When a U.S. person receives certain gifts or bequests from foreign corporations, those amounts may be considered as part of the U.S. person’s gross income under US International Tax regulations. The Internal Revenue Code’s regulations specifically state that when a “purported gift or bequest” is received “directly or indirectly,” the amount is included in the U.S. person’s gross income “as if it were a distribution from the foreign corporation” (1). As a result of this characterization, the purported gift or bequest has two possible treatments for tax purposes: as a dividend to the extent of the corporation’s earnings and profits, and as capital gain to the extent of the corporation’s excess over earnings and profit. Read More