Department of the Treasury 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document contains final regulations that provide guidance under section 987 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) regarding the determination of the taxable income or loss of a taxpayer with respect to a qualified business unit (QBU) subject to section 987, as well as the timing, amount, character, and source of any section 987 gain or loss. Taxpayers affected by these regulations are corporations and individuals that own QBUs subject to section 987. In addition, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, temporary and proposed regulations (the temporary regulations) are being issued under section 987 to address aspects of the application of section 987 not addressed in these final regulations.

Published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, the Treasury Department and the IRS are issuing temporary regulations under section 987 of the Code relating to the recognition and deferral of foreign currency gain or loss under section 987 with respect to a qualified business unit (QBU) in connection with certain QBU terminations and certain other transactions involving partnerships. The temporary regulations also contain rules providing: An annual deemed termination election for a section 987 QBU; an elective method, available to taxpayers that make the annual deemed termination election, for translating all items of income or loss with respect to a section 987 QBU at the yearly average exchange rate; rules regarding the treatment of section 988 transactions of a section 987 QBU; rules regarding QBUs with the U.S. dollar as their functional currency; rules regarding combinations and separations of section 987 QBUs; rules regarding the translation of income used to pay creditable foreign income taxes; and rules regarding the allocation of assets and liabilities of certain partnerships for purposes of section 987. Finally, the temporary regulations contain rules under section 988 requiring the deferral of certain section 988 loss that arises with respect to related-party loans. The text of the temporary regulations serves as the text of these proposed regulations.

The Department of the Treasury (Treasury) is issuing this interim final rule as part of its implementation of changes to the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program (Program) required by the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2015 (2015 Reauthorization Act). This interim final rule only addresses the process for certification of an act of terrorism, as published in proposed form on April 1, 2016, for public comment. Some clarifying changes have been made in this interim final rule in response to comments, and certain wording changes have also been made which are not intended to change the meaning of the rule as originally proposed. The proposed rule includes a more general revision to and renumbering of the Program rules which will be issued in full at a later date. Accordingly, for now, the new subpart is renumbered to avoid duplication with the existing rule numbers. Upon issuance of the final rules for the Program, the final rules will reflect the numbering sequence in the notice of proposed rulemaking published on April 1, 2016.

This document contains proposed Income Tax Regulations under section 901(m) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) with respect to transactions that generally are treated as asset acquisitions for U.S. income tax purposes and either are treated as stock acquisitions or are disregarded for foreign income tax purposes. In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register, temporary regulations are being issued under section 901(m) (the temporary regulations), the text of which serves as the text of a portion of these proposed regulations. These regulations are necessary to provide guidance on applying section 901(m). These regulations affect taxpayers claiming foreign tax credits.

This final rule amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to reflect an extension of import restrictions on certain archaeological and ethnological materials from the Plurinational State of Bolivia (``Bolivia''). The restrictions, which were originally imposed by Treasury Decision (T.D.) 01-86 and last extended by CBP Dec. 11-24, are due to expire on December 4, 2016. The Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, United States Department of State, has determined that conditions continue to warrant the imposition of import restrictions. Accordingly, these import restrictions will remain in effect for an additional five years, and the CBP regulations are being amended to reflect this extension through December 4, 2021. These restrictions are being extended pursuant to determinations of the United States Department of State made under the terms of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act in accordance with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. T.D. 01-86 contains the Designated List of archaeological and ethnological materials from Bolivia to which the restrictions apply.

The Department of the Treasury will submit the following information collection requests to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, on or after the date of publication of this notice.

By this Notice and in accordance with 31 CFR 129, the Department of the Treasury is informing the public that it is conducting a mandatory survey of ownership of foreign securities by U.S. residents as of December 31, 2016. This Notice constitutes legal notification to all United States persons (defined below) who meet the reporting requirements set forth in this Notice that they must respond to, and comply with, this survey. The reporting form SHC (2016) and instructions may be printed from the Internet at: https:// www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/tic/Pages/ forms- sh.aspx#shc. Definition: Pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 3102 a United States person is any individual, branch, partnership, associated group, association, estate, trust, corporation, or other organization (whether or not organized under the laws of any State), and any government (including a foreign government, the United States Government, a State or local government, and any agency, corporation, financial institution, or other entity or instrumentality thereof, including a government- sponsored agency), who resides in the United States or is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Who Must Report: The following U.S. persons must report on this survey: U.S. persons who manage, as custodians, the safekeeping of foreign securities for themselves and other U.S. persons. These U.S. persons, who include the affiliates in the United States of foreign entities, must report on this survey if the total fair value of the foreign securities whose safekeeping they manage on behalf of U.S. personsaggregated over all accounts and for all U.S. branches and affiliates of their firmis $200 million or more as of the close of business on December 31, 2016. U.S. persons who own foreign securities for their own portfolios and/or who invest in foreign securities on behalf of others, such as investment managers/fund sponsors. These U.S. persons (referred to as ``end-investors''), who include the affiliates in the United States of foreign entities, must report on this survey if the total fair value of these foreign securitiesaggregated over all accounts and for all U.S. branches and affiliates of their firmis $200 million or more as of the close of business on December 31, 2016. U.S. persons who are notified by letter from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. These U.S. persons must file Schedule 1, even if the recipient of the letter is under the reporting threshold of $200 million and need only report ``exempt'' on Schedule 1. These U.S. persons who meet the reporting threshold must also file Schedule 2 and/ or Schedule 3. What To Report: This report will collect information on holdings by U.S. residents of foreign securities, including equities, long-term debt securities, and short-term debt securities (including selected money market instruments). How To Report: Copies of the survey forms and instructions, which contain complete information on reporting procedures and definitions, may be obtained at the Web site address given above in the Summary. Completed reports can be submitted electronically or mailed to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Statistics Function, 4th Floor, 33 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10045-0001. Inquiries can be made to the survey staff of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York at (212) 720-6300 or email: SHC.help@ny.frb.org. Inquiries can also be made to Dwight Wolkow at (202) 622-1276, email: comments2TIC@do.treas.gov. When To Report: Data must be submitted to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, acting as fiscal agent for the Department of the Treasury, by March 3, 2017. Paperwork Reduction Act Notice: This data collection has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act and assigned control number 1505-0146. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid control number assigned by OMB. The estimated average annual burden associated with this collection of information is 17 hours per respondent for exempt respondents, 41 hours per respondent for end- investors and custodians that file Schedule 3 reports covering their securities entrusted to U.S. resident custodians, 121 hours per respondent for large end-investors filing Schedule 2 reports, and 361 hours per respondent for large custodians of securities filing Schedule 2 reports. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden estimate and suggestions for reducing this burden should be directed to the Department of the Treasury, Attention Administrator, International Portfolio Investment Data Reporting Systems, Room 5422, Washington, DC 20220, and to OMB, Attention Desk Officer for the Department of the Treasury, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20503

This document contains temporary regulations that modify existing regulations related to the penalty under section 6695(g) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) relating to tax return preparer due diligence. These temporary regulations implement recent law changes that expand the tax return preparer due diligence penalty under section 6695(g) so that it applies to the child tax credit (CTC), additional child tax credit (ACTC), and the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), in addition to the earned income credit (EIC). The temporary regulations affect tax return preparers. The substance of the temporary regulations is included in the proposed regulations set forth in the notice of proposed rulemaking on this subject in the Proposed Rules section in this issue of the Federal Register.

This document contains final regulations that provide user fees for installment agreements. The final regulations affect taxpayers who wish to pay their liabilities through installment agreements.

This document contains final regulations that provide transition rules providing that executors and other persons required to file or furnish a statement under section 6035(a)(1) or (2) regarding the value of property included in a decedent's gross estate for federal estate tax purposes before June 30, 2016, need not have done so until June 30, 2016. These final regulations are applicable to executors and other persons who file federal estate tax returns required by section 6018(a) or (b) after July 31, 2015.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to establish the 133-square mile ``Dahlonega Plateau'' viticultural area in portions of Lumpkin and White Counties, Georgia. The proposed viticultural area does not lie within or contain any established viticultural area. TTB designates viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase. TTB invites comments on this proposed addition to its regulations.

The Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service (Fiscal Service) is proposing to amend its regulation governing the use of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Network by Federal agencies. Our regulation adopts, with some exceptions, the NACHA Operating Rules developed by NACHAThe Electronic Payments Association (NACHA) as the rules governing the use of the ACH Network by Federal agencies. We are issuing this proposed rule to address changes that NACHA has made to the NACHA Operating Rules since the publication of the 2013 NACHA Operating Rules & Guidelines book. These changes include amendments set forth in the 2014, 2015, and 2016 NACHA Operating Rules & Guidelines books.

Publication of the tier 2 tax rates for calendar year 2017 as required by section 3241(d) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 3241). Tier 2 taxes on railroad employees, employers, and employee representatives are one source of funding for benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), U.S. Department of the Treasury, is soliciting comments concerning the Certification of Material Events Form.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A). Currently the Bureau of the Fiscal Service within the Department of the Treasury is soliciting comments concerning the Request to Reissue U.S. Savings Bonds to a Personal Trust.

This document contains proposed regulations that relate to the establishment of dollar-value last-in, first-out (LIFO) inventory pools by certain taxpayers that use the inventory price index computation (IPIC) pooling method. The proposed regulations provide rules regarding the proper pooling of manufactured or processed goods and wholesale or retail (resale) goods. The proposed regulations would affect taxpayers who use the IPIC pooling method and whose inventory for a trade or business consists of manufactured or processed goods and resale goods.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing the names of persons whose property and interests in property have been unblocked pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act), or Executive Order 12978 of October 21, 1995, ``Blocking Assets and Prohibiting Transactions With Significant Narcotics Traffickers.'' Additionally, OFAC is publishing an update to the identifying information of persons currently included in the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List).

This document amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to reflect the extension of import restrictions on certain archaeological and ethnological material from the Hellenic Republic (Greece). The restrictions, which were originally imposed by CBP Decision (CBP Dec.) 11-25, are due to expire on November 21, 2016. The Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, United States Department of State, has determined that factors continue to warrant the imposition of import restrictions and no cause for suspension exists. Accordingly, these import restrictions will remain in effect for an additional five years, and the CBP regulations are being amended to reflect this extension until November 21, 2021. These restrictions are being extended pursuant to determinations of the United States Department of State made under the terms of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act that implemented the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. CBP Dec. 11-25 contains the Designated List of archaeological and ecclesiastical ethnological material from Greece, to which the restrictions apply.

This document contains proposed regulations relating to the application of section 514(c)(9)(E) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) to partnerships that hold debt-financed real property and have one or more (but not all) qualified tax-exempt organization partners within the meaning of section 514(c)(9)(C). The proposed regulations amend the current regulations under section 514(c)(9)(E) to allow certain allocations resulting from specified common business practices to comply with the rules under section 514(c)(9)(E). These regulations affect partnerships with qualified tax-exempt organization partners and their partners.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is proposing to amend its regulations pertaining to the production of wine and in particular in regard to the permissible treatments that may be applied to wine and to juice from which wine is made. These proposed amendments are in response to requests from wine industry members to authorize certain wine treating materials and processes not currently authorized by TTB regulations. TTB invites comments on the proposed regulatory changes described in this document, as well as on other wine treatment issues for which regulatory amendments are not proposed in this document.

On September 28, 2016, the Department published a notice of availability and request for comments regarding an application to Treasury to reduce benefits under the New York State Teamsters Conference Pension and Retirement Fund in accordance with the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 (MPRA). The purpose of this notice is to reopen the comment period to provide more time for interested parties to provide comments.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Form 8453-R, Declaration and Signature for Electronic Filing of Forms 8947 and 8963.