Sec. 1.267A-2 Hybrid and branch arrangements.

(1) In general. If a specified payment is made pursuant to a hybrid transaction, then, subject to §1.267A-3(b) (amounts included or includible in income), the payment is a disqualified hybrid amount to the extent that--

(2) Definition of hybrid transaction--

(3) Payments pursuant to securities lending transactions, sale-repurchase transactions, or similar transactions. This paragraph (a)(3) applies if a specified payment is made pursuant to a repo transaction and is not regarded under a foreign tax law, but another amount connected to the payment (the connected amount) is regarded under such foreign tax law. For purposes of this paragraph (a)(3), a repo transaction means a transaction one or more payments with respect to which are treated as interest (as defined in §1.267A-5(a)(12)) or a structured payment (as defined in §1.267A-5(b)(5)(ii)) for U.S. tax purposes and that is a securities lending transaction or sale repurchase transaction (including as described in §1.861-2(a)(7)), or other similar transaction or series of related transactions in which legal title to property is transferred and the property (or similar property, such as securities of the same class and issue) is reacquired or expected to be reacquired. For example, this paragraph (a)(3) applies if a specified payment arising from characterizing a repo transaction of stock in accordance with its substance (that is, characterizing the specified payment as interest) is not regarded as such under a foreign tax law but an amount consistent with the form of the transaction (such as a dividend) is regarded under such foreign tax law. When this paragraph (a)(3) applies, the determination of the identity of a specified recipient of the specified payment under the foreign tax law is made with respect to the connected amount. In addition, if the specified recipient includes the connected amount in income (as determined under §1.267A-3(a), by treating the connected amount as the specified payment), then the amount of the specified recipient’s no-inclusion with respect to the specified payment is correspondingly reduced. Further, the principles of this paragraph (a)(3) apply to cases similar to repo transactions in which a foreign tax law does not characterize the transaction in accordance with its substance. See §1.267A-6(c)(2) for an example illustrating the application of this paragraph (a)(3).

(4) Payments pursuant to interest-free loans and similar arrangements. In the case of a specified payment that is interest for U.S. tax purposes, the following special rules apply:

(1) In general. Subject to §1.267A-3(b) (amounts included or includible in income), the excess (if any) of the sum of a specified party’s disregarded payments for a taxable year over its dual inclusion income for the taxable year is a disqualified hybrid amount. See §1.267A-6(c)(3) and (4) for examples illustrating the application of paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) Definition of disregarded payment--

(3) Definition of dual inclusion income--

(4) Payments made indirectly to a tax resident or taxable branch. A specified payment made to an entity an interest of which is directly or indirectly (determined under the rules of section 958(a) without regard to whether an intermediate entity is foreign or domestic, or under substantially similar rules under a tax resident’s or taxable branch’s tax law) owned by a tax resident or taxable branch is considered made to the tax resident or taxable branch to the extent that, under the tax law of the tax resident or taxable branch, the entity to which the payment is made is fiscally transparent (and all intermediate entities, if any, are also fiscally transparent).

(1) In general. If a specified payment is a deemed branch payment, then the payment is a disqualified hybrid amount if the tax law of the home office provides an exclusion or exemption for income attributable to the branch. See §1.267A-6(c)(4) for an example illustrating the application of this paragraph (c).

(2) Definition of deemed branch payment. The term deemed branch payment means, with respect to a U.S. taxable branch that is a U.S. permanent establishment of a treaty resident eligible for benefits under an income tax treaty between the United States and the treaty country, any amount of interest or royalties allowable as a deduction in computing the business profits of the U.S. permanent establishment, to the extent the amount is deemed paid to the home office (or other branch of the home office), is not regarded (or otherwise taken into account) under the home office’s tax law (or the other branch’s tax law), and, were the payment to be regarded (and treated as interest or a royalty, as applicable) under the home office’s tax law (or other branch’s tax law), the home office (or other branch) would include the payment in income, as determined under §1.267A-3(a). An amount may be otherwise taken into account for purposes of this paragraph (c)(2) if, for example, under the home office’s tax law a corresponding amount of interest or royalties is allocated and attributable to the U.S. permanent establishment and is therefore not deductible.

(1) In general. If a specified payment is made to a reverse hybrid, then, subject to §1.267A-3(b) (amounts included or includible in income), the payment is a disqualified hybrid amount to the extent that--

(2) Definition of reverse hybrid. The term reverse hybrid means an entity (regardless of whether domestic or foreign) that is fiscally transparent under the tax law of the country in which it is created, organized, or otherwise established but not fiscally transparent under the tax law of an investor of the entity.

(3) Payments made indirectly to a reverse hybrid. A specified payment made to an entity an interest of which is directly or indirectly (determined under the rules of section 958(a) without regard to whether an intermediate entity is foreign or domestic, or under substantially similar rules under a tax resident’s or taxable branch’s tax law) owned by a reverse hybrid is considered made to the reverse hybrid to the extent that, under the tax law of an investor of the reverse hybrid, the entity to which the payment is made is fiscally transparent (and all intermediate entities, if any, are also fiscally transparent).

(4) Exception for inclusion by taxable branch in establishment country. Paragraph (d)(1) of this section does not apply to a specified payment made to a reverse hybrid to the extent that a taxable branch located in the country in which the reverse hybrid is created, organized, or otherwise established (and the activities of which are carried on by one or more investors of the reverse hybrid) includes the payment in income, as determined under §1.267A-3(a).

(1) In general. If a specified payment is a branch mismatch payment, then, subject to §1.267A-3(b) (amounts included or includible in income), the payment is a disqualified hybrid amount to the extent that--

(2) Definition of branch mismatch payment. The term branch mismatch payment means a specified payment for which the following requirements are satisfied: