Title 26 — Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-73
§641 Imposition of Tax
Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle A— Income Taxes › Chapter 1— NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES › Subchapter J— Estates, Trusts, Beneficiaries, and Decedents › Part I— ESTATES, TRUSTS, AND BENEFICIARIES › Subpart A— General Rules for Taxation of Estates and Trusts › § 641
Summary
Income earned by an estate, or by property held in trust, is subject to income tax under section 1(e). This covers income accumulated for future or unborn beneficiaries, income to be paid out currently, income an estate receives while being settled, and income the trustee may either pay out or hold. Taxable income is figured the same way as for an individual, with some special rules, and the fiduciary pays the tax. A foreign trust or estate is treated as a nonresident alien who is never present in the United States. If a trust is an electing small business trust, the part holding S corporation stock is treated as a separate trust taxed at the highest rate in section 1(e), with no exemption amount and only certain S corporation items counted.
Full Legal Text
Title 26, §641
Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The tax imposed by section 1(e) shall apply to the taxable income of estates or of any kind of property held in trust, including—
(1)income accumulated in trust for the benefit of unborn or unascertained persons or persons with contingent interests, and income accumulated or held for future distribution under the terms of the will or trust;
(2)income which is to be distributed currently by the fiduciary to the beneficiaries, and income collected by a guardian of an infant which is to be held or distributed as the court may direct;
(3)income received by estates of deceased persons during the period of administration or settlement of the estate; and
(4)income which, in the discretion of the fiduciary, may be either distributed to the beneficiaries or accumulated.
(b)The taxable income of an estate or trust shall be computed in the same manner as in the case of an individual, except as otherwise provided in this part. The tax shall be computed on such taxable income and shall be paid by the fiduciary. For purposes of this subsection, a foreign trust or foreign estate shall be treated as a nonresident alien individual who is not present in the United States at any time.
(c)(1)For purposes of this chapter—
(A)the portion of any electing small business trust which consists of stock in 1 or more S corporations shall be treated as a separate trust, and
(B)the amount of the tax imposed by this chapter on such separate trust shall be determined with the modifications of paragraph (2).
(2)For purposes of paragraph (1), the modifications of this paragraph are the following:
(B)The exemption amount under section 55(d) shall be zero.
(C)The only items of income, loss, deduction, or credit to be taken into account are the following:
(i)The items required to be taken into account under section 1366.
(ii)Any gain or loss from the disposition of stock in an S corporation.
(iii)To the extent provided in regulations, State or local income taxes or administrative expenses to the extent allocable to items described in clauses (i) and (ii).
(iv)Any interest expense paid or accrued on indebtedness incurred to acquire stock in an S corporation.
(D)No amount shall be allowed under paragraph (1) or (2) of section 1211(b).
(ii)For purposes of section 170(b)(1)(G), adjusted gross income shall be computed in the same manner as in the case of an individual, except that the deductions for costs which are paid or incurred in connection with the administration of the trust and which would not have been incurred if the property were not held in such trust shall be treated as allowable in arriving at adjusted gross income.
(3)For purposes of determining—
(A)the amount of the tax imposed by this chapter on the portion of any electing small business trust not treated as a separate trust under paragraph (1), and
(B)the distributable net income of the entire trust,
(4)If a portion of an electing small business trust ceases to be treated as a separate trust under paragraph (1), any carryover or excess deduction of the separate trust which is referred to in section 642(h) shall be taken into account by the entire trust.
(5)For purposes of this subsection, the term “electing small business trust” has the meaning given such term by section 1361(e)(1).
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2017—Subsec. (c)(2)(E). Pub. L. 115–97 added subpar. (E). 2007—Subsec. (c)(2)(C)(iv). Pub. L. 110–28 added cl. (iv). 1998—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 105–206 redesignated subsec. (d) as (c) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (c). Text read as follows: “(1) General rule.—For purposes of this part, the taxable income of a trust does not include the amount of any includible gain as defined in section 644(b) reduced by any deductions properly allocable thereto. “(2) Cross reference.— “For the taxation of any includible gain, see section 644.” 1997—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–34 inserted at end “For purposes of this subsection, a foreign trust or foreign estate shall be treated as a nonresident alien individual who is not present in the United States at any time.” 1996—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–188 added subsec. (d). 1977—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–30 substituted “section 1(e)” for “section 1(d)” in introductory provisions. 1976—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–455 added subsec. (c). 1969—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91–172 substituted “The tax imposed by section 1(d)” for “The taxes imposed by this chapter on individuals”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2017 Amendment Pub. L. 115–97, title I, § 13542(b), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2154, provided that: “The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.”
Effective Date
of 2007 Amendment Pub. L. 110–28, title VIII, § 8236(b),
May 25, 2007, 121 Stat. 199, provided that: “The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply to taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2006.”
Effective Date
of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–206 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provisions of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, Pub. L. 105–34, to which such amendment relates, see section 6024 of Pub. L. 105–206, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1997 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–34 effective as if included in the provisions of the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104–188, to which it relates, see section 1601(j) of Pub. L. 105–34, set out as a note under section 23 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1996 Amendment Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1317(a), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1787, provided that: “Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle [subtitle C (§§ 1301–1317) of title I of Pub. L. 104–188], the
Amendments
made by this subtitle [amending this section and section 170, 404, 512, 1042, 1237, 1361, 1362, 1366 to 1368, 1371, 1375, 1377, 1504, 6037, and 6233 of this title and repealing sections 6241 to 6245 of this title] shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1996.”
Effective Date
of 1977 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 95–30 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1976, see section 106(a) of Pub. L. 95–30, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1976 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 94–455 applicable to transfers in trust made after May 21, 1976, see section 701(h) of Pub. L. 94–455, set out as a note under section 667 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1969 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 91–172 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1970, see section 803(f) of Pub. L. 91–172, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
26 U.S.C. § 641
Title 26 — Internal Revenue Code
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73