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Sales Transactions of Controlled Foreign Corporation Stock: Avoiding Tax Impact For Buyers and Sellers

Navigating Sections 338(g) Elections and 901(m) Limitations for Buyers and Section 1248 Recharacterization Rules for Sellers

Recording of a 90-minute premium CLE/CPE webinar with Q&A

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Conducted on Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Recorded event now available

or call 1-800-926-7926

This CLE course will provide tax counsel with a practical guide to navigating the IRS rules governing sales transactions involving controlled foreign corporation (CFC) stock. The panel will discuss the IRC 901(m), limitations on foreign tax credit benefits of a Section 338(g) election for buyers of CFC stock, detail the mechanics of dividend recharacterization on sales, and identify relief available under Section 1248(b).

Description

Sales transactions of CFC stock shares can create unforeseen and costly tax consequences for both purchasers and sellers of CFC shares. Tax counsel structuring purchase transactions must be aware of available tax benefits and possible tax costs in exchanges of CFC stock.

Buyers of CFC shares generally may make an election under IRC Section 338(g) to treat the purchase as a formation of a new foreign corporation that has acquired all assets and assumes all liabilities of the foreign target.

This allows the purchaser to take a step-up of the assets to fair market value, avoiding any U.S. tax costs with the election and boosting the value of foreign tax credits due to the basis differential between the U.S. and the country where the CFC is located. However, Section 901(m) serves to limit those credits, and tax counsel must grasp the impact of the foreign tax credit limitation.

For sellers of CFC shares, Section 1248 can have a dramatic tax impact on the U.S. treatment of sale gains. The Section 1248 rules require a seller to treat gain recognized on the sale or exchange as a dividend under certain conditions.

However, Section 1248(b) limits the impact of the dividend recharacterization on a covered sale. But, this provision applies only to sales of stock in a CFC located in a country that does not have a bilateral income tax treaty with the United States.

Where CFC shares are owned in a partnership interest, the sale of that partnership share can create still further complexities for the taxpayer in determining treatment of the sale gain. Tax counsel must have a thorough understanding of the tax treatment of CFC sale gains to avoid costly tax consequences.

Listen as our experienced panel provides a thorough and practical guide to structuring tax-efficient purchases and sales of CFC shares.

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Outline

  1. Structuring purchase transactions when making a Section 338(g) election
  2. Section 901(m) limitations on 338(g) benefits
  3. Post-acquisition restructuring
  4. Scenarios where a 338(g) election is not optimal tax strategy
  5. Section 1248 dividend recharacterization rules
  6. Section 1248(b) relief
  7. Partnership interests owning CFC shares

Benefits

The panel will discuss these and other important topics:

  • When should a buyer of a CFC target not make a Section 338(g) election?
  • What are the mechanics of making a Section 338(g) election in a purchase transaction?
  • How does Section 901(m) operate to limit the tax benefits of a 338(g) election?
  • When does Section 1248 dividend re-characterization apply?
  • How does Section 1248(b) operate to limit the tax impact of dividend recharacterization?
  • Special considerations for sales of partnership interests where the partnership owns stock in a CFC

Faculty

Skinner, William
William R. Skinner
Partner
Fenwick & West

Mr. Skinner focuses his practice on U.S. international taxation, with a particular emphasis on tax planning and...  |  Read More

Dougherty, Alison
Alison N. Dougherty, J.D., LL.M.
Director
Aronson

Ms. Dougherty has extensive experience assisting clients with U.S. tax reporting and compliance for offshore assets and...  |  Read More

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