What is Section 871 tax?

Asked by: Miss Matilde Steuber III  |  Last update: June 2, 2026
Score: 4.4/5 (11 votes)

Section 871 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) imposes a 30% tax on specific U.S.-source income received by nonresident alien (NRA) individuals that is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. This flat tax applies to passive income such as interest, dividends, rents, salaries, and annuities.

What is the tax under Section 871?

IRC section 871 imposes a tax on nonresident alien individuals on U.S. source income, including interest, dividends, rents, salaries, wages, premiums, annuities, compensations, remunerations, emoluments, and other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits, and income.

What is revenue code 871?

Tax on nonresident alien individuals. Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by Findlaw Staff. (a) Income not connected with United States business--30 percent tax.--

What is the 871 withholding tax?

Section 871(m) imposes a 30 percent withholding tax on dividend equivalent payments that are made or deemed to be made to non-U.S. persons with respect to certain derivatives that reference equity (“Equity Derivatives”) of a U.S. issuer.

What is the 871 regulation?

The IRS regulation 871(m) aims to collect tax on dividend-equivalent payments for derivative instruments referencing US equity instruments. Transactions executed in US equity-linked derivative instruments, or those with non-qualified indices, may be “in-scope” for withholding and reporting.

Navigate Section 871(m)

20 related questions found

What is an 871 violation?

Threatening the president of the United States is a federal felony under United States Code Title 18, Section 871. It consists of knowingly and willfully mailing or otherwise making "any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the president of the United States".

Who has to file 10iea in income tax?

Form 10-IEA is a declaration made by the return filers for choosing the 'Opting Out of New Tax Regime'. An Individual, HUF, AOP (not being co-operative societies), BOI or Artificial Juridical Person with business or professional income must submit Form 10-IEA if they wish to pay income tax as per the old tax regime.

How to avoid 30% withholding tax?

Option 1: Use Your National Identification Number. The easiest way to avoid the 30% tax-withholding is to use your National Identification Number (NIN).

What is Section 871 M tax?

Section 871(m) is a set of US tax regulations designed to prevent non-US investors from avoiding US withholding tax on dividends by using equity derivatives instead of directly holding dividend-paying US stocks.

What happens if you don't file Robinhood taxes?

If you fail to report your Robinhood tax information, the IRS might assume that all of the proceeds from the transactions are gains and tax you on that total amount. This would leave you with a staggering tax bill.

Do non-US citizens have to file a tax return?

If you are living and working or studying in the U.S. as a nonresident alien, you may be required to file a federal tax return. If you are a nonresident alien, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may still consider you as a resident alien for tax filing purposes.

What is the tax rate for foreign rental income?

Generally, there is a 30% US withholding tax on US-source rental income received by foreign persons.

What is revenue code 987?

IRC section 987 requires that, when calculating foreign income taxes for foreign tax credit purposes, taxpayers with one or more branch or other qualified business unit (QBU) with a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar compute income or loss separately for each QBU using the QBU's own functional currency.

How do I check if I am NRI or not?

As per the prevailing FEMA regulations, you are considered as an NRI if:

  1. You are residing overseas (except Nepal or Bhutan) for more than 182 days in one Financial Year (April-March); or.
  2. You have demonstrated an intent with supported documents to go abroad or reside outside of India for an uncertain period.

Who is exempt from federal withholding?

You can claim exemption from withholding only if both the following situations apply: For the prior year, you had a right to a refund of all federal income tax withheld because you had no tax liability. For the current year, you expect a refund of all federal income tax withheld because you expect to have no liability.

How to avoid 15% withholding tax?

Hold U.S. dividend-paying securities in RRSPs: Consider holding U.S.-listed dividend-paying securities in your RRSP account. U.S. dividends received in an RRSP are generally subject to zero withholding taxes. However, the same dividends received in TFSAs or non-registered accounts are subject to 15% withholding tax.

What is the 5 year rule for capital gains?

The "5-year rule" for capital gains tax primarily refers to the IRS's 2-out-of-5-year test for excluding gain on the sale of a primary residence, requiring you to have owned and lived in the home for at least two of the five years before selling it to exclude up to $250k (single) or $500k (married filing jointly) of profit. There are also rules for investment properties, like 1031 exchanges, which involve holding periods, and state-level exceptions, but the main federal rule is for your primary home. 

Can withholding tax be claimed back?

Yes, withholding tax is refundable if too much was withheld from your paychecks during the year; you claim it as a refund on your annual income tax return (like Form 1040 for the US federal government), but it's essentially your overpayment of taxes returned to you. If you had too little withheld, you'll owe money, while getting a refund means you overpaid and get the excess back from the government (IRS in the US). 

What is the minimum salary to not pay taxes?

There's no single income limit for "no tax," as it depends on your filing status, age, deductions, and credits, but for the 2025 tax year, if you're a single filer under 65, you generally don't need to file if your gross income is below $15,750, which is the standard deduction. Higher incomes might still owe zero federal income tax if they fall within 0% capital gains brackets or qualify for significant credits, but most people with income above the standard deduction threshold will file and potentially owe some tax, though some income (like certain Social Security or new overtime pay) can be tax-free. 

Should I set aside 30% for taxes?

The general rule of thumb for contractors, freelancers, and other people who are self-employed is to set aside 25%-30% of your income for taxes. In most cases, this will cover your taxes.

What is the difference between Form 10IE and 10IEA?

What is the difference between 10IEA and 10IE? Form 10IE was required to opt for the new tax regime when the old tax regime was the default, applicable for AY 2021-22 to AY 2023-24. From AY 2024-25 onwards, since the new tax regime is the default, taxpayers must file Form 10IEA to opt for the old tax regime.

Should NRI file tax return in India?

As an NRI, PIO, or OCI, you may be required to file tax returns in India if your Indian income surpasses the specified threshold or if you seek to claim refunds for excess tax deductions. While filing an ITR is mandatory only under certain circumstances, voluntary filing can be beneficial in many ways.

Which donation is eligible for 100% deduction?

100% Deduction (No Limit) – Donations to funds like the National Defense Fund, Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, National Foundation for Communal Harmony, and National/State Blood Transfusion Council qualify for a full 100% tax deduction without any limit.