Re:Goldman Sachs Resolves U.S. Mortgage Probe for $5.1B
by generalledger on Monday April 11, 2016 @03:17PM
(#11474333)
Did some digging. The amount that relates to the fine (criminal or civil) is not deductible. Settlement amounts that relate to relief may be deductible. It depends on how the various sums are described in the settlement. According to the Bloomberg article $2.39b of the $5.1b is a fine. So that piece is almost certainly, not deductible. The rest might be, but it depends on how the settlement is worded. Assuming the $2.39b is the only amount that is not deductible, that means Goldman Sachs will be able to offset about $1b in future tax liability.
Below is an article about BP. They had to pay about $20b in total, with about $5.5b being considered a fine. That $5.5b was not deductible.
http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2016/04/05/bp-can-take-tax-de...
"Big banks such as Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase will receive deductions against the corporate tax that will amount to between half and nearly three-quarters of their multibillion-dollar settlements, at least. Meanwhile, midsized banks and nonbank lenders generally get to deduct the whole shebang."
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/11/07/giant-penalties-are-giant...
and even expenses related to criminal violations can be deducted if they stemmed from your job