CRA elaborates on the relationship between Part IV tax and s. 55(2) and related amended return filings

2017-0724071C6 indicated that where Holdco receives a dividend of $400,000 that was subject to Part IV tax of $153,333 (38.33% of $400,000) equalling the connected payer’s dividend refund and, in turn, pays a dividend to its individual shareholders resulting in a dividend refund (DR) of the Part IV tax – so that the dividend received by Holdco was subject to s. 55(2) there should be two returns filed by Holdco – one reporting the Part IV tax, and a second one reporting the capital gain under s. 55(2), thereby giving rise to refundable tax and an addition to Holdco’s RDTOH account which could only be used prospectively. CRA has now provided six detailed numerical examples going through variants on this scenario.

Respecting scenarios where Holdco did not pay a full dividend to its individual shareholder, CRA stated:

[A]ny future payment of a taxable dividend by Holdco that resulted in a refund of Part IV tax could result in the potential application of subsection 55(2) to the extent that this payment was part of the same series of transactions. The CRA would consider any future DR as a result of the payment of a dividend by a corporation, where the payment was part of the same series of transactions, as coming first from the Part IV tax paid on the taxable dividend.

Respecting when the amended return of Holdco should be filed, CRA indicated a preference for Holdco to wait until its original return was assessed. If Holdco wanted to avoid interest charges by paying at the time of the first return an amount that took into account its s. 55(2) liability to be reported in the second return, CRA described the procedures for avoiding having this overpayment refunded in the interim.

Neal Armstrong. Summary of 18 December 2017 External T.I. 2017-0714971E5 F under s. 55(2).