48 USC 1421 - Income tax

View all text of Subchapter I [§ 1421 - § 1421r]

§ 1421i. Income tax

(a) Applicability of Federal laws; separate tax

The income-tax laws in force in the United States of America and those which may hereafter be enacted shall be held to be likewise in force in Guam: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Legislature of Guam may levy a separate tax on all taxpayers in an amount not to exceed 10 per centum of their annual income tax obligation to the Government of Guam.

(b) Guam Territorial income tax

The income-tax laws in force in Guam pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be deemed to impose a separate Territorial income tax, payable to the government of Guam, which tax is designated the “Guam Territorial income tax”.

The administration and enforcement of the Guam Territorial income tax shall be performed by or under the supervision of the Governor. Any function needful to the administration and enforcement of the income-tax laws in force in Guam pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be performed by any officer or employee of the government of Guam duly authorized by the Governor (either directly, or indirectly by one or more redelegations of authority) to perform such function.

(d) “Income-tax laws” defined; administration and enforcement; rules and regulations

(1) The income-tax laws in force in Guam pursuant to subsection (a) of this section include but are not limited to the following provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, where not manifestly inapplicable or incompatible with the intent of this section: Subtitle A [26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.] (not including chapter 2 [26 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.] and section 931 [26 U.S.C. 931]); chapters 24 and 25 of subtitle C [26 U.S.C. 3401 et seq. and 3501 et seq.], with reference to the collection of income tax at source on wages; and all provisions of subtitle F [

(2) The Governor or his delegate shall have the same administrative and enforcement powers and remedies with regard to the Guam Territorial income tax as the Secretary of the Treasury, and other United States officials of the executive branch, have with respect to the United States income tax. Needful rules and regulations not inconsistent with the regulations prescribed under section 7654(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 7654(e)] for enforcement of the Guam Territorial income tax shall be prescribed by the Governor. The Governor or his delegate shall have authority to issue, from time to time, in whole or in part, the text of the income-tax laws in force in Guam pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

(3) In applying as the Guam Territorial income tax the income-tax laws in force in Guam pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the rate of tax under sections 871, 881, 884, 1441, 1442, 1443, 1445, and 1446 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 871, 881, 884, 1441, 1442, 1443, 1445, and 1446] on any item of income from sources within Guam shall be the same as the rate which would apply with respect to such item were Guam treated as part of the United States for purposes of the treaty obligations of the United States. The preceding sentence shall not apply to determine the rate of tax on any item of income received from a Guam payor if, for any taxable year, the taxes of the Guam payor were rebated under Guam law. For purposes of this subsection, the term “Guam payor” means the person from whom the item of income would be deemed to be received for purposes of claiming treaty benefits were Guam treated as part of the United States.

(e) Substitution of terms

In applying as the Guam Territorial income tax the income-tax laws in force in Guam pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, except where it is manifestly otherwise required, the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Codes of 1986 and 1939, shall be read so as to substitute “Guam” for “United States”, “Governor or his delegate” for “Secretary or his delegate”, “Governor or his delegate” for “Commissioner of Internal Revenue” and “Collector of Internal Revenue”, “District Court of Guam” for “district court” and with other changes in nomenclature and other language, including the omission of inapplicable language, where necessary to effect the intent of this section.

(f) Criminal offenses; prosecution

Any act or failure to act with respect to the Guam Territorial income tax which constitutes a criminal offense under chapter 75 of subtitle F of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.], or the corresponding provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939, as included in the income-tax laws in force in Guam pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, shall be an offense against the government of Guam and may be prosecuted in the name of the government of Guam by the appropriate officers thereof.

(g) Liens

The government of Guam shall have a lien with respect to the Guam Territorial income tax in the same manner and with the same effect, and subject to the same conditions, as the United States has a lien with respect to the United States income tax. Such lien in respect of the Guam Territorial income tax shall be enforceable in the name of and by the government of Guam. Where filing of a notice of lien is prescribed by the income-tax laws in force in Guam pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, such notice shall be filed in the Office of the Clerk of the District Court of Guam.

(h) Jurisdiction of District Court; suits for recovery or collection of taxes; payment of judgment

(1) Notwithstanding any provision of section 1424 of this title or any other provision of law to the contrary, the District Court of Guam shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over all judicial proceedings in Guam, both criminal and civil, regardless of the degree of the offense or of the amount involved, with respect to the Guam Territorial income tax.

(2) Suits for the recovery of any Guam Territorial income tax alleged to have been erroneously or illegally assessed or collected, or of any penalty claimed to have been collected without authority, or of any sum alleged to have been excessive or in any manner wrongfully collected, under the income-tax laws in force in Guam, pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, may, regardless of the amount of claim, be maintained against the government of Guam subject to the same statutory requirements as are applicable to suits for the recovery of such amounts maintained against the United States in the United States district courts with respect to the United States income tax. When any judgment against the government of Guam under this paragraph has become final, the Governor shall order the payment of such judgments out of any unencumbered funds in the treasury of Guam.

(3) Execution shall not issue against the Governor or any officer or employee of the government of Guam on a final judgment in any proceeding against him for any acts or for the recovery of money exacted by or paid to him and subsequently paid into the treasury of Guam, in performing his official duties under the income-tax laws in force in Guam pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, if the court certifies that—

(A) probable cause existed; or

(B) such officer or employee acted under the directions of the Governor or his delegate.

When such certificate has been issued, the Governor shall order the payment of such judgment out of any unencumbered funds in the treasury of Guam.

(4) A civil action for the collection of the Guam Territorial income tax, together with fines, penalties, and forfeitures, or for the recovery of any erroneous refund of such tax, may be brought in the name of and by the government of Guam in the District Court of Guam or in any district court of the United States or in any court having the jurisdiction of a district court of the United States.

(5) The jurisdiction conferred upon the District Court of Guam by this subsection shall not be subject to transfer to any other court by the legislature, notwithstanding section 1424(a) of this title.

(Aug. 1, 1950, ch. 512, § 31, 64 Stat. 392; Pub. L. 85–688, § 1, Aug. 20, 1958, 72 Stat. 681; Pub. L. 92–606, § 1(d), Oct. 31, 1972, 86 Stat. 1497; Pub. L. 95–134, title II, § 203(c), Oct. 15, 1977, 91 Stat. 1162; Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095; Pub. L. 107–212, § 2(a), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1051.)