Joseph D. Specking, et al. - Page 26




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          added.)  As we read TRA 1986 section 1277, the amendments to old            
          section 931 made by TRA 1986 section 1272(a) are not provisional            
          in their application to petitioners.  Congress specifically                 
          provided in TRA 1986 section 1272(a) that section 931 is amended            
          for tax years beginning after December 31, 1986.  In TRA 1986               
          section 1277(b), Congress makes the application of those                    
          amendments conditional on the existence of the required                     
          implementation agreement between the United States and the                  
          specified possession, but only as to Guam, American Samoa, and              
          the CNMI, and the residents and corporations thereof.  Thus, TRA            
          1986 section 1277(b) does not apply for bona fide residents of              
          the other U.S. possessions.  As for those residents, the general            
          effective date of TRA 1986 section 1277(a) controls.  As a                  
          result, income earned in any possession other than Guam, American           
          Samoa, and the CNMI is not eligible for the exclusion provided              
          under section 931 as amended by TRA 1986 section 1272(a) for tax            
          years beginning after December 31, 1986.  We note further that              
          nothing in the legislative history supports petitioners’ argument           
          that Congress intended to keep old section 931 in force as to the           
          other possessions should one or more of the specified possessions           
          not implement a tax agreement with the United States.  E.g., S.             
          Rept. 99-313, supra at 484-485, 1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 3) at 484-485.            
               Petitioners’ reliance on section 1.931-1, Income Tax Regs.,            
          is misplaced.  The regulatory language on which petitioners rely            






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