What is the Definition of a Beneficiary for Trust Purposes (IRC 679)

What is the Definition of a Beneficiary for Trust Purposes (IRC 679)

What is the Definition of a Beneficiary for Trust?

One of the most complicated aspects of foreign trust reporting is often just trying to determine who is considered a US beneficiary for US Tax purposes. The reason why this is so important is that whether or not a foreign trust has a US beneficiary can impact the tax rules. In general, the definition of a US beneficiary includes both current and potential beneficiaries — and can even include persons who may become a US beneficiary at a future date, noting, not all potential beneficiaries qualify as a person who can be considered a beneficiary for foreign trust purposes. The question then becomes, how likely — or even possible — will it be for a US person to be considered a beneficiary of the foreign trust. One of the first places to look to assess the situation is the treasury regulations. Let’s take a look:

679(a) Transferor treated as Owner

• In general

  • • • A United States person who directly or indirectly transfers property to a foreign trust (other than a trust described in section 6048(a)(3)(B)(ii)) shall be treated as the owner for his taxable year of the portion of such trust attributable to such property if for such year there is a United States beneficiary of any portion of such trust.

What does this Mean?

It means that the US person could be considered an owner of a trust in any situation where there is a US beneficiary to any portion of the trust. And, if the US person is considered an owner, then it can significantly impact the tax implications for the individual US Person owner. Noting, the purpose of section 679 is to caution Taxpayers from investing in foreign trusts and manipulating the outcome to artificially reduce their tax liability. Here are some examples as provided in the treasury regulation:

1.679-2 Trusts treated as having a U.S. beneficiary.

• • • • (a) Existence of U.S. beneficiary –

        • (1) In general.

          • The determination of whether a foreign trust has a U.S. beneficiary is made on an annual basis. A foreign trust is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary unless during the taxable year of the U.S. transferor –

          • No part of the income or corpus of the trust may be paid or accumulated to or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, a U.S. person; and

          • If the trust is terminated at any time during the taxable year, no part of the income or corpus of the trust could be paid to or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, a U.S. person.

      • (2) Benefit to a U.S. person –

        • In general.

          • For purposes of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, income or corpus may be paid or accumulated to or for the benefit of a U.S. person during a taxable year of the U.S. transferor if during that year, directly or indirectly, income may be distributed to, or accumulated for the benefit of, a U.S. person, or corpus may be distributed to, or held for the future benefit of, a U.S. person. This determination is made without regard to whether income or corpus is actually distributed to a U.S. person during that year, and without regard to whether a U.S. person’s interest in the trust income or corpus is contingent on a future event.

          • Certain unexpected beneficiaries. Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, for purposes of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, a person who is not named as a beneficiary and is not a member of a class of beneficiaries as defined under the trust instrument is not taken into consideration if the U.S. transferor demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that the person’s contingent interest in the trust is so remote as to be negligible. The preceding sentence does not apply with respect to persons to whom distributions could be made pursuant to a grant of discretion to the trustee or any other person. A class of beneficiaries generally does not include heirs who will benefit from the trust under the laws of intestate succession in the event that the named beneficiaries (or members of the named class) have all deceased (whether or not stated as a named class in the trust instrument)

Beneficiaries of a Foreign Trust Examples

• • • The following examples illustrate the rules of paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section.

      • In these examples:

• • • • • A is a resident alien

        • B is A’s son, who is a resident alien,

        • C is A’s daughter, who is a nonresident alien, and FT is a foreign trust.

The examples are as follows:

• • • Example 1. Distribution of income to U.S. person.

      • A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that all trust income is to be distributed currently to B. Under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary.

    • Example 2. Income accumulation for the benefit of a U.S. person.

      • In 2001, A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that from 2001 through 2010, the trustee of FT may distribute trust income to C or may accumulate the trust income. The trust instrument further provides that in 2011, the trust will terminate and the trustee may distribute the trust assets to either or both of B and C, in the trustee’s discretion. If the trust terminates unexpectedly prior to 2011, all trust assets must be distributed to C. Because it is possible that income may be accumulated in each year, and that the accumulated income ultimately may be distributed to B, a U.S. person, under paragraph (a)(1) of this section FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary during each of A’s tax years from 2001 through 2011.

        • This result applies even though no U.S. person may receive distributions from the trust during the tax years 2001 through 2010.

    • Example 3. Corpus held for the benefit of a U.S. person.

      • The facts are the same as in Example 2, except that from 2001 through 2011, all trust income must be distributed to C. In 2011, the trust will terminate and the trustee may distribute the trust corpus to either or both of B and C, in the trustee’s discretion. If the trust terminates unexpectedly prior to 2011, all trust corpus must be distributed to C. Because during each of A’s tax years from 2001 through 2011 trust corpus is held for possible future distribution to B, a U.S. person, under paragraph (a)(1) of this section FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary during each of those years. This result applies even though no U.S. person may receive distributions from the trust during the tax years 2001 through 2010.

    • Example 4. Distribution upon U.S. transferor’s death.

      • A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that all trust income must be distributed currently to C and, upon A’s death, the trust will terminate and the trustee may distribute the trust corpus to either or both of B and C. Because B may receive a distribution of corpus upon the termination of FT, and FT could terminate in any year, FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary in the year of the transfer and in subsequent years.

    • Example 5. Distribution after U.S. transferor’s death.

      • The facts are the same as in Example 4, except the trust instrument provides that the trust will not terminate until the year following A’s death. Upon termination, the trustee may distribute the trust assets to either or both of B and C, in the trustee’s discretion. All trust assets are invested in the stock of X, a foreign corporation, and X makes no distributions to FT. Although no U.S. person may receive a distribution until the year after A’s death, and FT has no realized income during any year of its existence, during each year in which A is living corpus may be held for future distribution to B, a U.S. person. Thus, under paragraph (a)(1) of this section FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary during each of A’s tax years from 2001 through the year of A’s death.

    • Example 6. Constructive benefit to U.S. person.

      • A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that no income or corpus may be paid directly to a U.S. person. However, the trust instrument provides that trust corpus may be used to satisfy B’s legal obligations to a third party by making a payment directly to the third party. Under paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section, FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary.

    • Example 7. U.S. person with negligible contingent interest.

      • A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that all income is to be distributed currently to C, and upon C’s death, all corpus is to be distributed to whomever of C’s three children is then living. All of C’s children are nonresident aliens. Under the laws of intestate succession that would apply to FT, if all of C’s children are deceased at the time of C’s death, the corpus would be distributed to A’s heirs. A’s living relatives at the time of the transfer consist solely of two brothers and two nieces, all of whom are nonresident aliens, and two first cousins, one of whom, E, is a U.S. citizen. Although it is possible under certain circumstances that E could receive a corpus distribution under the applicable laws of intestate succession, for each year the trust is in existence A is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Commissioner under paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section that E’s contingent interest in FT is so remote as to be negligible. Provided that paragraph (a)(4) of this section does not require a different result, FT is not treated as having a U.S. beneficiary.

    • Example 8. U.S. person with non-negligible contingent interest.

      • A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that all income is to be distributed currently to D, A’s uncle, who is a nonresident alien, and upon A’s death, the corpus is to be distributed to D if he is then living. Under the laws of intestate succession that would apply to FT, B and C would share equally in the trust corpus if D is not living at the time of A’s death. A is unable to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that B’s contingent interest in the trust is so remote as to be negligible. Under paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section, FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary as of the year of the transfer.

    • Example 9. U.S. person as member of class of beneficiaries.

      • A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that all income is to be distributed currently to D, A’s uncle, who is a nonresident alien, and upon A’s death, the corpus is to be distributed to D if he is then living. If D is not then living, the corpus is to be distributed to D’s descendants. D’s grandson, E, is a resident alien. Under paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section, FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary as of the year of the transfer.

    • Example 10. Trustee’s discretion in choosing beneficiaries.

      • A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that the trustee may distribute income and corpus to, or accumulate income for the benefit of, any person who is pursuing the academic study of ancient Greek, in the trustee’s discretion. Because it is possible that a U.S. person will receive distributions of income or corpus, or will have income accumulated for his benefit, FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary. This result applies even if, during a tax year, no distributions or accumulations are actually made to or for the benefit of a U.S. person. A may not invoke paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section because a U.S. person could benefit pursuant to a grant of discretion in the trust instrument.

    • Example 11. Appointment of remainder beneficiary.

      • A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that the trustee may distribute current income to C, or may accumulate income, and, upon termination of the trust, trust assets are to be distributed to C. However, the trust instrument further provides that D, A’s uncle, may appoint a different remainder beneficiary. Because it is possible that a U.S. person could be named as the remainder beneficiary, and because corpus could be held in each year for the future benefit of that U.S. person, FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary for each year.

    • Example 12. Trust not treated as having a U.S. beneficiary.

      • A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that the trustee may distribute income and corpus to, or accumulate income for the benefit of C. Upon termination of the trust, all income and corpus must be distributed to C. Assume that paragraph (a)(4) of this section is not applicable under the facts and circumstances and that A establishes to the satisfaction of the Commissioner under paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section that no U.S. persons are reasonably expected to benefit from the trust. Because no part of the income or corpus of the trust may be paid or accumulated to or for the benefit of, either directly or indirectly, a U.S. person, and if the trust is terminated no part of the income or corpus of the trust could be paid to or for the benefit of, either directly or indirectly, a U.S. person, FT is not treated as having a U.S. beneficiary.

    • Example 13. U.S. beneficiary becomes non-U.S. person.

      • In 2001, A transfers property to FT. The trust instrument provides that, as long as B remains a U.S. resident, no distributions of income or corpus may be made from the trust to B. The trust instrument further provides that if B becomes a nonresident alien, distributions of income (including previously accumulated income) and corpus may be made to him. If B remains a U.S. resident at the time of FT’s termination, all accumulated income and corpus is to be distributed to C. In 2007, B becomes a nonresident alien and remains so thereafter. Because income may be accumulated during the years 2001 through 2007 for the benefit of a person who is a U.S. person during those years, FT is treated as having a U.S. beneficiary under paragraph (a)(1) of this section during each of those years. This result applies even though B cannot receive distributions from FT during the years he is a resident alien and even though B might remain a resident alien who is not entitled to any distribution from FT. Provided that paragraph (a)(4) of this section does not require a different result and that A establishes to the satisfaction of the Commissioner under paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section that no other U.S. persons are reasonably expected to benefit from the trust, FT is not treated as having a U.S. beneficiary under paragraph (a)(1) of this section during tax years after 2007.