Partnership Equity for Services, 29675-29683 [05-10164]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 24, 2005 / Proposed Rules
elect to apply these regulations
retroactively for contracts issued before
the date that is one year after the
regulations are published as final
regulations in the Federal Register,
provided that the taxpayer does not later
determine qualification of those
contracts in a manner that is
inconsistent with these regulations.
RIN 1545–BB92
Box 7604, Ben Franklin Station,
Washington, DC 20044. Submissions
may be hand-delivered Monday through
Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and
4 p.m. to CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG–105346–
03), Courier’s Desk, Internal Revenue
Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC, or sent
electronically, via the IRS Internet site
at https://www.irs.gov/regs or via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov (IRS REG–105346–
03).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Concerning the section 83 regulations,
Stephen Tackney at (202) 622–6030;
concerning the subchapter K
regulations, Audrey Ellis or Demetri
Yatrakis at (202) 622–3060; concerning
submissions, the hearing, and/or to be
placed on the building access list to
attend the hearing, Robin Jones, (202)
622–7180 (not toll free numbers).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Partnership Equity for Services
Paperwork Reduction Act
Internal Revenue Service (IRS),
Treasury.
ACTION: Partial withdrawal of notice of
proposed rulemaking, notice of
proposed rulemaking, and notice of
public hearing.
The collection of information
contained in this notice of proposed
rulemaking has been submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget for
review in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3507(d)). Comments on the
collection of information should be sent
to the Office of Management and
Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for the
Department of the Treasury, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Washington, DC 20503, with copies to
the Internal Revenue Service, Attn: IRS
Reports Clearance Officer,
SE:W:CAR:MP:T:T:SP, Washington, DC
20224. Comments on the collection of
information should be received by July
25, 2005. Comments are specifically
requested concerning:
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the IRS,
including whether the information will
have practical utility;
The accuracy of the estimated burden
associated with the proposed collection
of information (see below);
How the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected may be
enhanced;
How the burden of complying with
the proposed collection of information
may be minimized, including through
the application of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology; and
Estimates of capital or start-up costs
and costs of operation, maintenance,
and purchase of services to provide
information.
Mark E. Matthews,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 05–10166 Filed 5–20–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 1
[REG–105346–03]
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This document withdraws the
remaining portion of the notice of
proposed rulemaking published in the
Federal Register on June 3, 1971 (36 FR
10787) and contains proposed
regulations relating to the tax treatment
of certain transfers of partnership equity
in connection with the performance of
services. The proposed regulations
provide that the transfer of a partnership
interest in connection with the
performance of services is subject to
section 83 of the Internal Revenue Code
(Code) and provide rules for
coordinating section 83 with
partnership taxation principles. The
proposed regulations also provide that
no gain or loss is recognized by a
partnership on the transfer or vesting of
an interest in the transferring
partnership in connection with the
performance of services for the
transferring partnership. This document
also provides a notice of public hearing
on these proposed regulations.
DATES: Written or electronic comments
must be received by August 22, 2005.
Outlines of topics to be discussed at the
public hearing scheduled for October 5,
2005, at 10 a.m. must be received by
September 14, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Send submissions to:
CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG–105346–03), room
5203, Internal Revenue Service, P.O.
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29675
The following collections of
information in this proposed regulation
are in § 1.83–3(l):
(1) Requirement that electing
partnerships submit an election with the
partnership tax return.
(2) Requirement that certain partners
submit a document to the partnership;
(3) Requirement that such documents
be retained; and
(4) Requirement that partnerships
submit a termination document with the
partnership tax return as one method of
terminating the election.
These collections of information are
required by the IRS to determine
whether the amount of tax has been
calculated correctly. The respondents
are partnerships and partners or other
service providers.
The estimated total annual reporting
and/or recordkeeping burden is 112,500
hours.
The estimated annual burden per
respondent/recordkeeper varies from .10
hours to 10 hours, depending on
individual circumstances, with an
estimated average of 1 hour for
partnerships and .25 hour for a partner
or service provider. The estimated
number of respondents and/or
recordkeepers is 100,000 partnerships
and 50,000 partners or other service
providers.
The estimated annual frequency of
responses (used for reporting
requirements only) is on occasion.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a valid control
number assigned by the Office of
Management and Budget.
Books or records relating to a
collection of information must be
retained as long as their contents may
become material in the administration
of any internal revenue law. Generally,
tax returns and tax return information
are confidential as required by 26 U.S.C.
6103.
Background
Partnerships issue a variety of
instruments in connection with the
performance of services. These
instruments include interests in
partnership capital, interests in
partnership profits, and options to
acquire such interests (collectively,
partnership equity). On June 5, 2000,
the Treasury Department and the IRS
issued Notice 2000–29 (2000–1 C.B.
1241), inviting public comment on the
Federal income tax treatment of the
exercise of an option to acquire a
partnership interest, the exchange of
convertible debt for a partnership
interest, and the exchange of a preferred
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 24, 2005 / Proposed Rules
interest in a partnership for a common
interest in that partnership. On January
22, 2003, the Treasury Department and
the IRS published in the Federal
Register (REG–103580–02) (68 FR 2930),
proposed regulations regarding the
Federal income tax consequences of
noncompensatory partnership options,
convertible equity, and convertible debt.
In the preamble to those proposed
regulations, the Treasury Department
and the IRS requested comments on the
proposed amendment to § 1.721–1(b)(1)
that was published in the Federal
Register on June 3, 1971 (36 FR 10787),
and on the Federal income tax
consequences of the issuance of
partnership capital interests in
connection with the performance of
services and options to acquire such
interests. In response to the comments
received, the Treasury Department and
the IRS are withdrawing the proposed
amendment to § 1.721–1(b)(1) and
issuing these proposed regulations,
which prescribe rules on the application
of section 83 to partnership interests
and the Federal income tax
consequences associated with the
transfer, vesting, and forfeiture of
partnership interests transferred in
connection with the performance of
services.
Explanation of Provisions
1. Application of Section 83 to
Partnership Interests
Section 83 generally applies to a
transfer of property by one person to
another in connection with the
performance of services. The courts
have held that a partnership capital
interest is property for this purpose. See
Schulman v. Commissioner, 93 T.C. 623
(1989) (section 83 governs the issuance
of an option to acquire a partnership
interest as compensation for services
provided as an employee); Kenroy, Inc.
v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1984–232.
Therefore, the proposed regulations
provide that a partnership interest is
property within the meaning of section
83, and that the transfer of a partnership
interest in connection with the
performance of services is subject to
section 83.
The proposed regulations apply
section 83 to all partnership interests,
without distinguishing between
partnership capital interests and
partnership profits interests. Although
the application of section 83 to
partnership profits interests has been
the subject of controversy, see, e.g.,
Campbell v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo
1990–162, aff’d in part and rev’d in part,
943 F.2d 815 (8th Cir. 1991), n. 7; St.
John v. U.S., 84–1 USTC 9158 (C.D. Ill.
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1983), the Treasury Department and the
IRS do not believe that there is a
substantial basis for distinguishing
among partnership interests for
purposes of section 83. All partnership
interests constitute personal property
under state law and give the holder the
right to share in future earnings from
partnership capital and labor. Moreover,
some commentators have suggested that
the same tax rules should apply to both
partnership profits interests and
partnership capital interests. These
commentators have suggested that
taxpayers may exploit any differences in
the tax treatment of partnership profits
interests and partnership capital
interests. The Treasury Department and
the IRS agree with these comments.
Therefore, all of the rules in these
proposed regulations and the
accompanying proposed revenue
procedure (described below) apply
equally to partnership capital interests
and partnership profits interests.
However, a right to receive allocations
and distributions from a partnership
that is described in section 707(a)(2)(A)
is not a partnership interest. In section
707(a)(2)(A), Congress directed that
such an arrangement should be
characterized according to its substance,
that is, as a disguised payment of
compensation to the service provider.
See S. Rep. No. 98–169, 98 Cong. 2d
Sess., at 226 (1984).
Section 83(b) allows a person who
receives substantially nonvested
property in connection with the
performance of services to elect to
include in gross income the difference
between: (A) The fair market value of
the property at the time of transfer
(determined without regard to a
restriction other than a restriction which
by its terms will never lapse); and (B)
the amount paid for such property.
Under section 83(b)(2), the election
under section 83(b) must be made
within 30 days of the date of the transfer
of the property to the service provider.
Consistent with the principles of
section 83, the proposed regulations
provide that, if a partnership interest is
transferred in connection with the
performance of services, and if an
election under section 83(b) is not
made, then the holder of the partnership
interest is not treated as a partner until
the interest becomes substantially
vested. If a section 83(b) election is
made with respect to such an interest,
the service provider will be treated as a
partner for purposes of Subtitle A of the
Code. These rules are similar to the
current rules pertaining to substantially
nonvested stock in a subchapter S
corporation. See § 1.1361–1(b)(3) (upon
an election under section 83(b), the
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service provider becomes a shareholder
for purposes of subchapter S).
These principles differ from Rev.
Proc. 2001–43. Under that revenue
procedure, if a partnership profits
interest is transferred in connection
with the performance of services, then
the holder of the partnership interest
may be treated as a partner even if no
section 83(b) election is made, provided
that certain conditions are met.
Certain changes to the regulations
under both subchapter K and section 83
are needed to coordinate the principles
of subchapter K with the principles of
section 83. Among the changes that are
proposed in these regulations are: (1)
Conforming the subchapter K rules to
the section 83 timing rules; (2) revising
the section 704(b) regulations to take
into account the fact that allocations
with respect to an unvested interest may
be forfeited; and (3) providing that a
partnership generally recognizes no gain
or loss on the transfer of an interest in
the partnership in connection with the
performance of services for that
partnership. In addition, Rev. Procs. 93–
27 (1993–2 C.B. 343), and 2001–43
(2001–2 C.B. 191), which generally
provide for nonrecognition by both the
partnership and the service provider on
the transfer of a profits interest in the
partnership for services performed for
that partnership, must be modified to be
consistent with these proposed
regulations. Accordingly, in conjunction
with these proposed regulations, the IRS
is issuing Notice 2005–43 (2005–24
I.R.B.). That Notice contains a proposed
revenue procedure that, when finalized,
will obsolete Rev. Procs. 93–27 and
2001–43. The Treasury Department and
the IRS intend for these proposed
regulations and the proposed revenue
procedure to become effective at the
same time. The proposed amendments
to the regulations under section 83 and
subchapter K, as well as the Notice, are
described in further detail below.
The proposed revenue procedure and
certain parts of the proposed regulations
(as described below) only apply to a
transfer by a partnership of an interest
in that partnership in connection with
the performance of services for that
partnership (compensatory partnership
interests). The Treasury Department and
the IRS request comments on the
income tax consequences of transactions
involving related persons, such as, for
example, the transfer of an interest in a
lower-tier partnership in exchange for
services provided to the upper-tier
partnership.
2. Timing of Partnership’s Deduction
Except as otherwise provided in
§ 1.83–6(a)(3), if property is transferred
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in connection with the performance of
services, then the service recipient’s
deduction, if any, is allowed only for
the taxable year of that person in which
or with which ends the taxable year of
the service provider in which the
amount is included as compensation.
See section 83(h). In contrast, under
section 706(a) and § 1.707–1(c),
guaranteed payments described in
section 707(c) are included in the
partner’s income in the partner’s taxable
year within or with which ends the
partnership’s taxable year in which the
partnership deducted the payments.
Under § 1.721–1(b)(2) of the current
regulations, an interest in partnership
capital issued by the partnership as
compensation for services rendered to
the partnership is treated as a
guaranteed payment under section
707(c). Some commentators suggested
that the proposed regulations should
resolve the potential conflict between
the timing rules of section 83 and the
timing rules of section 707(c).
Under the proposed regulations,
partnership interests issued to partners
for services rendered to the partnership
are treated as guaranteed payments.
Also, the proposed regulations provide
that the section 83 timing rules override
the timing rules of section 706(a) and
§ 1.707–1(c) to the extent they are
inconsistent. Accordingly, if a
partnership transfers property to a
partner in connection with the
performance of services, the timing and
the amount of the related income
inclusion and deduction is determined
by section 83 and the regulations
thereunder.
In drafting these regulations, the
Treasury Department and the IRS
considered alternative approaches for
resolving the timing inconsistency
between section 83 and section 707(c).
One alternative approach considered
was to provide that the transfer of
property in connection with the
performance of services is not treated as
a guaranteed payment within the
meaning of section 707(c). This
approach was not adopted in the
proposed regulations due to, among
other things, concern that such a
characterization of these transfers could
have unintended consequences on the
application of provisions of the Code
outside of subchapter K that refer to
guaranteed payments. The Treasury
Department and the IRS request
comments on alternative approaches for
resolving the timing inconsistency
between section 83 and section 707(c).
3. Allocation of Partnership’s Deduction
The proposed regulations provide
guidance regarding the allocation of the
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partnership’s deduction for the transfer
of property in connection with the
performance of services. Some
commentators suggested that the
proposed regulations require that the
partnership’s deduction be allocated
among the partners in accordance with
their interests in the partnership prior to
the transfer.
Section 706(d)(1) provides generally
that, if, during any taxable year of a
partnership, there is a change in any
partner’s interest in the partnership,
each partner’s distributive share of any
item of income, gain, loss, deduction, or
credit of the partnership for such
taxable year shall be determined by the
use of any method prescribed by
regulations which takes into account the
varying interests of the partners in the
partnership during the taxable year.
Regulations have not yet been issued
describing the rules for taking into
account the varying interests of the
partners in the partnership during a
taxable year. Section 1.706–1(c)(2)(ii)
provides that, in the case of a sale,
exchange, or liquidation of a partner’s
entire interest in a partnership, the
partner’s share of partnership items for
the taxable year may be determined by
either: (1) Closing the partnership’s
books as of the date of the transfer
(closing of the books method); or (2)
allocating to the departing partner that
partner’s pro rata part of partnership
items that the partner would have
included in the partner’s taxable income
had the partner remained a partner until
the end of the partnership taxable year
(proration method). The Treasury
Department and the IRS believe that
section 706(d)(1) adequately ensures
that partnership deductions that are
attributable to the portion of the
partnership’s taxable year prior to a new
partner’s entry into the partnership are
allocated to the historic partners.
Section 706(d)(2), however, places
additional limits on how partnerships
may allocate these deductions. Under
section 706(d)(2)(B), payments for
services by a partnership using the cash
receipts and disbursements method of
accounting are allocable cash basis
items. Under section 706(d)(2)(A), if
during any taxable year of a partnership
there is a change in any partner’s
interest in the partnership, then (except
to the extent provided in regulations)
each partner’s distributive share of any
allocable cash basis item must be
determined under the proration method.
To allow partnerships to allocate
deductions with respect to property
transferred in connection with the
performance of services under a closing
of the books method, the proposed
regulations provide that section
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29677
706(d)(2)(A) does not apply to such a
transfer.
4. Accounting for Compensatory
Partnership Interests
A. Transfer of Compensatory
Partnership Interest
Under the proposed regulations, the
service provider’s capital account is
increased by the amount the service
provider takes into income under
section 83 as a result of receiving the
interest, plus any amounts paid for the
interest. Some commentators suggested
that the amount included in the service
provider’s income under section 83,
plus the amount paid for the interest,
may differ from the amount of capital
that the partnership has agreed to assign
to the service provider. These
commentators contend that the
substantial economic effect safe harbor
in the section 704(b) regulations should
be amended to allow partnerships to
reallocate capital between the historic
partners and the service provider to
accord with the economic agreement of
the parties.
The reallocation of partnership capital
in these circumstances is not consistent
with the policies underlying the
substantial economic effect safe harbor
and the capital account maintenance
rules. The purpose of the substantial
economic effect safe harbor is to ensure
that, to the extent that there is an
economic benefit or burden associated
with a partnership allocation, the
partner to whom the allocation is made
receives the economic benefit or bears
the economic burden. Under section 83,
the economic benefit of receiving a
partnership interest in connection with
the performance of services is the
amount that is included in the
compensation income of the service
provider, plus the amount paid for the
interest. This is the amount by which
the service partner’s capital account
should be increased.
As explained in section 6 below, a
proposed revenue procedure issued
concurrently with these proposed
regulations would allow a partnership,
its partners, and the service provider to
elect to treat the fair market value of a
partnership interest as equal to the
liquidation value of that interest. If such
an election is made, the capital account
of a service provider receiving a
partnership interest in connection with
the performance of services is increased
by the liquidation value of the
partnership interest received.
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B. Forfeiture of Certain Compensatory
Partnership Interests
If an election under section 83(b) has
been made with respect to a
substantially nonvested interest, the
holder of the nonvested interest may be
allocated partnership items that may
later be forfeited. For this reason,
allocations of partnership items while
the interest is substantially nonvested
cannot have economic effect. Under the
proposed regulations, such allocations
will be treated as being in accordance
with the partners’ interests in the
partnership if: (a) The partnership
agreement requires that the partnership
make forfeiture allocations if the interest
for which the section 83(b) election is
made is later forfeited; and (b) all
material allocations and capital account
adjustments under the partnership
agreement not pertaining to
substantially nonvested partnership
interests for which a section 83(b)
election has been made are recognized
under section 704(b). This safe harbor
does not apply if, at the time of the
section 83(b) election, there is a plan
that a substantially nonvested interest
will be forfeited. All of the facts and
circumstances (including the tax status
of the holder of the substantially
nonvested interest) will be considered
in determining whether there is a plan
that the interest will be forfeited. In
such a case, the partners’ distributive
shares of partnership items shall be
determined in accordance with the
partners’ interests in the partnership
under § 1.704–1(b)(3).
Generally, forfeiture allocations are
allocations to the service provider of
partnership gross income and gain or
gross deduction and loss (to the extent
such items are available) that offset
prior distributions and allocations of
partnership items with respect to the
forfeited partnership interest. These
rules are designed to ensure that any
partnership income (or loss) that was
allocated to the service provider prior to
the forfeiture is offset by allocations on
the forfeiture of the interest. Also, to
carry out the prohibition under section
83(b)(1) on deductions with respect to
amounts included in income under
section 83(b), these rules generally
cause a forfeiting partner to be allocated
partnership income to offset any
distributions to the partner that reduced
the partner’s basis in the partnership
below the amount included in income
under section 83(b).
Forfeiture allocations may be made
out of the partnership’s items for the
entire taxable year. In determining the
gross income of the partnership in the
taxable year of the forfeiture, the rules
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of § 1.83–6(c) apply. As a result, the
partnership generally will have gross
income in the taxable year of the
forfeiture equal to the amount of the
allowable deduction to the service
recipient partnership upon the transfer
of the interest as a result of the making
of the section 83(b) election, regardless
of the fair market value of the
partnership’s assets at the time of
forfeiture.
In certain circumstances, the
partnership will not have enough
income and gain to fully offset prior
allocations of loss to the forfeiting
service provider. The proposed revenue
procedure includes a rule that requires
the recapture of losses taken by the
service provider prior to the forfeiture of
the interest to the extent that those
losses are not recaptured through
forfeiture allocations of income and gain
to the service provider. This rule does
not provide the other partners in the
partnership with the opportunity to
increase their shares of partnership loss
(or reduce their shares of partnership
income) for the year of the forfeiture by
the amount of loss that was previously
allocated to the forfeiting service
provider.
In other circumstances, the
partnership will not have enough
deductions and loss to fully offset prior
allocations of income to the forfeiting
service provider. It appears that, in such
a case, section 83(b)(1) may prohibit the
service provider from claiming a loss
with respect to partnership income that
was previously allocated to the service
provider. However, a forfeiting partner
is entitled to a loss for any basis in a
partnership that is attributable to
contributions of money or property to
the partnership (including amounts paid
for the interest) remaining after the
forfeiture allocations have been made.
See § 1.83–2(a).
Comments are requested as to
whether the regulations should require
or allow partnerships to create notional
tax items to make forfeiture allocations
where the partnership does not have
enough actual tax items to make such
allocations. Comments are also
requested as to whether section 83(b)(1)
should be read to allow a forfeiting
service provider to claim a loss with
respect to partnership income that was
previously allocated to the service
provider and not offset by forfeiture
allocations of loss and deduction and, if
so, whether it is appropriate to require
the other partners in the partnership to
recognize income in the year of the
forfeiture equal to the amount of the loss
claimed by the service provider. In
particular, comments are requested as to
whether section 83 or another section of
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the Code provides authority for such a
rule.
5. Valuation of Compensatory
Partnership Interests
Commentators requested guidance
regarding the valuation of partnership
interests transferred in connection with
the performance of services. Section 83
generally provides that the recipient of
property transferred in connection with
the performance of services recognizes
income equal to the fair market value of
the property, disregarding lapse
restrictions. See Schulman v.
Commissioner, 93 T.C. 623 (1989).
However, some authorities have
concluded that, under the particular
facts and circumstances of the case, a
partnership profits interest had only a
speculative value or that the fair market
value of a partnership interest should be
determined by reference to the
liquidation value of that interest. See
§ 1.704–1(e)(1)(v); Campbell v.
Commissioner, 943 F.2d 815 (8th Cir.
1991); St. John v. U.S., 1984–1 USTC
9158 (C.D. Ill. 1983). But see Diamond
v. Commissioner, 492 F.2d 286 (7th Cir.
1974) (holding under pre-section 83 law
that the receipt of a profits interest with
a determinable value at the time of
receipt resulted in immediate taxation);
Campbell v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo
1990–162, aff’d in part and rev’d in part,
943 F.2d 815 (8th Cir. 1991).
The Treasury Department and the IRS
have determined that, provided certain
requirements are satisfied, it is
appropriate to allow partnerships and
service providers to value partnership
interests based on liquidation value.
This approach ensures consistency in
the treatment of partnership profits
interests and partnership capital
interests, and accords with other
regulations issued under subchapter K,
such as the regulations under section
704(b).
In accordance with these proposed
regulations, the revenue procedure
proposed in Notice 2005–43 (2005–24
I.R.B.) will, when finalized, provide
additional rules that partnerships,
partners, and persons providing services
to the partnership in exchange for
interests in that partnership would be
required to follow when electing under
§ 1.83–3(l) of these proposed regulations
to treat the fair market value of those
interests as being equal to the
liquidation value of those interests. For
this purpose, the liquidation value of a
partnership interest is the amount of
cash that the holder of that interest
would receive with respect to the
interest if, immediately after the transfer
of the interest, the partnership sold all
of its assets (including goodwill, going
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concern value, and any other intangibles
associated with the partnership’s
operations) for cash equal to the fair
market value of those assets, and then
liquidated.
6. Application of Section 721 to
Partnership on Transfer
There is a dispute among
commentators as to whether a
partnership should recognize gain or
loss on the transfer of a compensatory
partnership interest. Some
commentators believe that, on the
transfer of such an interest, the
partnership should be treated as
satisfying its compensation obligation
with a fractional interest in each asset
of the partnership. Under this deemed
sale of assets theory, the partnership
would recognize gain or loss equal to
the excess of the fair market value of
each partial asset deemed transferred to
the service provider over the
partnership’s adjusted basis in that
partial asset. Other commentators
believe that a partnership should not
recognize gain or loss on the transfer of
a compensatory partnership interest.
They argue, among other things, that the
transfer of such an interest is not
properly treated as a realization event
for the partnership because no property
owned by the partnership has changed
hands. They also argue that taxing a
partnership on the transfer of such an
interest would result in inappropriate
gain acceleration, would be difficult to
administer, and would cause
economically similar transactions to be
taxed differently.
Generally, when appreciated property
is used to pay an obligation, gain on the
property is recognized. The Treasury
Department and the IRS are still
analyzing whether an exception to this
general rule is appropriate on the
transfer of an interest in the capital or
profits of a partnership to satisfy certain
partnership obligations (such as the
obligations to pay interest or rent).
However, the Treasury Department and
the IRS believe that partnerships should
not be required to recognize gain on the
transfer of a compensatory partnership
interest. Such a rule is more consistent
with the policies underlying section
721—to defer recognition of gain and
loss when persons join together to
conduct a business—than would be a
rule requiring the partnership to
recognize gain on the transfer of these
types of interests. Therefore, the
proposed regulations provide that
partnerships are not taxed on the
transfer or substantial vesting of a
compensatory partnership interest.
Under § 1.704–1(b)(4)(i) (reverse section
704(c) principles), the historic partners
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generally will be required to recognize
any income or loss attributable to the
partnership’s assets as those assets are
sold, depreciated, or amortized.
The rule providing for nonrecognition
of gain or loss does not apply to the
transfer or substantial vesting of an
interest in an eligible entity, as defined
in § 301.7701–3(a) of the Procedure and
Administration Regulations, that
becomes a partnership under
§ 301.7701–3(f)(2) as a result of the
transfer or substantial vesting of the
interest. See McDougal v.
Commissioner, 62 T.C. 720 (1974)
(holding that the service recipient
recognized gain on the transfer of a onehalf interest in appreciated property to
the service provider, immediately prior
to the contribution by the service
recipient and the service provider of
their respective interests in the property
to a newly formed partnership).
7. Revaluations of Partnership Property
The proposed regulations concerning
noncompensatory partnership options
published on January 22, 2003,
contained special rules regarding the
revaluations of partnership property
while noncompensatory partnership
options were outstanding. Specifically,
the regulations proposed modifications
to § 1.704–1(b)(2)(iv)(f) and (h) to
provide that any revaluation during the
period in which there are outstanding
noncompensatory options generally
must take into account the fair market
value, if any, of outstanding options.
These proposed regulations do not
contain similar provisions, because
under recently proposed modifications
to the regulations under § 1.704–
1(b)(2)(iv), the obligation to issue a
partnership interest in satisfaction of an
option agreement is a liability that is
taken into account in determining the
fair market value of partnership assets
as a result of a revaluation. See REG–
106736–00, 68 FR 37434 (June 24, 2003)
(relating to the assumption of certain
obligations by partnerships from
partners).
8. Characterization Rule
The proposed regulations concerning
noncompensatory partnership options
published on January 22, 2003
contained a rule (§ 1.761–3) providing
that the holder of a noncompensatory
option is treated as a partner under
certain circumstances. However, the
Treasury Department and the IRS have
concluded that these proposed
regulations should not contain a similar
rule for partnership options transferred
in connection with the performance of
services because of the possibility that
constructive transfers of property,
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29679
subject to section 83, may occur under
circumstances other than those
described in the proposed rules for
treating the holder of a
noncompensatory option as a partner.
The Treasury Department and the IRS
request comments on whether antiabuse rules are necessary to prevent
taxpayers from using the rules in these
proposed regulations or the rules in
Notice 2005–43 to inappropriately shift
items of partnership income or loss
between the service provider and the
other partners.
9. Retroactive Allocations
Section 761(c) generally allows a
partnership to modify its agreement at
any time on or prior to the due date for
the partnership’s return for the taxable
year (without regard to extensions).
Thus, for example, a partnership could,
at the end of its taxable year, amend its
partnership agreement to provide that a
service provider was entitled to a
substantially vested or nonvested
interest in partnership profits and losses
from the beginning of the partnership’s
taxable year. It is expected that, if a
substantially vested compensatory
partnership interest is transferred to an
employee or independent contractor (or
an election under section 83(b) is made
with respect to the transfer of a
substantially nonvested compensatory
partnership interest to an employee or
independent contractor), the
partnership will report the transfer on
Form W–2, ‘‘Wage and Tax Statement,’’
or Form 1099–MISC, ‘‘Miscellaneous
Income,’’ as appropriate. The Form W–
2 or Form 1099-MISC would be issued
to the service provider by the
partnership by January 31 of the year
following the calendar year in which the
partnership interest is transferred, and
the partnership would file such forms
with the Social Security Administration
or IRS, respectively, by February 28
(March 31 if filed electronically) of the
year following the calendar year in
which the partnership interest is
transferred. The service provider would
be required to report any income
recognized on the transfer of the
partnership interest on the service
provider’s return for the taxable year (of
the service provider) in which the
transfer occurs.
It is unclear whether the retroactive
commencement date of such an interest
should be treated as the date of the
transfer of the interest for purposes of
section 83 and other provisions of the
Code outside of subchapter K. If the
retroactive effective date of the interest
is treated as the transfer date for all
purposes, a number of administrative
concerns arise. For example, the
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partnership may not, by the January 31
deadline, have the information
necessary to issue Form W–2 or Form
1099–MISC to the service provider.
Also, the service provider may not, by
the due date for filing the section 83(b)
election, have the information necessary
to file the election. The Treasury
Department and the IRS request
comments on the timing for section 83
purposes of retroactive transfers of
partnership interests and on any actions
that may be appropriate to address the
associated administrative concerns.
10. Information Reporting to Partners
As explained above, the proposed
regulations treat the transfer of a
partnership interest to a partner in
connection with the performance of
services as a guaranteed payment. To
ensure that the service provider partner
has the information necessary to include
the transfer in income for the taxable
year in which the transfer occurs (rather
than the taxable year in which or with
which ends the partnership taxable year
in which the transfer occurs), the
Treasury Department and the IRS are
considering the possibility of amending
the section 6041 regulations to provide
that this type of guaranteed payment
must be reported by the partnership on
Form 1099–MISC, which is required to
be issued to the service provider on or
before January 31 of the year following
the calendar year of such transfer. The
Treasury Department and the IRS
request comments on whether such a
requirement is appropriate and
administrable.
Proposed Effective Date
These regulations are proposed to
apply to transfers of property on or after
the date final regulations are published
in the Federal Register.
Special Analyses
It has been determined that this notice
of proposed rulemaking is not a
significant regulatory action as defined
in Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a
regulatory assessment is not required. It
also has been determined that section
553(b) of the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply
to these regulations. It is hereby
certified that the collection of
information in these regulations will not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.
This certification is based upon the fact
that the reporting burden, as discussed
earlier in this preamble, is not expected
to be significant. Partnerships with
partnership agreements that contain the
binding provisions referred to in § 1.83–
3(l) only will be required to submit a
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single election form in order to rely on
the safe harbor described in that
paragraph. Partnerships that desire to
elect to use the safe harbor described in
§ 1.83–3(l), but which do not have
partnership agreements containing these
provisions, are required to obtain
partner-level consents to the election.
However, these partnerships are
expected to be rare. Moreover, in most
cases the partners in such partnerships
are not expected to be small businesses.
Therefore, a Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis under the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) is
not required. Pursuant to section 7805(f)
of the Code, this notice of proposed
rulemaking will be submitted to the
Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small
Business Administration for comment
on its impact on small business.
Comments and Public Hearing
Before these proposed regulations are
adopted as final regulations,
consideration will be given to any
electronic or written comments (a
signed original and eight copies) that are
submitted timely to the IRS. The IRS
and the Treasury Department request
comments on the clarity of the proposed
rules and how they can be made easier
to understand. All comments will be
available for public inspection and
copying.
A public hearing has been scheduled
for October 5, 2005, beginning at 10 a.m.
in the IRS Auditorium, Internal Revenue
Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC. Due to building
security procedures, visitors must enter
at the Constitution Avenue entrance. In
addition, all visitors must present photo
identification to enter the building.
Because of access restrictions, visitors
will not be admitted beyond the
immediate entrance area more than 30
minutes before the hearing starts. For
information about having your name
placed on the building access list to
attend the hearing, see the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT portion of this
preamble.
The rules of 26 CFR 601.601(a)(3)
apply to the hearing. Persons who wish
to present oral comments must submit
written comments and an outline of the
topics to be discussed and the time to
be devoted to each topic (a signed
original and eight (8) copies) by
September 14, 2005. A period of 10
minutes will be allotted to each person
for making comments. An agenda
showing the scheduling of the speakers
will be prepared after the deadline for
reviewing outlines has passed. Copies of
the agenda will be available free of
charge at the hearing.
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Drafting Information
The principal authors of these
regulations are Audrey Ellis and
Demetri Yatrakis of the Office of
Associate Chief Counsel (Passthroughs
and Special Industries), and Stephen
Tackney of the Office of Associate Chief
Counsel (Tax Exempt and Government
Entities). However, other personnel
from the IRS and Treasury Department
participated in their development.
Withdrawal of Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking
Accordingly, under the authority of
26 U.S.C. 7805, § 1.721–1(b) of the
notice of proposed rulemaking that was
published in the Federal Register on
June 3, 1971 (36 FR 10787) is
withdrawn.
List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1
Income taxes, Reporting and record
keeping requirements.
Proposed Amendments to the
Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is
proposed to be amended as follows:
PART 1—INCOME TAXES
Paragraph 1. The authority citation
for part 1 continues to read, in part, as
follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
Par. 2. Section 1.83–3 is amended as
follows:
1. Paragraph (e) is amended by adding
two new sentences after the first
sentence.
2. Paragraph (l) is added.
The revision and addition read as
follows:
§ 1.83–3
Meaning and use of certain terms.
*
*
*
*
*
(e) Property. * * * Accordingly,
property includes a partnership interest.
The previous sentence is effective for
transfers on or after the date final
regulations are published in the Federal
Register. * * *
*
*
*
*
*
(l) Special rules for the transfer of a
partnership interest. (1) Subject to such
additional conditions, rules, and
procedures that the Commissioner may
prescribe in regulations, revenue
rulings, notices, or other guidance
published in the Internal Revenue
Bulletin (see § 601.601(d)(2)(ii)(b) of this
chapter), a partnership and all of its
partners may elect a safe harbor under
which the fair market value of a
partnership interest that is transferred in
connection with the performance of
services is treated as being equal to the
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liquidation value of that interest for
transfers on or after the date final
regulations are published in the Federal
Register if the following conditions are
satisfied:
(i) The partnership must prepare a
document, executed by a partner who
has responsibility for Federal income
tax reporting by the partnership, stating
that the partnership is electing, on
behalf of the partnership and each of its
partners, to have the safe harbor apply
irrevocably as of the stated effective date
with respect to all partnership interests
transferred in connection with the
performance of services while the safe
harbor election remains in effect and
attach the document to the tax return for
the partnership for the taxable year that
includes the effective date of the
election.
(ii) Except as provided in paragraph
(l)(1)(iii) of this section, the partnership
agreement must contain provisions that
are legally binding on all of the partners
stating that—
(A) The partnership is authorized and
directed to elect the safe harbor; and
(B) The partnership and each of its
partners (including any person to whom
a partnership interest is transferred in
connection with the performance of
services) agrees to comply with all
requirements of the safe harbor with
respect to all partnership interests
transferred in connection with the
performance of services while the
election remains effective.
(iii) If the partnership agreement does
not contain the provisions described in
paragraph (l)(1)(ii) of this section, or the
provisions are not legally binding on all
of the partners of the partnership, then
each partner in a partnership that
transfers a partnership interest in
connection with the performance of
services must execute a document
containing provisions that are legally
binding on that partner stating that—
(A) The partnership is authorized and
directed to elect the safe harbor; and
(B) The partner agrees to comply with
all requirements of the safe harbor with
respect to all partnership interests
transferred in connection with the
performance of services while the
election remains effective.
(2) The specified effective date of the
safe harbor election may not be prior to
the date that the safe harbor election is
executed. The partnership must retain
such records as may be necessary to
indicate that an effective election has
been made and remains in effect,
including a copy of the partnership’s
election statement under this paragraph
(l), and, if applicable, the original of
each document submitted to the
partnership by a partner under this
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paragraph (l). If the partnership is
unable to produce a record of a
particular document, the election will
be treated as not made, generally
resulting in termination of the election.
The safe harbor election also may be
terminated by the partnership preparing
a document, executed by a partner who
has responsibility for Federal income
tax reporting by the partnership, which
states that the partnership, on behalf of
the partnership and each of its partners,
is revoking the safe harbor election on
the stated effective date, and attaching
the document to the tax return for the
partnership for the taxable year that
includes the effective date of the
revocation.
Par. 3. Section 1.83–6 is amended by
revising the first sentence of paragraph
(b) to read as follows:
§ 1.83–6
Deduction by employer.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) Recognition of gain or loss. Except
as provided in section 721 and section
1032, at the time of a transfer of
property in connection with the
performance of services the transferor
recognizes gain to the extent that the
transferor receives an amount that
exceeds the transferor’s basis in the
property. * * *
*
*
*
*
*
Par. 4. Section 1.704–1 is amended as
follows:
1. In paragraph (b)(0), an entry is
added to the table for § 1.704–
1(b)(4)(xii).
2. In paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(a), a sentence
is added at the end of the paragraph.
3. Paragraph (b)(2)(iv)(b)(1) is revised.
4. Paragraph (b)(2)(iv)(f)(5)(iii) is
revised.
5. Paragraph (b)(4)(xii) is added.
6. Paragraph (b)(5) Example 29 is
added.
The additions and revisions read as
follows:
§ 1.704–1
Partner’s distributive share.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) * * * (0) * * *
*
*
*
*
*
Substantially nonvested interests—
1.704–1(b)(4)(xii)
*
*
*
*
*
(1) * * *
(ii) * * * (a) * * * In addition,
paragraph (b)(4)(xii) and paragraph
(b)(5) Example 29 of this section apply
to compensatory partnership interests
(as defined in § 1.721–1(b)(3)) that are
transferred on or after the date final
regulations are published in the Federal
Register.
*
*
*
*
*
(2) * * *
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29681
(iv) * * *
(b) * * *
(1) the amount of money contributed
by that partner to the partnership and,
in the case of a compensatory
partnership interest (as defined in
§ 1.721–1(b)(3)) that is transferred on or
after the date final regulations are
published in the Federal Register, the
amount included on or after that date in
the partner’s compensation income
under section 83(a), (b), or (d)(2).
*
*
*
*
*
(f) * * *
(5) * * *
(iii) In connection with the transfer or
vesting of a compensatory partnership
interest (as defined in § 1.721–1(b)(3))
that is transferred on or after the date
final regulations are published in the
Federal Register, but only if the transfer
or vesting results in the service provider
recognizing income under section 83 (or
would result in such recognition if the
interest had a fair market value other
than zero).
*
*
*
*
*
(4) * * *
(xii) Substantially nonvested
interests—(a) In general. If a section
83(b) election has been made with
respect to a substantially nonvested
interest, the holder of the nonvested
interest may be allocated partnership
income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit
(or items thereof) that will later be
forfeited. For this reason, allocations of
partnership items while the interest is
substantially nonvested cannot have
economic effect.
(b) Deemed Compliance with
Partners’ Interests in the Partnership. If
a section 83(b) election has been made
with respect to a substantially
nonvested interest, allocations of
partnership items while the interest is
substantially nonvested will be deemed
to be in accordance with the partners’
interests in the partnership if—
(1) The partnership agreement
requires that the partnership make
forfeiture allocations if the interest for
which the section 83(b) election is made
is later forfeited; and
(2) All material allocations and capital
account adjustments under the
partnership agreement not pertaining to
substantially nonvested partnership
interests for which a section 83(b)
election has been made are recognized
under section 704(b).
(c) Forfeiture allocations. Forfeiture
allocations are allocations to the service
provider (consisting of a pro rata portion
of each item) of gross income and gain
or gross deduction and loss (to the
extent such items are available) for the
taxable year of the forfeiture in a
positive or negative amount equal to—
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(1) The excess (not less than zero) of
the—
(i) Amount of distributions (including
deemed distributions under section
752(b) and the adjusted tax basis of any
property so distributed) to the partner
with respect to the forfeited partnership
interest (to the extent such distributions
are not taxable under section 731); over
(ii) Amounts paid for the interest and
the adjusted tax basis of property
contributed by the partner (including
deemed contributions under section
752(a)) to the partnership with respect
to the forfeited partnership interest;
minus
(2) The cumulative net income (or
loss) allocated to the partner with
respect to the forfeited partnership
interest.
(d) Positive and negative amounts.
For purposes of paragraph (b)(4)(xii)(c)
of this section, items of income and gain
are reflected as positive amounts, and
items of deduction and loss are reflected
as negative amounts.
(e) Exception. Paragraph (b)(4)(xii)(b)
of this section shall not apply to
allocations of partnership items made
with respect to a substantially
nonvested interest for which the holder
has made a section 83(b) election if, at
the time of the section 83(b) election,
there is a plan that the interest will be
forfeited. In such a case, the partners’
distributive shares of partnership items
shall be determined in accordance with
the partners’ interests in the partnership
under paragraph (b)(3) of this section. In
determining whether there is a plan that
the interest will be forfeited, the
Commissioner will consider all of the
facts and circumstances (including the
tax status of the holder of the forfeitable
compensatory partnership interest).
(f) Cross references. Forfeiture
allocations may be made out of the
partnership’s items for the entire taxable
year of the forfeiture. See § 1.706–3(b)
and paragraph (b)(5) Example 29 of this
section.
*
*
*
*
*
(5) * * *
Example 29. (i) In Year 1, A and B each
contribute cash to LLC, a newly formed
limited liability company classified as a
partnership for Federal tax purposes, in
exchange for equal units in LLC. Under LLC’s
operating agreement, each unit is entitled to
participate equally in the profits and losses
of LLC. The operating agreement also
provides that the partners’ capital accounts
will be determined and maintained in
accordance with paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this
section, that liquidation proceeds will be
distributed in accordance with the partners’
positive capital account balances, and that
any partner with a deficit balance in that
partner’s capital account following the
liquidation of the partner’s interest must
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Jkt 205001
restore that deficit to the partnership. At the
beginning of Year 3, SP agrees to perform
services for LLC. In connection with the
performance of SP’s services and a payment
of $10 by SP to LLC, LLC transfers a 10%
interest in LLC to SP. SP’s interest in LLC is
substantially nonvested (within the meaning
of § 1.83–3(b)). At the time of the transfer of
the LLC interest to SP, LLC’s operating
agreement is amended to provide that, if SP’s
interest is forfeited, then SP is entitled to a
return of SP’s $10 initial contribution, and
SP’s distributive share of all partnership
items (other than forfeiture allocations under
§ 1.704–1(b)(4)(xii)) will be zero with respect
to that interest for the taxable year of the
partnership in which the interest was
forfeited. The operating agreement is also
amended to require that LLC make forfeiture
allocations if SP’s interest is forfeited.
Additionally, the operating agreement is
amended to provide that no part of LLC’s
compensation deduction is allocated to the
service provider to whom the interest is
transferred. SP makes an election under
section 83(b) with respect to SP’s interest in
LLC. Upon receipt, the fair market value of
SP’s interest in LLC is $100. In each of Years
3, 4, 5, and 6, LLC has operating income of
$100 (consisting of $200 of gross receipts and
$100 of deductible expenses), and makes no
distributions. SP forfeits SP’s interest in LLC
at the beginning of Year 6. At the time of the
transfer of the interest to SP, there is no plan
that SP will forfeit the interest in LLC.
(ii) Because a section 83(b) election is
made, SP recognizes compensation income in
the year of the transfer of the LLC interest.
Therefore, SP recognizes $90 of
compensation income in the year of the
transfer of the LLC interest (the excess of the
fair market value of SP’s interest in LLC,
$100, over the amount SP paid for the
interest, $10). Under paragraph
(b)(2)(iv)(b)(1) of this section, in Year 3, SP’s
capital account is initially credited with
$100, the amount paid for the interest ($10)
plus the amount included in SP’s
compensation income upon the transfer
under section 83(b) ($90). Under §§ 1.83–6(b)
and 1.721–1(b)(2), LLC does not recognize
gain on the transfer of the interest to SP. LLC
is entitled to a compensation deduction of
$90 under section 83(h). Under the terms of
the operating agreement, the deduction is
allocated equally to A and B.
(iii) As a result of SP’s election under
section 83(b), SP is treated as a partner
starting from the date of the transfer of the
LLC interest to SP in Year 3. Section 1.761–
1(b). In each of years 3, 4 and 5, SP’s
distributive share of partnership income is
$10 (10% of $100), A’s distributive share of
partnership income is $45 (45% of $100), and
B’s distributive share of partnership income
is $45 (45% of $100). In accordance with the
operating agreement, SP’s capital account is
increased (to $130) by the end of Year 5 by
the amounts allocated to SP, and A’s and B’s
capital accounts are increased by the
amounts allocated to A and B. Because LLC
satisfies the requirements of paragraph
(b)(4)(xii) of this section, LLC’s allocations in
years 3, 4 and 5 are deemed to be in
accordance with the partners’ interests in the
partnership.
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(iv) As a result of the forfeiture of the LLC
interest by SP in year 6, LLC is required to
recognize income ($90) equal to the amount
of the allowable deduction on the transfer of
the LLC interest to SP under § 1.83–6(c). LLC
repays SP’s $10 capital contribution to SP,
reducing SP’s capital account to $120. Under
the terms of the operating agreement, because
SP forfeited SP’s interest, SP’s distributive
share of all partnership items (other than
forfeiture allocations) is zero for Year 6. To
reverse SP’s prior allocations of LLC income,
LLC makes forfeiture allocations of $30 of
deductions ($0 (the difference between the
$10 distributed to SP and the $10 contributed
to LLC by SP) minus $30 (the cumulative net
LLC income allocated to SP) to SP in Year
6. Notwithstanding section 706(c) and (d),
these allocations may be made out of LLC’s
partnership items for the entire taxable year
of the forfeiture. Thus, in Year 6, $30 of
deductions are allocated to SP, and the
remaining $220 of net operating income
($200 of gross receipts and $90 of income
under § 1.83–6(c) less $70 of remaining
deductions) are allocated to A and B equally
for tax purposes. In accordance with section
83(b)(1) (last sentence), SP does not receive
a deduction or capital loss for the amount
($90) that was included in SP’s compensation
income. Because LLC satisfies the
requirements of paragraph (b)(4)(xii) of this
section, LLC’s allocations in year 6 are
deemed to be in accordance with the
partners’ interests in the partnership.
*
*
*
*
*
Par. 5. Section 1.706–3 is added to
read as follows.
§ 1.706–3 Property transferred in
connection with the performance of
services.
(a) Allocations of certain deductions
under section 83(h). The transfer of
property subject to section 83 in
connection with the performance of
services is not an allocable cash basis
item within the meaning of section
706(d)(2)(B).
(b) Forfeiture allocations. If an
election under section 83(b) is made
with respect to a partnership interest
that is substantially nonvested (within
the meaning of § 1.83–3(b)), and that
interest is later forfeited, the partnership
must make forfeiture allocations to
reverse prior allocations made with
respect to the forfeited interest. See
§ 1.704–1(b)(4)(xii). Although the person
forfeiting the interest may not have been
a partner for the entire taxable year,
forfeiture allocations may be made out
of the partnership’s items for the entire
taxable year.
(c) Effective date. This section applies
to transfers of property on or after the
date final regulations are published in
the Federal Register.
Par. 6. In § 1.707–1, paragraph (c) is
amended by revising the second
sentence to read as follows:
E:\FR\FM\24MYP1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 24, 2005 / Proposed Rules
§ 1.707–1 Transactions between partner
and partnership.
*
*
*
*
*
(c) Guaranteed payments. * * *
However, except as otherwise provided
in section 83 and the regulations
thereunder, a partner must include such
payments as ordinary income for that
partner’s taxable year within or with
which ends the partnership taxable year
in which the partnership deducted such
payments as paid or accrued under its
method of accounting. * * *
*
*
*
*
*
Par. 7. In § 1.721–1, paragraph (b) is
revised to read as follows.
§ 1.721–1 Nonrecognition of gain or loss
on contribution.
*
*
*
*
*
(b)(1) Except as otherwise provided in
this section or § 1.721–2, section 721
does not apply to the transfer of a
partnership interest in connection with
the performance of services or in
satisfaction of an obligation. The
transfer of a partnership interest to a
person in connection with the
performance of services constitutes a
transfer of property to which section 83
and the regulations thereunder apply.
To the extent that a partnership interest
transferred in connection with the
performance of services rendered by a
decedent prior to the decedent’s death
is transferred after the decedent’s death
to the decedent’s successor in interest,
the fair market value of such interest is
an item of income in respect of a
decedent under section 691.
(2) Except as provided in section
83(h) and 1.83–6(c), no gain or loss shall
be recognized by a partnership upon—
(i) The transfer or substantial vesting
of a compensatory partnership interest;
or
(ii) The forfeiture of a compensatory
partnership interest. See § 1.704–
1(b)(4)(xii) for rules regarding forfeiture
allocations of partnership items that
may be required in the taxable year of
a forfeiture.
(3) For purposes of this section, a
compensatory partnership interest is an
interest in the transferring partnership
that is transferred in connection with
the performance of services for that
partnership (either before or after the
formation of the partnership), including
an interest that is transferred on the
exercise of a compensatory partnership
option. A compensatory partnership
option is an option to acquire an interest
in the issuing partnership that is granted
in connection with the performance of
services for that partnership (either
before or after the formation of the
partnership).
VerDate jul<14>2003
15:14 May 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
(4) To the extent that a partnership
interest is—
(i) Transferred to a partner in
connection with the performance of
services rendered to the partnership, it
is a guaranteed payment for services
under section 707(c);
(ii) Transferred in connection with the
performance of services rendered to a
partner, it is not deductible by the
partnership, but is deductible only by
such partner to the extent allowable
under Chapter 1 of the Code.
(5) This paragraph (b) applies to
interests that are transferred on or after
the date final regulations are published
in the Federal Register.
*
*
*
*
*
Par. 8. Section 1.761–1(b) is amended
by adding two sentences to the end of
the paragraph to read as follows.
§ 1.761–1
Terms defined.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) * * * If a partnership interest is
transferred in connection with the
performance of services, and that
partnership interest is substantially
nonvested (within the meaning of
§ 1.83–3(b)), then the holder of the
partnership interest is not treated as a
partner solely by reason of holding the
interest, unless the holder makes an
election with respect to the interest
under section 83(b). The previous
sentence applies to partnership interests
that are transferred on or after the date
final regulations are published in the
Federal Register.
Mark E. Matthews,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 05–10164 Filed 5–20–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–U
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management
Agency
44 CFR Part 67
[Docket No. FEMA–D–7620]
Proposed Flood Elevation
Determinations
Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA),
Emergency Preparedness and Response
Directorate, Department of Homeland
Security.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Technical information or
comments are requested on the
proposed Base (1% annual chance)
PO 00000
Frm 00026
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
29683
Flood Elevations (BFEs) and proposed
BFE modifications for the communities
listed below. The BFEs are the basis for
the floodplain management measures
that the community is required either to
adopt or to show evidence of being
already in effect in order to qualify or
remain qualified for participation in the
National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP).
The comment period is ninety
(90) days following the second
publication of this proposed rule in a
newspaper of local circulation in each
community.
DATES:
The proposed BFEs for each
community are available for inspection
at the office of the Chief Executive
Officer of each community. The
respective addresses are listed in the
table below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Doug Bellomo, P.E., Hazard
Identification Section, Emergency
Preparedness and Response Directorate,
FEMA, 500 C Street SW., Washington,
DC 20472, (202) 646–2903.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEMA
proposes to make determinations of
BFEs and modified BFEs for each
community listed below, in accordance
with Section 110 of the Flood Disaster
Protection Act of 1973, 42 U.S.C. 4104,
and 44 CFR 67.4(a).
These proposed base flood elevations
and modified BFEs, together with the
floodplain management criteria required
by 44 CFR 60.3, are the minimum that
are required. They should not be
construed to mean that the community
must change any existing ordinances
that are more stringent in their
floodplain management requirements.
The community may at any time enact
stricter requirements of its own, or
pursuant to policies established by other
Federal, state or regional entities. These
proposed elevations are used to meet
the floodplain management
requirements of the NFIP and are also
used to calculate the appropriate flood
insurance premium rates for new
buildings built after these elevations are
made final, and for the contents in these
buildings.
National Environmental Policy Act.
This proposed rule is categorically
excluded from the requirements of 44
CFR part 10, Environmental
Consideration. No environmental
impact assessment has been prepared.
Regulatory Flexibility Act. The
Mitigation Division Director of the
Emergency Preparedness and Response
Directorate certifies that this proposed
rule is exempt from the requirements of
the Regulatory Flexibility Act because
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\24MYP1.SGM
24MYP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 24, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29675-29683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10164]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 1
[REG-105346-03]
RIN 1545-BB92
Partnership Equity for Services
AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.
ACTION: Partial withdrawal of notice of proposed rulemaking, notice of
proposed rulemaking, and notice of public hearing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document withdraws the remaining portion of the notice of
proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register on June 3, 1971
(36 FR 10787) and contains proposed regulations relating to the tax
treatment of certain transfers of partnership equity in connection with
the performance of services. The proposed regulations provide that the
transfer of a partnership interest in connection with the performance
of services is subject to section 83 of the Internal Revenue Code
(Code) and provide rules for coordinating section 83 with partnership
taxation principles. The proposed regulations also provide that no gain
or loss is recognized by a partnership on the transfer or vesting of an
interest in the transferring partnership in connection with the
performance of services for the transferring partnership. This document
also provides a notice of public hearing on these proposed regulations.
DATES: Written or electronic comments must be received by August 22,
2005. Outlines of topics to be discussed at the public hearing
scheduled for October 5, 2005, at 10 a.m. must be received by September
14, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Send submissions to: CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-105346-03), room
5203, Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 7604, Ben Franklin Station,
Washington, DC 20044. Submissions may be hand-delivered Monday through
Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-
105346-03), Courier's Desk, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, or sent electronically, via the IRS
Internet site at https://www.irs.gov/regs or via the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at https://www.regulations.gov (IRS REG-105346-03).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Concerning the section 83 regulations,
Stephen Tackney at (202) 622-6030; concerning the subchapter K
regulations, Audrey Ellis or Demetri Yatrakis at (202) 622-3060;
concerning submissions, the hearing, and/or to be placed on the
building access list to attend the hearing, Robin Jones, (202) 622-7180
(not toll free numbers).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Paperwork Reduction Act
The collection of information contained in this notice of proposed
rulemaking has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget
for review in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3507(d)). Comments on the collection of information should be
sent to the Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for the
Department of the Treasury, Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Washington, DC 20503, with copies to the Internal Revenue
Service, Attn: IRS Reports Clearance Officer, SE:W:CAR:MP:T:T:SP,
Washington, DC 20224. Comments on the collection of information should
be received by July 25, 2005. Comments are specifically requested
concerning:
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the IRS, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
The accuracy of the estimated burden associated with the proposed
collection of information (see below);
How the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be
collected may be enhanced;
How the burden of complying with the proposed collection of
information may be minimized, including through the application of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology; and
Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation,
maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.
The following collections of information in this proposed
regulation are in Sec. 1.83-3(l):
(1) Requirement that electing partnerships submit an election with
the partnership tax return.
(2) Requirement that certain partners submit a document to the
partnership;
(3) Requirement that such documents be retained; and
(4) Requirement that partnerships submit a termination document
with the partnership tax return as one method of terminating the
election.
These collections of information are required by the IRS to
determine whether the amount of tax has been calculated correctly. The
respondents are partnerships and partners or other service providers.
The estimated total annual reporting and/or recordkeeping burden is
112,500 hours.
The estimated annual burden per respondent/recordkeeper varies from
.10 hours to 10 hours, depending on individual circumstances, with an
estimated average of 1 hour for partnerships and .25 hour for a partner
or service provider. The estimated number of respondents and/or
recordkeepers is 100,000 partnerships and 50,000 partners or other
service providers.
The estimated annual frequency of responses (used for reporting
requirements only) is on occasion.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid
control number assigned by the Office of Management and Budget.
Books or records relating to a collection of information must be
retained as long as their contents may become material in the
administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and
tax return information are confidential as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.
Background
Partnerships issue a variety of instruments in connection with the
performance of services. These instruments include interests in
partnership capital, interests in partnership profits, and options to
acquire such interests (collectively, partnership equity). On June 5,
2000, the Treasury Department and the IRS issued Notice 2000-29 (2000-1
C.B. 1241), inviting public comment on the Federal income tax treatment
of the exercise of an option to acquire a partnership interest, the
exchange of convertible debt for a partnership interest, and the
exchange of a preferred
[[Page 29676]]
interest in a partnership for a common interest in that partnership. On
January 22, 2003, the Treasury Department and the IRS published in the
Federal Register (REG-103580-02) (68 FR 2930), proposed regulations
regarding the Federal income tax consequences of noncompensatory
partnership options, convertible equity, and convertible debt. In the
preamble to those proposed regulations, the Treasury Department and the
IRS requested comments on the proposed amendment to Sec. 1.721-1(b)(1)
that was published in the Federal Register on June 3, 1971 (36 FR
10787), and on the Federal income tax consequences of the issuance of
partnership capital interests in connection with the performance of
services and options to acquire such interests. In response to the
comments received, the Treasury Department and the IRS are withdrawing
the proposed amendment to Sec. 1.721-1(b)(1) and issuing these
proposed regulations, which prescribe rules on the application of
section 83 to partnership interests and the Federal income tax
consequences associated with the transfer, vesting, and forfeiture of
partnership interests transferred in connection with the performance of
services.
Explanation of Provisions
1. Application of Section 83 to Partnership Interests
Section 83 generally applies to a transfer of property by one
person to another in connection with the performance of services. The
courts have held that a partnership capital interest is property for
this purpose. See Schulman v. Commissioner, 93 T.C. 623 (1989) (section
83 governs the issuance of an option to acquire a partnership interest
as compensation for services provided as an employee); Kenroy, Inc. v.
Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1984-232. Therefore, the proposed regulations
provide that a partnership interest is property within the meaning of
section 83, and that the transfer of a partnership interest in
connection with the performance of services is subject to section 83.
The proposed regulations apply section 83 to all partnership
interests, without distinguishing between partnership capital interests
and partnership profits interests. Although the application of section
83 to partnership profits interests has been the subject of
controversy, see, e.g., Campbell v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1990-162,
aff'd in part and rev'd in part, 943 F.2d 815 (8th Cir. 1991), n. 7;
St. John v. U.S., 84-1 USTC 9158 (C.D. Ill. 1983), the Treasury
Department and the IRS do not believe that there is a substantial basis
for distinguishing among partnership interests for purposes of section
83. All partnership interests constitute personal property under state
law and give the holder the right to share in future earnings from
partnership capital and labor. Moreover, some commentators have
suggested that the same tax rules should apply to both partnership
profits interests and partnership capital interests. These commentators
have suggested that taxpayers may exploit any differences in the tax
treatment of partnership profits interests and partnership capital
interests. The Treasury Department and the IRS agree with these
comments. Therefore, all of the rules in these proposed regulations and
the accompanying proposed revenue procedure (described below) apply
equally to partnership capital interests and partnership profits
interests. However, a right to receive allocations and distributions
from a partnership that is described in section 707(a)(2)(A) is not a
partnership interest. In section 707(a)(2)(A), Congress directed that
such an arrangement should be characterized according to its substance,
that is, as a disguised payment of compensation to the service
provider. See S. Rep. No. 98-169, 98 Cong. 2d Sess., at 226 (1984).
Section 83(b) allows a person who receives substantially nonvested
property in connection with the performance of services to elect to
include in gross income the difference between: (A) The fair market
value of the property at the time of transfer (determined without
regard to a restriction other than a restriction which by its terms
will never lapse); and (B) the amount paid for such property. Under
section 83(b)(2), the election under section 83(b) must be made within
30 days of the date of the transfer of the property to the service
provider.
Consistent with the principles of section 83, the proposed
regulations provide that, if a partnership interest is transferred in
connection with the performance of services, and if an election under
section 83(b) is not made, then the holder of the partnership interest
is not treated as a partner until the interest becomes substantially
vested. If a section 83(b) election is made with respect to such an
interest, the service provider will be treated as a partner for
purposes of Subtitle A of the Code. These rules are similar to the
current rules pertaining to substantially nonvested stock in a
subchapter S corporation. See Sec. 1.1361-1(b)(3) (upon an election
under section 83(b), the service provider becomes a shareholder for
purposes of subchapter S).
These principles differ from Rev. Proc. 2001-43. Under that revenue
procedure, if a partnership profits interest is transferred in
connection with the performance of services, then the holder of the
partnership interest may be treated as a partner even if no section
83(b) election is made, provided that certain conditions are met.
Certain changes to the regulations under both subchapter K and
section 83 are needed to coordinate the principles of subchapter K with
the principles of section 83. Among the changes that are proposed in
these regulations are: (1) Conforming the subchapter K rules to the
section 83 timing rules; (2) revising the section 704(b) regulations to
take into account the fact that allocations with respect to an unvested
interest may be forfeited; and (3) providing that a partnership
generally recognizes no gain or loss on the transfer of an interest in
the partnership in connection with the performance of services for that
partnership. In addition, Rev. Procs. 93-27 (1993-2 C.B. 343), and
2001-43 (2001-2 C.B. 191), which generally provide for nonrecognition
by both the partnership and the service provider on the transfer of a
profits interest in the partnership for services performed for that
partnership, must be modified to be consistent with these proposed
regulations. Accordingly, in conjunction with these proposed
regulations, the IRS is issuing Notice 2005-43 (2005-24 I.R.B.). That
Notice contains a proposed revenue procedure that, when finalized, will
obsolete Rev. Procs. 93-27 and 2001-43. The Treasury Department and the
IRS intend for these proposed regulations and the proposed revenue
procedure to become effective at the same time. The proposed amendments
to the regulations under section 83 and subchapter K, as well as the
Notice, are described in further detail below.
The proposed revenue procedure and certain parts of the proposed
regulations (as described below) only apply to a transfer by a
partnership of an interest in that partnership in connection with the
performance of services for that partnership (compensatory partnership
interests). The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on the
income tax consequences of transactions involving related persons, such
as, for example, the transfer of an interest in a lower-tier
partnership in exchange for services provided to the upper-tier
partnership.
2. Timing of Partnership's Deduction
Except as otherwise provided in Sec. 1.83-6(a)(3), if property is
transferred
[[Page 29677]]
in connection with the performance of services, then the service
recipient's deduction, if any, is allowed only for the taxable year of
that person in which or with which ends the taxable year of the service
provider in which the amount is included as compensation. See section
83(h). In contrast, under section 706(a) and Sec. 1.707-1(c),
guaranteed payments described in section 707(c) are included in the
partner's income in the partner's taxable year within or with which
ends the partnership's taxable year in which the partnership deducted
the payments. Under Sec. 1.721-1(b)(2) of the current regulations, an
interest in partnership capital issued by the partnership as
compensation for services rendered to the partnership is treated as a
guaranteed payment under section 707(c). Some commentators suggested
that the proposed regulations should resolve the potential conflict
between the timing rules of section 83 and the timing rules of section
707(c).
Under the proposed regulations, partnership interests issued to
partners for services rendered to the partnership are treated as
guaranteed payments. Also, the proposed regulations provide that the
section 83 timing rules override the timing rules of section 706(a) and
Sec. 1.707-1(c) to the extent they are inconsistent. Accordingly, if a
partnership transfers property to a partner in connection with the
performance of services, the timing and the amount of the related
income inclusion and deduction is determined by section 83 and the
regulations thereunder.
In drafting these regulations, the Treasury Department and the IRS
considered alternative approaches for resolving the timing
inconsistency between section 83 and section 707(c). One alternative
approach considered was to provide that the transfer of property in
connection with the performance of services is not treated as a
guaranteed payment within the meaning of section 707(c). This approach
was not adopted in the proposed regulations due to, among other things,
concern that such a characterization of these transfers could have
unintended consequences on the application of provisions of the Code
outside of subchapter K that refer to guaranteed payments. The Treasury
Department and the IRS request comments on alternative approaches for
resolving the timing inconsistency between section 83 and section
707(c).
3. Allocation of Partnership's Deduction
The proposed regulations provide guidance regarding the allocation
of the partnership's deduction for the transfer of property in
connection with the performance of services. Some commentators
suggested that the proposed regulations require that the partnership's
deduction be allocated among the partners in accordance with their
interests in the partnership prior to the transfer.
Section 706(d)(1) provides generally that, if, during any taxable
year of a partnership, there is a change in any partner's interest in
the partnership, each partner's distributive share of any item of
income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit of the partnership for such
taxable year shall be determined by the use of any method prescribed by
regulations which takes into account the varying interests of the
partners in the partnership during the taxable year. Regulations have
not yet been issued describing the rules for taking into account the
varying interests of the partners in the partnership during a taxable
year. Section 1.706-1(c)(2)(ii) provides that, in the case of a sale,
exchange, or liquidation of a partner's entire interest in a
partnership, the partner's share of partnership items for the taxable
year may be determined by either: (1) Closing the partnership's books
as of the date of the transfer (closing of the books method); or (2)
allocating to the departing partner that partner's pro rata part of
partnership items that the partner would have included in the partner's
taxable income had the partner remained a partner until the end of the
partnership taxable year (proration method). The Treasury Department
and the IRS believe that section 706(d)(1) adequately ensures that
partnership deductions that are attributable to the portion of the
partnership's taxable year prior to a new partner's entry into the
partnership are allocated to the historic partners.
Section 706(d)(2), however, places additional limits on how
partnerships may allocate these deductions. Under section 706(d)(2)(B),
payments for services by a partnership using the cash receipts and
disbursements method of accounting are allocable cash basis items.
Under section 706(d)(2)(A), if during any taxable year of a partnership
there is a change in any partner's interest in the partnership, then
(except to the extent provided in regulations) each partner's
distributive share of any allocable cash basis item must be determined
under the proration method. To allow partnerships to allocate
deductions with respect to property transferred in connection with the
performance of services under a closing of the books method, the
proposed regulations provide that section 706(d)(2)(A) does not apply
to such a transfer.
4. Accounting for Compensatory Partnership Interests
A. Transfer of Compensatory Partnership Interest
Under the proposed regulations, the service provider's capital
account is increased by the amount the service provider takes into
income under section 83 as a result of receiving the interest, plus any
amounts paid for the interest. Some commentators suggested that the
amount included in the service provider's income under section 83, plus
the amount paid for the interest, may differ from the amount of capital
that the partnership has agreed to assign to the service provider.
These commentators contend that the substantial economic effect safe
harbor in the section 704(b) regulations should be amended to allow
partnerships to reallocate capital between the historic partners and
the service provider to accord with the economic agreement of the
parties.
The reallocation of partnership capital in these circumstances is
not consistent with the policies underlying the substantial economic
effect safe harbor and the capital account maintenance rules. The
purpose of the substantial economic effect safe harbor is to ensure
that, to the extent that there is an economic benefit or burden
associated with a partnership allocation, the partner to whom the
allocation is made receives the economic benefit or bears the economic
burden. Under section 83, the economic benefit of receiving a
partnership interest in connection with the performance of services is
the amount that is included in the compensation income of the service
provider, plus the amount paid for the interest. This is the amount by
which the service partner's capital account should be increased.
As explained in section 6 below, a proposed revenue procedure
issued concurrently with these proposed regulations would allow a
partnership, its partners, and the service provider to elect to treat
the fair market value of a partnership interest as equal to the
liquidation value of that interest. If such an election is made, the
capital account of a service provider receiving a partnership interest
in connection with the performance of services is increased by the
liquidation value of the partnership interest received.
[[Page 29678]]
B. Forfeiture of Certain Compensatory Partnership Interests
If an election under section 83(b) has been made with respect to a
substantially nonvested interest, the holder of the nonvested interest
may be allocated partnership items that may later be forfeited. For
this reason, allocations of partnership items while the interest is
substantially nonvested cannot have economic effect. Under the proposed
regulations, such allocations will be treated as being in accordance
with the partners' interests in the partnership if: (a) The partnership
agreement requires that the partnership make forfeiture allocations if
the interest for which the section 83(b) election is made is later
forfeited; and (b) all material allocations and capital account
adjustments under the partnership agreement not pertaining to
substantially nonvested partnership interests for which a section 83(b)
election has been made are recognized under section 704(b). This safe
harbor does not apply if, at the time of the section 83(b) election,
there is a plan that a substantially nonvested interest will be
forfeited. All of the facts and circumstances (including the tax status
of the holder of the substantially nonvested interest) will be
considered in determining whether there is a plan that the interest
will be forfeited. In such a case, the partners' distributive shares of
partnership items shall be determined in accordance with the partners'
interests in the partnership under Sec. 1.704-1(b)(3).
Generally, forfeiture allocations are allocations to the service
provider of partnership gross income and gain or gross deduction and
loss (to the extent such items are available) that offset prior
distributions and allocations of partnership items with respect to the
forfeited partnership interest. These rules are designed to ensure that
any partnership income (or loss) that was allocated to the service
provider prior to the forfeiture is offset by allocations on the
forfeiture of the interest. Also, to carry out the prohibition under
section 83(b)(1) on deductions with respect to amounts included in
income under section 83(b), these rules generally cause a forfeiting
partner to be allocated partnership income to offset any distributions
to the partner that reduced the partner's basis in the partnership
below the amount included in income under section 83(b).
Forfeiture allocations may be made out of the partnership's items
for the entire taxable year. In determining the gross income of the
partnership in the taxable year of the forfeiture, the rules of Sec.
1.83-6(c) apply. As a result, the partnership generally will have gross
income in the taxable year of the forfeiture equal to the amount of the
allowable deduction to the service recipient partnership upon the
transfer of the interest as a result of the making of the section 83(b)
election, regardless of the fair market value of the partnership's
assets at the time of forfeiture.
In certain circumstances, the partnership will not have enough
income and gain to fully offset prior allocations of loss to the
forfeiting service provider. The proposed revenue procedure includes a
rule that requires the recapture of losses taken by the service
provider prior to the forfeiture of the interest to the extent that
those losses are not recaptured through forfeiture allocations of
income and gain to the service provider. This rule does not provide the
other partners in the partnership with the opportunity to increase
their shares of partnership loss (or reduce their shares of partnership
income) for the year of the forfeiture by the amount of loss that was
previously allocated to the forfeiting service provider.
In other circumstances, the partnership will not have enough
deductions and loss to fully offset prior allocations of income to the
forfeiting service provider. It appears that, in such a case, section
83(b)(1) may prohibit the service provider from claiming a loss with
respect to partnership income that was previously allocated to the
service provider. However, a forfeiting partner is entitled to a loss
for any basis in a partnership that is attributable to contributions of
money or property to the partnership (including amounts paid for the
interest) remaining after the forfeiture allocations have been made.
See Sec. 1.83-2(a).
Comments are requested as to whether the regulations should require
or allow partnerships to create notional tax items to make forfeiture
allocations where the partnership does not have enough actual tax items
to make such allocations. Comments are also requested as to whether
section 83(b)(1) should be read to allow a forfeiting service provider
to claim a loss with respect to partnership income that was previously
allocated to the service provider and not offset by forfeiture
allocations of loss and deduction and, if so, whether it is appropriate
to require the other partners in the partnership to recognize income in
the year of the forfeiture equal to the amount of the loss claimed by
the service provider. In particular, comments are requested as to
whether section 83 or another section of the Code provides authority
for such a rule.
5. Valuation of Compensatory Partnership Interests
Commentators requested guidance regarding the valuation of
partnership interests transferred in connection with the performance of
services. Section 83 generally provides that the recipient of property
transferred in connection with the performance of services recognizes
income equal to the fair market value of the property, disregarding
lapse restrictions. See Schulman v. Commissioner, 93 T.C. 623 (1989).
However, some authorities have concluded that, under the particular
facts and circumstances of the case, a partnership profits interest had
only a speculative value or that the fair market value of a partnership
interest should be determined by reference to the liquidation value of
that interest. See Sec. 1.704-1(e)(1)(v); Campbell v. Commissioner,
943 F.2d 815 (8th Cir. 1991); St. John v. U.S., 1984-1 USTC 9158 (C.D.
Ill. 1983). But see Diamond v. Commissioner, 492 F.2d 286 (7th Cir.
1974) (holding under pre-section 83 law that the receipt of a profits
interest with a determinable value at the time of receipt resulted in
immediate taxation); Campbell v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1990-162,
aff'd in part and rev'd in part, 943 F.2d 815 (8th Cir. 1991).
The Treasury Department and the IRS have determined that, provided
certain requirements are satisfied, it is appropriate to allow
partnerships and service providers to value partnership interests based
on liquidation value. This approach ensures consistency in the
treatment of partnership profits interests and partnership capital
interests, and accords with other regulations issued under subchapter
K, such as the regulations under section 704(b).
In accordance with these proposed regulations, the revenue
procedure proposed in Notice 2005-43 (2005-24 I.R.B.) will, when
finalized, provide additional rules that partnerships, partners, and
persons providing services to the partnership in exchange for interests
in that partnership would be required to follow when electing under
Sec. 1.83-3(l) of these proposed regulations to treat the fair market
value of those interests as being equal to the liquidation value of
those interests. For this purpose, the liquidation value of a
partnership interest is the amount of cash that the holder of that
interest would receive with respect to the interest if, immediately
after the transfer of the interest, the partnership sold all of its
assets (including goodwill, going
[[Page 29679]]
concern value, and any other intangibles associated with the
partnership's operations) for cash equal to the fair market value of
those assets, and then liquidated.
6. Application of Section 721 to Partnership on Transfer
There is a dispute among commentators as to whether a partnership
should recognize gain or loss on the transfer of a compensatory
partnership interest. Some commentators believe that, on the transfer
of such an interest, the partnership should be treated as satisfying
its compensation obligation with a fractional interest in each asset of
the partnership. Under this deemed sale of assets theory, the
partnership would recognize gain or loss equal to the excess of the
fair market value of each partial asset deemed transferred to the
service provider over the partnership's adjusted basis in that partial
asset. Other commentators believe that a partnership should not
recognize gain or loss on the transfer of a compensatory partnership
interest. They argue, among other things, that the transfer of such an
interest is not properly treated as a realization event for the
partnership because no property owned by the partnership has changed
hands. They also argue that taxing a partnership on the transfer of
such an interest would result in inappropriate gain acceleration, would
be difficult to administer, and would cause economically similar
transactions to be taxed differently.
Generally, when appreciated property is used to pay an obligation,
gain on the property is recognized. The Treasury Department and the IRS
are still analyzing whether an exception to this general rule is
appropriate on the transfer of an interest in the capital or profits of
a partnership to satisfy certain partnership obligations (such as the
obligations to pay interest or rent). However, the Treasury Department
and the IRS believe that partnerships should not be required to
recognize gain on the transfer of a compensatory partnership interest.
Such a rule is more consistent with the policies underlying section
721--to defer recognition of gain and loss when persons join together
to conduct a business--than would be a rule requiring the partnership
to recognize gain on the transfer of these types of interests.
Therefore, the proposed regulations provide that partnerships are not
taxed on the transfer or substantial vesting of a compensatory
partnership interest. Under Sec. 1.704-1(b)(4)(i) (reverse section
704(c) principles), the historic partners generally will be required to
recognize any income or loss attributable to the partnership's assets
as those assets are sold, depreciated, or amortized.
The rule providing for nonrecognition of gain or loss does not
apply to the transfer or substantial vesting of an interest in an
eligible entity, as defined in Sec. 301.7701-3(a) of the Procedure and
Administration Regulations, that becomes a partnership under Sec.
301.7701-3(f)(2) as a result of the transfer or substantial vesting of
the interest. See McDougal v. Commissioner, 62 T.C. 720 (1974) (holding
that the service recipient recognized gain on the transfer of a one-
half interest in appreciated property to the service provider,
immediately prior to the contribution by the service recipient and the
service provider of their respective interests in the property to a
newly formed partnership).
7. Revaluations of Partnership Property
The proposed regulations concerning noncompensatory partnership
options published on January 22, 2003, contained special rules
regarding the revaluations of partnership property while
noncompensatory partnership options were outstanding. Specifically, the
regulations proposed modifications to Sec. 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f) and
(h) to provide that any revaluation during the period in which there
are outstanding noncompensatory options generally must take into
account the fair market value, if any, of outstanding options. These
proposed regulations do not contain similar provisions, because under
recently proposed modifications to the regulations under Sec. 1.704-
1(b)(2)(iv), the obligation to issue a partnership interest in
satisfaction of an option agreement is a liability that is taken into
account in determining the fair market value of partnership assets as a
result of a revaluation. See REG-106736-00, 68 FR 37434 (June 24, 2003)
(relating to the assumption of certain obligations by partnerships from
partners).
8. Characterization Rule
The proposed regulations concerning noncompensatory partnership
options published on January 22, 2003 contained a rule (Sec. 1.761-3)
providing that the holder of a noncompensatory option is treated as a
partner under certain circumstances. However, the Treasury Department
and the IRS have concluded that these proposed regulations should not
contain a similar rule for partnership options transferred in
connection with the performance of services because of the possibility
that constructive transfers of property, subject to section 83, may
occur under circumstances other than those described in the proposed
rules for treating the holder of a noncompensatory option as a partner.
The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on whether anti-
abuse rules are necessary to prevent taxpayers from using the rules in
these proposed regulations or the rules in Notice 2005-43 to
inappropriately shift items of partnership income or loss between the
service provider and the other partners.
9. Retroactive Allocations
Section 761(c) generally allows a partnership to modify its
agreement at any time on or prior to the due date for the partnership's
return for the taxable year (without regard to extensions). Thus, for
example, a partnership could, at the end of its taxable year, amend its
partnership agreement to provide that a service provider was entitled
to a substantially vested or nonvested interest in partnership profits
and losses from the beginning of the partnership's taxable year. It is
expected that, if a substantially vested compensatory partnership
interest is transferred to an employee or independent contractor (or an
election under section 83(b) is made with respect to the transfer of a
substantially nonvested compensatory partnership interest to an
employee or independent contractor), the partnership will report the
transfer on Form W-2, ``Wage and Tax Statement,'' or Form 1099-MISC,
``Miscellaneous Income,'' as appropriate. The Form W-2 or Form 1099-
MISC would be issued to the service provider by the partnership by
January 31 of the year following the calendar year in which the
partnership interest is transferred, and the partnership would file
such forms with the Social Security Administration or IRS,
respectively, by February 28 (March 31 if filed electronically) of the
year following the calendar year in which the partnership interest is
transferred. The service provider would be required to report any
income recognized on the transfer of the partnership interest on the
service provider's return for the taxable year (of the service
provider) in which the transfer occurs.
It is unclear whether the retroactive commencement date of such an
interest should be treated as the date of the transfer of the interest
for purposes of section 83 and other provisions of the Code outside of
subchapter K. If the retroactive effective date of the interest is
treated as the transfer date for all purposes, a number of
administrative concerns arise. For example, the
[[Page 29680]]
partnership may not, by the January 31 deadline, have the information
necessary to issue Form W-2 or Form 1099-MISC to the service provider.
Also, the service provider may not, by the due date for filing the
section 83(b) election, have the information necessary to file the
election. The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on the
timing for section 83 purposes of retroactive transfers of partnership
interests and on any actions that may be appropriate to address the
associated administrative concerns.
10. Information Reporting to Partners
As explained above, the proposed regulations treat the transfer of
a partnership interest to a partner in connection with the performance
of services as a guaranteed payment. To ensure that the service
provider partner has the information necessary to include the transfer
in income for the taxable year in which the transfer occurs (rather
than the taxable year in which or with which ends the partnership
taxable year in which the transfer occurs), the Treasury Department and
the IRS are considering the possibility of amending the section 6041
regulations to provide that this type of guaranteed payment must be
reported by the partnership on Form 1099-MISC, which is required to be
issued to the service provider on or before January 31 of the year
following the calendar year of such transfer. The Treasury Department
and the IRS request comments on whether such a requirement is
appropriate and administrable.
Proposed Effective Date
These regulations are proposed to apply to transfers of property on
or after the date final regulations are published in the Federal
Register.
Special Analyses
It has been determined that this notice of proposed rulemaking is
not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order
12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required. It also has
been determined that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act
(5 U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply to these regulations. It is hereby
certified that the collection of information in these regulations will
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities. This certification is based upon the fact that the reporting
burden, as discussed earlier in this preamble, is not expected to be
significant. Partnerships with partnership agreements that contain the
binding provisions referred to in Sec. 1.83-3(l) only will be required
to submit a single election form in order to rely on the safe harbor
described in that paragraph. Partnerships that desire to elect to use
the safe harbor described in Sec. 1.83-3(l), but which do not have
partnership agreements containing these provisions, are required to
obtain partner-level consents to the election. However, these
partnerships are expected to be rare. Moreover, in most cases the
partners in such partnerships are not expected to be small businesses.
Therefore, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis under the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) is not required. Pursuant to
section 7805(f) of the Code, this notice of proposed rulemaking will be
submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration for comment on its impact on small business.
Comments and Public Hearing
Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations,
consideration will be given to any electronic or written comments (a
signed original and eight copies) that are submitted timely to the IRS.
The IRS and the Treasury Department request comments on the clarity of
the proposed rules and how they can be made easier to understand. All
comments will be available for public inspection and copying.
A public hearing has been scheduled for October 5, 2005, beginning
at 10 a.m. in the IRS Auditorium, Internal Revenue Building, 1111
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. Due to building security
procedures, visitors must enter at the Constitution Avenue entrance. In
addition, all visitors must present photo identification to enter the
building. Because of access restrictions, visitors will not be admitted
beyond the immediate entrance area more than 30 minutes before the
hearing starts. For information about having your name placed on the
building access list to attend the hearing, see the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT portion of this preamble.
The rules of 26 CFR 601.601(a)(3) apply to the hearing. Persons who
wish to present oral comments must submit written comments and an
outline of the topics to be discussed and the time to be devoted to
each topic (a signed original and eight (8) copies) by September 14,
2005. A period of 10 minutes will be allotted to each person for making
comments. An agenda showing the scheduling of the speakers will be
prepared after the deadline for reviewing outlines has passed. Copies
of the agenda will be available free of charge at the hearing.
Drafting Information
The principal authors of these regulations are Audrey Ellis and
Demetri Yatrakis of the Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Passthroughs
and Special Industries), and Stephen Tackney of the Office of Associate
Chief Counsel (Tax Exempt and Government Entities). However, other
personnel from the IRS and Treasury Department participated in their
development.
Withdrawal of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Accordingly, under the authority of 26 U.S.C. 7805, Sec. 1.721-
1(b) of the notice of proposed rulemaking that was published in the
Federal Register on June 3, 1971 (36 FR 10787) is withdrawn.
List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1
Income taxes, Reporting and record keeping requirements.
Proposed Amendments to the Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is proposed to be amended as follows:
PART 1--INCOME TAXES
Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read,
in part, as follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
Par. 2. Section 1.83-3 is amended as follows:
1. Paragraph (e) is amended by adding two new sentences after the
first sentence.
2. Paragraph (l) is added.
The revision and addition read as follows:
Sec. 1.83-3 Meaning and use of certain terms.
* * * * *
(e) Property. * * * Accordingly, property includes a partnership
interest. The previous sentence is effective for transfers on or after
the date final regulations are published in the Federal Register. * * *
* * * * *
(l) Special rules for the transfer of a partnership interest. (1)
Subject to such additional conditions, rules, and procedures that the
Commissioner may prescribe in regulations, revenue rulings, notices, or
other guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see Sec.
601.601(d)(2)(ii)(b) of this chapter), a partnership and all of its
partners may elect a safe harbor under which the fair market value of a
partnership interest that is transferred in connection with the
performance of services is treated as being equal to the
[[Page 29681]]
liquidation value of that interest for transfers on or after the date
final regulations are published in the Federal Register if the
following conditions are satisfied:
(i) The partnership must prepare a document, executed by a partner
who has responsibility for Federal income tax reporting by the
partnership, stating that the partnership is electing, on behalf of the
partnership and each of its partners, to have the safe harbor apply
irrevocably as of the stated effective date with respect to all
partnership interests transferred in connection with the performance of
services while the safe harbor election remains in effect and attach
the document to the tax return for the partnership for the taxable year
that includes the effective date of the election.
(ii) Except as provided in paragraph (l)(1)(iii) of this section,
the partnership agreement must contain provisions that are legally
binding on all of the partners stating that--
(A) The partnership is authorized and directed to elect the safe
harbor; and
(B) The partnership and each of its partners (including any person
to whom a partnership interest is transferred in connection with the
performance of services) agrees to comply with all requirements of the
safe harbor with respect to all partnership interests transferred in
connection with the performance of services while the election remains
effective.
(iii) If the partnership agreement does not contain the provisions
described in paragraph (l)(1)(ii) of this section, or the provisions
are not legally binding on all of the partners of the partnership, then
each partner in a partnership that transfers a partnership interest in
connection with the performance of services must execute a document
containing provisions that are legally binding on that partner stating
that--
(A) The partnership is authorized and directed to elect the safe
harbor; and
(B) The partner agrees to comply with all requirements of the safe
harbor with respect to all partnership interests transferred in
connection with the performance of services while the election remains
effective.
(2) The specified effective date of the safe harbor election may
not be prior to the date that the safe harbor election is executed. The
partnership must retain such records as may be necessary to indicate
that an effective election has been made and remains in effect,
including a copy of the partnership's election statement under this
paragraph (l), and, if applicable, the original of each document
submitted to the partnership by a partner under this paragraph (l). If
the partnership is unable to produce a record of a particular document,
the election will be treated as not made, generally resulting in
termination of the election. The safe harbor election also may be
terminated by the partnership preparing a document, executed by a
partner who has responsibility for Federal income tax reporting by the
partnership, which states that the partnership, on behalf of the
partnership and each of its partners, is revoking the safe harbor
election on the stated effective date, and attaching the document to
the tax return for the partnership for the taxable year that includes
the effective date of the revocation.
Par. 3. Section 1.83-6 is amended by revising the first sentence of
paragraph (b) to read as follows:
Sec. 1.83-6 Deduction by employer.
* * * * *
(b) Recognition of gain or loss. Except as provided in section 721
and section 1032, at the time of a transfer of property in connection
with the performance of services the transferor recognizes gain to the
extent that the transferor receives an amount that exceeds the
transferor's basis in the property. * * *
* * * * *
Par. 4. Section 1.704-1 is amended as follows:
1. In paragraph (b)(0), an entry is added to the table for Sec.
1.704-1(b)(4)(xii).
2. In paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(a), a sentence is added at the end of
the paragraph.
3. Paragraph (b)(2)(iv)(b)(1) is revised.
4. Paragraph (b)(2)(iv)(f)(5)(iii) is revised.
5. Paragraph (b)(4)(xii) is added.
6. Paragraph (b)(5) Example 29 is added.
The additions and revisions read as follows:
Sec. 1.704-1 Partner's distributive share.
* * * * *
(b) * * * (0) * * *
* * * * *
Substantially nonvested interests--1.704-1(b)(4)(xii)
* * * * *
(1) * * *
(ii) * * * (a) * * * In addition, paragraph (b)(4)(xii) and
paragraph (b)(5) Example 29 of this section apply to compensatory
partnership interests (as defined in Sec. 1.721-1(b)(3)) that are
transferred on or after the date final regulations are published in the
Federal Register.
* * * * *
(2) * * *
(iv) * * *
(b) * * *
(1) the amount of money contributed by that partner to the
partnership and, in the case of a compensatory partnership interest (as
defined in Sec. 1.721-1(b)(3)) that is transferred on or after the
date final regulations are published in the Federal Register, the
amount included on or after that date in the partner's compensation
income under section 83(a), (b), or (d)(2).
* * * * *
(f) * * *
(5) * * *
(iii) In connection with the transfer or vesting of a compensatory
partnership interest (as defined in Sec. 1.721-1(b)(3)) that is
transferred on or after the date final regulations are published in the
Federal Register, but only if the transfer or vesting results in the
service provider recognizing income under section 83 (or would result
in such recognition if the interest had a fair market value other than
zero).
* * * * *
(4) * * *
(xii) Substantially nonvested interests--(a) In general. If a
section 83(b) election has been made with respect to a substantially
nonvested interest, the holder of the nonvested interest may be
allocated partnership income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit (or
items thereof) that will later be forfeited. For this reason,
allocations of partnership items while the interest is substantially
nonvested cannot have economic effect.
(b) Deemed Compliance with Partners' Interests in the Partnership.
If a section 83(b) election has been made with respect to a
substantially nonvested interest, allocations of partnership items
while the interest is substantially nonvested will be deemed to be in
accordance with the partners' interests in the partnership if--
(1) The partnership agreement requires that the partnership make
forfeiture allocations if the interest for which the section 83(b)
election is made is later forfeited; and
(2) All material allocations and capital account adjustments under
the partnership agreement not pertaining to substantially nonvested
partnership interests for which a section 83(b) election has been made
are recognized under section 704(b).
(c) Forfeiture allocations. Forfeiture allocations are allocations
to the service provider (consisting of a pro rata portion of each item)
of gross income and gain or gross deduction and loss (to the extent
such items are available) for the taxable year of the forfeiture in a
positive or negative amount equal to--
[[Page 29682]]
(1) The excess (not less than zero) of the--
(i) Amount of distributions (including deemed distributions under
section 752(b) and the adjusted tax basis of any property so
distributed) to the partner with respect to the forfeited partnership
interest (to the extent such distributions are not taxable under
section 731); over
(ii) Amounts paid for the interest and the adjusted tax basis of
property contributed by the partner (including deemed contributions
under section 752(a)) to the partnership with respect to the forfeited
partnership interest; minus
(2) The cumulative net income (or loss) allocated to the partner
with respect to the forfeited partnership interest.
(d) Positive and negative amounts. For purposes of paragraph
(b)(4)(xii)(c) of this section, items of income and gain are reflected
as positive amounts, and items of deduction and loss are reflected as
negative amounts.
(e) Exception. Paragraph (b)(4)(xii)(b) of this section shall not
apply to allocations of partnership items made with respect to a
substantially nonvested interest for which the holder has made a
section 83(b) election if, at the time of the section 83(b) election,
there is a plan that the interest will be forfeited. In such a case,
the partners' distributive shares of partnership items shall be
determined in accordance with the partners' interests in the
partnership under paragraph (b)(3) of this section. In determining
whether there is a plan that the interest will be forfeited, the
Commissioner will consider all of the facts and circumstances
(including the tax status of the holder of the forfeitable compensatory
partnership interest).
(f) Cross references. Forfeiture allocations may be made out of the
partnership's items for the entire taxable year of the forfeiture. See
Sec. 1.706-3(b) and paragraph (b)(5) Example 29 of this section.
* * * * *
(5) * * *
Example 29. (i) In Year 1, A and B each contribute cash to LLC,
a newly formed limited liability company classified as a partnership
for Federal tax purposes, in exchange for equal units in LLC. Under
LLC's operating agreement, each unit is entitled to participate
equally in the profits and losses of LLC. The operating agreement
also provides that the partners' capital accounts will be determined
and maintained in accordance with paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this
section, that liquidation proceeds will be distributed in accordance
with the partners' positive capital account balances, and that any
partner with a deficit balance in that partner's capital account
following the liquidation of the partner's interest must restore
that deficit to the partnership. At the beginning of Year 3, SP
agrees to perform services for LLC. In connection with the
performance of SP's services and a payment of $10 by SP to LLC, LLC
transfers a 10% interest in LLC to SP. SP's interest in LLC is
substantially nonvested (within the meaning of Sec. 1.83-3(b)). At
the time of the transfer of the LLC interest to SP, LLC's operating
agreement is amended to provide that, if SP's interest is forfeited,
then SP is entitled to a return of SP's $10 initial contribution,
and SP's distributive share of all partnership items (other than
forfeiture allocations under Sec. 1.704-1(b)(4)(xii)) will be zero
with respect to that interest for the taxable year of the
partnership in which the interest was forfeited. The operating
agreement is also amended to require that LLC make forfeiture
allocations if SP's interest is forfeited. Additionally, the
operating agreement is amended to provide that no part of LLC's
compensation deduction is allocated to the service provider to whom
the interest is transferred. SP makes an election under section
83(b) with respect to SP's interest in LLC. Upon receipt, the fair
market value of SP's interest in LLC is $100. In each of Years 3, 4,
5, and 6, LLC has operating income of $100 (consisting of $200 of
gross receipts and $100 of deductible expenses), and makes no
distributions. SP forfeits SP's interest in LLC at the beginning of
Year 6. At the time of the transfer of the interest to SP, there is
no plan that SP will forfeit the interest in LLC.
(ii) Because a section 83(b) election is made, SP recognizes
compensation income in the year of the transfer of the LLC interest.
Therefore, SP recognizes $90 of compensation income in the year of
the transfer of the LLC interest (the excess of the fair market
value of SP's interest in LLC, $100, over the amount SP paid for the
interest, $10). Under paragraph (b)(2)(iv)(b)(1) of this section, in
Year 3, SP's capital account is initially credited with $100, the
amount paid for the interest ($10) plus the amount included in SP's
compensation income upon the transfer under section 83(b) ($90).
Under Sec. Sec. 1.83-6(b) and 1.721-1(b)(2), LLC does not recognize
gain on the transfer of the interest to SP. LLC is entitled to a
compensation deduction of $90 under section 83(h). Under the terms
of the operating agreement, the deduction is allocated equally to A
and B.
(iii) As a result of SP's election under section 83(b), SP is
treated as a partner starting from the date of the transfer of the
LLC interest to SP in Year 3. Section 1.761-1(b). In each of years
3, 4 and 5, SP's distributive share of partnership income is $10
(10% of $100), A's distributive share of partnership income is $45
(45% of $100), and B's distributive share of partnership income is
$45 (45% of $100). In accordance with the operating agreement, SP's
capital account is increased (to $130) by the end of Year 5 by the
amounts allocated to SP, and A's and B's capital accounts are
increased by the amounts allocated to A and B. Because LLC satisfies
the requirements of paragraph (b)(4)(xii) of this section, LLC's
allocations in years 3, 4 and 5 are deemed to be in accordance with
the partners' interests in the partnership.
(iv) As a result of the forfeiture of the LLC interest by SP in
year 6, LLC is required to recognize income ($90) equal to the
amount of the allowable deduction on the transfer of the LLC
interest to SP under Sec. 1.83-6(c). LLC repays SP's $10 capital
contribution to SP, reducing SP's capital account to $120. Under the
terms of the operating agreement, because SP forfeited SP's
interest, SP's distributive share of all partnership items (other
than forfeiture allocations) is zero for Year 6. To reverse SP's
prior allocations of LLC income, LLC makes forfeiture allocations of
$30 of deductions ($0 (the difference between the $10 distributed to
SP and the $10 contributed to LLC by SP) minus $30 (the cumulative
net LLC income allocated to SP) to SP in Year 6. Notwithstanding
section 706(c) and (d), these allocations may be made out of LLC's
partnership items for the entire taxable year of the forfeiture.
Thus, in Year 6, $30 of deductions are allocated to SP, and the
remaining $220 of net operating income ($200 of gross receipts and
$90 of income under Sec. 1.83-6(c) less $70 of remaining
deductions) are allocated to A and B equally for tax purposes. In
accordance with section 83(b)(1) (last sentence), SP does not
receive a deduction or capital loss for the amount ($90) that was
included in SP's compensation income. Because LLC satisfies the
requirements of paragraph (b)(4)(xii) of this section, LLC's
allocations in year 6 are deemed to be in accordance with the
partners' interests in the partnership.
* * * * *
Par. 5. Section 1.706-3 is added to read as follows.
Sec. 1.706-3 Property transferred in connection with the performance
of services.
(a) Allocations of certain deductions under section 83(h). The
transfer of property subject to section 83 in connection with the
performance of services is not an allocable cash basis item within the
meaning of section 706(d)(2)(B).
(b) Forfeiture allocations. If an election under section 83(b) is
made with respect to a partnership interest that is substantially
nonvested (within the meaning of Sec. 1.83-3(b)), and that interest is
later forfeited, the partnership must make forfeiture allocations to
reverse prior allocations made with respect to the forfeited interest.
See Sec. 1.704-1(b)(4)(xii). Although the person forfeiting the
interest may not have been a partner for the entire taxable year,
forfeiture allocations may be made out of the partnership's items for
the entire taxable year.
(c) Effective date. This section applies to transfers of property
on or after the date final regulations are published in the Federal
Register.
Par. 6. In Sec. 1.707-1, paragraph (c) is amended by revising the
second sentence to read as follows:
[[Page 29683]]
Sec. 1.707-1 Transactions between partner and partnership.
* * * * *
(c) Guaranteed payments. * * * However, except as otherwise
provided in section 83 and the regulations thereunder, a partner must
include such payments as ordinary income for that partner's taxable
year within or with which ends the partnership taxable year in which
the partnership deducted such payments as paid or accrued under its
method of accounting. * * *
* * * * *
Par. 7. In Sec. 1.721-1, paragraph (b) is revised to read as
follows.
Sec. 1.721-1 Nonrecognition of gain or loss on contribution.
* * * * *
(b)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section or Sec. 1.721-
2, section 721 does not apply to the transfer of a partnership interest
in connection with the performance of services or in satisfaction of an
obligation. The transfer of a partnership interest to a person in
connection with the performance of services constitutes a transfer of
property to which section 83 and the regulations thereunder apply. To
the extent that a partnership interest transferred in connection with
the performance of services rendered by a decedent prior to the
decedent's death is transferred after the decedent's death to the
decedent's successor in interest, the fair market value of such
interest is an item of income in respect of a decedent under section
691.
(2) Except as provided in section 83(h) and 1.83-6(c), no gain or
loss shall be recognized by a partnership upon--
(i) The transfer or substantial vesting of a compensatory
partnership interest; or
(ii) The forfeiture of a compensatory partnership interest. See
Sec. 1.704-1(b)(4)(xii) for rules regarding forfeiture allocations of
partnership items that may be required in the taxable year of a
forfeiture.
(3) For purposes of this section, a compensatory partnership
interest is an interest in the transferring partnership that is
transferred in connection with the performance of services for that
partnership (either before or after the formation of the partnership),
including an interest that is transferred on the exercise of a
compensatory partnership option. A compensatory partnership option is
an option to acquire an interest in the issuing partnership that is
granted in connection with the performance of services for that
partnership (either before or after the formation of the partnership).
(4) To the extent that a partnership interest is--
(i) Transferred to a partner in connection with the performance of
services rendered to the partnership, it is a guaranteed payment for
services under section 707(c);
(ii) Transferred in connection with the performance of services
rendered to a partner, it is not deductible by the partnership, but is
deductible only by such partner to the extent allowable under Chapter 1
of the Code.
(5) This paragraph (b) applies to interests that are transferred on
or after the date final regulations are published in the Federal
Register.
* * * * *
Par. 8. Section 1.761-1(b) is amended by adding two sentences to
the end of the paragraph to read as follows.
Sec. 1.761-1 Terms defined.
* * * * *
(b) * * * If a partnership interest is transferred in connection
with the performance of services, and that partnership interest is
substantially nonvested (within the meaning of Sec. 1.83-3(b)), then
the holder of the partnership interest is not treated as a partner
solely by reason of holding the interest, unless the holder makes an
election with respect to the interest under section 83(b). The previous
sentence applies to partnership interests that are transferred on or
after the date final regulations are published in the Federal Register.
Mark E. Matthews,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 05-10164 Filed 5-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-U