Code of Federal Regulations · Section

§ 1.216-1 — -1 Amounts Representing Taxes And Interest Paid To Cooperative Housing Corporation

26 C.F.R. § 1.216-1

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(a) General rule. A tenant-stockholder of a cooperative housing corporation may deduct from his gross income amounts paid or accrued within his taxable year to a cooperative housing corporation representing his proportionate share of:

(1) The real estate taxes allowable as a deduction to the corporation under section 164 which are paid or incurred by the corporation before the close of the taxable year of the tenant-stockholder on the houses (or apartment building) and the land on which the houses (or apartment building) are situated, or

(2) The interest allowable as a deduction to the corporation under section 163 which is paid or incurred by the corporation before the close of the taxable year of the tenant-stockholder on its indebtedness contracted in the acquisition, construction, alteration, rehabilitation, or maintenance of the houses (or apartment building), or in the acquisition of the land on which the houses (or apartment building) are situated.

(b) Limitation. The deduction allowable under section 216 shall not exceed the amount of the tenant-stockholder's proportionate share of the taxes and interest described therein. If a tenant-stockholder pays or incurs only a part of his proportionate share of such taxes and interest to the corporation, only the amount so paid or incurred which represents taxes and interest is allowable as a deduction under section 216. If a tenant-stockholder pays an amount, or incurs an obligation for an amount, to the corporation on account of such taxes and interest and other items, such as maintenance, overhead expenses, and reduction of mortgage indebtedness, the amount representing such taxes and interest is an amount which bears the same ratio to the total amount of the tenant-stockholder's payment or liability, as the case may be, as the total amount of the tenant-stockholder's proportionate share of such taxes and interest bears to the total amount of the tenant-stockholder's proportionate share of the taxes, interest, and other items on account of which such payment is made or liability incurred. No deduction is allowable under section 216 for that part of amounts representing the taxes or interest described in that section which are deductible by a tenant-stockholder under any other provision of the Code.

(c) Disallowance of deduction for certain payments to the corporation. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986, no deduction shall be allowed to a stockholder during any taxable year for any amount paid or accrued to a cooperative housing corporation (in excess of the stockholder's proportionate share of the items described in paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of this section) which is allocable to amounts that are paid or incurred at any time by the cooperative housing corporation and which is chargeable to the corporation's capital account. Examples of expenditures chargeable to the corporation's capital account include the cost of paving a community parking lot, the purchase of a new boiler or roof, and the payment of the principal of the corporation's building mortgage. The adjusted basis of the stockholder's stock in such corporation shall be increased by the amount of such disallowance. This paragraph may be illustrated by the following example:

The X corporation is a cooperative housing corporation within the meaning of section 216. In 1988 X uses $275,000 that it received from its shareholders in such year to purchase and place in service a new boiler. The $275,000 will be chargeable to the corporation's capital account. A owns 10% of the shares of X and uses in a trade or business the dwelling unit appurtenant to A's shares and was responsible for paying 10% of the cost of the boiler. A is thus responsible for $27,500 of the cost of the boiler, which amount A will not be able to deduct currently. A will, however, add the $27,500 to A's basis for A's shares in X.

(d) Tenant-stockholder's proportionate share—(1) General rule. The tenant-stockholder's proportionate share is that proportion which the stock of the cooperative housing corporation owned by the tenant-stockholder is of the total outstanding stock of the corporation, including any stock held by the corporation. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1969, if the cooperative housing corporation had issued stock to a governmental unit, as defined in paragraph (g) of this section, then in determining the total outstanding stock of the corporation, the governmental unit shall be deemed to hold the number of shares that it would have held, with respect to the apartments or houses it is entitled to occupy, if it had been a tenant-stockholder. That is, the number of shares the governmental unit is deemed to hold is determined in the same manner as if stock had been issued to it as a tenant-stockholder. For example, if a cooperative housing corporation requires each tenant-stockholder to buy one share of stock for each one thousand dollars of value of the apartment he is entitled to occupy, a governmental unit shall be deemed to hold one share of stock for each one thousand dollars of value of the apartments it is entitled to occupy, regardless of the number of shares formally issued to it.

(2) Special rule—(i) In general. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986, if a cooperative housing corporation allocates to each tenant-stockholder a portion of the real estate taxes or interest (or both) that reasonably reflects the cost to the corporation of the taxes or interest attributable to each tenant-stockholder's dwelling unit (and the unit's share of the common areas), the cooperative housing corporation may elect to treat the amounts so allocated as the tenant-stockholders' proportionate shares.

(ii) Time and manner of making election. The election referred to in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section is effective only if, by January 31 of the year following the first calendar year that includes any period to which the election applies, the cooperative housing corporation furnishes to each person that is a tenant-stockholder during that period a written statement showing the amount of real estate taxes or interest (or both) allocated to the tenant-stockholder with respect to the tenant-stockholder's dwelling unit or units and share of common areas for that period. The election must be made by attaching a statement to the corporation's timely filed tax return (taking extensions into account) for the first taxable year for which the election is to be effective. The statement must contain the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of the cooperative housing corporation, identify the election as an election under section 216(b)(3)(B)(ii) of the Code, indicate whether the election is being made with respect to the allocation of real estate taxes or interest (or both), and include a description of the method of allocation being elected. The election applies for the taxable year and succeeding taxable years. It is revocable only with the consent of the Commissioner and will be binding on all tenant-stockholders.

(iii) Reasonable allocation. It is reasonable to allocate to each tenant-stockholder a portion of the real estate taxes or interest (or both) that bears the same ratio to the cooperative housing corporation's total interest or real estate taxes as the fair market value of each dwelling unit (including the unit's share of the common areas) bears to the fair market value of all the dwelling units with respect to which stock is outstanding (including stock held by the corporation) at the time of allocation. If real estate taxes are separately assessed on each dwelling unit by the relevant taxing authority, an allocation of real estates taxes to tenant-stockholders based on separate assessments is a reasonable allocation. If one or more of the tenant-stockholders prepays any portion of the principal of the indebtedness and gives rise to interest, an allocation of interest to those tenant-stockholders will be a reasonable allocation of interest if the allocation is reduced to reflect the reduction in the debt service attributable to the prepayment. In addition, similar kinds of allocations may also be reasonable, depending on the facts and circumstances.

(3) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

The X Corporation is a cooperative housing corporation within the meaning of section 216. In 1970, it acquires a building containing 40 category A apartments and 25 category B apartments, for $750,000. The value of each category A apartment is $12,500, and of each category B apartment is $10,000. X values each share of stock issued with respect to the category A apartments at $125, and sells 4,000 shares of its stock, along with the right to occupy the 40 category A apartments, to 40 tenant-stockholders for $500,000. X also sells 1,000 shares of nonvoting stock to G, a State housing authority qualifying as a governmental unit under paragraph (f) of this section, for $250,000. The purchase of this stock gives G the right to occupy all the category B apartments. G is deemed to hold the number of shares that it would have held if it had been a tenant-stockholder. G is therefore deemed to own 2,000 shares of stock of X. All stockholders are required to pay a specified part of the corporation's expenses. F, one of the tenant-stockholders, purchased 100 shares of the category A stock for $12,500 in order to obtain a right to occupy a category A apartment. Since there are 6,000 total shares deemed outstanding, F's proportionate share is 1/60 (100/6,000).

The X Corporation is a cooperative housing corporation within the meaning of section 216. In 1960 it acquired a housing development containing 100 detached houses, each house having the same value. X issued one share of stock to each of 100 tenant-stockholders, each share carrying the right to occupy one of the houses. In 1971 X redeemed 40 of its 100 shares. It then sold to G, a municipal housing authority qualifying as a governmental unit under paragraph (f) of this section, 1,000 shares of preferred stock and the right to occupy the 40 houses with respect to which the stock had been redeemed. X sold the preferred stock to G for an amount equal to the cost of redeeming the 40 shares. G also agreed to pay 40 percent of X's expenses. For purposes of determining the total stock which X has outstanding, G is deemed to hold 40 shares of X.

The X Corporation is a cooperative housing corporation within the meaning of section 216. In 1987, it acquires for $1,000,000 a building containing 10 category A apartments, 10 category B apartments, and 10 category C apartments. The value of each category A apartment is $20,000, of each category B apartment is $30,000 and of each category C apartment is $50,000. X issues 1 share of stock to each of the 30 tenant-stockholders, each share carrying the right to occupy one of the apartments. X allocates the real estate taxes and interest to the tenant-stockholders on the basis of the fair market value of their respective apartments. Since the total fair market value of all of the apartments is $1,000,000, the allocation of taxes and interest to each tenant-stockholder that has the right to occupy a category A apartment is 2/100 ($20,000/$1,000,000). Similarly, the allocation of taxes and interest to each tenant-stockholder who has a right to occupy a category B apartment is 3/100 ($30,000/$1,000,000) and of a category C apartment is 5/100 ($50,000/$1,000,000). X may elect in accordance with the rules described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section to treat the amounts so allocated as each tenant-stockholder's proportionate share of real estate taxes and interest.

The Y Corporation is a cooperative housing corporation within the meaning of section 216. In 1987, it acquires a housing development containing 5 detached houses for $1,500,000, incurring an indebtedness of $1,000,000 for the purchase of the property. Each house is valued at $300,000, although the shares appurtenant to those houses have been sold to tenant-stockholders for $100,000. Y issues one share of stock to each of the five tenant-stockholders, each share carrying the right to occupy one of the houses. A, a tenant-stockholder, prepays all of the corporation's indebtedness allocable to A's house. The periodic charges payable to Y by A are reduced commensurately with the reduction in Y's debt service. Because no part of the indebtedness remains outstanding with respect to A's house, A's share of the interest expense is $0. The other four tenant-stockholders do not prepay their share of the indebtedness. Accordingly,

1/4 of the interest is allocated to each of the tenant-stockholders other than A. Y may elect in accordance with the rules described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section to treat the amounts so allocated as each tenant-stockholder's proportionate share of interest.

The Z Corporation is a cooperative housing corporation within the meaning of section 216. In 1987, it acquires a building containing 10 apartments. One of the apartments is occupied by a senior citizen. Under local law, a senior citizen who owns and occupies a residential apartment is entitled to a $500 reduction in local property taxes assessed upon the apartment. As a result, Z corporation is eligible under local law for a reduction in local property taxes assessed upon the building. Z's real estate tax assessment for the year would have been $10,000, however, with the senior citizen reduction, the assessment is $9,500. The proprietary lease provides for a reduced maintenance fee to the senior citizen tenant-stockholder in accordance with the real estate tax reduction. Accordingly, each apartment owner is assessed $1,000 for local real estate taxes, except the senior citizen tenant-stockholder, who is assessed $500. Z may elect in accordance with the rules described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section to treat the amounts so allocated as each tenant-stockholder's proportionate share of taxes.

(e) Cooperative housing corporation. In order to qualify as a “cooperative housing corporation” under section 216, the requirements of subparagraphs (1) through (4) of this paragraph must be met.

(1) One class of stock. The corporation shall have one and only one class of stock outstanding. However, a special classification of preferred stock, in a nominal amount not exceeding $100, issued to a Federal housing agency or other governmental agency solely for the purpose of creating a security device on the mortgage indebtedness of the corporation, shall be disregarded for purposes of determining whether the corporation has one class of stock outstanding and such agency will not be considered a stockholder for purposes of section 216 and this section. Furthermore, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1969, a special class of stock issued to a governmental unit, as defined in paragraph (g) of this section, shall also be disregarded for purposes of this paragraph in determining whether the corporation has one class of stock outstanding.

(2) Right of occupancy. Each stockholder of the corporation, whether or not the stockholder qualifies as a tenant-stockholder under section 216(b)(2) and paragraph (f) of this section, must be entitled to occupy for dwelling purposes an apartment in a building or a unit in a housing development owned or leased by such corporation. The stockholder is not required to occupy the premises. The right as against the corporation to occupy the premises is sufficient. Such right must be conferred on each stockholder solely by reasons of his or her ownership of stock in the corporation. That is, the stock must entitle the owner thereof either to occupy the premises or to a lease of the premises. The fact that the right to continue to occupy the premises is dependent upon the payment of charges to the corporation in the nature of rentals or assessments is immaterial. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986, the fact that, by agreement with the cooperative housing corporation, a person or his nominee may not occupy the house or apartment without the prior approval of such corporation will not be taken into account for purposes of this paragraph in the following cases.

(i) In any case where a person acquires stock of the cooperative housing corporation by operation of law, by inheritance, or by foreclosure (or by instrument in lieu of foreclosure),

(ii) In any case where a person other than an individual acquires stock in the cooperative housing corporation, and

(iii) In any case where the person from whom the corporation has acquired the apartments or houses (or leaseholds therein) acquires any stock of the cooperative housing corporation from the corporation not later than one year after the date on which the apartments or houses (or leaseholds therein) are transferred to the corporation by such person. For purposes of the preceding sentence, paragraphs (e)(2) (i) and (ii) of this section will not apply to acquisitions of stock by foreclosure by the person from whom the corporation has acquired the apartments or houses (or leaseholds therein).

(3) Distributions. None of the stockholders of the corporation may be entitled, either conditionally or unconditionally, except upon a complete or partial liquidation of the corporation, to receive any distribution other than out of earnings and profits of the corporation.

(4) Gross income. Eighty percent or more of the gross income of the corporation for the taxable year of the corporation in which the taxes and interest are paid or incurred must be derived from the tenant-stockholders. For purposes of the 80-percent test, in taxable years beginning after December 31, 1969, gross income attributable to any house or apartment which a governmental unit is entitled to occupy, pursuant to a lease or stock ownership, shall be disregarded.

(f) Tenant-stockholder. The term tenant-stockholder means a person that is a stockholder in a cooperative housing corporation, as defined in section 216(b)(1) and paragraph (e) of this section, and whose stock is fully paid up in an amount at least equal to an amount shown to the satisfaction of the district director as bearing a reasonable relationship to the portion of the fair market value, as of the date of the original issuance of the stock, of the corporation's equity in the building and the land on which it is situated that is attributable to the apartment or housing unit which such person is entitled to occupy (within the meaning of paragraph (e)(2) of this section). Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987, tenant-stockholders include only individuals, certain lending institutions, and certain persons from whom the cooperative housing corporation has acquired the apartments or houses (or leaseholds thereon).

(g) Governmental unit. For purposes of section 216(b) and this section, the term governmental unit means the United States or any of its possessions, a State or any political subdivision thereof, or any agency or instrumentality of the foregoing empowered to acquire shares in a cooperative housing corporation for the purpose of providing housing facilities.

(h) Examples. The application of section 216(a) and (b) and this section may be illustrated by the following examples, which refer to apartments but which are equally applicable to housing units:

The X Corporation is a cooperative housing corporation within the meaning of section 216. In 1970, at a total cost of $200,000, it purchased a site and constructed thereon a building with 15 apartments. The fair market value of the land and building was $200,000 at the time of completion of the building. The building contains five category A apartment units, each of equal value, and 10 category B apartment units. The total value of all of the category A apartment units is $100,000. The total value of all of the category B apartments is also $100,000. Upon completion of the building, the X Corporation mortgaged the land and building for $100,000, and sold its total authorized capital stock for $100,000. The stock attributable to the category A apartments was purchased by five individuals, each of whom paid $10,000 for 100 shares, or $100 a share. Each certificate for 100 shares of such stock provides that the holder thereof is entitled to a lease of a particular apartment in the building for a specified term of years. The stock attributable to the category B apartments was purchased by a governmental unit for $50,000. Since the shares sold to the tenant-stockholders are valued at $100 per share, the governmental unit is deemed to hold a total of 500 shares. The certificate of such stock provides that the governmental unit is entitled to a lease of all of the category B apartments. All leases provide that the lessee shall pay his proportionate part of the corporation's expenses. In 1970 the original owner of 100 shares of stock attributable to the category A apartments and to the lease to apartment No. 1 made a gift of the stock and lease to A, an individual. The taxable year of A and of the X Corporation is the calendar year. The corporation computes its taxable income on an accrual method, while A computes his taxable income on the cash receipts and disbursements method. In 1971, the X Corporation incurred expenses aggregating $13,800, including $4,000 for the real estate taxes on the land and building, and $5,000 for the interest on the mortgage. In 1972, A pays the X Corporation $1,380, representing his proportionate part of the expenses incurred by the corporation. The entire gross income of the X Corporation for 1971 was derived from the five tenant-stockholders and from the governmental unit. A is entitled under section 216 to a deduction of $900 in computing his taxable income for 1972. The deduction is computed as follows:

Since the stock which A acquired by gift was fully paid up by his donor in an amount equal to the portion of the fair market value, as of the date of the original issuance of the stock, of the corporation's equity in the land and building which is attributable to apartment No. 1, the requirement of section 216 in this regard is satisfied. The fair market value at the time of the gift of the corporation's equity attributable to the apartment is immaterial.

The facts are the same as in Example 1 except that the building constructed by the X Corporation contained, in addition to the 15 apartments, business space on the ground floor, which the corporation rented at $2,400 for the calendar year 1971. The corporation deducted the $2,400 from its expenses in determining the amount of the expenses to be prorated among its tenant-stockholders. The amount paid by A to the corporation in 1972 is $1,140 instead of $1,380. More than 80 percent of the gross income of the corporation for 1971 was derived from tenant-stockholders. A is entitled under section 216 to a deduction of $743.48 in computing his taxable income for 1972. The deduction is computed as follows:

Since the portion of A's payment allocable to real estate taxes and interest is only $743.48, that amount instead of $900 is allowable as a deduction in computing A's taxable income for 1972.

The facts are the same as in Example 1 except that the amount paid by A to the X Corporation in 1972 is $1,000 instead of $1,380. A is entitled under section 216 to a deduction of $652.17 in computing his taxable income for 1972. The deduction is computed as follows:

Since the portion of A's payment allocable to real estate taxes and interest is only $652.17, that amount instead of $900 is allowable as a deduction in computing A's taxable income for 1972.

The facts are the same as in Example 1 except that X Corporation leases recreational facilities from Y Corporation for use by the tenant-stockholders of X. Under the terms of the lease, X is obligated to pay an annual rental of $5,000 plus all real estate taxes assessed against the facilities. In 1971 X paid, in addition to the $13,800 of expenses enumerated in Example 1, $5,000 rent and $1,000 real estate taxes. In 1972 A pays the X Corporation $2,000, no part of which is refunded to him in 1972. A is entitled under section 216 to a deduction of $900 in computing his taxable income for 1972. The deduction is computed as follows:

The $1,000 of real estate taxes assessed against the recreational facilities constitutes additional rent and hence is not deductible by A as taxes under section 216. A's allowable deduction is limited to his proportionate share of real estate taxes and interest based on stock ownership and cannot be increased by the payment of an amount in excess of his proportionate share.

26 C.F.R. § 1.215-1T 26 C.F.R. § 1.216-2

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