Deductions from gross investment income
Deductions from gross investment income -
(1) Wholly tax-exempt interest. Interest which in the case of other taxpayers is excluded from gross income by section 103 but included in the gross investment income by section 822(b) is allowed as a deduction from gross investment income by section 822(c)(1).
(2) Investment expenses.
(i) The deduction for investment expenses under section 822(c)(2) includes only those expenses of the taxable year which are fairly chargeable against gross investment income. For example, investment expenses include salaries and expenses paid exclusively for work in looking after investments, and amounts expended for printing, stationery, postage, and stenographic work incident to the collection of interest. An itemized schedule of such expenses shall be attached to the return.
(ii) Any assignment of general expenses to the investment department of a mutual insurance company subject to the tax imposed by section 821 (a) or (c) subjects the entire deduction for investment expenses to the limitation provided in section 822(c)(2) and subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph. As used in section 822(c)(2), the term “general expenses” means any expense paid or incurred for the benefit of more than one department of the company rather than for the benefit of a particular department thereof. For example, if an expense, such as a salary, is attributable to more than one department, including the investment department, such expense may be properly allocated among these departments. If such expense is allocated, the amount properly allocable to the investment department shall be deductible as general expenses assigned to or included in investment expenses and as such shall be subject to the limitation of section 822(c)(2) and subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph. However, a company subject to the tax imposed by section 821 (a) or (c) shall not deduct under section 822(c)(2) its real estate taxes, depreciation, or other expenses with respect to any portion of the real estate which it owns, irrespective of whether such items are properly allocable to its investment department. For the rules relating to the deductibility of these items, see section 822(c) (3) and (4) and subparagraphs (3) and (4) of this paragraph. If general expenses are in part assigned to or included in investment expenses, the maximum allowance (as determined under section 822(c)(2)) shall not be granted unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the district director that such allowance is justified by a reasonable assignment of actual expenses. The accounting procedure employed is not conclusive as to whether any assignment has in fact been made. Investment expenses do not include Federal income and excess profits taxes, if any.
(iii) If any general expenses are in part assigned to or included in investment expenses, the total deduction under section 822(c)(2) shall not exceed the sum of:
(a) One-fourth of 1 percent of the mean of the book value of the invested assets held at the beginning and end of the taxable year, plus
(b) One-fourth of the amount by which taxable investment income (computed without any deduction for investment expenses, tax-free interest, partially tax-exempt interest, or dividends received) exceeds 33/4 percent of the book value of the mean of the invested assets held at the beginning and end of the taxable year.
(3) Real estate expenses and taxes. The deduction for real estate expenses and taxes under section 822(c)(3) includes taxes (as defined in section 164) and other expenses for the taxable year exclusively on or with respect to real estate owned by the company. For example, no deduction shall be allowed under section 822(c)(3) for amounts allowed as a deduction under section 164(e) (relating to taxes of shareholders paid by a corporation). No deduction shall be allowed under section 822(c)(3) for any amount paid out for new buildings, or for permanent improvements or betterments made to increase the value of any property. An itemized schedule of such taxes and expenses shall be attached to the return. See § 1.822-9 for limitation of such deduction.
(4) Depreciation. The deduction allowed by section 822(c)(4) for depreciation is, except as provided in section 822(d)(1) and § 1.822-9, identical to that allowed other corporations by section 167. Such amount allowed as a deduction from gross investment income in determining taxable investment income is limited to depreciation sustained on the property used, and to the extent used, for the purpose of producing the income specified in section 822(b).
(5) Interest paid or accrued. The deduction allowed by section 822(c)(5) for interest on indebtedness is the same as that allowed other corporations by section 163. See § 1.163-1.
(6) Capital losses.
(i) The deduction for capital losses under section 822(c)(6) includes not only capital losses to the extent provided in subchapter P, chapter 1 of the Code but in addition thereto losses from capital assets sold or exchanged to provide funds to meet abnormal insurance losses and to provide for the payment of dividends and similar distributions to policyholders. Losses in the latter case may be deducted from ordinary income while the deduction for losses under subchapter P is limited to the gains. See section 1211.
(ii) Capital assets are considered as sold or exchanged to provide for the funds or payments specified in section 822(c)(6), to the extent that the gross receipts from the sale or exchange of such assets are not greater than the excess, if any, for the taxable year of the sum of dividends and similar distributions paid to policyholders, and losses and expenses paid over the sum of the items described in section 822(b) (other than paragraph (1)(D) thereof) and net premiums received. If, by reason of a particular sale or exchange of a capital asset, gross receipts are greater than such excess, the gross receipts and the resulting loss should be apportioned and the excess included in capital losses subject to the provisions of subchapter P. Capital losses actually used to reduce net income in any taxable year may not again be used in a succeeding taxable year as an offset against capital gains in that year and for that purpose a special rule is set forth for the application of section 1212.
(iii) The application of section 822(c)(6) may be illustrated by the following examples:
(7) Special deductions. Section 822(c)(7) allows a mutual insurance company the special deductions provided by part VIII (section 241 and following), except section 248, subchapter B, chapter 1 of the Code, relating to partially tax-exempt interest and to dividends received. In applying section 246(b) (relating to limitation on aggregate amount of deductions for dividends received) for purposes of this subparagraph, the reference in such section to “taxable income” shall be treated as a reference to “taxable investment income”.
(8) Trade or business deductions.
(i) Under section 822(c)(8), the deductions allowed by subtitle A of the Code (without regard to this part) which are attributable to any trade or business (other than an insurance business) carried on by the insurance company, or by a partnership of which the company is a partner are, subject to the limitations in subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph, allowable as deductions from gross investment income in computing taxable investment income. Such deductions are allowable, however, only to the extent that they relate to income which is included in the company's gross investment income by reason of section 822(b)(2). Thus, a deduction shall not be allowed under section 822(c)(8) with respect to any item described in section 822(b)(1). The allowable deductions may exceed the gross income from such business.
(ii) In computing the deductions under section 822(c)(8):
(a) Any item, to the extent attributable to the carrying on of the insurance business, shall not be taken into account. For example, if the company operates a radio station primarily to advertise its own insurance services, a portion of the expenses of the radio station shall not be allowed as a deduction. The portion disallowed shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to the total expenses of the station as the value of advertising furnished to the insurance company bears to the total value of services rendered by the station.
(b) The deduction for net operating losses provided in section 172 shall not be allowed.
(9) Depletion. The deduction allowed by section 822(c)(9) for depletion is the same as that allowed life insurance companies under section 804(c)(4). See paragraph (b)(5) of § 1.804-4.