§ 31.3406(a)-4. Time when payments are considered to be paid and subject to backup withholding.

¶(1) In general. If backup withholding is required under section 3406 on a reportable payment (as defined in section 3406(b)), the payor must withhold at the time it makes the payment to the payee or to the payee's account that is subject to withholding. Amounts are considered paid when they are credited to the account of, or made available to, the payee. Amounts are not considered paid solely because they are posted (e.g., an informational notation on the payee's passbook) if they are not actually credited to the payee's account or made available to the payee. See paragraph (c) of this section for the timing of withholding by a middleman.

¶(2) Special rules for dividends. For purposes of section 3406 and this section—

¶(1) In general. Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, in the case of a transaction reportable under section 6045 (except in the case of forward contracts (including foreign currency contracts), regulated futures contracts, and security short sales), the obligation to withhold under section 3406 arises on the date the sale is entered on the books of the broker or the date the exchange occurs as provided in § 1.6045-1(f)(3) of this chapter. A broker (in its capacity as payor) is not required, however, to satisfy its withholding liability until payment is made. See § 31.3406(b)(3)-2(b)(2) for special rules applicable to forward contracts (including foreign currency contracts), regulated futures contracts, and security short sales.

¶(2) Special rule for interest accrued on bonds. For purposes of determining the time that interest is considered paid and subject to withholding under section 3406 when bonds are sold between interest payment dates, the portion of the sales price representing interest accrued to the date of sale is considered a portion of a reportable payment of gross proceeds under section 6045 (provided that the accrued interest is not tax-exempt as described in section 103(a), relating to certain governmental obligations), and is not considered to be a payment of interest for purposes of section 6049.

¶(1) In general. A person that is a middleman and is a person defined in § 31.3406(a)-2(b) or in the section on information reporting to which the payment relates must withhold under section 3406 at the time the reportable payment is received by or credited to the middleman. If the middleman makes or credits the reportable payment to the payee prior to the middleman's receipt of the corresponding payment, the middleman may withhold at the time the reportable payment is made or credited to the payee.

¶(2) Special rule for common trust funds. A common trust fund (as defined in section 584) must withhold either—

¶(3) Special rule for certain grantor trusts. For grantor trusts described in § 31.3406(a)-2(b)(1) or (2), reportable payments made to the trust are treated as paid by the trust to each grantor, in an amount equal to the distribution made by the trust to each grantor, on the date that the reportable payment is paid to the trust (except for gross proceeds reportable under section 6045). Paragraph (b)(2) of this section applies to a grantor trust making a payment of gross proceeds under section 6045 subject to withholding under section 3406. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(3) a husband and wife filing a joint return are considered to be one grantor.