26 U.S.C. § 541
Section 541 · Imposition of personal holding company tax
Amended 9 times on record
Applied in 36 court decisions — leading case United States v. Donruss Co. (1969)
Most recently applied in 27 N.J. Tax 577 - Regent Corporation of Union, Inc. v. Director, Division of Taxation (January 2014)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
In addition to other taxes imposed by this chapter, there is hereby imposed for each taxable year on the undistributed personal holding company income (as defined in section 545) of every personal holding company (as defined in section 542) a personal holding company tax equal to 20 percent of the undistributed personal holding company income.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Amendments
2013—Pub. L. 112–240 substituted “20 percent” for “15 percent”.
2003—Pub. L. 108–27 substituted “equal to 15 percent of the undistributed personal holding company income.” for “equal to the product of the highest rate of tax under section 1(c) and the undistributed personal holding company income.”
2001—Pub. L. 107–16 substituted “equal to the product of the highest rate of tax under section 1(c) and the undistributed personal holding company income.” for “equal to 39.6 percent of the undistributed personal holding company income.”
1993—Pub. L. 103–66, §13202(b), substituted “39.6 percent” for “36 percent”.
Pub. L. 103–66, §13201(b)(2), substituted “36 percent” for “28 percent”.
1990—Pub. L. 101–508 struck out “(38.5 percent in the case of taxable years beginning in 1987)” after “28 percent”.
1986—Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “28 percent (38.5 percent in the case of taxable years beginning in 1987)” for “50 percent”.
1981—Pub. L. 97–34 substituted “50 percent” for “70 percent”.
1964—Pub. L. 88–272 reduced the tax from 75 percent of undistributed income not in excess of $2,000, and 85 percent when in excess of $2,000, to 70 percent.
Effective Date of 2013 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 112–240 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2012, see section 102(d)(1) of Pub. L. 112–240, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Effective Date of 2003 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 108–27 applicable, except as otherwise provided, to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2002, see section 302(f) of Pub. L. 108–27, set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 2003 Amendment note under section 1 of this title.
Effective Date of 2001 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 107–16 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2000, see section 101(d) of Pub. L. 107–16, set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 2001 Amendment note under section 1 of this title.
Effective Date of 1993 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 103–66 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1992, see sections 13201(c) and 13202(c) of Pub. L. 103–66, set out as notes under section 1 of this title.
Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 99–514 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1986, see section 151(a) of Pub. L. 99–514, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 97–34 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1981, see section 101(f)(1) of Pub. L. 97–34, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Effective Date of 1964 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 88–272 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1963, see section 225(l) of Pub. L. 88–272 set out as a note under section 316 of this title.
Savings Provision
For provisions that nothing in amendment by Pub. L. 101–508 be construed to affect treatment of certain transactions occurring, property acquired, or items of income, loss, deduction, or credit taken into account prior to Nov. 5, 1990, for purposes of determining liability for tax for periods ending after Nov. 5, 1990, see section 11821(b) of Pub. L. 101–508, set out as a note under section 45K of this title.