Us Code § 2801 - Imposition of tax
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 2801 — Imposition of tax, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 2801. Imposition of tax
(a) In general
If, during any calendar year, any United States citizen or resident receives any covered gift or bequest, there is hereby imposed a tax equal to the product of—
(1) the highest rate of tax specified in the table contained in section 2001(c) as in effect on the date of such receipt, and
(2) the value of such covered gift or bequest.
(b) Tax to be paid by recipient
The tax imposed by subsection (a) on any covered gift or bequest shall be paid by the person receiving such gift or bequest.
(c) Exception for certain gifts
Subsection (a) shall apply only to the extent that the value of covered gifts and bequests received by any person during the calendar year exceeds the dollar amount in effect under section 2503(b) for such calendar year.
(d) Tax reduced by foreign gift or estate tax
The tax imposed by subsection (a) on any covered gift or bequest shall be reduced by the amount of any gift or estate tax paid to a foreign country with respect to such covered gift or bequest.
(e) Covered gift or bequest
(1) In general
For purposes of this chapter, the term "covered gift or bequest" means—
(A) any property acquired by gift directly or indirectly from an individual who, at the time of such acquisition, is a covered expatriate, and
(B) any property acquired directly or indirectly by reason of the death of an individual who, immediately before such death, was a covered expatriate.
(2) Exceptions for transfers otherwise subject to estate or gift tax
Such term shall not include—
(A) any property shown on a timely filed return of tax imposed by chapter 12 which is a taxable gift by the covered expatriate, and
(B) any property included in the gross estate of the covered expatriate for purposes of chapter 11 and shown on a timely filed return of tax imposed by chapter 11 of the estate of the covered expatriate.
(3) Exceptions for transfers to spouse or charity
Such term shall not include any property with respect to which a deduction would be allowed under section 2055, 2056, 2522, or 2523, whichever is appropriate, if the decedent or donor were a United States person.
(4) Transfers in trust
(A) Domestic trusts
In the case of a covered gift or bequest made to a domestic trust—
(i) subsection (a) shall apply in the same manner as if such trust were a United States citizen, and
(ii) the tax imposed by subsection (a) on such gift or bequest shall be paid by such trust.
(B) Foreign trusts
(i) In general
In the case of a covered gift or bequest made to a foreign trust, subsection (a) shall apply to any distribution attributable to such gift or bequest from such trust (whether from income or corpus) to a United States citizen or resident in the same manner as if such distribution were a covered gift or bequest.
(ii) Deduction for tax paid by recipient
There shall be allowed as a deduction under section 164 the amount of tax imposed by this section which is paid or accrued by a United States citizen or resident by reason of a distribution from a foreign trust, but only to the extent such tax is imposed on the portion of such distribution which is included in the gross income of such citizen or resident.
(iii) Election to be treated as domestic trust
Solely for purposes of this section, a foreign trust may elect to be treated as a domestic trust. Such an election may be revoked with the consent of the Secretary.
(f) Covered expatriate
For purposes of this section, the term "covered expatriate" has the meaning given to such term by section 877A(g)(1).
(Added Pub. L. 110–245, title III, §301(b)(1), June 17, 2008, 122 Stat. 1644; amended Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, §206(b)(1), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4027.)
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2014—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 113–295 struck out "(or, if greater, the highest rate of tax specified in the table applicable under section 2502(a) as in effect on the date)" after "such receipt".
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 113–295 effective as if included in the provisions of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111–312, to which such amendment relates, see section 206(d) of Pub. L. 113–295, set out as a note under section 32 of this title.
Effective Date
Pub. L. 110–245, title III, §301(g), June 17, 2008, 122 Stat. 1647, provided that:
"(1)
"(2)
Subtitle C—Employment Taxes
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1983—Pub. L. 98–76, title II, §231(c), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 429, added item for chapter 23A.
Pub. L. 98–67 repealed amendments made by Pub. L. 97–248. See 1982 Amendment note below.
1982—Pub. L. 97–248, title III, §§307(b)(1), (6), 308(a), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 590, 591, provided that, applicable to payments of interest, dividends, and patronage dividends paid or credited after June 30, 1983, the heading of subtitle C is amended to read "Employment Taxes and Collection of Income Tax at Source", the caption of chapter 24 is amended by striking out "On Wages", and the caption of chapter 25 is amended by inserting "And Collection Of Income Taxes At Source" after "Employment Taxes". Section 102(a), (b) of Pub. L. 98–67, title I, Aug. 5, 1983, 97 Stat. 369, repealed subtitle A (§§301–308) of title III of Pub. L. 97–248 as of the close of June 30, 1983, and provided that the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 [now 1986] [this title] shall be applied and administered (subject to certain exceptions) as if such subtitle A (and the amendments made by such subtitle A) had not been enacted.
1 Section numbers editorially supplied.
CHAPTER 21—FEDERAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS ACT
Editorial Notes
Amendments
Pub. L. 117–2, title IX, §9641(c), Mar. 11, 2021, 135 Stat. 171, added item for subchapter D.
1 Section numbers editorially supplied.
Subchapter A—Tax on Employees
About This Section
26 U.S.C. § 2801 is part of Title 26 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
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