Taxable Year of Income Inclusion Under an Accrual Method of Accounting, 47191-47210 [2019-19325]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 174 / Monday, September 9, 2019 / Proposed Rules
the remaining portion of the advance
payment in gross income in the next
succeeding taxable year.
(ii) When payment is earned. A
payment is earned when the all events
test described in § 1.451–1(a) is met,
without regard to when the amount is
received, as defined under paragraph
(b)(5) of this section, by the taxpayer. If
a taxpayer is unable to determine the
extent to which a payment is earned in
the taxable year of receipt, the taxpayer
may determine that amount:
(A) On a statistical basis if adequate
data are available to the taxpayer;
(B) On a straight line ratable basis
over the term of the agreement if the
taxpayer receives advance payments
under a fixed term agreement and if it
is not unreasonable to anticipate at the
end of the taxable year of receipt that
the advance payment will be earned
ratably over the term of the agreement;
or
(C) By the use of any other basis that
in the opinion of the Commissioner
results in a clear reflection of income.
(5) Contracts with multiple
obligations—(i) In general. If a taxpayer
receives a payment that is attributable to
more than one item described in
paragraph (b)(1)(i)(C) of this section, the
taxpayer must allocate the payment to
such items in a manner that is based on
objective criteria.
(ii) Objective criteria. A taxpayer’s
allocation method with respect to a
payment described in paragraph (d)(5)(i)
of this section is based on objective
criteria if the allocation method is based
on payments the taxpayer regularly
receives for an item or items it regularly
sells or provides separately or any
method that may be provided in
guidance published in the Internal
Revenue Bulletin (see § 601.601(d) of
this chapter).
(6) Acceleration of advance payments.
For purposes of this paragraph (d), the
acceleration rules provided in paragraph
(c)(2) of this section apply to a taxpayer
that uses the non-AFS deferral method.
(7) Advance payments in certain
acquisitions and other financial
statement adjustments. For purposes of
this paragraph (d), the rules provided in
paragraph (c)(3) of this section apply to
a taxpayer that uses the non-AFS
deferral method.
(8) Short taxable year rule. For
purposes of this paragraph (d), the short
taxable year rule provided in paragraph
(c)(4) of this section applies to a
taxpayer that uses the non-AFS deferral
method.
(9) Eligible gift card sale. For purposes
of paragraphs (b)(1)(i)(B) and (d)(4) of
this section, if an eligible gift card is
redeemable by an entity described in
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paragraph (b)(3)(ii), including an entity
whose financial results are not included
in the taxpayer’s financial statement, a
payment will be treated as earned by the
taxpayer to the extent the gift card is
redeemed by the entity during the
taxable year.
(10) Examples. The rules of this
paragraph (d) are illustrated by the
examples in paragraphs (d)(10)(i) and
(ii). In each of these examples, the
taxpayer uses the non-AFS deferral
method described in this paragraph (d).
(i) Example 1. A, a video arcade operator,
receives payments in 2018 for game tokens
that are used by customers to play the video
games offered by A. The tokens cannot be
redeemed for cash. The tokens are imprinted
with the name of the video arcade, but they
are not individually marked for
identification. A completed a study on a
statistical basis, based on adequate data
available to A, and concluded that for
payments received in the current year, x
percent of tokens are expected to be used in
the current year, y percent of tokens are
expected to be used in the next year, and the
remaining z percent of tokens are expected to
never be used. Based on the study, A treats
as earned for 2018 x percent (for tokens
expected to be used in that year) as well as
z percent (for tokens that are expected to
never be used). Using the study, A
determines the extent to which advance
payments are earned in the taxable year of
receipt. A may determine the extent to which
a payment is earned in the taxable year of
receipt on a statistical basis provided that
any portion that is not included in the
taxable year of receipt is included in the next
succeeding taxable year. Thus, for federal
income tax purposes, A must include x
percent and z percent of the advance
payments in gross income for 2018 and y
percent of the advance payments in gross
income for 2019.
(ii) Example 2. B is in the business of
providing internet services. On September 1,
2018, B receives an advance payment from a
customer for a 2-year term for access to its
internet services, beginning on that date. B
does not have an AFS. B is unable to
determine the extent to which the payment
is earned in the taxable year of receipt. For
federal income tax purposes, B may
determine the extent to which the payment
is earned in the year of receipt on a straight
line ratable basis over the term of the
agreement if it is not unreasonable to
anticipate at the end of the taxable year of
receipt that the advance payment will be
earned ratably over the term of the
agreement.
(e) Method of accounting. The use of
the deferral method under paragraph (c)
of this section or the non-AFS deferral
method under paragraph (d) of this
section is the adoption of, or a change
in, a method of accounting under
section 446 of the Internal Revenue
Code or the accompanying regulations.
In addition, a change in the manner of
recognizing advance payments in
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47191
revenue in an AFS that changes or could
change the timing of the inclusion of
income for federal income tax purposes
is a change in method of accounting
under section 446 and the
accompanying regulations. A taxpayer
may change its method of accounting to
use the methods described in
paragraphs (c) or (d) of this section, or
change its manner of recognizing
advance payments in revenue in an AFS
only with the consent of the
Commissioner as required under section
446(e) and the corresponding
regulations.
(f) Applicability date. The rules of this
section are applicable for taxable years
beginning on or after the date of
publication of the Treasury decision
adopting these rules as final regulations
in the Federal Register. Until the date
the Treasury decision adopting these
regulations as final regulations is
published in the Federal Register, a
taxpayer may rely on these proposed
regulations for taxable years beginning
after December 31, 2017, provided that
the taxpayer applies all the applicable
rules contained in these proposed
regulations, and consistently applies
these proposed regulations to all
advance payments. See section
7805(b)(7).
Kirsten Wielobob,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2019–19197 Filed 9–5–19; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 1
[REG–104870–18]
RIN 1545–BO68
Taxable Year of Income Inclusion
Under an Accrual Method of
Accounting
Internal Revenue Service (IRS),
Treasury.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
AGENCY:
This document contains
proposed regulations regarding the
timing of income inclusion under
section 451 of the Internal Revenue
Code (Code). The proposed regulations
reflect changes made by the Tax Cuts
and Jobs Act. These proposed
regulations affect taxpayers that use an
accrual method of accounting and have
an applicable financial statement.
SUMMARY:
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Written or electronic comments
and requests for a public hearing must
be received by November 8, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send submissions to
Internal Revenue Service,
CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG–104870–18), Room
5205, 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 Courier’s
Desk, Internal Revenue Service,
CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG–104870–18), 1111
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20224. Alternatively, persons may
submit comments electronically via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov (IRS REG–104870–
18).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Concerning §§ 1.446–2, 1.451–3(d)(2),
1.451–3(i), 1.1275–2(l), and any other
provisions within the jurisdiction of the
Associate Chief Counsel (Financial
Institutions and Products), Charles
Culmer, (202) 317–4528; concerning the
rest of the proposed regulations, Charles
Gorham, (202) 317–5091; concerning
submissions of comments and requests
for a public hearing, Regina L. Johnson,
(202) 317–6091 (not toll-free numbers).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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DATES:
Background
This document contains proposed
amendments to 26 CFR part 1 under
section 451(b). On December 22, 2017,
section 451(b) was amended by section
13221 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,
Public Law 115–97 (131 Stat. 2054) (the
Act) to provide that, for a taxpayer using
an accrual method of accounting, the all
events test with respect to any item of
gross income (or portion thereof) is not
treated as met any later than when the
item (or portion thereof) is included in
revenue for financial accounting
purposes on an applicable financial
statement (AFS) or other financial
statement specified by the Secretary.
The amendments made to section 451(b)
do not change the time at which income
subject to the all events test is taken into
income for accrual method taxpayers
without an AFS or other specified
financial statement. Unless otherwise
indicated, all references to section
451(b) hereinafter are references to
section 451(b), as amended by the Act.
In general, section 451 provides that
the amount of any item of gross income
is included in gross income for the
taxable year in which it is received by
the taxpayer, unless, under the method
of accounting used in computing taxable
income, the amount is to be properly
accounted for as of a different period.
Under § 1.451–1, accrual method
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taxpayers generally include items of
income in gross income in the taxable
year when all the events occur that fix
the right to receive the income and the
amount of the income can be
determined with reasonable accuracy
(the all events test). All the events that
fix the right to receive income occur
when (1) the required performance takes
place, (2) payment is due, or (3)
payment is made, whichever happens
first. Revenue Ruling 2003–10 (2003–1
CB 288); Revenue Ruling 84–31 (1984–
1 CB 127); Revenue Ruling 80–308
(1980–2 CB 162).
On April 12, 2018, the Treasury
Department and the IRS issued Notice
2018–35 (2018–18 IRB 520) requesting,
in part, comments on future guidance
under section 451(b). The record of
public comments received in response
to Notice 2018–35 may be requested by
sending an email to Notice.comments@
irscounsel.treas.gov. This document
provides guidance on the application of
section 451(b) taking into account
comments that were received regarding
section 451(b). The application of
section 451(c) is addressed in separate
guidance published in the same issue of
the Federal Register as these proposed
regulations.
Explanation of Provisions
The proposed regulations describe
and clarify the statutory requirements of
section 451(b) by providing new
§ 1.451–3.
1. Applicability of Section 451(b)(1)
Section 451(b)(1) generally provides
that, for an accrual method taxpayer
with an AFS or other specified financial
statement, the all events test with
respect to any item of gross income, or
portion thereof, is not treated as met any
later than when such item, or portion
thereof, has been taken into account as
revenue in an AFS or other specified
financial statement (the AFS income
inclusion rule). The AFS income
inclusion rule generally increases
financial accounting and tax accounting
conformity. On May 28, 2014, the
Financial Accounting Standards Board
(FASB) and the International
Accounting Standards Board (IASB)
jointly announced new financial
accounting standards for revenue
recognition, titled ‘‘Revenue from
Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).’’
See ASC Topic 606 and IASB
International Financial Reporting
Standard (IFRS) 15 (New Standards).
Under the New Standards, items of
income may be included as revenue in
an AFS earlier than they would have
been included in income under the all
events test prior to the Act.
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A. Taxpayers Subject to the AFS Income
Inclusion Rule
The proposed regulations clarify how
the AFS income inclusion rule applies
to accrual method taxpayers with an
AFS. Some taxpayers use an accrual
method of accounting for all applicable
items of income (overall accrual method
taxpayers) and others use an accrual
method of accounting for only some
items of income. Both types of taxpayers
(collectively, accrual method taxpayers)
compute taxable income, at least in part,
under an accrual method. Accordingly,
proposed § 1.451–3(b) provides that the
AFS income inclusion rule generally
applies to accrual method taxpayers
with an AFS when the timing of income
inclusion for one or more items of
income is determined using the all
events test.
The proposed regulations do not
include special rules regarding the
applicability of the AFS income
inclusion rule to foreign persons. The
Treasury Department and the IRS are
aware that applying the AFS income
inclusion rule to a controlled foreign
corporation (CFC) may create
mismatches between the CFC’s taxable
income for U.S. Federal and foreign tax
purposes. As a result, certain taxpayers
may lose the ability to credit foreign
taxes imposed on a CFC’s income,
particularly where such taxes relate to
amounts includible in gross income
under section 951A and are therefore
ineligible to be carried back or forward
under section 904(c). Comments are
requested regarding whether special
rules are needed to address the
applicability of the AFS income
inclusion rule to foreign persons,
including whether and how the rules for
determining the taxable income of a
CFC can be adjusted to better align the
U.S. Federal and foreign income tax
bases.
B. Exceptions to the AFS Income
Inclusion Rule
Proposed § 1.451–3(d)(1) clarifies that
the AFS income inclusion rule applies
only to taxpayers that have one or more
AFS covering the entire taxable year.
This approach is consistent with the
exception in section 451(b)(1)(B)(i),
which provides that the AFS income
inclusion rule does not apply to
taxpayers without an AFS for a taxable
year. In addition, some accrual method
taxpayers may have an AFS in one
taxable year and no AFS in another
taxable year. To address this situation,
the proposed regulations provide that
the AFS income inclusion rule applies
on a year-by-year basis and, therefore,
an accrual method taxpayer with an
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AFS in one taxable year that does not
have an AFS in another taxable year
must apply the AFS income inclusion
rule in the taxable year that it has an
AFS, and does not apply the rule in the
taxable year in which it does not have
an AFS.
Consistent with section
451(b)(1)(B)(ii), proposed § 1.451–
3(d)(2) also provides that the AFS
income inclusion rule does not apply to
items of income in connection with a
mortgage servicing contract. A letter
addressed to the Treasury Department
indicated that it is unclear whether this
exclusion can be applied to income
relating to interest rate lock
commitments (IRLCs) entered into by
mortgage lenders. The proposed
regulations do not address this issue
because section 475 generally would
require mortgage lenders to include
income relating to IRLCs in taxable
income in accordance with the mark-tomarket method of accounting. As a
result, a mortgage lender generally
would not apply section 451(b) to
determine when income relating to
IRLCs is includible in income.
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C. Transactions Treated Differently for
Federal Income Tax and AFS Purposes
Except as provided in proposed
§ 1.451–3(e), proposed § 1.451–3(e)
clarifies that the AFS income inclusion
rule does not change the treatment of a
transaction for Federal income tax
purposes. The treatment of a transaction
or event in a taxable year may be
different for Federal income tax and
AFS purposes. For example, a rental
agreement that is treated as a lease for
Federal income tax purposes may be
treated as a sale or financing for AFS
purposes, or vice versa. Similarly, a
transaction that is deemed to occur (for
example, under a mark-to-market
method) for AFS purposes may not be
deemed to occur for Federal income tax
purposes. The AFS income inclusion
rule generally was not intended to
require taxpayers to recharacterize a
transaction for Federal income tax
purposes to conform to the
characterization of the transaction in the
taxpayer’s AFS. As stated in the
Conference Report, ‘‘The provision does
not revise the rules associated with
when an item is realized for Federal
income tax purposes and, accordingly,
does not require the recognition of
income in situations where the Federal
income tax realization event has not yet
occurred.’’ H.R. Rep. No. 115–466, at
428 fn. 872 (2017) (Conf. Rep.).
However, as also stated in the
Conference Report, the AFS income
inclusion rule was intended to include
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unbilled receivables for partially
performed services:
‘‘Under the provision, an accrual method
taxpayer with an applicable financial
statement will include an item in income
under section 451 upon the earlier of when
the all events test is met or when the
taxpayer includes such item in revenue in an
applicable financial statement. For example,
under the provision, any unbilled receivables
for partially performed services must be
recognized to the extent the amounts are
taken into income for financial statement
purposes.’’
H.R. Rep. No. 115–466, at 428 fn. 874
(2017) (Conf. Rep.). Commenters
suggested that the intent to include
unbilled receivables conflicts with the
intent to not change the treatment of a
transaction to match the taxpayer’s AFS
treatment. The Treasury Department
and the IRS do not agree. In applying
the AFS income inclusion rule to
unbilled receivables, a taxpayer is not
changing the treatment of the
transaction when it includes in income
amounts included in its AFS. Moreover,
these proposed regulations also apply to
unbilled receivables for the sale of
goods because there is no distinction in
section 451(b) between unbilled
receivables for services and unbilled
receivables for the sale of goods, and
service providers and sellers of goods
that are including unbilled receivables
in revenue for AFS purposes should be
treated similarly for Federal income tax
purposes under section 451(b).
Accordingly, the proposed regulations
provide that the AFS inclusion rule
applies to unbilled receivables included
in revenue for AFS purposes related to
both services and goods.
Commenters raised concerns about
the interaction between sections 61 and
461 with the AFS income inclusion
rule. For AFS purposes, taxpayers may
be required to include variable
consideration when determining the
transaction price of a contract. Under
the New Standards, variable
consideration includes items such as
discounts, rebates, refunds, credits,
price concessions, incentives,
performance bonuses, penalties, and
other similar items. Variable
consideration may also include
promised consideration that taxpayers
are not yet entitled to under the contract
because it is contingent on the
occurrence or nonoccurrence of a future
event. For Federal income tax purposes,
these items of variable consideration
may be contingent future income under
section 61 or liabilities subject to
section 461. Section 451(b) could be
read to accelerate the timing of
contingent future income and liabilities
to match their inclusion in revenue for
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47193
AFS purposes. However, section 451(b)
was intended to change only the timing
of income to ensure that those items of
income are not included later than
when they are included for AFS
purposes. See H.R. Rep. No. 115–466, at
428 fn. 874 (2017) (Conf. Rep.) and Joint
Committee on Taxation, General
Explanation of Public Law 115–97 (JCS–
1–18) at 166 (Dec. 20, 2018).
Accordingly, proposed § 1.451–3(c)(6)
provides that the transaction price that
is used to determine whether an amount
has been included in revenue does not
include items to which a taxpayer’s
entitlement is contingent on the
occurrence or nonoccurrence of a future
event, reductions for amounts subject to
section 461 (including allowances,
adjustments, rebates, chargebacks,
refunds, rewards, and amounts included
in the cost of goods sold), and amounts
collected for third parties. However, in
order to reduce compliance burden and
prevent abuse and undue administrative
burden, proposed § 1.451–3(c)(6)
presumes that an amount included in
the transaction price for AFS purposes
is not contingent future income unless,
upon examination of all of the facts and
circumstances existing at the end of the
taxable year, it can be established to the
satisfaction of the Commissioner that
the amount is contingent on the
occurrence or nonoccurrence of a future
event.
In addition, section 451(b) was
intended to accelerate income inclusion
when (i) the taxpayer’s customer
controls the asset that is created or
enhanced, or (ii) the taxpayer has a right
to partial payment, even when a
contract requires delivery, acceptance,
and title transfer before a taxpayer can
bill its customer. See Examples 2 and 4
of the Joint Committee on Taxation,
General Explanation of Public Law 115–
97 (JCS–1–18) at 162–163 (Dec. 20,
2018). Accordingly, proposed § 1.451–
3(c)(6)(ii) provides that an amount
included in the transaction price for
AFS purposes may not be treated as
contingent on the occurrence or
nonoccurrence of a future event if the
taxpayer has been paid or has an
equitable, contractual, or other right to
partial payment for performance
completed to date. Additionally,
proposed § 1.451–3(c)(6)(iii) provides
that transaction price may not be
reduced for amounts subject to section
461, including, in the case of credit card
transactions, reward amounts.
Comments are requested on the
interaction among sections 61, 461, and
451(b), and specific situations in which
future contingent income and liabilities
might be included in revenue for AFS
purposes. Comments are requested, for
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example, on the applicability of the
proposed rules to escalating rental
agreements not subject to section 467,
where amounts included in revenue in
an AFS as rent for one year of a multiyear rental agreement exceed actual rent
received for that year. Specifically, does
the excess of the amount included in
revenue as rent over the amount of
actual rent in a particular year represent
a contingency or merely an allocation of
the overall transaction price? Comments
are requested on the extent to which
certain contract terms might affect the
result. Comments also are requested on
the proposed presumption that the AFS
income inclusion rule should apply
when an item is included in revenue in
an AFS and what a taxpayer should be
required to demonstrate in order to
successfully rebut the presumption.
Finally, comments are requested on how
reassessments of variable consideration
after the taxable year of the
commencement of the contract should
be treated for Federal income tax
purposes.
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D. Interaction With Exclusion
Provisions and Effect on NonRecognition Transactions
Commenters noted that the AFS
income inclusion rule may appear to
overturn numerous exclusion provisions
and adversely affect the treatment of
non-recognition transactions in the
Code. For example, the AFS income
inclusion rule could be read to apply to
a transaction that is treated as a sale of
property with profit or loss for AFS
purposes but that is treated as a
reorganization under section 368 for
Federal income tax purposes. The
proposed regulations clarify that the
AFS income inclusion rule does not
change the applicability of any
exclusion provision, or the treatment of
non-recognition transactions, in the
Code, the Income Tax Regulations, or
other guidance published in the Internal
Revenue Bulletin, consistent with
Congressional intent that the provision
does not revise the rules associated with
the time at which an item is realized for
Federal income tax purposes. H.R. Rep.
No. 115–466, at 428 fn. 872 (2017)
(Conf. Rep.) and Joint Committee on
Taxation, General Explanation of Public
Law 115–97 (JCS–1–18) at 166 (Dec. 20,
2018).
E. Special Methods of Accounting
Section 451(b)(2) provides that the
AFS income inclusion rule does not
apply to any item of gross income for
which the taxpayer uses a special
method of accounting provided under
any provision of Chapter 1, other than
any provision of part V of subchapter P.
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Commenters raised questions about the
interaction between the AFS income
inclusion rule and special methods of
accounting. In response, proposed
§ 1.451–3(b) amplifies the meaning of
the term ‘‘special method of
accounting’’ and, except as provided in
proposed § 1.451–3(b), provides that the
AFS income inclusion rule does not
apply to any item of income, or portion
of an item of income, when the timing
of income inclusion is determined
under a required or permitted special
method of accounting used for Federal
income tax purposes. The proposed
regulations also clarify that when a
taxpayer uses a special method of
accounting, the special method of
accounting determines the timing of the
income inclusion. The proposed
regulations provide a non-exclusive list
of examples of special methods of
accounting. In addition, the proposed
regulations make clear that because the
AFS income inclusion rule affects the
time at which the all events test is met,
the rule applies only to items of income
that are subject to the all events test. For
a discussion of special methods of
accounting under the provisions of part
V of subchapter P (relating to income
from certain debt instruments), see
section 7 of this preamble.
2. Application of the AFS Income
Inclusion Rule to Multi-Year Contracts
Section 451(b) does not address how
to apply the AFS income inclusion rule
and all events test to a multi-year
contract. Proposed § 1.451–3(k) provides
that a taxpayer with a multi-year
contract applies the all events test by
applying a cumulative approach
reflecting amounts previously included
under section 451 rather than an
annualized approach.
An annualized approach would look
at payments received in each taxable
year in isolation and compare the
amounts included in the taxpayer’s AFS
and under the all events test to
determine whether an amount should be
included for Federal income tax
purposes. This approach would
generally result in an overall
acceleration of income relative to
income included in revenue for AFS
purposes, could cause amounts to be
included for Federal income tax
purposes earlier than under a contract’s
terms, and could result in double
counting of income. Section 451(b)(1)
does not require this treatment.
A cumulative approach better reflects
the economic reality of a multi-year
transaction. Accordingly, the proposed
regulations require taxpayers to take
into account the cumulative amounts
previously included in prior taxable
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years in determining a given contract
year’s income inclusions under section
451(b)(1). Comments are requested
regarding the treatment of multi-year
contracts under the AFS income
inclusion rule.
3. Applicable Financial Statement (AFS)
The proposed regulations describe
and clarify the definition of AFS under
section 451(b)(3). Section 451(b)(3)
generally defines AFS to mean financial
statements prepared according to
generally accepted accounting
principles (GAAP financial statements),
certain financial statements prepared
according to international financial
reporting standards (IFRS financial
statements), and financial statements
filed with certain regulatory or
government bodies. Section
451(b)(1)(A)(ii) provides the Secretary
with authority to specify other financial
statements for purposes of section
451(b)(1).
The list of financial statements
qualifying as an AFS under section
451(b)(3) is similar, but not identical, to
the list of financial statements in
Revenue Procedure 2004–34 (2004–1 CB
991). The general priority for identifying
the AFS in section 451(b)(3)(A) through
(C) is similar to the priority provided in
Revenue Procedure 2004–34. Certain
financial statements that have
traditionally been treated as AFS under
Revenue Procedure 2004–34, such as
IFRS financial statements used for (1)
credit purposes, (2) reporting to
shareholders, partners, or other
proprietors or to beneficiaries, and (3)
any other substantial nontax purposes,
are not expressly included in section
451(b)(3). However, the legislative
history indicates that Congress intended
for Revenue Procedure 2004–34 to be
followed. See H.R. Rep. No. 115–466, at
429 (2017) (Conf. Rep.). Accordingly,
proposed § 1.451–3(c)(1) is generally
consistent with the list of AFS from
Revenue Procedure 2004–34.
The proposed regulations also clarify
the financial statements filed with
certain regulatory or government bodies
that qualify as an AFS under section
451(b)(3)(C), which is similar to section
4.06(3) of Revenue Procedure 2004–34.
The proposed regulations clarify that
financial statements that are filed with
a state government or state agency, or a
self-regulatory organization, also qualify
as an AFS under section 451(b)(3)(C).
For example, the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority and state agencies
that regulate insurance companies or
public utilities are agencies requiring
reports that qualify as an AFS.
Proposed § 1.451–3(h) addresses
various issues relating to how financial
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results are reported for certain
taxpayers. These proposed regulations
propose rules consistent with the rules
provided in § 1.56–1 because Congress
indicated a desire for rules similar to
those found in Revenue Procedure
2004–34 and the rules in Revenue
Procedure 2004–34 follow certain rules
in § 1.56–1. See IRS Announcement
2004–48 (2004–22 IRB 998).
Section 451(b)(5) and proposed
§ 1.451–3(h)(1), (2), and (3) provide that,
for purposes of the general rule in
section 451(b)(1), if the financial results
of a taxpayer are reported on the AFS,
as defined in section 451(b)(3), for a
group of entities, such statement shall
be treated as the AFS of the taxpayer.
When a consolidated or combined AFS
or other financial statement lists items
separately for each member taxpayer,
the amount of revenue attributable to a
particular taxpayer is determined based
on its respective separately stated item.
If the amounts are aggregated, however,
the taxpayer must rely on the source
documents that were used to create the
group’s AFS to determine its percentage
of each aggregated item reported on the
consolidated or combined AFS. The
source documents should be used to
determine the taxpayer’s respective
share of revenue on the AFS, so as to
properly reflect the correct amount of
gross income under section 451(b).
Proposed § 1.451–3(h)(4) provides
guidance for taxpayers with a financial
reporting period that is different than
the taxpayer’s taxable year. The
proposed regulations provide that the
taxpayer must use one of three
permissible methods in order to
determine whether an item of income
has been included in revenue on an
AFS. Under one method a taxpayer uses
the accounting principles used to create
its AFS to determine the items of
income to be reported in revenue as if
its financial reporting period coincided
with its taxable year. Under the second
method a taxpayer makes a reasonable
estimate of revenue for the pro rata
portion of the taxable year for which the
financial statement year and taxable
year do not align. Under the third
method, if a taxpayer’s financial
accounting year ends five or more
months after the end of its taxable year,
the taxpayer computes revenue based on
the revenue reported on the AFS for the
financial accounting year ending within
its taxable year.
Proposed § 1.451–3(h)(5) provides
guidance on a restatement of a
taxpayer’s financial statements. The
rules generally provide that the taxpayer
must determine the reason for the
restatement of the AFS. For example, if
a taxpayer restates revenue on an AFS
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and such restatement changes the time
at which an item of income or a portion
thereof is taken into account as revenue
on the AFS, the change constitutes a
change in method of accounting under
section 446. This rule is consistent with
current practice regarding the
determination of a change in method of
accounting.
The regulations under section 6001
require a taxpayer to keep books and
records sufficient to establish the
amount of gross income, deductions,
credits, or other matters required to be
shown in an income tax return, which
includes the identification of items
includible in gross income under
section 451. This requirement includes
any books and records sufficient to
establish a taxpayer’s calculation of
income when its financial results are
included in an AFS of a group of
entities.
4. Revenue in an AFS
Proposed § 1.451–3(c)(4) defines the
term revenue for purposes of section
451(b)(1) broadly to include all items of
income under section 61 (gains, profits,
and income for Federal income tax
purposes). This definition is consistent
with the current application of the all
events test under § 1.451–1(a) and
ensures greater financial accounting and
tax accounting conformity.
One commenter discussed the effect
of the New Standards on sections 451(b)
and (c). The commenter noted that,
under the New Standards, certain
revenue may be included earlier than
under section 451 prior to amendment
by the Act. The commenter also noted
that an amount booked to retained
earnings should be treated as revenue
for purposes of section 451(b) even
though that amount may not be shown
as book revenue for financial accounting
purposes. A narrow reading of the term
revenue could result in items of income
that are taken into account on an AFS
and that otherwise would be required to
be included in gross income escaping
section 451(b) altogether. For example,
taxpayers may include items, or
portions of items, in other
comprehensive income on an AFS that
are excluded from the revenue line(s) on
the AFS. Accordingly, a broad reading
of revenue ensures that the correct
amount of income that is taken into
account in an AFS is subject to section
451(b).
Multiple commenters proposed
allowing a cost offset when income is
included under the AFS income
inclusion rule. For example, one
commenter suggested that, in
determining the amount of income to
include under section 451(b), taxpayers
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selling goods should reduce AFS
revenue by the cost of goods sold
associated with a sale that does not
presently reduce AFS revenue. The
commenter acknowledged that costs are
not taken into account for Federal
income tax purposes until the all events
test is satisfied, which includes the
economic performance rules under
section 461. Because of the resulting
inconsistency with sections 461 and
471, these regulations do not follow the
commenter’s suggestion that a cost
offset or cost of goods sold reduction
should apply without regard to the
economic performance rules of section
461 and inventory accounting rules of
section 471.
Congress has addressed various cost
recovery mechanisms in the past. In
1955, Congress repealed the reserve
method for estimated expenses under
section 462 of the Code. See An Act to
Repeal Sections 452 and 462 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1954, Public
Law 84–74, section 1(b) (1955). Section
462 of the Code was a companion to
section 452, which allowed taxpayers to
report certain types of prepaid income
over time. In the Senate Report
discussing the repeal of sections 452
and 462, Congress noted that ‘‘the
problem presented by section 462 is that
of the timing of deductions when a
taxpayer changes accounting methods.’’
S. Rep. 84–372, at 4 (1955). The Senate
noted that taxpayers would be entitled
to the deductions even without section
462. In addition, section 462 increased
the possibility of distortions of income
because expenses were being deducted
when the amount had not yet been
incurred.
Thirty years later, Congress repealed
the use of the reserve method for
determining losses from bad debts
under section 166 in the Tax Reform Act
of 1986. In repealing the reserve
method, Congress noted that this
method was inconsistent with the rules
for other deductions under the all
events test and could result in
deductions being allowed for Federal
income tax purposes for losses that may
never occur. S. Rep. No. 99–313, at 155
(1986). Moreover, ‘‘if a deduction is
allowed prior to the taxable year in
which the loss occurs, the value of the
deduction to the taxpayer will be
overstated.’’ S. Rep. No. 99–313, at 155
(1986).
These proposed regulations do not
allow a cost offset provision because
similar potential distortions of income
could result. An allowance to account
for future cost of goods sold, for future
estimated costs, or other cost offsets also
is inconsistent with sections 461 (in
particular section 461(h)), 263A, and
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471, and the regulations under those
sections. In addition, these proposed
regulations do not allow a cost offset
provision because there is nothing in
the statute or legislative history that
indicates that in amending section 451
Congress intended to change sections
461, 263A or 471, and the regulations
under those sections. See also, General
Explanation of Public Law 115–97 (JCS–
1–18) at 150–151, and 164–165 (Dec. 20,
2018).
Nevertheless, the Treasury
Department and the IRS continue to
consider whether any exceptions are an
appropriate use of the Secretary’s
authority under section 461(h) or 460.
To facilitate further consideration of any
potential exceptions, detailed comments
that specifically address the following
issues are requested:
1. Under what authority would it be
appropriate for the Secretary to permit
a taxpayer to use a book percentage-ofcompletion method (PCM) as its tax
method? When inventory is involved,
what limitations could be instituted to
ensure that book PCM could not be used
to recover costs related to inventoriable
goods prior to the time when such costs
could be recovered under sections 471
and 263A? Under what specific
authority would it be appropriate to
permit a book PCM method to be used
to recover costs related to inventoriable
goods?
2. Would elective use of book PCM for
tax purposes provide an appropriate
cost offset? Would such a method be
characterized as one that reports
contract revenue according to a
taxpayer’s book method, while
accounting for costs, including
nondeductible costs, as deductions
under the Code? If not, how would such
a method account for costs for Federal
income tax purposes?
3. Rather than make book PCM
elective, would it be appropriate for the
definition of ‘‘unique item’’ for purposes
of section 460 to be expanded?
4. Section 460 requires use of the
look-back method to compensate for
improper acceleration or deferral of
income under PCM. It also requires that
all contract income be reported no later
than the year following contract
completion. Would elective use of a
PCM under section 460 without these
provisions invite abuse? If so, how
could such abuse be prevented?
5. Allocation of Transaction Price
The proposed regulations describe
and clarify the allocation of transaction
price under section 451(b)(4). Section
451(b)(4) provides that, in the case of a
contract with multiple performance
obligations, the allocation of the
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transaction price to each performance
obligation shall be equal to the amount
allocated to each performance obligation
for purposes of including such item in
revenue in the AFS of the taxpayer.
Consistent with the definition of
performance obligation found in the
New Standards, proposed § 1.451–
3(c)(3) defines ‘‘performance obligation’’
to mean a promise in a contract with a
customer to transfer to the customer
either a good or service (or a bundle of
goods or services) that is distinct, or a
series of distinct goods or services that
are substantially the same and that have
the same pattern of transfer to the
customer. See ASC Topic 606 and IFRS
15.
Comments are requested on allocation
of the transaction price (i) to
performance obligations that are not
contractually based, (ii) for
arrangements that include both income
subject to section 451 and long-term
contracts subject to section 460, and (iii)
when the income realization event for
Federal income tax purposes differs
from the income realization event for
AFS purposes.
6. Taxpayers Including Income Over
Time for AFS Purposes
Commenters proposed allowing
taxpayers that include items of income
as revenue in an AFS over a period of
time under the New Standards (AFS
over-time method) to follow that
method for Federal income tax
purposes. Allowing taxpayers to follow
their AFS over-time method for Federal
income tax purposes would potentially
defer income beyond what is permitted
under section 451(b), section 451(c), and
the all events test. The AFS income
inclusion rule operates only to
accelerate income inclusion; the AFS
income inclusion rule can never cause
income inclusion to occur later than
when the all events test is satisfied.
Allowing taxpayers to follow their AFS
over-time method for Federal income
tax purposes may also affect the
treatment of costs in a manner that is
inconsistent with sections 461 and 471.
However, the Treasury Department and
the IRS continue to study the
commenters’ proposal and request
additional comments on this issue.
Specifically, additional comments are
requested regarding: The size of
taxpayers likely to be affected; the
industries likely to be affected; the
number of taxpayers likely to be
affected; the compliance burden and
administrative complexity likely to be
avoided; and the degree to which an
over-time method under the New
Standards accelerates or defers income
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relative to the all events test and the
AFS income inclusion rule.
7. Rules for Certain Debt Instruments
A. Credit Card Fees and Other Fees
The Treasury Department and the IRS
have treated certain credit card fees
associated with pools of credit card
receivables as creating or increasing
original issue discount (OID) on those
pools. See Revenue Procedure 2004–33
(2004–1 CB 989) (the IRS will not
challenge the treatment of late fees as
creating or increasing OID); Revenue
Procedure 2005–47 (2005–2 CB 269)
(the IRS will not challenge the treatment
of cash advance fees as creating or
increasing OID); Revenue Procedure
2013–26 (2013–22 IRB 1160) (safe
harbor method of accounting for OID on
a pool of credit card receivables for
purposes of section 1272(a)(6)); and
Chief Counsel Notice CC–2010–018
(Sept. 27, 2010) (as a result of the Tax
Court’s decision in Capital One
Financial Corp. and Subsidiaries v.
Commissioner, 133 T.C. 136 (2009), the
IRS will no longer challenge or litigate
the issue of whether interchange fee
income creates or increases OID).
With the enactment of section 451(b),
however, Congress expressed its
intention to overturn the tax treatment
of those credit card fees as OID,
including the use of the OID timing
rules, and subject them to the all events
test. The Conference Report to the Act
states, ‘‘[section 451(b)] directs accrual
method taxpayers with an applicable
financial statement to apply the income
recognition rules under section 451
before applying the special rules under
part V of subchapter P . . .’’ (which
includes the OID rules). H.R. Rep. No.
115–466, at 428 (2017) (Conf. Rep.). In
particular, the legislative history
describes the treatment of credit card
late fees, credit card cash advance fees,
and interchange fees as creating or
increasing OID for Federal tax purposes
and lists these fees as examples of
amounts to which section 451(b), as
amended, would apply. Id. at 427, 429.
These three credit card fees are not
generally treated as discount for AFS
purposes.
Congress clearly expressed its
intention to overturn the tax treatment
of credit card late fees, cash advance
fees, and interchange fees (specified
credit card fees) and to subject these
fees to the all events test as modified by
section 451(b). Id. at 429. The legislative
history quoted in the preceding
paragraph further suggests that Congress
intended that other fees associated with
a lending transaction that might
otherwise be accounted for in
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calculating OID are to be subjected to
the AFS income inclusion rule before
the application of the OID rules. Based
on the legislative history, however,
taxpayers have stated that section 451(b)
was not intended to affect the
application of the general OID timing
rules to OID other than with respect to
items not treated as discount for
financial reporting purposes, such as the
specified credit card fees. Id. at 427–
429. Moreover, taxpayers have stated
that the application of section 451(b) to
OID other than items not treated as
discount for financial reporting
purposes would result in significant
administrative burden and very little
additional tax revenue. The Treasury
Department and the IRS agree with
commenters on this issue. Therefore, in
the absence of a clear indication in the
legislative history that Congress
intended for section 451(b) to override
the general timing rules for OID, and in
order to reduce administrative burden,
the proposed section 451(b) regulations
would not apply to determine the time
at which OID generally is includible in
income. See § 1.451–3(c)(5)(ix) of the
proposed regulations.
The proposed regulations contain two
provisions that implement
Congressional intent regarding the
treatment of fees, including the
specified credit card fees. First, under
proposed § 1.451–3(i), if a fee is not
treated by a taxpayer as discount or as
an adjustment to the yield of a debt
instrument over the life of the
instrument (such as points) in its AFS
and the fee otherwise would be treated
as creating or increasing OID for Federal
income tax purposes (specified fee),
then the rules in the proposed
regulations under section 451(b) apply
before the rules in sections 1271
through 1275 and the regulations
thereunder. For example, proposed
§ 1.451–3(i) applies to the specified
credit card fees. Second, proposed
§ 1.1275–2(l) includes a proposed
amendment to the final regulations
under section 1275 to clarify that an
item of income that is subject to the
timing rules in the proposed regulations
under section 451(b) (such as the
specified credit card fees) is not taken
into account in determining the amount
of OID (if any) on the debt instrument.
Removing specified fees and specified
credit card fees from the calculation of
OID will permit taxpayers to apply only
the rules of section 451(b) to these fees,
without also having to apply the rules
relevant to OID. In addition, the
Treasury Department and the IRS
propose to obsolete Revenue Procedure
2004–33, Revenue Procedure 2005–47,
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Revenue Procedure 2013–26, and Chief
Counsel Notice CC–2010–018. The
Treasury Department and the IRS
request comments on the proposed
obsolescence of these documents.
B. Market Discount
Taxpayers requested guidance as to
whether market discount is includible
in income under section 451(b). The
Treasury Department and the IRS
previously announced that proposed
regulations would provide that accrued
market discount is not includible in
income under section 451(b). Notice
2018–80 (2018 IRB 609), issued
September 27, 2018.
A bond is generally treated as having
market discount when the principal
amount of the bond exceeds the holder’s
basis immediately after it was acquired
by the holder. Under section 1276(a),
market discount is includible in income
only upon disposition of a market
discount bond at a gain or the receipt of
a partial principal payment, unless the
holder of the bond elects otherwise. In
each case, the market discount inclusion
is limited to accrued market discount as
defined in section 1276(b). In general,
the timing rules for income inclusion in
section 1276 are a codification of the
pre-1984 timing rules for market
discount and confirm that the all events
test generally does not determine when
accrued market discount is includible in
income. The proposed regulations
therefore include the market discount
rules on the list of special methods of
accounting to which section 451(b) does
not apply.
Statement of Availability of IRS
Documents
The IRS notices, revenue rulings, and
revenue procedures cited in this
preamble are published in the Internal
Revenue Bulletin (or Cumulative
Bulletin) and are available from the
Superintendent of Documents, U.S.
Government Publishing Office,
Washington, DC 20402, or by visiting
the IRS website at https://www.irs.gov.
Proposed Applicability Date
These regulations are proposed
generally to apply to taxable years
beginning on or after the date the final
regulations are published in the Federal
Register. However, in the case of a
specified fee, proposed § 1.451–3(i)(2) is
proposed to apply for a taxpayer’s first
taxable year beginning one year after the
date the Treasury decision adopting
these regulations as final is published in
the Federal Register. In general, this
delayed effective date for specified fees
is provided because the treatment of
these fees is unclear for tax purposes
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(and in some cases for financial
reporting purposes). This additional
time will allow the Treasury
Department and the IRS to determine
the types of fees that should be subject
to section 451(b), which will provide
taxpayers with more certainty in
complying with section 451(b) and will
help to minimize controversies with the
IRS with respect to fees.
Until the date the Treasury decision
adopting these regulations as final
regulations is published in the Federal
Register, a taxpayer may rely on these
proposed regulations (other than the
proposed regulations relating to
specified fees) for taxable years
beginning after December 31, 2017,
provided that the taxpayer: (1) Applies
all the applicable rules contained in
these proposed regulations (other than
those applicable to specified fees), and
(2) consistently applies these proposed
regulations to all items of income during
the taxable year (other than specified
fees). Until the date the Treasury
decision adopting these regulations as
final regulations is published in the
Federal Register, in the case of specified
credit card fees, a taxpayer may rely on
these proposed regulations for taxable
years beginning after December 31,
2018, provided that the taxpayer: (1)
Applies all the applicable rules
contained in these proposed regulations
for specified credit card fees, and (2)
consistently applies these proposed
regulations to all items of income during
the taxable year (other than specified
fees).
Special Analyses
I. Regulatory Planning and Review
Executive Orders 13771, 13563, and
12866 direct agencies to assess costs and
benefits of available regulatory
alternatives and, if regulation is
necessary, to select regulatory
approaches that maximize net benefits,
including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety
effects, distributive impacts, and equity.
Executive Order 13563 emphasizes the
importance of quantifying both costs
and benefits, reducing costs,
harmonizing rules, and promoting
flexibility. The Executive Order 13771
designation for any final rule resulting
from the proposed regulation will be
informed by comments received. The
preliminary Executive Order 13771
designation for this proposed rule is
regulatory.
The proposed regulation has been
designated by the Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) as subject
to review under Executive Order 12866
pursuant to the Memorandum of
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Agreement (MOA, April 11, 2018)
between the Treasury Department and
the Office of Management and Budget
regarding review of tax regulations. The
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs has designated these proposed
regulations as significant under section
1(b) of the MOA. Accordingly, these
proposed regulations have been
reviewed by OIRA.
1. Background
In plain language, section 451 of the
Internal Revenue Code (the ‘‘Code’’) and
the proposed regulations deal with
differences between when income is
recognized for Federal tax purposes and
when it is recognized on businesses’
financial accounting statements. The
recently enacted section 451(b) more
closely aligns the timing rules of the tax
system with general financial
accounting standards.
Under section 451(a) of the Code, any
item of gross income is required to be
included as income by the taxpayer
(‘‘recognized’’) when it is received by
the taxpayer unless, under the
taxpayer’s method of accounting, the
income is properly accounted for in a
different period. For this purpose,
businesses and individuals are generally
required to use the accounting method
that is used regularly to keep their
financial records. This may be a cash
receipts and disbursements accounting
method, under which income is
recognized when payment is actually or
constructively received, or it may be an
accounting system based on income and
expense accrual principles. Certain
corporations and some partnerships are
required to use an accrual method, and
generally taxpayers employing
inventories in their trade or business
must use an accrual method with regard
to purchases and sales of inventory.
Current regulations require taxpayers
using an accrual accounting method to
report income in the taxable year in
which all events that fix the right to
receive such income have occurred,
provided the amount can be determined
with reasonable accuracy. Under IRS
guidance, this ‘‘all events test’’ is met
upon the earliest of when (i) payment is
earned through performance by the
taxpayer (e.g., provision of the
contracted goods or services), (ii)
payment is due to the taxpayer, or (iii)
payment is received by the taxpayer.
In contrast, U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles (‘‘GAAP’’) and
international financial reporting
standards (‘‘IFRS’’), having different
purposes from tax law, may often
dictate alternative rules as regards the
timing of revenue recognition.
Differences between these financial
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accounting standards and the Code in
the timing of revenue recognition may
arise for a number of reasons. For
example, under certain circumstances,
financial accounting rules may require
revenue to be recognized when the costs
of providing goods or services pursuant
to a contract are incurred, while the all
events test may not be satisfied until the
contract obligation is fulfilled. If
meeting the taxpayer’s performance
obligation occurs over more than a
single accounting period, then this
timing pattern can result in a disparity
between the year in which the
associated revenue is booked for
financial accounting purposes and the
year in which the associated taxable
gross income is recognized.
Congress enacted new section 451(b)
in part because conformity in the timing
of income recognition between the
accrual system of accounting and the tax
system (‘‘book-tax conformity’’) will
generally ‘‘promote simplification and
reduced compliance costs.’’ See Senate
Budget Explanation of the Bill (2017–
11–20) at p. 161.
Section 451(b) applies only to
taxpayers that use the accrual method
and have an Applicable Financial
Statement (‘‘AFS’’). In plain language,
an AFS is a financial statement certified
as having been prepared under GAAP or
IFRS. All publicly traded U.S.
corporations possess an AFS, as do
many privately held corporations and
partnerships, which may have such
certified accounting statements for
credit purposes or for shareholder or
partner reporting purposes. The income
recognition rules for accrual-method
taxpayers without an AFS and cashmethod taxpayers are not altered by the
enactment of section 451(b) or by the
proposed regulations. The Treasury
Department and the IRS project that
there were approximately 3.1 million
tax-reporting entities in taxable year
2016 that used an accrual method of
accounting. They further project that
fewer than 10 percent of these, or
approximately 296,000 entities had an
AFS, and thus could have been affected
by section 451(b) and the proposed
regulations had these been in effect in
taxable year 2016.
For these taxpayers, Section 451(b)
modifies the all-events test by stating
that the test is not met for any item of
income any later than when it is taken
into account as revenue in an AFS or
other designated financial statement
(the ‘‘AFS income inclusion rule’’).
Thus, this new rule requires taxpayers
to recognize income upon the earlier of
when the all-events test is met or when
the taxpayer includes the amount in
revenue (broadly defined) in its AFS
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(‘‘AFS income inclusion rule’’). The
AFS income inclusion rule operates
only in one direction—to accelerate in
time the recognition of gross income for
tax purposes. This acceleration occurs
in situations where income has been
recognized for financial accounting
purposes before the all events test has
been satisfied.
2. Need for the Proposed Regulations
The proposed regulations deliver
certainty and clarity to taxpayers
affected by the Act’s introduction of the
new section 451(b) and allow them to
comply with the new statutory
provision with a higher level of
confidence.
The Treasury Department and IRS
published a Notice in April 2018,
requesting public comments regarding
the application of the AFS income
inclusion rule, the meaning of various
concepts and terms used in section
451(b), and other implementation issues
not explicitly addressed in the statute.
As explained earlier in this Preamble,
the proposed regulations address the
comments and questions subsequently
raised by the public.
3. Overview of the Proposed Regulations
The proposed regulations include
applicability and definitional guidance
regarding section 451(b). Specifically,
the proposed regulations: (1) Clarify
how the AFS inclusion rule applies to
multi-year contracts; (2) describe and
clarify the definition of an AFS for a
group of entities; (3) define the meaning
of the term revenue in an AFS; (4)
define a transaction price and clarify
how that price is to be allocated to
separate performance obligations in a
contract with multiple obligations; and
(5) describe and clarify rules for
transactions involving certain debt
instruments.
4. Economic Analysis
A. Baseline
The Treasury Department and the IRS
have assessed the benefits and costs of
the proposed regulations relative to a
no-action baseline reflecting anticipated
Federal income tax-related behavior in
the absence of these proposed
regulations.
B. Summary of Economic Effects
The proposed regulations provide
increased certainty, clarity, and
consistency in the application of section
451(b) by providing definitions and
clarifications regarding the statute’s
terms and rules. In the absence of such
guidance, the chances that different
taxpayers would interpret the statute
differently would be exacerbated.
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Similarly situated taxpayers might
interpret the statutory provisions
pertaining to the recognition of income
differently, with one taxpayer pursuing
a project that another comparable
taxpayer might decline to make because
of different interpretations of how the
income would be treated under section
451(b). If this second taxpayer’s activity
were more profitable, an economic loss
arises. Even in situations where
taxpayers would generally adopt similar
interpretations of the Code under the
baseline, the lack of guidance increases
opportunities for that interpretation to
differ from what Congress intended. In
this case, guidance provides value by
bringing economic decisions closer in
line with Congressional intent. In the
context of economic activity by
businesses that are subject to section
451(b) or that interact with such
businesses, the proposed regulations
thus help to ensure that similar
economic activities, representing similar
timing of income, are taxed similarly,
thereby improving U.S. economic
performance.
The Treasury Department and the IRS
have not undertaken quantitative
estimates of these possible efficiency
gains because any such quantitative
estimates would be highly uncertain.
For example, the proposed regulations
include provisions to clarify how
income should be included from multiyear contracts. The Treasury
Department and the IRS do not have
readily available data or models to
determine how businesses might apply
the AFS inclusion rule to multi-year
contracts in the absence of the proposed
regulations or under alternative
regulatory approaches. Furthermore,
even in the event that most businesses
could be presumed to adopt a particular
treatment under the baseline, the
Treasury Department and the IRS
further do not have readily available
data or models of the volume or pattern
of their multi-year contract payments
and they thus cannot project with any
degree of precision the differences in tax
treatment taxpayers would experience
between the proposed regulations and
the baseline or alternative regulatory
approaches. Such differences are a key
component of the marginal effective tax
rate that these contracts would
experience, which in turn would
determine how economic activity would
be affected by the proposed regulations
relative to the baseline or alternative
regulatory approaches.
The Treasury Department and the IRS
further project that issuance of the
proposed regulations will reduce
compliance and enforcement costs
relative to the baseline because the
enhanced certainty and clarity they
provide should make it easier for
businesses to calculate their tax liability
relative to the baseline. Greater
efficiencies should also result from the
promulgation of the proposed
regulations, relative to the baseline, by
reducing taxpayer disputes with the IRS
that otherwise would have to be dealt
with through sub-regulatory guidance or
resolved through increased litigation. By
providing greater certainty of how the
law will be applied, the Treasury
Department and the IRS project that the
proposed regulations will reduce these
implementation costs. The Treasury
Department and the IRS have not made
a quantitative estimate of the reduction
in compliance and enforcement costs
resulting from the proposed regulations.
They have not made such an estimate in
part because models of compliance cost
are not currently available to provide a
reasonably precise estimate of
compliance costs in the absence of the
proposed regulations.
With these limitations in mind, part
II.4.C of this Special Analyses section
explains the rationale behind the
approaches taken by the proposed
regulations and qualitatively evaluates
the alternatives considered.
The Treasury Department and the IRS
solicit comments on the economic
effects of the proposed regulations.
C. Economic Effects of Specific
Provisions
The proposed regulations embody
certain regulatory decisions that reflect
2018
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Payments .............................................................................
AFS Revenue .......................................................................
Gross Income (cumulative) ..................................................
Gross Income (annualized) ..................................................
An annualized approach could
accelerate the recognition of taxable
income to a greater degree than what is
reflected in revenue for AFS purposes.
In this example, such an approach
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$25x
50x
50x
50x
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the regulatory discretion of the Treasury
Department and the IRS. These
decisions specify more fully how the
AFS income inclusion rule is to be
implemented.
The Treasury Department and IRS
solicit comments on the economics of
each of the items discussed below and
of any other items of the proposed
regulations not discussed in this
section. The Treasury Department and
the IRS particularly solicit comments
that provide data, other evidence, or
models that could enhance the rigor of
the process by which the final
regulations might be developed.
i. Application of the AFS Income
Inclusion Rule to Multi-Year Contracts
The proposed regulations clarify how
section 451(b) applies to multi-year
contracts. The Treasury Department and
the IRS considered two alternative
approaches for such contracts: (i) An
annualized approach and (ii) a
cumulative approach. Under an
annualized approach, for each year
under the contract a taxpayer would
compare the income included as
revenue in its AFS for that year and the
gross income recognized under the all
events test for that same year to
determine its gross income inclusion,
with the proviso that the total amount
of gross income recognized under the
contract is not to exceed the total
contract price. In contrast, under a
cumulative approach, in each year a
taxpayer would compare the cumulative
amount of revenue included in its AFS
up to and including that year with the
cumulative amount of gross income
recognized under the all events test up
to and including that year.
Example 4 of the proposed
regulations, the summary table of which
is reproduced in the first three rows of
the following table, shows the treatment
of gross income under a cumulative
approach. The fourth row in this table
shows the treatment of gross income
under the annualized approach.
2020
$25x
0x
0x
25x
would ignore in 2019 the fact that
cumulative AFS revenue of $50x had
been recognized as taxable gross income
in 2018. Accordingly, the annualized
approach would require that an
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2021
$25x
20x
25x
25x
Total
$25x
30x
25x
0x
$100x
100x
100x
100x
additional $25x of income be recognized
in 2019, since a payment of that amount
was received in that year. In effect, an
annualized approach would accelerate
the recognition of $25x from 2021 to
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2019 relative to gross income
recognition under the cumulative AFS
income inclusion rule.
The Treasury Department and IRS
concluded that the extent of
acceleration of income that may occur
when using an annualized approach
would be excessive relative to the
cumulative approach when considered
against the intents and purposes of the
statute. The proposed regulations
therefore adopt the cumulative
approach.
ii. Applicable Financial Statement
Covering a Group of Entities
The proposed regulations provide
rules for taxpayers whose financial
results are included on an AFS covering
a group of entities. These rules specify
that, if a taxpayer’s financial results are
reported on the AFS for a group of
entities, the taxpayer’s AFS is the
group’s AFS. However, if the taxpayer
also reports financial results on a
separate AFS that is of equal or higher
priority, then the separate AFS is the
taxpayer’s AFS. The rules also specify
how a taxpayer using a group AFS is to
determine the amount of revenue
allocated to the taxpayer. The Treasury
Department and the IRS considered as
an alternative not providing substantive
rules on how taxpayers should apply
the AFS income inclusion rule when
their financial results are included in an
AFS for a group of entities. This
alternative was rejected because it
would have increased compliance
burdens and potentially led to similarly
situated taxpayers applying the AFS
income inclusion rule differently.
The Code does not specify how the
AFS income inclusion rule is to
function whenever the AFS accounting
period and the taxable year do not
coincide. The proposed regulations do
not adopt a single, one-size-fits-all
approach, but rather provide taxpayers
three separate options for addressing
this situation. A change from one option
to another, however, would be
considered a change in method of
accounting requiring the permission of
the IRS. By providing taxpayers with
several options, the proposed
regulations will minimize taxpayer
compliance costs when dealing with
non-congruent tax and financial
accounting periods relative to an
alternative approach of specifying a
single option, with no significant
revenue implications or effects on
economic decisions.
iii. Revenue in an AFS
The proposed regulations describe
and clarify the definition of revenue to
broadly include all items of income
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under section 61. Because this
definition of revenue is based on tax
principles, there may be items of
revenue included in this definition that
adjust retained earnings on financial
statements but are not reflected in the
revenue line on such financial
statements. The Treasury Department
and the IRS considered and rejected a
narrower definition of revenue or a
definition that was tied to the AFS
definition of revenue. The definition of
revenue advanced in the proposed
regulations is consistent with the
current application of the all events test
under § 1.451–1(a) and ensures that all
financial statement items are taken into
account for tax purposes. In contrast, a
narrow definition of revenue would
allow, or even encourage, taxpayers to
avoid the AFS income inclusion rule by
not classifying an item as revenue on
their financial statement.
iv. Allocation of Transaction Price
Section 451(b)(4) specifies that, in the
case of a contract which contains
multiple performance obligations, the
allocation of the transaction price to
each obligation is determined using the
allocation used in the AFS. The Code,
however, does not define either
transaction price or performance
obligation, thus the proposed regulation
defines these terms. The proposed
regulations clarify that a transaction
price does not include amounts
collected on behalf of third parties.
Transaction price also does not include
amounts that are contingent on the
occurrence or non-occurrence of a
future event. Without these exclusions,
section 451(b) could be used to override
other provisions of the Code concerning
the definition of what constitutes gross
income. This result would be at odds
with the purpose of section 451, which
is not to determine the existence or the
amount of gross income, but rather to
determine the timing of its recognition.
Consequently, alternatives to these rules
were not considered here.
Amounts included in the transaction
price for an AFS are presumed to be not
contingent, unless the taxpayer
demonstrates otherwise. The Treasury
Department and the IRS project that this
rule will lead to reduced compliance
burden for taxpayers, and reduced
administrative costs for taxpayers and
IRS and should lead to fewer taxpayer
disputes on this issue relative to an
alternative presumption regarding
possible contingent amounts.
v. Rules for Certain Debt Instruments
Section 451(b)(2) states that the AFS
inclusion rule does not apply to items
of gross income for which a taxpayer
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uses a special method of accounting
provided under the Code. However, the
Code does not apply this exception to
special accounting rules that apply to
original issue discount (‘‘OID’’), market
discount, and certain other items with
respect to debt instruments under part
V of Subchapter P of the Code.
The proposed regulations implement
this provision regarding special
methods of accounting, and clarify the
effect of section 451(b) on the excepted
Subchapter P rules.
The proposed regulations implement
this provision by providing a nonexhaustive list of special methods of
accounting, and by clarifying how
section 451(b) applies to certain credit
card receivables. The proposed
regulations specifically except from
section 451(b) the timing rules for
accrued market discount on bonds and
the general OID timing rules, as well as
the timing rules for OID determined
with respect to special debt instruments
(contingent payment and variable rate
debt instruments, certain hedged debt
instruments, and inflation-indexed debt
instruments). Nevertheless, following
the legislative history of the Act (see
Conference Report, p. 276), the
proposed regulations provide that credit
card late fees, credit card cash advance
fees, and interchange fees are subject to
the AFS income inclusion rule. The
proposed regulations further specify
that if these credit card fees are subject
to a taxpayer’s AFS, they are not to be
taken into account in determining
whether a debt instrument associated
with them has OID. Existing rules
continue to apply to these items for
taxpayers not possessing an AFS. The
Treasury Department and the IRS expect
that this treatment will provide a
straightforward application of section
451(b) consistent with Congressional
intent without unnecessarily
complicating OID calculations and
adding to taxpayer compliance burdens.
The Treasury Department and the IRS
considered and rejected a broader
application of the AFS income inclusion
rule to include all amounts determined
under the OID and market discount
accounting methods, even in cases
where the items are treated as discount
or as an adjustment to the yield of a debt
instrument over the life of the
instrument in its AFS for financial
reporting purposes. The proposed
regulations do not subject these
amounts to the AFS income inclusion
rule because these special accounting
methods do not generally rely on the all
events test to determine the timing of
income inclusion and these current
special accounting methods provide
workable income-recognition timing
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rules that appropriately measure
income. The Treasury Department and
the IRS expect that subjecting these
items to the AFS income inclusion rule
of section 451(b) would disrupt and
complicate current tax accounting
practices with no general economic
benefit.
II. Paperwork Reduction Act
These proposed regulations do not
impose any additional information
collection requirements in the form of
reporting, recordkeeping requirements
or third-party disclosure requirements.
However, because section 451(b) and
the proposed regulations provide
methods of accounting affecting the
timing of income inclusion, the consent
of the Commissioner under section
446(e) is required before using such
method. The IRS expects that these
taxpayers will request this consent by
filing Form 3115, Application for
Change in Accounting Method. Filing of
Form 3115 (for taxpayers who are
required to do so or who elect certain
methods of accounting described in the
proposed regulations) is the sole
collection of information requirement
imposed by the statute and the proposed
regulations. See subsequent paragraphs
for a description of taxpayers who
would be required to change the method
of accounting under the statute and the
proposed regulations.
For purposes of the Paperwork
Reduction Act, the reporting burden
associated with these collections of
information will be reflected in the IRS
Form 3115 Paperwork Reduction Act
Submissions (OMB control number
1545–0074 for individual income tax
returns; OMB control number 1545–
0123 for business taxpayers). On
December 17, 2018, the Treasury
Department and the IRS published
Revenue Procedure 2018–60, 2018–51
IRB 1045, which provides procedures
for taxpayers to make a change in
method of accounting to comply with
section 451(b)(1)(A) and/or (b)(4).
Taxpayers are able to request these
section 451 changes using reduced filing
requirements, such as by filing a short
Form 3115, or for certain taxpayers, by
using a streamlined method change
procedure that involves not filing a
Form 3115. See also the revenue
procedure accompanying these
regulations for similar simplified
method change procedures to make a
change in method of accounting to
comply with these proposed
regulations.
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In 2018, the IRS released and invited
comment on a draft of Form 3115 in
order to give members of the public the
opportunity to benefit from certain
specific provisions made to the Code.
The IRS received no comments on the
forms during the comment period.
Consequently, the IRS made the forms
available in January 2019 for use by the
public. The IRS notes that Form 3115
applies to changes of accounting
methods generally and is therefore
broader than section 451(b).
Additionally, proposed § 1.451–3(h)
provides additional methods of
accounting that require a taxpayer to
request consent of the Commissioner
under section 446(e) before using such
method. Under proposed § 1.451–
3(h)(4)(iii), for a taxpayer with a
financial accounting year that is
different from its tax accounting year, a
change in the method by which the
taxpayer computes its revenue is a
change in method of accounting. Under
proposed § 1.451–3(h)(5), a restatement
of an AFS that changes the timing of
which an item of income, or portion
thereof, is taken into account in revenue
on the AFS is also a change in method
of accounting. The Treasury Department
and the IRS expect that taxpayers will
request this consent by filing Form
3115.
For a taxpayer with an AFS required
to comply with section 451(b) and/or
proposed § 1.451–3, a change in the
taxpayer’s revenue recognition policies
for financial accounting purposes
requires the taxpayer to seek the consent
of the Commissioner under section
446(e) to use the method for Federal
income tax purposes. See proposed
§ 1.451–3(l). The reporting burden
associated with the collection of
information for a statement in lieu of the
Form 3115 will be reflected in the
Paperwork Reduction Act Submission
associated with Revenue Procedure
2018–31, 2018–22 IRB 637 (or
successor) (OMB control number 1545–
1551). See the revenue procedure
accompanying these proposed
regulations.
The current status of the Paperwork
Reduction Act submissions that will be
revised as a result of the information
collections in the proposed regulations
is provided in the accompanying table.
As described above, the reporting
burdens associated with the information
collections in the proposed regulations
are included in the aggregated burden
estimates for OMB control numbers
1545–0074 (in the case of individual
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47201
filers of Form 3115), 1545–0123 (in the
case of business filers of Form 3115),
and 1545–1551 (in the case of filers
subject to Revenue Procedure 2018–31).
The overall burden estimates associated
with the OMB control numbers below
are aggregate amounts that relate to the
entire package of forms associated with
the applicable OMB control number and
will in the future include, but not
isolate, the estimated burden of the tax
forms that will be created or revised as
a result of the information collections in
the proposed regulations. These
numbers are therefore unrelated to the
future calculations needed to assess the
burden imposed by the proposed
regulations. These burdens have been
reported for other income tax
regulations that rely on the same
information collections and the
Treasury Department and the IRS urge
readers to recognize that these numbers
are duplicates and to guard against
overcounting the burdens imposed by
tax provisions prior to the Act. No
burden estimates specific to the forms
affected by the proposed regulations are
currently available. The Treasury
Department and the IRS have not
estimated the burden, including that of
any new information collections, related
to the requirements under the proposed
regulations. For the OMB control
numbers discussed in the preceding
paragraphs, the Treasury Department
and the IRS estimate PRA burdens on a
taxpayer-type basis rather than a
provision-specific basis. Those
estimates capture both changes made by
the Act and those that arise out of
discretionary authority exercised in the
proposed regulations (when final) and
other regulations that affect the
compliance burden for that form.
The Treasury Department and IRS
request comment on all aspects of
information collection burdens related
to the proposed regulations, including
estimates for how much time it would
take to comply with the paperwork
burdens described above for each
relevant form and ways for the IRS to
minimize the paperwork burden. In
addition, when available, drafts of IRS
forms are posted for comment at https://
apps.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/draft
TaxForms.htm. IRS forms are available
at https://www.irs.gov/formsinstructions. Forms will not be finalized
until after they have been approved by
OMB under the PRA.
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D. Regulatory Flexibility Act
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It is hereby certified that these
regulations will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities within the
meaning of section 601(6) of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C.
chapter 6).
New section 451(b) of the Act requires
that an item of income be included in
gross income for tax purposes no later
than when the item is counted as
revenue in an applicable financial
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statement. This typically moves the
recognition of income forward by a year
or two compared to previous law. These
proposed regulations provide general
guidance on the rule, including the
scope of the rule, exceptions to the rule,
definitions of key terms, and examples
demonstrating applicability of the rule.
The Treasury Department and the IRS
have estimated the number of small
business entities that may be affected by
the statute and these proposed
regulations. The statute and proposed
regulations affect only those business
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entities that (i) use an accrual method of
accounting, and (ii) have an applicable
financial statement.
Regarding an accrual method of
accounting, many small business
entities use the cash receipts and
disbursements method of accounting
(cash method), as opposed to an accrual
method, and thus are not subject to this
provision. The percent of returns that
use an accrual method of accounting, by
entity types and for entities with gross
receipts not greater than $25 million, are
shown in the accompanying table.
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47203
TOTAL RETURNS AND RETURNS USING ACCRUAL METHOD OF ACCOUNTING
[Taxable Year 2016]
Entities with gross receipts not greater than $25 million
Total returns
(thousands)
Entity
Returns using
an accrual
method of
accounting
(thousands)
Percent of
returns
using accrual
method of
accounting
C corporations .............................................................................................................................
S corporations ..............................................................................................................................
Partnerships .................................................................................................................................
Sole proprietors and LLCs ...........................................................................................................
1,567
4,551
3,743
25,524
700
1,140
860
358
45
25
23
1
All entities .............................................................................................................................
35,385
3,058
9
Source: Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income.
The Treasury Department and the IRS
next examined the second condition,
that only entities with an Applicable
Financial Statement (‘‘AFS’’) are
affected by the statute and the proposed
regulations. The Treasury Department
and the IRS do not have readily
available data to measure the prevalence
of entities with an AFS. However,
Schedule M–3, which is used to
reconcile an entity’s net income or loss
for tax purposes with its book income or
loss, reports whether an entity has a
certified audited income statement.
Unfortunately for the current exercise,
the Schedule M–3 is required to be filed
only by entities possessing at least $10
million of assets. Nevertheless, it is this
population that is far more likely to
possess an AFS. Furthermore, data are
currently available only for electronic
filers.
For taxable year 2016, approximately
87 percent of accrual-method entities
filing Forms 1120, 1120–S, and 1065
with gross receipts of $25 million or less
were filers of electronic tax forms.
About 11 percent, or 265,000 of these
returns, included a Schedule M–3.
About 40 percent of the returns with
Schedule M–3, or 106,000, indicated
they had a certified audited income
statement.1 Based on the assumption
that filers of paper tax forms have the
same incidence as electronic filers and
that entities that do not file a Schedule
M–3 generally do not have an AFS, then
the Treasury Department and the IRS
estimate that roughly 122,000
(=106,000/0.87) entities with gross
receipts of $25 million or less are
accrual-method entities that have an
AFS. If 5 percent of entities that do not
file a Schedule M–3 also have an AFS
then approximately 247,000 entities
with gross receipts of $25 million or less
are potentially affected by the proposed
regulations. These estimates of affected
filing entities are reproduced in the
following table.
CORPORATION AND PARTNERSHIP RETURNS USING AN ACCRUAL METHOD OF ACCOUNTING TAXABLE YEAR 2016
[Thousands of returns]
Entities with gross receipts not greater than $25 million
E-Filed
returns
Returns
Returns
Returns
Returns
Returns
Returns
........................................................................................................................................
with a Schedule M–3 .....................................................................................................
with a Schedule M–3 and an audited income statement ..............................................
without a Schedule M–3 ................................................................................................
without a Schedule M–3, but with an audited income statement .................................
with an audited income statement .................................................................................
2,441
265
106
2,176
** 109
** 215
Paper-Filed
returns
361
* 39
* 16
* 322
** 16
** 32
Total
returns
2,802
* 374
* 122
* 2,498
** 125
** 247
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* Estimates are obtained by assuming paper-filed returns are similar to e-filed returns as regards the incidence of a filing entity having a
Schedule M–3 and an audited income statement.
** Estimates are obtained by assuming that 5% of returns without a Schedule M–3 have an audited income statement. This compares with approximately 40% of returns with a Schedule M–3 having such a statement.
Source: Non-italic entries are estimates taken from the IRS’s Research, Applied Analytics and Statistics Division using data from the Compliance Data Warehouse. The total number of accrual method returns of corporations and partnerships (2,802,000) differs slightly from that reported in the earlier table (2,700,000) due to the use of different data sources for the two estimates. Italicized entries are additional estimates obtained in the manner indicated in the table notes.
This rule would not have a significant
economic impact on small entities
affected. The costs to comply with these
proposed regulations are not significant.
Taxpayers needing to make method
changes pursuant to section 451(b) or
the proposed regulations will be
required to file a Form 3115. The
Treasury Department and the IRS have
provided streamlined procedures for
certain taxpayers to change their
method of accounting to comply with
section 451(b), and plan to provide
streamlined procedures for taxpayers to
change to the methods of accounting
described in these proposed regulations.
See Revenue Procedure 2018–60, and
the revenue procedure accompanying
these regulations. Under the streamlined
procedures, certain taxpayers would
either complete only a portion of the
1 Data are based on estimates from the IRS’s
Research, Applied Analytics and Statistics Division
using data from the Compliance Data Warehouse.
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Form 3115 or would not complete the
Form 3115 at all to comply with section
451(b). The streamlined method change
procedures are available to taxpayers
(other than a tax shelter) who satisfy the
gross receipts test under section 448(c)
and for taxpayers making such a method
change which results in a zero section
481(a) adjustment. (For tax years
beginning in 2018, an entity satisfied
the gross receipts test if its average
annual gross receipts was $25 million or
less. For tax years beginning in 2019,
this threshold increased to $26 million
or less.) In addition, the Treasury
Department and the IRS plan to issue a
streamlined procedure, using a short
Form 3115, for taxpayers using a section
451(b) method who have a change in
their AFS for revenue recognition that
requires a method change for tax
purposes. See the revenue procedure
accompanying these regulations.
As noted in the revenue procedure
accompanying these regulations, the
estimated cumulative annual reporting
and/or recordkeeping burden for the
statutory method changes described
under OMB control number 1545–1551,
before publication of the revenue
procedure, is 27,336 respondents, and a
total annual reporting and/or
recordkeeping burden of 30,580 hours.
The estimated annual burden per
respondent/recordkeeper under OMB
control number 1545–1551 before
publication of this revenue procedure
varies from 1⁄6 hour to 81⁄2 hours,
depending on individual circumstances,
with an estimated average of 11⁄4 hours.
The estimated cumulative annual
reporting and/or recordkeeping burden
for the method changes described under
OMB control number 1545–1551 after
that revenue procedure is accounted for
is 27,346 respondents, and a total
annual reporting and/or recordkeeping
burden is 31,479 hours, leaving the
average reporting and recordkeeping
burden essentially unchanged. These
burdens are essentially unaffected by
these proposed regulations.
Notwithstanding this certification, the
Treasury Department and the IRS invite
comments from the public about the
impact of this proposed rule on small
entities.
Pursuant to section 7805(f), these
regulations will be submitted to the
Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small
Business Administration for comment
on their impact on small business.
IV. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
Section 202 of the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires
that agencies assess anticipated costs
and benefits and take certain other
actions before issuing a final rule that
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includes any Federal mandate that may
result in expenditures in any one year
by a state, local, or tribal government, in
the aggregate, or by the private sector, of
$100 million in 1995 dollars, updated
annually for inflation. In 2018, that
threshold is approximately $150
million. This rule does not include any
Federal mandate that may result in
expenditures by state, local, or tribal
governments, or by the private sector in
excess of that threshold.
PART 1—INCOME TAXES
Paragraph 1. The authority citation
for part 1 is amended by adding entries
in numerical order to read, in part, as
follows:
■
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
*
*
*
*
V. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
§ 1.446–1
Executive Order 13132 (entitled
‘‘Federalism’’) prohibits an agency from
publishing any rule that has federalism
implications if the rule either imposes
substantial, direct compliance costs on
state and local governments, and is not
required by statute, or preempts state
law, unless the agency meets the
consultation and funding requirements
of section 6 of the Executive Order. This
rule does not have federalism
implications and does not impose
substantial direct compliance costs on
state and local governments or preempt
state law within the meaning of the
Executive Order.
■
Comments and Requests for a Public
Hearing
Before these proposed regulations are
adopted as final regulations,
consideration will be given to any
comments that are submitted timely to
the IRS as prescribed in this preamble
under the ADDRESSES heading. The
Treasury Department and the IRS
request comments on all aspects of the
proposed rules. All comments will be
available at https://www.regulations.gov
or upon request. A public hearing will
be scheduled if requested in writing by
any person that timely submits written
comments. If a public hearing is
scheduled, notice of the date, time, and
place for the public hearing will be
published in the Federal Register.
Drafting Information
The principal author of these
proposed regulations is Charles Gorham,
IRS Office of the Associate Chief
Counsel (Income Tax and Accounting).
However, other personnel from the
Treasury Department and the IRS
participated in their development.
List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1
Income taxes, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
Proposed Amendments to the
Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is
proposed to be amended as follows:
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*
*
*
Section 1.451–3 also issued under 26
U.S.C. 451(b)(1)(A)(ii) and (b)(3)(C).
*
*
*
[Amended]
Par. 2. Section 1.446–1 is amended by
adding ‘‘(See § 1.451–1 for rules relating
to the taxable year of inclusion.)’’
between the first and second sentences
of paragraph (c)(1)(ii)(A).
■ Par. 3. Section 1.446–2 is amended by
removing ‘‘or’’ at the end of paragraph
(a)(2)(i)(E), removing the period at the
end of paragraph (a)(2)(i)(F) and adding
in its place ‘‘; or’’ and adding paragraph
(a)(2)(i)(G).
The addition reads as follows:
§ 1.446–2
interest.
Method of accounting for
(a) * * *
(2) * * *
(i) * * *
(G) Section 1.451–3(i) (special
ordering rule for specified fees).
*
*
*
*
*
§ 1.451–1
[Amended]
Par. 4. Section 1.451–1 is amended
by:
■ a. Adding ‘‘(the all events test)’’ to the
end of the second sentence of paragraph
(a);
■ b. Redesignating paragraphs (b)
through (g) as (d) through (i); and
■ c. Adding new paragraphs (b) and
reserved (c).
The additions read as follows:
■
§ 1.451–1 General rule for taxable year of
inclusion.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) Special rule for timing of income
inclusion for taxpayers with an
applicable financial statement using an
accrual method of accounting. For the
timing of income inclusion with respect
to taxpayers with an applicable
financial statement using an accrual
method of accounting, see also § 1.451–
3.
(c) [Reserved]
*
*
*
*
*
■ Par. 5. Section 1.451–3 is added to
read as follows:
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§ 1.451–3 Timing of income inclusion for
taxpayers with an applicable financial
statement using an accrual method of
accounting.
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(a) Table of contents. This paragraph
(a) lists captioned paragraphs contained
in § 1.451–3.
§ 1.451–3 Timing of income inclusion for
taxpayers with an applicable financial
statement using an accrual method of
accounting.
(a) Table of contents.
(b) General rule.
(c) Definitions.
(1) Applicable financial statement.
(i) GAAP Statements.
(ii) IFRS Statements.
(iii) Other Statements.
(iv) Additional rules for determining
priority.
(2) Equity method.
(3) Performance obligation.
(4) Revenue.
(5) Special method of accounting.
(6) Transaction price.
(d) Exceptions to the AFS income
inclusion rule.
(e) No change in the treatment of a
transaction.
(f) No change to exclusion provisions and
non-recognition treatments.
(g) Contracts with multiple performance
obligations.
(1) In general.
(2) Example.
(h) Additional AFS issues.
(1) AFS covering groups of entities.
(i) In general.
(ii) Example.
(2) Separately stated items.
(3) Non-separately stated items.
(4) Computation of revenue when the AFS
covers mismatched reportable periods
(i) In general.
(ii) Permissible methods to determine
revenue.
(iii) Method of accounting.
(5) Restatement of AFS.
(i) Special ordering rule for certain items
of income with respect to debt instruments.
(1) In general.
(2) Specified fees.
(3) Example.
(j) Treatment of adjustments to deferred
revenue in an AFS.
(1) In general.
(2) Example.
(k) Cumulative rule for multi-year
contracts.
(l) Methods of accounting
(1) In general.
(2) Transition rule for changes in method
of accounting.
(i) In general.
(ii) Special rules for OID.
(iii) Qualified change in method of
accounting.
(m) Examples.
(1) Example 1. Mismatched reportable
periods.
(2) Example 2. Provision of installation
services.
(3) Example 3. Provision of goods.
(4) Example 4. Provision of services
included in AFS without deferral of advance
payments under section 451(c)(1)(B).
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(5) Example 5. Provision of services
included in AFS with deferral of advance
payments under section 451(c)(1)(B).
(6) Example 6. Sale of goods with AFS
revenue adjustments.
(7) Example 7. Chargebacks.
(8) Example 8. Sale of property using a
special method of accounting.
(9) Example 9. Non-recognition provisions
not changed for Federal income tax purposes.
(n) Applicability date.
(1) In general.
(2) Delayed application with respect to
certain fees.
(3) Early application of this section.
(i) In general.
(ii) Certain fees.
(A) Specified credit card fees.
(B) Specified fees.
(b) General rule. If a taxpayer has an
applicable financial statement (AFS),
the all events test under § 1.451–1(a)
with respect to any item of gross
income, or portion thereof, is met no
later than when that item, or portion
thereof, is taken into account as revenue
in the taxpayer’s AFS (the AFS income
inclusion rule). Except as provided in
paragraph (i) of this section for certain
items of income with respect to debt
instruments, the AFS income inclusion
rule does not apply to any item of gross
income, or portion thereof, when the
timing of income for that item, or
portion thereof, is determined using a
special method of accounting, as
defined in paragraph (c)(5) of this
section. If a special method of
accounting is used, income is taken into
account as prescribed by that special
method of accounting. See, however,
paragraph (d) of this section for
exceptions for taxpayers without an
AFS and income in connection with a
mortgage servicing contract.
(c) Definitions. For purposes of this
section, the following definitions apply:
(1) Applicable financial statement.
Subject to the rules in paragraph
(c)(1)(iv) of this section, applicable
financial statement (AFS) means the
taxpayer’s financial statement listed in
paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (iii) of this
section that has the highest priority,
including priority within paragraphs
(c)(1)(i)(B) and (c)(1)(ii)(B) of this
section. The financial statements are, in
order of descending priority:
(i) GAAP Statements. A financial
statement that is certified as being
prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles (GAAP)
and is:
(A) A Form 10–K (or successor form),
or annual statement to shareholders,
filed with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC);
(B) An audited financial statement of
the taxpayer that is used for:
(1) Credit purposes;
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(2) Reporting to shareholders,
partners, or other proprietors, or to
beneficiaries; or
(3) Any other substantial non-tax
purpose; or
(C) A financial statement, other than
a tax return, filed with the Federal
government or any Federal agency,
other than the SEC or the Internal
Revenue Service;
(ii) IFRS Statements. A financial
statement that is certified as being
prepared in accordance with
international financial reporting
standards (IFRS) and is:
(A) Filed by the taxpayer with an
agency of a foreign government that is
equivalent to the SEC, and has reporting
standards not less stringent than the
standards required by the SEC;
(B) An audited financial statement of
the taxpayer that is used for:
(1) Credit purposes;
(2) Reporting to shareholders,
partners, or other proprietors, or to
beneficiaries; or
(3) Any other substantial non-tax
purpose; or
(C) A financial statement, other than
a tax return, filed with the Federal
government or any Federal agency,
other than the SEC or the Internal
Revenue Service, or a foreign
government or agency of a foreign
government, other than an agency that
is equivalent to the SEC or the Internal
Revenue Service; or
(iii) Other Statements. A financial
statement, other than a tax return, filed
with the Federal government or any
Federal agency, a state government or
state agency, or a self-regulatory
organization (for example, a financial
statement filed with a state agency that
regulates insurance companies or the
Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority). Additional financial
statements included in this paragraph
(c)(1)(iii) may be provided in guidance
published in the Internal Revenue
Bulletin (see § 601.601(d) of this
chapter).
(iv) Additional rules for determining
priority. If a taxpayer restates revenue in
an AFS prior to the date that the
taxpayer files its Federal income tax
return for such taxable year, for
purposes of determining priority, the
restated AFS must be used instead of
the original AFS. A taxpayer with
different financial accounting and
taxable years that is required to file both
annual financial statements and
periodic financial statements covering
less than a year with a government
agency must use the annual statement
filed with the agency to determine
priority.
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(2) Equity method. Equity method
means a method of accounting for
financial accounting purposes under
which an investment is initially
recorded at cost and subsequently
increased or decreased in carrying value
by the investor’s proportionate share of
income and losses and such income or
losses are reported as separate items on
the investor’s statement of income.
(3) Performance obligation.
Performance obligation means a
promise in a contract with a customer
to transfer to the customer either a good
or service, or a combination of both, that
is distinct; or a series of distinct goods
or services, or a combination of both,
that are substantially the same and that
have the same pattern of transfer to the
customer.
(4) Revenue. Revenue means all
transaction price amounts includible in
gross income under section 61. The
characterization of a transaction price in
the AFS is not determinative of whether
it is taken into account as revenue in a
taxpayer’s AFS. For example, any
transaction price amount that is
reported as other comprehensive
income in an AFS is taken into account
as revenue in an AFS.
(5) Special method of accounting.
Special method of accounting means a
method of accounting permitted or
required under any provision of the
Code, the Income Tax Regulations, or
other guidance published in the Internal
Revenue Bulletin (see § 601.601(d) of
this chapter) under which an item of
income is taken into account in a
taxable year other than the taxable year
in which the all events test is met. See,
however, paragraph (i) of this section
relating to certain items of income with
respect to debt instruments. The
following are examples of special
methods of accounting to which the
AFS income inclusion rule generally
does not apply:
(i) The crop method of accounting
under sections 61 and 162;
(ii) Methods of accounting provided
in sections 453 through 460;
(iii) Methods of accounting for
hedging transactions under § 1.446–4;
(iv) Methods of accounting for REMIC
inducement fees under § 1.446–6;
(v) Methods of accounting for gain on
shares in a money market fund under
§ 1.446–7;
(vi) Methods of accounting for certain
rental payments under section 467;
(vii) The mark-to-market method of
accounting under section 475;
(viii) Timing rules for income and
gain associated with a transaction that is
integrated under § 1.988–5, and income
and gain under the nonfunctional
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currency contingent payment debt
instrument rules in § 1.988–6;
(ix) Except as otherwise provided in
paragraph (i) of this section, timing
rules for original issue discount (OID)
under section 811(b)(3) or 1272 (and the
regulations under section 1272), income
under the contingent payment debt
instrument rules in § 1.1275–4, income
under the variable rate debt instrument
rules in § 1.1275–5, income and gain
associated with a transaction that is
integrated under § 1.1275–6, and
income under the inflation-indexed debt
instrument rules in § 1.1275–7;
(x) Timing rules for de minimis OID
under § 1.1273–1(d) and for de minimis
market discount (as defined in section
1278(a)(2)(C));
(xi) Timing rules for accrued market
discount under sections 1276 and
1278(b); and
(xii) Methods of accounting provided
in sections 1502 and 1503 and the
regulations thereunder, including the
method of accounting relating to
intercompany transactions under
§ 1.1502–13.
(6) Transaction price. The transaction
price means the gross amount of
consideration to which a taxpayer
expects to be entitled for AFS purposes
in exchange for transferring promised
goods, services, or other property,
including amounts referred to in
paragraph (i) of this section, but not
including:
(i) Amounts collected on behalf of
third parties (for example, some sales
taxes) that are otherwise not income to
the taxpayer;
(ii) Increases in consideration to
which a taxpayer’s entitlement is
contingent on the occurrence or
nonoccurrence of a future event (for
example, bonuses contingent on
performance and insurance contract
commissions contingent on renewal) for
the period in which the amount is
contingent. Amounts included in the
transaction price for AFS purposes are
presumed to not be contingent on the
occurrence or nonoccurrence of a future
event, unless, upon examination of all
the facts and circumstances existing at
the end of the taxable year, it can be
established to the satisfaction of the
Commissioner that the amount is
contingent on the occurrence or
nonoccurrence of a future event. An
amount included in the transaction
price for AFS purposes that is actually
or constructively received, that is due
and payable, or for which the taxpayer
has an enforceable right to payment for
performance completed to date,
however, will not be treated as
contingent on the occurrence or
nonoccurrence of a future event; or
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(iii) Reductions for amounts subject to
section 461, including allowances,
adjustments, rebates, chargebacks,
refunds, rewards (for example,
estimated redemption costs associated
with loyalty programs), and amounts
included in costs of goods sold.
(d) Exceptions to the AFS income
inclusion rule. The AFS income
inclusion rule does not apply unless all
of the taxpayer’s taxable year is covered
by an AFS. In addition, the AFS income
inclusion rule does not apply to any
item of income in connection with a
mortgage servicing contract.
(e) No change in the treatment of a
transaction. Except as provided in
paragraph (i)(2) of this section, the AFS
income inclusion rule does not change
the treatment of a transaction for
Federal income tax purposes. The
following are examples of transactions
where the treatment for AFS purposes
does not change the treatment of the
transaction for Federal income tax
purposes:
(1) A transaction treated as a lease,
license, or similar transaction for
Federal income tax purposes that is
treated as a sale or financing for AFS
purposes, and vice versa;
(2) A transaction that is not required
to be marked-to-market for Federal
income tax purposes but that is markedto-market for AFS purposes;
(3) Asset sale and liquidation
treatment under section 336(e) or
338(h)(10);
(4) A distribution of a corporation or
the allocable share of partnership items
or an income inclusion under section
951, 951A, or 1293(a) for Federal
income tax purposes that is accounted
for under the equity method for AFS
purposes;
(5) A distribution of previously taxed
earnings and profits of a foreign
corporation; and
(6) A deposit or conduit payment for
Federal income tax purposes that is
treated as revenue for AFS purposes.
(f) No change to exclusion provisions
and the treatment of non-recognition
transactions. The AFS income inclusion
rule does not change the applicability of
any exclusion provision, or the
treatment of non-recognition
transactions, in the Code, the Income
Tax Regulations, or other guidance
published in the Internal Revenue
Bulletin (see § 601.601(d) of this
chapter). The following are examples of
exclusion provisions and nonrecognition transactions that are not
affected by the AFS income inclusion
rule:
(1) Any non-recognition transaction,
within the meaning of section
7701(a)(45), (for example, a liquidation
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described in sections 332 and 337, an
exchange described in section 351, a
distribution described in section 355, a
reorganization described in section 368,
a contribution described in section 721,
or transactions described in sections
1031 through 1045); and
(2) Items specifically excluded from
income under sections 101 through 140.
(g) Contracts with multiple
performance obligations—(1) In general.
For purposes of this section, if a
taxpayer’s contract with a customer has
more than one performance obligation,
transaction price is allocated to
performance obligations as transaction
price is allocated to performance
obligations in the taxpayer’s AFS.
(2) Example. Taxpayer A, a manufacturer
and servicer of airplane parts, is a calendaryear accrual method taxpayer with an AFS.
In 2018, A enters into a $100x contract to sell
airplane parts and to service those parts, as
necessary, in 2018, 2019, and 2020. For AFS
purposes, A allocates $40x of the total
contract price to the delivery of parts in 2018,
$10x to the provision of services in 2018,
$20x to the provision of services in 2019, and
$30x to the provision of services in 2020. In
2018, A delivers parts and provides services.
On its 2018 AFS, A includes the $40x for the
delivery of parts and the $10x for the
provision of services in revenue. Under
paragraph (g)(1) of this section, because the
contract involves multiple performance
obligations, A must use its transaction price
AFS allocation to determine whether income
from the sale of airplane parts and services
are included in revenue in its AFS for
purposes of this section. Accordingly, under
the AFS income inclusion rule in paragraph
(b) of this section, for the $40x sale of
airplane parts and the $10x provision of
services in 2018 the all events test is not met
any later than A’s 2018 taxable year.
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(h) Additional AFS issues—(1) AFS
covering groups of entities—(i) In
general. For purposes of this section, if
a taxpayer’s financial results are
reported on the AFS for a group of
entities, the taxpayer’s AFS is the
group’s AFS. However, if the taxpayer’s
financial results are also reported on a
separate AFS that is of equal or higher
priority to the group’s AFS under
paragraph (c)(1) of this section, then the
taxpayer’s AFS is the separate AFS.
(ii) Example. Taxpayer B, a reseller of
computers and electronics, is a calendar-year
accrual method taxpayer. In 2018, B’s
financial results are included in its parent
corporation’s consolidated Form 10–K filed
with the SEC, but it files a separate Federal
income tax return. Under paragraph (h)(1) of
this section, because its financial results are
reported on the AFS for its parent
corporation, B must use its parent
corporation’s consolidated Form 10–K as its
AFS. Accordingly, under the AFS income
inclusion rule in paragraph (b) of this
section, for the sale of computers and
electronics the all events test is not met any
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later than when the sale is included in its
parent corporation’s consolidated Form 10–
K.
(2) Separately stated items. If a
group’s AFS is treated as the taxpayer’s
AFS, the taxpayer must look to any
separately stated items to determine the
amount of revenue allocated to the
taxpayer.
(3) Non-separately stated items. If a
group’s AFS does not separately state
items, the portion of the revenue
allocable to the taxpayer is determined
by relying on the source documents that
were used to create the group’s AFS.
(4) Computation of revenue when the
AFS covers mismatched reportable
periods—(i) In general. If a taxpayer’s
AFS is prepared on the basis of a
financial accounting year that differs
from the taxpayer’s taxable year, the
taxpayer must use one of the
permissible methods listed in paragraph
(h)(4)(ii) of this section to determine
revenue for purposes of the AFS income
inclusion rule.
(ii) Permissible methods to determine
revenue. For purposes of paragraph
(h)(4)(i) of this section, a taxpayer must
use one of the following methods to
determine revenue for the taxable year
in order to apply the AFS income
inclusion rule:
(A) The taxpayer computes revenue
by using the accounting principles used
to create its AFS to determine whether
an item would be included in revenue
in an AFS for the taxable year as if its
financial reporting period was the same
as its taxable year, for example, by
conducting an interim closing of its
books.
(B) The taxpayer computes revenue by
including a pro rata portion of the
revenue for each financial accounting
year that includes any part of the
taxpayer’s taxable year. If the taxpayer’s
AFS for part of the taxable year is not
available by the due date of the return
(with extension), the taxpayer must
make a reasonable estimate of revenue
for the pro rata portion of the taxable
year for which an AFS is not yet
available. See § 1.451–1(a) for
adjustments after actual amounts are
determined.
(C) If a taxpayer’s financial accounting
year ends five or more months after the
end of its taxable year, the taxpayer
computes revenue for Federal income
tax purposes based on the revenue
reported on the AFS prepared for the
financial accounting year ending within
the taxpayer’s taxable year. For
purposes of this paragraph (h)(4)(ii)(C),
if a taxpayer uses a 52–53 week year for
financial accounting or Federal income
tax purposes, the last day of such year
shall be deemed to occur on the last day
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of the calendar month ending closest to
the end of such year.
(iii) Method of accounting. A change
in the method of computing revenue
under this paragraph (h)(4) is a change
in method of accounting under section
446. A taxpayer may change its method
of accounting only with the consent of
the Commissioner as required under
section 446(e) and the corresponding
regulations.
(5) Restatement of AFS. If a taxpayer
restates revenue on an AFS and such
restatement changes the timing of when
an item of income, or a portion thereof,
is taken into account as revenue on the
AFS, the change constitutes a change in
method of accounting under section
446. A taxpayer may change its method
of accounting only with the consent of
the Commissioner as required under
section 446(e) and the corresponding
regulations. If a taxpayer restates
revenue on an AFS to correct an error
or the restatement results in a change in
the estimate of the taxpayer’s pro rata
portion of revenue under paragraph
(h)(4)(ii)(B) of this section, see § 1.451–
1(a).
(i) Special ordering rule for certain
items of income with respect to debt
instruments—(1) In general. If an item of
income, or portion thereof, with respect
to a debt instrument is described in
paragraph (i)(2) of this section, the rules
of this section apply before the rules in
sections 1271 through 1275 and
§§ 1.1271–1 through 1.1275–7 (OID
rules). Therefore, an item of income, or
portion thereof, described in paragraph
(i)(2) of this section may not be taken
into income later than when that item,
or portion thereof, is taken into account
as revenue in the taxpayer’s AFS,
regardless of whether the timing of
income inclusion for that item is
normally determined using a special
method of accounting. See also
§ 1.1275–2(l) for the treatment of the
items described in paragraph (i)(2) of
this section under the OID rules.
(2) Specified fees. Paragraph (i)(1) of
this section applies to fees (specified
fees) that are not treated as discount or
as an adjustment to the yield of a debt
instrument over the life of the
instrument (such as points) in the
taxpayer’s AFS and, but for paragraph
(i) of this section and § 1.1275–2(l),
would be treated as creating or
increasing OID for Federal income tax
purposes. For example, the following
specified fees (specified credit card fees)
are described in this paragraph (i)(2):
(i) A payment of additional interest or
a similar charge provided with respect
to amounts that are not paid when due
on a credit card account (for example,
credit card late fees);
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(ii) Amounts charged under a credit
card agreement when the cardholder
uses the credit card to conduct a cash
advance transaction (for example, credit
card cash advance fees); and
(iii) Amounts a credit or debit card
issuer is entitled to upon a purchase of
goods or services by one of its
cardholders (for example, interchange
fees, which are sometimes labeled
merchant discount in certain private
label credit card transactions).
(3) Example. Taxpayer C, a credit card
issuer, is a calendar-year accrual method
taxpayer with an AFS. In 2019, a cardholder
uses C’s credit card to purchase $100 of
merchandise from a merchant and the
cardholder earns a reward of 1% of the
purchase price of $100 ($1) as part of C’s
cardholder loyalty program. Upon purchase,
C becomes entitled to an interchange fee
equal to 2% of the purchase price of $100
($2). In 2019, C reports the $2 of interchange
fees as revenue in its AFS. C’s $2 of
interchange fees is described in paragraph
(i)(2)(iii) of this section. Under paragraph
(i)(1) of this section, C must apply the rules
in this section before applying the OID rules.
See also § 1.1275–2(l). Therefore, C’s $2 of
interchange fees is included in taxable
income in 2019, the year it is included as
revenue in C’s AFS. Under paragraph
(c)(6)(iii) of this section, the $2 of interchange
revenue is not reduced by the $1 reward.
Even if C reports interchange fees net of
rewards in its AFS for 2019 ($2 of
interchange fee minus $1 reward liability),
under paragraph (c)(6) of this section, C
includes $2 of interchange revenue in taxable
income in 2019. See §§ 162 and 461(h) for the
treatment of the reward by C.
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(j) Treatment of adjustments to
deferred revenue in an AFS—(1) In
general. For purposes of this section, if
a taxpayer treats an item of income as
deferred revenue in its AFS and writes
down or adjusts that item, or portion
thereof, to an equity account (for
example, retained earnings) or
otherwise writes down or adjusts that
item of deferred revenue in a
subsequent taxable year, revenue for
that subsequent taxable year includes
that item, or portion thereof, that is
written down or adjusted.
(2) Example. Taxpayer D, a remanufacturer
of industrial equipment, is a calendar-year
accrual method taxpayer with an AFS. In
2018, D enters into a contract with a
customer to remanufacture equipment in
2019 and 2020 for $100x. The contract is not
a long-term contract under section 460. In its
2018 AFS, D treats the $100x as deferred
revenue. In 2019, all the stock of D is
acquired by an unrelated third party. In its
2019 AFS, D adjusts deferred revenue to $90x
(the expected cost to provide the services) by
charging $10x ($100x ¥ $90x = $10x) to
retained earnings. In its 2019 AFS, D
includes $50x of the $90x of deferred
revenue in revenue. Under paragraph (j)(1) of
this section, D’s adjustment to deferred
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revenue in 2019 is treated as revenue under
paragraph (c)(4) of this section in 2019.
Therefore, under the AFS income inclusion
rule in paragraph (b) of this section, D is
treated as including $60x ($50x + $10x =
$60x) in revenue in its 2019 AFS, and the all
events test is met for that $60x no later than
D’s 2019 taxable year.
(k) Cumulative rule for multi-year
contracts. In the case of a multi-year
contract, a taxpayer must take into
account the cumulative amounts
included in income in prior taxable
years on the contract, if any, in order to
determine the amount to be included for
the taxable years remaining in the
contract. For purposes of this paragraph
(k), multi-year contract means a contract
that spans more than one taxable year.
(l) Methods of accounting—(1) In
general. A change in the method of
recognizing revenue in an AFS that
changes or could change the timing of
the recognition of income for Federal
income tax purposes is a change in
method of accounting under section
446. A taxpayer may change its method
of accounting only with the consent of
the Commissioner as required under
section 446(e) and the corresponding
regulations. Accordingly, a taxpayer that
changes the method of accounting used
to recognize revenue in its AFS is
required to secure consent of the
Commissioner before computing income
using this new method for Federal
income tax purposes.
(2) Transition rule for changes in
method of accounting—(i) In general.
Except as provided in paragraph
(l)(2)(ii) of this section, a taxpayer that
makes a qualified change in method of
accounting for the taxpayer’s first
taxable year beginning after December
31, 2017, is treated as making a change
in method initiated by the taxpayer for
purposes of section 481(a)(2). A
taxpayer obtains the consent of the
Commissioner to make a qualified
change in method of accounting by
using the applicable administrative
procedures that govern voluntary
automatic changes in method of
accounting under section 446(e). See
section § 1.446–1(e)(3).
(ii) Special rules for OID and specified
fees. The rules of paragraph (l)(2)(i) of
this section apply to a qualified change
in method of accounting required under
section 451(b) and paragraph (i) of this
section for the taxpayer’s first taxable
year beginning after December 31, 2018,
if the change relates to a specified credit
card fee (as defined in paragraph (i)(2)
of this section). The rules of paragraph
(l)(2)(i) of this section apply to a
qualified change in method of
accounting required under section
451(b) and paragraph (i) of this section
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Frm 00061
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for the taxpayer’s first taxable year
beginning one year after the date the
Treasury decision adopting these
regulations as final is published in the
Federal Register, if the change relates to
a specified fee (as defined in paragraph
(i)(2) of this section) other than a
specified credit card fee. For purposes
of this paragraph (l)(2)(ii), the section
481(a) adjustment period for any
adjustment under section 481(a) for a
qualified change in method of
accounting required under section
451(b) and paragraph (i) of this section
is six taxable years.
(iii) Qualified change in method of
accounting. For purposes of paragraph
(l)(2) of this section, a qualified change
in method of accounting means any
change in method of accounting that is
required by section 13221 of the Tax
Cuts and Jobs Act, Public Law 115–97
(131 Stat. 2054) (TCJA), or was
prohibited under the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 prior to TCJA section
13221 and is now permitted as a result
of TCJA section 13221.
(m) Examples. The following
examples illustrate the provisions of
this section:
(1) Example 1. Mismatched reportable
periods. Taxpayer A is a calendar-year
accrual method taxpayer with an AFS. For
AFS purposes, A’s financial results are
reported on a June 30 fiscal year. Using the
method described in paragraph (h)(4)(ii)(A)
of this section, for the taxable year 2018, A
uses the financial results reported on its June
30, 2018, AFS to determine whether an item
of income was taken into account as revenue
in A’s AFS from January 1, 2018, through
June 30, 2018, and uses its June 30, 2019,
AFS to determine whether an item of income
is taken into account as revenue in A’s AFS
from July 1, 2018, through December 31,
2018.
(2) Example 2. Provision of installation
services. Taxpayer B is a calendar-year
accrual method taxpayer with an AFS. In
2018, B enters into a contract with a
customer to provide manufacturing
equipment installation services for $100,000.
Throughout the contract, the customer
retains control of the equipment. B has an
enforceable right to payment for services
partially performed. The contract is not a
long-term contract under section 460. B
begins providing the installation services in
2018 and completes the installation services
in 2019. Under the contract, B bills the
customer $50,000 in 2018 when installation
begins. B includes $60,000 in revenue in its
2018 AFS and $40,000 in revenue in its 2019
AFS. Under the AFS income inclusion rule
in paragraph (b) of this section, because
$60,000 of revenue from the installation
services is included in B’s 2018 AFS, the all
events test for that $60,000 of income is met
in B’s 2018 taxable year.
(3) Example 3. Provision of goods.
Taxpayer C is a calendar-year accrual method
taxpayer with an AFS. In 2018, C enters into
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a contract with a customer to provide 50
customized computers for $80,000. Under the
contract, C can bill $80,000 after the
customer accepts delivery of the computers.
However, because of the customization, the
contract provides that C can be paid for work
performed to date, even if the contract is not
completed for reasons other than C’s failure
to perform. C delivers all of the computers in
2018. Customer accepts delivery of the
computers and C bills the customer in 2019.
C includes all $80,000 in revenue in its 2018
AFS. Under the AFS income inclusion rule
in paragraph (b) of this section, because
$80,000 of revenue from the provision of
goods is included in C’s 2018 AFS, the all
events test for that $80,000 of income is met
in C’s 2018 taxable year. Under paragraph
(c)(6)(ii) of this section, the limitation on C’s
ability to bill until after the customer accepts
delivery of the computers is not a future
event that restricts C’s enforceable right to
payment for the goods.
(4) Example 4. Provision of services
included in AFS without deferral of advance
payments under section 451(c)(1)(B).
Taxpayer D, an engineering services
provider, is a calendar-year accrual method
taxpayer with an AFS. In 2018, D enters into
a contract with a customer to provide
services for four years for a total of $100x.
Under the contract, D receives $25x each year
of the contract. D does not elect to defer
advance payments under section 451(c)(1)(B).
For AFS purposes, D reports $50x, $0, $20x,
and $30x of revenue from the contract in
2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively.
Under paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the
allocation of the transaction price in D’s AFS
is used to determine when all or part of that
item is taken into account for purposes of
paragraph (b) of this section. In 2018, D
2018
Payments .............................................................................
AFS Revenue .......................................................................
Income .................................................................................
(5) Example 5. Provision of services
included in AFS with deferral of advance
payments under section 451(c)(1)(B). The
facts are the same as in Example 4 in
paragraph (m)(4) of this section, except D
elects to defer advance payments under
section 451(c)(1)(B). Under paragraph (g)(1)
of this section, the allocation of the
transaction price in D’s AFS is used to
determine when all or part of that item is
taken into account for purposes of paragraph
(b) of this section. In 2018, D includes all of
2019
$25x
50x
50x
2018
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Payments .............................................................................
AFS Revenue .......................................................................
Income .................................................................................
(6) Example 6. Sale of goods with AFS
revenue adjustments. Taxpayer E, a
manufacturer of automobile parts, is a
calendar-year accrual method taxpayer with
an AFS. E normally sells parts for $10 per
part with a 2% bonus if the parts are
delivered on time. Traditionally, 5% of parts
sold are returned. In 2018, E enters a contract
to sell 1,000 parts to a customer for $10 per
part, for a total of $10,000 (1,000 x $10 =
$10,000). The contract also provides that E
will receive a 2% bonus if it delivers all the
parts to the customer by February 1, 2019. E
delivers 500 parts to the customer on
December 31, 2018. On December 31, 2018,
the additional 500 parts were scheduled for
shipment to the customer on January 4, 2019.
For AFS purposes, E expects to earn the 2%
bonus and to have 5% of the parts returned.
In its 2018 AFS, E reports $4,850 ($5,000 +
$100—$250 = $4,850) of revenue from the
contract, including a $100 (2% x $5,000 =
$100) adjustment for the expected bonus and
a $250 (5% x $5,000 = $250) adjustment for
anticipated returns. Under paragraph
(c)(6)(iii) of this section, E’s transaction price
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$25x
0
0
2019
$25x
50x
50x
Frm 00062
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2021
$25x
20x
25x
Total
$25x
30x
25x
$100x
100x
100x
the payment received in 2019 relates to
income included in 2018. In 2020, D includes
$20x of the $25x payment in income from the
contract under the deferral method for
advance payments under section 451(c)(1)(B).
In 2021, D includes the $5x that was deferred
in 2020 under the deferral method for
advance payments under section 451(c)(1)(B)
and the remaining $25x payment in income
under the contract under the all events test.
This example is summarized in the table
below:
2020
$25x
0
0
does not include anticipated returns. See
§ 1.461–4(g)(3) for rules on when the return
liability is incurred. Under paragraph
(c)(6)(ii) of this section, the performance
bonus is presumed not to be contingent on
the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a future
event. However, at the end of the year, all
parts have yet to be delivered within the
February 1, 2019 deadline. Under the
contract, E has no right to payment of the
bonus at the end of the year. Therefore, the
presumption is rebutted. In addition, under
paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the allocation
of the transaction price in E’s AFS is used to
determine when all or part of that item is
taken into account for purposes of paragraph
(b) of this section. Accordingly, under
paragraph (b) of this section, because $5,000
of revenue from the sale of parts is taken into
account in E’s 2018 AFS, the all events test
for $5,000 of income allocated to those parts
is met in E’s 2018 taxable year.
(7) Example 7. Chargebacks. Taxpayer F, a
manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, is a
calendar-year accrual method taxpayer with
an AFS. In addition to billing the wholesaler
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includes all of the $25x payment in income
from the contract under the all events test. In
addition, under paragraph (b) of this section,
because $50x of revenue from the provision
of services is included in D’s 2018 AFS, the
all events test for that portion of the
provision of services is not met later than D’s
2018 taxable year. Therefore, D must include
the additional $25x ($50x¥$25x = $25x)
reported on the AFS as income in 2018. In
2019, under paragraph (k) of this section, D
includes $0 of the $25x payment in income
from the contract because the payment
received in 2019 relates to income included
in 2018. In 2020, D includes all of the $25x
payment in income from the contract under
the all events test. In 2021, D includes the
remaining $25x payment in income under
the contract under the all events test. This
example is summarized in the table below:
2020
the $25x payment in income from the
contract under the all events test. In addition,
under paragraph (b) of this section, because
$50x of revenue from the provision of
services is included in D’s 2018 AFS, the all
events test for that portion of the provision
of services is not met later than D’s 2018
taxable year. Therefore, D must include an
additional $25x ($50x—$25x = $25x) of
income in 2018. In 2019, under paragraph (k)
of this section, D includes $0 of the $25x
payment in income from the contract because
47209
2021
$25x
20x
20x
Total
$25x
30x
30x
$100x
100x
100x
for the sale of the pharmaceutical at the
wholesale acquisition cost under the
contract, F generally credits or pays
wholesalers a chargeback of 40% of the
wholesale acquisition cost for sales made by
those wholesalers to qualifying customers. In
2018, F enters into a contract to sell 1,000
units to W, a wholesaler, for $10 per unit,
totaling $10,000 (1,000 x $10 = $10,000). The
contract also provides that F will issue a 40%
chargeback for sales by W to certain
qualifying customers. F delivers 600 units to
W on December 31, 2018, and bills W $6,000
under the contract. For AFS purposes, F
adjusts its revenue by 40% for all sales to W
for anticipated chargebacks. As such, in its
2018 AFS, F reports $3,600 ($6,000 ¥ $2,400
= $3,600) of revenue from the contract with
W, decreasing revenue by $2,400 (40% x
$6,000 = $2,400) for anticipated chargeback
claims. For Federal income tax purposes,
under paragraph (c)(6)(iii) of this section, F’s
2018 revenue is $6,000 because F’s revenue
is not reduced for anticipated chargebacks.
(8) Example 8. Sale of property using a
special method of accounting. Taxpayer G, a
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provider of financial services, is a calendaryear accrual method taxpayer with an AFS.
In 2018, G sells a building for $100x, payable
in five annual payments of $20x starting in
2018. In its 2018 AFS, G reports all $100x of
revenue from the sale of the building. For
Federal income tax purposes, G uses the
installment method under section 453 for the
sale of the building. Under paragraph (c)(5)
of this section, the installment method under
section 453 is a special method of accounting
because it requires income to be taken into
account in a taxable year other than the
taxable year in which the all events test is
met. Therefore, under paragraph (b) of this
section, this section does not apply to G’s
sale of the building because it is using a
special method of accounting and the income
is taken into account as prescribed in section
453.
(9) Example 9. Non-recognition provisions
not changed for Federal income tax
purposes. Taxpayer H (Distributing) is a
calendar-year accrual method C corporation
with an AFS. On December 31, 2018,
Distributing (i) contributes assets to a wholly
owned subsidiary (Controlled) in exchange
for Controlled stock and $100x, and (ii)
distributes all of Controlled’s stock pro rata
to its shareholders. The transaction qualifies
as a reorganization under section 368(a)(1)(D)
and a distribution to which section 355
applies (D reorganization). Distributing’s
realized gain on the transferred assets for
book and tax purposes is $150x. On January
15, 2019, in pursuance of the plan of
reorganization, Distributing distributes the
$100x to its shareholders. Consequently, no
gain to Distributing is recognized under
section 361(b)(1)(A). On Distributing’s 2018
AFS, Distributing recognizes revenue of
$150x related to the D reorganization. Under
paragraph (f) of this section, nothing in
section 451(b) or this section changes the
applicability of any deferral, non-recognition,
or exclusion provision of the Code, the
Income Tax Regulations, or other guidance
published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin.
Section 361 provides that Distributing does
not recognize any gain from the D
reorganization. Pursuant to paragraph (f) of
this section, nothing in section 451(b) or this
section would change the result that
Distributing does not recognize gain on
Distributing’s (i) contribution of assets to
Controlled, (ii) receipt of Controlled stock
and cash, and (iii) distribution of Controlled
stock and cash to Distributing’s shareholders.
(10) Example 10. Insurance contract
renewals. The taxpayer, an insurance agent,
is engaged by an insurance carrier to sell
insurance. By written binding contract
between the taxpayer and the insurance
carrier, the taxpayer is entitled to receive a
$50 commission from the insurance carrier at
the time a policy is sold to a customer. The
written binding contract also provides that
the taxpayer is entitled to receive an
additional $25 commission each time a
policy is renewed. The taxpayer sells 1,000
one-year policies in year one, of which 800
are renewed in year two and 700 are renewed
in year three. The taxpayer does not have any
ongoing obligation to provide additional
services to the insurance carrier or the
customers after the initial sale of the policy.
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The taxpayer includes $86,000 in revenue in
its AFS for year one, which includes $50,000
of consideration for policies sold in year one
and an estimate of $36,000 of consideration
for the policies expected to be renewed in
years two and three. Under paragraph
(c)(6)(ii) of this section, because the taxpayer
is able to demonstrate by written binding
contract that the amounts related to future
insurance contract renewals are contingent
on the occurrence of a future event (that is
the customer contract renewal), the
taxpayer’s transaction price from
commissions is $50,000 ($50 * 1,000) in year
one, $20,000 ($25 * 800) in year two, and
$17,500 ($25 * 700) in year three.
(n) Applicability date—(1) In general.
Except as provided in paragraph (n)(2)
of this section, these regulations are
proposed to apply for taxable years
beginning after the date the Treasury
decision adopting these regulations as
final is published in the Federal
Register.
(2) Delayed application with respect
to certain fees. Notwithstanding
paragraph (n)(1) of this section,
paragraph (i)(2) of this section is
proposed to apply to specified fees (as
defined in paragraph (i)(2) of this
section) other than specified credit card
fees (as defined in paragraph (i)(2) of
this section) for taxable years beginning
one year after the date the Treasury
decision adopting these regulations as
final is published in the Federal
Register.
(3) Early application of this section—
(i) In general. Except as provided in
paragraph (n)(3)(ii) of this section, until
the date the Treasury decision adopting
these regulations as final regulations is
published in the Federal Register, a
taxpayer may rely on these proposed
regulations for taxable years beginning
after December 31, 2017, if the taxpayer
applies all the applicable rules
contained in these proposed regulations
(other than those applicable to specified
fees), and consistently applies these
proposed regulations to all items of
income during the taxable year (other
than specified fees).
(ii) Certain fees—(A) Specified credit
card fees. Until the date the Treasury
decision adopting these regulations as
final regulations is published in the
Federal Register, in the case of a
specified credit card fee, a taxpayer may
rely on these proposed regulations for
taxable years beginning after December
31, 2018, if the taxpayer applies all the
applicable rules contained in these
proposed regulations for a specified
credit card fee, and consistently applies
these proposed regulations to all items
of income during the taxable year (other
than specified fees that are not specified
credit card fees).
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Frm 00063
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
(B) Specified fees. Paragraph (n)(3)(i)
of this section does not apply to
specified fees that are not specified
credit card fees.
■ Par. 6. Section 1.1275–2 is amended
by adding paragraph (l) to read as
follows:
§ 1.1275–2 Special rules relating to debt
instruments.
*
*
*
*
*
(l) OID rule for income item subject to
section 451(b)—(1) In general.
Notwithstanding any other rule in
sections 1271 through 1275 and
§§ 1.1271–1 through 1.1275–7, if, and to
the extent, a taxpayer’s item of income
with respect to a debt instrument is
subject to the timing rules in § 1.451–
3(i) (including credit card late fees,
credit card cash advance fees, or
interchange fees), then the taxpayer
does not take the item into account to
determine whether the debt instrument
has any OID. As a result, the taxpayer
does not treat the item as creating or
increasing any OID on the debt
instrument.
(2) Applicability dates—(i) In general.
Except as provided in paragraphs
(l)(2)(ii) and (iii) of this section,
paragraph (l)(1) of this section applies
for taxable years beginning after the date
the Treasury decision adopting these
regulations as final is published in the
Federal Register.
(ii) Early adoption. Until the date the
Treasury decision adopting these
regulations as final regulations is
published in the Federal Register, a
taxpayer may rely on these proposed
regulations for taxable years beginning
after December 31, 2018, for a specified
credit card fee as defined in § 1.451–
3(i)(2), if applied consistently to all
specified credit card fees subject to
§ 1.451–3(i).
(iii) Applicability date for purposes of
accounting method changes. Paragraph
(l)(1) of this section will not apply for
purposes of applying section 13221(e) of
the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Public Law
115–97 (131 Stat. 2054) to determine the
section 481(a) adjustment period for any
adjustment under section 481(a) for a
qualified change in method of
accounting required under section
451(b) and § 1.451–3(i) for the items
subject to § 1.451–3(i).
Kirsten Wielobob,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2019–19325 Filed 9–5–19; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 174 (Monday, September 9, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47191-47210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19325]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 1
[REG-104870-18]
RIN 1545-BO68
Taxable Year of Income Inclusion Under an Accrual Method of
Accounting
AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document contains proposed regulations regarding the
timing of income inclusion under section 451 of the Internal Revenue
Code (Code). The proposed regulations reflect changes made by the Tax
Cuts and Jobs Act. These proposed regulations affect taxpayers that use
an accrual method of accounting and have an applicable financial
statement.
[[Page 47192]]
DATES: Written or electronic comments and requests for a public hearing
must be received by November 8, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send submissions to Internal Revenue Service, CC:PA:LPD:PR
(REG-104870-18), Room 5205, 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 Courier's Desk,
Internal Revenue Service, CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-104870-18), 1111
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20224. Alternatively, persons
may submit comments electronically via the Federal eRulemaking Portal
at https://www.regulations.gov (IRS REG-104870-18).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Concerning Sec. Sec. 1.446-2, 1.451-
3(d)(2), 1.451-3(i), 1.1275-2(l), and any other provisions within the
jurisdiction of the Associate Chief Counsel (Financial Institutions and
Products), Charles Culmer, (202) 317-4528; concerning the rest of the
proposed regulations, Charles Gorham, (202) 317-5091; concerning
submissions of comments and requests for a public hearing, Regina L.
Johnson, (202) 317-6091 (not toll-free numbers).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
This document contains proposed amendments to 26 CFR part 1 under
section 451(b). On December 22, 2017, section 451(b) was amended by
section 13221 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Public Law 115-97 (131
Stat. 2054) (the Act) to provide that, for a taxpayer using an accrual
method of accounting, the all events test with respect to any item of
gross income (or portion thereof) is not treated as met any later than
when the item (or portion thereof) is included in revenue for financial
accounting purposes on an applicable financial statement (AFS) or other
financial statement specified by the Secretary. The amendments made to
section 451(b) do not change the time at which income subject to the
all events test is taken into income for accrual method taxpayers
without an AFS or other specified financial statement. Unless otherwise
indicated, all references to section 451(b) hereinafter are references
to section 451(b), as amended by the Act.
In general, section 451 provides that the amount of any item of
gross income is included in gross income for the taxable year in which
it is received by the taxpayer, unless, under the method of accounting
used in computing taxable income, the amount is to be properly
accounted for as of a different period. Under Sec. 1.451-1, accrual
method taxpayers generally include items of income in gross income in
the taxable year when all the events occur that fix the right to
receive the income and the amount of the income can be determined with
reasonable accuracy (the all events test). All the events that fix the
right to receive income occur when (1) the required performance takes
place, (2) payment is due, or (3) payment is made, whichever happens
first. Revenue Ruling 2003-10 (2003-1 CB 288); Revenue Ruling 84-31
(1984-1 CB 127); Revenue Ruling 80-308 (1980-2 CB 162).
On April 12, 2018, the Treasury Department and the IRS issued
Notice 2018-35 (2018-18 IRB 520) requesting, in part, comments on
future guidance under section 451(b). The record of public comments
received in response to Notice 2018-35 may be requested by sending an
email to [email protected]. This document provides
guidance on the application of section 451(b) taking into account
comments that were received regarding section 451(b). The application
of section 451(c) is addressed in separate guidance published in the
same issue of the Federal Register as these proposed regulations.
Explanation of Provisions
The proposed regulations describe and clarify the statutory
requirements of section 451(b) by providing new Sec. 1.451-3.
1. Applicability of Section 451(b)(1)
Section 451(b)(1) generally provides that, for an accrual method
taxpayer with an AFS or other specified financial statement, the all
events test with respect to any item of gross income, or portion
thereof, is not treated as met any later than when such item, or
portion thereof, has been taken into account as revenue in an AFS or
other specified financial statement (the AFS income inclusion rule).
The AFS income inclusion rule generally increases financial accounting
and tax accounting conformity. On May 28, 2014, the Financial
Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting
Standards Board (IASB) jointly announced new financial accounting
standards for revenue recognition, titled ``Revenue from Contracts with
Customers (Topic 606).'' See ASC Topic 606 and IASB International
Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 15 (New Standards). Under the New
Standards, items of income may be included as revenue in an AFS earlier
than they would have been included in income under the all events test
prior to the Act.
A. Taxpayers Subject to the AFS Income Inclusion Rule
The proposed regulations clarify how the AFS income inclusion rule
applies to accrual method taxpayers with an AFS. Some taxpayers use an
accrual method of accounting for all applicable items of income
(overall accrual method taxpayers) and others use an accrual method of
accounting for only some items of income. Both types of taxpayers
(collectively, accrual method taxpayers) compute taxable income, at
least in part, under an accrual method. Accordingly, proposed Sec.
1.451-3(b) provides that the AFS income inclusion rule generally
applies to accrual method taxpayers with an AFS when the timing of
income inclusion for one or more items of income is determined using
the all events test.
The proposed regulations do not include special rules regarding the
applicability of the AFS income inclusion rule to foreign persons. The
Treasury Department and the IRS are aware that applying the AFS income
inclusion rule to a controlled foreign corporation (CFC) may create
mismatches between the CFC's taxable income for U.S. Federal and
foreign tax purposes. As a result, certain taxpayers may lose the
ability to credit foreign taxes imposed on a CFC's income, particularly
where such taxes relate to amounts includible in gross income under
section 951A and are therefore ineligible to be carried back or forward
under section 904(c). Comments are requested regarding whether special
rules are needed to address the applicability of the AFS income
inclusion rule to foreign persons, including whether and how the rules
for determining the taxable income of a CFC can be adjusted to better
align the U.S. Federal and foreign income tax bases.
B. Exceptions to the AFS Income Inclusion Rule
Proposed Sec. 1.451-3(d)(1) clarifies that the AFS income
inclusion rule applies only to taxpayers that have one or more AFS
covering the entire taxable year. This approach is consistent with the
exception in section 451(b)(1)(B)(i), which provides that the AFS
income inclusion rule does not apply to taxpayers without an AFS for a
taxable year. In addition, some accrual method taxpayers may have an
AFS in one taxable year and no AFS in another taxable year. To address
this situation, the proposed regulations provide that the AFS income
inclusion rule applies on a year-by-year basis and, therefore, an
accrual method taxpayer with an
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AFS in one taxable year that does not have an AFS in another taxable
year must apply the AFS income inclusion rule in the taxable year that
it has an AFS, and does not apply the rule in the taxable year in which
it does not have an AFS.
Consistent with section 451(b)(1)(B)(ii), proposed Sec. 1.451-
3(d)(2) also provides that the AFS income inclusion rule does not apply
to items of income in connection with a mortgage servicing contract. A
letter addressed to the Treasury Department indicated that it is
unclear whether this exclusion can be applied to income relating to
interest rate lock commitments (IRLCs) entered into by mortgage
lenders. The proposed regulations do not address this issue because
section 475 generally would require mortgage lenders to include income
relating to IRLCs in taxable income in accordance with the mark-to-
market method of accounting. As a result, a mortgage lender generally
would not apply section 451(b) to determine when income relating to
IRLCs is includible in income.
C. Transactions Treated Differently for Federal Income Tax and AFS
Purposes
Except as provided in proposed Sec. 1.451-3(e), proposed Sec.
1.451-3(e) clarifies that the AFS income inclusion rule does not change
the treatment of a transaction for Federal income tax purposes. The
treatment of a transaction or event in a taxable year may be different
for Federal income tax and AFS purposes. For example, a rental
agreement that is treated as a lease for Federal income tax purposes
may be treated as a sale or financing for AFS purposes, or vice versa.
Similarly, a transaction that is deemed to occur (for example, under a
mark-to-market method) for AFS purposes may not be deemed to occur for
Federal income tax purposes. The AFS income inclusion rule generally
was not intended to require taxpayers to recharacterize a transaction
for Federal income tax purposes to conform to the characterization of
the transaction in the taxpayer's AFS. As stated in the Conference
Report, ``The provision does not revise the rules associated with when
an item is realized for Federal income tax purposes and, accordingly,
does not require the recognition of income in situations where the
Federal income tax realization event has not yet occurred.'' H.R. Rep.
No. 115-466, at 428 fn. 872 (2017) (Conf. Rep.).
However, as also stated in the Conference Report, the AFS income
inclusion rule was intended to include unbilled receivables for
partially performed services:
``Under the provision, an accrual method taxpayer with an
applicable financial statement will include an item in income under
section 451 upon the earlier of when the all events test is met or
when the taxpayer includes such item in revenue in an applicable
financial statement. For example, under the provision, any unbilled
receivables for partially performed services must be recognized to
the extent the amounts are taken into income for financial statement
purposes.''
H.R. Rep. No. 115-466, at 428 fn. 874 (2017) (Conf. Rep.). Commenters
suggested that the intent to include unbilled receivables conflicts
with the intent to not change the treatment of a transaction to match
the taxpayer's AFS treatment. The Treasury Department and the IRS do
not agree. In applying the AFS income inclusion rule to unbilled
receivables, a taxpayer is not changing the treatment of the
transaction when it includes in income amounts included in its AFS.
Moreover, these proposed regulations also apply to unbilled receivables
for the sale of goods because there is no distinction in section 451(b)
between unbilled receivables for services and unbilled receivables for
the sale of goods, and service providers and sellers of goods that are
including unbilled receivables in revenue for AFS purposes should be
treated similarly for Federal income tax purposes under section 451(b).
Accordingly, the proposed regulations provide that the AFS inclusion
rule applies to unbilled receivables included in revenue for AFS
purposes related to both services and goods.
Commenters raised concerns about the interaction between sections
61 and 461 with the AFS income inclusion rule. For AFS purposes,
taxpayers may be required to include variable consideration when
determining the transaction price of a contract. Under the New
Standards, variable consideration includes items such as discounts,
rebates, refunds, credits, price concessions, incentives, performance
bonuses, penalties, and other similar items. Variable consideration may
also include promised consideration that taxpayers are not yet entitled
to under the contract because it is contingent on the occurrence or
nonoccurrence of a future event. For Federal income tax purposes, these
items of variable consideration may be contingent future income under
section 61 or liabilities subject to section 461. Section 451(b) could
be read to accelerate the timing of contingent future income and
liabilities to match their inclusion in revenue for AFS purposes.
However, section 451(b) was intended to change only the timing of
income to ensure that those items of income are not included later than
when they are included for AFS purposes. See H.R. Rep. No. 115-466, at
428 fn. 874 (2017) (Conf. Rep.) and Joint Committee on Taxation,
General Explanation of Public Law 115-97 (JCS-1-18) at 166 (Dec. 20,
2018). Accordingly, proposed Sec. 1.451-3(c)(6) provides that the
transaction price that is used to determine whether an amount has been
included in revenue does not include items to which a taxpayer's
entitlement is contingent on the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a
future event, reductions for amounts subject to section 461 (including
allowances, adjustments, rebates, chargebacks, refunds, rewards, and
amounts included in the cost of goods sold), and amounts collected for
third parties. However, in order to reduce compliance burden and
prevent abuse and undue administrative burden, proposed Sec. 1.451-
3(c)(6) presumes that an amount included in the transaction price for
AFS purposes is not contingent future income unless, upon examination
of all of the facts and circumstances existing at the end of the
taxable year, it can be established to the satisfaction of the
Commissioner that the amount is contingent on the occurrence or
nonoccurrence of a future event.
In addition, section 451(b) was intended to accelerate income
inclusion when (i) the taxpayer's customer controls the asset that is
created or enhanced, or (ii) the taxpayer has a right to partial
payment, even when a contract requires delivery, acceptance, and title
transfer before a taxpayer can bill its customer. See Examples 2 and 4
of the Joint Committee on Taxation, General Explanation of Public Law
115-97 (JCS-1-18) at 162-163 (Dec. 20, 2018). Accordingly, proposed
Sec. 1.451-3(c)(6)(ii) provides that an amount included in the
transaction price for AFS purposes may not be treated as contingent on
the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a future event if the taxpayer has
been paid or has an equitable, contractual, or other right to partial
payment for performance completed to date. Additionally, proposed Sec.
1.451-3(c)(6)(iii) provides that transaction price may not be reduced
for amounts subject to section 461, including, in the case of credit
card transactions, reward amounts.
Comments are requested on the interaction among sections 61, 461,
and 451(b), and specific situations in which future contingent income
and liabilities might be included in revenue for AFS purposes. Comments
are requested, for
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example, on the applicability of the proposed rules to escalating
rental agreements not subject to section 467, where amounts included in
revenue in an AFS as rent for one year of a multi-year rental agreement
exceed actual rent received for that year. Specifically, does the
excess of the amount included in revenue as rent over the amount of
actual rent in a particular year represent a contingency or merely an
allocation of the overall transaction price? Comments are requested on
the extent to which certain contract terms might affect the result.
Comments also are requested on the proposed presumption that the AFS
income inclusion rule should apply when an item is included in revenue
in an AFS and what a taxpayer should be required to demonstrate in
order to successfully rebut the presumption. Finally, comments are
requested on how reassessments of variable consideration after the
taxable year of the commencement of the contract should be treated for
Federal income tax purposes.
D. Interaction With Exclusion Provisions and Effect on Non-Recognition
Transactions
Commenters noted that the AFS income inclusion rule may appear to
overturn numerous exclusion provisions and adversely affect the
treatment of non-recognition transactions in the Code. For example, the
AFS income inclusion rule could be read to apply to a transaction that
is treated as a sale of property with profit or loss for AFS purposes
but that is treated as a reorganization under section 368 for Federal
income tax purposes. The proposed regulations clarify that the AFS
income inclusion rule does not change the applicability of any
exclusion provision, or the treatment of non-recognition transactions,
in the Code, the Income Tax Regulations, or other guidance published in
the Internal Revenue Bulletin, consistent with Congressional intent
that the provision does not revise the rules associated with the time
at which an item is realized for Federal income tax purposes. H.R. Rep.
No. 115-466, at 428 fn. 872 (2017) (Conf. Rep.) and Joint Committee on
Taxation, General Explanation of Public Law 115-97 (JCS-1-18) at 166
(Dec. 20, 2018).
E. Special Methods of Accounting
Section 451(b)(2) provides that the AFS income inclusion rule does
not apply to any item of gross income for which the taxpayer uses a
special method of accounting provided under any provision of Chapter 1,
other than any provision of part V of subchapter P. Commenters raised
questions about the interaction between the AFS income inclusion rule
and special methods of accounting. In response, proposed Sec. 1.451-
3(b) amplifies the meaning of the term ``special method of accounting''
and, except as provided in proposed Sec. 1.451-3(b), provides that the
AFS income inclusion rule does not apply to any item of income, or
portion of an item of income, when the timing of income inclusion is
determined under a required or permitted special method of accounting
used for Federal income tax purposes. The proposed regulations also
clarify that when a taxpayer uses a special method of accounting, the
special method of accounting determines the timing of the income
inclusion. The proposed regulations provide a non-exclusive list of
examples of special methods of accounting. In addition, the proposed
regulations make clear that because the AFS income inclusion rule
affects the time at which the all events test is met, the rule applies
only to items of income that are subject to the all events test. For a
discussion of special methods of accounting under the provisions of
part V of subchapter P (relating to income from certain debt
instruments), see section 7 of this preamble.
2. Application of the AFS Income Inclusion Rule to Multi-Year Contracts
Section 451(b) does not address how to apply the AFS income
inclusion rule and all events test to a multi-year contract. Proposed
Sec. 1.451-3(k) provides that a taxpayer with a multi-year contract
applies the all events test by applying a cumulative approach
reflecting amounts previously included under section 451 rather than an
annualized approach.
An annualized approach would look at payments received in each
taxable year in isolation and compare the amounts included in the
taxpayer's AFS and under the all events test to determine whether an
amount should be included for Federal income tax purposes. This
approach would generally result in an overall acceleration of income
relative to income included in revenue for AFS purposes, could cause
amounts to be included for Federal income tax purposes earlier than
under a contract's terms, and could result in double counting of
income. Section 451(b)(1) does not require this treatment.
A cumulative approach better reflects the economic reality of a
multi-year transaction. Accordingly, the proposed regulations require
taxpayers to take into account the cumulative amounts previously
included in prior taxable years in determining a given contract year's
income inclusions under section 451(b)(1). Comments are requested
regarding the treatment of multi-year contracts under the AFS income
inclusion rule.
3. Applicable Financial Statement (AFS)
The proposed regulations describe and clarify the definition of AFS
under section 451(b)(3). Section 451(b)(3) generally defines AFS to
mean financial statements prepared according to generally accepted
accounting principles (GAAP financial statements), certain financial
statements prepared according to international financial reporting
standards (IFRS financial statements), and financial statements filed
with certain regulatory or government bodies. Section 451(b)(1)(A)(ii)
provides the Secretary with authority to specify other financial
statements for purposes of section 451(b)(1).
The list of financial statements qualifying as an AFS under section
451(b)(3) is similar, but not identical, to the list of financial
statements in Revenue Procedure 2004-34 (2004-1 CB 991). The general
priority for identifying the AFS in section 451(b)(3)(A) through (C) is
similar to the priority provided in Revenue Procedure 2004-34. Certain
financial statements that have traditionally been treated as AFS under
Revenue Procedure 2004-34, such as IFRS financial statements used for
(1) credit purposes, (2) reporting to shareholders, partners, or other
proprietors or to beneficiaries, and (3) any other substantial nontax
purposes, are not expressly included in section 451(b)(3). However, the
legislative history indicates that Congress intended for Revenue
Procedure 2004-34 to be followed. See H.R. Rep. No. 115-466, at 429
(2017) (Conf. Rep.). Accordingly, proposed Sec. 1.451-3(c)(1) is
generally consistent with the list of AFS from Revenue Procedure 2004-
34.
The proposed regulations also clarify the financial statements
filed with certain regulatory or government bodies that qualify as an
AFS under section 451(b)(3)(C), which is similar to section 4.06(3) of
Revenue Procedure 2004-34. The proposed regulations clarify that
financial statements that are filed with a state government or state
agency, or a self-regulatory organization, also qualify as an AFS under
section 451(b)(3)(C). For example, the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority and state agencies that regulate insurance companies or
public utilities are agencies requiring reports that qualify as an AFS.
Proposed Sec. 1.451-3(h) addresses various issues relating to how
financial
[[Page 47195]]
results are reported for certain taxpayers. These proposed regulations
propose rules consistent with the rules provided in Sec. 1.56-1
because Congress indicated a desire for rules similar to those found in
Revenue Procedure 2004-34 and the rules in Revenue Procedure 2004-34
follow certain rules in Sec. 1.56-1. See IRS Announcement 2004-48
(2004-22 IRB 998).
Section 451(b)(5) and proposed Sec. 1.451-3(h)(1), (2), and (3)
provide that, for purposes of the general rule in section 451(b)(1), if
the financial results of a taxpayer are reported on the AFS, as defined
in section 451(b)(3), for a group of entities, such statement shall be
treated as the AFS of the taxpayer. When a consolidated or combined AFS
or other financial statement lists items separately for each member
taxpayer, the amount of revenue attributable to a particular taxpayer
is determined based on its respective separately stated item. If the
amounts are aggregated, however, the taxpayer must rely on the source
documents that were used to create the group's AFS to determine its
percentage of each aggregated item reported on the consolidated or
combined AFS. The source documents should be used to determine the
taxpayer's respective share of revenue on the AFS, so as to properly
reflect the correct amount of gross income under section 451(b).
Proposed Sec. 1.451-3(h)(4) provides guidance for taxpayers with a
financial reporting period that is different than the taxpayer's
taxable year. The proposed regulations provide that the taxpayer must
use one of three permissible methods in order to determine whether an
item of income has been included in revenue on an AFS. Under one method
a taxpayer uses the accounting principles used to create its AFS to
determine the items of income to be reported in revenue as if its
financial reporting period coincided with its taxable year. Under the
second method a taxpayer makes a reasonable estimate of revenue for the
pro rata portion of the taxable year for which the financial statement
year and taxable year do not align. Under the third method, if a
taxpayer's financial accounting year ends five or more months after the
end of its taxable year, the taxpayer computes revenue based on the
revenue reported on the AFS for the financial accounting year ending
within its taxable year.
Proposed Sec. 1.451-3(h)(5) provides guidance on a restatement of
a taxpayer's financial statements. The rules generally provide that the
taxpayer must determine the reason for the restatement of the AFS. For
example, if a taxpayer restates revenue on an AFS and such restatement
changes the time at which an item of income or a portion thereof is
taken into account as revenue on the AFS, the change constitutes a
change in method of accounting under section 446. This rule is
consistent with current practice regarding the determination of a
change in method of accounting.
The regulations under section 6001 require a taxpayer to keep books
and records sufficient to establish the amount of gross income,
deductions, credits, or other matters required to be shown in an income
tax return, which includes the identification of items includible in
gross income under section 451. This requirement includes any books and
records sufficient to establish a taxpayer's calculation of income when
its financial results are included in an AFS of a group of entities.
4. Revenue in an AFS
Proposed Sec. 1.451-3(c)(4) defines the term revenue for purposes
of section 451(b)(1) broadly to include all items of income under
section 61 (gains, profits, and income for Federal income tax
purposes). This definition is consistent with the current application
of the all events test under Sec. 1.451-1(a) and ensures greater
financial accounting and tax accounting conformity.
One commenter discussed the effect of the New Standards on sections
451(b) and (c). The commenter noted that, under the New Standards,
certain revenue may be included earlier than under section 451 prior to
amendment by the Act. The commenter also noted that an amount booked to
retained earnings should be treated as revenue for purposes of section
451(b) even though that amount may not be shown as book revenue for
financial accounting purposes. A narrow reading of the term revenue
could result in items of income that are taken into account on an AFS
and that otherwise would be required to be included in gross income
escaping section 451(b) altogether. For example, taxpayers may include
items, or portions of items, in other comprehensive income on an AFS
that are excluded from the revenue line(s) on the AFS. Accordingly, a
broad reading of revenue ensures that the correct amount of income that
is taken into account in an AFS is subject to section 451(b).
Multiple commenters proposed allowing a cost offset when income is
included under the AFS income inclusion rule. For example, one
commenter suggested that, in determining the amount of income to
include under section 451(b), taxpayers selling goods should reduce AFS
revenue by the cost of goods sold associated with a sale that does not
presently reduce AFS revenue. The commenter acknowledged that costs are
not taken into account for Federal income tax purposes until the all
events test is satisfied, which includes the economic performance rules
under section 461. Because of the resulting inconsistency with sections
461 and 471, these regulations do not follow the commenter's suggestion
that a cost offset or cost of goods sold reduction should apply without
regard to the economic performance rules of section 461 and inventory
accounting rules of section 471.
Congress has addressed various cost recovery mechanisms in the
past. In 1955, Congress repealed the reserve method for estimated
expenses under section 462 of the Code. See An Act to Repeal Sections
452 and 462 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, Public Law 84-74,
section 1(b) (1955). Section 462 of the Code was a companion to section
452, which allowed taxpayers to report certain types of prepaid income
over time. In the Senate Report discussing the repeal of sections 452
and 462, Congress noted that ``the problem presented by section 462 is
that of the timing of deductions when a taxpayer changes accounting
methods.'' S. Rep. 84-372, at 4 (1955). The Senate noted that taxpayers
would be entitled to the deductions even without section 462. In
addition, section 462 increased the possibility of distortions of
income because expenses were being deducted when the amount had not yet
been incurred.
Thirty years later, Congress repealed the use of the reserve method
for determining losses from bad debts under section 166 in the Tax
Reform Act of 1986. In repealing the reserve method, Congress noted
that this method was inconsistent with the rules for other deductions
under the all events test and could result in deductions being allowed
for Federal income tax purposes for losses that may never occur. S.
Rep. No. 99-313, at 155 (1986). Moreover, ``if a deduction is allowed
prior to the taxable year in which the loss occurs, the value of the
deduction to the taxpayer will be overstated.'' S. Rep. No. 99-313, at
155 (1986).
These proposed regulations do not allow a cost offset provision
because similar potential distortions of income could result. An
allowance to account for future cost of goods sold, for future
estimated costs, or other cost offsets also is inconsistent with
sections 461 (in particular section 461(h)), 263A, and
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471, and the regulations under those sections. In addition, these
proposed regulations do not allow a cost offset provision because there
is nothing in the statute or legislative history that indicates that in
amending section 451 Congress intended to change sections 461, 263A or
471, and the regulations under those sections. See also, General
Explanation of Public Law 115-97 (JCS-1-18) at 150-151, and 164-165
(Dec. 20, 2018).
Nevertheless, the Treasury Department and the IRS continue to
consider whether any exceptions are an appropriate use of the
Secretary's authority under section 461(h) or 460. To facilitate
further consideration of any potential exceptions, detailed comments
that specifically address the following issues are requested:
1. Under what authority would it be appropriate for the Secretary
to permit a taxpayer to use a book percentage-of-completion method
(PCM) as its tax method? When inventory is involved, what limitations
could be instituted to ensure that book PCM could not be used to
recover costs related to inventoriable goods prior to the time when
such costs could be recovered under sections 471 and 263A? Under what
specific authority would it be appropriate to permit a book PCM method
to be used to recover costs related to inventoriable goods?
2. Would elective use of book PCM for tax purposes provide an
appropriate cost offset? Would such a method be characterized as one
that reports contract revenue according to a taxpayer's book method,
while accounting for costs, including nondeductible costs, as
deductions under the Code? If not, how would such a method account for
costs for Federal income tax purposes?
3. Rather than make book PCM elective, would it be appropriate for
the definition of ``unique item'' for purposes of section 460 to be
expanded?
4. Section 460 requires use of the look-back method to compensate
for improper acceleration or deferral of income under PCM. It also
requires that all contract income be reported no later than the year
following contract completion. Would elective use of a PCM under
section 460 without these provisions invite abuse? If so, how could
such abuse be prevented?
5. Allocation of Transaction Price
The proposed regulations describe and clarify the allocation of
transaction price under section 451(b)(4). Section 451(b)(4) provides
that, in the case of a contract with multiple performance obligations,
the allocation of the transaction price to each performance obligation
shall be equal to the amount allocated to each performance obligation
for purposes of including such item in revenue in the AFS of the
taxpayer. Consistent with the definition of performance obligation
found in the New Standards, proposed Sec. 1.451-3(c)(3) defines
``performance obligation'' to mean a promise in a contract with a
customer to transfer to the customer either a good or service (or a
bundle of goods or services) that is distinct, or a series of distinct
goods or services that are substantially the same and that have the
same pattern of transfer to the customer. See ASC Topic 606 and IFRS
15.
Comments are requested on allocation of the transaction price (i)
to performance obligations that are not contractually based, (ii) for
arrangements that include both income subject to section 451 and long-
term contracts subject to section 460, and (iii) when the income
realization event for Federal income tax purposes differs from the
income realization event for AFS purposes.
6. Taxpayers Including Income Over Time for AFS Purposes
Commenters proposed allowing taxpayers that include items of income
as revenue in an AFS over a period of time under the New Standards (AFS
over-time method) to follow that method for Federal income tax
purposes. Allowing taxpayers to follow their AFS over-time method for
Federal income tax purposes would potentially defer income beyond what
is permitted under section 451(b), section 451(c), and the all events
test. The AFS income inclusion rule operates only to accelerate income
inclusion; the AFS income inclusion rule can never cause income
inclusion to occur later than when the all events test is satisfied.
Allowing taxpayers to follow their AFS over-time method for Federal
income tax purposes may also affect the treatment of costs in a manner
that is inconsistent with sections 461 and 471. However, the Treasury
Department and the IRS continue to study the commenters' proposal and
request additional comments on this issue. Specifically, additional
comments are requested regarding: The size of taxpayers likely to be
affected; the industries likely to be affected; the number of taxpayers
likely to be affected; the compliance burden and administrative
complexity likely to be avoided; and the degree to which an over-time
method under the New Standards accelerates or defers income relative to
the all events test and the AFS income inclusion rule.
7. Rules for Certain Debt Instruments
A. Credit Card Fees and Other Fees
The Treasury Department and the IRS have treated certain credit
card fees associated with pools of credit card receivables as creating
or increasing original issue discount (OID) on those pools. See Revenue
Procedure 2004-33 (2004-1 CB 989) (the IRS will not challenge the
treatment of late fees as creating or increasing OID); Revenue
Procedure 2005-47 (2005-2 CB 269) (the IRS will not challenge the
treatment of cash advance fees as creating or increasing OID); Revenue
Procedure 2013-26 (2013-22 IRB 1160) (safe harbor method of accounting
for OID on a pool of credit card receivables for purposes of section
1272(a)(6)); and Chief Counsel Notice CC-2010-018 (Sept. 27, 2010) (as
a result of the Tax Court's decision in Capital One Financial Corp. and
Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, 133 T.C. 136 (2009), the IRS will no
longer challenge or litigate the issue of whether interchange fee
income creates or increases OID).
With the enactment of section 451(b), however, Congress expressed
its intention to overturn the tax treatment of those credit card fees
as OID, including the use of the OID timing rules, and subject them to
the all events test. The Conference Report to the Act states,
``[section 451(b)] directs accrual method taxpayers with an applicable
financial statement to apply the income recognition rules under section
451 before applying the special rules under part V of subchapter P . .
.'' (which includes the OID rules). H.R. Rep. No. 115-466, at 428
(2017) (Conf. Rep.). In particular, the legislative history describes
the treatment of credit card late fees, credit card cash advance fees,
and interchange fees as creating or increasing OID for Federal tax
purposes and lists these fees as examples of amounts to which section
451(b), as amended, would apply. Id. at 427, 429. These three credit
card fees are not generally treated as discount for AFS purposes.
Congress clearly expressed its intention to overturn the tax
treatment of credit card late fees, cash advance fees, and interchange
fees (specified credit card fees) and to subject these fees to the all
events test as modified by section 451(b). Id. at 429. The legislative
history quoted in the preceding paragraph further suggests that
Congress intended that other fees associated with a lending transaction
that might otherwise be accounted for in
[[Page 47197]]
calculating OID are to be subjected to the AFS income inclusion rule
before the application of the OID rules. Based on the legislative
history, however, taxpayers have stated that section 451(b) was not
intended to affect the application of the general OID timing rules to
OID other than with respect to items not treated as discount for
financial reporting purposes, such as the specified credit card fees.
Id. at 427-429. Moreover, taxpayers have stated that the application of
section 451(b) to OID other than items not treated as discount for
financial reporting purposes would result in significant administrative
burden and very little additional tax revenue. The Treasury Department
and the IRS agree with commenters on this issue. Therefore, in the
absence of a clear indication in the legislative history that Congress
intended for section 451(b) to override the general timing rules for
OID, and in order to reduce administrative burden, the proposed section
451(b) regulations would not apply to determine the time at which OID
generally is includible in income. See Sec. 1.451-3(c)(5)(ix) of the
proposed regulations.
The proposed regulations contain two provisions that implement
Congressional intent regarding the treatment of fees, including the
specified credit card fees. First, under proposed Sec. 1.451-3(i), if
a fee is not treated by a taxpayer as discount or as an adjustment to
the yield of a debt instrument over the life of the instrument (such as
points) in its AFS and the fee otherwise would be treated as creating
or increasing OID for Federal income tax purposes (specified fee), then
the rules in the proposed regulations under section 451(b) apply before
the rules in sections 1271 through 1275 and the regulations thereunder.
For example, proposed Sec. 1.451-3(i) applies to the specified credit
card fees. Second, proposed Sec. 1.1275-2(l) includes a proposed
amendment to the final regulations under section 1275 to clarify that
an item of income that is subject to the timing rules in the proposed
regulations under section 451(b) (such as the specified credit card
fees) is not taken into account in determining the amount of OID (if
any) on the debt instrument. Removing specified fees and specified
credit card fees from the calculation of OID will permit taxpayers to
apply only the rules of section 451(b) to these fees, without also
having to apply the rules relevant to OID. In addition, the Treasury
Department and the IRS propose to obsolete Revenue Procedure 2004-33,
Revenue Procedure 2005-47, Revenue Procedure 2013-26, and Chief Counsel
Notice CC-2010-018. The Treasury Department and the IRS request
comments on the proposed obsolescence of these documents.
B. Market Discount
Taxpayers requested guidance as to whether market discount is
includible in income under section 451(b). The Treasury Department and
the IRS previously announced that proposed regulations would provide
that accrued market discount is not includible in income under section
451(b). Notice 2018-80 (2018 IRB 609), issued September 27, 2018.
A bond is generally treated as having market discount when the
principal amount of the bond exceeds the holder's basis immediately
after it was acquired by the holder. Under section 1276(a), market
discount is includible in income only upon disposition of a market
discount bond at a gain or the receipt of a partial principal payment,
unless the holder of the bond elects otherwise. In each case, the
market discount inclusion is limited to accrued market discount as
defined in section 1276(b). In general, the timing rules for income
inclusion in section 1276 are a codification of the pre-1984 timing
rules for market discount and confirm that the all events test
generally does not determine when accrued market discount is includible
in income. The proposed regulations therefore include the market
discount rules on the list of special methods of accounting to which
section 451(b) does not apply.
Statement of Availability of IRS Documents
The IRS notices, revenue rulings, and revenue procedures cited in
this preamble are published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (or
Cumulative Bulletin) and are available from the Superintendent of
Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office, Washington, DC 20402, or
by visiting the IRS website at https://www.irs.gov.
Proposed Applicability Date
These regulations are proposed generally to apply to taxable years
beginning on or after the date the final regulations are published in
the Federal Register. However, in the case of a specified fee, proposed
Sec. 1.451-3(i)(2) is proposed to apply for a taxpayer's first taxable
year beginning one year after the date the Treasury decision adopting
these regulations as final is published in the Federal Register. In
general, this delayed effective date for specified fees is provided
because the treatment of these fees is unclear for tax purposes (and in
some cases for financial reporting purposes). This additional time will
allow the Treasury Department and the IRS to determine the types of
fees that should be subject to section 451(b), which will provide
taxpayers with more certainty in complying with section 451(b) and will
help to minimize controversies with the IRS with respect to fees.
Until the date the Treasury decision adopting these regulations as
final regulations is published in the Federal Register, a taxpayer may
rely on these proposed regulations (other than the proposed regulations
relating to specified fees) for taxable years beginning after December
31, 2017, provided that the taxpayer: (1) Applies all the applicable
rules contained in these proposed regulations (other than those
applicable to specified fees), and (2) consistently applies these
proposed regulations to all items of income during the taxable year
(other than specified fees). Until the date the Treasury decision
adopting these regulations as final regulations is published in the
Federal Register, in the case of specified credit card fees, a taxpayer
may rely on these proposed regulations for taxable years beginning
after December 31, 2018, provided that the taxpayer: (1) Applies all
the applicable rules contained in these proposed regulations for
specified credit card fees, and (2) consistently applies these proposed
regulations to all items of income during the taxable year (other than
specified fees).
Special Analyses
I. Regulatory Planning and Review
Executive Orders 13771, 13563, and 12866 direct agencies to assess
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize
net benefits, including potential economic, environmental, public
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity. Executive
Order 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and
benefits, reducing costs, harmonizing rules, and promoting flexibility.
The Executive Order 13771 designation for any final rule resulting from
the proposed regulation will be informed by comments received. The
preliminary Executive Order 13771 designation for this proposed rule is
regulatory.
The proposed regulation has been designated by the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) as subject to review under
Executive Order 12866 pursuant to the Memorandum of
[[Page 47198]]
Agreement (MOA, April 11, 2018) between the Treasury Department and the
Office of Management and Budget regarding review of tax regulations.
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has designated these
proposed regulations as significant under section 1(b) of the MOA.
Accordingly, these proposed regulations have been reviewed by OIRA.
1. Background
In plain language, section 451 of the Internal Revenue Code (the
``Code'') and the proposed regulations deal with differences between
when income is recognized for Federal tax purposes and when it is
recognized on businesses' financial accounting statements. The recently
enacted section 451(b) more closely aligns the timing rules of the tax
system with general financial accounting standards.
Under section 451(a) of the Code, any item of gross income is
required to be included as income by the taxpayer (``recognized'') when
it is received by the taxpayer unless, under the taxpayer's method of
accounting, the income is properly accounted for in a different period.
For this purpose, businesses and individuals are generally required to
use the accounting method that is used regularly to keep their
financial records. This may be a cash receipts and disbursements
accounting method, under which income is recognized when payment is
actually or constructively received, or it may be an accounting system
based on income and expense accrual principles. Certain corporations
and some partnerships are required to use an accrual method, and
generally taxpayers employing inventories in their trade or business
must use an accrual method with regard to purchases and sales of
inventory.
Current regulations require taxpayers using an accrual accounting
method to report income in the taxable year in which all events that
fix the right to receive such income have occurred, provided the amount
can be determined with reasonable accuracy. Under IRS guidance, this
``all events test'' is met upon the earliest of when (i) payment is
earned through performance by the taxpayer (e.g., provision of the
contracted goods or services), (ii) payment is due to the taxpayer, or
(iii) payment is received by the taxpayer.
In contrast, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
(``GAAP'') and international financial reporting standards (``IFRS''),
having different purposes from tax law, may often dictate alternative
rules as regards the timing of revenue recognition. Differences between
these financial accounting standards and the Code in the timing of
revenue recognition may arise for a number of reasons. For example,
under certain circumstances, financial accounting rules may require
revenue to be recognized when the costs of providing goods or services
pursuant to a contract are incurred, while the all events test may not
be satisfied until the contract obligation is fulfilled. If meeting the
taxpayer's performance obligation occurs over more than a single
accounting period, then this timing pattern can result in a disparity
between the year in which the associated revenue is booked for
financial accounting purposes and the year in which the associated
taxable gross income is recognized.
Congress enacted new section 451(b) in part because conformity in
the timing of income recognition between the accrual system of
accounting and the tax system (``book-tax conformity'') will generally
``promote simplification and reduced compliance costs.'' See Senate
Budget Explanation of the Bill (2017-11-20) at p. 161.
Section 451(b) applies only to taxpayers that use the accrual
method and have an Applicable Financial Statement (``AFS''). In plain
language, an AFS is a financial statement certified as having been
prepared under GAAP or IFRS. All publicly traded U.S. corporations
possess an AFS, as do many privately held corporations and
partnerships, which may have such certified accounting statements for
credit purposes or for shareholder or partner reporting purposes. The
income recognition rules for accrual-method taxpayers without an AFS
and cash-method taxpayers are not altered by the enactment of section
451(b) or by the proposed regulations. The Treasury Department and the
IRS project that there were approximately 3.1 million tax-reporting
entities in taxable year 2016 that used an accrual method of
accounting. They further project that fewer than 10 percent of these,
or approximately 296,000 entities had an AFS, and thus could have been
affected by section 451(b) and the proposed regulations had these been
in effect in taxable year 2016.
For these taxpayers, Section 451(b) modifies the all-events test by
stating that the test is not met for any item of income any later than
when it is taken into account as revenue in an AFS or other designated
financial statement (the ``AFS income inclusion rule''). Thus, this new
rule requires taxpayers to recognize income upon the earlier of when
the all-events test is met or when the taxpayer includes the amount in
revenue (broadly defined) in its AFS (``AFS income inclusion rule'').
The AFS income inclusion rule operates only in one direction--to
accelerate in time the recognition of gross income for tax purposes.
This acceleration occurs in situations where income has been recognized
for financial accounting purposes before the all events test has been
satisfied.
2. Need for the Proposed Regulations
The proposed regulations deliver certainty and clarity to taxpayers
affected by the Act's introduction of the new section 451(b) and allow
them to comply with the new statutory provision with a higher level of
confidence.
The Treasury Department and IRS published a Notice in April 2018,
requesting public comments regarding the application of the AFS income
inclusion rule, the meaning of various concepts and terms used in
section 451(b), and other implementation issues not explicitly
addressed in the statute. As explained earlier in this Preamble, the
proposed regulations address the comments and questions subsequently
raised by the public.
3. Overview of the Proposed Regulations
The proposed regulations include applicability and definitional
guidance regarding section 451(b). Specifically, the proposed
regulations: (1) Clarify how the AFS inclusion rule applies to multi-
year contracts; (2) describe and clarify the definition of an AFS for a
group of entities; (3) define the meaning of the term revenue in an
AFS; (4) define a transaction price and clarify how that price is to be
allocated to separate performance obligations in a contract with
multiple obligations; and (5) describe and clarify rules for
transactions involving certain debt instruments.
4. Economic Analysis
A. Baseline
The Treasury Department and the IRS have assessed the benefits and
costs of the proposed regulations relative to a no-action baseline
reflecting anticipated Federal income tax-related behavior in the
absence of these proposed regulations.
B. Summary of Economic Effects
The proposed regulations provide increased certainty, clarity, and
consistency in the application of section 451(b) by providing
definitions and clarifications regarding the statute's terms and rules.
In the absence of such guidance, the chances that different taxpayers
would interpret the statute differently would be exacerbated.
[[Page 47199]]
Similarly situated taxpayers might interpret the statutory provisions
pertaining to the recognition of income differently, with one taxpayer
pursuing a project that another comparable taxpayer might decline to
make because of different interpretations of how the income would be
treated under section 451(b). If this second taxpayer's activity were
more profitable, an economic loss arises. Even in situations where
taxpayers would generally adopt similar interpretations of the Code
under the baseline, the lack of guidance increases opportunities for
that interpretation to differ from what Congress intended. In this
case, guidance provides value by bringing economic decisions closer in
line with Congressional intent. In the context of economic activity by
businesses that are subject to section 451(b) or that interact with
such businesses, the proposed regulations thus help to ensure that
similar economic activities, representing similar timing of income, are
taxed similarly, thereby improving U.S. economic performance.
The Treasury Department and the IRS have not undertaken
quantitative estimates of these possible efficiency gains because any
such quantitative estimates would be highly uncertain. For example, the
proposed regulations include provisions to clarify how income should be
included from multi-year contracts. The Treasury Department and the IRS
do not have readily available data or models to determine how
businesses might apply the AFS inclusion rule to multi-year contracts
in the absence of the proposed regulations or under alternative
regulatory approaches. Furthermore, even in the event that most
businesses could be presumed to adopt a particular treatment under the
baseline, the Treasury Department and the IRS further do not have
readily available data or models of the volume or pattern of their
multi-year contract payments and they thus cannot project with any
degree of precision the differences in tax treatment taxpayers would
experience between the proposed regulations and the baseline or
alternative regulatory approaches. Such differences are a key component
of the marginal effective tax rate that these contracts would
experience, which in turn would determine how economic activity would
be affected by the proposed regulations relative to the baseline or
alternative regulatory approaches.
The Treasury Department and the IRS further project that issuance
of the proposed regulations will reduce compliance and enforcement
costs relative to the baseline because the enhanced certainty and
clarity they provide should make it easier for businesses to calculate
their tax liability relative to the baseline. Greater efficiencies
should also result from the promulgation of the proposed regulations,
relative to the baseline, by reducing taxpayer disputes with the IRS
that otherwise would have to be dealt with through sub-regulatory
guidance or resolved through increased litigation. By providing greater
certainty of how the law will be applied, the Treasury Department and
the IRS project that the proposed regulations will reduce these
implementation costs. The Treasury Department and the IRS have not made
a quantitative estimate of the reduction in compliance and enforcement
costs resulting from the proposed regulations. They have not made such
an estimate in part because models of compliance cost are not currently
available to provide a reasonably precise estimate of compliance costs
in the absence of the proposed regulations.
With these limitations in mind, part II.4.C of this Special
Analyses section explains the rationale behind the approaches taken by
the proposed regulations and qualitatively evaluates the alternatives
considered.
The Treasury Department and the IRS solicit comments on the
economic effects of the proposed regulations.
C. Economic Effects of Specific Provisions
The proposed regulations embody certain regulatory decisions that
reflect the regulatory discretion of the Treasury Department and the
IRS. These decisions specify more fully how the AFS income inclusion
rule is to be implemented.
The Treasury Department and IRS solicit comments on the economics
of each of the items discussed below and of any other items of the
proposed regulations not discussed in this section. The Treasury
Department and the IRS particularly solicit comments that provide data,
other evidence, or models that could enhance the rigor of the process
by which the final regulations might be developed.
i. Application of the AFS Income Inclusion Rule to Multi-Year Contracts
The proposed regulations clarify how section 451(b) applies to
multi-year contracts. The Treasury Department and the IRS considered
two alternative approaches for such contracts: (i) An annualized
approach and (ii) a cumulative approach. Under an annualized approach,
for each year under the contract a taxpayer would compare the income
included as revenue in its AFS for that year and the gross income
recognized under the all events test for that same year to determine
its gross income inclusion, with the proviso that the total amount of
gross income recognized under the contract is not to exceed the total
contract price. In contrast, under a cumulative approach, in each year
a taxpayer would compare the cumulative amount of revenue included in
its AFS up to and including that year with the cumulative amount of
gross income recognized under the all events test up to and including
that year.
Example 4 of the proposed regulations, the summary table of which
is reproduced in the first three rows of the following table, shows the
treatment of gross income under a cumulative approach. The fourth row
in this table shows the treatment of gross income under the annualized
approach.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payments........................ $25x $25x $25x $25x $100x
AFS Revenue..................... 50x 0x 20x 30x 100x
Gross Income (cumulative)....... 50x 0x 25x 25x 100x
Gross Income (annualized)....... 50x 25x 25x 0x 100x
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An annualized approach could accelerate the recognition of taxable
income to a greater degree than what is reflected in revenue for AFS
purposes. In this example, such an approach would ignore in 2019 the
fact that cumulative AFS revenue of $50x had been recognized as taxable
gross income in 2018. Accordingly, the annualized approach would
require that an additional $25x of income be recognized in 2019, since
a payment of that amount was received in that year. In effect, an
annualized approach would accelerate the recognition of $25x from 2021
to
[[Page 47200]]
2019 relative to gross income recognition under the cumulative AFS
income inclusion rule.
The Treasury Department and IRS concluded that the extent of
acceleration of income that may occur when using an annualized approach
would be excessive relative to the cumulative approach when considered
against the intents and purposes of the statute. The proposed
regulations therefore adopt the cumulative approach.
ii. Applicable Financial Statement Covering a Group of Entities
The proposed regulations provide rules for taxpayers whose
financial results are included on an AFS covering a group of entities.
These rules specify that, if a taxpayer's financial results are
reported on the AFS for a group of entities, the taxpayer's AFS is the
group's AFS. However, if the taxpayer also reports financial results on
a separate AFS that is of equal or higher priority, then the separate
AFS is the taxpayer's AFS. The rules also specify how a taxpayer using
a group AFS is to determine the amount of revenue allocated to the
taxpayer. The Treasury Department and the IRS considered as an
alternative not providing substantive rules on how taxpayers should
apply the AFS income inclusion rule when their financial results are
included in an AFS for a group of entities. This alternative was
rejected because it would have increased compliance burdens and
potentially led to similarly situated taxpayers applying the AFS income
inclusion rule differently.
The Code does not specify how the AFS income inclusion rule is to
function whenever the AFS accounting period and the taxable year do not
coincide. The proposed regulations do not adopt a single, one-size-
fits-all approach, but rather provide taxpayers three separate options
for addressing this situation. A change from one option to another,
however, would be considered a change in method of accounting requiring
the permission of the IRS. By providing taxpayers with several options,
the proposed regulations will minimize taxpayer compliance costs when
dealing with non-congruent tax and financial accounting periods
relative to an alternative approach of specifying a single option, with
no significant revenue implications or effects on economic decisions.
iii. Revenue in an AFS
The proposed regulations describe and clarify the definition of
revenue to broadly include all items of income under section 61.
Because this definition of revenue is based on tax principles, there
may be items of revenue included in this definition that adjust
retained earnings on financial statements but are not reflected in the
revenue line on such financial statements. The Treasury Department and
the IRS considered and rejected a narrower definition of revenue or a
definition that was tied to the AFS definition of revenue. The
definition of revenue advanced in the proposed regulations is
consistent with the current application of the all events test under
Sec. 1.451-1(a) and ensures that all financial statement items are
taken into account for tax purposes. In contrast, a narrow definition
of revenue would allow, or even encourage, taxpayers to avoid the AFS
income inclusion rule by not classifying an item as revenue on their
financial statement.
iv. Allocation of Transaction Price
Section 451(b)(4) specifies that, in the case of a contract which
contains multiple performance obligations, the allocation of the
transaction price to each obligation is determined using the allocation
used in the AFS. The Code, however, does not define either transaction
price or performance obligation, thus the proposed regulation defines
these terms. The proposed regulations clarify that a transaction price
does not include amounts collected on behalf of third parties.
Transaction price also does not include amounts that are contingent on
the occurrence or non-occurrence of a future event. Without these
exclusions, section 451(b) could be used to override other provisions
of the Code concerning the definition of what constitutes gross income.
This result would be at odds with the purpose of section 451, which is
not to determine the existence or the amount of gross income, but
rather to determine the timing of its recognition. Consequently,
alternatives to these rules were not considered here.
Amounts included in the transaction price for an AFS are presumed
to be not contingent, unless the taxpayer demonstrates otherwise. The
Treasury Department and the IRS project that this rule will lead to
reduced compliance burden for taxpayers, and reduced administrative
costs for taxpayers and IRS and should lead to fewer taxpayer disputes
on this issue relative to an alternative presumption regarding possible
contingent amounts.
v. Rules for Certain Debt Instruments
Section 451(b)(2) states that the AFS inclusion rule does not apply
to items of gross income for which a taxpayer uses a special method of
accounting provided under the Code. However, the Code does not apply
this exception to special accounting rules that apply to original issue
discount (``OID''), market discount, and certain other items with
respect to debt instruments under part V of Subchapter P of the Code.
The proposed regulations implement this provision regarding special
methods of accounting, and clarify the effect of section 451(b) on the
excepted Subchapter P rules.
The proposed regulations implement this provision by providing a
non-exhaustive list of special methods of accounting, and by clarifying
how section 451(b) applies to certain credit card receivables. The
proposed regulations specifically except from section 451(b) the timing
rules for accrued market discount on bonds and the general OID timing
rules, as well as the timing rules for OID determined with respect to
special debt instruments (contingent payment and variable rate debt
instruments, certain hedged debt instruments, and inflation-indexed
debt instruments). Nevertheless, following the legislative history of
the Act (see Conference Report, p. 276), the proposed regulations
provide that credit card late fees, credit card cash advance fees, and
interchange fees are subject to the AFS income inclusion rule. The
proposed regulations further specify that if these credit card fees are
subject to a taxpayer's AFS, they are not to be taken into account in
determining whether a debt instrument associated with them has OID.
Existing rules continue to apply to these items for taxpayers not
possessing an AFS. The Treasury Department and the IRS expect that this
treatment will provide a straightforward application of section 451(b)
consistent with Congressional intent without unnecessarily complicating
OID calculations and adding to taxpayer compliance burdens.
The Treasury Department and the IRS considered and rejected a
broader application of the AFS income inclusion rule to include all
amounts determined under the OID and market discount accounting
methods, even in cases where the items are treated as discount or as an
adjustment to the yield of a debt instrument over the life of the
instrument in its AFS for financial reporting purposes. The proposed
regulations do not subject these amounts to the AFS income inclusion
rule because these special accounting methods do not generally rely on
the all events test to determine the timing of income inclusion and
these current special accounting methods provide workable income-
recognition timing
[[Page 47201]]
rules that appropriately measure income. The Treasury Department and
the IRS expect that subjecting these items to the AFS income inclusion
rule of section 451(b) would disrupt and complicate current tax
accounting practices with no general economic benefit.
II. Paperwork Reduction Act
These proposed regulations do not impose any additional information
collection requirements in the form of reporting, recordkeeping
requirements or third-party disclosure requirements. However, because
section 451(b) and the proposed regulations provide methods of
accounting affecting the timing of income inclusion, the consent of the
Commissioner under section 446(e) is required before using such method.
The IRS expects that these taxpayers will request this consent by
filing Form 3115, Application for Change in Accounting Method. Filing
of Form 3115 (for taxpayers who are required to do so or who elect
certain methods of accounting described in the proposed regulations) is
the sole collection of information requirement imposed by the statute
and the proposed regulations. See subsequent paragraphs for a
description of taxpayers who would be required to change the method of
accounting under the statute and the proposed regulations.
For purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the reporting burden
associated with these collections of information will be reflected in
the IRS Form 3115 Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions (OMB control
number 1545-0074 for individual income tax returns; OMB control number
1545-0123 for business taxpayers). On December 17, 2018, the Treasury
Department and the IRS published Revenue Procedure 2018-60, 2018-51 IRB
1045, which provides procedures for taxpayers to make a change in
method of accounting to comply with section 451(b)(1)(A) and/or (b)(4).
Taxpayers are able to request these section 451 changes using reduced
filing requirements, such as by filing a short Form 3115, or for
certain taxpayers, by using a streamlined method change procedure that
involves not filing a Form 3115. See also the revenue procedure
accompanying these regulations for similar simplified method change
procedures to make a change in method of accounting to comply with
these proposed regulations.
In 2018, the IRS released and invited comment on a draft of Form
3115 in order to give members of the public the opportunity to benefit
from certain specific provisions made to the Code. The IRS received no
comments on the forms during the comment period. Consequently, the IRS
made the forms available in January 2019 for use by the public. The IRS
notes that Form 3115 applies to changes of accounting methods generally
and is therefore broader than section 451(b).
Additionally, proposed Sec. 1.451-3(h) provides additional methods
of accounting that require a taxpayer to request consent of the
Commissioner under section 446(e) before using such method. Under
proposed Sec. 1.451-3(h)(4)(iii), for a taxpayer with a financial
accounting year that is different from its tax accounting year, a
change in the method by which the taxpayer computes its revenue is a
change in method of accounting. Under proposed Sec. 1.451-3(h)(5), a
restatement of an AFS that changes the timing of which an item of
income, or portion thereof, is taken into account in revenue on the AFS
is also a change in method of accounting. The Treasury Department and
the IRS expect that taxpayers will request this consent by filing Form
3115.
For a taxpayer with an AFS required to comply with section 451(b)
and/or proposed Sec. 1.451-3, a change in the taxpayer's revenue
recognition policies for financial accounting purposes requires the
taxpayer to seek the consent of the Commissioner under section 446(e)
to use the method for Federal income tax purposes. See proposed Sec.
1.451-3(l). The reporting burden associated with the collection of
information for a statement in lieu of the Form 3115 will be reflected
in the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission associated with Revenue
Procedure 2018-31, 2018-22 IRB 637 (or successor) (OMB control number
1545-1551). See the revenue procedure accompanying these proposed
regulations.
The current status of the Paperwork Reduction Act submissions that
will be revised as a result of the information collections in the
proposed regulations is provided in the accompanying table. As
described above, the reporting burdens associated with the information
collections in the proposed regulations are included in the aggregated
burden estimates for OMB control numbers 1545-0074 (in the case of
individual filers of Form 3115), 1545-0123 (in the case of business
filers of Form 3115), and 1545-1551 (in the case of filers subject to
Revenue Procedure 2018-31). The overall burden estimates associated
with the OMB control numbers below are aggregate amounts that relate to
the entire package of forms associated with the applicable OMB control
number and will in the future include, but not isolate, the estimated
burden of the tax forms that will be created or revised as a result of
the information collections in the proposed regulations. These numbers
are therefore unrelated to the future calculations needed to assess the
burden imposed by the proposed regulations. These burdens have been
reported for other income tax regulations that rely on the same
information collections and the Treasury Department and the IRS urge
readers to recognize that these numbers are duplicates and to guard
against overcounting the burdens imposed by tax provisions prior to the
Act. No burden estimates specific to the forms affected by the proposed
regulations are currently available. The Treasury Department and the
IRS have not estimated the burden, including that of any new
information collections, related to the requirements under the proposed
regulations. For the OMB control numbers discussed in the preceding
paragraphs, the Treasury Department and the IRS estimate PRA burdens on
a taxpayer-type basis rather than a provision-specific basis. Those
estimates capture both changes made by the Act and those that arise out
of discretionary authority exercised in the proposed regulations (when
final) and other regulations that affect the compliance burden for that
form.
The Treasury Department and IRS request comment on all aspects of
information collection burdens related to the proposed regulations,
including estimates for how much time it would take to comply with the
paperwork burdens described above for each relevant form and ways for
the IRS to minimize the paperwork burden. In addition, when available,
drafts of IRS forms are posted for comment at https://apps.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/draftTaxForms.htm. IRS forms are available at https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions. Forms will not be finalized until after
they have been approved by OMB under the PRA.
[[Page 47202]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP09SE19.000
D. Regulatory Flexibility Act
It is hereby certified that these regulations will not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities
within the meaning of section 601(6) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act
(5 U.S.C. chapter 6).
New section 451(b) of the Act requires that an item of income be
included in gross income for tax purposes no later than when the item
is counted as revenue in an applicable financial statement. This
typically moves the recognition of income forward by a year or two
compared to previous law. These proposed regulations provide general
guidance on the rule, including the scope of the rule, exceptions to
the rule, definitions of key terms, and examples demonstrating
applicability of the rule.
The Treasury Department and the IRS have estimated the number of
small business entities that may be affected by the statute and these
proposed regulations. The statute and proposed regulations affect only
those business entities that (i) use an accrual method of accounting,
and (ii) have an applicable financial statement.
Regarding an accrual method of accounting, many small business
entities use the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting
(cash method), as opposed to an accrual method, and thus are not
subject to this provision. The percent of returns that use an accrual
method of accounting, by entity types and for entities with gross
receipts not greater than $25 million, are shown in the accompanying
table.
[[Page 47203]]
Total Returns and Returns Using Accrual Method of Accounting
[Taxable Year 2016]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Entities with gross receipts not greater than $25 million
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Returns using Percent of
an accrual returns using
Entity Total returns method of accrual
(thousands) accounting method of
(thousands) accounting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C corporations.................................................. 1,567 700 45
S corporations.................................................. 4,551 1,140 25
Partnerships.................................................... 3,743 860 23
Sole proprietors and LLCs....................................... 25,524 358 1
-----------------------------------------------
All entities................................................ 35,385 3,058 9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income.
The Treasury Department and the IRS next examined the second
condition, that only entities with an Applicable Financial Statement
(``AFS'') are affected by the statute and the proposed regulations. The
Treasury Department and the IRS do not have readily available data to
measure the prevalence of entities with an AFS. However, Schedule M-3,
which is used to reconcile an entity's net income or loss for tax
purposes with its book income or loss, reports whether an entity has a
certified audited income statement. Unfortunately for the current
exercise, the Schedule M-3 is required to be filed only by entities
possessing at least $10 million of assets. Nevertheless, it is this
population that is far more likely to possess an AFS. Furthermore, data
are currently available only for electronic filers.
For taxable year 2016, approximately 87 percent of accrual-method
entities filing Forms 1120, 1120-S, and 1065 with gross receipts of $25
million or less were filers of electronic tax forms. About 11 percent,
or 265,000 of these returns, included a Schedule M-3. About 40 percent
of the returns with Schedule M-3, or 106,000, indicated they had a
certified audited income statement.\1\ Based on the assumption that
filers of paper tax forms have the same incidence as electronic filers
and that entities that do not file a Schedule M-3 generally do not have
an AFS, then the Treasury Department and the IRS estimate that roughly
122,000 (=106,000/0.87) entities with gross receipts of $25 million or
less are accrual-method entities that have an AFS. If 5 percent of
entities that do not file a Schedule M-3 also have an AFS then
approximately 247,000 entities with gross receipts of $25 million or
less are potentially affected by the proposed regulations. These
estimates of affected filing entities are reproduced in the following
table.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Data are based on estimates from the IRS's Research, Applied
Analytics and Statistics Division using data from the Compliance
Data Warehouse.
Corporation and Partnership Returns Using An Accrual Method of Accounting Taxable Year 2016
[Thousands of returns]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Entities with gross receipts not greater than $25 million
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-Filed Paper-Filed
returns returns Total returns
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Returns......................................................... 2,441 361 2,802
Returns with a Schedule M-3..................................... 265 * 39 * 374
Returns with a Schedule M-3 and an audited income statement..... 106 * 16 * 122
Returns without a Schedule M-3.................................. 2,176 * 322 * 2,498
Returns without a Schedule M-3, but with an audited income ** 109 ** 16 ** 125
statement......................................................
Returns with an audited income statement........................ ** 215 ** 32 ** 247
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Estimates are obtained by assuming paper-filed returns are similar to e-filed returns as regards the incidence
of a filing entity having a Schedule M-3 and an audited income statement.
** Estimates are obtained by assuming that 5% of returns without a Schedule M-3 have an audited income
statement. This compares with approximately 40% of returns with a Schedule M-3 having such a statement.
Source: Non-italic entries are estimates taken from the IRS's Research, Applied Analytics and Statistics
Division using data from the Compliance Data Warehouse. The total number of accrual method returns of
corporations and partnerships (2,802,000) differs slightly from that reported in the earlier table (2,700,000)
due to the use of different data sources for the two estimates. Italicized entries are additional estimates
obtained in the manner indicated in the table notes.
This rule would not have a significant economic impact on small
entities affected. The costs to comply with these proposed regulations
are not significant. Taxpayers needing to make method changes pursuant
to section 451(b) or the proposed regulations will be required to file
a Form 3115. The Treasury Department and the IRS have provided
streamlined procedures for certain taxpayers to change their method of
accounting to comply with section 451(b), and plan to provide
streamlined procedures for taxpayers to change to the methods of
accounting described in these proposed regulations. See Revenue
Procedure 2018-60, and the revenue procedure accompanying these
regulations. Under the streamlined procedures, certain taxpayers would
either complete only a portion of the
[[Page 47204]]
Form 3115 or would not complete the Form 3115 at all to comply with
section 451(b). The streamlined method change procedures are available
to taxpayers (other than a tax shelter) who satisfy the gross receipts
test under section 448(c) and for taxpayers making such a method change
which results in a zero section 481(a) adjustment. (For tax years
beginning in 2018, an entity satisfied the gross receipts test if its
average annual gross receipts was $25 million or less. For tax years
beginning in 2019, this threshold increased to $26 million or less.) In
addition, the Treasury Department and the IRS plan to issue a
streamlined procedure, using a short Form 3115, for taxpayers using a
section 451(b) method who have a change in their AFS for revenue
recognition that requires a method change for tax purposes. See the
revenue procedure accompanying these regulations.
As noted in the revenue procedure accompanying these regulations,
the estimated cumulative annual reporting and/or recordkeeping burden
for the statutory method changes described under OMB control number
1545-1551, before publication of the revenue procedure, is 27,336
respondents, and a total annual reporting and/or recordkeeping burden
of 30,580 hours. The estimated annual burden per respondent/
recordkeeper under OMB control number 1545-1551 before publication of
this revenue procedure varies from \1/6\ hour to 8\1/2\ hours,
depending on individual circumstances, with an estimated average of
1\1/4\ hours. The estimated cumulative annual reporting and/or
recordkeeping burden for the method changes described under OMB control
number 1545-1551 after that revenue procedure is accounted for is
27,346 respondents, and a total annual reporting and/or recordkeeping
burden is 31,479 hours, leaving the average reporting and recordkeeping
burden essentially unchanged. These burdens are essentially unaffected
by these proposed regulations.
Notwithstanding this certification, the Treasury Department and the
IRS invite comments from the public about the impact of this proposed
rule on small entities.
Pursuant to section 7805(f), these regulations will be submitted to
the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for
comment on their impact on small business.
IV. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
Section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires
that agencies assess anticipated costs and benefits and take certain
other actions before issuing a final rule that includes any Federal
mandate that may result in expenditures in any one year by a state,
local, or tribal government, in the aggregate, or by the private
sector, of $100 million in 1995 dollars, updated annually for
inflation. In 2018, that threshold is approximately $150 million. This
rule does not include any Federal mandate that may result in
expenditures by state, local, or tribal governments, or by the private
sector in excess of that threshold.
V. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
Executive Order 13132 (entitled ``Federalism'') prohibits an agency
from publishing any rule that has federalism implications if the rule
either imposes substantial, direct compliance costs on state and local
governments, and is not required by statute, or preempts state law,
unless the agency meets the consultation and funding requirements of
section 6 of the Executive Order. This rule does not have federalism
implications and does not impose substantial direct compliance costs on
state and local governments or preempt state law within the meaning of
the Executive Order.
Comments and Requests for a Public Hearing
Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations,
consideration will be given to any comments that are submitted timely
to the IRS as prescribed in this preamble under the ADDRESSES heading.
The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on all aspects of
the proposed rules. All comments will be available at https://www.regulations.gov or upon request. A public hearing will be scheduled
if requested in writing by any person that timely submits written
comments. If a public hearing is scheduled, notice of the date, time,
and place for the public hearing will be published in the Federal
Register.
Drafting Information
The principal author of these proposed regulations is Charles
Gorham, IRS Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax and
Accounting). However, other personnel from the Treasury Department and
the IRS participated in their development.
List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1
Income taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Proposed Amendments to the Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is proposed to be amended as follows:
PART 1--INCOME TAXES
0
Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 is amended by adding
entries in numerical order to read, in part, as follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
* * * * *
Section 1.451-3 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 451(b)(1)(A)(ii) and
(b)(3)(C).
* * * * *
Sec. 1.446-1 [Amended]
0
Par. 2. Section 1.446-1 is amended by adding ``(See Sec. 1.451-1 for
rules relating to the taxable year of inclusion.)'' between the first
and second sentences of paragraph (c)(1)(ii)(A).
0
Par. 3. Section 1.446-2 is amended by removing ``or'' at the end of
paragraph (a)(2)(i)(E), removing the period at the end of paragraph
(a)(2)(i)(F) and adding in its place ``; or'' and adding paragraph
(a)(2)(i)(G).
The addition reads as follows:
Sec. 1.446-2 Method of accounting for interest.
(a) * * *
(2) * * *
(i) * * *
(G) Section 1.451-3(i) (special ordering rule for specified fees).
* * * * *
Sec. 1.451-1 [Amended]
0
Par. 4. Section 1.451-1 is amended by:
0
a. Adding ``(the all events test)'' to the end of the second sentence
of paragraph (a);
0
b. Redesignating paragraphs (b) through (g) as (d) through (i); and
0
c. Adding new paragraphs (b) and reserved (c).
The additions read as follows:
Sec. 1.451-1 General rule for taxable year of inclusion.
* * * * *
(b) Special rule for timing of income inclusion for taxpayers with
an applicable financial statement using an accrual method of
accounting. For the timing of income inclusion with respect to
taxpayers with an applicable financial statement using an accrual
method of accounting, see also Sec. 1.451-3.
(c) [Reserved]
* * * * *
0
Par. 5. Section 1.451-3 is added to read as follows:
[[Page 47205]]
Sec. 1.451-3 Timing of income inclusion for taxpayers with an
applicable financial statement using an accrual method of accounting.
(a) Table of contents. This paragraph (a) lists captioned
paragraphs contained in Sec. 1.451-3.
Sec. 1.451-3 Timing of income inclusion for taxpayers with an
applicable financial statement using an accrual method of
accounting.
(a) Table of contents.
(b) General rule.
(c) Definitions.
(1) Applicable financial statement.
(i) GAAP Statements.
(ii) IFRS Statements.
(iii) Other Statements.
(iv) Additional rules for determining priority.
(2) Equity method.
(3) Performance obligation.
(4) Revenue.
(5) Special method of accounting.
(6) Transaction price.
(d) Exceptions to the AFS income inclusion rule.
(e) No change in the treatment of a transaction.
(f) No change to exclusion provisions and non-recognition
treatments.
(g) Contracts with multiple performance obligations.
(1) In general.
(2) Example.
(h) Additional AFS issues.
(1) AFS covering groups of entities.
(i) In general.
(ii) Example.
(2) Separately stated items.
(3) Non-separately stated items.
(4) Computation of revenue when the AFS covers mismatched
reportable periods
(i) In general.
(ii) Permissible methods to determine revenue.
(iii) Method of accounting.
(5) Restatement of AFS.
(i) Special ordering rule for certain items of income with
respect to debt instruments.
(1) In general.
(2) Specified fees.
(3) Example.
(j) Treatment of adjustments to deferred revenue in an AFS.
(1) In general.
(2) Example.
(k) Cumulative rule for multi-year contracts.
(l) Methods of accounting
(1) In general.
(2) Transition rule for changes in method of accounting.
(i) In general.
(ii) Special rules for OID.
(iii) Qualified change in method of accounting.
(m) Examples.
(1) Example 1. Mismatched reportable periods.
(2) Example 2. Provision of installation services.
(3) Example 3. Provision of goods.
(4) Example 4. Provision of services included in AFS without
deferral of advance payments under section 451(c)(1)(B).
(5) Example 5. Provision of services included in AFS with
deferral of advance payments under section 451(c)(1)(B).
(6) Example 6. Sale of goods with AFS revenue adjustments.
(7) Example 7. Chargebacks.
(8) Example 8. Sale of property using a special method of
accounting.
(9) Example 9. Non-recognition provisions not changed for
Federal income tax purposes.
(n) Applicability date.
(1) In general.
(2) Delayed application with respect to certain fees.
(3) Early application of this section.
(i) In general.
(ii) Certain fees.
(A) Specified credit card fees.
(B) Specified fees.
(b) General rule. If a taxpayer has an applicable financial
statement (AFS), the all events test under Sec. 1.451-1(a) with
respect to any item of gross income, or portion thereof, is met no
later than when that item, or portion thereof, is taken into account as
revenue in the taxpayer's AFS (the AFS income inclusion rule). Except
as provided in paragraph (i) of this section for certain items of
income with respect to debt instruments, the AFS income inclusion rule
does not apply to any item of gross income, or portion thereof, when
the timing of income for that item, or portion thereof, is determined
using a special method of accounting, as defined in paragraph (c)(5) of
this section. If a special method of accounting is used, income is
taken into account as prescribed by that special method of accounting.
See, however, paragraph (d) of this section for exceptions for
taxpayers without an AFS and income in connection with a mortgage
servicing contract.
(c) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following
definitions apply:
(1) Applicable financial statement. Subject to the rules in
paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this section, applicable financial statement
(AFS) means the taxpayer's financial statement listed in paragraphs
(c)(1)(i) through (iii) of this section that has the highest priority,
including priority within paragraphs (c)(1)(i)(B) and (c)(1)(ii)(B) of
this section. The financial statements are, in order of descending
priority:
(i) GAAP Statements. A financial statement that is certified as
being prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles (GAAP) and is:
(A) A Form 10-K (or successor form), or annual statement to
shareholders, filed with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC);
(B) An audited financial statement of the taxpayer that is used
for:
(1) Credit purposes;
(2) Reporting to shareholders, partners, or other proprietors, or
to beneficiaries; or
(3) Any other substantial non-tax purpose; or
(C) A financial statement, other than a tax return, filed with the
Federal government or any Federal agency, other than the SEC or the
Internal Revenue Service;
(ii) IFRS Statements. A financial statement that is certified as
being prepared in accordance with international financial reporting
standards (IFRS) and is:
(A) Filed by the taxpayer with an agency of a foreign government
that is equivalent to the SEC, and has reporting standards not less
stringent than the standards required by the SEC;
(B) An audited financial statement of the taxpayer that is used
for:
(1) Credit purposes;
(2) Reporting to shareholders, partners, or other proprietors, or
to beneficiaries; or
(3) Any other substantial non-tax purpose; or
(C) A financial statement, other than a tax return, filed with the
Federal government or any Federal agency, other than the SEC or the
Internal Revenue Service, or a foreign government or agency of a
foreign government, other than an agency that is equivalent to the SEC
or the Internal Revenue Service; or
(iii) Other Statements. A financial statement, other than a tax
return, filed with the Federal government or any Federal agency, a
state government or state agency, or a self-regulatory organization
(for example, a financial statement filed with a state agency that
regulates insurance companies or the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority). Additional financial statements included in this paragraph
(c)(1)(iii) may be provided in guidance published in the Internal
Revenue Bulletin (see Sec. 601.601(d) of this chapter).
(iv) Additional rules for determining priority. If a taxpayer
restates revenue in an AFS prior to the date that the taxpayer files
its Federal income tax return for such taxable year, for purposes of
determining priority, the restated AFS must be used instead of the
original AFS. A taxpayer with different financial accounting and
taxable years that is required to file both annual financial statements
and periodic financial statements covering less than a year with a
government agency must use the annual statement filed with the agency
to determine priority.
[[Page 47206]]
(2) Equity method. Equity method means a method of accounting for
financial accounting purposes under which an investment is initially
recorded at cost and subsequently increased or decreased in carrying
value by the investor's proportionate share of income and losses and
such income or losses are reported as separate items on the investor's
statement of income.
(3) Performance obligation. Performance obligation means a promise
in a contract with a customer to transfer to the customer either a good
or service, or a combination of both, that is distinct; or a series of
distinct goods or services, or a combination of both, that are
substantially the same and that have the same pattern of transfer to
the customer.
(4) Revenue. Revenue means all transaction price amounts includible
in gross income under section 61. The characterization of a transaction
price in the AFS is not determinative of whether it is taken into
account as revenue in a taxpayer's AFS. For example, any transaction
price amount that is reported as other comprehensive income in an AFS
is taken into account as revenue in an AFS.
(5) Special method of accounting. Special method of accounting
means a method of accounting permitted or required under any provision
of the Code, the Income Tax Regulations, or other guidance published in
the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see Sec. 601.601(d) of this chapter)
under which an item of income is taken into account in a taxable year
other than the taxable year in which the all events test is met. See,
however, paragraph (i) of this section relating to certain items of
income with respect to debt instruments. The following are examples of
special methods of accounting to which the AFS income inclusion rule
generally does not apply:
(i) The crop method of accounting under sections 61 and 162;
(ii) Methods of accounting provided in sections 453 through 460;
(iii) Methods of accounting for hedging transactions under Sec.
1.446-4;
(iv) Methods of accounting for REMIC inducement fees under Sec.
1.446-6;
(v) Methods of accounting for gain on shares in a money market fund
under Sec. 1.446-7;
(vi) Methods of accounting for certain rental payments under
section 467;
(vii) The mark-to-market method of accounting under section 475;
(viii) Timing rules for income and gain associated with a
transaction that is integrated under Sec. 1.988-5, and income and gain
under the nonfunctional currency contingent payment debt instrument
rules in Sec. 1.988-6;
(ix) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (i) of this section,
timing rules for original issue discount (OID) under section 811(b)(3)
or 1272 (and the regulations under section 1272), income under the
contingent payment debt instrument rules in Sec. 1.1275-4, income
under the variable rate debt instrument rules in Sec. 1.1275-5, income
and gain associated with a transaction that is integrated under Sec.
1.1275-6, and income under the inflation-indexed debt instrument rules
in Sec. 1.1275-7;
(x) Timing rules for de minimis OID under Sec. 1.1273-1(d) and for
de minimis market discount (as defined in section 1278(a)(2)(C));
(xi) Timing rules for accrued market discount under sections 1276
and 1278(b); and
(xii) Methods of accounting provided in sections 1502 and 1503 and
the regulations thereunder, including the method of accounting relating
to intercompany transactions under Sec. 1.1502-13.
(6) Transaction price. The transaction price means the gross amount
of consideration to which a taxpayer expects to be entitled for AFS
purposes in exchange for transferring promised goods, services, or
other property, including amounts referred to in paragraph (i) of this
section, but not including:
(i) Amounts collected on behalf of third parties (for example, some
sales taxes) that are otherwise not income to the taxpayer;
(ii) Increases in consideration to which a taxpayer's entitlement
is contingent on the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a future event (for
example, bonuses contingent on performance and insurance contract
commissions contingent on renewal) for the period in which the amount
is contingent. Amounts included in the transaction price for AFS
purposes are presumed to not be contingent on the occurrence or
nonoccurrence of a future event, unless, upon examination of all the
facts and circumstances existing at the end of the taxable year, it can
be established to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that the amount
is contingent on the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a future event. An
amount included in the transaction price for AFS purposes that is
actually or constructively received, that is due and payable, or for
which the taxpayer has an enforceable right to payment for performance
completed to date, however, will not be treated as contingent on the
occurrence or nonoccurrence of a future event; or
(iii) Reductions for amounts subject to section 461, including
allowances, adjustments, rebates, chargebacks, refunds, rewards (for
example, estimated redemption costs associated with loyalty programs),
and amounts included in costs of goods sold.
(d) Exceptions to the AFS income inclusion rule. The AFS income
inclusion rule does not apply unless all of the taxpayer's taxable year
is covered by an AFS. In addition, the AFS income inclusion rule does
not apply to any item of income in connection with a mortgage servicing
contract.
(e) No change in the treatment of a transaction. Except as provided
in paragraph (i)(2) of this section, the AFS income inclusion rule does
not change the treatment of a transaction for Federal income tax
purposes. The following are examples of transactions where the
treatment for AFS purposes does not change the treatment of the
transaction for Federal income tax purposes:
(1) A transaction treated as a lease, license, or similar
transaction for Federal income tax purposes that is treated as a sale
or financing for AFS purposes, and vice versa;
(2) A transaction that is not required to be marked-to-market for
Federal income tax purposes but that is marked-to-market for AFS
purposes;
(3) Asset sale and liquidation treatment under section 336(e) or
338(h)(10);
(4) A distribution of a corporation or the allocable share of
partnership items or an income inclusion under section 951, 951A, or
1293(a) for Federal income tax purposes that is accounted for under the
equity method for AFS purposes;
(5) A distribution of previously taxed earnings and profits of a
foreign corporation; and
(6) A deposit or conduit payment for Federal income tax purposes
that is treated as revenue for AFS purposes.
(f) No change to exclusion provisions and the treatment of non-
recognition transactions. The AFS income inclusion rule does not change
the applicability of any exclusion provision, or the treatment of non-
recognition transactions, in the Code, the Income Tax Regulations, or
other guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see Sec.
601.601(d) of this chapter). The following are examples of exclusion
provisions and non-recognition transactions that are not affected by
the AFS income inclusion rule:
(1) Any non-recognition transaction, within the meaning of section
7701(a)(45), (for example, a liquidation
[[Page 47207]]
described in sections 332 and 337, an exchange described in section
351, a distribution described in section 355, a reorganization
described in section 368, a contribution described in section 721, or
transactions described in sections 1031 through 1045); and
(2) Items specifically excluded from income under sections 101
through 140.
(g) Contracts with multiple performance obligations--(1) In
general. For purposes of this section, if a taxpayer's contract with a
customer has more than one performance obligation, transaction price is
allocated to performance obligations as transaction price is allocated
to performance obligations in the taxpayer's AFS.
(2) Example. Taxpayer A, a manufacturer and servicer of airplane
parts, is a calendar-year accrual method taxpayer with an AFS. In
2018, A enters into a $100x contract to sell airplane parts and to
service those parts, as necessary, in 2018, 2019, and 2020. For AFS
purposes, A allocates $40x of the total contract price to the
delivery of parts in 2018, $10x to the provision of services in
2018, $20x to the provision of services in 2019, and $30x to the
provision of services in 2020. In 2018, A delivers parts and
provides services. On its 2018 AFS, A includes the $40x for the
delivery of parts and the $10x for the provision of services in
revenue. Under paragraph (g)(1) of this section, because the
contract involves multiple performance obligations, A must use its
transaction price AFS allocation to determine whether income from
the sale of airplane parts and services are included in revenue in
its AFS for purposes of this section. Accordingly, under the AFS
income inclusion rule in paragraph (b) of this section, for the $40x
sale of airplane parts and the $10x provision of services in 2018
the all events test is not met any later than A's 2018 taxable year.
(h) Additional AFS issues--(1) AFS covering groups of entities--(i)
In general. For purposes of this section, if a taxpayer's financial
results are reported on the AFS for a group of entities, the taxpayer's
AFS is the group's AFS. However, if the taxpayer's financial results
are also reported on a separate AFS that is of equal or higher priority
to the group's AFS under paragraph (c)(1) of this section, then the
taxpayer's AFS is the separate AFS.
(ii) Example. Taxpayer B, a reseller of computers and
electronics, is a calendar-year accrual method taxpayer. In 2018,
B's financial results are included in its parent corporation's
consolidated Form 10-K filed with the SEC, but it files a separate
Federal income tax return. Under paragraph (h)(1) of this section,
because its financial results are reported on the AFS for its parent
corporation, B must use its parent corporation's consolidated Form
10-K as its AFS. Accordingly, under the AFS income inclusion rule in
paragraph (b) of this section, for the sale of computers and
electronics the all events test is not met any later than when the
sale is included in its parent corporation's consolidated Form 10-K.
(2) Separately stated items. If a group's AFS is treated as the
taxpayer's AFS, the taxpayer must look to any separately stated items
to determine the amount of revenue allocated to the taxpayer.
(3) Non-separately stated items. If a group's AFS does not
separately state items, the portion of the revenue allocable to the
taxpayer is determined by relying on the source documents that were
used to create the group's AFS.
(4) Computation of revenue when the AFS covers mismatched
reportable periods--(i) In general. If a taxpayer's AFS is prepared on
the basis of a financial accounting year that differs from the
taxpayer's taxable year, the taxpayer must use one of the permissible
methods listed in paragraph (h)(4)(ii) of this section to determine
revenue for purposes of the AFS income inclusion rule.
(ii) Permissible methods to determine revenue. For purposes of
paragraph (h)(4)(i) of this section, a taxpayer must use one of the
following methods to determine revenue for the taxable year in order to
apply the AFS income inclusion rule:
(A) The taxpayer computes revenue by using the accounting
principles used to create its AFS to determine whether an item would be
included in revenue in an AFS for the taxable year as if its financial
reporting period was the same as its taxable year, for example, by
conducting an interim closing of its books.
(B) The taxpayer computes revenue by including a pro rata portion
of the revenue for each financial accounting year that includes any
part of the taxpayer's taxable year. If the taxpayer's AFS for part of
the taxable year is not available by the due date of the return (with
extension), the taxpayer must make a reasonable estimate of revenue for
the pro rata portion of the taxable year for which an AFS is not yet
available. See Sec. 1.451-1(a) for adjustments after actual amounts
are determined.
(C) If a taxpayer's financial accounting year ends five or more
months after the end of its taxable year, the taxpayer computes revenue
for Federal income tax purposes based on the revenue reported on the
AFS prepared for the financial accounting year ending within the
taxpayer's taxable year. For purposes of this paragraph (h)(4)(ii)(C),
if a taxpayer uses a 52-53 week year for financial accounting or
Federal income tax purposes, the last day of such year shall be deemed
to occur on the last day of the calendar month ending closest to the
end of such year.
(iii) Method of accounting. A change in the method of computing
revenue under this paragraph (h)(4) is a change in method of accounting
under section 446. A taxpayer may change its method of accounting only
with the consent of the Commissioner as required under section 446(e)
and the corresponding regulations.
(5) Restatement of AFS. If a taxpayer restates revenue on an AFS
and such restatement changes the timing of when an item of income, or a
portion thereof, is taken into account as revenue on the AFS, the
change constitutes a change in method of accounting under section 446.
A taxpayer may change its method of accounting only with the consent of
the Commissioner as required under section 446(e) and the corresponding
regulations. If a taxpayer restates revenue on an AFS to correct an
error or the restatement results in a change in the estimate of the
taxpayer's pro rata portion of revenue under paragraph (h)(4)(ii)(B) of
this section, see Sec. 1.451-1(a).
(i) Special ordering rule for certain items of income with respect
to debt instruments--(1) In general. If an item of income, or portion
thereof, with respect to a debt instrument is described in paragraph
(i)(2) of this section, the rules of this section apply before the
rules in sections 1271 through 1275 and Sec. Sec. 1.1271-1 through
1.1275-7 (OID rules). Therefore, an item of income, or portion thereof,
described in paragraph (i)(2) of this section may not be taken into
income later than when that item, or portion thereof, is taken into
account as revenue in the taxpayer's AFS, regardless of whether the
timing of income inclusion for that item is normally determined using a
special method of accounting. See also Sec. 1.1275-2(l) for the
treatment of the items described in paragraph (i)(2) of this section
under the OID rules.
(2) Specified fees. Paragraph (i)(1) of this section applies to
fees (specified fees) that are not treated as discount or as an
adjustment to the yield of a debt instrument over the life of the
instrument (such as points) in the taxpayer's AFS and, but for
paragraph (i) of this section and Sec. 1.1275-2(l), would be treated
as creating or increasing OID for Federal income tax purposes. For
example, the following specified fees (specified credit card fees) are
described in this paragraph (i)(2):
(i) A payment of additional interest or a similar charge provided
with respect to amounts that are not paid when due on a credit card
account (for example, credit card late fees);
[[Page 47208]]
(ii) Amounts charged under a credit card agreement when the
cardholder uses the credit card to conduct a cash advance transaction
(for example, credit card cash advance fees); and
(iii) Amounts a credit or debit card issuer is entitled to upon a
purchase of goods or services by one of its cardholders (for example,
interchange fees, which are sometimes labeled merchant discount in
certain private label credit card transactions).
(3) Example. Taxpayer C, a credit card issuer, is a calendar-
year accrual method taxpayer with an AFS. In 2019, a cardholder uses
C's credit card to purchase $100 of merchandise from a merchant and
the cardholder earns a reward of 1% of the purchase price of $100
($1) as part of C's cardholder loyalty program. Upon purchase, C
becomes entitled to an interchange fee equal to 2% of the purchase
price of $100 ($2). In 2019, C reports the $2 of interchange fees as
revenue in its AFS. C's $2 of interchange fees is described in
paragraph (i)(2)(iii) of this section. Under paragraph (i)(1) of
this section, C must apply the rules in this section before applying
the OID rules. See also Sec. 1.1275-2(l). Therefore, C's $2 of
interchange fees is included in taxable income in 2019, the year it
is included as revenue in C's AFS. Under paragraph (c)(6)(iii) of
this section, the $2 of interchange revenue is not reduced by the $1
reward. Even if C reports interchange fees net of rewards in its AFS
for 2019 ($2 of interchange fee minus $1 reward liability), under
paragraph (c)(6) of this section, C includes $2 of interchange
revenue in taxable income in 2019. See Sec. Sec. 162 and 461(h) for
the treatment of the reward by C.
(j) Treatment of adjustments to deferred revenue in an AFS--(1) In
general. For purposes of this section, if a taxpayer treats an item of
income as deferred revenue in its AFS and writes down or adjusts that
item, or portion thereof, to an equity account (for example, retained
earnings) or otherwise writes down or adjusts that item of deferred
revenue in a subsequent taxable year, revenue for that subsequent
taxable year includes that item, or portion thereof, that is written
down or adjusted.
(2) Example. Taxpayer D, a remanufacturer of industrial
equipment, is a calendar-year accrual method taxpayer with an AFS.
In 2018, D enters into a contract with a customer to remanufacture
equipment in 2019 and 2020 for $100x. The contract is not a long-
term contract under section 460. In its 2018 AFS, D treats the $100x
as deferred revenue. In 2019, all the stock of D is acquired by an
unrelated third party. In its 2019 AFS, D adjusts deferred revenue
to $90x (the expected cost to provide the services) by charging $10x
($100x - $90x = $10x) to retained earnings. In its 2019 AFS, D
includes $50x of the $90x of deferred revenue in revenue. Under
paragraph (j)(1) of this section, D's adjustment to deferred revenue
in 2019 is treated as revenue under paragraph (c)(4) of this section
in 2019. Therefore, under the AFS income inclusion rule in paragraph
(b) of this section, D is treated as including $60x ($50x + $10x =
$60x) in revenue in its 2019 AFS, and the all events test is met for
that $60x no later than D's 2019 taxable year.
(k) Cumulative rule for multi-year contracts. In the case of a
multi-year contract, a taxpayer must take into account the cumulative
amounts included in income in prior taxable years on the contract, if
any, in order to determine the amount to be included for the taxable
years remaining in the contract. For purposes of this paragraph (k),
multi-year contract means a contract that spans more than one taxable
year.
(l) Methods of accounting--(1) In general. A change in the method
of recognizing revenue in an AFS that changes or could change the
timing of the recognition of income for Federal income tax purposes is
a change in method of accounting under section 446. A taxpayer may
change its method of accounting only with the consent of the
Commissioner as required under section 446(e) and the corresponding
regulations. Accordingly, a taxpayer that changes the method of
accounting used to recognize revenue in its AFS is required to secure
consent of the Commissioner before computing income using this new
method for Federal income tax purposes.
(2) Transition rule for changes in method of accounting--(i) In
general. Except as provided in paragraph (l)(2)(ii) of this section, a
taxpayer that makes a qualified change in method of accounting for the
taxpayer's first taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, is
treated as making a change in method initiated by the taxpayer for
purposes of section 481(a)(2). A taxpayer obtains the consent of the
Commissioner to make a qualified change in method of accounting by
using the applicable administrative procedures that govern voluntary
automatic changes in method of accounting under section 446(e). See
section Sec. 1.446-1(e)(3).
(ii) Special rules for OID and specified fees. The rules of
paragraph (l)(2)(i) of this section apply to a qualified change in
method of accounting required under section 451(b) and paragraph (i) of
this section for the taxpayer's first taxable year beginning after
December 31, 2018, if the change relates to a specified credit card fee
(as defined in paragraph (i)(2) of this section). The rules of
paragraph (l)(2)(i) of this section apply to a qualified change in
method of accounting required under section 451(b) and paragraph (i) of
this section for the taxpayer's first taxable year beginning one year
after the date the Treasury decision adopting these regulations as
final is published in the Federal Register, if the change relates to a
specified fee (as defined in paragraph (i)(2) of this section) other
than a specified credit card fee. For purposes of this paragraph
(l)(2)(ii), the section 481(a) adjustment period for any adjustment
under section 481(a) for a qualified change in method of accounting
required under section 451(b) and paragraph (i) of this section is six
taxable years.
(iii) Qualified change in method of accounting. For purposes of
paragraph (l)(2) of this section, a qualified change in method of
accounting means any change in method of accounting that is required by
section 13221 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Public Law 115-97 (131
Stat. 2054) (TCJA), or was prohibited under the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 prior to TCJA section 13221 and is now permitted as a result of
TCJA section 13221.
(m) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of
this section:
(1) Example 1. Mismatched reportable periods. Taxpayer A is a
calendar-year accrual method taxpayer with an AFS. For AFS purposes,
A's financial results are reported on a June 30 fiscal year. Using
the method described in paragraph (h)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, for
the taxable year 2018, A uses the financial results reported on its
June 30, 2018, AFS to determine whether an item of income was taken
into account as revenue in A's AFS from January 1, 2018, through
June 30, 2018, and uses its June 30, 2019, AFS to determine whether
an item of income is taken into account as revenue in A's AFS from
July 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018.
(2) Example 2. Provision of installation services. Taxpayer B is
a calendar-year accrual method taxpayer with an AFS. In 2018, B
enters into a contract with a customer to provide manufacturing
equipment installation services for $100,000. Throughout the
contract, the customer retains control of the equipment. B has an
enforceable right to payment for services partially performed. The
contract is not a long-term contract under section 460. B begins
providing the installation services in 2018 and completes the
installation services in 2019. Under the contract, B bills the
customer $50,000 in 2018 when installation begins. B includes
$60,000 in revenue in its 2018 AFS and $40,000 in revenue in its
2019 AFS. Under the AFS income inclusion rule in paragraph (b) of
this section, because $60,000 of revenue from the installation
services is included in B's 2018 AFS, the all events test for that
$60,000 of income is met in B's 2018 taxable year.
(3) Example 3. Provision of goods. Taxpayer C is a calendar-year
accrual method taxpayer with an AFS. In 2018, C enters into
[[Page 47209]]
a contract with a customer to provide 50 customized computers for
$80,000. Under the contract, C can bill $80,000 after the customer
accepts delivery of the computers. However, because of the
customization, the contract provides that C can be paid for work
performed to date, even if the contract is not completed for reasons
other than C's failure to perform. C delivers all of the computers
in 2018. Customer accepts delivery of the computers and C bills the
customer in 2019. C includes all $80,000 in revenue in its 2018 AFS.
Under the AFS income inclusion rule in paragraph (b) of this
section, because $80,000 of revenue from the provision of goods is
included in C's 2018 AFS, the all events test for that $80,000 of
income is met in C's 2018 taxable year. Under paragraph (c)(6)(ii)
of this section, the limitation on C's ability to bill until after
the customer accepts delivery of the computers is not a future event
that restricts C's enforceable right to payment for the goods.
(4) Example 4. Provision of services included in AFS without
deferral of advance payments under section 451(c)(1)(B). Taxpayer D,
an engineering services provider, is a calendar-year accrual method
taxpayer with an AFS. In 2018, D enters into a contract with a
customer to provide services for four years for a total of $100x.
Under the contract, D receives $25x each year of the contract. D
does not elect to defer advance payments under section 451(c)(1)(B).
For AFS purposes, D reports $50x, $0, $20x, and $30x of revenue from
the contract in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. Under
paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the allocation of the transaction
price in D's AFS is used to determine when all or part of that item
is taken into account for purposes of paragraph (b) of this section.
In 2018, D includes all of the $25x payment in income from the
contract under the all events test. In addition, under paragraph (b)
of this section, because $50x of revenue from the provision of
services is included in D's 2018 AFS, the all events test for that
portion of the provision of services is not met later than D's 2018
taxable year. Therefore, D must include the additional $25x ($50x-
$25x = $25x) reported on the AFS as income in 2018. In 2019, under
paragraph (k) of this section, D includes $0 of the $25x payment in
income from the contract because the payment received in 2019
relates to income included in 2018. In 2020, D includes all of the
$25x payment in income from the contract under the all events test.
In 2021, D includes the remaining $25x payment in income under the
contract under the all events test. This example is summarized in
the table below:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payments........................ $25x $25x $25x $25x $100x
AFS Revenue..................... 50x 0 20x 30x 100x
Income.......................... 50x 0 25x 25x 100x
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(5) Example 5. Provision of services included in AFS with
deferral of advance payments under section 451(c)(1)(B). The facts
are the same as in Example 4 in paragraph (m)(4) of this section,
except D elects to defer advance payments under section
451(c)(1)(B). Under paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the allocation
of the transaction price in D's AFS is used to determine when all or
part of that item is taken into account for purposes of paragraph
(b) of this section. In 2018, D includes all of the $25x payment in
income from the contract under the all events test. In addition,
under paragraph (b) of this section, because $50x of revenue from
the provision of services is included in D's 2018 AFS, the all
events test for that portion of the provision of services is not met
later than D's 2018 taxable year. Therefore, D must include an
additional $25x ($50x--$25x = $25x) of income in 2018. In 2019,
under paragraph (k) of this section, D includes $0 of the $25x
payment in income from the contract because the payment received in
2019 relates to income included in 2018. In 2020, D includes $20x of
the $25x payment in income from the contract under the deferral
method for advance payments under section 451(c)(1)(B). In 2021, D
includes the $5x that was deferred in 2020 under the deferral method
for advance payments under section 451(c)(1)(B) and the remaining
$25x payment in income under the contract under the all events test.
This example is summarized in the table below:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payments........................ $25x $25x $25x $25x $100x
AFS Revenue..................... 50x 0 20x 30x 100x
Income.......................... 50x 0 20x 30x 100x
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(6) Example 6. Sale of goods with AFS revenue adjustments.
Taxpayer E, a manufacturer of automobile parts, is a calendar-year
accrual method taxpayer with an AFS. E normally sells parts for $10
per part with a 2% bonus if the parts are delivered on time.
Traditionally, 5% of parts sold are returned. In 2018, E enters a
contract to sell 1,000 parts to a customer for $10 per part, for a
total of $10,000 (1,000 x $10 = $10,000). The contract also provides
that E will receive a 2% bonus if it delivers all the parts to the
customer by February 1, 2019. E delivers 500 parts to the customer
on December 31, 2018. On December 31, 2018, the additional 500 parts
were scheduled for shipment to the customer on January 4, 2019. For
AFS purposes, E expects to earn the 2% bonus and to have 5% of the
parts returned. In its 2018 AFS, E reports $4,850 ($5,000 + $100--
$250 = $4,850) of revenue from the contract, including a $100 (2% x
$5,000 = $100) adjustment for the expected bonus and a $250 (5% x
$5,000 = $250) adjustment for anticipated returns. Under paragraph
(c)(6)(iii) of this section, E's transaction price does not include
anticipated returns. See Sec. 1.461-4(g)(3) for rules on when the
return liability is incurred. Under paragraph (c)(6)(ii) of this
section, the performance bonus is presumed not to be contingent on
the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a future event. However, at the
end of the year, all parts have yet to be delivered within the
February 1, 2019 deadline. Under the contract, E has no right to
payment of the bonus at the end of the year. Therefore, the
presumption is rebutted. In addition, under paragraph (g)(1) of this
section, the allocation of the transaction price in E's AFS is used
to determine when all or part of that item is taken into account for
purposes of paragraph (b) of this section. Accordingly, under
paragraph (b) of this section, because $5,000 of revenue from the
sale of parts is taken into account in E's 2018 AFS, the all events
test for $5,000 of income allocated to those parts is met in E's
2018 taxable year.
(7) Example 7. Chargebacks. Taxpayer F, a manufacturer of
pharmaceuticals, is a calendar-year accrual method taxpayer with an
AFS. In addition to billing the wholesaler for the sale of the
pharmaceutical at the wholesale acquisition cost under the contract,
F generally credits or pays wholesalers a chargeback of 40% of the
wholesale acquisition cost for sales made by those wholesalers to
qualifying customers. In 2018, F enters into a contract to sell
1,000 units to W, a wholesaler, for $10 per unit, totaling $10,000
(1,000 x $10 = $10,000). The contract also provides that F will
issue a 40% chargeback for sales by W to certain qualifying
customers. F delivers 600 units to W on December 31, 2018, and bills
W $6,000 under the contract. For AFS purposes, F adjusts its revenue
by 40% for all sales to W for anticipated chargebacks. As such, in
its 2018 AFS, F reports $3,600 ($6,000 - $2,400 = $3,600) of revenue
from the contract with W, decreasing revenue by $2,400 (40% x $6,000
= $2,400) for anticipated chargeback claims. For Federal income tax
purposes, under paragraph (c)(6)(iii) of this section, F's 2018
revenue is $6,000 because F's revenue is not reduced for anticipated
chargebacks.
(8) Example 8. Sale of property using a special method of
accounting. Taxpayer G, a
[[Page 47210]]
provider of financial services, is a calendar-year accrual method
taxpayer with an AFS. In 2018, G sells a building for $100x, payable
in five annual payments of $20x starting in 2018. In its 2018 AFS, G
reports all $100x of revenue from the sale of the building. For
Federal income tax purposes, G uses the installment method under
section 453 for the sale of the building. Under paragraph (c)(5) of
this section, the installment method under section 453 is a special
method of accounting because it requires income to be taken into
account in a taxable year other than the taxable year in which the
all events test is met. Therefore, under paragraph (b) of this
section, this section does not apply to G's sale of the building
because it is using a special method of accounting and the income is
taken into account as prescribed in section 453.
(9) Example 9. Non-recognition provisions not changed for
Federal income tax purposes. Taxpayer H (Distributing) is a
calendar-year accrual method C corporation with an AFS. On December
31, 2018, Distributing (i) contributes assets to a wholly owned
subsidiary (Controlled) in exchange for Controlled stock and $100x,
and (ii) distributes all of Controlled's stock pro rata to its
shareholders. The transaction qualifies as a reorganization under
section 368(a)(1)(D) and a distribution to which section 355 applies
(D reorganization). Distributing's realized gain on the transferred
assets for book and tax purposes is $150x. On January 15, 2019, in
pursuance of the plan of reorganization, Distributing distributes
the $100x to its shareholders. Consequently, no gain to Distributing
is recognized under section 361(b)(1)(A). On Distributing's 2018
AFS, Distributing recognizes revenue of $150x related to the D
reorganization. Under paragraph (f) of this section, nothing in
section 451(b) or this section changes the applicability of any
deferral, non-recognition, or exclusion provision of the Code, the
Income Tax Regulations, or other guidance published in the Internal
Revenue Bulletin. Section 361 provides that Distributing does not
recognize any gain from the D reorganization. Pursuant to paragraph
(f) of this section, nothing in section 451(b) or this section would
change the result that Distributing does not recognize gain on
Distributing's (i) contribution of assets to Controlled, (ii)
receipt of Controlled stock and cash, and (iii) distribution of
Controlled stock and cash to Distributing's shareholders.
(10) Example 10. Insurance contract renewals. The taxpayer, an
insurance agent, is engaged by an insurance carrier to sell
insurance. By written binding contract between the taxpayer and the
insurance carrier, the taxpayer is entitled to receive a $50
commission from the insurance carrier at the time a policy is sold
to a customer. The written binding contract also provides that the
taxpayer is entitled to receive an additional $25 commission each
time a policy is renewed. The taxpayer sells 1,000 one-year policies
in year one, of which 800 are renewed in year two and 700 are
renewed in year three. The taxpayer does not have any ongoing
obligation to provide additional services to the insurance carrier
or the customers after the initial sale of the policy. The taxpayer
includes $86,000 in revenue in its AFS for year one, which includes
$50,000 of consideration for policies sold in year one and an
estimate of $36,000 of consideration for the policies expected to be
renewed in years two and three. Under paragraph (c)(6)(ii) of this
section, because the taxpayer is able to demonstrate by written
binding contract that the amounts related to future insurance
contract renewals are contingent on the occurrence of a future event
(that is the customer contract renewal), the taxpayer's transaction
price from commissions is $50,000 ($50 * 1,000) in year one, $20,000
($25 * 800) in year two, and $17,500 ($25 * 700) in year three.
(n) Applicability date--(1) In general. Except as provided in
paragraph (n)(2) of this section, these regulations are proposed to
apply for taxable years beginning after the date the Treasury decision
adopting these regulations as final is published in the Federal
Register.
(2) Delayed application with respect to certain fees.
Notwithstanding paragraph (n)(1) of this section, paragraph (i)(2) of
this section is proposed to apply to specified fees (as defined in
paragraph (i)(2) of this section) other than specified credit card fees
(as defined in paragraph (i)(2) of this section) for taxable years
beginning one year after the date the Treasury decision adopting these
regulations as final is published in the Federal Register.
(3) Early application of this section--(i) In general. Except as
provided in paragraph (n)(3)(ii) of this section, until the date the
Treasury decision adopting these regulations as final regulations is
published in the Federal Register, a taxpayer may rely on these
proposed regulations for taxable years beginning after December 31,
2017, if the taxpayer applies all the applicable rules contained in
these proposed regulations (other than those applicable to specified
fees), and consistently applies these proposed regulations to all items
of income during the taxable year (other than specified fees).
(ii) Certain fees--(A) Specified credit card fees. Until the date
the Treasury decision adopting these regulations as final regulations
is published in the Federal Register, in the case of a specified credit
card fee, a taxpayer may rely on these proposed regulations for taxable
years beginning after December 31, 2018, if the taxpayer applies all
the applicable rules contained in these proposed regulations for a
specified credit card fee, and consistently applies these proposed
regulations to all items of income during the taxable year (other than
specified fees that are not specified credit card fees).
(B) Specified fees. Paragraph (n)(3)(i) of this section does not
apply to specified fees that are not specified credit card fees.
0
Par. 6. Section 1.1275-2 is amended by adding paragraph (l) to read as
follows:
Sec. 1.1275-2 Special rules relating to debt instruments.
* * * * *
(l) OID rule for income item subject to section 451(b)--(1) In
general. Notwithstanding any other rule in sections 1271 through 1275
and Sec. Sec. 1.1271-1 through 1.1275-7, if, and to the extent, a
taxpayer's item of income with respect to a debt instrument is subject
to the timing rules in Sec. 1.451-3(i) (including credit card late
fees, credit card cash advance fees, or interchange fees), then the
taxpayer does not take the item into account to determine whether the
debt instrument has any OID. As a result, the taxpayer does not treat
the item as creating or increasing any OID on the debt instrument.
(2) Applicability dates--(i) In general. Except as provided in
paragraphs (l)(2)(ii) and (iii) of this section, paragraph (l)(1) of
this section applies for taxable years beginning after the date the
Treasury decision adopting these regulations as final is published in
the Federal Register.
(ii) Early adoption. Until the date the Treasury decision adopting
these regulations as final regulations is published in the Federal
Register, a taxpayer may rely on these proposed regulations for taxable
years beginning after December 31, 2018, for a specified credit card
fee as defined in Sec. 1.451-3(i)(2), if applied consistently to all
specified credit card fees subject to Sec. 1.451-3(i).
(iii) Applicability date for purposes of accounting method changes.
Paragraph (l)(1) of this section will not apply for purposes of
applying section 13221(e) of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Public Law 115-
97 (131 Stat. 2054) to determine the section 481(a) adjustment period
for any adjustment under section 481(a) for a qualified change in
method of accounting required under section 451(b) and Sec. 1.451-3(i)
for the items subject to Sec. 1.451-3(i).
Kirsten Wielobob,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2019-19325 Filed 9-5-19; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-P