§1361. S corporation defined
(a) S corporation defined
(1) In general
For purposes of this title, the term "S corporation" means, with respect to any taxable year, a small business corporation for which an election under section 1362(a) is in effect for such year.
(2) C corporation
For purposes of this title, the term "C corporation" means, with respect to any taxable year, a corporation which is not an S corporation for such year.
(b) Small business corporation
(1) In general
For purposes of this subchapter, the term "small business corporation" means a domestic corporation which is not an ineligible corporation and which does not-
(A) have more than 75 shareholders,
(B) have as a shareholder a person (other than an estate, a trust described in subsection (c)(2), or an organization described in subsection (c)(6)) who is not an individual,
(C) have a nonresident alien as a shareholder, and
(D) have more than 1 class of stock.
(2) Ineligible corporation defined
For purposes of paragraph (1), the term "ineligible corporation" means any corporation which is-
(A) a financial institution which uses the reserve method of accounting for bad debts described in section 585,
(B) an insurance company subject to tax under subchapter L,
(C) a corporation to which an election under section 936 applies, or
(D) a DISC or former DISC.
(3) Treatment of certain wholly owned subsidiaries
(A) In general
Except as provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary, for purposes of this title-
(i) a corporation which is a qualified subchapter S subsidiary shall not be treated as a separate corporation, and
(ii) all assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of a qualified subchapter S subsidiary shall be treated as assets, liabilities, and such items (as the case may be) of the S corporation.
(B) Qualified subchapter S subsidiary
For purposes of this paragraph, the term "qualified subchapter S subsidiary" means any domestic corporation which is not an ineligible corporation (as defined in paragraph (2)), if-
(i) 100 percent of the stock of such corporation is held by the S corporation, and
(ii) the S corporation elects to treat such corporation as a qualified subchapter S subsidiary.
(C) Treatment of terminations of qualified subchapter S subsidiary status
For purposes of this title, if any corporation which was a qualified subchapter S subsidiary ceases to meet the requirements of subparagraph (B), such corporation shall be treated as a new corporation acquiring all of its assets (and assuming all of its liabilities) immediately before such cessation from the S corporation in exchange for its stock.
(D) Election after termination
If a corporation's status as a qualified subchapter S subsidiary terminates, such corporation (and any successor corporation) shall not be eligible to make-
(i) an election under subparagraph (B)(ii) to be treated as a qualified subchapter S subsidiary, or
(ii) an election under section 1362(a) to be treated as an S corporation,
before its 5th taxable year which begins after the 1st taxable year for which such termination was effective, unless the Secretary consents to such election.
(c) Special rules for applying subsection (b)
(1) Husband and wife treated as 1 shareholder
For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(A), a husband and wife (and their estates) shall be treated as 1 shareholder.
(2) Certain trusts permitted as shareholders
(A) In general
For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(B), the following trusts may be shareholders:
(i) A trust all of which is treated (under subpart E of part I of subchapter J of this chapter) as owned by an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States.
(ii) A trust which was described in clause (i) immediately before the death of the deemed owner and which continues in existence after such death, but only for the 2-year period beginning on the day of the deemed owner's death.
(iii) A trust with respect to stock transferred to it pursuant to the terms of a will, but only for the 2-year period beginning on the day on which such stock is transferred to it.
(iv) A trust created primarily to exercise the voting power of stock transferred to it.
(v) An electing small business trust.
This subparagraph shall not apply to any foreign trust.
(B) Treatment as shareholders
For purposes of subsection (b)(1)-
(i) In the case of a trust described in clause (i) of subparagraph (A), the deemed owner shall be treated as the shareholder.
(ii) In the case of a trust described in clause (ii) of subparagraph (A), the estate of the deemed owner shall be treated as the shareholder.
(iii) In the case of a trust described in clause (iii) of subparagraph (A), the estate of the testator shall be treated as the shareholder.
(iv) In the case of a trust described in clause (iv) of subparagraph (A), each beneficiary of the trust shall be treated as a shareholder.
(v) In the case of a trust described in clause (v) of subparagraph (A), each potential current beneficiary of such trust shall be treated as a shareholder; except that, if for any period there is no potential current beneficiary of such trust, such trust shall be treated as the shareholder during such period.
(3) Estate of individual in bankruptcy may be shareholder
For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(B), the term "estate" includes the estate of an individual in a case under title 11 of the United States Code.
(4) Differences in common stock voting rights disregarded
For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(D), a corporation shall not be treated as having more than 1 class of stock solely because there are differences in voting rights among the shares of common stock.
(5) Straight debt safe harbor
(A) In general
For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(D), straight debt shall not be treated as a second class of stock.
(B) Straight debt defined
For purposes of this paragraph, the term "straight debt" means any written unconditional promise to pay on demand or on a specified date a sum certain in money if-
(i) the interest rate (and interest payment dates) are not contingent on profits, the borrower's discretion, or similar factors,
(ii) there is no convertibility (directly or indirectly) into stock, and
(iii) the creditor is an individual (other than a nonresident alien), an estate, a trust described in paragraph (2), or a person which is actively and regularly engaged in the business of lending money.
(C) Regulations
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to provide for the proper treatment of straight debt under this subchapter and for the coordination of such treatment with other provisions of this title.
(6) Certain exempt organizations permitted as shareholders
For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(B), an organization which is-
(A) described in section 401(a) or 501(c)(3), and
(B) exempt from taxation under section 501(a),
may be a shareholder in an S corporation.
(d) Special rule for qualified subchapter S trust
(1) In general
In the case of a qualified subchapter S trust with respect to which a beneficiary makes an election under paragraph (2)-
(A) such trust shall be treated as a trust described in subsection (c)(2)(A)(i), and
(B) for purposes of section 678(a), the beneficiary of such trust shall be treated as the owner of that portion of the trust which consists of stock in an S corporation with respect to which the election under paragraph (2) is made.
(2) Election
(A) In general
A beneficiary of a qualified subchapter S trust (or his legal representative) may elect to have this subsection apply.
(B) Manner and time of election
(i) Separate election with respect to each corporation
An election under this paragraph shall be made separately with respect to each corporation the stock of which is held by the trust.
(ii) Elections with respect to successive income beneficiaries
If there is an election under this paragraph with respect to any beneficiary, an election under this paragraph shall be treated as made by each successive beneficiary unless such beneficiary affirmatively refuses to consent to such election.
(iii) Time, manner, and form of election
Any election, or refusal, under this paragraph shall be made in such manner and form, and at such time, as the Secretary may prescribe.
(C) Election irrevocable
An election under this paragraph, once made, may be revoked only with the consent of the Secretary.
(D) Grace period
An election under this paragraph shall be effective up to 15 days and 2 months before the date of the election.
(3) Qualified subchapter S trust
For purposes of this subsection, the term "qualified subchapter S trust" means a trust-
(A) the terms of which require that-
(i) during the life of the current income beneficiary, there shall be only 1 income beneficiary of the trust,
(ii) any corpus distributed during the life of the current income beneficiary may be distributed only to such beneficiary,
(iii) the income interest of the current income beneficiary in the trust shall terminate on the earlier of such beneficiary's death or the termination of the trust, and
(iv) upon the termination of the trust during the life of the current income beneficiary, the trust shall distribute all of its assets to such beneficiary, and
(B) all of the income (within the meaning of section 643(b)) of which is distributed (or required to be distributed) currently to 1 individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States.
A substantially separate and independent share of a trust within the meaning of section 663(c) shall be treated as a separate trust for purposes of this subsection and subsection (c).
(4) Trust ceasing to be qualified
(A) Failure to meet requirements of paragraph (3)(A)
If a qualified subchapter S trust ceases to meet any requirement of paragraph (3)(A), the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to such trust as of the date it ceases to meet such requirement.
(B) Failure to meet requirements of paragraph (3)(B)
If any qualified subchapter S trust ceases to meet any requirement of paragraph (3)(B) but continues to meet the requirements of paragraph (3)(A), the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to such trust as of the first day of the first taxable year beginning after the first taxable year for which it failed to meet the requirements of paragraph (3)(B).
(e) Electing small business trust defined
(1) Electing small business trust
For purposes of this section-
(A) In general
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term "electing small business trust" means any trust if-
(i) such trust does not have as a beneficiary any person other than (I) an individual, (II) an estate, or (III) an organization described in paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (5) of section 170(c),
(ii) no interest in such trust was acquired by purchase, and
(iii) an election under this subsection applies to such trust.
(B) Certain trusts not eligible
The term "electing small business trust" shall not include-
(i) any qualified subchapter S trust (as defined in subsection (d)(3)) if an election under subsection (d)(2) applies to any corporation the stock of which is held by such trust,
(ii) any trust exempt from tax under this subtitle, and
(iii) any charitable remainder annuity trust or charitable remainder unitrust (as defined in section 664(d)).
(C) Purchase
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term "purchase" means any acquisition if the basis of the property acquired is determined under section 1012.
(2) Potential current beneficiary
For purposes of this section, the term "potential current beneficiary" means, with respect to any period, any person who at any time during such period is entitled to, or at the discretion of any person may receive, a distribution from the principal or income of the trust. If a trust disposes of all of the stock which it holds in an S corporation, then, with respect to such corporation, the term "potential current beneficiary" does not include any person who first met the requirements of the preceding sentence during the 60-day period ending on the date of such disposition.
(3) Election
An election under this subsection shall be made by the trustee. Any such election shall apply to the taxable year of the trust for which made and all subsequent taxable years of such trust unless revoked with the consent of the Secretary.
(4) Cross reference
For special treatment of electing small business trusts, see section 641(c).
(Added
Prior Provisions
A prior section 1361, act Aug. 16, 1954, as amended, constituted subchapter R, prior to repeal by
Amendments
1998-Subsec. (e)(4).
1997-Subsec. (b)(1)(B).
Subsec. (b)(3)(A).
Subsec. (c)(6), (7).
Subsec. (e)(1)(B)(iii).
1996-Subsec. (b)(1)(A).
Subsec. (b)(1)(B).
Subsec. (b)(2)(A).
Subsec. (b)(2)(B).
Subsec. (b)(2)(C) to (E).
Subsec. (b)(3).
Subsec. (c)(2)(A)(ii).
Subsec. (c)(2)(A)(iii).
Subsec. (c)(2)(A)(v).
Subsec. (c)(2)(B)(v).
Subsec. (c)(5)(B)(iii).
Subsec. (c)(6).
"(6)
"(A) has not begun business at any time on or before the close of such period, and
"(B) does not have gross income for such period."
Subsec. (c)(7).
Subsec. (e).
Subsec. (e)(1)(A)(i).
1989-Subsec. (b)(2)(B).
1988-Subsec. (d)(3).
1986-Subsec. (b)(2)(B).
Subsec. (d)(3).
1984-Subsec. (c)(6).
Subsec. (d)(2)(B)(i).
Subsec. (d)(2)(D).
Subsec. (d)(3).
Subsec. (d)(4).
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by sections 1301–1302(c), 1303, 1304, 1308(a), (b), (d)(1), and 1315 of
Amendment by sections 1316(a), (e) of
Amendment by section 1616(b)(15) of
Effective Date of 1989 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Amendment by section 901(d)(4)(G) of
Section 1879(m)(2) of
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Section 721(y) of
"(1)
"(2)
"(3)
"(A) any portion of a qualified stock purchase is pursuant to a binding contract entered into on or after October 19, 1982, and before the date of the enactment of this Act [July 18, 1984], and
"(B) the purchasing corporation establishes by clear and convincing evidence that such contract was negotiated on the contemplation that, with respect to the deemed sale under section 338 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, paragraph (2) of section 1362(e) of such Code would apply,
then the amendment made by paragraph (1) of subsection (g) [amending section 1362 of this title] shall not apply to such qualified stock purchase.
"(4)
"(5)
"(A) on or before the date of the enactment of this Act [July 18, 1984] 50 percent or more of the stock of an S corporation has been sold or exchanged in 1 or more transactions, and
"(B) the person (or persons) acquiring such stock establish by clear and convincing evidence that such acquisitions were negotiated on the contemplation that paragraph (2) of section 1362(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 would apply to the S termination year in which such sales or exchanges occur,
then the amendment made by subsection (t) [amending section 1362 of this title] shall not apply to such S termination year."
Effective Date
Section 6 of
"(a)
"(b)
"(1)
"(2)
"(3)
"(A) sections 1362(d)(3), 1366(f)(3), and 1375 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as amended by this Act [
"(B) section 1372(e)(5) of such Code (as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 19, 1982]) shall not apply.
The preceding sentence shall not apply in the case of any corporation which elects (at such time and in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate shall prescribe) to have such sentence not apply. Subsection (e) shall not apply to any termination resulting from an election under the preceding sentence.
"(c)
"(1)
"(2)
"(A)
"(i) the amendments made by this Act shall not apply, and
"(ii) subchapter S (as in effect on July 1, 1982) of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [former sections 1371 to 1379 of this title] and part III of subchapter L of chapter 1 of such Code [section 831 et seq. of this title] shall apply.
"(B)
"(i) as of July 12, 1982, such corporation was an electing small business corporation and was described in section 831(a) of such Code,
"(ii) such corporation was formed before April 1, 1982, and proposed (through a written private offering first circulated to investors before such date) to elect to be taxed as a subchapter S corporation and to be operated on an established insurance exchange, or
"(iii) such corporation is approved for membership on an established insurance exchange pursuant to a written agreement entered into before December 31, 1982, and such corporation is described in section 831(a) of such Code as of December 31, 1984.
A corporation shall not be treated as a qualified casualty insurance electing small business corporation unless an election under subchapter S of chapter 1 of such Code is in effect for its first taxable year beginning after December 31, 1984.
"(3)
"(A)
"(i) the amendments made by this Act shall not apply, and
"(ii) subchapter S (as in effect on July 1, 1982) of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [former sections 1371 to 1379 of this title] shall apply.
"(B)
"(i) as of September 28, 1982, such corporation-
"(I) was an electing small business corporation, or
"(II) was a small business corporation which made an election under section 1372(a) after December 31, 1981, and before September 28, 1982,
"(ii) for calendar year 1982, the combined average daily production of domestic crude oil or natural gas of such corporation and any one of its substantial shareholders exceeds 1,000 barrels, and
"(iii) such corporation makes an election under this subparagraph at such time and in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate shall prescribe.
"(C)
"(D)
"(4)
"(A)
"(i) any termination of the election of the corporation under subchapter S of chapter 1 of such Code, or
"(ii) the first day on which more than 50 percent of the stock of the corporation is newly owned stock within the meaning of section 1378(c)(2) of such Code (as amended by this Act [
"(B)
"(i) Paragraph (2) shall also cease to apply with respect to any corporation after the corporation ceases to be described in section 831(a) of such Code.
"(ii) For purposes of determining under subparagraph (A)(ii) whether paragraph (2) ceases to apply to any corporation, section 1378(c)(2) of such Code (as amended by this Act [
"(d)
"(1)
"(2)
"(A) the first day of the first taxable year beginning after December 31, 1982, with respect to which the corporation does not meet the requirements of section 1372(e)(5) of such Code (as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 19, 1982]),
"(B) any termination after December 31, 1982, of the election of the corporation under subchapter S of chapter 1 of such Code, or
"(C) the first day on which more than 50 percent of the stock of the corporation is newly owned stock within the meaning of section 1378(c)(2) of such Code (as amended by this Act [
"(3)
"(e)
"(f)
Elimination of Certain Earnings and Profits
Section 1311(a) of
"(1) a corporation was an electing small business corporation under subchapter S of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 for any taxable year beginning before January 1, 1983, and
"(2) such corporation is an S corporation under subchapter S of chapter 1 of such Code for its first taxable year beginning after December 31, 1996,
the amount of such corporation's accumulated earnings and profits (as of the beginning of such first taxable year) shall be reduced by an amount equal to the portion (if any) of such accumulated earnings and profits which were accumulated in any taxable year beginning before January 1, 1983, for which such corporation was an electing small business corporation under such subchapter S."
Plan Amendments Not Required Until January 1, 1989
For provisions directing that if any amendments made by subtitle A or subtitle C of title XI [§§1101–1147 and 1171–1177] or title XVIII [§§1800–1899A] of
Transitional Provisions
"(i) after September 30, 1982, and on or before the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 12, 1983], stock or securities were transferred to a small business corporation (as defined in section 1361(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [formerly I.R.C. 1954] as amended by the Subchapter S Revision Act of 1982 [
"(ii) such corporation is liquidated under section 333 of such Code before March 1, 1983,
then such stock or securities shall not be taken into account under section 333(e)(2) of such Code."
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 280G, 512, 641, 678, 856, 1362 of this title; title 29 section 1108.