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

Addition to a life insurance policy stating that when an insured becomes disabled for at least six months, premiums due are waived. Depending on the rider, the insured may begin to receive ...

Commitment that a lending institution makes to offer a loan at a stipulated interest rate at a predetermined future time, usually limited to 90 days. ...

Life insurance in which the debit system is used to collect premiums on a monthly basis. ...

Provision in a marine insurance policy in which agreement has been reached between the insured and the insurance company concerning the worth of the property that is to be covered under the ...

Coverage for small groups that cannot meet the underwriting standards of true group insurance. Even though the franchise insurance covers an entire group, individual policies are written on ...

Policy that pays a dividend to its owner. ...

Health insurance coverage only for a specified catastrophic disease such as cancer. It is important to ascertain the waiting period required, maximum benefits and maximum length of time ...

cost of annuity based on expectation of life of the annuitant and the expense and profit loadings of the insurance company. ...

Methods of handling policyholder dividends. In a participating life insurance policy, dividends are paid to the policy owner according to which of the following options is selected: applied ...

Popular Insurance Questions