Reg. § 1.871-8 Taxation of nonresident alien individuals engaged in U.S. business or treated as having effectively connected income.
(a) Segregation of income This section applies for purposes of determining the tax of a nonresident alien individual who at any time during the taxable year is engaged in trade or business in the United States. It also applies for purposes of determining the tax of a nonresident alien student or trainee who is deemed under section and to be engaged in trade or business in the United States or of a nonresident alien individual who at no time during the taxable year is engaged in trade or business in the United States but has an election in effect for the taxable year under section and in respect to real property income. A nonresident alien individual to whom this section applies must segregate his gross income for the taxable year into two categories, namely
(1) the income which is effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by that individual, and
(2) the income which is not effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by that individual. A separate tax shall then be determined upon each such category of income, as provided in of this section. The determination of whether income or gain is or is not effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by the nonresident alien individual shall be made in accordance with section (c) and through . For purposes of this section income which is effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States includes all income which is treated under section (c) or (d) and or as income which is effectively connected for such year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by the nonresident alien individual.
(b) Imposition of tax
(1) Income not effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States If a nonresident alien individual who is engaged in trade or business in the United States at any time during the taxable year derives during such year from sources within the United States income or gains described in section , and paragraph (b) or (c) of or gains from the sale or exchange of capital assets determined as provided in section and , which are not effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by that individual, such income or gains shall be subject to a flat tax of 30 percent of the aggregate amount of such items. This tax shall be determined in the manner, and subject to the same conditions, set forth in as though the income or gains were derived by a nonresident alien individual not engaged in trade or business in the United States during the taxable year, except that
(i) the rule in paragraph (d)(3) of such section for treating the calendar year as the taxable year shall not apply and
(ii) in applying paragraph (c) and (d)(4) of such section, there shall not be taken into account any gains or losses which are taken into account in determining the tax under section and subparagraph (2) of this paragraph. A nonresident alien individual who has an election in effect for the taxable year under section and and who at no time during the taxable year is engaged in trade or business in the United States must determine his tax under on his income which is not treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, subject to the exception contained in subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph.
(2) Income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States
(i) In general If a nonresident alien to whom this section applies derives income or gains which are effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by that individual, the taxable income or gains shall, except as provided in , be taxed in accordance with section or, in the alternative, section . See section . Any income of the nonresident alien individual which is not effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by that individual shall not be taken into account in determining either the rate or amount of such tax. See .
(ii) Determination of taxable income The taxable income for any taxable year for purposes of this subparagraph consists only of the nonresident alien individual's taxable income which is effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by that individual; and, for this purpose, it is immaterial that the trade or business with which that income is effectively connected is not the same as the trade or business carried on in the United States by that individual during the taxable year. See example 2 in . In determining such taxable income all amounts constituting, or considered to be, gains or losses for the taxable year from the sale or exchange of capital assets shall be taken into account if such gains or losses are effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by that individual, and, for such purpose, the 183-day rule set forth in section and shall not apply. Losses which are not effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by that individual shall not be taken into account in determining taxable income under this subdivision, except as provided in section .
(iii) Cross references For rules for determining the gross income and deductions for the taxable year, see sections and , and the regulations thereunder.
(c) Change in trade or business status
(1) In general The determination as to whether a nonresident alien individual is engaged in trade or business within the United States during the taxable year is to be made for each taxable year. If at any time during the taxable year he is engaged in a trade or business in the United States, he is considered to be engaged in trade or business within the United States during the taxable year for purposes of sections and , and the regulations thereunder. Income, gain, or loss of a nonresident alien individual is not treated as being effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States if he is not engaged in trade or business within the United States during such year, even though such income, gain, or loss may have been effectively connected for a previous taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States. See . However, income, gain, or loss which is treated as effectively connected for the taxable year with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by a nonresident alien individual will generally be treated as effectively connected for a subsequent taxable year if he is engaged in a trade or business in the United States during such subsequent year, even though such income, gain, or loss is not effectively connected with the conduct of the trade or business carried on in the United States during such subsequent year. This subparagraph does not apply to income described in section (c) or (d). It may not apply to a nonresident alien individual who for the taxable year uses an accrual method of accounting or to income which is constructively received in the taxable year within the meaning of .
(2) Illustrations The application of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:
Example 1. B, a nonresident alien individual using the calendar year as the taxable year and the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting, is engaged in business (business R) in the United States from January 1, 1971, to August 31, 1971. During the period of September 1, 1971, to December 31, 1971, B receives installment payments of $30,000 on sales made in the United States by business R during that year, and the income from sources within the United States for that year attributable to such payments is $7,509. On September 15, 1971, another business (business S), which is carried on by B only in a foreign country sells to U.S. customers on the installment plan several pieces of equipment from inventory. During the period of September 16, 1971, to December 31, 1971, B receives installment payments of $50,000 on these sales by business S, and the income from sources within the United States for that year attributable to such payments is $10,000. Under section and the entire income of $17,500 is effectively connected for 1971 with the conduct of a business in the United States by B. Accordingly, such income is taxable to B under of this section.
Example 2. Assume the same facts as in example 1, except that during 1972 B receives installment payments of $20,000 from the sales made during 1971 in the United States by business R, and of $80,000 from the sales made in 1971 to U.S. customers by business S, the total income from sources within the United States for 1972 attributable to such payments being $13,000. At no time during 1972 is B engaged in a trade or business in the United States. Under section the income of $13,000 for 1972 is not effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States by B. Moreover, such income is not fixed or determinable annual or periodical income. Accordingly, no amount of such income is taxable to B under section .
Example 3. Assume the same facts as in example 2, except that during 1972 B is engaged in a new business (business T) in the United States from July 1, 1972, to December 31, 1972. Under section and , the income of $13,000 is effectively connected for 1972 with the conduct of a business in the United States by B. Accordingly, such income is taxable to B under of this section.
Example 4. Assume the same facts as in example 2, except that the installment payments of $20,000 from the sales made during 1971 in the United States by business R and not received by B until 1972 could have been received by B in 1971 if he had so desired. Under , B is deemed to have constructively received the payments of $20,000 in 1971. Accordingly, the income attributable to such payments is effectively connected for 1971 with the conduct of a business in the United States by B and is taxable to B in 1971 under of this section.
(d) Credits against tax The credits allowed by section (relating to tax withheld on wages), section (relating to tax withheld at source on nonresident aliens), section (relating to the foreign tax credit), section (relating to partially tax-exempt interest), section (relating to investment in certain depreciable property), section (relating to certain uses of gasoline and lubricating oil), section (relating to expenses of work incentive programs), and section (relating to overpayments of tax) shall be allowed against the tax determined in accordance with this section. However, the credits allowed by sections , , and shall not be allowed against the flat tax of 30 percent imposed by section and of this section. Moreover, no credit shall be allowed under section to a non- resident alien individual with respect to whom a tax is imposed for the taxable year under section and of this section, even though such individual has income for such year upon which tax is imposed under section and of this section. For special rules applicable in determining the foreign tax credit, see section and the regulations thereunder. For the disallowance of certain credits where a return is not filed for the taxable year, see section and .
(e) Effective date This section shall apply for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1966. For corresponding rules applicable to taxable years beginning before January 1, 1967, see (Revised as of January 1, 1971).
[T.D. 7332, 39 FR 44221, Dec. 23, 1974]