Code of Federal Regulations · Section

§ 1.851-7 — -7 Certain Unit Investment Trusts

26 C.F.R. § 1.851-7

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(a) In general. For purposes of the Internal Revenue Code, a unit investment trust (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section) shall not be treated as a person (as defined in section 7701(a)(1)) except for years ending before January 1, 1969. A holder of an interest in such a trust will be treated as directly owning the assets of such trust for taxable years of such holder which end with or within any year of the trust to which section 851(f) and this section apply.

(b) Treatment of unit investment trust. A unit investment trust shall not be treated as an individual, a trust estate, partnership, association, company, or corporation for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code. Accordingly, a unit investment trust is not a taxpayer subject to taxation under the Internal Revenue Code. No gain or loss will be recognized by the unit investment trust if such trust distributes a holder's proportionate share of the trust assets in exchange for his interest in the trust. Also, no gain or loss will be recognized by the unit investment trust if such trust sells the holder's proportionate share of the trust assets and distributes the proceeds from such share to the holder in exchange for his interest in the trust.

(c) Treatment of holder of interest in unit investment trust. (1) Each holder of an interest in a unit investment trust shall be treated (to the extent of such interest) as owning a proportionate share of the assets of the trust. Accordingly, if the trust distributes to the holder of an interest in such trust his proportionate share of the trust assets in exchange for his interest in the trust, no gain or loss shall be recognized by such holder (or by any other holder of an interest in such trust). For purposes of this paragraph, each purchase of an interest in the trust by the holder will be considered a separate interest in the trust. Items of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit received by the trust or a custodian thereof shall be taxed to the holders of interests in the trust (and not to the trust) as though they had received their proportionate share of the items directly on the date such items were received by the trust or custodian.

(2) The basis of the assets of such trust which are treated under subparagraph (1) of this paragraph as being owned by the holder of an interest in such trust shall be the same as the basis of his interest in such trust. Accordingly, the amount of the gain or loss recognized by the holder upon the sale by the unit investment trust of the holder's pro rata share of the trust assets shall be determined with reference the basis, of his interest in the trust. Also, the basis of the assets received by the holder, if the trust distributes a holder's pro rata share of the trust assets in exchange for his interest in the trust, will be the same as the basis of his interest in the trust. If the unit investment trust sells less than all of the holder's pro rata share of the trust assets and the holder retains an interest in the trust, the amount of the gain or loss recognized by the holder upon the sale shall be determined with reference to the basis of his interest in the assets sold by the trust, and the basis of his interest in the trust shall be reduced accordingly. If the trust distributes a portion of the holder's pro rata share of the trust assets in exchange for a portion of his interest in the trust, the basis of the assets received by the holder shall be determined with reference to the basis of his interest in the assets distributed by the trust, and the basis of his interest in the trust shall be reduced accordingly. For purposes of this subparagraph the basis of the holder's interest in assets sold by the trust or distributed to him shall be an amount which bears the same relationship to the basis of his total interest in the trust that the fair market value of the assets so sold or distributed bears to the fair market value of such total interest in the trust, such fair market value to be determined on the date of such sale or distribution.

(3) The period for which the holder of an interest in such trust has held the assets of the trust which are treated under subparagraph (1) of this paragraph as being owned by him is the same as the period for which such holder has held his interest in such trust. Accordingly, the character of the gain, loss, deduction, or credit recognized by the holder upon the sale by the unit investment trust of the holder's proportionate share of the trust assets shall be determined with reference to the period for which he has held his interest in the trust. Also, the holding period of the assets received by the holder if the trust distributes the holder's proportionate share of the trust assets in exchange for his interest in the trust will include the period for which the holder has held his interest in the trust.

(4) The application of the provisions of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following example:

B entered a periodic payment plan of a unit investment trust (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section) with X Bank as custodian and Z as plan sponsor. Under this plan, upon B's demand, X must either redeem B's interest at a price substantially equal to the fair market value of the number of shares in Y, a management company, which are credited to B's account by X in connection with the unit investment trust, or at B's option distribute such shares of Y to B. B's plan provides for quarterly payments of $1,000. On October 1, 1969, B made his initial quarterly payment of $1,000 and X credited B's account with 110 shares of Y. On December 1, 1969, Y declared and paid a dividend of 25 cents per share, 5 cents of which was designated as a capital gain dividend pursuant to section 852(b)(3) and § 1.852-4. X credited B's account with $27.50 but did not distribute the money to B in 1969. On December 31, 1969, X charged B's account with $1 for custodial fees for calendar year 1969. On January 1, 1970, B paid X $1,000 and X credited B's account with 105 shares of Y. On April 1, 1970, B paid X $1,000 and X credited B's account with 100 shares of Y. B must include in his tax return for 1969 a dividend of $22 and a long-term capital gain of $5.50. In addition, B is entitled to deduct the annual custodial fee of $1 under section 212 of the Code.

(a) On April 4, 1970, at B's request, X sells the shares of Y credited to B's account (315 shares) for $10 per share and distributes the proceeds ($3,150) to B together with the remaining balance of $26.50 in B's account. The receipt of the $26.50 does not result in any tax consequences to B. B recognizes a long-term capital gain of $100 and a short- term capital gain of $50, computed as follows:

(1) B is treated as owning 110 shares of Y as of October 1, 1969. The basis of these shares is $1,000, and they were sold for $1,100 (110 shares at $10 per share). Therefore, B recognizes a gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset held for more than 6 months in the amount of $100.

(2) B is treated as owning 105 shares of Y as of January 1, 1970, and 100 shares as of April 1, 1970. With respect to the shares acquired on April 1, 1970, there is no gain recognized as the shares were sold for $1,000, which is B's basis of the shares. The shares acquired on January 1, 1970, were sold for $1,050 (105 shares at $10 per share), and B's basis of these shares is $1,000. Therefore, B recognizes a gain of $50 from the sale or exchange of a capital asset held for not more than 6 months.

(b) On April 4, 1970, at B's request, X distributes to B the shares of Y credited to his account and $26.50 in cash. The receipt of the $26.50 does not result in any tax consequences to B. B does not recognize gain or loss on the distribution of the shares of Y to him. The bases and holding periods of B's interests in Y are as follows:

(d) Definition. A unit investment trust to which this section refers is a business arrangement (other than a segregated asset account, whether or not it holds assets pursuant to a variable annuity contract, under the insurance laws or regulations of a State) which (except for taxable years ending before Jan. 1, 1969)—

(1) Is a unit investment trust (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940);

(2) Is registered under such Act;

(3) Issues periodic payment plan certificates (as defined in such Act) in one or more series;

(4) Possesses, as substantially all of its assets, as to all such series, securities issued by—

(i) A single management company (as defined in such Act), and securities acquired pursuant to subparagraph (5) of this paragraph, or

(ii) A single other corporation; and

(5) Has no power to invest in any other securities except securities issued by a single other management company, when permitted by such Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(e) Investment in two single management companies. (1) A unit investment trust may possess securities issued by two or more separate single management companies (as defined in such Act) if—

(i) The trust issues a separate series of periodic payment plan certificates (as defined in such Act) with respect to the securities of each separate single management company which it possesses; and

(ii) None of the periodic payment plan certificates issued by the trust permits joint acquisition of an interest in each series nor the application of payments in whole or in part first to a series issued by one of the single management companies and then to any other series issued by any other single management company.

(2) If a unit investment trust possesses securities of two or more separate single management companies as described in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph and issues a separate series of periodic payment plan certificates with respect to the securities of each such management company, then the holder of an interest in a series shall be treated as the owner of the securities in the single management company represented by such interest.

(i) A holder of an interest in a series of periodic payment plan certificates of a trust who transfers or sells his interest in the series in exchange for an interest in another series of periodic payment plan certificates of the trust shall recognize the gain or loss realized from the transfer or sale as if the trust had sold the shares credited to his interests in the series at fair market value and distributed the proceeds of the sale to him.

(ii) The basis of the interests in the series so acquired by the holder shall be the fair market value of his interests in the series transferred or sold.

(iii) The period for which the holder has held his interest in the series so acquired shall be measured from the date of his acquisition of his interest in that series.

(f) Cross references. (1) For reporting requirements imposed on custodians of unit investment trusts described in this section, see §§ 1.852-4, 1.852-9, 1.853-3, 1.854-2, and 1.6042-2.

(2) For rules relating to redemptions of certain unit investment trusts not described in this section, see § 1.852-10.

26 C.F.R. § 1.851-6 26 C.F.R. § 1.852-1

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