Skip to content

General education, not advice for your situation.

Carry Forward Learning Start here Intern0 XP

Treasury Regulations · 26 CFR

§ 1.956-2. Definition of United States property.

In effect eCFR current as of October 15, 2026

Regulation text, no changes From the eCFR, current as of October 15, 2026. The eCFR is an authoritative but unofficial editorial compilation of the Code of Federal Regulations; the official text is the annual CFR on govinfo. Compare it with this section on ecfr.gov (external site) or the official annual CFR on govinfo (external site).

Regulation under 26 U.S.C. § 956

Cite as 26 CFR § 1.956-2

At a glance

Read from the text and its source citation. Not part of the regulation.

Status
In the current eCFR
Issued
February 20, 1964 by T.D. 6704
Issued under
26 U.S.C. § 956
Length
6,960 words · about 30 min to read
Defines
1 term
Cross-references
cites 17 Code sections and 10 regulations; cited by 11
(a) Included property—
(1) In general. For purposes of section 956(a) and § 1.956-1, United States property is (except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section) any property acquired (within the meaning of paragraph (d)(1) of this section) by a foreign corporation (whether or not a controlled foreign corporation at the time) during any taxable year of such foreign corporation beginning after December 31, 1962, which is—
(i) Tangible property (real or personal) located in the United States;
(ii) Stock of a domestic corporation;
(iii) An obligation (as defined in paragraph (d)(2) of this section) of a United States person (as defined in section 957(d)); or
(iv) Any right to the use in the United States of—

(a) A patent or copyright,

(b) An invention, model, or design (whether or not patented),

(c) A secret formula or process, or

(d) Any other similar property right, which is acquired or developed by the foreign corporation for use in the United States by any person. Whether a right described in this subdivision has been acquired or developed for use in the United States by any person is to be determined from all the facts and circumstances of each case. As a general rule, a right actually used principally in the United States will be considered to have been acquired or developed for use in the United States in the absence of affirmative evidence showing that the right was not so acquired or developed for such use.

(2) Illustrations. The application of the provisions of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:
Example 1.

Foreign corporation R uses as a taxable year a fiscal year ending on June 30. Corporation R acquires on June 1, 1963, and holds on June 30, 1963, $100,000 of tangible property (not described in section 956(b)(2)) located in the United States. Corporation R's aggregate investment in United States property at the close of its taxable year ending June 30, 1963, is zero since the property which is acquired on June 1, 1963, is not acquired during a taxable year of R Corporation beginning after December 31, 1962. Assuming no change in R Corporation's aggregate investment in United States property during its taxable year ending June 30, 1964, R Corporation's increase in earnings invested in United States property for such taxable year is zero.

Example 2.

Foreign corporation S uses the calendar year as a taxable year and is a controlled foreign corporation for its entire taxable year 1965. Corporation S is not a controlled foreign corporation at any time during its taxable years 1963 and 1964. Corporation S owns on December 31, 1964, $100,000 of tangible property (not described in section 956(b)(2)) located in the United States which it acquires during taxable years beginning after December 31, 1962. Corporation S's aggregate investment in United States property on December 31, 1964, is $100,000. Corporation S's current and accumulated earnings and profits (determined as provided in paragraph (b) of § 1.956-1) as of December 31, 1964, are in excess of $100,000. Assuming no change in S Corporation's aggregate investment in United States property during its taxable year 1965, S Corporation's increase in earnings invested in United States property for such taxable year is zero.

Example 3.

Foreign corporation T uses the calendar year as a taxable year and is a controlled foreign corporation for its entire taxable years 1963, 1964, and 1966. At December 31, 1964, T Corporation's investment in United States property is $100,000. Corporation T is not a controlled foreign corporation at any time during its taxable year 1965 in which it acquires $25,000 of tangible property (not described in section 956(b)(2)) located in the United States. On December 31, 1965, T Corporation holds the United States property of $100,000 which it held on December 31, 1964, and, in addition, the United States property acquired in 1965. Corporation T's aggregate investment in United States property at December 31, 1965, is $125,000. Corporation T's current and accumulated earnings and profits (determined as provided in paragraph (b) of § 1.956-1) as of December 31, 1965, are in excess of $125,000, and T Corporation pays no amount during 1965 to which section 959 (c)(1) applies. Assuming no change in T Corporation's aggregate investment in United States property during its taxable year 1966, T Corporation's increase in earnings invested in United States property for such taxable year is zero.

(3) Treatment of disregarded entities. For purposes of section 956, an obligation of a business entity (as defined in § 301.7701-2(a) of this chapter) that is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner for federal tax purposes under §§ 301.7701-1 through 301.7701-3 of this chapter is treated as an obligation of its owner.
(4) Certain foreign stock and obligations held by expatriated foreign subsidiaries following an inversion transaction—
(i) General rule. Except as provided in paragraph (a)(4)(ii) of this section, for purposes of section 956 and paragraph (a) of this section, United States property includes an obligation of a foreign person and stock of a foreign corporation when the following conditions are satisfied—
(A) The obligation or stock is held by a controlled foreign corporation that is an expatriated foreign subsidiary, regardless of whether, when the obligation or stock was acquired, the acquirer was a controlled foreign corporation or an expatriated foreign subsidiary;
(B) The foreign person or foreign corporation is a non-EFS foreign related person, regardless of whether, when the obligation or stock was acquired, the foreign person or foreign corporation was a non-EFS foreign related person; and
(C) The obligation or stock was acquired—
(1) During the applicable period; or
(2) In a transaction related to the inversion transaction.
(ii) Exceptions. For purposes of section 956 and paragraph (a) of this section, United States property does not include—
(A) Any obligation of a non-EFS foreign related person arising in connection with the sale or processing of property if the amount of the obligation at no time during the taxable year exceeds the amount that would be ordinary and necessary to carry on the trade or business of both the other party to the sale or processing transaction and the non-EFS foreign related person had the sale or processing transaction been made between unrelated persons; and
(B) Any obligation of a non-EFS foreign related person to the extent the principal amount of the obligation does not exceed the fair market value of readily marketable securities sold or purchased pursuant to a sale and repurchase agreement or otherwise posted or received as collateral for the obligation in the ordinary course of its business by a United States or foreign person which is a dealer in securities or commodities.
(iii) Definitions. The definitions in § 1.7874-12 apply for the purposes of the application of paragraphs (a)(4), (c)(5), and (d)(2) of this section.
(iv) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this paragraph (a)(4). For purposes of the examples, FA, a foreign corporation, wholly owns DT, a domestic corporation, which, in turn, wholly owns FT, a foreign corporation that is a controlled foreign corporation. FA also wholly owns FS, a foreign corporation that is a controlled foreign corporation for its taxable year beginning January 1, 2017, but not for prior taxable years except as a result of a transaction described in the facts of an example. All entities have a calendar year tax year for U.S. tax purposes. FA acquired DT in an inversion transaction that was completed on January 1, 2015.
Example 1.

(A) Facts. FT acquired an obligation of FS on January 31, 2015.

(B) Analysis. Pursuant to § 1.7874-12, DT is a domestic entity, FT is an expatriated foreign subsidiary, and FS is a non-EFS foreign related person. In addition, FT acquired the FS obligation during the applicable period. Thus, as of January 31, 2015, the obligation of FS is United States property with respect to FT for purposes of section 956(a) and this paragraph (a).

Example 2.

(A) Facts. The facts are the same as in Example 1 of this paragraph (a)(4)(iv), except that on February 15, 2015, FT contributed assets to FS in exchange for 60% of the stock of FS, by vote and value.

(B) Analysis. As a result of the transaction on February 15, 2015, FS became a controlled foreign corporation with respect to which an expatriated entity, DT, is a United States shareholder. Accordingly, under § 1.7874-12(a)(9), FS is an expatriated foreign subsidiary, and is therefore not a non-EFS foreign related person. Thus, as of February 15, 2015, the stock and obligation of FS are not United States property with respect to FT for purposes of section 956(a) and this paragraph (a). FS is not excluded from the definition of expatriated foreign subsidiary pursuant to § 1.7874-12(a)(9)(ii) because FS was not a CFC on the completion date.

Example 3.

(A) Facts. Before the inversion transaction, FA also wholly owns USP, a domestic corporation, which, in turn, wholly owns, LFS, a foreign corporation that is a controlled foreign corporation. DT was not a United States shareholder of LFS on or before the completion date. On January 31, 2015, FT contributed assets to LFS in exchange for 60% of the stock of LFS, by vote and value. FT acquired an obligation of LFS on February 15, 2015.

(B) Analysis. LFS is a foreign related person. Because LFS was a controlled foreign corporation and a member of the EAG with respect to the inversion transaction on the completion date, and DT was not a United States shareholder with respect to LFS on or before the completion date, LFS is excluded from the definition of expatriated foreign subsidiary pursuant to § 1.7874-12(a)(9)(ii). Thus, pursuant to § 1.7874-12(a)(16), LFS is a non-EFS foreign related person, and the stock and obligation of LFS are United States property with respect to FT for purposes of section 956(a) and this paragraph (a). The fact that FT contributed assets to LFS in exchange for 60% of the stock of LFS does not change this result.

Example 4.

(A) Facts. The facts are the same as in Example 3 of this paragraph (a)(4)(iv), except that on February 10, 2015, LFS organized a new foreign corporation (LFSS), transferred all of its assets to LFSS, and liquidated, in a transaction treated as a reorganization described in section 368(a)(1)(F), and FT acquired an obligation of LFSS, instead of LFS, on February 15, 2015. On March 1, 2015, LFSS acquired an obligation of FS.

(B) Analysis. LFS is a controlled foreign corporation with respect to which USP, an expatriated entity, is a United States shareholder. USP is an expatriated entity because on the completion date, USP and DT became related to each other within the meaning of section 267(b). Because LFSS was not a member of the EAG with respect to the inversion transaction on the completion date, LFSS is not excluded from the definition of expatriated foreign subsidiary pursuant to § 1.7874-12(a)(9)(ii). Accordingly, under § 1.7874-12(a)(9)(i), LFFS is an expatriated foreign subsidiary and is therefore not a non-EFS foreign related person. Thus, the stock and obligation of LFSS are not United States property with respect to FT for purposes of section 956(a) and paragraph (a) of this section. However, because LFSS is an expatriated foreign subsidiary, pursuant to § 1.7874-12(a)(9), the obligation of FS, a non-EFS foreign related person, is United States property with respect to LFSS for purposes of section 956(a) and this paragraph (a).

(b) Exceptions—
(1) Excluded property. For purposes of section 956(a) and paragraph (a) of this section, United States property does not include the following types of property held by a foreign corporation:
(i) Obligations of the United States.
(ii) Money.
(iii) Deposits with persons carrying on the banking business, unless the deposits serve directly or indirectly as a pledge or guarantee within the meaning of paragraph (c) of this section. See paragraph (e)(2) of § 1.956-1.
(iv) Property located in the United States which is purchased in the United States for export to, or use in, foreign countries. For purposes of this subdivision, property to be used outside the United States will be considered property to be used in a foreign country. Whether property is of a type described in this subdivision is to be determined from all the facts and circumstances in each case. Property which constitutes export trade assets within the meaning of section 971(c)(2) and paragraph (c)(3) of § 1.971-1 will be considered property of a type described in this subdivision.
(v) Any obligation (as defined in paragraph (d)(2) of this section) of a United States person (as defined in section 957(d)) arising in connection with the sale or processing of property if the amount of such obligation outstanding at any time during the taxable year of the foreign corporation does not exceed an amount which is ordinary and necessary to carry on the trade or business of both the other party to the sale or processing transaction and the United States person, or, if the sale or processing transaction occurs between related persons, would be ordinary and necessary to carry on the trade or business of both the other party to the sale or processing transaction and the United States person if such persons were unrelated persons. Whether the amount of an obligation described in this subdivision is ordinary and necessary is to be determined from all the facts and circumstances in each case.
(vi) Any aircraft, railroad rolling stock, vessel, motor vehicle, or container used in the transportation of persons or property in foreign commerce and used predominantly outside the United States. Whether transportation property described in this paragraph (b)(1)(vi) is used in foreign commerce and predominantly outside the United States is to be determined from all the facts and circumstances of each case. As a general rule, such transportation property will be considered to be used predominantly outside the United States if 70 percent or more of the miles traversed (during the taxable year at the close of which a determination is made under section 956(a)(2)) in the use of such property are traversed outside the United States or if such property is located outside the United States 70 percent of the time during such taxable year. Notwithstanding the above, an aircraft or vessel, including component parts, is excluded from United States property if the aircraft or vessel is leased in foreign commerce (as the term is defined in § 1.954-2(c)(2)(v)) and rents derived from leasing such aircraft or vessel are excluded from foreign personal holding company income under section 954(c)(2)(A).
(vii) An amount of assets described in paragraph (a) of this section of an insurance company equivalent to the unearned premiums or reserves which are ordinary and necessary for the proper conduct of that part of its insurance business which is attributable to contracts other than those described in section 953(a)(1) and the regulations thereunder. For purposes of this subdivision, a reserve will be considered ordinary and necessary for the proper conduct of an insurance business if, under the principles of paragraph (c) of § 1.953-4, such reserve would qualify as a reserve required by law. See paragraph (d)(3) of § 1.954-2 for determining, for purposes of this subdivision, the meaning of insurance company and of unearned premiums.
(viii) For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1975, the voting or nonvoting stock or obligations of an unrelated domestic corporation. For purposes of this subdivision, an unrelated domestic corporation is a domestic corporation which is neither a United States shareholder (as defined in section 951(b)) of the controlled foreign corporation making the investment, nor a corporation 25 percent or more of whose total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote is owned or considered as owned (within the meaning of section 958 (b)) by United States shareholders of the controlled foreign corporation making the investment. The determination of whether a domestic corporation is an unrelated corporation is made immediately after each acquisition of stock or obligations by the controlled foreign corporations.
(ix) For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1975, movable drilling rigs or barges and other movable exploration and exploitation equipment (other than a vessel or an aircraft) when used on the Continental Shelf (as defined in section 638) of the United States in the exploration for, development, removal, or transportation of natural resources from or under ocean waters. Property used on the Continental Shelf includes property located in the United States which is being constructed or is in storage or in transit within the United States for use on the Continental Shelf. In general, the type of property which qualifies for the exception under this subdivision includes any movable property which would be entitled to the investment credit if used outside the United States in certain geographical areas of the Western Hemisphere pursuant to section 48(a)(2)(B)(x) (without reference to sections 49 and 50).
(x) An amount of—

(a) A controlled foreign corporation's assets described in paragraph (a) of this section equivalent to its earnings and profits which are accumulated after December 31, 1962, and are attributable to items of income described in section 952(b) and the regulations thereunder, reduced by the amount of

(b) The earnings and profits of such corporation which are applied in a taxable year of such corporation beginning after December 31, 1962, to discharge a liability on property, but only if the liability was in existence at the close of such corporation's taxable year immediately preceding its first taxable year beginning after December 31, 1962, and the property would have been United States property if it had been acquired by such corporation immediately before such discharge.

For purposes of this subdivision, distributions made by such corporation for any taxable year shall be considered first made out of earnings and profits for such year other than earnings and profits referred to in (a) of this subdivision.

(xi) [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.956-2T(b)(1)(xi).
(2) Statement required. If a United States shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation excludes any property from the United States property of such controlled foreign corporation on the ground that section 956(b)(2) applies to such excluded property, he shall attach to his return a statement setting forth, by categories described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the amount of United States property of the controlled foreign corporation and, by categories described in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, the amount of such property which is excluded.
(c) Treatment of pledges and guarantees—
(1) General rule. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(4) of this section, for purposes of section 956, any obligation of a United States person with respect to which a controlled foreign corporation or a partnership is a pledgor or guarantor will be considered to be held by the controlled foreign corporation or the partnership, as the case may be. See § 1.956-1(e)(2) for rules that determine the amount of the obligation treated as held by a pledgor or guarantor under this paragraph (c). For rules that treat an obligation of a foreign partnership as an obligation of the partners in the foreign partnership for purposes of section 956, see § 1.956-4(c).
(2) Indirect pledge or guarantee. If the assets of a controlled foreign corporation or a partnership serve at any time, even though indirectly, as security for the performance of an obligation of a United States person, then, for purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the controlled foreign corporation or partnership will be considered a pledgor or guarantor of that obligation. If a partnership is considered a pledgor or guarantor of an obligation, a controlled foreign corporation that is a partner in the partnership will not also be treated as a pledgor or guarantor of the obligation solely as a result of its ownership of an interest in the partnership. For purposes of this paragraph, a pledge of stock of a controlled foreign corporation representing at least 66 2/3 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of voting stock of such corporation will be considered an indirect pledge of the assets of the controlled foreign corporation if the pledge is accompanied by one or more negative covenants or similar restrictions on the shareholder effectively limiting the corporation's discretion to dispose of assets and/or incur liabilities other than in the ordinary course of business. See § 1.956-4(d) for guidance on the treatment of indirect pledges or guarantees of an obligation of a partnership attributed to its partners under § 1.956-4(c).
(3) Illustrations. The following examples illustrate the application of this paragraph (c):
Example 1.

A, a United States person, borrows $100,000 from a bank in foreign country X on December 31, 1964. On the same date controlled foreign corporation R pledges its assets as security for A's performance of A's obligation to repay such loan. The place at which or manner in which A uses the money is not material. For purposes of paragraph (b) of § 1.956-1, R Corporation will be considered to hold A's obligation to repay the bank $100,000, and, under the provisions of paragraph (e)(2) of § 1.956-1, the amount taken into account in computing R Corporation's aggregate investment in United States property on December 31, 1964, is the unpaid principal amount of the obligation on that date ($100,000).

Example 2.

The facts are the same as in example 1, except that R Corporation participates in the transaction, not by pledging its assets as security for A's performance of A's obligation to repay the loan, but by agreeing to buy for $1,00,000 at maturity the note representing A's obligation if A does not repay the loan. Separate arrangements are made with respect to the payment of the interest on the loan. The agreement of R Corporation to buy the note constitutes a guarantee of A's obligation. For purposes of paragraph (b) of § 1.956-1, R Corporation will be considered to hold A's obligation to repay the bank $100,000, and, under the provisions of paragraph (e)(2) of § 1.956-1, the amount taken into account in computing R Corporation's aggregate investment in United States property on December 31, 1964, is the unpaid principal amount of the obligation on that date ($100,000).

Example 3.

A, a United States person, borrows $100,000 from a bank on December 10, 1981, pledging 70 percent of the stock of X, a controlled foreign corporation, as collateral for the loan. A and X use the calendar year as their taxable year. in the loan agreement, among other things, A agrees not to cause or permit X Corporation to do any of the following without the consent of the bank:

(a) Borrow money or pledge assets, except as to borrowings in the ordinary course of business of X Corporation;

(b) Guarantee, assume, or become liable on the obligation of another, or invest in or lend funds to another;

(c) Merge or consolidate with any other corporation or transfer shares of any controlled subsidiary;

(d) Sell or lease (other than in the ordinary course of business) or otherwise dispose of any substantial part of its assets;

(e) Pay or secure any debt owing by X Corporation to A; and

(f) Pay any dividends, except in such amounts as may be required to make interest or principal payments on A's loan from the bank.

A retains the right to vote the stock unless a default occurs by A. Under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the assets of X Corporation serve indirectly as security for A's performance of A's obligation to repay the loan and X Corporation will be considered a pledgor or guarantor with respect to that obligation. For purposes of paragraph (b) of § 1.956-1, X Corporation will be considered to hold A's obligation to repay the bank $100,000 and under paragraph (e)(2) of § 1.956-1, the amount taken into account in computing X Corporation's aggregate investment in United States property on December 31, 1981, is the unpaid principal amount of the obligation on that date.

Example 4.

(i) Facts. USP, a domestic corporation, owns 70% of the stock of FS, a controlled foreign corporation, and a 90% interest in FPRS, a foreign partnership. X, an unrelated foreign person, owns 30% of the stock of FS. Y, an unrelated foreign person, owns a 10% interest in FPRS. There are no special allocations in the FPRS partnership agreement. FPRS borrows $100x from Z, an unrelated person. FS pledges its assets as security for FPRS's performance of its obligation to repay the $100x loan. USP's share of the $100x FPRS obligation, determined in accordance with its liquidation value percentage, is $90x. Under § 1.956-4(c), $90x of the FPRS obligation is treated as an obligation of USP for purposes of section 956.

(ii) Result. For purposes of section 956, under paragraph (c)(1) of this section, FS is considered to hold an obligation of USP in the amount of $90x, and thus is treated as holding United States property in the amount of $90x.

(4) Special rule for certain conduit financing arrangements. The rule contained in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph shall not apply to a pledge or a guarantee by a controlled foreign corporation to secure the obligation of a United States person if such United States person is a mere conduit in a financing arrangement. Whether the United States person is a mere conduit in a financing arrangement will depend upon all the facts and circumstances in each case. A United States person will be considered a mere conduit in a financing arrangement in a case in which a controlled foreign corporation pledges stock of its subsidiary corporation, which is also a controlled foreign corporation, to secure the obligation of such United States person, where the following conditions are satisfied:
(i) Such United States person is a domestic corporation which is not engaged in the active conduct of a trade or business and has no substantial assets other than those arising out of its relending of the funds borrowed by it on such obligation to the controlled foreign corporation whose stock is pledged; and
(ii) The assets of such United States person are at all times substantially offset by its obligation to the lender.
(5) Special guarantee and pledge rule for expatriated foreign subsidiaries—
(i) General rule. In applying paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section to a controlled foreign corporation that is an expatriated foreign subsidiary, the phrase “of a United States person or a non-EFS foreign related person” is substituted for the phrase “of a United States person” each place it appears.
(ii) Additional rules. The rule in paragraph (c)(5)(i) of this section—
(A) Applies regardless of whether, when the pledge or guarantee was entered into or treated as entered into, the controlled foreign corporation was a controlled foreign corporation or an expatriated foreign subsidiary, or a foreign person whose obligation is subject to the pledge or guarantee, or deemed pledge or guarantee, was a non-EFS foreign related person; and
(B) Applies to pledges or guarantees entered into, or treated pursuant to paragraph (c)(2) of this section as entered into—
(1) During the applicable period; or
(2) In a transaction related to the inversion transaction.
(d) Definitions—
(1) Meaning of “acquired”—
(i) Applicable rules. For purposes of this section—

(a) Property shall be considered acquired by a foreign corporation when such corporation acquires an adjusted basis in the property;

(b) Property which is an obligation of a United States person with respect to which a controlled foreign corporation is a pledgor or guarantor (within the meaning of paragraph (c) of this section) shall be considered acquired when the corporation becomes liable as a pledgor or guarantor or is otherwise considered a pledgor or guarantor (within the meaning of paragraph (c)(2) of this section); and

(c) Property shall not be considered acquired by a foreign corporation if—

(1) Such property is acquired in a transaction in which gain or loss would not be recognized under this chapter to such corporation if such corporation were a domestic corporation;
(2) The basis of the property acquired by the foreign corporation is the same as the basis of the property exchanged by such corporation; and
(3) The property exchanged by the foreign corporation was not United States property (as defined in paragraph (a)(1) of this section) but would have been such property if it had been acquired by such corporation immediately before such exchange.
(ii) Illustrations. The application of this subparagraph may be illustrated by the following examples:
Example 1.

Foreign corporation R uses the calendar year as a taxable year and acquires before January 1, 1963, stock of domestic corporation M having as to R Corporation an adjusted basis of $10,000. The stock of M Corporation is not United States property of R Corporation on December 31, 1962, since it is not acquired in a taxable year of R Corporation beginning on or after January 1, 1963. On June 30, 1963, R Corporation sells the M Corporation stock for $15,000 in cash and expends such amount in acquiring stock of domestic corporation N which has as to R Corporation an adjusted basis of $15,000. For purposes of determining R Corporation's aggregate investment in United States property on December 31, 1963, R Corporation has, by virtue of acquiring the stock of N Corporation, acquired $15,000 of United States property.

Example 2.

Foreign corporation S, a controlled foreign corporation for the entire period here involved, uses the calendar year as a taxable year and purchases for $100,000 on December 31, 1963, tangible property (not described in section 956(b)(2)) located in the United States and having a remaining estimated useful life of 10 years, subject to a mortgage of $80,000 payable in 5 annual installments. The property constitutes United States property as of December 31, 1963, and the amount taken into account for purposes of determining the aggregate amount of S Corporation's investment in United States property under paragraph (b) of § 1.956-1 is $20,000. No depreciation is sustained with respect to the property during the taxable year 1963. During the taxable year 1964, S Corporation pays $16,000 on the mortgage and sustains $10,000 of depreciation with respect to the property. As of December 31, 1964, the amount taken into account with respect to the property for purposes of determining the aggregate amount of S Corporation's investment in United States property under paragraph (b) of § 1.956-1 is $26,000, computed as follows:

Cost of property$100,000
Less: Reserve for depreciation10,000
Adjusted basis of property90,000
Less: Liability to which property is subject:
Gross amount of mortgage$80,000
Payment during 196416,000
64,000
Amount taken into account (12-31-64)26,000
Example 3.

Controlled foreign corporation T uses the calendar year as a taxable year and acquires on December 31, 1963, $10,000 of United States property not described in section 956(b)(2); no depreciation is sustained with respect to the property during 1963. Corporation T's current and accumulated earnings and profits (determined as provided in paragraph (b) of § 1.956-1) as of December 31, 1963, are in excess of $10,000, and T Corporation's United States shareholders include in their gross income under section 951(a)(1)(B) their pro rata share of T Corporation's increase ($10,000) for 1963 in earnings invested in United States property. On January 1, 1964, T Corporation acquires an additional $10,000 of United States property not described in section 956(b)(2). Each of the two items of property has an estimated useful life of 5 years, and T Corporation sustains $4,000 of depreciation with respect to such properties during its taxable year 1964. Corporation T's current and accumulated earnings and profits as of December 31, 1964, exceed $16,000, determined as provided in paragraph (b) of § 1.956-1. Corporation T pays no amounts during 1963 to which section 959(c)(1) applies. Corporation T's investment of earnings in United States property at December 31, 1964, is $16,000, and its increase for 1964 in earnings invested in United States property is $6,000.

Example 4.

Foreign corporation U uses the calendar year as a taxable year and acquires before January 1, 1963, stock in domestic corporation M having as to U Corporation an adjusted basis of $10,000. On December 1, 1964, pursuant to a statutory merger described in section 368(a)(1), M Corporation merges into domestic corporation N, and U Corporation receives on such date one share of stock in N Corporation, the surviving corporation, for each share of stock it held in M Corporation. Pursuant to section 354 no gain or loss is recognized to U Corporation, and pursuant to section 358 the basis of the property received (stock of N Corporation) is the same as that of the property exchanged (stock of M Corporation). Corporation U is not considered for purposes of section 956 to have acquired United States property by reason of its receipt of the stock in N Corporation.

Example 5.

The facts are the same as in example 4, except that U Corporation acquires the stock of M Corporation on February 1, 1963, rather than before January 1, 1963. For purposes of determining U Corporation's aggregate investment in United States property on December 31, 1963, U Corporation has, by virtue of acquiring the stock of M Corporation, acquired $10,000 of United States property. Corporation U pays no amount during 1963 to which section 959(c)(1) applies. The reorganization and resulting acquisition on December 1, 1964, by U Corporation of N Corporation's stock also represents an acquisition of United States property; however, assuming no other change in U Corporation's aggregate investment in United States property during 1964, U Corporation's increase for such year in earnings invested in United States property is zero.

(2) Obligation defined. For purposes of section 956 and this section, the term “obligation” includes any bond, note, debenture, certificate, bill receivable, account receivable, note receivable, open account, or other indebtedness, whether or not issued at a discount and whether or not bearing interest, except that the term does not include—
(i) Any indebtedness arising out of the involuntary conversion of property which is not United States property within the meaning of paragraph (a) of this section;
(ii) Any obligation of a United States person (as defined in section 957(c)) arising in connection with the provision of services by a controlled foreign corporation to the United States person if the amount of the obligation outstanding at any time during the taxable year of the controlled foreign corporation does not exceed an amount which would be ordinary and necessary to carry on the trade or business of the controlled foreign corporation and the United States person if they were unrelated. The amount of the obligations shall be considered to be ordinary and necessary to the extent of such receivables that are paid within 60 days;
(iii) Any obligation of a non-EFS foreign related person arising in connection with the provision of services by an expatriated foreign subsidiary to the non-EFS foreign related person if the amount of the obligation outstanding at any time during the taxable year of the expatriated foreign subsidiary does not exceed an amount which would be ordinary and necessary to carry on the trade or business of the expatriated foreign subsidiary and the non-EFS foreign related person if they were unrelated. The amount of the obligations shall be considered to be ordinary and necessary to the extent of such receivables that are paid within 60 days; or
(iv) Any obligation of a United States person (as defined in section 957(c)) that is collected within 30 days from the time it is incurred (a 30-day obligation), unless the controlled foreign corporation that holds the 30-day obligation holds for 60 or more calendar days during the taxable year in which it holds the 30-day obligation any obligations which, without regard to the exclusion described in this paragraph (d)(2)(iv), would constitute United States property within the meaning of section 956 and paragraph (a) of this section.
(e) Effective/applicability date. The last sentence of paragraph (b)(1)(vi) of this section applies to taxable years of controlled foreign corporations beginning on or after May 2, 2006, and for taxable years of United States shareholders with or within which such taxable years of the controlled foreign corporations end. Taxpayers may elect to apply the rule of the last sentence of paragraph (b)(1)(vi) of this section to taxable years of controlled foreign corporations beginning after December 31, 2004, and for taxable years of United States shareholders with or within which such taxable years of the controlled foreign corporations end. If an election is made to apply the last two sentences of § 1.954-2(c)(2)(ii) and § 1.954-2(c)(2)(v) through (vii) to taxable years of a controlled foreign corporation beginning after December 31, 2004, then the election must also be made for the last sentence of paragraph (b)(1)(vi) of this section.
(f) [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.956-2T(f).
(g) [Reserved]
(h) Effective/applicability date.
(1) Paragraph (a)(3) of this section applies to taxable years of controlled foreign corporations ending on or after November 3, 2016, and taxable years of United States shareholders in which or with which such taxable years end, with respect to obligations held on or after November 3, 2016.
(2) Paragraphs (c)(1), (c)(2), and Example 4 of paragraph (c)(3) of this section apply to taxable years of controlled foreign corporations ending on or after November 3, 2016, and taxable years of United States shareholders in which or with which such taxable years end, with respect to pledges and guarantees entered into on or after September 1, 2015. For purposes of this paragraph (h)(2), a pledgor or guarantor is treated as entering into a pledge or guarantee when there is a significant modification, within the meaning of § 1.1001-3(e), of an obligation with respect to which it is a pledgor or guarantor on or after September 1, 2015.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (h)(3), paragraphs (a)(4) and (c)(5) of this section apply to obligations or stock acquired or to pledges or guarantees entered into, or treated as entered into, on or after September 22, 2014, but only if the inversion transaction was completed on or after September 22, 2014. The phrase “, regardless of whether, when the obligation or stock was acquired, the acquirer was a controlled foreign corporation or an expatriated foreign subsidiary” in paragraph (a)(4)(i)(A) of this section, the phrase “regardless of whether, when the obligation or stock was acquired, the foreign person or foreign corporation was a non-EFS foreign related person” in paragraph (a)(4)(i)(B) of this section, and paragraphs (a)(4)(i)(C)(2), (c)(5)(ii)(A), and (c)(5)(ii)(B)(2) of this section apply to obligations or stock acquired or pledges or guarantees entered into or treated as entered into on or after April 4, 2016, but only if the inversion transaction was completed on or after September 22, 2014. Paragraph (a)(4)(ii) of this section applies to obligations acquired on or after April 4, 2016. For inversion transactions completed on or after September 22, 2014, however, taxpayers may elect to apply paragraph (a)(4)(ii) of this section to an obligation acquired before April 4, 2016. For purposes of paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section and this paragraph (h)(3), a deemed exchange of an obligation or stock pursuant to section 1001 constitutes an acquisition of the obligation or stock. For purposes of paragraph (c)(5) of this section and this paragraph (h)(3), a pledgor or guarantor or deemed pledgor or guarantor is treated as entering into a pledge or guarantee when there is a significant modification, within the meaning of § 1.1001-3(e), of an obligation with respect to which it is a pledgor or guarantor or is treated as a pledgor or guarantor.
(4) Paragraphs (d)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section are effective June 14, 1988, with respect to investments made on or after June 14, 1988.
(5) Paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section applies to obligations acquired on or after April 4, 2016, but only if the inversion transaction was completed on or after September 22, 2014. For inversion transactions completed on or after September 22, 2014, however, taxpayers may elect to apply paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section to an obligation acquired on or after September 22, 2014, and before April 4, 2016. For purposes of paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section and this paragraph (h)(5), a significant modification, within the meaning of § 1.1001-3(e), of an obligation on or after April 4, 2016, constitutes an acquisition of an obligation on or after April 4, 2016.
(6) Paragraph (d)(2)(iv) of this section applies to obligations held on or after September 16, 1988. See § 1.956-2T(d)(2)(v), as contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised as of April 1, 2017, for additional rules applicable to certain taxable years of a foreign corporation beginning before January 1, 2011.

(Secs. 956(c), 7805, Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (76 Stat. 1017, 68A Stat. 917; (26 U.S.C. 956(c) and 7805 respectively)))

[T.D. 6704, 29 FR 2601, Feb. 20, 1964]

Editorial Note:

For Federal Register citations affecting § 1.956-2, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.

Terms defined here

Where the text says “the term … means”. Select a term to jump to its definition.

Other regulations under § 956

Cross-references

Computed from the citations in the text of 26 CFR.

Code sections it cites

Regulations it cites

Cited by 11 other regulations

Amendment history

From the source citation at the end of the section, newest first. T.D. is a Treasury decision; FR is the Federal Register.

  1. Issued by T.D. 6704 (29 FR 2601)

Where it sits in 26 CFR

  1. Subchapter A Income tax
  2. Part 1 Income taxes
  3. Controlled foreign corporations

Nearby sections