§ 1.171-2 - Amortization of bond premium.

§ 1.171-2 Amortization of bond premium.

(a) Offsetting qualified stated interest with premium -

(1) In general. A holder amortizes bond premium by offsetting the qualified stated interest allocable to an accrual period with the bond premium allocable to the accrual period. This offset occurs when the holder takes the qualified stated interest into account under the holder's regular method of accounting.

(2) Qualified stated interest allocable to an accrual period. See § 1.446-2(b) to determine the accrual period to which qualified stated interest is allocable and to determine the accrual of qualified stated interest within an accrual period.

(3) Bond premium allocable to an accrual period. The bond premium allocable to an accrual period is determined under this paragraph (a)(3). Within an accrual period, the bond premium allocable to the period accrues ratably.

(i) Step one: Determine the holder's yield. The holder's yield is the discount rate that, when used in computing the present value of all remaining payments to be made on the bond (including payments of qualified stated interest), produces an amount equal to the holder's basis in the bond as determined under § 1.171-1(e). For this purpose, the remaining payments include only payments to be made after the date the holder acquires the bond. The yield is calculated as of the date the holder acquires the bond, must be constant over the term of the bond, and must be calculated to at least two decimal places when expressed as a percentage.

(ii) Step two: Determine the accrual periods. A holder determines the accrual periods for the bond under the rules of § 1.1272-1(b)(1)(ii).

(iii) Step three: Determine the bond premium allocable to the accrual period. The bond premium allocable to an accrual period is the excess of the qualified stated interest allocable to the accrual period over the product of the holder's adjusted acquisition price (as defined in paragraph (b) of this section) at the beginning of the accrual period and the holder's yield. In performing this calculation, the yield must be stated appropriately taking into account the length of the particular accrual period. Principles similar to those in § 1.1272-1(b)(4) apply in determining the bond premium allocable to an accrual period.

(4) Bond premium in excess of qualified stated interest -

(i) Taxable bonds -

(A) Bond premium deduction. In the case of a taxable bond, if the bond premium allocable to an accrual period exceeds the qualified stated interest allocable to the accrual period, the excess is treated by the holder as a bond premium deduction under section 171(a)(1) for the accrual period. However, the amount treated as a bond premium deduction is limited to the amount by which the holder's total interest inclusions on the bond in prior accrual periods exceed the total amount treated by the holder as a bond premium deduction on the bond in prior accrual periods. A deduction determined under this paragraph (a)(4)(i)(A) is not subject to section 67 (the 2-percent floor on miscellaneous itemized deductions). See Example 1 of § 1.171-3(e).

(B) Carryforward. If the bond premium allocable to an accrual period exceeds the sum of the qualified stated interest allocable to the accrual period and the amount treated as a deduction for the accrual period under paragraph (a)(4)(i)(A) of this section, the excess is carried forward to the next accrual period and is treated as bond premium allocable to that period.

(C) Carryforward in holder's final accrual period -

(1) Bond premium deduction. If there is a bond premium carryforward determined under paragraph (a)(4)(i)(B) of this section as of the end of the holder's accrual period in which the bond is sold, retired, or otherwise disposed of, the holder treats the amount of the carryforward as a bond premium deduction under section 171(a)(1) for the holder's taxable year in which the sale, retirement, or other disposition occurs. For purposes of § 1.1016-5(b), the holder's basis in the bond is reduced by the amount of bond premium allowed as a deduction under this paragraph (a)(4)(i)(C)(1).

(2) Effective/applicability date. Notwithstanding § 1.171-5(a)(1), paragraph (a)(4)(i)(C)(1) of this section applies to a bond acquired on or after January 4, 2013. A taxpayer, however, may rely on paragraph (a)(4)(i)(C)(1) of this section for a bond acquired before that date.

(ii) Tax-exempt obligations. In the case of a tax-exempt obligation, if the bond premium allocable to an accrual period exceeds the qualified stated interest allocable to the accrual period, the excess is a nondeductible loss. If a regulated investment company (RIC) within the meaning of section 851 has excess bond premium for an accrual period that would be a nondeductible loss under the prior sentence, the RIC must use this excess bond premium to reduce its tax-exempt interest income on other tax-exempt obligations held during the accrual period.

(5) Additional rules for certain bonds. Additional rules apply to determine the amortization of bond premium on a variable rate debt instrument, an inflation-indexed debt instrument, a bond that provides for certain alternative payment schedules, and a bond that provides for remote or incidental contingencies. See § 1.171-3.

(b) Adjusted acquisition price. The adjusted acquisition price of a bond at the beginning of the first accrual period is the holder's basis as determined under § 1.171-1(e). Thereafter, the adjusted acquisition price is the holder's basis in the bond decreased by -

(1) The amount of bond premium previously allocable under paragraph (a)(3) of this section; and

(2) The amount of any payment previously made on the bond other than a payment of qualified stated interest.

(c) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this section. Each example assumes the holder uses the calendar year as its taxable year and has elected to amortize bond premium, effective for all relevant taxable years. In addition, each example assumes a 30-day month and 360-day year. Although, for purposes of simplicity, the yield as stated is rounded to two decimal places, the computations do not reflect this rounding convention. The examples are as follows:

Example 1. Taxable bond.

(i) Facts. On February 1, 1999, A purchases for $110,000 a taxable bond maturing on February 1, 2006, with a stated principal amount of $100,000, payable at maturity. The bond provides for unconditional payments of interest of $10,000, payable on February 1 of each year. A uses the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting, and A decides to use annual accrual periods ending on February 1 of each year.

(ii) Amount of bond premium. The interest payments on the bond are qualified stated interest. Therefore, the sum of all amounts payable on the bond (other than the interest payments) is $100,000. Under § 1.171-1, the amount of bond premium is $10,000 ($110,000−$100,000).

(iii) Bond premium allocable to the first accrual period. Based on the remaining payment schedule of the bond and A's basis in the bond, A's yield is 8.07 percent, compounded annually. The bond premium allocable to the accrual period ending on February 1, 2000, is the excess of the qualified stated interest allocable to the period ($10,000) over the product of the adjusted acquisition price at the beginning of the period ($110,000) and A's yield (8.07 percent, compounded annually). Therefore, the bond premium allocable to the accrual period is $1,118.17 ($10,000−$8,881.83).

(iv) Premium used to offset interest. Although A receives an interest payment of $10,000 on February 1, 2000, A only includes in income $8,881.83, the qualified stated interest allocable to the period ($10,000) offset with bond premium allocable to the period ($1,118.17). Under § 1.1016-5(b), A's basis in the bond is reduced by $1,118.17 on February 1, 2000.

Example 2. Alternative accrual periods.

(i) Facts. The facts are the same as in Example 1 of this paragraph (c) except that A decides to use semiannual accrual periods ending on February 1 and August 1 of each year.

(ii) Bond premium allocable to the first accrual period. Based on the remaining payment schedule of the bond and A's basis in the bond, A's yield is 7.92 percent, compounded semiannually. The bond premium allocable to the accrual period ending on August 1, 1999, is the excess of the qualified stated interest allocable to the period ($5,000) over the product of the adjusted acquisition price at the beginning of the period ($110,000) and A's yield, stated appropriately taking into account the length of the accrual period (7.92 percent/2). Therefore, the bond premium allocable to the accrual period is $645.29 ($5,000−$4,354.71). Although the accrual period ends on August 1, 1999, the qualified stated interest of $5,000 is not taken into income until February 1, 2000, the date it is received. Likewise, the bond premium of $645.29 is not taken into account until February 1, 2000. The adjusted acquisition price of the bond on August 1, 1999, is $109,354.71 (the adjusted acquisition price at the beginning of the period ($110,000) less the bond premium allocable to the period ($645.29)).

(iii) Bond premium allocable to the second accrual period. Because the interval between payments of qualified stated interest contains more than one accrual period, the adjusted acquisition price at the beginning of the second accrual period must be adjusted for the accrued but unpaid qualified stated interest. See paragraph (a)(3)(iii) of this section and § 1.1272-1(b)(4)(i)(B). Therefore, the adjusted acquisition price on August 1, 1999, is $114,354.71 ($109,354.71 + $5,000). The bond premium allocable to the accrual period ending on February 1, 2000, is the excess of the qualified stated interest allocable to the period ($5,000) over the product of the adjusted acquisition price at the beginning of the period ($114,354.71) and A's yield, stated appropriately taking into account the length of the accrual period (7.92 percent/2). Therefore, the bond premium allocable to the accrual period is $472.88 ($5,000−$4,527.12).

(iv) Premium used to offset interest. Although A receives an interest payment of $10,000 on February 1, 2000, A only includes in income $8,881.83, the qualified stated interest of $10,000 ($5,000 allocable to the accrual period ending on August 1, 1999, and $5,000 allocable to the accrual period ending on February 1, 2000) offset with bond premium of $1,118.17 ($645.29 allocable to the accrual period ending on August 1, 1999, and $472.88 allocable to the accrual period ending on February 1, 2000). As indicated in Example 1 of this paragraph (c), this same amount would be taken into income at the same time had A used annual accrual periods.

Example 3. Holder uses accrual method of accounting.

(i) Facts. The facts are the same as in Example 1 of this paragraph (c) except that A uses an accrual method of accounting. Thus, for the accrual period ending on February 1, 2000, the qualified stated interest allocable to the period is $10,000, and the bond premium allocable to the period is $1,118.17. Because the accrual period extends beyond the end of A's taxable year, A must allocate these amounts between the two taxable years.

(ii) Amounts allocable to the first taxable year. The qualified stated interest allocable to the first taxable year is $9,166.67 ($10,000 × 11⁄12). The bond premium allocable to the first taxable year is $1,024.99 ($1,118.17 × 11⁄12).

(iii) Premium used to offset interest. For 1999, A includes in income $8,141.68, the qualified stated interest allocable to the period ($9,166.67) offset with bond premium allocable to the period ($1,024.99). Under § 1.1016-5(b), A's basis in the bond is reduced by $1,024.99 in 1999.

(iv) Amounts allocable to the next taxable year. The remaining amounts of qualified stated interest and bond premium allocable to the accrual period ending on February 1, 2000, are taken into account for the taxable year ending on December 31, 2000.

Example 4. Tax-exempt obligation.

(i) Facts. On January 15, 1999, C purchases for $120,000 a tax-exempt obligation maturing on January 15, 2006, with a stated principal amount of $100,000, payable at maturity. The obligation provides for unconditional payments of interest of $9,000, payable on January 15 of each year. C uses the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting, and C decides to use annual accrual periods ending on January 15 of each year.

(ii) Amount of bond premium. The interest payments on the obligation are qualified stated interest. Therefore, the sum of all amounts payable on the obligation (other than the interest payments) is $100,000. Under § 1.171-1, the amount of bond premium is $20,000 ($120,000 - $100,000).

(iii) Bond premium allocable to the first accrual period. Based on the remaining payment schedule of the obligation and C's basis in the obligation, C's yield is 5.48 percent, compounded annually. The bond premium allocable to the accrual period ending on January 15, 2000, is the excess of the qualified stated interest allocable to the period ($9,000) over the product of the adjusted acquisition price at the beginning of the period ($120,000) and C's yield (5.48 percent, compounded annually). Therefore, the bond premium allocable to the accrual period is $2,420.55 ($9,000−$6,579.45).

(iv) Premium used to offset interest. Although C receives an interest payment of $9,000 on January 15, 2000, C only receives tax-exempt interest income of $6,579.45, the qualified stated interest allocable to the period ($9,000) offset with bond premium allocable to the period ($2,420.55). Under § 1.1016-5(b), C's basis in the obligation is reduced by $2,420.55 on January 15, 2000.

[T.D. 8746, 62 FR 68178, Dec. 31, 1997, as amended by T.D. 9653, 79 FR 2590, Jan. 15, 2014]