described in any of paragraphs (d)(4)(i) through (v) of this section shall file Forms 1042-S in the same manner as a U.S. withholding agent and in accordance with the instructions to the form.

¶(vii) Combined Form 1042-S reporting. A withholding agent required to report on Form 1042-S under paragraph (d)(4) of this section (other than a nonparticipating FFI reporting under paragraph (d)(4)(v) of this section) may rely on the procedures used for chapter 3 purposes (provided in published guidance) for reporting on Form 1042-S (even if the withholding agent is not required to report under chapter 3) for combined reporting following a merger or acquisition, provided that all of the requirements for such reporting provided in the Instructions for Form 1042-S are satisfied.

¶(i) Beginning on July 1, 2014, if a withholding agent (other than an FFI reporting accounts held by owner-documented FFIs under § 1.1471-4(d)) makes a withholdable payment to an entity account holder or payee of an obligation and the withholding agent treats the entity as an owner-documented FFI under § 1.1471-3(d)(6), the withholding agent is required to report for July 1 through December 31, 2014, with respect to each specified U.S. person identified in § 1.1471-3(d)(6)(iv)(A)(1) and (2) the information described in paragraph (i)(1)(iii) of this section.

¶(ii) Beginning in calendar year 2015, if a withholding agent (other than an FFI reporting accounts held by owner-documented FFIs under § 1.1471-4(d)) makes during a calendar year a withholdable payment to an entity account holder or payee of an obligation and the withholding agent treats the entity as an owner-documented FFI under § 1.1471-3(d)(6), the withholding agent is required to report for such calendar year with respect to each specified U.S. person identified in § 1.1471-3(d)(6)(iv)(A)(1) and (2) the information described in paragraph (i)(1)(iii) of this section.

¶(iii) The information that a withholding agent (other than an FFI reporting accounts held by owner-documented FFIs under § 1.1471-4(d)) is required to report under paragraphs (i)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section must be made on Form 8966 (or such other form as the IRS may prescribe) and filed on or before March 31 of the calendar year following the year in which the withholdable payment was made. A withholding agent is not required to report under paragraph (i)(1)(i) or (ii) of this section on a withholdable payment made to a participating FFI or reporting Model 1 FFI that is allocated to a payee that is an owner-documented FFI on an FFI withholding statement when the participating FFI or reporting Model 1 FFI includes on the statement the certification described in § 1.1471-3(c)(3)(iii)(B)(2)(v), provided that the withholding agent does not know or have reason to know that the certification is incorrect or unreliable. The report must contain the following information—

¶(i) Name of the NFFE that is owned by a substantial U.S. owner;

¶(ii) The name, address, and TIN of each substantial U.S. owner of such NFFE;

¶(iii) For the period from July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014, the total of all withholdable payments made to the NFFE and, with respect to payments made after the 2014 calendar year, the total of all withholdable payments made to the NFFE during the calendar year; and

¶(iv) Any other information as required by the form and its accompanying instructions.