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26 CFR § 53.4965-1 - Overview.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t26/s53.4965-1"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "26 CFR § 53.4965-1 - Overview."
title_number: 26
title_name: "Internal Revenue"
section_number: "53.4965-1"
section_name: "Overview."
chapter_name: "INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY"
subchapter_number: "D"
subchapter_name: "MISCELLANEOUS EXCISE TAXES"
part_number: "53"
part_name: "FOUNDATION AND SIMILAR EXCISE TAXES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "26 U.S.C. 7805; 4960, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "53"
---

# 53.4965-1 Overview.

(a) *Entity-level excise tax.* Section 4965 imposes two excise taxes with respect to certain tax shelter transactions to which tax-exempt entities are parties. Section 4965(a)(1) imposes an entity-level excise tax on certain tax-exempt entities that are parties to “prohibited tax shelter transactions,” as defined in section 4965(e). *See* § 53.4965-2 for the discussion of covered tax-exempt entities. *See* § 53.4965-3 for the definition of prohibited tax shelter transactions. *See* § 53.4965-4 for the definition of tax-exempt party to a prohibited tax shelter transaction. The entity-level excise tax under section 4965(a)(1) is imposed on a specified percentage of the entity's net income or proceeds that are attributable to the transaction for the relevant tax year (or a period within that tax year). The rate of tax depends on whether the entity knew or had reason to know that the transaction was a prohibited tax shelter transaction at the time the entity became a party to the transaction. *See* § 53.4965-7(a) for the discussion of the entity-level excise tax under section 4965(a)(1). *See* § 53.4965-6 for the discussion of “knowing or having reason to know.” *See* § 53.4965-8 for the definition of net income and proceeds and the standard for allocating net income and proceeds that are attributable to a prohibited tax shelter transaction to various periods.

(b) *Manager-level excise tax.* Section 4965(a)(2) imposes a manager-level excise tax on “entity managers,” as defined in section 4965(d), of tax-exempt entities who approve the entity as a party (or otherwise cause the entity to be a party) to a prohibited tax shelter transaction and know or have reason to know, at the time the tax-exempt entity enters into the transaction, that the transaction is a prohibited tax shelter transaction. *See* § 53.4965-5 for the definition of entity manager and the meaning of “approving or otherwise causing,” and § 53.4965-6 for the discussion of “knowing or having reason to know.” *See* § 53.4965-7(b) for the discussion of the manager-level excise tax under section 4965(a)(2).

(c) *Effective/applicability dates. See* § 53.4965-9 for the discussion of the relevant effective and applicability dates.

[T.D. 9492, 75 FR 38702, July 6, 2010]