Consent dividends — Us Code Code § 565

Us Code Code § 565 — Consent dividends. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 565. Consent dividends

(a) General rule

If any person owns consent stock (as defined in subsection (f)(1)) in a corporation on the last day of the taxable year of such corporation, and such person agrees, in a consent filed with the return of such corporation in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, to treat as a dividend the amount specified in such consent, the amount so specified shall, except as provided in subsection (b), constitute a consent dividend for purposes of section 561 (relating to the deduction for dividends paid).

(b) Limitations

A consent dividend shall not include—

(1) an amount specified in a consent which, if distributed in money, would constitute, or be part of, a distribution which would be disqualified for purposes of the dividends paid deduction under section 562(c) (relating to preferential dividends), or

(2) an amount specified in a consent which would not constitute a dividend (as defined in section 316) if the total amounts specified in consents filed by the corporation had been distributed in money to shareholders on the last day of the taxable year of such corporation.

(c) Effect of consent

The amount of a consent dividend shall be considered, for purposes of this title—

(1) as distributed in money by the corporation to the shareholder on the last day of the taxable year of the corporation, and

(2) as contributed to the capital of the corporation by the shareholder on such day.

(d) Consent dividends and other distributions

If a distribution by a corporation consists in part of consent dividends and in part of money or other property, the entire amount specified in the consents and the amount of such money or other property shall be considered together for purposes of applying this title.

(e) Nonresident aliens and foreign corporations

In the case of a consent dividend which, if paid in money would be subject to the provisions of section 1441 (relating to withholding of tax on nonresident aliens) or section 1442 (relating to withholding of tax on foreign corporations), this section shall not apply unless the consent is accompanied by money, or such other medium of payment as the Secretary may by regulations authorize, in an amount equal to the amount that would be required to be deducted and withheld under sections 1441 or 1442 if the consent dividend had been, on the last day of the taxable year of the corporation, paid to the shareholder in money as a dividend. The amount accompanying the consent shall be credited against the tax imposed by this subtitle on the shareholder.

(f) Definitions

(1) Consent stock

Consent stock, for purposes of this section, means the class or classes of stock entitled, after the payment of preferred dividends, to a share in the distribution (other than in complete or partial liquidation) within the taxable year of all the remaining earnings and profits, which share constitutes the same proportion of such distribution regardless of the amount of such distribution.

(2) Preferred dividends

Preferred dividends, for purposes of this section, means a distribution (other than in complete or partial liquidation), limited in amount, which must be made on any class of stock before a further distribution (other than in complete or partial liquidation) of earnings and profits may be made within the taxable year.

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 200; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, §1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834.)


Editorial Notes

Amendments

1976—Subsecs. (a), (e). Pub. L. 94–455 struck out "or his delegate" after "Secretary".

Subchapter H—Banking Institutions

Part
 I.
Rules of general application to banking institutions.
II.
Mutual savings banks, etc.

        

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1976—Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, §1901(b)(20)(C), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1797, struck out item for part III "Bank affiliates".

PART I—RULES OF GENERAL APPLICATION TO BANKING INSTITUTIONS

Sec.
581.
Definition of bank.
582.
Bad debts, losses, and gains with respect to securities held by financial institutions.
[583.
Repealed.]
584.
Common trust funds.
585.
Reserves for losses on loans of banks.
[586.
Repealed.]

        

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1986—Pub. L. 99–514, title IX, §901(d)(4)(H), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2380, struck out item 586 "Reserves for losses on loans of small business investment companies, etc."

1976—Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, §1901(b)(18), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1796, struck out item 583 "Deductions of dividends paid on certain preferred stock".

1969—Pub. L. 91–172, title IV, §431(c)(2), Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 620, substituted "Bad debts, losses, and gains with respect to securities held by financial institutions", for "Bad debt and loss deduction with respect to securities held by banks" in item 582, and added items 585 and 586.

About This Section

26 U.S.C. § 565 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.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 26 U.S.C. § 565. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

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