Internal Revenue Code:Sec. 585. Reserves for losses on loans of banks

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Contents


Location in Internal Revenue Code


     TITLE 26 - INTERNAL REVENUE CODE
      Subtitle A - Income Taxes
       CHAPTER 1 - NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES
        Subchapter H - Banking Institutions
         PART I - RULES OF GENERAL APPLICA-
       

Statute

    Sec. 585. Reserves for losses on loans of banks
 
    (a) Reserve for bad debts
      (1) In general
        Except as provided in subsection (c), a bank shall be allowed a
      deduction for a reasonable addition to a reserve for bad debts.
      Such deduction shall be in lieu of any deduction under section
      166(a).
      (2) Bank
        For purposes of this section -
        (A) In general
          The term ''bank'' means any bank (as defined in section 581).
        (B) Banking business of United States branch of foreign
            corporation
          The term ''bank'' also includes any corporation to which
        subparagraph (A) would apply except for the fact that it is a
        foreign corporation.  In the case of any such foreign
        corporation, this section shall apply only with respect to
        loans outstanding the interest on which is effectively
        connected with the conduct of a banking business within the
        United States.
    (b) Addition to reserves for bad debts
      (1) General rule
        For purposes of subsection (a), the reasonable addition to the
      reserve for bad debts of any financial institution to which this
      section applies shall be an amount determined by the taxpayer
      which shall not exceed the addition to the reserve for losses on
      loans determined under the experience method as provided in
      paragraph (2).
      (2) Experience method
        The amount determined under this paragraph for a taxable year
      shall be the amount necessary to increase the balance of the
      reserve for losses on loans (at the close of the taxable year) to
      the greater of -
          (A) the amount which bears the same ratio to loans
        outstanding at the close of the taxable year as (i) the total
        bad debts sustained during the taxable year and the 5 preceding
        taxable years (or, with the approval of the Secretary, a
        shorter period), adjusted for recoveries of bad debts during
        such period, bears to (ii) the sum of the loans outstanding at
        the close of such 6 or fewer taxable years, or
          (B) the lower of -
            (i) the balance of the reserve at the close of the base
          year, or
            (ii) if the amount of loans outstanding at the close of the
          taxable year is less than the amount of loans outstanding at
          the close of the base year, the amount which bears the same
          ratio to loans outstanding at the close of the taxable year
          as the balance of the reserve at the close of the base year
          bears to the amount of loans outstanding at the close of the
          base year.
      For purposes of this paragraph, the base year shall be the last
      taxable year before the most recent adoption of the experience
      method, except that for taxable years beginning after 1987 the
      base year shall be the last taxable year beginning before 1988.
      (3) Regulations; definition of loan
        The Secretary shall define the term loan and prescribe such
      regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this
      section.
    (c) Section not to apply to large banks
      (1) In general
        In the case of a large bank, this section shall not apply (and
      no deduction shall be allowed under any other provision of this
      subtitle for any addition to a reserve for bad debts).
      (2) Large banks
        For purposes of this subsection, a bank is a large bank if, for
      the taxable year (or for any preceding taxable year beginning
      after December 31, 1986) -
          (A) the average adjusted bases of all assets of such bank
        exceeded $500,000,000, or
          (B) such bank was a member of a parent-subsidiary controlled
        group and the average adjusted bases of all assets of such
        group exceeded $500,000,000.
      (3) 4-year spread of adjustments
        (A) In general
          Except as provided in paragraph (4), in the case of any bank
        which for its last taxable year before the disqualification
        year maintained a reserve for bad debts -
            (i) the provisions of this subsection shall be treated as a
          change in the method of accounting of such bank for the
          disqualification year,
            (ii) such change shall be treated as having been made with
          the consent of the Secretary, and
            (iii) the net amount of adjustments required by section
          481(a) to be taken into account by the taxpayer shall be
          taken into account in each of the 4 taxable years beginning
          with the disqualification year with -
              (I) the amount taken into account for the 1st of such
            taxable years being the greater of 10 percent of such net
            amount or such higher percentage of such net amount as the
            taxpayer may elect, and
              (II) the amount taken into account in each of the 3
            succeeding taxable years being equal to the applicable
            fraction (determined in accordance with the following table
            for the taxable year involved) of the portion of such net
            amount not taken into account under subclause (I).
 
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       The applicable
     If the case of the -              fraction is -
     1st succeeding year                2/9
     2nd succeeding year                1/3
     3rd succeeding year                4/9.
                     -------------------------------
        (B) Suspension of recapture for taxable year for which bank is
            financially troubled
          (i) In general
            In the case of a bank which is a financially troubled bank
          for any taxable year -
              (I) no adjustment shall be taken into account under
            subparagraph (A) for such taxable year, and
              (II) such taxable year shall be disregarded in
            determining whether any other taxable year is a taxable
            year for which an adjustment is required to be taken into
            account under subparagraph (A) or the amount of such
            adjustment.
          (ii) Exception for elective recapture for 1st year
            Clause (i) shall not apply to the 1st taxable year referred
          to in subparagraph (A)(iii)(I) if the taxpayer elects a
          higher percentage in accordance with such subparagraph.
          (iii) Financially troubled bank
            For purposes of clause (i), the term ''financially troubled
          bank'' means any bank if, for the taxable year, the
          nonperforming loan percentage of such bank exceeds 75
          percent.
          (iv) Nonperforming loan percentage
            For purposes of clause (iii), the term ''nonperforming loan
          percentage'' means the percentage determined by dividing -
              (I) the sum of the outstanding balances of nonperforming
            loans of the bank as of the close of each quarter of the
            taxable year, by
              (II) the sum of the amounts of equity of the bank as of
            the close of each such quarter.
         In the case of a bank which is a member of a parent-subsidiary
          controlled group for the taxable year, the preceding sentence
          shall be applied with respect to such group.
          (v) Other definitions
            For purposes of this subparagraph -
            (I) Nonperforming loans
              The term ''nonperforming loan'' means any loan which is
            considered to be nonperforming by the primary Federal
            regulatory agency with respect to the bank.
            (II) Equity
              The term ''equity'' means the equity of the bank as
            determined for Federal regulatory purposes.
        (C) Coordination with estimated tax payments
          For purposes of applying section 6655(e)(2)(A)(i) with
        respect to any installment, the determination under
        subparagraph (B) of whether an adjustment is required to be
        taken into account under subparagraph (A) shall be made as of
        the last day prescribed for payment of such installment.
      (4) Elective cut-off method
        If a bank makes an election under this paragraph for the
      disqualification year -
          (A) the provisions of this subsection shall not be treated as
        a change in the method of accounting of the taxpayer for
        purposes of section 481,
          (B) the taxpayer shall continue to maintain its reserve for
        loans held by the bank as of the 1st day of the
        disqualification year and charge against such reserve any
        losses resulting from loans held by the bank as of such 1st
        day, and
          (C) no deduction shall be allowed under this section (or any
        other provision of this subtitle) for any addition to such
        reserve for the disqualification year or any subsequent taxable
        year.
      If the amount of the reserve referred to in subparagraph (B) as
      of the close of any taxable year exceeds the outstanding balance
      (as of such time) of the loans referred to in subparagraph (B),
      such excess shall be included in gross income for such taxable
      year.
      (5) Definitions
        For purposes of this subsection -
        (A) Parent-subsidiary controlled group
          The term ''parent-subsidiary controlled group'' means any
        controlled group of corporations described in section
        1563(a)(1). In determining the average adjusted bases of assets
        held by such a group, interests held by one member of such
        group in another member of such group shall be disregarded.
        (B) Disqualification year
          The term ''disqualification year'' means, with respect to any
        bank, the 1st taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986,
        for which such bank was a large bank if such bank maintained a
        reserve for bad debts for the preceding taxable year.
        (C) Election made by each member
          In the case of a parent-subsidiary controlled group, any
        election under this section shall be made separately by each
        member of such group.
 

Sources

    (Added Pub. L. 91-172, title IV, Sec. 431(a), Dec. 30, 1969, 83
    Stat. 616; amended Pub. L. 94-455, title XIX, Sec. 1906(b)(13)(A),
    Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834; Pub. L. 97-34, title II, Sec. 267(a),
    Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 266; Pub. L. 99-514, title IX, Sec. 901(a),
    (d)(1), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2375, 2378; Pub. L. 100-203, title
    X, Sec. 10301(b)(2), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330-429; Pub. L.
    100-647, title I, Sec. 1009(a)(2), (3), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat.
    3445; Pub. L. 101-508, title XI, Sec. 11801(a)(26), (c)(12)(C)-(E),
    Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388-521, 1388-527; Pub. L. 104-188, title
    I, Sec. 1616(b)(6), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1856.)
 

Miscellaneous

                                 AMENDMENTS
      1996 - Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 104-188 struck out ''other than
    an organization to which section 593 applies'' after ''section
    581)''.
      1990 - Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 101-508, Sec. 11801(c)(12)(C),
    substituted ''shall not exceed the addition to the reserve for
    losses on loans determined under the experience method as provided
    in paragraph (2).'' for ''shall not exceed the greater of -
        ''(A) for taxable years beginning before 1988 the addition to
      the reserve for losses on loans determined under the percentage
      method as provided in paragraph (2), or
        ''(B) the addition to the reserve for losses on loans
      determined under the experience method as provided in paragraph
      (3).''
      Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 101-508, Sec. 11801(a)(26), (c)(12)(D),
    redesignated par. (3) as (2) and struck out former par. (2) which
    related to use of percentage method for determining amount to add
    to reserve for bad debts.
      Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 101-508, Sec. 11801(c)(12)(D), (E),
    redesignated par. (4) as (3), substituted heading for one which
    read: ''Regulations; definition of eligible loan, etc.'', and
    amended text generally.  Prior to amendment, text read as follows:
    ''The Secretary shall define the terms 'loan' and 'eligible loan'
    and prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the
    purposes of this section; except that the term 'eligible loan'
    shall not include -
        ''(A) a loan to a bank (as defined in section 581),
        ''(B) a loan to a domestic branch of a foreign corporation to
      which subsection (a)(2) applies,
        ''(C) a loan secured by a deposit (i) in the lending bank, or
      (ii) in an institution described in subparagraph (A) or (B) if
      the lending bank has control over withdrawal of such deposit,
        ''(D) a loan to or guaranteed by the United States, a
      possession or instrumentality thereof, or a State or a political
      subdivision thereof,
        ''(E) a loan evidenced by a security as defined in section
      165(g)(2)(C),
        ''(F) a loan of Federal funds, and
        ''(G) commercial paper, including short-term promissory notes
      which may be purchased on the open market.'' Former par. (3)
      redesignated (2).
      Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 101-508, Sec. 11801(c)(12)(D),
    redesignated par. (4) as (3).
      1988 - Subsec. (c)(3)(A)(iii)(I). Pub. L. 100-647, Sec.
    1009(a)(2)(B), substituted ''such higher percentage of such net
    amount as the taxpayer may elect'' for ''such greater amount as the
    taxpayer may designate''.
      Subsec. (c)(3)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 100-647, Sec. 1009(a)(2)(C),
    substituted ''elects a higher percentage'' for ''designates an
    amount''.
      Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 100-647, Sec. 1009(a)(3), inserted at end
    ''If the amount of the reserve referred to in subparagraph (B) as
    of the close of any taxable year exceeds the outstanding balance
    (as of such time) of the loans referred to in subparagraph (B),
    such excess shall be included in gross income for such taxable
    year.''
      Subsec. (c)(5)(C). Pub. L. 100-647, Sec. 1009(a)(2)(A), added
    subpar. (C).
      1987 - Subsec. (c)(3)(C). Pub. L. 100-203 substituted ''section
    6655(e)(2)(A)(i)'' for ''section 6655(d)(3)''.
      1986 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99-514, Sec. 901(a)(1), amended
    subsec. (a) generally.  Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as
    follows: ''This section shall apply to the following financial
    institutions:
        ''(1) any bank (as defined in section 581) other than an
      organization to which section 593 applies, and
        ''(2) any corporation to which paragraph (1) would apply except
      for the fact that it is a foreign corporation, and in the case of
      any such foreign corporation this section shall apply only with
      respect to loans outstanding the interest on which is effectively
      connected with the conduct of a banking business within the
      United States.''
      Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 99-514, Sec. 901(d)(1), substituted
    ''subsection (a)'' for ''section 166(c)''.
      Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99-514, Sec. 901(a)(2), added subsec. (c).
      1981 - Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 97-34 defined ''allowable
    percentage'' to mean 1.0 percent for taxable years beginning in
    1982 and 0.6 percent for taxable years beginning after 1982,
    previously so applicable for taxable years beginning after 1981 and
    redefined ''base year'' by substituting the last taxable year
    beginning before 1976 for taxable years beginning after 1975 but
    before 1983, for the last taxable year beginning before 1976 for
    taxable years after 1975 but before 1982; and the last taxable year
    beginning before 1983 for taxable years beginning after 1982, for
    the last taxable year beginning before 1982 for taxable years
    beginning after 1981.
      1976 - Subsec. (b)(3), (4). Pub. L. 94-455 struck out ''or his
    delegate'' after ''Secretary''.
                      EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1996 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 104-188 applicable to taxable years
    beginning after Dec. 31, 1995, see section 1616(c) of Pub. L.
    104-188, set out as a note under section 593 of this title.
                      EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1988 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 100-647 effective, except as otherwise
    provided, as if included in the provision of the Tax Reform Act of
    1986, Pub. L. 99-514, to which such amendment relates, see section
    1019(a) of Pub. L. 100-647, set out as a note under section 1 of
    this title.
                      EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1987 AMENDMENT
      Section 10301(c) of Pub. L. 100-203 provided that: ''The
    amendments made by this section (amending this section and sections
    6201, 6425, 6601, 6651, and 6655 of this title and repealing
    section 6154 of this title) shall apply to taxable years beginning
    after December 31, 1987.''
                      EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1986 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 99-514 applicable to taxable years beginning
    after Dec. 31, 1986, see section 901(e) of Pub. L. 99-514, set out
    as a note under section 166 of this title.
                      EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1981 AMENDMENT
      Section 267(b) of Pub. L. 97-34 provided that: ''The amendment
    made by subsection (a) (amending this section) shall apply to
    taxable years beginning after 1981.''
                               EFFECTIVE DATE
      Section 431(d) of Pub. L. 91-172 provided that: ''The amendments
    made by subsections (a) (enacting this section and section 586 of
    this title) and (c) (amending section 166 of this title) shall
    apply to taxable years beginning after July 11, 1969.''
                             SAVINGS PROVISION
      For provisions that nothing in amendment by Pub. L. 101-508 be
    construed to affect treatment of certain transactions occurring,
    property acquired, or items of income, loss, deduction, or credit
    taken into account prior to Nov. 5, 1990, for purposes of
    determining liability for tax for periods ending after Nov. 5,
    1990, see section 11821(b) of Pub. L. 101-508, set out as a note
    under section 29 of this title.
 

References

                   SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS
      This section is referred to in sections 172, 265, 291, 593, 1277,
    1361 of this title.
 

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