I.R.S. Defines Measure for Tax Rate Disparity Test

Read Publication

In order to reduce its overall foreign tax rate, a company may attempt to separate its foreign manufacturing from its foreign sales operations. If a foreign manufacturing entity sells products at a low margin to a related foreign sales entity in a lowtax jurisdiction, less foreign taxes are paid than if the foreign manufacturing entity sold the products directly to customers. This type of transaction would generally trigger foreign base company sales income (“F.B.C.S.I.”) for the sales entity, while the manufacturing entity could rely on the exception whereby income produced by certain manufacturing activities is not included in F.B.C.S.I. (the “Manufacturing Exception”).