Title 26 — Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-73
§442 Change of annual accounting period
Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - Income Taxes › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES › Subchapter Subchapter E— - Accounting Periods and Methods of Accounting › Part PART I— - ACCOUNTING PERIODS › § 442
Summary
A new tax year only becomes your taxable year if the Secretary approves it; 441(g) taxpayers who choose a non‑calendar year are treated as having changed their accounting period.
Full Legal Text
Title 26, §442
Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
If a taxpayer changes his annual accounting period, the new accounting period shall become the taxpayer’s taxable year only if the change is approved by the Secretary. For purposes of this subtitle, if a taxpayer to whom section 441(g) applies adopts an annual accounting period (as defined in section 441(c)) other than a calendar year, the taxpayer shall be treated as having changed his annual accounting period.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1976—Pub. L. 94–455 struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
26 U.S.C. § 442
Title 26 — Internal Revenue Code
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73