§ 1.671-4 - Method of reporting.

§ 1.671-4 Method of reporting.

(a) Portion of trust treated as owned by the grantor or another person. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section and § 1.671-5, items of income, deduction, and credit attributable to any portion of a trust that, under the provisions of subpart E (section 671 and following), part I, subchapter J, chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code, is treated as owned by the grantor or another person, are not reported by the trust on Form 1041, “U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts,” but are shown on a separate statement to be attached to that form. Section 1.671-5 provides special reporting rules for widely held fixed investment trusts. Section 301.7701-4(e)(2) of this chapter provides guidance regarding the application of the reporting rules in this paragraph (a) to an environmental remediation trust.

(b) A trust all of which is treated as owned by one or more grantors or other persons -

(1) In general. In the case of a trust all of which is treated as owned by one or more grantors or other persons, and which is not described in paragraph (b)(6) or (7) of this section, the trustee may, but is not required to, report by one of the methods described in this paragraph (b) rather than by the method described in paragraph (a) of this section. A trustee may not report, however, pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section unless the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust provides to the trustee a complete Form W-9 or acceptable substitute Form W-9 signed under penalties of perjury. See section 3406 and the regulations thereunder for the information to include on, and the manner of executing, the Form W-9, depending upon the type of reportable payments made.

(2) A trust all of which is treated as owned by one grantor or by one other person -

(i) In general. In the case of a trust all of which is treated as owned by one grantor or one other person, the trustee reporting under this paragraph (b) must either -

(A) Furnish the name and taxpayer identification number (TIN) of the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust, and the address of the trust, to all payors during the taxable year, and comply with the additional requirements described in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section; or

(B) Furnish the name, TIN, and address of the trust to all payors during the taxable year, and comply with the additional requirements described in paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section.

(ii) Additional obligations of the trustee when name and TIN of the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust and the address of the trust are furnished to payors.

(A) Unless the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust is the trustee or a co-trustee of the trust, the trustee must furnish the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust with a statement that -

(1) Shows all items of income, deduction, and credit of the trust for the taxable year;

(2) Identifies the payor of each item of income;

(3) Provides the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust with the information necessary to take the items into account in computing the grantor's or other person's taxable income; and

(4) Informs the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust that the items of income, deduction and credit and other information shown on the statement must be included in computing the taxable income and credits of the grantor or other person on the income tax return of the grantor or other person.

(B) The trustee is not required to file any type of return with the Internal Revenue Service.

(iii) Additional obligations of the trustee when name, TIN, and address of the trust are furnished to payors -

(A) Obligation to file Forms 1099. The trustee must file with the Internal Revenue Service the appropriate Forms 1099, reporting the income or gross proceeds paid to the trust during the taxable year, and showing the trust as the payor and the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust as the payee. The trustee has the same obligations for filing the appropriate Forms 1099 as would a payor making reportable payments, except that the trustee must report each type of income in the aggregate, and each item of gross proceeds separately. See paragraph (b)(5) of this section regarding the amounts required to be included on any Forms 1099 filed by the trustee.

(B) Obligation to furnish statement.

(1) Unless the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust is the trustee or a co-trustee of the trust, the trustee must also furnish to the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust a statement that -

(i) Shows all items of income, deduction, and credit of the trust for the taxable year;

(ii) Provides the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust with the information necessary to take the items into account in computing the grantor's or other person's taxable income; and

(iii) Informs the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust that the items of income, deduction and credit and other information shown on the statement must be included in computing the taxable income and credits of the grantor or other person on the income tax return of the grantor or other person.

(2) By furnishing the statement, the trustee satisfies the obligation to furnish statements to recipients with respect to the Forms 1099 filed by the trustee.

(iv) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this paragraph (b)(2):

Example 1.

G, a United States citizen, creates an irrevocable trust which provides that the ordinary income is to be payable to him for life and that on his death the corpus shall be distributed to B, an unrelated person. Except for the right to receive income, G retains no right or power which would cause him to be treated as an owner under sections 671 through 679. Under the applicable local law, capital gains must be added to corpus. Since G has a right to receive income, he is treated as an owner of a portion of the trust under section 677. The tax consequences of any items of capital gain of the trust are governed by the provisions of subparts A, B, C, and D (section 641 and following), part I, subchapter J, chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code. Because not all of the trust is treated as owned by the grantor or another person, the trustee may not report by the methods described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

Example 2.

(i)(A) On January 2, 1996, G, a United States citizen, creates a trust all of which is treated as owned by G. The trustee of the trust is T. During the 1996 taxable year the trust has the following items of income and gross proceeds:

Interest$2,500

Dividends3,205

Proceeds from sale of B stock2,000

(B) The trust has no items of deduction or credit.

(ii)(A) The payors of the interest paid to the trust are X ($2,000), Y ($300), and Z ($200). The payors of the dividends paid to the trust are A ($3,200), and D ($5). The payor of the gross proceeds paid to the trust is D, a brokerage firm, which held the B stock as the nominee for the trust. The B stock was purchased by T for $1,500 on January 3, 1996, and sold by T on November 29, 1996. T chooses to report pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(B) of this section, and therefore furnishes the name, TIN, and address of the trust to X, Y, Z, A, and D. X, Y, and Z each furnish T with a Form 1099-INT showing the trust as the payee. A furnishes T with a Form 1099-DIV showing the trust as the payee. D does not furnish T with a Form 1099-DIV because D paid a dividend of less than $10 to T. D furnishes T with a Form 1099-B showing the trust as the payee.

(B) On or before February 28, 1997, T files a Form 1099-INT with the Internal Revenue Service on which T reports interest attributable to G, as the owner of the trust, of $2,500; a Form 1099-DIV on which T reports dividends attributable to G, as the owner of the trust, of $3,205; and a Form 1099-B on which T reports gross proceeds from the sale of B stock attributable to G, as the owner of the trust, of $2,000. On or before April 15, 1997, T furnishes a statement to G which lists the following items of income and information necessary for G to take the items into account in computing G's taxable income:

Interest$2,500

Dividends3,205

Gain from sale of B stock500

Information regarding sale of B stock:

Proceeds$2,000

Basis1,500

Date acquired1/03/96

Date sold11/29/96

(C) T informs G that any items of income, deduction and credit and other information shown on the statement must be included in computing the taxable income and credits of the grantor or other person on the income tax return of the grantor or other person.

(D) T has complied with T's obligations under this section.

(iii)(A) Same facts as paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this Example 2, except that G contributed the B stock to the trust on January 2, 1996. On or before April 15, 1997, T furnishes a statement to G which lists the following items of income and information necessary for G to take the items into account in computing G's taxable income:

Interest$2,500

Dividends3,205

Information regarding sale of B stock:

Proceeds$2,000

Date sold11/29/96

(B) T informs G that any items of income, deduction and credit and other information shown on the statement must be included in computing the taxable income and credits of the grantor or other person on the income tax return of the grantor or other person.

(C) T has complied with T's obligations under this section.

Example 3.

On January 2, 1996, G, a United States citizen, creates a trust all of which is treated as owned by G. The trustee of the trust is T. The only asset of the trust is an interest in C, a common trust fund under section 584(a). T chooses to report pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(B) of this section and therefore furnishes the name, TIN, and address of the trust to C. C files a Form 1065 and a Schedule K-1 (Partner's Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, etc.) showing the name, TIN, and address of the trust with the Internal Revenue Service and furnishes a copy to T. Because the trust did not receive any amounts described in paragraph (b)(5) of this section, T does not file any type of return with the Internal Revenue Service. On or before April 15, 1997, T furnishes G with a statement that shows all items of income, deduction, and credit of the trust for the 1996 taxable year. In addition, T informs G that any items of income, deduction and credit and other information shown on the statement must be included in computing the taxable income and credits of the grantor or other person on the income tax return of the grantor or other person. T has complied with T's obligations under this section.

(3) A trust all of which is treated as owned by two or more grantors or other persons -

(i) In general. In the case of a trust all of which is treated as owned by two or more grantors or other persons, the trustee must furnish the name, TIN, and address of the trust to all payors for the taxable year, and comply with the additional requirements described in paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this section.

(ii) Additional obligations of trustee -

(A) Obligation to file Forms 1099. The trustee must file with the Internal Revenue Service the appropriate Forms 1099, reporting the items of income paid to the trust by all payors during the taxable year attributable to the portion of the trust treated as owned by each grantor or other person, and showing the trust as the payor and each grantor or other person treated as an owner of the trust as the payee. The trustee has the same obligations for filing the appropriate Forms 1099 as would a payor making reportable payments, except that the trustee must report each type of income in the aggregate, and each item of gross proceeds separately. See paragraph (b)(5) of this section regarding the amounts required to be included on any Forms 1099 filed by the trustee.

(B) Obligation to furnish statement.

(1) The trustee must also furnish to each grantor or other person treated as an owner of the trust a statement that -

(i) Shows all items of income, deduction, and credit of the trust for the taxable year attributable to the portion of the trust treated as owned by the grantor or other person;

(ii) Provides the grantor or other person treated as an owner of the trust with the information necessary to take the items into account in computing the grantor's or other person's taxable income; and

(iii) Informs the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust that the items of income, deduction and credit and other information shown on the statement must be included in computing the taxable income and credits of the grantor or other person on the income tax return of the grantor or other person.

(2) Except for the requirements pursuant to section 3406 and the regulations thereunder, by furnishing the statement, the trustee satisfies the obligation to furnish statements to recipients with respect to the Forms 1099 filed by the trustee.

(4) Persons treated as payors -

(i) In general. For purposes of this section, the term payor means any person who is required by any provision of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder to make any type of information return (including Form 1099 or Schedule K-1) with respect to the trust for the taxable year, including persons who make payments to the trust or who collect (or otherwise act as middlemen with respect to) payments on behalf of the trust.

(ii) Application to brokers and customers. For purposes of this section, a broker, within the meaning of section 6045, is considered a payor. A customer, within the meaning of section 6045, is considered a payee.

(5) Amounts required to be included on Forms 1099 filed by the trustee -

(i) In general. The amounts that must be included on any Forms 1099 required to be filed by the trustee pursuant to this section do not include any amounts that are reportable by the payor on an information return other than Form 1099. For example, in the case of a trust which owns an interest in a partnership, the trust's distributive share of the income and gain of the partnership is not includible on any Forms 1099 filed by the trustee pursuant to this section because the distributive share is reportable by the partnership on Schedule K-1.

(ii) Example. The following example illustrates the provisions of this paragraph (b)(5):

Example.

(i)(A) On January 2, 1996, G, a United States citizen, creates a trust all of which is treated as owned by G. The trustee of the trust is T. The assets of the trust during the 1996 taxable year are shares of stock in X, an S corporation, a limited partnership interest in P, shares of stock in M, and shares of stock in N. T chooses to report pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(B) of this section and therefore furnishes the name, TIN, and address of the trust to X, P, M, and N. M furnishes T with a Form 1099-DIV showing the trust as the payee. N does not furnish T with a Form 1099-DIV because N paid a dividend of less than $10 to T. X and P furnish T with Schedule K-1 (Shareholder's Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, etc.) and Schedule K-1 (Partner's Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, etc.), respectively, showing the trust's name, TIN, and address.

(B) For the 1996 taxable year the trust has the following items of income and deduction:

Dividends paid by M$12

Dividends paid by N6

Administrative expense$20

Items reported by X on Schedule K-1 attributable to trust's shares of stock in X:

Interest$20

Dividends35

Items reported by P on Schedule K-1 attributable to trust's limited partnership interest in P:

Ordinary income$300

(ii)(A) On or before February 28, 1997, T files with the Internal Revenue Service a Form 1099-DIV on which T reports dividends attributable to G as the owner of the trust in the amount of $18. T does not file any other returns.

(B) T has complied with T's obligation under paragraph (b)(2)(iii)(A) of this section to file the appropriate Forms 1099.

(6) Trusts that cannot report under this paragraph (b). The following trusts cannot use the methods of reporting described in this paragraph (b) -

(i) A common trust fund as defined in section 584(a);

(ii) A trust that has its situs or any of its assets located outside the United States;

(iii) A trust that is a qualified subchapter S trust as defined in section 1361(d)(3);

(iv) A trust all of which is treated as owned by one grantor or one other person whose taxable year is a fiscal year;

(v) A trust all of which is treated as owned by one grantor or one other person who is not a United States person; or

(vi) A trust all of which is treated as owned by two or more grantors or other persons, one of whom is not a United States person.

(7) Grantors or other persons who are treated as owners of the trust and are exempt recipients for information reporting purposes -

(i) Trust treated as owned by one grantor or one other person. The trustee of a trust all of which is treated as owned by one grantor or one other person may not report pursuant to this paragraph (b) if the grantor or other person is an exempt recipient for information reporting purposes.

(ii) Trust treated as owned by two or more grantors or other persons. The trustee of a trust, all of which is treated as owned by two or more grantors or other persons, may not report pursuant to this paragraph (b) if one or more grantors or other persons treated as owners are exempt recipients for information reporting purposes unless -

(A) At least one grantor or one other person who is treated as an owner of the trust is a person who is not an exempt recipient for information reporting purposes; and

(B) The trustee reports without regard to whether any of the grantors or other persons treated as owners of the trust are exempt recipients for information reporting purposes.

(8) Husband and wife who make a single return jointly. A trust all of which is treated as owned by a husband and wife who make a single return jointly of income taxes for the taxable year under section 6013 is considered to be owned by one grantor for purposes of this paragraph (b).

(c) Due date for Forms 1099 required to be filed by trustee. The due date for any Forms 1099 required to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service by a trustee pursuant to this section is the due date otherwise in effect for filing Forms 1099.

(d) Due date and other requirements with respect to statement required to be furnished by trustee -

(1) In general. The due date for the statement required to be furnished by a trustee to the grantor or other person treated as an owner of the trust pursuant to this section is the date specified by section 6034A(a). The trustee must maintain in its records a copy of the statement furnished to the grantor or other person treated as an owner of the trust for a period of three years from the due date for furnishing such statement specified in this paragraph (d).

(2) Statement for the taxable year ending with the death of the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust. If a trust ceases to be treated as owned by the grantor, or other person, by reason of the death of that grantor or other person (decedent), the due date for the statement required to be furnished for the taxable year ending with the death of the decedent shall be the date specified by section 6034A(a) as though the decedent had lived throughout the decedent's last taxable year. See paragraph (h) of this section for special reporting rules for a trust or portion of the trust that ceases to be treated as owned by the grantor or other person by reason of the death of the grantor or other person.

(e) Backup withholding requirements -

(1) Trustee reporting under paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section. In order for the trustee to be able to report pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section and to furnish to all payors the name and TIN of the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust, the grantor or other person must provide a complete Form W-9 to the trustee in the manner provided in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, and the trustee must give the name and TIN shown on that Form W-9 to all payors. In addition, if the Form W-9 indicates that the grantor or other person is subject to backup withholding, the trustee must notify all payors of reportable interest and dividend payments of the requirement to backup withhold. If the Form W-9 indicates that the grantor or other person is not subject to backup withholding, the trustee does not have to notify the payors that backup withholding is not required. The trustee should not give the Form W-9, or a copy thereof, to a payor because the Form W-9 contains the address of the grantor or other person and paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section requires the trustee to furnish the address of the trust to all payors and not the address of the grantor or other person. The trustee acts as the agent of the grantor or other person for purposes of furnishing to the payors the information required by this paragraph (e)(1). Thus, a payor may rely on the name and TIN provided to the payor by the trustee, and, if given, on the trustee's statement that the grantor is subject to backup withholding.

(2) Other backup withholding requirements. Whether a trustee is treated as a payor for purposes of backup withholding is determined pursuant to section 3406 and the regulations thereunder.

(f) Penalties for failure to file a correct Form 1099 or furnish a correct statement. A trustee who fails to file a correct Form 1099 or to furnish a correct statement to a grantor or other person treated as an owner of the trust as required by paragraph (b) of this section is subject to the penalties provided by sections 6721 and 6722 and the regulations thereunder.

(g) Changing reporting methods -

(1) Changing from reporting by filing Form 1041 to a method described in paragraph (b) of this section. If the trustee has filed a Form 1041 for any taxable year ending before January 1, 1996 (and has not filed a final Form 1041 pursuant to § 1.671-4(b)(3) (as contained in the 26 CFR part 1 edition revised as of April 1, 1995)), or files a Form 1041 for any taxable year thereafter, the trustee must file a final Form 1041 for the taxable year which ends after January 1, 1995, and which immediately precedes the first taxable year for which the trustee reports pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, on the front of which form the trustee must write: “Pursuant to § 1.671-4(g), this is the final Form 1041 for this grantor trust.”.

(2) Changing from reporting by a method described in paragraph (b) of this section to the filing of a Form 1041. The trustee of a trust who reported pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section for a taxable year may report pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section for subsequent taxable years. If the trustee reported pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section, and therefore furnished the name and TIN of the grantor to all payors, the trustee must furnish the name, TIN, and address of the trust to all payors for such subsequent taxable years. If the trustee reported pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(B) or (b)(3)(i) of this section, and therefore furnished the name and TIN of the trust to all payors, the trustee must indicate on each Form 1096 (Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns) that it files (or appropriately on magnetic media) for the final taxable year for which the trustee so reports that it is the final return of the trust.

(3) Changing between methods described in paragraph (b) of this section -

(i) Changing from furnishing the TIN of the grantor to furnishing the TIN of the trust. The trustee of a trust who reported pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section for a taxable year, and therefore furnished the name and TIN of the grantor to all payors, may report pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(B) of this section, and furnish the name and TIN of the trust to all payors, for subsequent taxable years.

(ii) Changing from furnishing the TIN of the trust to furnishing the TIN of the grantor. The trustee of a trust who reported pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(B) of this section for a taxable year, and therefore furnished the name and TIN of the trust to all payors, may report pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section, and furnish the name and TIN of the grantor to all payors, for subsequent taxable years. The trustee, however, must indicate on each Form 1096 (Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns) that it files (or appropriately on magnetic media) for the final taxable year for which the trustee reports pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(B) of this section that it is the final return of the trust.

(4) Example. The following example illustrates the provisions of paragraph (g) of this section:

Example.

(i) On January 3, 1994, G, a United States citizen, creates a trust all of which is treated as owned by G. The trustee of the trust is T. On or before April 17, 1995, T files with the Internal Revenue Service a Form 1041 with an attached statement for the 1994 taxable year showing the items of income, deduction, and credit of the trust. On or before April 15, 1996, T files with the Internal Revenue Service a Form 1041 with an attached statement for the 1995 taxable year showing the items of income, deduction, and credit of the trust. On the Form 1041, T states that “pursuant to § 1.671-4(g), this is the final Form 1041 for this grantor trust.” T may report pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section for the 1996 taxable year.

(ii) T reports pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i)(B) of this section, and therefore furnishes the name, TIN, and address of the trust to all payors, for the 1996 and 1997 taxable years. T chooses to report pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section for the 1998 taxable year. On each Form 1096 (Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns) which T files for the 1997 taxable year (or appropriately on magnetic media), T indicates that it is the trust's final return. On or before April 15, 1999, T files with the Internal Revenue Service a Form 1041 with an attached statement showing the items of income, deduction, and credit of the trust. On the Form 1041, T uses the same TIN which T used on the Forms 1041 and Forms 1099 it filed for previous taxable years. T has complied with T's obligations under paragraph (g)(2) of this section.

(h) Reporting rules for a trust, or portion of a trust, that ceases to be treated as owned by a grantor or other person by reason of the death of the grantor or other person -

(1) Definition of decedent. For purposes of this paragraph (h), the decedent is the grantor or other person treated as the owner of the trust, or portion of the trust, under subpart E, part I, subchapter J, chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code on the date of death of that person.

(2) In general. The provisions of this section apply to a trust, or portion of a trust, treated as owned by a decedent for the taxable year that ends with the decedent's death. Following the death of the decedent, the trust or portion of a trust that ceases to be treated as owned by the decedent, by reason of the death of the decedent, may no longer report under this section. A trust, all of which was treated as owned by the decedent, must obtain a new TIN upon the death of the decedent, if the trust will continue after the death of the decedent. See § 301.6109-1(a)(3)(i) of this chapter for rules regarding obtaining a TIN upon the death of the decedent.

(3) Special rules -

(i) Trusts reporting pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section for the taxable year ending with the decedent's death. The due date for the filing of a return pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section for the taxable year ending with the decedent's death shall be the due date provided for under § 1.6072-1(a)(2). The return filed under this paragraph for a trust all of which was treated as owned by the decedent must indicate that it is a final return.

(ii) Trust reporting pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(B) of this section for the taxable year of the decedent's death. A trust that reports pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(B) of this section for the taxable year ending with the decedent's death must indicate on each Form 1096 “Annual Summary and Transmittal of the U.S. Information Returns” that it files (or appropriately on magnetic media) for the taxable year ending with the death of the decedent that it is the final return of the trust.

(iii) Trust reporting under paragraph (b)(3) of this section. If a trust has been reporting under paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the trustee may not report under that paragraph if any portion of the trust has a short taxable year by reason of the death of the decedent and the portion treated as owned by the decedent does not terminate on the death of the decedent.

(i) Effective date and transition rule -

(1) Effective date. The trustee of a trust any portion of which is treated as owned by one or more grantors or other persons must report pursuant to paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d)(1), (e), (f), and (g) of this section for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1996.

(2) Transition rule. For taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 1996, the Internal Revenue Service will not challenge the manner of reporting of -

(i) A trustee of a trust all of which is treated as owned by one or more grantors or other persons who did not report in accordance with § 1.671-4(a) (as contained in the 26 CFR part 1 edition revised as of April 1, 1995) as in effect for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 1996, but did report in a manner substantially similar to one of the reporting methods described in paragraph (b) of this section; or

(ii) A trustee of two or more trusts all of which are treated as owned by one or more grantors or other persons who filed a single Form 1041 for all of the trusts, rather than a separate Form 1041 for each trust, provided that the items of income, deduction, and credit of each trust were shown on a statement attached to the single Form 1041.

(3) Effective date for paragraphs (d)(2) and (h) of this section. Paragraphs (d)(2) and (h) of this section apply for taxable years ending on or after December 24, 2002.

(j) Cross-reference. For rules relating to employer identification numbers, and to the obligation of a payor of income or proceeds to the trust to furnish to the payee a statement to recipient, see § 301.6109-1(a)(2) of this chapter.

[T.D. 8633, 60 FR 66087, Dec. 21, 1995, as amended by T.D. 8668, 61 FR 19191, May 1, 1996; T.D. 9032, 67 FR 78381, Dec. 24, 2002; T.D. 9241, 71 FR 4009, Jan. 24, 2006]