Code of Federal Regulations Title 26. Internal Revenue § 26.1.527–4 Special rules for computation of political organization taxable income

(c) Allowable deductions—(1) In general. To be deductible in computing political organization taxable income, expenses, depreciation, and similar items must not only qualify as deductions allowed by chapter 1 of the Code, but must also be directly connected with the production of political organization taxable income.

(2) Directly connected with defined. To be directly connected with the production of political organization taxable income, an item of deduction must have a proximate and primary relationship to the production of such income and have been incurred in the production of such income. Items of deduction attributable solely to items of political organization taxable income are proximately and primarily related to such income. Whether an item of deduction is incurred in the production of political organization taxable income is determined on the basis of all the facts and circumstances of each case.

(3) Dual use of facilities or personnel. Expenses, depreciation, and similar items that are attributable to the production of exempt function income and political organization taxable income shall be allocated between the two on a reasonable and consistent basis. For example, where facilities are used both for an exempt function of the organization and for the production of political organization taxable income, expenses, depreciation, and similar items attributable to such facilities (for example, items of overhead) shall be allocated between the two uses of a reasonable and consistent basis. Similarly, where personnel are employed both for an exempt function and for the production of political organization taxable income, expenses and similar items attributable to such personnel (for example, items of salary) shall be allocated between the activities on a reasonable and consistent basis. The portion of any such item so allocated to the production of political organization taxable income is directly connected with such income and is allowable as a deduction in computing political organization taxable income to the extent that it qualifies as an item of deduction allowed by chapter 1 of the Code. Thus, for example, assume that X, a political organization, pays its manager a salary of $10,000 a year and that it derives political organization taxable income. If 10 percent of the manager's time during the year is devoted to deriving X's gross income (other than exempt function income), a deduction of $1,000 (10 percent of $10,000) would generally be allowable for purposes of computing X's political organization taxable income.