Code of Federal Regulations · Section

§ 1.1374-10 — -10 Effective Date And Additional Rules

26 C.F.R. § 1.1374-10

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(a) In general. Sections 1.1374-1 through 1.1374-9, other than § 1.1374-3(b) and (c) Examples 2 through 4, apply for taxable years ending on or after December 27, 1994, but only in cases where the S corporation's return for the taxable year is filed pursuant to an S election or a section 1374(d)(8) transaction occurring on or after December 27, 1994. Section 1.1374-3(b) and (c) Examples 2 through 4 apply to section 1374(d)(8) transactions that occur in taxable years beginning after February 23, 2005. In addition, an S corporation may apply § 1.1374-3(b) and (c) Examples 2 through 4 to section 1374(d)(8) transactions that occur in taxable years beginning on or before February 23, 2005, if the S corporation (and any predecessors or successors) and all affected shareholders file original or amended returns that are consistent with these provisions for taxable years of the S corporation during the recognition period of the pool of assets the net unrealized built-in gain of which would be adjusted pursuant to those provisions that are not closed as of the first date after February 23, 2005, that the S corporation files an original or amended return. For purposes of this section, affected shareholders means all shareholders who received distributive shares of S corporation items in such taxable years. However, the Commissioner may, in appropriate circumstances, permit taxpayers to apply these provisions even if all affected shareholders cannot file consistent returns. In addition, for this purpose, a predecessor of an S corporation is a corporation that transfers its assets to the S corporation in a transaction to which section 381 applies. A successor of an S corporation is a corporation to which the S corporation transfers its assets in a transaction to which section 381 applies.

(b) Additional rules. This paragraph (b) provides rules applicable to certain S corporations, assets, or transactions to which §§ 1.1374-1 through 1.1374-9 do not apply.

(1) Certain transfers to partnerships. If a corporation transfers an asset to a partnership in a transaction to which section 721(a) applies and the transfer is made in contemplation of an S election or during the recognition period, section 1374 applies on a disposition of the asset by the partnership as if the S corporation had disposed of the asset itself. This paragraph (b)(1) applies as of the effective date of section 1374, unless the recognition period with respect to the contributed asset is pursuant to an S election or a section 1374(d)(8) transaction occurring on or after December 27, 1994.

(2) Certain inventory dispositions. For purposes of section 1374(d)(2)(A), the inventory method used by the taxpayer for tax purposes (FIFO, LIFO, etc.) must be used to identify whether goods disposed of following conversion to S corporation status were held by the corporation at the time of conversion. Thus, for example, a corporation using the LIFO inventory method will not be subject to the built-in gain tax with respect to sales of inventory except to the extent that a LIFO layer existing prior to the beginning of the first taxable year as an S corporation is invaded after the beginning of that year. This paragraph (b)(2) applies as of the effective date of section 1374, unless the recognition period with respect to the inventory is pursuant to an S election or a section 1374(d)(8) transaction occurring on or after December 27, 1994.

(3) Certain contributions of built-in loss assets. If a built-in loss asset (that is, an asset with an adjusted tax basis in excess of its fair market value) is contributed to a corporation within 2 years before the earlier of the beginning of its first taxable year as an S corporation, or the filing of its S election, the loss inherent in the asset will not reduce net unrealized built-in gain, as defined in section 1374(d)(1), unless the taxpayer demonstrates a clear and substantial relationship between the contributed property and the conduct of the corporation's current or future business enterprises. This paragraph (b)(3) applies as of the effective date of section 1374, unless the recognition period with respect to the contributed asset is pursuant to an S election or a section 1374(d)(8) transaction occurring on or after December 27, 1994.

(4) Certain installment sales—(i) In general. If a taxpayer sells an asset either prior to or during the recognition period and recognizes income either during or after the recognition period from the sale under the installment method, the income will, when recognized, be taxed under section 1374 to the extent it would have been so taxed in prior taxable years if the selling corporation had made the election under section 453(d) not to report the income under the installment method. For purposes of determining the extent to which the income would have been subject to tax if the section 453(d) election had not been made, the taxable income limitation of section 1374(d)(2)(A)(ii) and the built-in gain carryover rule of section 1374(d)(2)(B) will be taken into account. This paragraph (b)(4) applies for installment sales occurring on or after March 26, 1990, and before December 27, 1994.

(ii) Examples. The rules of this paragraph (b)(4) are illustrated by the following examples.

In year 1 of the recognition period under section 1374, a corporation realizes a gain of $100,000 on the sale of an asset with built-in gain. The corporation is to receive full payment for the asset in year 11. Because the corporation does not make an election under section 453(d), all $100,000 of the gain from the sale is reported under the installment method in year 11. If the corporation had made an election under section 453(d) with respect to the sale, the gain would have been recognized in year 1 and, taking into account the corporation's income and gains from other sources, application of the taxable income limitation of section 1374(d)(2)(A)(ii) and the built-in gain carryover rule of section 1374(d)(2)(B) would have resulted in $40,000 of the gain being subject to tax during the recognition period under section 1374. Therefore, $40,000 of the gain recognized in year 11 is subject to tax under section 1374.

In year 1 of the recognition period under section 1374, a corporation realizes a gain of $100,000 on the sale of an asset with built-in gain. The corporation is to receive full payment for the asset in year 6. Because the corporation does not make an election under section 453(d), all $100,000 of the gain from the sale is reported under the installment method in year 6. If the corporation had made an election under section 453(d) with respect to the sale, the gain would have been recognized in year 1 and, taking into account the corporation's income and gains from other sources, application of the taxable income limitation of section 1374(d)(2)(A)(ii) and the built-in gain carryover rule of section 1374(d)(2)(B) would have resulted in all of the gain being subjected to tax under section 1374 in years 1 through 5. Therefore, notwithstanding that the taxable income limitation of section 1374(d)(2)(A)(ii) might otherwise limit the taxation of the gain recognized in year 6, the entire $100,000 of gain will be subject to tax under section 1374 when it is recognized in year 6.

(c) Termination and re-election of S corporation status—(1) In general. For purposes of section 633(d)(8) of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, as amended, any reference to an election to be an S corporation under section 1362 shall be treated as a reference to the corporation's most recent election to be an S corporation under section 1362. This paragraph (c) applies for taxable years beginning after December 22, 2004, without regard to the date of the corporation's most recent election to be an S corporation under section 1362.

(2) Example. The following example illustrates the rules of this paragraph (c):

(i) Effective January 1, 1988, X, a C corporation that is a qualified corporation under section 633(d) of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, as amended, elects to be an S corporation under section 1362. Effective January 1, 1990, X revokes its S status and becomes a C corporation. On January 1, 2004, X again elects to be an S corporation under section 1362. X disposes of assets in 2006, 2007, and 2008, recognizing gain.

(ii) X is not eligible for treatment under the transition rule of section 633(d)(8) of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, as amended, with respect to these assets. Accordingly, X is subject to section 1374, as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988, and the 10-year recognition period begins on January 1, 2004.

(iii) To the extent the gain that X recognizes on the asset sales in 2006, 2007, and 2008 reflects built-in gain inherent in such assets in X's hands on January 1, 2004, such gain is subject to tax under section 1374 as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988.

26 C.F.R. § 1.1374-1 26 C.F.R. § 1.1374-1A

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