Title 26Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-73

§6046 Returns as to organization or reorganization of foreign corporations and as to acquisitions of their stock

Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle F— - Procedure and Administration › Chapter CHAPTER 61— - INFORMATION AND RETURNS › Subchapter Subchapter A— - Returns and Records › Part PART III— - INFORMATION RETURNS › Subpart Subpart B— - Information Concerning Transactions With Other Persons › § 6046

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

You must file a special IRS report when you become an officer or director of a foreign company and a U.S. person meets the 10% ownership rule, when you buy stock that makes you reach 10% ownership (either added to what you already own or by itself), when you are treated as a U.S. shareholder under other tax rules, or when you become a U.S. person while already owning 10% of a foreign company. "10% ownership" means 10 percent or more of the company’s voting power or 10 percent or more of the company’s total stock value. The report must use IRS forms and give the information the IRS requires about the foreign company. If you only file because you became an officer or director, you only need to give the names and addresses of the people who meet the 10% rule or are treated as U.S. shareholders. Stock you own directly or indirectly counts, and for individuals that includes family ownership by brothers and sisters (including half brothers or sisters), spouse, ancestors (for example, parents and grandparents), and lineal descendants (for example, children and grandchildren). File the report within 90 days after you become required to file, unless the IRS allows more time. The IRS can’t make you provide information unless its rules have been in effect at least 90 days before your filing date. Penalties may apply under other tax rules.

Full Legal Text

Title 26, §6046

Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)A return complying with the requirements of subsection (b) shall be made by—
(A)each United States citizen or resident who becomes an officer or director of a foreign corporation if a United States person (as defined in section 7701(a)(30)) meets the stock ownership requirements of paragraph (2) with respect to such corporation,
(B)each United States person—
(i)who acquires stock which, when added to any stock owned on the date of such acquisition, meets the stock ownership requirements of paragraph (2) with respect to a foreign corporation, or
(ii)who acquires stock which, without regard to stock owned on the date of such acquisition, meets the stock ownership requirements of paragraph (2) with respect to a foreign corporation,
(C)each person (not described in subparagraph (B)) who is treated as a United States shareholder under section 953(c) with respect to a foreign corporation, and
(D)each person who becomes a United States person while meeting the stock ownership requirements of paragraph (2) with respect to stock of a foreign corporation.
(2)A person meets the stock ownership requirements of this paragraph with respect to any corporation if such person owns 10 percent or more of—
(A)the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of such corporation entitled to vote, or
(B)the total value of the stock of such corporation.
(b)The returns required by subsection (a) shall be in such form and shall set forth, in respect of the foreign corporation, such information as the Secretary prescribes by forms or regulations as necessary for carrying out the provisions of the income tax laws, except that in the case of persons described only in subsection (a)(1)(A) the information required shall be limited to the names and addresses of persons described in subparagraph (B) or (C) of subsection (a)(1).
(c)For purposes of subsection (a), stock owned directly or indirectly by a person (including, in the case of an individual, stock owned by members of his family) shall be taken into account. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the family of an individual shall be considered as including only his brothers and sisters (whether by the whole or half blood), spouse, ancestors, and lineal descendants.
(d)Any return required by subsection (a) shall be filed on or before the 90th day after the day on which, under any provision of subsection (a), the United States citizen, resident, or person becomes liable to file such return (or on or before such later day as the Secretary may by forms or regulations prescribe).
(e)No information shall be required to be furnished under this section with respect to any foreign corporation unless such information was required to be furnished under regulations which have been in effect for at least 90 days before the date on which the United States citizen, resident, or person becomes liable to file a return required under subsection (a).
(f)For provisions relating to penalties for violations of this section, section 6679 and 7203.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2007—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–172 substituted “subsection (a)(1)(A)” for “subsection (a)(1)” and “subparagraph (B) or (C) of subsection (a)(1)” for “paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a)”. 1997—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–34 reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “A return complying with the requirements of subsection (b) shall be made by— “(1) each United States citizen or resident who is on
January 1, 1963, an officer or director of a foreign corporation, 5 percent or more in value of the stock of which is owned by a United States person (as defined in section 7701(a)(30)), or who becomes such an officer or director at any time after such date, “(2) each United States person who on
January 1, 1963, owns 5 percent or more in value of the stock of a foreign corporation, or who, at any time after such date— “(A) acquires stock which, when added to any stock owned on
January 1, 1963, has a value equal to 5 percent or more of the value of the stock of a foreign corporation, or “(B) acquires an additional 5 percent or more in value of the stock of a foreign corporation, “(3) each person (not described in paragraph (2)) who, at any time after
January 1, 1987, is treated as a United States shareholder under section 953(c) with respect to a foreign corporation, and “(4) each person who at any time after
January 1, 1963, becomes a United States person while owning 5 percent or more in value of the stock of a foreign corporation. In the case of a foreign corporation with respect to which any person is treated as a United States shareholder under section 953(c), paragraph (1) shall be treated as including a reference to each United States person who is an officer or director of such corporation.” 1988—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(19)(C), inserted sentence at end relating to foreign corporation with respect to which any person is treated as a United States shareholder under section 953(c). Subsec. (a)(3), (4). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(19)(A), added par. (3) and redesignated former par. (3) as (4). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(19)(B), substituted “paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a)” for “subsection (a)(2)”. 1982—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–248 inserted “(or on or before such later day as the Secretary may by forms or

Regulations

prescribe)”. 1976—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(a)(4), struck out provisions relating to the requirement for information to be furnished in the case of liability to file a return under subsec. (a) of this section arising on or after Jan. 1, 1963, and before June 1, 1963, under

Regulations

in effect on or before June 1, 1963. 1962—Pub. L. 87–834 substituted “organization or reorganization of foreign corporations and as to acquisitions of their stock” for “creation or organization, or reorganization, of foreign corporations” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 87–834 amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “(a) General Rule.—On or before the 90th day after the creation or organization, or reorganization, of any foreign corporation— “(1) Each United States citizen or resident who was an officer or director of the corporation at any time within 60 days after the creation or organization, or reorganization thereof, and “(2) Each United States shareholder of the corporation by or for whom, at any time within 60 days after the creation or organization or reorganization of the corporation, 5 percent or more in value of the stock of the corporation outstanding was owned directly or indirectly (including, in the case of an individual, stock owned by members of his family), shall make a return in compliance with the provisions of subsection (b).” Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 87–834 inserted the exception providing that in the case of persons described only in subsec. (a)(1) the information required shall be limited to the names and addresses of persons described in subsec. (a)(2). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 87–834 substituted provisions requiring, for purposes of subsec. (a), stock owned directly or indirectly by a person (including, in the case of an individual, stock owned by members of his family) to be taken into account for provisions which defined “United States shareholder”. Subsecs. (d) to (f). Pub. L. 87–834 added subsecs. (d) and (e) and redesignated former subsec. (d) as (f) and inserted a reference to section 6679 of this title. 1960—Pub. L. 86–780 substituted “Returns as to creation or organization, or reorganization, of foreign corporations” for “Returns as to formation or reorganization of foreign corporations” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 86–780 substituted requirement that returns relating to the creation, organization, or reorganization of foreign corporations be made by every citizen or resident of the United States who was an officer or director of the corporation at any time within 60 days after its creation, organization, or reorganization, and by every United States shareholder of the corporation owning at least 5 percent of its outstanding stock at any time within such 60 days for requirement that every attorney, accountant, fiduciary, bank, trust company, financial institution, or other person, who advises as to the formation or reorganization of a foreign corporation, file a return in accordance with

Regulations

prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 86–780 reenacted the substance of subsec. (b), struck out “to the full extent of the information within the possession or knowledge or under the control of the person required to make the return” before “such information”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 86–780 inserted the provisions defining United States shareholder and members of family and struck out provision relating to the making of a return by an attorney-at-law with respect to privileged communications.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1997 Amendment Pub. L. 105–34, title XI, § 1146(b), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 986, provided that: “The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on January 1, 1998.”

Effective Date

of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–647 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provision of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, Pub. L. 99–514, to which such amendment relates, see section 1019(a) of Pub. L. 100–647, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1982 Amendment Pub. L. 97–248, title III, § 341(c), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 635, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [amending this section and section 6048 of this title] shall apply to returns filed after the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 3, 1982].”

Effective Date

of 1962 Amendment Pub. L. 87–834, § 20(e)(2), Oct. 16, 1962, 76 Stat. 1063, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by subsection (b) [amending this section] shall take effect on January 1, 1963.”

Effective Date

of 1960 Amendment Pub. L. 86–780, § 8, Sept. 14, 1960, 74 Stat. 1016, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by section 7 [amending this section] shall apply only with respect to foreign corporations created or organized, or reorganized, after the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 14, 1960].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

26 U.S.C. § 6046

Title 26Internal Revenue Code

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73