Upload
others
View
3
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
EdwardK.White Charles“Chaz”Lavelle GaryBowers
1320MainStreet,17th FloorSeniorPartner Partner
Columbia,SC29201BinghamGreenebaumDollLLPJohnsonLambert,LLPDirect: 502-587-3557
[email protected] 502-587-3557 919-719-6411
803-255-9559
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Rent-A-Center• Rent-A-Centerisapubliccompanywhichrentsfurniture,etc.tothepublic.• FromtheBriefsfiled(nottheopinion),Rent-A-Centerhad3to12subsidiaries[dependingontheyear],butineachyear,oneaccountedfor61to68%ofthetotalpremiumsofthecaptive.• CaptiveinsuredthedeductiblesofRent-A-Center’sG/L,AutoandWorkers’CompCommercialinsuranceprogram.• Somecommercialcarriersdeclinedtowritethecaptivecoveragesorwoulddosoonlyatamuchhigherprice
2
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Rent-A-Center(cont’d)• Rent-A-Centerisapubliccompanywhichrentsfurniture,etc.tothepublic.• FromtheBriefsfiled(nottheopinion),Rent-A-Centerhad3to12subsidiaries[dependingontheyear],butineachyear,oneaccountedfor61to68%ofthetotalpremiumsofthecaptive.• CaptiveinsuredthedeductiblesofRent-A-Center’sG/L,AutoandWorkers’CompCommercialinsuranceprogram.• Somec
3
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Rent-A-Center (cont’d)• Thecaptivechargedapremium,whichwasinternallyallocatedtothesubsidiaries(althoughfromthebriefs,itappearstheallocationcouldnotbereplicated)• Rent-A-CenterdeductedpremiumspaidinthefollowingSeptemberundertherecurringitemexceptionandprovidedparentalguaranteestothecaptive’sregulatorrelativetosomedeferredtaxassets.• CaptivepurchasedTreasurysharesofparentcompanyasaninvestment
• ThePluralityopinionfoundthattherewasnoshamandthattherewerelegitimate non-taxreasons
• Rent-A-Center hadcommonnotions ofinsurance,shifted risk(evenwiththeguarantee)andmetthebalancesheet test
4
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Rent-A-Center (cont’d)• Theopinionlookedattheexposureunits,notconcentration• Theconcurringfoundthepremiumsactuariallydetermined• Theprincipaldissentfoundthecaptivedidnotoperateasa“real”insurance(e.g.,guaranty,undercapitalized,illiquid[Treasuryshares])• OnJanuary21,2014,theTaxCourtheldthatRent-A-CenterhadavalidinsurancearrangementforFederaltaxpurposeona10-6vote.TheIRSchoosenottoappeal.
5
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Securitas• SecuritasABisaSwedishsecuritycompany(AB)withaUSHoldingCompany(US)thatacquiredPinkerton’s,BurnsSecurityandothersecuritycompanies
• USownedtwocaptives: ProtectorsandCentaur- Centaurwasinrun-offandwastax-exempt undersection 501(c)(15).ProtectorswasaVermontcaptive
• ABorganizedanIrishreinsurance company• In2004,88%ofpremiumswerethoseofonesubsidiary• Inordertoprotectthesection 501(c)(15)taxexemption, USguaranteed Protectors’ losses,whichwasnevercalledupon.
• Alossportfolioandcurrentriskswereinsured; thepartiesagreedtheywereinsurance risks.
6
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Securitas(cont’d)• TheTaxCourtdetermined that theguaranty didnot
invalidate riskshifting;parental guarantees donotautomatically invalidate acaptive arrangement.Protectorswasadequately capitalized andtheoffsetofpremiumsand claimsdidnotadverselyaffecttheinsurance arrangement andriskdistributionisevaluatedfromtheperspectiveofthecaptive.
• TheTaxCourtfocusedonthenumberofstatisticallyindependentriskexposures100,000USemployeesand2,240vehicles,ratherthanthenumberofentities
7
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Securitas(cont’d)
• OpinionquotedDr.Doherty,thetaxpayer’sexpert,whosaid: “Itisthepoolingofexposures thatbringsabouttheriskdistribution -- whoownstheexposures isnotcrucial.”
• TheTaxCourtfoundthatthearrangementwasinsurance initscommonlyacceptedsense because:• Thecaptiveswereorganized,operatedandregulatedasinsurancecompanies andwereadequately capitalized
• Thepolicieswerevalidandbindingandpremiumswerereasonable andlosseswerepaid(afteroffset)
8
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
ResidualValueInsurance– TAM201149021
• Lessors leased equipment tocustomerswithaprojectedvalueof$x
• Forexample,arentalcarcompanymaylease fleets ofcarstotaling2,000,000carsoracomputercompanymaylease 2,000,000computers
• Realestatewasalso involved
• The lessorpurchased insurancefromanunrelatedinsurancecompanytopaytotheextenttheactualvalueoftheequipment islessthan$x(excludingphysicaldamage)
9
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
ResidualValueInsuranceTAM201149021• TAM201149021determinedthatthisisnot insurance– itis
notaninsurancerisk,butmoreofaninvestmentrisk(economicfluctuations andnotfortuitousphysicalact)
• Therewerenocommonnotions ofinsurance– economicriskandgapbetween lossandpayment
• Therewasnoriskdistribution – thesameeconomic issuesaffectthenationwidemarket
• ThetaxpayerinvolvedinthistamisRVIGuarantyLtd.
10
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
RVIGuarantyLtd
• RVIGuarantyLtdwasthetaxpayerinvolvedinTAM201149021• This isnotacaptivecase,but itisimportanttocaptive insurancearrangements
• LastmonththeTaxCourtfoundresidual valueinsurancetobeinsurance• Iwillbesometimebeforethe IRShastodecidewhethertoappeal
• InILM201511021,theIRSfoundforeignexchangenottobe insurance. TheIRSseemed totreatbusiness riskclosertoinvestment risk.
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
•February9,2015theJointCommitteeoutlinedproposedlegislationtoincreasethesection831(b)limitto$2,200,000 (andindexittoinflation),butwith“tighteners”astowhatcaptivesqualifiedtomaketheelection:
• Initially: onlycaptiveswritingdirectbusiness, nomorethan20%relatedparty
• Eliminated fromproposalonFebruary11• Atthehearing,SenatorGrassleywasconcernedaboutestate planningabuses,andaskedtheTreasuryforareport
40
ProposedSection831(b)Amendments
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
•InresponsetotheSenateFinanceCommitteeconcernaboutestateplanningabuses:
• The industryproposedthatacaptivewouldnotbeeligibletomaketheelection ifitwasownedbyatrustorinvestedinlifeinsurance
• TheNAICtweakedthatproposal• Billswereproposed inbothhouses,theSenateversionrequiredanIRSreportbyFebruary11,2016
• Mostrecent:only5%captiveownershipbyarelativeoftheowneroftheoperatingcompany
• Nobillhaspassed eitherhouse
41
ProposedSection831(b)Amendments, cont
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
EmployeeBenefitsRelatedorUnrelatedRiskRev.Rul.92-93
• Economic risks being insured aretherisks oftheEmployees, nottheEmployer, so therisks areunrelated• Factsinvolved lifeinsurance coveragebutruling statesconclusion is thesamefor health benefits coverage• Insurance coveragewascompensation fortheperformance ofservices
EmployerEmployer Owned Insurance
Company
Employees PayBenefits
Premium
14
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Reinsurance
Rev.Rul.2009-26
• ReinsurancecontractshiftsunderlyingunrelatedriskstoCompanyZ
Insurance CompanyY
Insurance CompanyZ
10,000unrelated
policy holders
Reinsures
90%policyholder risks
15
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
HealthBenefitsSourcingandReinsuranceØTAM200816029toproperlyevaluatewhetheranarrangementconstitutesinsuranceforfederalincometaxpurposes,itiscriticaltosourcetheinsurancerisk
ØRev.Rul.92-93lookedtoemployeesasthesourceoftheriskscoveredbygrouptermlifeinsurance
ØRev.Rul.1980-95lookedtoemployeesasthesourceoftheriskscoveredbydisabilityinsurance
ØRev.Rul.2005-40arrangemententeredintowithonepolicyholdercannotqualifyasaninsurancecontractiftheissuerdoesnotenterintocontractswithotherpolicyholders
ØRev.Rul.2006-26allowsreinsuranceofunrelatedrisksthroughasinglecontractØRentaCenter– allowedonlythreepolicyholdersandtwo-thirdsoftheriskrelatedtoonepolicyholder
16
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
EmployeeBenefitsRev.Rul.2014-15
§ Retireehealthinsurancerisksbeingshiftedaretheretiree'srisks§ IRSstatesthatRev.Rul.2014-15isnotintendedtoapplyifaVEBAisnotinvolved
Employer VEBA Insurer Captive
Retirees
RetireeMedical Benefits
ContributionInsures StopLoss
Reinsures
17
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
ERISAPermittedStop-LossHealthBenefitCoverage
§ PaymentstoarelatedcaptivetofundhealthinsurancecantriggerERISA'sprohibitedtransactionrule
§ Exceptionappliesifthehealthbenefitrisksareshiftedtoarelatedcaptivethroughastop-losspolicy• Premiumsmustbepaiddirectlybytheemployeroutoftheemployer'sassetsandanyproceedsfromthepolicymustbepaiddirectlytotheemployer
Employer Captive
Employees PayBenefits
PremiumReinsuresSelf Insured
Plan
Stop LossPolicy
18
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
HealthBenefitsCaptiveIssuedMedicalStopLossPolicy
§NeedtopayattentiontoIRC§ 162(m)(6)whichlimitsdeductionsforcompensationtoofficers,directors,etc.,to$500,000 perannum
19
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
TaxReturnPositions
1. Avoid20%substantialunderstatementofincomepenaltyifeither:a)substantialauthorityforthepositionorb)positionhadareasonablebasisandadequatelydisclosed
2.Avoid20%negligence penaltyifhaveareasonablebasisfortheposition
20
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
EconomicSubstanceDoctrine
• IRC§ 7701(o)containsatwo-parttest:(1) "thetransactionchangesinameaningfulway(apartfrom
Federalincometaxeffects)thetaxpayer'seconomicposition,and"
(2) "thetaxpayerhasasubstantialpurpose(apartfromFederalincometaxeffects)forenteringintosuchtransaction."
20%accuracyrelatedpenaltyforadisallowanceofadeductionwithouteconomicsubstanceandnoreasonablecauseexemption.40%penaltyiftherewasafailuretodisclose.
21
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
DocumentOngoingBusinessPurpose• Reviewgoalsofhavingacaptiveandannuallydocumentwhethercaptiveisachievingthosegoals,orifnotwhynot• Wheregoalsarechangingdocumentreasoningbehindthechangesonacontemporaneousbasis
22
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
StateandLocaltaxes
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
StateandLocalTaxes
• Background• Premiumtaxesimposedbycaptivejurisdiction• Directplacementtaxes• Taxationofcaptiveincome 24
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
TwoTypes:PremiumTaxesindomicile
• DirectProcurement• Contemplatesinsureddirectlyaccessingunlicensed,unregulatedinsurer• Statutoryprovisions
• Directplacement laws• Industrial insuredexceptions
• Non-StatutoryProvisions
25
StateandLocalTaxes
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
UPSvStateofIndiana
• Casewasaboutwhetherthecaptiveinsurancecompanieswere“subject”tothepremiumstaxandifso,exemptfromthecorporateincometax
26
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
UPSvStateofIndiana
• UPSwaschallengingthephysicalpresencerequirementofthepremiumtax
• ChallengedtheincometaxundertheCommerceClause 27
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
UPSvStateofIndiana• Courtheldthatthephysicalpresencetestisappropriateforthepremiumtaxbasedon:• USSupremeCourtholdinginToddShipyardsCorp.• Indianaandotherstatejurisdictions
• CommerceClausechallengewasdeniedonthebasisoftheSupremeCourt’sinterpretationofMcCarren-FergusonAct
28
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Wendy’svStateofIllinois
• CasewasachallengetoWendy’sexclusionofitscaptiveinsurancecompanyfromtheincometaxbaseoftheconsolidatedreturn• IllinoistriedtoarguethatthecaptivewasnotaninsurancecompanyundertheIRC
29
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Wendy’svStateofIllinois
• SciotowasformedinVTtowriteamorecomprehensiveprogramforWendy’sandBIcoverage• VTrequiredsufficientcapitalizationtocoverallinsuranceobligationsincludingCATcoverage
• SciotoacquiredanaffiliateofWendy’sthatheldWendy’strademark
30
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Wendy’svStateofIllinois
• SciotosurvivedtwoIRSauditsontheissueofwhetheritwasaninsurancecompany• Theacquiredaffiliategenerated$389MinroyaltyincomeandSciotowrote$20Minpremiums
• Illinoisarguedthatthemajorityofincomewasfromroyaltynotinsurance
31
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Wendy’svStateofIllinois
• Courtheldontheincomeissuethatitwasthecharacterofthebusinessconductednotthepercentageofincomethatdetermineswhatacompanydoes• HeldSciotowaslicensedasainsurancecompanyinVTandthattheyownedtheaffiliatetomeetcapitalizationrequirements
32
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
Wendy’svStateofIllinois
• Therefore,theincomeshouldbeexcludedfromtheIllinoisunitaryreturnasSciotowasaninsurancecompany.
33
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
CostcovStateofOregon
• CostcofiledOregonconsolidatedexcisetaxreturnsbutexcludeditswholly-ownedcaptiveinsurancecompany• Oregonchallengedandconcludedthattheinsurancecompanywasunitaryandshouldbeincluded 34
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
CostcovStateofOregon
• CaptivewasaBermudaentityandhadmadeasection953(d)election• CaptivereceivedpremiumsfromCostco”affiliatesandreinsurancepremiumsfromGreenIsland• CaptivehadnoconnectiontoOregon 35
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
CostcovStateofOregon
• TheCourtconcludedthattheOregonunitarytaxruleswereapplicabletotheinsurancecompanyandthatCostcowasrequiredtoincludetheincomeofthecaptiveintheconsolidatedreturn.
36
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
• Ruling:
• A4.85%taxisassessed onnonadmitted Captive InsuranceCompanies• Captive insurer isdefinedasaninsurance companythat isformedforthepurposeofinsuringtherisksofentities thatarerelatedtoitthroughcommonownership.Thesemaybereferredtoassingle-parent, in-house,orpurecaptives.
• Thetaxpayermustallocate thepremiumusingtheallocation standardthatmostreasonablyandequitably apportionsthepremiumapplicable totheriskinTexas,otherstates,andnontaxable jurisdictions basedonthetypeofpolicy.
• Inthecaseofanindemnity policythatreimburses theinsuredforlosses paid,thelocationoftheriskorexposure insured isthe locationofthe insured's homeoffice.
TexasRule3.835
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
• Combinable Captive Insurance Company:
§ Forthose Captivemeetingthefollowingcriteria,theymustbeincludedintheParent’sNYincometaxreturnandbesubjecttoNY incometax.
§ Combinable Captive insurance company means anentity that istreated asanassociation taxable as a corporation under the internal revenue code
(a)more than fifty percent of the voting stockof which isowned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a single entity that istreated asanassociation taxableasacorporation under the internal revenue code andnot exempt from federal income tax;
(b) that islicensed asacaptive insurance company under the lawsofthis state or another jurisdiction;
(c) whose business includes providing, directly andindirectly, insurance or reinsurance covering therisks ofitsparent and/or members of itsaffiliated group;and
(d) fiftypercent orless ofwhose gross receipts for the taxable yearconsist ofpremiums from arrangements that constitute insurance forfederal income taxpurposes.
NewYork
TCIATennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc.
• Beginningwithcalendaryearsafter2012a$2,500 taxisduetothetreasuryofIndiana forcertaincaptiveinsurers:
• CaptiveInsurermeansaforeignoraliencompany:
§ Thatissupervised intheforeignoralienjurisdiction;§ ThatisownedbyapersonwhoconductsbusinessinIndiana;§ Whoseexclusivepurpose istoinsureproperty andcasualtyrisksof:
§ Theparententity§ Affiliatesoftheparent;or§ Controlledunaffiliatedbusiness
§ Thathasnotmorethan$2,000,000ofannualdirectpremium
IndianaHouseEnrolledActNo.1206