Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 26 : Section 6038A


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 6038A. Information with respect to certain foreign-owned corporations

    (a) Requirement
      If, at any time during a taxable year, a corporation (hereinafter
    in this section referred to as the "reporting corporation") - 
        (1) is a domestic corporation, and
        (2) is 25-percent foreign-owned,

    such corporation shall furnish, at such time and in such manner as
    the Secretary shall by regulations prescribe, the information
    described in subsection (b) and such corporation shall maintain (in
    the location, in the manner, and to the extent prescribed in
    regulations) such records as may be appropriate to determine the
    correct treatment of transactions with related parties as the
    Secretary shall by regulations prescribe (or shall cause another
    person to so maintain such records).
    (b) Required information
      For purposes of subsection (a), the information described in this
    subsection is such information as the Secretary may prescribe by
    regulations relating to - 
        (1) the name, principal place of business, nature of business,
      and country or countries in which organized or resident, of each
      person which - 
          (A) is a related party to the reporting corporation, and
          (B) had any transaction with the reporting corporation during
        its taxable year,

        (2) the manner in which the reporting corporation is related to
      each person referred to in paragraph (1), and
        (3) transactions between the reporting corporation and each
      foreign person which is a related party to the reporting
      corporation.
    (c) Definitions
      For purposes of this section - 
      (1) 25-percent foreign-owned
        A corporation is 25-percent foreign-owned if at least 25
      percent of - 
          (A) the total voting power of all classes of stock of such
        corporation entitled to vote, or
          (B) the total value of all classes of stock of such
        corporation,

      is owned at any time during the taxable year by 1 foreign person
      (hereinafter in this section referred to as a "25-percent foreign
      shareholder").
      (2) Related party
        The term "related party" means - 
          (A) any 25-percent foreign shareholder of the reporting
        corporation,
          (B) any person who is related (within the meaning of section
        267(b) or 707(b)(1)) to the reporting corporation or to a
        25-percent foreign shareholder of the reporting corporation,
        and
          (C) any other person who is related (within the meaning of
        section 482) to the reporting corporation.
      (3) Foreign person
        The term "foreign person" means any person who is not a United
      States person. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term
      "United States person" has the meaning given to such term by
      section 7701(a)(30), except that any individual who is a citizen
      of any possession of the United States (but not otherwise a
      citizen of the United States) and who is not a resident of the
      United States shall not be treated as a United States person.
      (4) Records
        The term "records" includes any books, papers, or other data.
      (5) Section 318 to apply
        Section 318 shall apply for purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2),
      except that - 
          (A) "10 percent" shall be substituted for "50 percent" in
        section 318(a)(2)(C), and
          (B) subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of section 318(a)(3)
        shall not be applied so as to consider a United States person
        as owning stock which is owned by a person who is not a United
        States person.
    (d) Penalty for failure to furnish information or maintain records
      (1) In general
        If a reporting corporation - 
          (A) fails to furnish (within the time prescribed by
        regulations) any information described in subsection (b), or
          (B) fails to maintain (or cause another to maintain) records
        as required by subsection (a),

      such corporation shall pay a penalty of $10,000 for each taxable
      year with respect to which such failure occurs.
      (2) Increase in penalty where failure continues after
        notification
        If any failure described in paragraph (1) continues for more
      than 90 days after the day on which the Secretary mails notice of
      such failure to the reporting corporation, such corporation shall
      pay a penalty (in addition to the amount required under paragraph
      (1)) of $10,000 for each 30-day period (or fraction thereof)
      during which such failure continues after the expiration of such
      90-day period.
      (3) Reasonable cause
        For purposes of this subsection, the time prescribed by
      regulations to furnish information or maintain records (and the
      beginning of the 90-day period after notice by the Secretary)
      shall be treated as not earlier than the last day on which (as
      shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary) reasonable cause
      existed for failure to furnish the information or maintain the
      records.
    (e) Enforcement of requests for certain records
      (1) Agreement to treat corporation as agent
        The rules of paragraph (3) shall apply to any transaction
      between the reporting corporation and any related party who is a
      foreign person unless such related party agrees (in such manner
      and at such time as the Secretary shall prescribe) to authorize
      the reporting corporation to act as such related party's limited
      agent solely for purposes of applying sections 7602, 7603, and
      7604 with respect to any request by the Secretary to examine
      records or produce testimony related to any such transaction or
      with respect to any summons by the Secretary for such records or
      testimony. The appearance of persons or production of records by
      reason of the reporting corporation being such an agent shall not
      subject such persons or records to legal process for any purpose
      other than determining the correct treatment under this title of
      any transaction between the reporting corporation and such
      related party.
      (2) Rules where information not furnished
        If - 
          (A) for purposes of determining the correct treatment under
        this title of any transaction between the reporting corporation
        and a related party who is a foreign person, the Secretary
        issues a summons to such corporation to produce (either
        directly or as agent for such related party) any records or
        testimony,
          (B) such summons is not quashed in a proceeding begun under
        paragraph (4) and is not determined to be invalid in a
        proceeding begun under section 7604(b) to enforce such summons,
        and
          (C) the reporting corporation does not substantially comply
        in a timely manner with such summons and the Secretary has sent
        by certified or registered mail a notice to such reporting
        corporation that such reporting corporation has not so
        substantially complied,

      the Secretary may apply the rules of paragraph (3) with respect
      to such transaction (whether or not the Secretary begins a
      proceeding to enforce such summons). If the reporting corporation
      fails to maintain (or cause another to maintain) records as
      required by subsection (a), and by reason of that failure, the
      summons is quashed in a proceeding described in subparagraph (B)
      or the reporting corporation is not able to provide the records
      requested in the summons, the Secretary may apply the rules of
      paragraph (3) with respect to any transaction to which the
      records relate.
      (3) Applicable rules in cases of noncompliance
        If the rules of this paragraph apply to any transaction - 
          (A) the amount of the deduction allowed under subtitle A for
        any amount paid or incurred by the reporting corporation to the
        related party in connection with such transaction, and
          (B) the cost to the reporting corporation of any property
        acquired in such transaction from the related party (or
        transferred by such corporation in such transaction to the
        related party),

      shall be the amount determined by the Secretary in the
      Secretary's sole discretion from the Secretary's own knowledge or
      from such information as the Secretary may obtain through
      testimony or otherwise.
      (4) Judicial proceedings
        (A) Proceedings to quash
          Notwithstanding any law or rule of law, any reporting
        corporation to which the Secretary issues a summons referred to
        in paragraph (2)(A) shall have the right to begin a proceeding
        to quash such summons not later than the 90th day after such
        summons was issued. In any such proceeding, the Secretary may
        seek to compel compliance with such summons.
        (B) Review of secretarial determination of noncompliance
          Notwithstanding any law or rule of law, any reporting
        corporation which has been notified by the Secretary that the
        Secretary has determined that such corporation has not
        substantially complied with a summons referred to in paragraph
        (2) shall have the right to begin a proceeding to review such
        determination not later than the 90th day after the day on
        which the notice referred to in paragraph (2)(C) was mailed. If
        such a proceeding is not begun on or before such 90th day, such
        determination by the Secretary shall be binding and shall not
        be reviewed by any court.
        (C) Jurisdiction
          The United States district court for the district in which
        the person (to whom the summons is issued) resides or is found
        shall have jurisdiction to hear any proceeding brought under
        subparagraph (A) or (B). Any order or other determination in
        such a proceeding shall be treated as a final order which may
        be appealed.
        (D) Suspension of statute of limitations
          If the reporting corporation brings an action under
        subparagraph (A) or (B), the running of any period of
        limitations under section 6501 (relating to assessment and
        collection of tax) or under section 6531 (relating to criminal
        prosecutions) with respect to any affected taxable year shall
        be suspended for the period during which such proceeding, and
        appeals therein, are pending. In no event shall any such period
        expire before the 90th day after the day on which there is a
        final determination in such proceeding. For purposes of this
        subparagraph, the term "affected taxable year" means any
        taxable year if the determination of the amount of tax imposed
        for such taxable year is affected by the treatment of the
        transaction to which the summons relates.
    (f) Cross reference
          For provisions relating to criminal penalties for violation
        of this section, see section 7203.



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