[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 9]
[Revised as of April 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.881-1]

[Page 370-372]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1--INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.881-1  Manner of taxing foreign corporations.

    (a) Classes of foreign corporations. For purposes of the income tax, 
foreign corporations are divided into two classes, namely, foreign 
corporations which at no time during the taxable year are engaged in 
trade or business in the United States and foreign corporations which, 
at any time during the taxable year, are engaged in trade or business in 
the United States.
    (b) Manner of taxing--(1) Foreign corporations not engaged in U.S. 
business. A foreign corporation which at no time during the taxable year 
is engaged in trade or business in the United States is taxable, as 
provided in Sec. 1.881-2, on all income received from sources within the 
United States which is fixed or determinable annual or periodical income 
and on other items of income enumerated under section 881(a). Such a 
foreign corporation is also taxable on certain income from sources 
within the United States which, pursuant to Sec. 1.882-2, is treated as 
effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade 
or business in the United States.
    (2) Foreign corporations engaged in U.S. business. A foreign 
corporation which at any time during the taxable year is engaged in 
trade or business in the United States is taxable, as provided in 
Sec. 1.882-1, on all income from whatever source derived, whether or not 
fixed or determinable annual or periodical income, which is effectively 
connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business 
in the United States. Such a foreign corporation is also taxable, as 
provided in Sec. 1.882-1, on income received from sources within the 
United States which is not effectively connected for the taxable year 
with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States and 
consists of (i) fixed or determinable annual or periodical income, or 
(ii) other items of income enumerated in section 881(a). A foreign 
corporation which at any time during the taxable year is engaged in 
trade or business in the United States is also taxable on certain income 
from sources within the United States which, pursuant to Sec. 1.882-2, 
is treated as effectively connected for the taxable year with the 
conduct of a trade or business in the United States.
    (c) Meaning of terms. For the meaning of the term ``engaged in trade 
or business within the United States'', as used in section 881 and this 
section, see section 864(b) and the regulations thereunder. For 
determining when income, gain, or loss of a foreign corporation for a 
taxable year is effectively connected for that year with the conduct of 
a trade or business in the United States, see section 864(c), the 
regulations thereunder, and Sec. 1.882-2. The term ``foreign 
corporation'' has the meaning assigned to it by section 7701(a) (3) and 
(5) and Sec. 301.7701-5 of this chapter (Regulations on Procedure and 
Administration), except that, for purposes of section 881 and 
Sec. 1.881-2, in the case of taxable years beginning after December 31, 
1971, the term ``foreign corporation'' does not include a corporation 
created or organized in Guam or under the law of Guam. Thus, for 
example, for such a taxable year the first sentence of paragraph (b)(1), 
and the second sentence of paragraph (b)(2), of this section do not 
apply to a Guamanian corporation.
    (d) Rules applicable to foreign insurance companies--(1) 
Corporations qualifying under subchapter L. A foreign corporation 
carrying on an insurance business in the United States at any time 
during the taxable year, which, without taking into account its income 
not effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a 
trade or business in the United States, would qualify for the taxable 
year under part I, II, or III of subchapter L if it were a domestic 
corporation, shall be taxable for such year under that part on its 
entire taxable income (whether derived from sources within or without 
the United States) which is, or which pursuant to section 882 (d) or (e) 
and Sec. 1.882-2 is treated as, effectively connected for the taxable 
year with the conduct of a trade or business (whether or not its 
insurance business) in the United States. Any income derived by that 
foreign corporation from sources

[[Page 371]]

within the United States which is not effectively connected for the 
taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United 
States is taxable as provided in section 881(a) and Sec. 1.882-1. See 
sections 842 and 861 through 864, and the regulations thereunder.
    (2) Corporations not qualifying under subchapter L. A foreign 
corporation which carries on an insurance business in the United States 
at any time during the taxable year, and which, without taking into 
account its income not effectively connected for the taxable year with 
the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, would not 
qualify for the taxable year under part I, II, or III of subchapter L if 
it were a domestic corporation, and a foreign insurance company which 
does not carry on an insurance business in the United States at any time 
during the taxable year, shall be taxable--
    (i) Under section 881(a) and Sec. 1.881-2 or Sec. 1.882-1 on its 
income from sources within the United States which is not effectively 
connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business 
in the United States,
    (ii) Under section 882(a)(1) and Sec. 1.882-1 on its income (whether 
derived from sources within or without the United States) which is 
effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade 
or business in the United States, and
    (iii) Under section 882(a)(1) and Sec. 1.882-1 on its income from 
sources within the United States which pursuant to section 882 (d) or 
(e) and Sec. 1.882-2, is treated as effectively connected for the 
taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United 
States.
    (e) Other provisions applicable to foreign corporations--(1) 
Accumulated earnings tax. For the imposition of the accumulated earnings 
tax upon the accumulated taxable income of a foreign corporation formed 
or availed of for tax avoidance purposes, whether or not such 
corporation is engaged in trade or business in the United States, see 
section 532 and the regulations thereunder.
    (2) Personal holding company tax. For the imposition of the personal 
holding company tax upon the undistributed personal holding company 
income of a foreign corporation which is a personal holding company, 
whether or not such corporation is engaged in trade or business in the 
United States, see sections 541 through 547, and the regulations 
thereunder. Except in the case of a foreign corporation having personal 
service contract income to which section 543(a)(7) applies, a foreign 
corporation is not a personal holding company if all of its stock 
outstanding during the last half of the taxable year is owned by 
nonresident alien individuals, whether directly or indirectly through 
foreign estates, foreign trusts, foreign partnerships, or other foreign 
corporations. See section 542(c)(7).
    (3) Foreign personal holding companies. For the mandatory inclusion 
in the gross income of the United States shareholders of the 
undistributed foreign personal holding company income of a foreign 
personal holding company, see section 551 and the regulations 
thereunder.
    (4) Controlled foreign corporations--(i) Subpart F income and 
increase of earnings invested in U.S. Property. For the mandatory 
inclusion in the gross income of the U.S. shareholders of the subpart F 
income, of the previously excluded subpart F income withdrawn from 
investment in less developed countries, of the previously excluded 
subpart F income withdrawn from investment in foreign base company 
shipping operations, and of the increase in earnings invested in U.S. 
property, of a controlled foreign corporation, see sections 951 through 
964, and the regulations thereunder.
    (ii) Certain accumulations of earnings and profits. For the 
inclusion in the gross income of U.S. persons as a dividend of the gain 
recognized on certain sales or exchanges of stock in a foreign 
corporation, to the extent of certain earnings and profits attributable 
to the stock which were accumulated while the corporation was a 
controlled foreign corporation, see section 1248 and the regulations 
thereunder.
    (5) Changes in tax rate. For provisions respecting the effect of any 
change in rate of tax during the taxable year on the income of a foreign 
corporation, see section 21 and the regulations thereunder.

[[Page 372]]

    (6) Consolidated returns. Except in the case of certain corporations 
organized under the laws of Canada or Mexico and maintained solely for 
the purpose of complying with the laws of that country as to title and 
operation of property, a foreign corporation is not an includible 
corporation for purposes of the privilege of making a consolidated 
return by an affiliated group of corporations. See section 1504 and the 
regulations thereunder.
    (7) Adjustment of tax of certain foreign corporations. For the 
application of pre-1967 income tax provisions to corporations of a 
foreign country which imposes a more burdensome income tax than the 
United States, and for the adjustment of the income tax of a corporation 
of a foreign country which imposes a discriminatory income tax on the 
income of citizens of the United States or domestic corporations, see 
section 896.
    (f) Effective date. This section applies for taxable years beginning 
after December 31, 1966. For corresponding rules applicable to taxable 
years beginning before January 1, 1967, see 26 CFR 1.881-1 (Revised as 
of January 1, 1971).

(Secs. 7805 (68A Stat. 917; 26 U.S.C. 7805) and 7654(e) (86 Stat. 1496; 
26 U.S.C. 7654(e)) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954)

[T.D. 7293, 38 FR 32795, Nov. 28, 1973, as amended by T.D. 7385, 40 FR 
50260, Oct. 29, 1975; T.D. 7893, 48 FR 22507, May 19, 1983]