(a) Interest subject to reporting requirement. For purposes of §§ 1.6049-4, 1.6049-6 and this section, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the term “interest” means:

(1) Interest on an obligation:

(i) In registered form (as defined in § 5f.103-1(c)), or

(ii) Of a type offered to the public. Principles consistent with § 5f.163-1 shall be applied to determine whether an obligation is of a type offered to the public.

(2) Interest on deposits with persons carrying on the banking business. Such term shall include deposits evidenced by time certificates of deposit issued in any amount whether negotiable or non-negotiable. The term “interest” includes payments to a mortgage escrow account and amounts paid with respect to repurchase agreements and banker's acceptances. Property which the payee receives from the payor as interest (or in lieu of a cash payment of interest) shall be interest for purposes of section 6049. The amount subject to reporting is the fair market value of such property.

(3) Amounts, whether or not designated as interest, paid or credited by mutual savings banks, savings and loan associations, building and loan associations, cooperative banks, homestead associations, credit unions, industrial loan associations or banks, or similar organizations, in respect of deposits, face amount certificates, investment certificates, or withdrawable or repurchasable shares. Thus, even though amounts paid or credited by such organizations with respect to deposits are designated as “dividends”, such amounts are included in the definition of interest for purposes of section 6049. The term “interest” includes payments to a mortgage escrow account and amounts paid with respect to repurchase agreements. Property which the payee receives from the payor as interest (or in lieu of a cash payment of interest) is “interest” for purposes of section 6049. The fair market value of such property is the amount subject ot reporting.

(4) Interest on amounts held by insurance companies under an agreement to pay interest thereon. Any increment in value of “advance premiums”, “prepaid premiums”, or “premium deposit funds” which is applied to the payment of premiums due on insurance policies, or made available for withdrawal by the policyholder, shall be considered interest subject to reporting. Interest that an insurance company pays pursuant to an agreement with the policyholder to a beneficiary because he payment due has been delayed is interest subject to reporting. Interest subject to reporting also includes interest paid by insurance companies with respect to policy “dividend” accumulations (see sections 61 and 451 and the regulations thereunder for rules as to when such interest is considered paid), and interest paid with respect to the proceeds of insurance policies left with the insurer. The so-called “interest element” in the case of annuity or installment payments under life insurance or endowment contracts does not constitute interest for purposes of section 6049.

(5) Interest on deposits with brokers as defined in section 6045(c) and the regulations thereunder. Any payment made in lieu of interest to a person whose obligation has been borrowed in connection with a short sale or other similar transaction is subject to reporting under section 6049. See § 1.6045-2T for reporting requirements with respect to payments in lieu of tax-exempt interest. See § 1.6045-2 for reporting requirements with respect to payments in lieu of tax-exempt interest.

(6) Interest paid on amounts held by investment companies as defined in section 3 of the Investment Company Act (15 U.S.C. section 80-a) and on amounts paid on pooled funds or trusts. The interest to be reported with respect to a widely held fixed investment trust, as defined in § 1.671-5(b)(22), shall be the interest earned on the assets held by the trust. See § 1.671-5 for the reporting rules for widely held fixed investment trusts (as defined under that section).

(b) Interest excluded from reporting requirement. The term interest or original issue discount (OID) does not include—

(1) Interest on any obligation issued by a natural person as defined in § 1.6049-4(f)(2), irrespective of whether such interest is collected on behalf of the holder of the obligation by a middleman.

(2) Interest on any obligation if such interest is exempt from taxation under section 103(a), relating to certain governmental obligations, or interest which is exempt from taxation under any other provision of law without regard to the identity of the holder. The holder of a tax exempt obligation that is not in registered form must provide written certification to the payor (other than the issuer of the obligation) that the obligation is exempt from taxation. A statement that interest coupons are tax exempt on the envelope or shell commonly used by financial institutions to process such coupons, signed by the payee, will be sufficient for this purpose if the envelope is properly completed (i.e., shows the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of the payee). A payor may rely on such written certification in treating such interest as tax exempt for purposes of section 6049. See § 1.6049-4(d)(8) with respect to the requirement that the issuer of a taxable obligation shall make an information return if such issuer receives an envelope which improperly claims that the interest coupons contained therein are tax exempt.

(3) Interest on amounts held in escrow to guarantee performance on a contract or to provide security. However, interest on amounts held in escrow with a person described in paragraph (a)(2) or (3) of this section is interest subject to reporting under section 6049.

(4) Interest that a governmental unit pays with respect to tax refunds.

(5) Interest on deposits for security, such as deposits posted with a public utility company. However, interest on deposits posted for security with a person described in paragraph (a)(2) or (3) of this section is interest subject to reporting under section 6049.

(6) Amounts from sources outside the United States (determined under the provisions of part I, subchapter N, chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) and the regulations under those provisions) paid by a non-U.S. payor or a non-U.S. middleman (as defined in paragraph (c)(5) of this section) and paid and received outside the United States. See § 1.6049-4(f)(16) for circumstances in which a payment is considered to be paid and received outside the United States.

(7) Portfolio interest, as defined in § 1.871-14(b)(1), paid with respect to obligations in bearer form described in section 871(h)(2)(A), as in effect prior to the amendment by section 502 of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act of 2010 (HIRE Act), Public Law 111-147, or section 881(c)(2)(A), as in effect prior to the amendment by section 502 of the HIRE Act, that were issued prior to March 19, 2012, or with respect to a foreign-targeted registered obligation described in § 1.871-14(e)(2) that was issued prior to January 1, 2016, and for which the documentation requirements described in § 1.871-14(e)(3) and (4) have been satisfied (other than by a U.S. middleman (as defined in paragraph (c)(5) of this section) that, as a custodian or nominee of the payee, collects the amount for, or on behalf of, the payee, regardless of whether the middleman is also acting as agent of the payor).

(8) Portfolio interest described in § 1.871-14(c)(1)(ii), paid with respect to obligations in registered form described in section 871(h)(2) or 881(c)(2) that is not described in paragraph (b)(7) of this section.

(9) Any amount paid by an international organization described in § 1.6049-4(c)(1)(ii)(G) (or its paying, transfer, or other agent that is not also a payee's agent) with respect to an obligation of which the international organization is the issuer.

(10)(i) Amounts paid and received outside the United States under § 1.6049-4(f)(16) (other than by a U.S. middleman (as defined in paragraph (c)(5) of this section) that are paid by a custodian or nominee or other agent of the payee, of amounts that that it receives for, or on behalf of, the payee, regardless of whether the middleman is also acting as agent of the payor) with respect to an obligation that: Has a face amount or principal amount of not less than $500,000 (as determined based on the spot rate on the date of issuance if in foreign currency); has a maturity (at issue) of 183 days or less; satisfies the requirements of sections 163(f)(2)(B)(i) and (ii)(I), as in effect prior to the amendment by section 502 of the HIRE Act, and the regulations thereunder (as if the obligation would otherwise be a registration-required obligation within the meaning of section 163(f)(2)(A)) (however, an original issue discount obligation with a maturity of 183 days or less from the date of issuance is not required to satisfy the certification requirement of § 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(3)) and is issued in accordance with the procedures of § 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D); and has on its face the following statement (or a similar statement having the same effect):

(ii) If the obligation is in registered form, it must be registered in the name of an exempt recipient described in § 1.6049-4(c)(1)(ii). For purposes of this paragraph (b)(10), a middleman may treat an obligation as described in section 163(f)(2)(B)(i) and (f)(2)(B)(ii)(I), as in effect prior to the amendment by section 502 of the HIRE Act, and the regulations under that section if the obligation, or coupons detached therefrom, whichever is presented for payment, contains the statement described in this paragraph (b)(10). The exemption from reporting described in this paragraph (b)(10) shall not apply if the payor has actual knowledge that the payee is a U.S. person who is not an exempt recipient.

(11) Amounts paid with respect to an account or deposit with a U.S. or foreign branch of a domestic or foreign corporation or partnership that is paid with respect to an obligation described in either paragraph (b)(11)(i) or (ii) of this section, if the branch is engaged in the commercial banking business; and the interest or OID is paid and received outside the United States as defined in § 1.6049-4(f)(16) (other than by a U.S. middleman (as defined in paragraph (c)(5) of this section) that acts as a custodian, nominee, or other agent of the payee, and collects the amount for, or on behalf of, the payee, regardless of whether the middleman is also acting as agent of the payor). The exemption from reporting described in this paragraph (b)(11) shall not apply if the payor has actual knowledge that the payee is a U.S. person who is not an exempt recipient.

(i) An obligation is described in this paragraph (b)(11)(i) if it is not in registered form (within the meaning of section 163(f) and the regulations under that section), is described in section 163(f)(2)(B), as in effect prior to the amendment by section 502 of the HIRE Act, and issued in accordance with the procedures of § 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(C) or (D), and, in the case of a U.S. branch, is part of a larger single public offering of securities. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(11)(i), a middleman may treat an obligation as described in section 163(f)(2)(B), as in effect prior to the amendment by section 502 of the HIRE Act, if the obligation, and any detachable coupons, contains the statement described in section 163(f)(2)(B)(ii)(II), as in effect prior to the amendment by section 502 of the HIRE Act, and the regulations under that section.

(ii)(A) An obligation is described in this paragraph (b)(11)(ii) if it produces income described in section 871(i)(2)(A); has a face amount or principal amount of not less than $500,000 (as determined based on the spot rate on the date of issuance if in foreign currency); satisfies the requirements of sections 163(f)(2)(B)(i) and (ii)(I), as in effect prior to the amendment by section 502 of the HIRE Act, and the regulations thereunder (as if the obligation would otherwise be a registration-required obligation within the meaning of section 163(f)(2)(A)) and is issued in accordance with the procedures of § 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(C) or (D) (however, an original issue discount obligation with a maturity of 183 days or less from the date of issuance is not required to satisfy the certification requirement of § 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(3)). For purposes of this paragraph (b)(11)(ii), a middleman may treat an obligation as described in sections 163(f)(2)(B)(i) and (ii), as in effect prior to the amendment by section 502 of the HIRE Act, and the regulations under that section if the obligation, or any detachable coupon, contains the statement described in paragraph (b)(11)(ii)(B) of this section.

(B) The obligation must have on its face, and on any detachable coupons, the following statement (or a similar statement having the same effect):

(C) If the obligation is in registered form, it must be registered in the name of an exempt recipient described in § 1.6049-4(c)(1)(ii).

(12) Payments that a payor can, prior to payment, reliably associate with documentation upon which it may rely to treat the payment as made to a foreign beneficial owner in accordance with § 1.1441-1(e)(1)(ii) or as made to a foreign payee in accordance with paragraph (d)(1) of this section or presumed to be made to a foreign payee under paragraph (d)(2) or (3) of this section. However, such payments may be reportable under § 1.1461-1(b) and (c) or under § 1.1474-1(d)(2) (for a chapter 4 reportable amount (as described in § 1.1471-1(b)(18)). The provisions of § 1.1441-1 shall apply by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent” and without regard to the fact that the provisions apply only to amounts subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of § 1.1441-1 and paragraph (d) of this section in determining the foreign status of the payee, the provisions of § 1.1441-1 shall govern for payments of amounts subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code and the provisions of paragraph (d) of this section shall govern in other cases. This paragraph (b)(12) does not apply to interest paid on or after January 1, 2013, to a nonresident alien individual to the extent provided in § 1.6049-8.

(13) Amounts for the period that the debt obligation with respect to which the interest arises represents an asset blocked as described in § 1.1441-2(e)(3). Payment of such amounts, including interest that is past due and OID on obligations that mature on or before the date that the assets are no longer blocked, is deemed to occur in accordance with the rules of § 1.1441-2(e)(3).

(14) Payments that a payor or middleman can, prior to payment, reliably associate with documentation upon which it may rely to treat as made to a foreign intermediary or flow-through entity in accordance with § 1.1441-1(b) if it obtains from the foreign intermediary or flow-through entity a withholding statement under § 1.1471-3(c)(3)(iii)(B)(2) (describing an FFI withholding statement), § 1.1471-3(c)(3)(iii)(B)(3) (describing a chapter 4 withholding statement), § 1.1441-1(e)(3)(iv) (describing a withholding statement provided by a non-qualified intermediary), § 1.1441-1(e)(5)(v) (describing a withholding statement provided by a qualified intermediary), or under § 1.1441-5 (describing a withholding statement provided by a foreign partnership, foreign simple trust, or foreign grantor trust), that allocates the payment (or portion of a payment) to a chapter 4 withholding rate pool or specific payees to which withholding applies under chapter 4. The provisions of each of the foregoing sections shall apply by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent.” A payor or middleman may rely on a withholding statement provided by a foreign intermediary or flow-through entity that identifies a chapter 4 withholding rate pool of U.S. payees (as described in § 1.6049-4(c)(4)) or, with respect to a withholdable payment, a chapter 4 withholding rate pool of recalcitrant account holders (as described in § 1.1471-4(d)(6)) provided that the payor or middleman identifies the foreign intermediary or flow-through entity that maintains the accounts (as described in § 1.1471-5(b)(5)) included in the chapter 4 withholding rate pool as a participating FFI (including a reporting Model 2 FFI) or registered deemed-compliant FFI (including a reporting Model 1 FFI) by applying the rules in § 1.1471-3(d)(4) or in § 1.1471-3(e)(4)(vi)(B), as applicable, for identifying the payee of a payment (by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent”). See, however, § 1.1441-1(e)(5)(v)(C)(2)(i) for when a qualified intermediary may provide a single pool of recalcitrant account holders (without the need to subdivide into the pools described in § 1.1471-4(d)(6)). Additionally, when a foreign intermediary or flow-through entity provides to a payor or middleman a withholding statement that allocates the payment (or portion of a payment) to a chapter 4 withholding rate pool of U.S. payees, the payor or middleman may also rely on the withholding statement if the payor or middleman identifies the intermediary or flow-through entity as a qualified intermediary (as defined in § 1.1441-1(c)(15) by applying the rules described in § 1.1441-1(b)(2)(vii)) that provides the certification described in § 1.1441-1(e)(3)(ii)(D) with respect to U.S. payees that hold accounts with a foreign intermediary or flow-through entity other than the qualified intermediary providing the certification.

(15) If a foreign intermediary, as described in § 1.1441-1(c)(13), or a U.S. branch that is not treated as a U.S. person receives a payment from a payor, which payment the payor can reliably associate with a valid withholding certificate described in § 1.1441-1(e)(3)(ii) or (iii), or § 1.1441-1(e)(3)(v), respectively, furnished by such intermediary or branch, then the intermediary or branch is not required to report such payment when it, in turn, pays the amount, unless, and to the extent, the intermediary or branch knows that the payment is required to be reported under this section and was not so reported. For example, if a U.S. branch described in § 1.1441-1(b)(2)(iv) fails to provide information regarding U.S. persons that are not exempt from reporting under § 1.6049-4(c)(1)(ii) to the person from whom the U.S. branch receives the payment, the amount paid by the U.S. branch to such person is interest or original issue discount. See, however, § 1.6049-4(c)(4) for when reporting under section 6049 is coordinated with reporting under chapter 4 or an applicable IGA (as defined in § 1.6049-4(f)(7)). The exception for payments described in this paragraph (b)(15) shall not apply to a qualified intermediary that assumes reporting responsibility under chapter 61 of the Code for the payment under the agreement described in § 1.1441-1(e)(5)(iii).

(16) Amounts of interest as determined under the provisions of § 1.446-3(g)(4) (dealing with interest in the case of a significant non-periodic payment with respect to a notional principal contract). Such amounts are governed by the provisions of section 6041. See § 1.6041-1(d)(5).

(c) Applicable rules—(1) Documentary evidence for offshore obligations and certain other obligations—(i) A payor may rely on documentary evidence described in § 1.1471-3(c)(5)(i) instead of a beneficial owner withholding certificate described in § 1.1441-1(e)(2)(i) in the case of an amount paid outside the United States (as described in paragraph (e) of this section) with respect to an offshore obligation, or, in the case of broker proceeds described in § 1.6045-1(c)(2), to the extent provided in § 1.6045-1(g)(1)(i). For purposes of this section, the term offshore obligation means—

(A) An account maintained at an office or branch of a bank or other financial institution located outside the United States; or

(B) An obligation as defined in § 1.6049-4(f)(3) (other than an account described in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(A) of this section), contract, or other instrument with respect to which the payor is either engaged in business as a broker or dealer in securities or a financial institution (as defined in § 1.1471-5(e)) that engages in significant activities at an office or branch located outside the United States. For purposes of the preceding sentence, an office or branch of such payor shall be considered to engage in significant activities with respect to an obligation when it participates materially and actively in negotiating the obligation under the principles described in § 1.864-4(c)(5)(iii) (substituting the term “obligation” for the term “stock or security”).

(ii) A payor may rely on documentary evidence if the payor has established procedures to obtain, review, and maintain documentary evidence sufficient to establish the identity of the payee and the status of that person as a foreign person; and the payor obtains, reviews, and maintains such documentary evidence in accordance with those procedures. A payor maintains the documents reviewed for purposes of this paragraph (c)(1) by retaining an original, certified copy, or photocopy (including a microfiche, electronic scan, or similar means of electronic storage) of the documents reviewed for as long as it may be relevant to the determination of the payor's obligation to report under § 1.6049-4 and this section and noting in its records the date on which the document was received and reviewed. Documentary evidence furnished for a payment of an amount subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code or that is a chapter 4 reportable amount under § 1.1474-1(d)(2) must contain all of the information that is necessary to complete a Form 1042-S for that payment. See §§ 1.1471-3(c) and 1.1471-4(c) for additional documentation requirements to identify a payee or account holder for chapter 4 purposes that may apply in addition to the requirements under paragraph (c) of this section.

(iii) Even if an account or obligation (as defined in § 1.6049-4(f)(3)) is not maintained outside the United States (maintained in the United States), a payor may rely on documentary evidence associated with a withholding certificate described in § 1.1441-1(e)(3)(iii) with respect to the persons for whom an entity acting as an intermediary collects the payment. A payor may also rely on documentary evidence associated with a flow-through withholding certificate for payments treated as made to foreign partners of a nonwithholding foreign partnership, as defined in § 1.1441-1(c)(28), the foreign beneficiaries of a foreign simple trust, as defined in § 1.1441-1(c)(24), or foreign owners of a foreign grantor trust, as defined in § 1.1441-1(c)(26), even though the partnership or trust account is an obligation maintained in the United States.

(iv) For accounts opened on or after July 1, 2014, and before January 1, 2015, and for obligations entered into on or after July 1, 2014, and before January 1, 2015, a payor may continue to apply the rules of § 1.6049-5(c)(1) and (c)(4) as in effect and contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised April 1, 2013, rather than this paragraph (c)(1) and paragraph (c)(4) of this section. A payor that applies the rules of § 1.6049-5(c)(1) and (c)(4) as in effect and contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised April 1, 2013, to an account or obligation must also apply § 1.1441-6(c)(2) (to the extent applicable) and § 1.6049-5(e) both as in effect and contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised April, 2013, with respect to the account or obligation.

(2) Other applicable rules. The provisions of § 1.1441-1(e)(4)(i) through (xii) (regarding who may sign a certificate, validity period of certificates and documentary evidence, retention of certificates, reliance rules, etc.) shall apply (by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent” and disregarding the fact that the provisions under § 1.1441-1(e)(4) only apply to amounts subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code) to withholding certificates and documentary evidence furnished for purposes of this section. See § 1.1441-1(b)(2)(vii) for provisions dealing with reliable association of a payment with documentation.

(3) Standards of knowledge. A payor may not rely on a withholding certificate or documentary evidence described in paragraph (c)(1) or (4) of this section if it has actual knowledge or reason to know that any information or certification stated in the certificate or documentary evidence is unreliable. A payor has reason to know that information or certifications are unreliable only if the payor would have reason to know under the provisions of § 1.1441-7(b)(2) and (3) that the information and certifications provided on the certificate or in the documentary evidence are unreliable or, in the case of a Form W-9 (or an acceptable substitute), it cannot reasonably rely on the documentation as set forth in § 31.3406(h)-3(e) of this chapter (see the information and certification described in § 31.3406(h)-3(e)(2)(i) through (iv) of this chapter that are required in order for a payor reasonably to rely on a Form W-9). The provisions of § 1.1441-7(b)(2) and (3) shall apply for purposes of this paragraph (c)(3) irrespective of the type of income to which § 1.1441-7(b)(2) is otherwise limited. The exemptions from reporting described in paragraphs (b)(10) and (11) of this section shall not apply if the payor has actual knowledge that the payee is a U.S. person who is not an exempt recipient.

(4) Special documentation rules for certain payments. This paragraph (c)(4) modifies the provisions of paragraph (c)(1) of this section for payments of amounts that are not subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code, other than amounts described in paragraph (d)(3)(iii) of this section (dealing with U.S. short-term OID and U.S. source deposit interest described in section 871(i)(2)(A) or 881(d)(3)). Amounts are not subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code if they are not included in the definition of amounts subject to withholding under § 1.1441-2(a) (e.g., deposit interest with foreign branches of U.S. banks, foreign source income, or broker proceeds). A payor may rely upon documentation in lieu of documentary evidence (as described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section) or a written statement (as defined in § 1.1471-1(b)(150)) or another statement to the extent permitted in paragraphs (c)(4)(i) through (iii) of this section, until the payor knows or has reason to know of a change in circumstance that makes the documentation unreliable or incorrect (as defined in § 1.1441-1(e)) when the payor does not have customer information for the payee that includes any of the U.S. indicia described in § 1.1471-3(c)(6)(ii)(C)(1). Further, a payor may maintain such documentation or documentary evidence as required in paragraph (c)(4)(iv) of this section.

(i) Statement in lieu of documentary evidence with respect to accounts. If under the local laws, regulations, or practices of a country in which an account is maintained, it is not customary to obtain documentary evidence described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section with respect to the type of account, the payor may, instead of obtaining a beneficial owner withholding certificate described in § 1.1441-1(e)(2)(i) or documentary evidence described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, establish a payee's foreign status based on the statement described in this paragraph (c)(4)(i) (or such substitute statement as the Internal Revenue Service may prescribe) made on an account opening form. However, see, also § 1.1471-4(c) or an applicable IGA for additional documentation requirements that may apply to a participating FFI (including a reporting Model 2 FFI) for determining the status of its account holders for chapter 4 purposes. The statement referred to in this paragraph (c)(4)(i) must appear near the signature line and must state, “By opening this account and signing below, the account owner represents and warrants that he/she/it is not a U.S. person for purposes of U.S. Federal income tax and that he/she/it is not acting for, or on behalf of, a U.S. person. A false statement or misrepresentation of tax status by a U.S. person could lead to penalties under U.S. law. If your tax status changes and you become a U.S. citizen or a resident, you must notify us within 30 days.” Additionally, a payor may, instead of obtaining a beneficial owner withholding certificate described in § 1.1441-1(e)(2)(i) or § 1.1471-3(c)(3)(ii) or documentary evidence described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, establish a payee's foreign status based on a written statement described in paragraph § 1.1471-1(b)(150) to the extent a payor uses such written statement to establish a payee's chapter 4 status and is permitted to use the written statement under § 1.1471-3(d) (by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent”) without any other documentary evidence.

(ii) Documentation under IGA. A payor that is a reporting Model 1 FFI or reporting Model 2 FFI may rely upon documentation or information establishing a payee's status that is permitted under an applicable IGA for determining whether the account of the payee is other than a U.S. account and regardless of whether such documentation or certification is described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section or § 1.1441-1(e)(2).

(iii) Maintenance of documentation and written statement. A payor maintains documentation if it either maintains the documentary evidence as described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section or retains a record of the documentary evidence reviewed if the payor is not required to retain copies of the documentation pursuant to the payor's AML due diligence (as defined in § 1.1471-1(b)(4)). A payor retains a record of documentary evidence reviewed by noting in its records the type of documentation reviewed, the date the document was reviewed, the document's identification number (if any), and whether such documentation contained any U.S. indicia described in § 1.1441-7(b)(8). Any statement described in paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section, must be retained in accordance with § 1.1471-3(c)(6)(iii).

(5) U.S. payor, U.S. middleman, non-U.S. payor, and non-U.S. middleman. The terms payor and middleman have the meanings ascribed to them under § 1.6049-4(a). A non-U.S. payor or non-U.S. middleman means a payor or middleman other than a U.S. payor or U.S. middleman. The term U.S. payor or U.S. middleman means—

(i) Definition. (A) A person described in section 7701(a)(30) (including a foreign branch or office of such person);

(B) The government of the United States or the government of any State or political subdivision thereof (or any agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing);

(C) A controlled foreign corporation within the meaning of section 957, determined without applying section 318(a)(3)(A), (B), and (C) so as to consider a United States person as owning stock which is owned by a person who is not a United States person.

(D) A foreign partnership, if at any time during its tax year, one or more of its partners are U.S. persons (as defined in § 1.1441-1(c)(2)) who, in the aggregate hold more than 50 percent of the income or capital interest in the partnership or if, at any time during its tax year, it is engaged in the conduct of a trade or business in the United States;

(E) A foreign person 50 percent or more of the gross income of which, from all sources for the three-year period ending with the close of its taxable year preceding the collection or payment (or such part of such period as the person has been in existence), was effectively connected with the conduct of trade or business within the United States; or

(F) A U.S. branch or territory financial institution described in § 1.1441-1(b)(2)(iv) that is treated as a U.S. person.

(ii) Reporting by U.S. payors in U.S. possessions. U.S. payors are not required to report on Form 1099 income that is from sources within a possession of the United States and that is exempt from taxation under section 931, 932, or 933, each of which sections exempts certain income from sources within a possession of the United States paid to a bona fide resident of that possession. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(5)(ii), a U.S. payor may treat the beneficial owner as a bona fide resident of the possession of the United States from which the income is sourced if, prior to payment of the income, the U.S. payor can reliably associate the payment with valid documentation that supports the claim of residence in the possession of the United States from which the income is sourced. This paragraph (c)(5)(ii) shall not apply if the U.S. payor has actual knowledge or reason to know that the documentation is unreliable or incorrect or that the income does not satisfy the requirements for exemption under section 931, 932, or 933. For the rules determining whether income is from sources within a possession of the United States, see section 937(b) and the regulations thereunder.

(6) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section:

(d) Determination of status as U.S. or foreign payee and applicable presumptions in the absence of documentation—(1) Identifying the payee. The provisions of §§ 1.1441-1(b)(2), 1.1441-5(c)(1) and (e)(2) and (3) shall apply (by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent”) to identify the payee (other than a payee included in a chapter 4 withholding rate pool described in paragraph (b)(14) of this section) for purposes of this section (and other sections of the regulations under this chapter to which this paragraph (d)(1) applies), except to the extent provided in this paragraph (d)(1) in the case of a payment of an amount that is not subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code and that is not a withholdable payment (as defined in § 1.6049-4(f)(15)). Amounts are not subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code if they are not included in the definition of amounts subject to withholding under § 1.1441-2(a) (e.g., deposit interest with foreign branches of U.S. banks, foreign source income, or broker proceeds). The exceptions to the application of § 1.1441-1(b)(2) to amounts that are not subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code and that are not withholdable payments are as follows:

(i) The provisions of § 1.1441-1(b)(2)(ii), dealing with payments to a U.S. agent or intermediary of a foreign person, shall not apply. Thus, a payment to a U.S. agent or intermediary of a foreign person is treated as a payment to a U.S. payee.

(ii) Payments to U.S. branches or territory financial institution described in § 1.1441-1(b)(2)(iv) shall be treated as payments to a foreign payee, irrespective of the fact that the U.S. branch or territory financial institution is otherwise treated as a U.S. person for payments of amounts subject to withholding under chapter 3 and withholdable payments, and irrespective of the fact that the branch or territory financial institution is treated as a U.S. payor for purposes of paragraph (c)(5) of this section.

(2) Presumptions of U.S. or foreign status in the absence of documentation—(i) In general. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (d)(2)(i), for purposes of this section (and other sections of regulations under this chapter 61 to which this paragraph (d)(2) applies), the provisions of § 1.1441-1(b)(3)(i) through (ix) and § 1.1441-5(d) and (e)(6) shall apply (by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent”) to determine the classification (e.g., individual, corporation, partnership, trust), status (i.e., a U.S. or a foreign person), and other relevant characteristics (e.g., beneficial owner or intermediary) of a payee if a payment cannot be reliably associated with valid documentation under § 1.1441-1(b)(2)(vii) irrespective of whether the payments are subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code or are withholdable payments. The provisions of § 1.1441-1(b)(3)(iii)(D) and (vii)(B) (referencing presumption rules for payments with respect to offshore obligations) shall not apply to a payment of an amount not subject to withholding under chapter 3, unless it is an amount that is a withholdable payment made to a payee that is an entity. Thus, in the case of a withholdable payment made to an entity, the presumption rules of § 1.1441-1(b)(3)(iii)(D) and (vii)(B) shall apply regardless of whether the payment is an amount subject to withholding under chapter 3. Additionally, in the case of an amount paid outside the United States with respect to an offshore obligation described in § 1.1441-1(b)(3)(iii)(D) or (vii)(B) of an amount not subject to withholding under chapter 3 and that is treated as made to a payee that is an individual, the presumption rules of § 1.1441-1(b)(3)(iii) shall not apply, and the payee shall be presumed a U.S. person only when the payee has any of the indicia of U.S. status that are described in § 1.1441-7(b)(5) or (8). In a case in which a withholding agent makes a withholdable payment that cannot reliably be associated with documentation, see § 1.1471-3(f)(4) and (5) for determining the status of the payee for chapter 4 purposes when the payment is treated as made to a foreign entity (by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent”). The rules of § 1.1441-1(b)(2)(vii) shall apply for purposes of determining when a payment can reliably be associated with documentation, by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent.” For this purpose, the information, documentary evidence, statement, or other documentation described in paragraph (c)(4) of this section can be treated as documentation with which a payment can be associated.

(ii) Grace period in the case of indicia of a foreign payee. When the conditions of this paragraph (d)(2)(ii) are satisfied, the 30-day grace period provisions under section 3406(e) shall not apply and the provisions of this paragraph (d)(2)(ii) shall apply instead. A payor that, at any time during the grace period described in this paragraph (d)(2)(ii), credits an account with payments described in § 1.1441-6(c)(2) (or credits an account with broker proceeds from securities described in § 1.1441-6(c)(2)), that are reportable under section 6042, 6045, 6049, or 6050N may, instead of treating the account as owned by a U.S. person and applying backup withholding under section 3406, if applicable, choose to treat the account as owned by a foreign person (and apply the grace period described in § 1.1441-1(b)(3)(iv)) if, at the beginning of the grace period, the address that the payor has in its records for the account holder is in a foreign country, the payor has been furnished the information contained in a withholding certificate described in § 1.1441-1(e)(2), or the payor holds a withholding certificate that is no longer reliable other than because the validity period as described in § 1.1441-1(e)(4)(ii)(A) has expired. In the case of a newly opened account, the grace period begins on the date that the payor first credits the account. In the case of an existing account for which the payor holds a Form W-8 or documentary evidence of foreign status, the payor may apply the provisions of the grace period described in § 1.1441-1(b)(3)(iv), beginning on the date that the payor first credits the account after the existing documentation held with regard to the account can no longer be relied upon (other than because the validity period described in § 1.1441-1(e)(4)(ii)(A) has expired). A new account shall be treated as an existing account for purposes of this paragraph (d)(2)(ii) if the account holder already holds an account at the branch location at which the new account is opened, or if the account is treated as a consolidated obligation as defined in § 1.1471-(1)(b)(23) for purpose of chapter 4 to the extent the account does not receive any amounts subject to withholding under chapter 3. A new account shall also be treated as an existing account for purposes of this paragraph (d)(2)(ii) if an account is held at another branch location if the institution maintains an account information system described in § 1.1441-1(e)(4)(ix). The grace period terminates on the earlier of the close of the 90th day from the date on which the grace period begins or the date that valid documentation is provided. The grace period also terminates when the remaining balance in the account (due to withdrawals or otherwise) is equal to or less than 28 percent (or other statutory tax rate that is applicable to backup withholding) of the total amounts credited since the beginning of the grace period that would be subject to backup withholding if the provisions of this paragraph (d)(2)(ii) did not apply. At the end of the grace period, the payor shall treat the amounts credited to the account, or paid with respect to an account, during the grace period as paid to a U.S. or foreign payee depending upon whether documentation has been furnished and the nature of any such documentation furnished upon which the payor may rely to treat the account as owned by a U.S. or foreign payee. If the documentation has not been received on or before the date of expiration of the grace period, the payor may also apply the presumptions described in this paragraph (d) to amounts credited to the account after the date on which the grace period expires (until such time as the payor can reliably associate the documentation with amounts credited). See § 31.6413(a)-3(a)(1)(iv) of this chapter for treating backup withheld amounts under section 3406 as erroneously withheld when the documentation establishing foreign status is furnished prior to the end of the calendar year in which backup withholding occurs. If the provisions of this paragraph (d)(2)(ii) apply, the provisions of § 31.3406(d)-3 of this chapter shall not apply. For purposes of this paragraph (d)(2)(ii), an account holder's reinvestment of gross proceeds of a sale into other instruments constitutes a withdrawal and a non-qualified electronic transmission of information on a withholding certificate is a transmission that is not in accordance with the provisions of § 1.1441-1(e)(4)(iv). See § 1.1092(d)-1 for a definition of the term actively traded for purposes of this paragraph (d)(2)(ii).

(iii) Joint owners. Amounts paid to accounts held jointly for which a certificate or documentation is required as a condition for being exempt from reporting under paragraph (b) of this section are presumed made to U.S. payees who are not exempt recipients if, prior to payment, the payor cannot reliably associate the payment either with a Form W-9 furnished by one of the joint owners in the manner required in §§ 31.3406(d)-1 through 31.3406(d)-5 of this chapter, or with documentation described in paragraph (b)(12) of this section furnished by each joint owner upon which it can rely to treat each joint owner as a foreign payee or foreign beneficial owner. In the case of an amount that is a withholdable payment made to a joint account, however, see § 1.1471-3(f)(7) for when the payment is treated as made to a foreign payee that is a nonparticipating FFI (as defined in § 1.1471-1(b)(82)). For purposes of applying this paragraph (d)(2)(iii), the grace period described in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section shall apply only if each payee qualifies for such grace period.

(3) Payments to foreign intermediaries or flow-through entities—(i) Payments of amounts subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code or withholdable payments. In the case of payments of amounts that the payor may treat as made to a foreign intermediary or flow-through entity in accordance with §§ 1.1441-1(b)(3)(ii)(C) and (b)(3)(v)(A) and 1.1441-5(c) or (e) and that are subject to withholding under § 1.1441-2(a), the provisions of §§ 1.1441-1(b)(2)(v) and 1.1441-5(c)(1), (e)(2), and (3) shall apply (by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent”) to identify the payee. If a payment of an amount subject to withholding cannot be reliably associated with valid documentation from a payee in accordance with § 1.1441-1(b)(2)(vii), the presumption rules of §§ 1.1441-1(b)(3)(v) and 1.1441-5(d) and (e)(6) shall apply to determine the payee's status for purposes of this section (and other sections of regulations under this chapter to which this paragraph (d)(3) applies). In the case of an amount that is a withholdable payment, see § 1.1471-3(c)(3) for rules to identify the payee and see § 1.1471-3(f)(5) for the presumption rule that shall apply to amounts treated as made to a foreign intermediary or flow-through entity (by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent”). For example, where a withholdable payment is made to an intermediary under § 1.1471-3 that is treated as a nonparticipating FFI under § 1.1471-3(f)(5), the nonparticipating FFI shall be treated as the payee under § 1.1471-3(c)(3) and for purposes of this paragraph (d)(3)(i), therefore, no information return shall be required under this section.

(ii) Payments of amounts not subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code and that are not withholdable payments. Except as provided in paragraph (d)(3)(iii) of this section, amounts that are not subject to withholding under chapter 3 of the Code and that are not withholdable payments that the payor may treat as paid to a foreign intermediary or flow-through entity shall be treated as made to an exempt recipient described in § 1.6049-4(c) except to the extent that the payor has actual knowledge that any person for whom the intermediary or flow-through entity is collecting the payment is a U.S. person who is not an exempt recipient. In the case of such actual knowledge, the payor shall treat the payment that it knows is allocable to such U.S. person as a payment to a U.S. payee who is not an exempt recipient and has actual knowledge of the amount allocable to such a person.

(iii) Special rule for payments of certain short-term original issue discount—(A) General rule. A payment of U.S. source bank deposit interest not subject to chapter 4 withholding or U.S. source interest or original issue discount on the redemption of an obligation with a maturity from the date of issue of 183 days or less (short-term OID) described in section 871(g)(1)(B) or 881(e) that the payor may treat as paid to a foreign intermediary or flow-through entity in accordance with the provisions of § 1.1441-1(b)(3)(ii)(C), (b)(3)(v)(A), § 1.1441-5(d) or (e) (by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent”), shall be treated as paid to an undocumented U.S. payee that is not an exempt recipient under paragraph § 1.6049-4(c) unless the payor has documentation from the payees of the payment and the payment is allocated to foreign payees, as a group, and to each U.S. non-exempt recipient payee. See § 1.1441-1(e)(3)(iv)(C)(2). However, a payor may rely on a withholding statement provided by an intermediary described in § 1.1441-1(e)(3)(iv) (or similar withholding statement for a flow-through entity) that identifies a chapter 4 withholding rate pool of U.S. payees (as described in § 1.6049-4(c)(4)(iii)) only if it identifies the foreign intermediary or flow-through entity as a participating FFI (including a reporting Model 2 FFI) or registered deemed-compliant FFI (including a reporting Model 1 FFI) under § 1.1471-3(d)(4) (by substituting the term “payor” for the term “withholding agent”). See also § 1.6049-4(c)(4)(iii) for when an FFI may provide a chapter 4 withholding rate pool of U.S. payees on a withholding statement.

(B) Payee may be an intermediary. If a payment is made to a person described in § 1.6049-4(c)(1)(ii) that has not provided an intermediary withholding certificate under § 1.1441-1(e)(3)(i) but the payor knows or has reason to know that the payee may be an intermediary, the payor must apply the rules of paragraph (d)(3)(iii)(A) of this section. A payor has reason to know that such a person may be an intermediary if that person has provided documentation as an intermediary for another account with the same payor.

(iv) Short-term deposits and repurchase transactions. The provisions of paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section and not paragraph (d)(3)(iii) of this section shall apply to deposits with banks and other financial institutions that remain on deposit for a period of two weeks or less, to amounts of original issue discount arising from a sale and repurchase transaction that is completed within a period of two weeks or less, or to amounts described in paragraphs (b)(7), (10) and (11) of this section (relating to certain obligations issued in bearer form).

(4) Examples. The rules of paragraphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section are illustrated by the examples in this paragraph (d)(4). Unless otherwise specified in an example, the following facts apply: all FFIs, such as a nonqualified intermediary that is an FFI, are treated as participating FFIs; all payees have been identified with chapter 4 statuses that do not require withholding under chapter 4; and none of the payments are withholdable payments.

(e) Determination of whether amounts are considered paid outside the United States—(1) In general. For purposes of section 6049 and this section, an amount is considered to be paid by a payor or middleman outside the United States if the payor or middleman completes the acts necessary to effect payment outside the United States. See paragraphs (e)(2) through (5) of this section for further clarification of where amounts are considered paid. A payment shall not be considered to be made within the United States for purposes of section 6049 merely by reason of the fact that it is made on a draft drawn on a United States bank account or by a wire or other electronic transfer from a United States account.

(2) Amounts paid with respect to deposits or accounts with banks and other financial institutions. Notwithstanding paragraph (e)(1) of this section, an amount paid by a bank or other financial institution with respect to a deposit or with respect to an account with the institution is considered paid at the branch or office at which the amount is credited unless the amount is collected by the financial institution as the agent of the payee. However, an amount will not be considered to be paid at the branch or office where the amount is considered to be credited unless the branch or office is a permanent place of business that is regularly maintained, occupied, and used to carry on a banking or similar financial business; the business is conducted by at least one employee of the branch or office who is regularly in attendance at such place of business during normal business hours; and the branch or office receives deposits and engages in one or more of the other activities described in § 1.864-4(c)(5)(i).

(3) Coupon bonds and discount obligations in bearer form. Notwithstanding paragraph (e)(1) of this section, an amount paid with respect to a bond with coupons attached (including a certificate of deposit with detachable interest coupons) or a discount obligation that is not in registered form (within the meaning of section 163(f) and the regulations thereunder) is considered to be paid where the coupon or the discount obligation is presented to the payor or its paying agent for payment.

(4) Foreign-targeted registered obligations. Notwithstanding paragraph (e)(1) of this section, where the payor is the issuer or the issuer's agent, an amount is considered paid outside the United States with respect to a foreign-targeted registered obligation issued before January 1, 2016, as described in § 1.871-14(e)(2), if either the amount is paid by transfer to an account maintained by the registered owner outside the United States, or by mail to an address of the registered owner outside the United States, or by credit to an international account. For purposes of this paragraph (e)(4), the term international account means the book-entry account of a financial institution (within the meaning of section 871(h)(4)(B)) or of an international financial organization with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York maintains records that specifically identify an international financial organization or a financial institution (within the meaning of section 871(h)(4)(B)) as either a non-United States person or a foreign branch of a United States person as registered owner. An international financial organization is a central bank or monetary authority of a foreign government or a public international organization of which the United States is a member to the extent that such central bank, authority, or organization holds obligations solely for its own account and is exempt from tax under section 892 or 895.

(5) Examples. The application of the provisions of this paragraph (e) is illustrated by the following examples:

(f) Original issue discount treated as payment of interest. In determining whether an obligation is one which was issued at a discount and the amount of discount which is includible in income of the holder, a payor (other than the issuer of the obligation) may rely on the Internal Revenue Service's publication of publicly traded original issue discount obligations. In the case of an obligation as to which there is during any calendar year an amount of original issue discount includible in the gross income of any holder (as determined under sections 1232 and 1232A and the regulations thereunder), the issuer of the obligation or a middleman (as defined in § 1.6049-4(f)(4)) shall be treated as having paid to such holder during such calendar year an amount of interest equal to the amount of original issue discount so includible without regard to any reduction by reason of a purchase allowance under sections 1232(a)(2)(C)(ii), 1232A (a)(6) or (b)(4) or a purchase at a premium under 1232A(c)(4)(A) or paragraph (d)(2) of § 1.1232-3. Thus, the determination of the amount of original issue discount includible in the gross income of any holder with respect to any obligation shall be determined as if any holder of the obligation were the original holder. However, see § 1.6049-9 for the reporting of premium for a debt instrument acquired on or after January 1, 2014. In the case of (1) an obligation to which section 1232A does not apply (for example, a short-term government obligation as defined in section 1232(a)(3)) and (2) an obligation issued on or before December 31, 1982, in bearer form, the amount of original issue discount includible in gross income shall be treated as if paid in the calendar year in which the date of maturity occurs or in which the date of redemption occurs if redemption occurs before maturity. The amount subject to reporting on an obligation issued in bearer form with a maturity at the date of issue of more than 1 year (a long term obligation) is the amount of original issue discount includible in the gross income of the holder during the calendar year of maturity or redemption if redemption occurs before maturity. The amount of original issue discount subject to reporting on a long term obligation shall not be reduced to reflect any purchase allowance. Discount on short term government obligations as defined in section 1232(a)(3), such as Treasury bills, and discount on other obligations with a maturity at the date of issue of not more than 1 year (a short term obligation), including commercial paper, when paid at maturity or redemption if redemption occurs before maturity, shall constitute a payment of interest for purposes of section 6049. In general, the amount subject to reporting on short term obligations is the difference between the stated redemption price at maturity and the original issue price. The procedure set forth in section 3455(b)(2)(B) and § 31.3455(b)-1(b)(3) for establishing the price at which a holder purchased an obligation subsequent to the date of original issue shall apply for purposes of section 6049. Original issue discount on an obligation (including an obligation with a maturity of not more than six months from the date of original issue) held by a nonresident alien individual or foreign corporation is interest described in paragraph (b)(1)(vi)(A) or (B) of this section and, therefore is not interest subject to reporting under section 6049 unless it is described in § 1.6049-8(a) (relating to deposit interest paid on or after January 1, 2013, to certain nonresident alien individuals).

(g) Applicability dates. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (g), this section applies to payments made on or after January 6, 2017. For payments made after June 30, 2014, and before January 6, 2017, see this section as in effect and contained in 26 CFR part 1, as revised April 1, 2016. For payments made after December 31, 2000, and before July 1, 2014, see this section as in effect and contained in 26 CFR part 1, as revised April 1, 2013. Paragraph (c)(5)(i)(C) of this section applies to payments made on or after October 1, 2019. For payments made before October 1, 2019, a taxpayer may apply paragraph (c)(5)(i)(C) of this section for payments during the last taxable year of a foreign corporation beginning before January 1, 2018, and each subsequent taxable year of the foreign corporation, provided that the taxpayer and United States persons that are related (within the meaning of section 267 or 707) to the taxpayer consistently apply such paragraph with respect to all foreign corporations. For payments made before October 1, 2019, where the taxpayer does not apply the provisions of paragraph (c)(5)(i)(C) of this section, see paragraph (c)(5)(i)(C) of this section as in effect and contained in 26 CFR part 1, as revised April 1, 2020.