§ 26 Limitation based on tax liability; definition of tax liability
(a) Limitation based on amount of tax
The aggregate amount of credits allowed by this subpart for the taxable year shall not exceed the sum of—
(1) the taxpayer’s regular tax liability for the taxable year reduced by the foreign tax credit allowable under section , and
(2) the tax imposed by section for the taxable year.
(b) Regular tax liability
For purposes of this part—
(1) In general
The term “regular tax liability” means the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year.
(2) Exception for certain taxes
For purposes of paragraph (1), any tax imposed by any of the following provisions shall not be treated as tax imposed by this chapter:
(A) section (relating to minimum tax),
(B) section (relating to base erosion and anti-abuse tax),
(C) subsection (m)(5)(B), (q), (t), or (v) of section (relating to additional taxes on certain distributions),
(D) section (relating to recapture of proration of Federal subsidy from use of mortgage bonds and mortgage credit certificates),
(E) section (relating to additional tax on certain distributions from Coverdell education savings accounts),
(F) section (relating to accumulated earnings tax),
(G) section (relating to personal holding company tax),
(H) section (relating to recoveries of foreign expropriation losses),
(I) section (relating to tax on certain built-in gains of S corporations),
(J) section (relating to tax imposed when passive investment income of corporation having subchapter C earnings and profits exceeds 25 percent of gross receipts),
(K) subparagraph (A) of section (relating to nonqualified withdrawals from capital construction funds taxed at highest marginal rate),
(L) sections and (relating to certain income of nonresident aliens and foreign corporations),
(M) section (relating to taxes with respect to certain residual interests),
(N) section (relating to branch profits tax),
(O) sections and (relating to interest on certain deferred tax liabilities),
[(P) Repealed. Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title IV, § 401(b)(2), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1201.]
(Q) section (relating to additional tax on Archer MSA distributions not used for qualified medical expenses),
(R) section (relating to penalty for distributions from Medicare Advantage MSA not used for qualified medical expenses if minimum balance not maintained),
(S) sections , , and (relating to certain failures to maintain high deductible health plan coverage),
(T) section (relating to recapture of certain deductions for fractional gifts),
(U) section (relating to additional tax on health savings account distributions not used for qualified medical expenses),
(V) subsections (a)(1)(B)(i) and (b)(4)(A) of section (relating to interest and additional tax with respect to certain deferred compensation),
(W) section (relating to recapture of homebuyer credit),
(X) section (relating to determinability of amounts of compensation),
(Y) section (relating to additional tax on ABLE account distributions not used for qualified disability expenses), and
(Z) section (relating to excess advance payments).
(c) Tentative minimum tax
For purposes of this part, the term “tentative minimum tax” means the amount determined under section .
(Added § 25, renumbered § 26, Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title IV, § 472, title VI, § 612(a), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 827, 905; amended Pub. L. 99–499, title V, § 516(b)(1)(A), Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1770; Pub. L. 99–514, title II, § 261(c), title VI, § 632(c)(1), title VII, § 701(c)(1), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2214, 2277, 2340; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, §§ 1006(t)(16)(C), 1007(g)(1), 1011A(c)(10), 1012(q)(8), title IV, § 4005(g)(4), title V, § 5012(b)(2), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3425, 3434, 3476, 3524, 3650, 3662; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §§ 7811(c)(1), (2), 7821(a)(4)(A), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2406, 2407, 2424; Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1621(b)(1), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1866; Pub. L. 105–34, title II, § 213(e)(1), title XVI, § 1602(a)(1), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 817, 1093; Pub. L. 105–277, div. J, title II, § 2001(a), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–901; Pub. L. 106–170, title V, § 501(a), Dec. 17, 1999, 113 Stat. 1918; Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(7) [title II, § 202(a)(1)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–628; Pub. L. 107–16, title II, §§ 201(b)(2)(D), 202(f)(2)(C), title VI, § 618(b)(2)(C), June 7, 2001, 115 Stat. 46, 49, 108; Pub. L. 107–22, § 1(b)(2)(A), July 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 197; Pub. L. 107–147, title IV, §§ 415(a), 417(23)(B), title VI, § 601(a), Mar. 9, 2002, 116 Stat. 54, 57, 59; Pub. L. 108–311, title III, § 312(a), title IV, §§ 401(a)(1), 408(a)(5)(A), Oct. 4, 2004, 118 Stat. 1181, 1183, 1191; Pub. L. 109–135, title IV, §§ 403(hh)(1), 412(c), Dec. 21, 2005, 119 Stat. 2631, 2636; Pub. L. 109–222, title III, § 302(a), May 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 353; Pub. L. 110–166, § 3(a), Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2461; Pub. L. 110–172, § 11(a)(3), Dec. 29, 2007, 121 Stat. 2484; Pub. L. 110–289, div. C, title I, § 3011(b)(1), July 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 2891; Pub. L. 110–343, div. B, title I, § 106(e)(2)(D), title II, § 205(d)(1)(D), div. C, title I, § 101(a), title VIII, § 801(b), Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3817, 3839, 3863, 3931; Pub. L. 111–5, div. B, title I, §§ 1004(b)(3), 1011(a), 1142(b)(1)(D), 1144(b)(1)(D), Feb. 17, 2009, 123 Stat. 314, 319, 330, 332; Pub. L. 111–148, title X, § 10909(b)(2)(E), (c), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 1023; Pub. L. 111–312, title I, § 101(b)(1), title II, § 202(a), Dec. 17, 2010, 124 Stat. 3298, 3299; Pub. L. 112–240, title I, § 104(c)(1), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2321; Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, § 221(a)(12)(B), div. B, title I, § 102(e)(1), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4038, 4062; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, § 14401(c), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2233; Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title IV, § 401(b)(2), (d)(1)(D)(ii), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1201, 1206; Pub. L. 117–2, title IX, § 9611(b)(4)(A), Mar. 11, 2021, 135 Stat. 150.)
Operative text only. Editorial notes, amendment history, and effective dates: official OLRC text of § 26