Title 26, Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-110
§1375 Tax Imposed When Passive Investment Income of Corporation Having Accumulated Earnings and Profits Exceeds 25 Percent of Gross Receipts
Title 26 › Subtitle A — Income Taxes › CHAPTER 1 — NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES › Subchapter S — Tax Treatment of S Corporations and Their Shareholders › PART III — SPECIAL RULES › § 1375
Summary
An S corporation must pay a special tax when it has accumulated earnings and profits at year end and more than 25% of its gross receipts come from passive investment income. The tax equals the corporation’s “excess net passive income” multiplied by the highest corporate tax rate in section 11(b). “Excess net passive income” is the part of the corporation’s net passive income that matches how much passive investment income is over 25% of gross receipts. It cannot be larger than the corporation’s taxable income as figured under section 63(a) when you ignore deductions in part VIII of subchapter B (except section 248) and ignore the deduction under section 172. “Net passive income” means passive investment income minus the deductions directly tied to making that income (again, not counting section 172 or part VIII deductions). Passive investment income and gross receipts have the meanings in section 1362(d)(3), and recognized built-in gains or losses are excluded under the rules of section 1374. No tax credits from part IV (except section 34) can reduce this tax. The Secretary may waive the tax if the S corporation reasonably thought it had no accumulated earnings and profits and then quickly distributed them after learning otherwise.
Full Legal Text
Title 26, §1375
Internal Revenue Code, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)General rule
If for the taxable year an S corporation has—
(1)accumulated earnings and profits at the close of such taxable year, and
(2)gross receipts more than 25 percent of which are passive investment income,
then there is hereby imposed a tax on the income of such corporation for such taxable year. Such tax shall be computed by multiplying the excess net passive income by the highest rate of tax specified in section 11(b).
(b)Definitions
For purposes of this section
(1) Excess net passive income
(2)Net passive income
The term “net passive income” means—
(A)passive investment income, reduced by
(B)the deductions allowable under this chapter which are directly connected with the production of such income (other than deductions allowable under section 172 and part VIII of subchapter B).
(3)Passive investment income, etc.
The terms “passive investment income” and “gross receipts” have the same respective meanings as when used in paragraph (3) of section 1362(d).
(4)Coordination with section 1374
Notwithstanding paragraph (3), the amount of passive investment income shall be determined by not taking into account any recognized built-in gain or loss of the S corporation for any taxable year in the recognition period. Terms used in the preceding sentence shall have the same respective meanings as when used in section 1374.
(c)Credits not allowable
No credit shall be allowed under part IV of subchapter A of this chapter (other than section 34) against the tax imposed by subsection (a).
(d)Waiver of tax in certain cases
If the S corporation establishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary that—
(1)it determined in good faith that it had no accumulated earnings and profits at the close of a taxable year, and
(2)during a reasonable period of time after it was determined that it did have accumulated earnings and profits at the close of such taxable year such earnings and profits were distributed,
the Secretary may waive the tax imposed by subsection (a) for such taxable year.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 1375, added Pub. L. 85–866, title I, § 64(a), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1654; amended Pub. L. 88–272, title II, §§ 201(d)(13), 233(b), Feb. 26, 1964, 78 Stat. 32, 112; Pub. L. 89–389, §§ 1(a), (b), 2(b)(4), Apr. 14, 1966, 80 Stat. 111, 114; Pub. L. 91–172, title III, § 301(b)(11), Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 586; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, §§ 1901(a)(151), (b)(33)(Q), 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1788, 1802, 1834; Pub. L. 95–600, title VII, § 703(j)(6), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2941, related to special rules applicable to distributions of electing small business corporations, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by section 2 of Pub. L. 97–354. A prior section 1376, added Pub. L. 85–866, title I, § 64(a), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1655, related to adjustment to basis of stock of, and indebtedness owing, shareholders, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by section 2 of Pub. L. 97–354.
Amendments
2005—Subsec. (d)(1), (2). Pub. L. 109–135 substituted “accumulated” for “subchapter C”. 1996—Pub. L. 104–188, § 1311(b)(2)(C), substituted “accumulated” for “subchapter C” in section catchline. Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 104–188, § 1311(b)(2)(A), substituted “accumulated” for “subchapter C”. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 104–188, § 1311(b)(2)(B), amended par. (3) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (3) read as follows: “(3) Passive investment income; etc.—The terms ‘subchapter C earnings and profits’, ‘passive investment income’, and ‘gross receipts’ shall have the same respective meanings as when used in paragraph (3) of section 1362(d).” 1988—Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1006(f)(5)(B), amended subpar. (B) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (B) read as follows: “The amount of the excess net passive income for any taxable year shall not exceed the corporation’s taxable income for the taxable year (determined in accordance with section 1374(d)(4)).” Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1006(f)(5)(C), added par. (4). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1006(f)(5)(D), amended subsec. (c) generally, in heading substituting “Credits not allowable” for “Special rules”, and in text substituting “No credit” for “(1) Disallowance of credit.—No credit”, and striking out par. (2) which related to coordination with section 1374. 1986—Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “section 1374(d)(4)” for “section 1374(d)”. 1984—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 98–369, § 474(r)(28), substituted “section 34” for “section 39”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98–369, § 721(v), added subsec. (d).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1996 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 104–188 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1996, see section 1317(a) of Pub. L. 104–188, set out as a note under section 641 of this title.
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 1986 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 99–514 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1986, but only in cases where the return for the taxable year is filed pursuant to an S election made after Dec. 31, 1986, with exceptions and special and transitional rules, see section 633 of Pub. L. 99–514, as amended, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 336 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by section 474(r)(28) of Pub. L. 98–369 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1983, and to carrybacks from such years, see section 475(a) of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as a note under section 21 of this title. Amendment by section 721(v) of Pub. L. 98–369 effective as if included in the Subchapter S Revision Act of 1982, Pub. L. 97–354, see section 721(y)(1) of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as a note under section 1361 of this title.
Effective Date
This section applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1982, except that in the case of a taxable year beginning during 1982, this section and section 1362(d)(3) and 1366(f)(3) of this title shall apply, and section 1372(e)(5) of this title as in effect on the day before Oct. 19, 1982, shall not apply, see section 6(a), (b)(3) of Pub. L. 97–354, set out as a note under section 1361 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
26 U.S.C. § 1375
Title 26, Internal Revenue Code
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110