§ 1.382-10T - Special rules of determining time and maner of acquisition of an interest in a loss corporation (temporary).

(a) Distributions from qualified trusts—(1) In general. For purposes of § 1.382-2T, if a qualified trust described in section 401(a) (qualified trust) distributes an ownership interest in an entity (as defined in § 1.382-3(a)(1)), then for testing dates on or after the date of the distribution, the distributed ownership interest is treated as having been acquired by the distributee on the date and in the manner acquired by the trust and not as having been acquired or disposed of by the trust. The distribution does not cause the day of the distribution to be a testing date.

(2) Accounting for dispositions—(i) General rule. For purposes of this paragraph (a), in order to determine which ownership interest in an entity is distributed from a qualified trust, a loss corporation must either specifically identify the ownership interests that are the subject of all dispositions by the qualified trust of ownership interests in an entity, or apply the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method to all such dispositions.

(ii) Special rules. For purposes of this paragraph (a)(2):

(A) The FIFO method must be applied on a class-by-class basis; and

(B) The term dispositions includes distributions, sales, and other transfers.

(3) Examples. The following examples illustrate the principles of this paragraph (a). For purposes of these examples, unless otherwise stated, the nomenclature and assumptions of the examples in § 1.382-2T(b) apply, all corporations file separate income tax returns on a calendar year basis, the only 5-percent shareholder of a loss corporation is a public group, and the facts set forth the only acquisitions of stock by any participants in a qualified plan and the only owner shifts with respect to the loss corporation during the testing period. The examples are as follows:

Example 1.

(i) Facts. In 1994, E, a qualified trust established under Plan F, acquires 10 percent of L stock. A is a participant in Plan F. On January 1, 2002, A acquires 4 percent of L stock, and B, who is not a participant or a beneficiary of a participant in Plan F, acquires 5 percent of L stock. On January 1, 2004, E distributes 2 percent of L stock to A. On July 1, 2004, A acquires 1 percent of L stock.

(ii) Analysis. January 1, 2002, is a testing date because B's acquisition of 5 percent of L stock causes an increase in the percentage ownership of B, a 5-percent shareholder. As of the close of that testing date, A is treated as owning only 4 percent of L stock. Therefore, A is treated as a member of the public group of L. In addition, E is treated as owning 10 percent of L stock that it acquired in 1994.

(iii) As a result of the application of paragraph (a)(1) of this section to E's distribution of 2 percent of L stock to A on January 1, 2004, for testing dates on and after January 1, 2004, A is treated as having acquired that 2 percent interest in L in 1994, and E is treated as having acquired only 8 percent of L stock in 1994. Because there are no owner shifts on January 1, 2004, that date is not a testing date.

(iv) July 1, 2004, is a testing date because on that date A, a 5-percent shareholder, acquires 1 percent of L stock. As of the close of that testing date, A's percentage of ownership of L stock is 7 percent, and A's lowest percentage of ownership of L stock at any time within the testing period is 2 percent (deemed acquired in 1994), representing an increase of 5 percentage points. In addition, as of the close of July 1, 2004, B's percentage of ownership of L stock is 5 percent, and B's lowest percentage of ownership of L stock at any time within the testing period is 0 percent, representing an increase of 5 percentage points. Thus, on July 1, 2004, L must take into account an increase of 10 (5 + 5) percentage points in determining whether it has an ownership change.

Example 2.

(i) Facts. E is a qualified trust established under Plan F. L, a publicly traded corporation, has 100x shares of stock outstanding. As of January 1, 2006, C owns 5x shares of L stock and is not a participant or beneficiary of a participant in Plan F. At all times prior to January 1, 2006, E owns no L stock. On January 1, 2006, E acquires 10x shares of L stock from members of the public group of L. On December 1, 2007, E distributes 5x shares of L stock to some of the participants in Plan F. No one participant acquires all 5x shares as a result of the distribution. On February 1, 2008, C purchases 1x shares of L stock from the public group of L.

(ii) Analysis. Because E's acquisition of 10x shares of L stock on January 1, 2006, is an owner shift, that date is a testing date. As of the close of that date, E's percentage of stock ownership in L has increased by 10 percentage points.

(iii) As a result of the application of paragraph (a)(1) of this section to E's distribution of 5x shares of L stock to some Plan F participants on December 1, 2007, for testing dates on and after December 1, 2007, those distributees are treated as having acquired those shares of stock on January 1, 2006, from members of the public group of L, and E is not treated as having acquired those shares on that date. E's distribution of the 5x shares is not an owner shift. Therefore, December 1, 2007, is not a testing date.

(iv) February 1, 2008, is a testing date because on that date an owner shift results from C's purchase of 1x shares of L stock. As of the close of that testing date, the distributees of 5x shares of L stock are treated as members of the public group of L having acquired 5x shares of L stock from other members of the public group of L on January 1, 2006. Because those acquisitions are not by 5-percent shareholders, L does not take them into account. In addition, as of the close of February 1, 2008, E's percentage of stock ownership in L is 5 percent, and E's lowest percentage of stock ownership in L at any time within the testing period is 0 percent, representing an increase of 5 percentage points. In addition, as of the close of February 1, 2008, C's percentage of stock ownership in L is 6 percent, and C's lowest percentage of stock ownership in L at any time within the testing period is 5 percent, representing an increase of 1 percentage point. Therefore, on February 1, 2008, L must take into account an increase of 6 (5 + 1) percentage points in determining whether it has an ownership change.

(4) Effective date—(i) General rule. This section applies to all distributions after June 27, 2003.

(ii) Retroactive application. Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section, a loss corporation may apply the rules of this section retroactively to:

(A) All distributions on or before June 27, 2003 that are within a testing period that includes June 27, 2003; or

(B) All distributions after December 31, 1986.

(b) [Reserved]