See paragraph (a)(5) of this section for certain payments to be taken into account in determining whether there is payee underreporting even though those payments may not be defined as reportable interest or dividend payments in paragraph (a)(4) of this section or even though backup withholding under section 3406(a)(1)(C) may not apply to such payments.
Reportable minimal payments (to the extent reported on an information return), patronage dividends, original issue discount, and window payments shall be taken into account in determining whether underreporting (as defined in paragraph (a)(3) of this section) has occurred, even though those payments may not be defined as reportable interest or dividend payments under paragraph (a)(4) of this section or even though backup withholding under section 3406(a)(1)(C) may not apply to such payments.
In addition to the above factors, the Internal Revenue Service must conclude that it is unlikely that any payee underreporting will occur again.
Example. H and W filed a joint return in 1986 on which H failed to include $2,000 of interest income. In 1987, the Internal Revenue Service determined that a payee underreporting exists with respect to H and W for the 1986 tax year. After properly notifying H and W of the underreporting and assessing the tax, the Internal Revenue Service sent notices to payors to begin backup withholding on the joint and individual accounts of H and W and to brokers informing them that H and W are subject to backup withholding under section 3406(a)(1)(C) on their joint and individual accounts. W claims that she is an innocent spouse and requests a determination that she did not underreport interest or dividend income so that her individual accounts will not be subject to backup withholding.
The Internal Revenue Service questions her status as an innocent spouse. If the Internal Revenue Service determines, based upon all the facts and circumstances, that there is a reasonable basis for W's claim to be an innocent spouse and that the claim is made in good faith, W will have a bona fide dispute with the Internal Revenue Service. Consequently, the individual accounts of W will not be subject to further backup withholding due to a notified payee underreporting as provided in paragraph (g)(5) of this section.
The Internal Revenue Service will notify payors to stop backup withholding under section 3406(a)(1)(C) and brokers that W is no longer subject to backup withholding under section 3406(a)(1)(C) on W's individual accounts. Backup withholding will not restart on those accounts unless the Internal Revenue Service ultimately determines that W is not an innocent spouse. In that event the Internal Revenue Service will notify the payors to start backup withholding under section 3406(a)(1)(C) and the brokers that W is subject to backup withholding under section 3406(a)(1)(C) with respect to the individual accounts of W.
26 C.F.R. §35a.3406-2