Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax: Implications For Corporate-owned Life Insurance

Definition of "Corporate alternative minimum tax: implications for corporate-owned life insurance"

INSURANCE tax that exhibits direct impact on the book income preference. Beginning with the year 1990, the book income preference became equal to 75% of the excess of current adjusted earnings of the alternative minimum taxable income (AMTI). Book income preferences are affected by corporate-owned life insurance in the following situations:

  1. If the insured dies, the excess of the life insurance policy's DEATH BENEFIT over the CASH SURRENDER VALUE becomes book income to the corporation.
  2. If the insurance policy's annual premium exceeds the increase in the cash surrender value for a particular year, the result is a decline in the book income and thus a decline in the corporation's exposure to the alternative minimum tax (AMT).
  3. Conversely, if the insurance policy's cash surrender value exceeds the increase in the annual premium for a particular year, the result is an increase in the book income and thus an increase in the corporation's exposure to the alternative minimum tax.

Generally, if the corporation in any given year has taxable income, corporate-owned life insurance results in an alternative minimum tax liability if a significant death benefit is paid to the corporation upon the death of the insured. The result is that the alternative minimum tax will cause a reduction in the net death benefit from the life insurance policy paid to the corporation.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Group coverage for members of a fraternal association, usually on a nonprofit basis. ...

Dollar limitations under the Internal Revenue Service code as follows: The elective annual deferral limit is $10,000. A highly compensated employee's annual compensation limit is $80,000. ...

Coverage available under two forms for actual or attempted robbery of money, securities or other property. Under the First Form the policy covers if the robbery is committed on the premises ...

Charitable planning strategy in which a donor sells an asset to the charity for an amount less than its fair market value. Internal Revenue Service regulations require that the tax basis ...

Specialist whose task is to place insurance with the specialized syndicates that underwrite particular risks at Lloyd's of London. ...

Insurance company that sells property and casualty insurance only to industrial insureds. These companies are separately licensed and separately capitalized to market insurance to cover the ...

Organization based in Washington, D.C., that is composed of risk and insurance managers of various public entities, to include municipalities and school boards. ...

Accidental death benefit option that can be added to a disability income (DI) policy under which a lump sum is payable at the loss of life, dismemberment, or loss of sight. ...

Limited pay whole life policy under which all premium payments have been made. For example, a 20 pay policy is completely paid for after 20 payments; no future premiums have to be made, and ...

Popular Insurance Questions