republic-os/legal/us/code/title-26/chapter-1/section-811.md

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LegalText	26 U.S.C. § 811	Accounting provisions	us	united_states_code	code_section	26	INTERNAL REVENUE CODE	1	NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES	811	26 U.S.C. § 811	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc26@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t26/s811	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-26/usc26.xml	3d2e4ed94b7cc07f0ee6516533f2fd11d404478ee3ab87ac886f01b74beec7ef	a261f094809116f42a96648a3d5eee80fa010379d67412551c21dd5c900b27f4	e49aa523f73ea8fbcfea1cd8e0bb8bcde48b37f4fd4caacd171b1a4e82234993	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

26 U.S.C. § 811 - Accounting provisions

Text

(a) Method of accounting All computations entering into the determination of the taxes imposed by this part shall be made—

(1) under an accrual method of accounting, or

(2) to the extent permitted under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, under a combination of an accrual method of accounting with any other method permitted by this chapter (other than the cash receipts and disbursements method).

To the extent not inconsistent with the preceding sentence or any other provision of this part, all such computations shall be made in a manner consistent with the manner required for purposes of the annual statement approved by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

(b) Amortization of premium and accrual of discount (1) In general The appropriate items of income, deductions, and adjustments under this part shall be adjusted to reflect the appropriate amortization of premium and the appropriate accrual of discount attributable to the taxable year on bonds, notes, debentures, or other evidences of indebtedness held by a life insurance company. Such amortization and accrual shall be determined—

(A) in accordance with the method regularly employed by such company, if such method is reasonable, and

(B) in all other cases, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

(2) Special rules (A) Amortization of bond premium In the case of any bond (as defined in section 171(d)), the amount of bond premium, and the amortizable bond premium for the taxable year, shall be determined under section 171(b) as if the election set forth in section 171(c) had been made.

(B) Convertible evidence of indebtedness In no case shall the amount of premium on a convertible evidence of indebtedness include any amount attributable to the conversion features of the evidence of indebtedness.

(3) Exception No accrual of discount shall be required under paragraph (1) on any bond (as defined in section 171(d)), except in the case of discount which is—

(A) interest to which section 103 applies, or

(B) original issue discount (as defined in section 1273).

(c) No double counting Nothing in this part shall permit—

(1) a reserve to be established for any item unless the gross amount of premiums and other consideration attributable to such item are required to be included in life insurance gross income,

(2) the same item to be counted more than once for reserve purposes, or

(3) any item to be deducted (either directly or as an increase in reserves) more than once.

(d) Method of computing reserves on contract where interest is guaranteed beyond end of taxable year For purposes of this part (other than section 816), amounts in the nature of interest to be paid or credited under any contract for any period which is computed at a rate which—

(1) exceeds the interest rate in effect under section 808(g) for the contract for such period, and

(2) is guaranteed beyond the end of the taxable year on which the reserves are being computed,

shall be taken into account in computing the reserves with respect to such contract as if such interest were guaranteed only up to the end of the taxable year.

(e) Short taxable years If any return of a corporation made under this part is for a period of less than the entire calendar year (referred to in this subsection as “short period”), then section 443 shall not apply in respect to such period, but life insurance company taxable income shall be determined, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, on an annual basis by a ratable daily projection of the appropriate figures for the short period.

(Added and amended Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title I, § 42(a)(8), title II, § 211(a), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 557, 740; Pub. L. 100–647, title II, § 2004(p)(1), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3608; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, § 13517(b)(2), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2147.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

Prior ProvisionsA prior section 811, added Pub. L. 86–69, § 2(a), June 25, 1959, 73 Stat. 126; amended Pub. L. 97–248, title II, § 255(b)(1), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 533; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title VII, § 714(a), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 960, related to dividends to policyholders, prior to the general revision of this part by Pub. L. 98–369, § 211(a). Another prior section 811, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, § 811, as added Mar. 13, 1956, ch. 83, § 2, 70 Stat. 44; amended July 24, 1956, ch. 696, § 2(c), 70 Stat. 633; Mar. 17, 1958, Pub. L. 85–345, § 2(c), 72 Stat. 37, imposed a tax on the life insurance company taxable income of all life insurance companies for taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1957, prior to the general revision of this part by Pub. L. 86–69, § 2(a).

Amendments2017—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 115–97 substituted “the interest rate in effect under section 808(g)” for “the greater of the prevailing State assumed interest rate or applicable Federal interest rate in effect under section 807”. 1988—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 100–647 substituted “the greater of the prevailing State assumed interest rate or applicable Federal interest rate in effect under section 807 for the contract” for “the prevailing State assumed interest rate for the contract”. 1984—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 98–369, § 42(a)(8), substituted “section 1273” for “section 1232(b)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2017 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–97 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017, with transition rule and transition relief, see section 13517(c) of Pub. L. 115–97, set out as a note under section 807 of this title.

Effective Date of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–647 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provisions of the Revenue Act of 1987, Pub. L. 100–203, title X, to which such amendment relates, see section 2004(u) of Pub. L. 100–647, set out as a note under section 56 of this title.

Effective Date of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by section 42(a)(8) of Pub. L. 98–369 applicable to taxable years ending after July 18, 1984, see section 44 of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1271 of this title.

Effective DateSection applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1983, see section 215 of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.