§ 301.6245-1T - Subchapter S items.

§ 301.6245-1T Subchapter S items.

(a) In general. For purposes of subtitle F of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the following items which are required to be taken into account for the taxable year of an S corporation under subtitle A of the Code are more appropriately determined at the corporate level than at the shareholder level and, therefore, are subchapter S items:

(1) The S corporation aggregate and each shareholder's share of, and any factor necessary to determine, each of the following:

(i) Items of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit of the corporation;

(ii) Expenditures by the corporation not deductible in computing its taxable income (for example, charitable contributions);

(iii) Items of the corporation that may be tax preference items under section 57(a) for any shareholder;

(iv) Items of income of the corporation that are exempt from tax;

(v) Corporate liabilities (including determinations of the amount of the liability, whether the corporate liability is to a shareholder of the corporation, and changes from the preceding year); and

(vi) Other amounts determinable at the corporate level with respect to corporate assets, investments, transactions, and operations necessary to enable the S corporation or the shareholders to determine -

(A) The general business credit provided by section 38;

(B) Recapture under section 47 of the credit provided by section 38;

(C) Amounts at risk in any activity to which section 465 applies;

(D) The depletion allowance under section 613A with respect to oil and gas wells;

(E) Amortization of reforestation expenses under section 194;

(F) The credit provided by section 34 for certain uses of gasoline and special fuels; and

(G) The taxes imposed at the corporate level, such as the taxes imposed under section 56, 1374, or 1375;

(2) Any factor necessary to determine whether the entity is an S corporation under section 1361, such as the number, eligibility, and consent of shareholders and the classes of stock;

(3) Any factor necessary to determine whether the entity has properly elected to be an S corporation under section 1362 for the taxable year;

(4) Any factor necessary to determine whether and when the S corporation election of the entity has been revoked or terminated under section 1362 for the taxable year (for example, the existence and amount of subchapter C earnings and profits, and passive investment income); and

(5) Items relating to the following transactions, to the extent that a determination of such items can be made from determinations that the corporation is required to make with respect to an amount, the character of an amount, or the percentage of stock ownership of a shareholder in the corporation, for purposes of the corporation's books and records or for purposes of furnishing information to a shareholder:

(i) Contributions to the corporation; and

(ii) Distributions from the corporation.

(b) Factors that affect the determination of subchapter S items. The term “subchapter S item” includes the accounting practices and the legal and factual determinations that underlie the determination of the existence, amount, timing, and characterization of items of income, credit, gain, loss, deduction, etc. Examples of these determinations are: The S corporation's method of accounting, taxable year, and inventory method; whether an election was made by the corporation; whether corporate property is a capital asset, section 1231 property, or inventory; whether an item is currently deductible or must be capitalized; whether corporate activities had been engaged in with the intent to make a profit for purposes of section 183; whether the corporation qualified for the credit for increasing research activities under section 41; and whether the corporation qualified for the credit for clinical testing expenses for a rare disease or condition under section 28.

(c) Illustrations -

(1) In general. This paragraph (c) illustrates the provisions of paragraph (a)(5) of this section. The determinations illustrated in this paragraph (c) that the corporation is required to make are not exhaustive; there may be additional determinations that the corporation is required to make which relate to a determination listed in paragraph (a)(5) of this section. The critical element is that the corporation is required to make a determination with respect to a matter for the purposes stated; failure by the corporation actually to make a determination (for example, because it does not maintain proper books and records) does not prevent an item from being a subchapter S item.

(2) Contributions. For purposes of its books and records, or for purposes of furnishing information to a shareholder, the S corporation must determine:

(i) The character of the amount received by the corporation (for example, whether it is a contribution, loan, or repayment of a loan);

(ii) The amount of money received by the corporation; and

(iii) The basis to the corporation of contributed property (including necessary preliminary determinations, such as the shareholder's basis in the contributed property).

To the extent that a determination of an item relating to a contribution can be made from these and similar determinations that the corporation is required to make, that item is a subchapter S item. To the extent that the determination requires other information, however, that item is not a subchapter S item. Such other information would include those factors used in determining whether there is recapture under section 47 by the contributing shareholder of the general business credit because of the contribution of property in circumstances in which that determination is irrelevant to the corporation.

(3) Distributions. For purposes of its books and records, or for purposes of furnishing information to a shareholder, the S corporation must determine:

(i) The character of the amount transferred to a shareholder (for example, whether it is a dividend, compensation, loan, or repayment of a loan);

(ii) The amount of money distributed to a shareholder;

(iii) The fair market value of property distributed to a shareholder;

(iv) The adjusted basis to the corporation of distributed property; and

(v) The character of corporation property (for example, whether an item is inventory or a capital asset).

To the extent that a determination of an item relating to a distribution can be made from these and similar determinations that the corporation is required to make, that item is a subchapter S item. To the extent that the determination requires other information, however, that item is not a subchapter S item. Such other information would include the determination of a shareholder's basis in the shareholder's stock or in the indebtedness of the S corporation to the shareholder.

(d) Cross reference. For the definition of subchapter S item for purposes of the windfall profit tax, see § 51.6245-1T.

(e) Effective date. This section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1982.

[T.D. 8122, 52 FR 3003, Jan. 30, 1987]