Code of Federal Regulations · Section

§ 1.267A-2 — a-2 Hybrid And Branch Arrangements

26 C.F.R. § 1.267A-2

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(a) Payments pursuant to hybrid transactions—(1) In general. If a specified payment is made pursuant to a hybrid transaction, then, subject to § 1.267A-3(b) (amounts included or includible in income), the payment is a disqualified hybrid amount to the extent that—

(i) A specified recipient of the payment does not include the payment in income, as determined under § 1.267A-3(a) (to such extent, a no-inclusion); and

(ii) The specified recipient's no-inclusion is a result of the payment being made pursuant to the hybrid transaction. For purposes of this paragraph (a)(1)(ii), the specified recipient's no-inclusion is a result of the specified payment being made pursuant to the hybrid transaction to the extent that the no-inclusion would not occur were the specified recipient's tax law to treat the payment as interest or a royalty, as applicable. See § 1.267A-6(c)(1) and (2) for examples illustrating the application of paragraph (a) of this section.

(2) Definition of hybrid transaction—(i) In general. The term hybrid transaction means any transaction, series of transactions, agreement, or instrument one or more payments with respect to which are treated as interest or royalties for U.S. tax purposes but are not so treated for purposes of the tax law of a specified recipient of the payment. Examples of a hybrid transaction include an instrument a payment with respect to which is treated as interest for U.S. tax purposes but, for purposes of a specified recipient's tax law, is treated as a distribution with respect to equity or a recovery of principal with respect to indebtedness.

(ii) Special rules—(A) Long-term deferral. A specified payment is deemed to be made pursuant to a hybrid transaction if the taxable year in which a specified recipient of the payment takes the payment into account in income under its tax law (or, based on all the facts and circumstances, is reasonably expected to take the payment into account in income under its tax law) ends more than 36 months after the end of the taxable year in which the specified party would be allowed a deduction for the payment under U.S. tax law. In addition, if the tax law of a specified recipient of the specified payment does not impose an income tax, then such tax law does not cause the payment to be deemed to be made pursuant to a hybrid transaction under this paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A). See § 1.267A-6(c)(8) for an example illustrating the application of this paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A) in the context of the imported mismatch rule.

(B) Royalties treated as payments in exchange for property under foreign law. In the case of a specified payment that is a royalty for U.S. tax purposes and for purposes of the tax law of a specified recipient of the payment is consideration received in exchange for property, the tax law of the specified recipient is not treated as causing the payment to be made pursuant to a hybrid transaction.

(C) Coordination with disregarded payment rule. A specified payment is not considered made pursuant to a hybrid transaction if the payment is a disregarded payment, as described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(3) Payments pursuant to securities lending transactions, sale-repurchase transactions, or similar transactions. This paragraph (a)(3) applies if a specified payment is made pursuant to a repo transaction and is not regarded under a foreign tax law, but another amount connected to the payment (the connected amount) is regarded under such foreign tax law. For purposes of this paragraph (a)(3), a repo transaction means a transaction one or more payments with respect to which are treated as interest (as defined in § 1.267A-5(a)(12)) or a structured payment (as defined in § 1.267A-5(b)(5)(ii)) for U.S. tax purposes and that is a securities lending transaction or sale-repurchase transaction (including as described in § 1.861-2(a)(7)), or other similar transaction or series of related transactions in which legal title to property is transferred and the property (or similar property, such as securities of the same class and issue) is reacquired or expected to be reacquired. For example, this paragraph (a)(3) applies if a specified payment arising from characterizing a repo transaction of stock in accordance with its substance (that is, characterizing the specified payment as interest) is not regarded as such under a foreign tax law but an amount consistent with the form of the transaction (such as a dividend) is regarded under such foreign tax law. When this paragraph (a)(3) applies, the determination of the identity of a specified recipient of the specified payment under the foreign tax law is made with respect to the connected amount. In addition, if the specified recipient includes the connected amount in income (as determined under § 1.267A-3(a), by treating the connected amount as the specified payment), then the amount of the specified recipient's no-inclusion with respect to the specified payment is correspondingly reduced. Further, the principles of this paragraph (a)(3) apply to cases similar to repo transactions in which a foreign tax law does not characterize the transaction in accordance with its substance. See § 1.267A-6(c)(2) for an example illustrating the application of this paragraph (a)(3).

(4) Payments pursuant to interest-free loans and similar arrangements. In the case of a specified payment that is interest for U.S. tax purposes, the following special rules apply:

(i) The payment is deemed to be made pursuant to a hybrid transaction to the extent that—

(A) Under U.S. tax law, the payment is imputed (for example, under section 482 or 7872, including because the instrument pursuant to which it is made is indebtedness but the terms of the instrument provide for an interest rate equal to or less than the risk-free rate or the rate on sovereign debt with similar terms in the relevant foreign currency); and

(B) A tax resident or taxable branch to which the payment is made does not take the payment into account in income under its tax law because such tax law does not impute any interest. The rules of paragraph (b)(4) of this section apply for purposes of determining whether the specified payment is made indirectly to a tax resident or taxable branch.

(ii) A tax resident or taxable branch the tax law of which causes the payment to be deemed to be made pursuant to a hybrid transaction under paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section is deemed to be a specified recipient of the payment for purposes of paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(b) Disregarded payments—(1) In general. Subject to § 1.267A-3(b) (amounts included or includible in income), the excess (if any) of the sum of a specified party's disregarded payments for a taxable year over its dual inclusion income for the taxable year is a disqualified hybrid amount. See § 1.267A-6(c)(3) and (4) for examples illustrating the application of paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) Definition of disregarded payment—(i) In general. The term disregarded payment means a specified payment to the extent that, under the tax law of a tax resident or taxable branch to which the payment is made, the payment is not regarded (for example, because under such tax law it is a payment involving a single taxpayer or members of a group) and, were the payment to be regarded (and treated as interest or a royalty, as applicable) under such tax law, the tax resident or taxable branch would include the payment in income, as determined under § 1.267A-3(a).

(ii) Special rules—(A) Foreign consolidation and similar regimes. A disregarded payment includes a specified payment that, under the tax law of a tax resident or taxable branch to which the payment is made, is a payment that gives rise to a deduction or similar offset allowed to the tax resident or taxable branch (or group of entities that include the tax resident or taxable branch) under a foreign consolidation, fiscal unity, group relief, loss sharing, or any similar regime.

(B) Certain payments of a U.S. taxable branch. In the case of a specified payment of a U.S. taxable branch, the payment is not a disregarded payment to the extent that under the tax law of the tax resident to which the payment is made the payment is otherwise taken into account. See paragraph (c)(2) of this section for an example of when an amount may be otherwise taken into account.

(C) Coordination with other hybrid and branch arrangements. A disregarded payment does not include a deemed branch payment described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, a specified payment pursuant to a repo transaction or similar transaction described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, or a specified payment pursuant to an interest-free loan or similar transaction described in paragraph (a)(4) of this section.

(3) Definition of dual inclusion income—(i) In general. With respect to a specified party, the term dual inclusion income means the excess, if any, of—

(A) The sum of the specified party's items of income or gain for U.S. tax purposes that are included in the specified party's income, as determined under § 1.267A-3(a) (by treating the items of income or gain as the specified payment; and, in the case of a specified party that is a CFC, by treating U.S. tax law as the CFC's tax law), to the extent the items of income or gain are included in the income of the tax resident or taxable branch to which the disregarded payments are made, as determined under § 1.267A-3(a) (by treating the items of income or gain as the specified payment); over

(B) The sum of the specified party's items of deduction or loss for U.S. tax purposes (other than deductions for disregarded payments), to the extent the items of deduction or loss are allowable (or have been or will be allowable during a taxable year that ends no more than 36 months after the end of the specified party's taxable year) under the tax law of the tax resident or taxable branch to which the disregarded payments are made.

(ii) Special rule for certain dividends. An item of income or gain of a specified party that is included in the specified party's income but not included in the income of the tax resident or taxable branch to which the disregarded payments are made is considered described in paragraph (b)(3)(i)(A) of this section to the extent that, under the tax resident's or taxable branch's tax law, the item is a dividend that would have been included in the income of the tax resident or taxable branch but for an exemption, exclusion, deduction, credit, or other similar relief particular to the item, provided that the party paying the item is not allowed a deduction or other tax benefit for it under its tax law. Similarly, an item of income or gain of a specified party that is included in the income of the tax resident or taxable branch to which the disregarded payments are made but not included in the specified party's income is considered described in paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(A) of this section to the extent that, under U.S. tax law, the item is a dividend that would have been included in the income of the specified party but for a dividends received deduction with respect to the dividend (for example, a deduction under section 245A(a)), provided that the party paying the item is not allowed a deduction or other tax benefit for it under its tax law. See § 1.267A-6(c)(3)(iv) for an example illustrating the application of this paragraph (b)(3)(ii).

(4) Payments made indirectly to a tax resident or taxable branch. A specified payment made to an entity an interest of which is directly or indirectly (determined under the rules of section 958(a) without regard to whether an intermediate entity is foreign or domestic, or under substantially similar rules under a tax resident's or taxable branch's tax law) owned by a tax resident or taxable branch is considered made to the tax resident or taxable branch to the extent that, under the tax law of the tax resident or taxable branch, the entity to which the payment is made is fiscally transparent (and all intermediate entities, if any, are also fiscally transparent).

(c) Deemed branch payments—(1) In general. If a specified payment is a deemed branch payment, then the payment is a disqualified hybrid amount if the tax law of the home office provides an exclusion or exemption for income attributable to the branch. See § 1.267A-6(c)(4) for an example illustrating the application of this paragraph (c).

(2) Definition of deemed branch payment. The term deemed branch payment means, with respect to a U.S. taxable branch that is a U.S. permanent establishment of a treaty resident eligible for benefits under an income tax treaty between the United States and the treaty country, any amount of interest or royalties allowable as a deduction in computing the business profits of the U.S. permanent establishment, to the extent the amount is deemed paid to the home office (or other branch of the home office), is not regarded (or otherwise taken into account) under the home office's tax law (or the other branch's tax law), and, were the payment to be regarded (and treated as interest or a royalty, as applicable) under the home office's tax law (or other branch's tax law), the home office (or other branch) would include the payment in income, as determined under § 1.267A-3(a). An amount may be otherwise taken into account for purposes of this paragraph (c)(2) if, for example, under the home office's tax law a corresponding amount of interest or royalties is allocated and attributable to the U.S. permanent establishment and is therefore not deductible.

(d) Payments to reverse hybrids—(1) In general. If a specified payment is made to a reverse hybrid, then, subject to § 1.267A-3(b) (amounts included or includible in income), the payment is a disqualified hybrid amount to the extent that—

(i) An investor, the tax law of which treats the reverse hybrid as not fiscally transparent, does not include the payment in income, as determined under § 1.267A-3(a) (to such extent, a no-inclusion); and

(ii) The investor's no-inclusion is a result of the payment being made to the reverse hybrid. For purposes of this paragraph (d)(1)(ii), the investor's no-inclusion is a result of the specified payment being made to the reverse hybrid to the extent that the no-inclusion would not occur were the investor's tax law to treat the reverse hybrid as fiscally transparent (and treat the payment as interest or a royalty, as applicable). See § 1.267A-6(c)(5) for an example illustrating the application of paragraph (d) of this section.

(2) Definition of reverse hybrid. The term reverse hybrid means an entity (regardless of whether domestic or foreign) that is fiscally transparent under the tax law of the country in which it is created, organized, or otherwise established but not fiscally transparent under the tax law of an investor of the entity.

(3) Payments made indirectly to a reverse hybrid. A specified payment made to an entity an interest of which is directly or indirectly (determined under the rules of section 958(a) without regard to whether an intermediate entity is foreign or domestic, or under substantially similar rules under a tax resident's or taxable branch's tax law) owned by a reverse hybrid is considered made to the reverse hybrid to the extent that, under the tax law of an investor of the reverse hybrid, the entity to which the payment is made is fiscally transparent (and all intermediate entities, if any, are also fiscally transparent).

(4) Exception for inclusion by taxable branch in establishment country. Paragraph (d)(1) of this section does not apply to a specified payment made to a reverse hybrid to the extent that a taxable branch located in the country in which the reverse hybrid is created, organized, or otherwise established (and the activities of which are carried on by one or more investors of the reverse hybrid) includes the payment in income, as determined under § 1.267A-3(a).

(e) Branch mismatch payments—(1) In general. If a specified payment is a branch mismatch payment, then, subject to § 1.267A-3(b) (amounts included or includible in income), the payment is a disqualified hybrid amount to the extent that—

(i) A home office, the tax law of which treats the payment as income attributable to a branch of the home office, does not include the payment in income, as determined under § 1.267A-3(a) (to such extent, a no-inclusion); and

(ii) The home office's no-inclusion is a result of the payment being a branch mismatch payment. For purposes of this paragraph (e)(1)(ii), the home office's no-inclusion is a result of the specified payment being a branch mismatch payment to the extent that the no-inclusion would not occur were the home office's tax law to treat the payment as income that is not attributable a branch of the home office (and treat the payment as interest or a royalty, as applicable). See § 1.267A-6(c)(6) for an example illustrating the application of paragraph (e) of this section.

(2) Definition of branch mismatch payment. The term branch mismatch payment means a specified payment for which the following requirements are satisfied:

(i) Under a home office's tax law, the payment is treated as income attributable to a branch of the home office; and

(ii) Either—

(A) The branch is not a taxable branch; or

(B) Under the branch's tax law, the payment is not treated as income attributable to the branch.

(f) Relatedness or structured arrangement limitation. A specified recipient, a tax resident or taxable branch to which a specified payment is made, an investor, or a home office is taken into account for purposes of paragraphs (a), (b), (d), and (e) of this section, respectively, only if the specified recipient, the tax resident or taxable branch, the investor, or the home office, as applicable, is related (as defined in § 1.267A-5(a)(14)) to the specified party or is a party to a structured arrangement (as defined in § 1.267A-5(a)(20)) pursuant to which the specified payment is made.

26 C.F.R. § 1.267A-1 26 C.F.R. § 1.267A-3

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