(1) In general Any amount paid by reason of the death of the insured under a flexible premium life insurance contract issued before January 1, 1985 shall be excluded from gross income only if
(A) under such contract
(i) the sum of the premiums paid under such contract does not at any time exceed the guideline premium limitation as of such time, and
(ii) any amount payable by reason of the death of the insured (determined without regard to any qualified additional benefit) is not at any time less than the applicable percentage of the cash value of such contract at such time, or
(B) by the terms of such contract, the cash value of such contract may not at any time exceed the net single premium with respect to the amount payable by reason of the death of the insured (determined without regard to any qualified additional benefit) at such time.
(2) Guideline premium limitation For purposes of this subsection
(A) Guideline premium limitation The term guideline premium limitation means, as of any date, the greater of
(i) the guideline single premium, or
(ii) the sum of the guideline level premiums to such date.
(B) Guideline single premium The term guideline single premium means the premium at issue with respect to future benefits under the contract (without regard to any qualified additional benefit), and with respect to any charges for qualified additional benefits, at the time of a determination under subparagraph (A) or (E) and which is based on
(i) the mortality and other charges guaranteed under the contract, and
(ii) interest at the greater of an annual effective rate of 6 percent or the minimum rate or rates guaranteed upon issue of the contract.
(C) Guideline level premium
The term guideline level premium means the level annual amount, payable over the longest period permitted under the contract (but ending not less than 20 years from date of issue or not later than age 95, if earlier), computed on the same basis as the guideline single premium, except that subparagraph (B)(ii) shall be applied by substituting 4 percent for 6 percent.
(D) Computational rules In computing the guideline single premium or guideline level premium under subparagraph (B) or (C)
(i) the excess of the amount payable by reason of the death of the insured (determined without regard to any qualified additional benefit) over the cash value of the contract shall be deemed to be not greater than such excess at the time the contract was issued,
(ii) the maturity date shall be the latest maturity date permitted under the contract, but not less than 20 years after the date of issue or (if earlier) age 95, and
(iii) the amount of any endowment benefit (or sum of endowment benefits) shall be deemed not to exceed the least amount payable by reason of the death of the insured (determined without regard to any qualified additional benefit) at any time under the contract.
(E) Adjustments
The guideline single premium and guideline level premium shall be adjusted in the event of a change in the future benefits or any qualified additional benefit under the contract which was not reflected in any guideline single premiums or guideline level premium previously determined.
(3) Other definitions and special rules For purposes of this subsection
(A) Flexible premium life insurance contract
The terms flexible premium life insurance contract and contract mean a life insurance contract (including any qualified additional benefits) which provides for the payment of one or more premiums which are not fixed by the insurer as to both timing and amount. Such terms do not include that portion of any contract which is treated under State law as providing any annuity benefits other than as a settlement option.
(B) Premiums paid The term premiums paid means the premiums paid under the contract less any amounts (other than amounts includible in gross income) to which section
72 (e) applies. If, in order to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1)(A), any portion of any premium paid during any contract year is returned by the insurance company (with interest) within 60 days after the end of a contract year
(i) the amount so returned (excluding interest) shall be deemed to reduce the sum of the premiums paid under the contract during such year, and
(ii) notwithstanding the provisions of section
72 (e), the amount of any interest so returned shall be includible in the gross income of the recipient.
(C) Applicable percentage The term applicable percentage means
(i) 140 percent in the case of an insured with an attained age at the beginning of the contract year of 40 or less, and
(ii) in the case of an insured with an attained age of more than 40 as of the beginning of the contract year, 140 percent reduced (but not below 105 percent) by one percent for each year in excess of 40.
(D) Cash value
The cash value of any contract shall be determined without regard to any deduction for any surrender charge or policy loan.
(E) Qualified additional benefits The term qualified additional benefits means any
(i) guaranteed insurability,
(ii) accidental death benefit,
(iii) family term coverage, or
(iv) waiver of premium.
(F) Premium payments not disqualifying contract
The payment of a premium which would result in the sum of the premiums paid exceeding the guideline premium limitation shall be disregarded for purposes of paragraph (1)(A)(i) if the amount of such premium does not exceed the amount necessary to prevent the termination of the contract without cash value on or before the end of the contract year.
(G) Net single premium In computing the net single premium under paragraph (1)(B)
(i) the mortality basis shall be that guaranteed under the contract (determined by reference to the most recent mortality table allowed under all State laws on the date of issuance),
(ii) interest shall be based on the greater of
(I) an annual effective rate of 4 percent (3 percent for contracts issued before July 1, 1983), or
(II) the minimum rate or rates guaranteed upon issue of the contract, and
(iii) the computational rules of paragraph (2)(D) shall apply, except that the maturity date referred to in clause (ii) thereof shall not be earlier than age 95.
(H) Correction of errors If the taxpayer establishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary that
(i) the requirements described in paragraph (1) for any contract year was not satisfied due to reasonable error, and
(ii) reasonable steps are being taken to remedy the error,
the Secretary may waive the failure to satisfy such requirements.
(I) Regulations
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this subsection.