Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Foreign Branch Deposit Interest Exclusion?
The interest must be paid on deposits with a foreign branch engaged in the commercial banking business.
How does the Foreign Branch Deposit Interest Exclusion work?
Interest on deposits with a foreign branch of a U.S. corporation or partnership is treated as non-U.S. source income, potentially avoiding U.S. withholding or income tax.
What law authorizes the Foreign Branch Deposit Interest Exclusion?
The Foreign Branch Deposit Interest Exclusion is authorized under IRC §861 of the Internal Revenue Code (Title 26, United States Code).
Statutory Text — IRC §861
Source: Internal Revenue Code, Title 26, United States Code
§ 861. Income from sources within the United States(a) Gross income from sources within United StatesThe following items of gross income shall be treated as income from sources within the United States:(1) InterestInterest from the United States or the District of Columbia, and interest on bonds, notes, or other interest-bearing obligations of noncorporate residents or domestic corporations not including—(A) interest—(i) on deposits with a foreign branch of a domestic corporation or a domestic partnership if such branch is engaged in the commercial banking business, and
(ii) on amounts satisfying the requirements of subparagraph (B) of section 871(i)(3) which are paid by a foreign branch of a domestic corporation or a domestic partnership, and
(B) in the case of a foreign partnership, which is predominantly engaged in the active conduct of a trade or business outside the United States, any interest not paid by a trade or business engaged in by the partnership in the United States and not allocable to income which is effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected) with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States.
(2) DividendsThe amount received as dividends—(A) from a domestic corporation, or
(B) from a foreign corporation unless less than 25 percent of the gross income from all sources of such foreign corporation for the 3-year period ending with the close of its taxable year preceding the declaration of such dividends (or for such part of such period as the corporation has been in existence) was effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected other than income described in section 884(d)(2)) with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States; but only in an amount which bears the same ratio to such dividends as the gross income of the corporation for such period which was effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected other than income described in section 884(d)(2)) with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States bears to its gross income from all sources; but dividends (other than dividends for which a deduction is allowable under section 245(b)) from a foreign corporation shall, for purposes of subpart A of part III (relating to foreign tax credit), be treated as income from sources without the United States to the extent (and only to the extent) exceeding the amount which is 100/50th of the amount of the deduction allowable under section 245 in respect of such dividends, or
(C) from a foreign corporation to the extent that such amount is required by section 243(e) (relating to certain dividends from foreign corporations) to be treated as dividends from a domestic corporation which is subject to taxation under this chapter, and to such extent subparagraph (B) shall not apply to such amount, or
Showing first 3,000 characters of full section text.