[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 30844-30846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15454]
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[[Page 30845]]
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 1
[CO-9-96]
RIN 1545-AU16
Section 1059 Extraordinary Dividends
AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking and notice of public hearing.
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SUMMARY: This document contains proposed regulations relating to
certain distributions made by corporations to certain corporate
shareholders. The proposed regulations are necessary to clarify that
certain distributions in redemption of stock are treated as
extraordinary dividends notwithstanding provisions that otherwise might
exempt the distributions from extraordinary dividend treatment.
Corporations that receive a distribution in redemption of stock may be
affected if the redemption is either part of a partial liquidation of
the redeeming corporation or is not pro rata as to all shareholders.
This document also provides notice of a public hearing on these
proposed regulations.
DATES: Written comments and outlines of topics to be discussed at the
public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, October 2, 1996, must be
received by September 16, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Send submissions to: CC:DOM:CORP:R (CO-9-96), room 5228,
Internal Revenue Service, POB 7604, Ben Franklin Station, Washington,
DC 20044. In the alternative, submissions may be hand delivered between
the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to: CC:DOM:CORP:R (CO-9-96), Courier's
Desk, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC. The public hearing will be held in room 3313, Internal
Revenue Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Concerning the hearing, Mike
Slaughter, Regulations Unit, Assistant Chief Counsel (Corporate), at
(202) 622-7190 (not a toll-free number). Concerning the proposed
regulations, Richard K. Passales at (202) 622-7530 (not a toll-free
number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
This document contains proposed amendments to the Income Tax
Regulations (26 CFR part 1) relating to the extraordinary dividend
provisions under section 1059 of the Internal Revenue Code. Section
1059 was added by the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984, Public Law 98-369.
One of the purposes of section 1059 is to prevent a corporate
shareholder from creating an artificial loss on stock. See General
Explanation of the Revenue Provisions of the Deficit Reduction Act of
1984.
Section 1059(a) generally requires a corporation that receives an
extraordinary dividend on stock it has not held for at least two years
before the dividend announcement date to reduce its basis (but not
below zero) immediately before any sale or disposition of the stock by
the nontaxed portion of the dividend (generally, the amount of the
dividends received deduction). If the nontaxed portion of the dividend
exceeds basis, the excess generally is treated as additional gain
recognized when the stock is sold. Section 1059(c) generally defines an
extraordinary dividend as a dividend that equals or exceeds the
threshold percentage of the taxpayer's adjusted basis in such stock.
Sections 1059(d)(6), (e)(1), and (e)(2) were enacted as part of the
Tax Reform Act of 1986. Each of those sections affects the definition
of extraordinary dividends contained in section 1059(c). Section
1059(d)(6) generally excludes an extraordinary dividend from section
1059(a) treatment if the distributee is an original shareholder of the
distributing corporation and the earnings and profits from which the
dividend is paid are attributable solely to the original shareholder.
Section 1059(e)(2) generally excludes a dividend from extraordinary
dividend treatment if it is a ``qualifying dividend.'' A dividend
generally is a qualifying dividend if the distributee and distributing
corporations are affiliated at the time of the distribution and the
distribution is out of affiliated year earnings and profits. Both
sections 1059(d)(6) and (e)(2) contemplate that the distribution that
otherwise would be an extraordinary dividend subject to section 1059(a)
is derived from earnings and profits accumulated while the distributee
corporation is a shareholder of the distributing corporation.
Generally, a corporate shareholder's ability to create an artificial
loss is reduced if all of the distributing corporation's earnings and
profits are accumulated while the distributee corporation is a
shareholder of the distributing corporation.
Section 1059(e)(1) expands the scope of the extraordinary dividend
definition in section 1059(c) by disregarding the holding period and
threshold rules for certain distributions. Generally, section
1059(e)(1) provides that a non pro rata redemption or a partial
liquidation that is treated as a dividend under section 301 is an
extraordinary dividend to which section 1059(a) applies without regard
to the threshold percentage or the period the taxpayer held such stock.
See General Explanation of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, Joint Committee
on Taxation, 100th Cong., 1st Sess. (May 4, 1987).
These regulations address the question of whether section
1059(d)(6) or (e)(2) applies to a distribution otherwise treated as an
extraordinary dividend under section 1059(e)(1). The IRS and Treasury
Department believe that applying those provisions to section 1059(e)(1)
is inconsistent with the purpose of section 1059 and may create
inappropriate consequences, such as basis shifting that eliminates gain
or creates an artificial loss.
Accordingly, these regulations clarify that neither section
1059(d)(6) nor section 1059(e)(2) applies to a distribution treated as
an extraordinary dividend under section 1059(e)(1). In finalizing these
regulations, the IRS and Treasury Department will consider comments
that illustrate distributions described in section 1059(e)(1) to which
the application of section 1059(d)(6) or (e)(2) is appropriate or to
which section 1059(e)(1) otherwise should not apply.
These regulations also address the question of whether an exchange
treated as a dividend under section 356(a)(2) is subject to section
1059(e)(1). These regulations clarify that for purposes of section
1059(e)(1), an exchange under section 356(a)(1) is treated as a
redemption and, to the extent any amount is treated as a dividend under
section 356(a)(2), it is treated as a dividend under section 301.
Explanation of Provisions
Proposed Sec. 1.1059(e)-1(a) provides that neither section
1059(d)(6) nor section 1059(e)(2) will prevent any distribution treated
as an extraordinary dividend under section 1059(e)(1) from being
treated as an extraordinary dividend. For example, if a redemption of
stock is not pro rata as to all shareholders, any amount treated as a
dividend under section 301 is treated as an extraordinary dividend
regardless of whether the dividend is a qualifying dividend.
Proposed Sec. 1.1059(e)-1(b) provides that for purposes of section
1059(e)(1), an exchange under section 356(a)(1) is treated as a
redemption and, to the extent any amount is treated as a dividend under
section 356(a)(2), it is treated as a dividend under section 301.
[[Page 30846]]
Proposed Effective Date
These regulations are proposed to apply to distributions announced
on or after June 17, 1996.
Special Analyses
It has been determined that this notice of proposed rulemaking is
not a significant regulatory action as defined in EO 12866. Therefore,
a regulatory assessment is not required. It also has been determined
that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.
chapter 5) and the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) do
not apply to these regulations, and, therefore, a Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis is not required. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of
the Internal Revenue Code, this notice of proposed rulemaking will be
submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration for comment on its impact on small business.
Comments and Public Hearing
Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations,
consideration will be given to any written comments (a signed original
and eight (8) copies) that are submitted timely to the IRS. All
comments will be available for public inspection and copying.
A public hearing has been scheduled at 10 a.m. on Wednesday,
October 2, 1996, room 3313, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution
Avenue NW., Washington, DC. Because of access restrictions, visitors
will not be admitted beyond the Internal Revenue Building lobby more
that 15 minutes before the hearing starts.
The rules of 26 CFR 601.601(a)(3) apply to the hearing.
Persons that wish to present oral comments at the hearing must
submit written comments by September 16, 1996, and submit an outline of
the topics to be discussed and the time to be devoted to each topic
(signed original and eight (8) copies) by September 16, 1996.
A period of 10 minutes will be allotted to each person for making
comments.
An agenda showing the scheduling of the speakers will be prepared
after the deadline for receiving outlines has passed. Copies of the
agenda will be available free of charge at the hearing.
Drafting Information. The principal author of these regulations
is Richard K. Passales, Office of Assistant Chief Counsel
(Corporate), IRS. However, other personnel from the IRS and Treasury
Department 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
Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 is amended by adding
an entry in numerical order to read as follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * * Section 1.1059(e)-1 also issued
under 26 U.S.C. 1059(e)(1) and (e)(2). * * *
Par. 2. Section 1.1059(e)-1 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1.1059(e)-1 Non pro rata redemptions.
(a) In general. Section 1059(d)(6) (exception where stock held
during entire existence of corporation) and section 1059(e)(2)
(qualifying dividends) do not apply to a distribution treated as an
extraordinary dividend under section 1059(e)(1). For example, if a
redemption of stock is not pro rata as to all shareholders, any amount
treated as a dividend under section 301 is treated as an extraordinary
dividend regardless of whether the dividend is a qualifying dividend.
(b) Reorganizations. For purposes of section 1059(e)(1), an
exchange under section 356(a)(1) is treated as a redemption and, to the
extent any amount is treated as a dividend under section 356(a)(2), it
is treated as a dividend under section 301.
(c) Effective date. This section applies to distributions announced
(within the meaning of section 1059(d)(5)) on or after June 17, 1996.
Margaret Milner Richardson,
Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
[FR Doc. 96-15454 Filed 6-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-P