• 沒有找到結果。

第四章  費用扣除之討論

第八節  內地稅法修訂後之規定

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第八節 內地稅法修訂後之規定

為了解決不法支出所衍生出的諸多的爭議,美國國會於 1969 年在 原先內地稅法第 162 條項下加入(c)、(f)和(g)項。由其立法沿革可看 出,立法者嘗試將不法活動之不可扣除費用以列舉方式表示,並優先 於公共政策原則適用。其內容著重於,釐清不法支出在稅法中的模糊 地帶,並將長期以來,實務上公認違反公共政策的不法支出類別予以 明文化。所以不法活動之相關費用,除了內地稅法第 162 條及第 280E 條所明定之禁止扣除項目外,其他為可扣除之費用。也就是從事不法 活動所發生的支出,除了稅法明訂必須排除的項目外,其他可依法扣 除,於是爭議已久的問題終於得以解決。

美國國會首先於稅法第 162 條下加入第(c)項,說明如賄款、回扣 及其他類別的不法支出排除適用本條文第(a)項的規定,也就是不適用 費用扣除的規定。以下分別就第(c)項下各點分別說明及討論。

第一項 賄款、回扣等之禁止規定

1. 給付給政府公務員等之賄款

美國內地稅法第 162 條第(c)項之第 1 點規定,納稅義務人以直接 或是間接的方式,給付賄款或佣金於任何政府官的官員或是所屬公務 員、或是任何隸屬政府機關的機構,其支出皆不得作為費用扣除。另 外,给付外國政府的官員或公務員之賄款或佣金,若違反 1977 年制定 的禁止海外行賄法(Foreign Corrupt Practice Act of 1977),同樣 不得適用費用扣除規定221

221 IRC§ 162 (c) Illegal bribes, kickbacks, and other payments.

Illegal payments to government officials or employees. No deduction shall be allowed under subsection (a) for any payment mad, directly or indirectly, to an official or employee of any government, or of any

Car-Ron Asphalt Paving Co, Inc v Commissioner 225。本案之被告支 付佣金給購物中心之招標負責人,藉以順利取得興建工程的合約。雖 然被告主張該賄款是經營企業應該發生的支出,應該符合稅法第 162 條(a)項規定而准於扣除。法院認為該佣金並無違反聯邦法律或州法,

agency or instrumentality of any government, if the payment constitutes an illegal bribe or kickback or, if the payment is to an official or employee of a foreign government, the payment is unlawful under the Foreign Corrupt Practice Act of 1977.

222 “Payments to an agent, relative, or independent contractor of an official or employee, or even directly into the general treasury of a foreign country of which the beneficiary is an official or employee, may be treated as indirect payments to the official or employee. Payments made by an agent or independent contractor or the taxpayer that benefit the taxpayer are treated as indirect payments by the tax payer to the official or employee.” See Reg. § 1.162-18(a) (2).

223 即內地稅法修法前,租稅實務常引用之違反「公共政策」之原則。此次修法,美國國會特將此 概念於稅法條文中明文化,以杜免爭議。

224 Other illegal payments. No deduction shall be allowed under subsection (a) for any payment (other than a payment described in paragraph (1)) made, directly or indirectly, to any person, if the payment constitutes an illegal bribe, illegal kickback, or other illegal payment under any law of the United States, or under any law of a State (but only if such State law is generally enforced), which subjects the payer to a criminal penalty or the loss of license or privilege to engage in a trade or business.

225 See Car-Ron Asphalt Paving Co, Inc v Commissioner, 758 F2d 1132 (6th Cir 1985), 85-1 USTC ¶ 9298,55 AFTR2d 85-128.

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所以不屬第 162 條第(c)項其他不法之支出之類,但是卻不符第 162 條 第(a)項「必要的費用」(Necessary expenses)的定義。理由是該賄款 並沒有實際對促進納稅義務人的營業有適當性的價值,並對其達成結 果有所助益。對照被告其他進行中興建案,其未因支付佣金而得標,

所以法院否決該項佣金適用稅法的扣除規定。

同樣是支付給招標者的佣金,若回顧 40 年前的個案,則有不同的 判決結果。同樣也是第 6 巡迴法院在 1948 年審理的 Raymond Betolini Trucking Co. v Commissioner 案226, 法院判決被告给付給招標者之佣 金是准於依稅法第 162 條(a)項扣除,理由是招標者曾告知被告,如果 不付佣金,承包工程將無法繼續進行。法院也認為此案给付佣金的行 為並不違反聯邦或州法的規定227,於是判決該項佣金符合稅法第 162 條(a)項的適用。

由上述兩案可知,法院對於不法支出之審查,除了不違反第 162 條(c)項所明列之禁止規定,尚要兼顧支出的性質是否符合第(a)項的

「通常的」及「必要的」的要件。

3. 给付給醫療機構的相關從業人員之回扣、佣金及賄款

第 162 條第(c)項第 3 點之規定為,支付從事醫療或醫護服務的人 員(例如:醫師、廠商等)的佣金、回扣及賄款等,不得適用第 162 條 第(a)項之費用扣除規定。上述支出即使符合社會安全法(Social Security Act),若該支出之性質屬上述範圍,則一律不准扣除。上述 範圍還包括介紹、轉介病患或客戶,所支付之回扣或佣金228

226 Raymond Bertolini Trucking Co v Commissioner (1948), 736 F2d 1120 (6th Cir 1984), 84-2 USTC ¶ 9591, 54 AFTR2d 84-5413.

227 因當時內地稅法尚未修正,法院對於不法支出的審查標準為「公共政策」原則,即不違反聯邦 法及州法之規定。

228 Kickbacks, rebates, and bribes under medicare and Medicaid. No deduction shall be allowed under

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上述條文特別提到社會安全法,乃因該法並不禁止廠商支付回扣 或佣金給醫療、保險機構,以促成服務或交易之完成。美國國會於此 次修正稅法,顯然是基於公共政策的考量,特別排除社會安全法中合 法的回扣及佣金適用稅法的扣除規定,甚至將禁止扣除的範圍擴展至 社會安全法未規範的對象,例如,接受聯邦或州政府補助之醫療機構 等。雖然給付上列的回扣、佣金不得扣除,但收受者還是必須列入當 年度之課稅所得,並未因給付時不准扣除,而得以免納所得稅229。由此 可見,美國國會此次修正稅法的立場,是採用法院多年來所作為審查 標準之公共政策概念,並將其內化於稅法條文。

惟在某些例外的情形,回扣、佣金是可以扣除。例如在 Lilly v. US (1952)一案230,納稅義務人為販售鏡片的廠商,當醫生於配鏡處方中,

指定患者配戴其鏡片時,支付佣金給醫生。納稅義務人主張,其所支 付之佣金適用稅法扣除規定,但國稅局拒絕其請求。法院的判決說明,

雖然稅法規定支付給醫生的佣金不准扣除,但衡量此類佣金為行之已 久的行業慣例,且其性質亦未違反聯邦或州法即所謂公共政策,所以 儘管是支付醫生的佣金,還是准於扣除。

第二項 罰鍰與罰金的禁止規定

內地稅法第 162 條第(f)項說明因違反各種法律所繳納之政府罰金 或罰緩,皆不適用扣除規定231。內地稅法的其他章節,亦特別說明,此

subsection (a) for any kickback, rebate, or bribe made by any provider of services, supplier, physician, or other person who furnishes items or services for which payment is or may be made under the Social Security Act, or bribe is made in such Act, if such kickback, rebate, or bribe is made in connection with the furnishing of such items or services or the making or receipt of such payments. For purpose of this paragraph, a kickback includes a payment in consideration of the referral of a client, or customer.

229 See Rev Rul. 62-194, 1962-2 CB 57.

230 See Lilly v US, 343 US 90 (1952),72 S Ct 497,52-1 USTC ¶9231,41 AFTR 591.

231 (f) Fines and penalties. No deduction shall be allowed under subsection (a) for any fine or similar

penalty paid to a government for the violation of any law.

232 Reg. 1.162-21 (a) (2).

233 關於學者對此問題的討論,請參考本章第六節。

234 Reg. 1.162-21 (b) (2)

235 See 15 USC §15.

236 (g) Treble damage payments under the antitrust laws.

If in a criminal proceeding a taxpayer is convicted of a violation of the antitrust laws, or his plea of guilty or nolo contendere to an indictment or information charging such a violation is entered or accepted in such a proceeding, no deduction shall be allowed under subsection (a) for two-thirds of any amount paid or incurred-

(1) on any judgment for damages entered against the taxpayer under section 4 of the Act entitled “An Act to supplement existing laws against unlawful restraints and monopolies, and for other purpose”, approved October 15. 1914 (commonly known as the Clayton Act), on account of such violation or any related violations of the antitrust laws which occurred prior to the date of the final judgment of such conviction, or

(2) in settlement of any action brought under such section 4 on account of such violation or related violation.

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稅法的其他段落更詳細說明,因違反「反托拉斯法」所支付之律 師費、法院規費等支出准於扣除,不列入入前述之三分之二懲罰性支 出的範圍237

第四項 其他補充說明

其他因毒品交易而違反聯邦法或州法,所支出之相關費用,於稅 法第 280E 條中也特別規範,不准列為商業或經營上之必要費用扣除238

除此之外,值得一提的是 St. Pierre v Commissioner 239一案,

法院的判決特別說明:當納稅義務人申報當年度收到的賄款或佣金,

若未來歸還該項賄款或佣金,則應申報為當年度的費用予課稅所得中 扣除。此為不法所得及支出於此次修法未及規範的情況,最後由法院 的判決作為來補充。

The proceeding sentence shall not apply with respect to any conviction or plea before January 1, 1970, or to any conviction or plea on or after such date in a new trial following an appeal of a conviction before such date.

237 See Reg. § 1.162-22.

238 See IRC § 280E specifically denies a deduction or credit for any expense in a business consisting of trafficking in illegal drugs “prohibited by Federal law or the law of any State in which such trade or business is conducted.

239 See St. Pierre v Comm’r (1974), 337 F Supp 1063 (D Fla 1974), 75-2 USTC ¶9812, 35 AFTR2nd 75-887.

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