04-23747. Information Reporting Under Section 6050P for Discharges of Indebtedness

AGENCY:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION:

Final regulations.

SUMMARY:

This document contains final regulations relating to the information reporting requirement under section 6050P of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) for discharges of indebtedness. These final regulations reflect the enactment of section 6050P(c)(2)(D) by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. These final regulations provide guidance on the information reporting requirements for discharges of indebtedness by organizations that have a significant trade or business of lending money. This document also contains amendments to the existing final regulations to reflect the amendments to section 6050P by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996.

DATES:

Effective date: These regulations are effective October 25, 2004.

Applicability date: These regulations are applicable to discharges of indebtedness occurring on or after January 1, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joseph P. Dewald, at [phone] (not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

This document contains amendments to 26 CFR parts 1 and 602. The amendments describe circumstances in which an organization has a significant trade or business of lending money for purposes of section 6050P(c)(2)(D). The amendments also conform the existing final regulations under section 6050P to cover applicable entities, including executive, judicial, and legislative agencies.

In general, section 6050P(a) requires certain organizations (applicable entities) to file information returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and to furnish information statements to debtors, reporting discharges of indebtedness of $600 or more. As enacted by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, Pub. L. 103-66 (107 Stat. 312, 531-532 (1993)), section 6050P required “applicable financial entities” (including Federal executive agencies) to report discharges of indebtedness. The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-134 (110 Stat. 1321, 368-369 (1996)) (the 1996 Act), amended section 6050P to cover “applicable entities.” Section 6050P(c)(1) as amended defines an applicable entity to include: (1) Any executive, judicial, or legislative agency (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 3701(a)(4)); and (2) any applicable financial entity.

Section 6050P(c)(2)(D) was enacted by section 553(a) of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, Pub. L. 106-170 (113 Stat. 1860, 1931 (1999)) (the 1999 Act), effective for discharges of indebtedness occurring after December 31, 1999. The 1999 Act amended section 6050P by expanding the applicable financial entities required to report. As expanded, the term includes any organization “a significant trade or business of which is the lending of money.”

The IRS issued Notice 2000-22 (2000-1 C.B. 902), which provides that penalties under sections 6721 and 6722 for failures to report discharges of indebtedness occurring before January 1, 2001, will not be imposed on organizations newly required to report under section 6050P(c)(2)(D). In Notice 2001-8 (2001-1 C.B. 374), for these same organizations, the IRS extended the waiver of penalties to failures to report discharges of indebtedness occurring before the first calendar year that begins at least two months after final regulations under section 6050P(c)(2)(D) are issued.

A notice of proposed rulemaking under section 6050P(c)(2)(D) (REG-107524-00) was published in the Federal Register (67 FR 40629) on June 13, 2002. The proposed regulations address whether an organization has a significant trade or business of lending money for purposes of section 6050P(c)(2)(D). The proposed regulations also reflect the amendments made by the 1996 Act. A public hearing was held on the proposed regulations on October 8, 2002. The IRS received written and electronic comments responding to the notice of proposed rulemaking. After consideration of all comments, the proposed regulations are adopted as revised by this Treasury decision.

Explanation of Provisions and Summary of Comments

Section 6050P(c)(2)(D) requires any organization “a significant trade or business of which is the lending of money” to report discharges of indebtedness. The proposed regulations provide guidance on whether an organization is engaged in a trade or business of lending money and whether that trade or business is significant. In general, the proposed regulations provide that the lending of money is a significant trade or business if money is loaned on a regular and continuing basis. The proposed regulations provide three safe harbors under which organizations will be considered not to have a significant trade or business of lending money. The final regulations retain these rules.

1. Comments Concerning the Proposed Regulations

A. Obligations Acquired From Persons Other Than the Debtor

Several commentators requested clarification of the information reporting requirements for debt obligations acquired from persons other than the debtor. Section 1.6050P-2(e) of the proposed regulations provides that lending money includes acquisition of a debt obligation from a prior holder of the obligation and that gross income from an indebtedness is treated as gross income from lending money regardless of whether the debt was originated by the organization itself or by a related party. The final regulations clarify that a debt obligation acquired from the debtor or any person other than the debtor is subject to reporting under section 6050P(c)(2)(D) if the owner of the obligation is engaged in a significant trade or business of lending money.

B. Gross Income From Lending of Money

One commentator requested clarification on what amounts constitute gross income from lending money. Section 1.6050P-2(d) of the proposed regulations provides that gross income from lending money includes income from interest, fees, penalties, merchant discount, interchange, and gains arising from the sale of an indebtedness. The final regulations clarify that gross income from lending money includes: Interest (including qualified stated interest, original issue discount, and market discount); gains arising from the sale or other disposition of indebtedness; penalties with respect to indebtedness (whether or not the penalty is interest for Federal tax purposes); and fees with respect to indebtedness, including merchant discount or interchange (whether or not the fee is interest for Federal tax purposes).

C. “Factoring” Transactions

(i) Commentators' Description of “Factoring” Transactions.—Several commentators addressed reporting issues associated with what the commentators called “factoring.” One commentator described factoring transactions, primarily between unrelated parties, as ordinarily involving (a) a factor, who performs the functions described below with respect to a pool of short-term accounts receivable (30-, 60-, or 90-day debt), (b) the factor's client, who sells goods in exchange for the short-term accounts receivable, and (c) the client's customers, who buy the goods and who issue the accounts receivable. According to the commentator, the factor generally performs the following functions: Initial credit investigation, selective assumption of the risk of loss (sometimes referred to as guaranteeing credit), on-going credit monitoring of the client's customers, collection, and bookkeeping.

As described by the commentator, after the credit investigation (on either a customer-specific or a pooled basis), the factor informs the client if the factor is willing to guarantee the receivables from some or all of the client's customers. For customers whose accounts receivable the factor will not guarantee, the client may enter into the sale and accept an account receivable without the benefit of the factor's guarantee or may refuse to extend credit and either make the sale for cash or forego the sale altogether.

The commentator described factors' competitive fees for typical transactions with unrelated parties as ranging between 0.35 percent of the face value of the accounts receivable (if the client retains the collection function) and 0.70 percent of that face value (if the factor undertakes the collection function). In either case, the face value on the basis of which the fee is computed includes any accounts receivable that the client accepts from customers even though the factor is unwilling to assume the risk of loss on those accounts receivable. The factor determines the rate at which fees are charged on the basis of the initial credit investigation and of whether the factor undertakes collection and bookkeeping.

To facilitate collection, according to the commentator, factors generally take legal title to the accounts receivable either at the time of, or shortly after, the sales transactions. If the factor performs all collection, the factor may take title to all accounts receivable as soon as they are issued by the customers. If, however, the client retains the initial collection responsibilities for a specified short period of time, the factor may take title at the end of that period only to those accounts receivable that are not paid within that period. If the factor guarantees the accounts receivable and collects, the factor pays the client, net of the factor's fees, either soon after the receivables are collected or by a specified time if the receivables have not been collected. If the receivables are not guaranteed, the client receives payment only if and when the customer pays. The commentator explained that, if the factor has guaranteed the receivables, the factor has the right to recovery against a customer. If the factor does not guarantee the receivable and assumes collection responsibility, the factor assigns title back to the client when the receivables become uncollectible under the contract.

For some clients, the factor also provides liquidity by advancing funds against the client's aggregate accounts receivable. Advances are made based on the factor's assessment of the client's creditworthiness and are treated as a reduction of the amount the factor owes the client when the receivables are collected or, if the receivables are guaranteed, when the factor is required to pay the client under the guarantee. These advances are satisfied by the factor reducing the payments otherwise owed to the client. Interest is charged for the period of the outstanding advances, and the interest provides additional income to the factor over and above the fees for the credit investigation, credit guarantee, collection, and bookkeeping functions.

The commentator urged that the unique aspects of these three-party relations make it extremely difficult for factors to report discharges under section 6050P. The commentator pointed out that, although the factor may hold title to a customer account receivable at the time the account receivable is discharged, the client is the one with a direct relation with the customer. Even if the factor agreed to guarantee accounts receivable of a customer, that decision may have been made after an inquiry into the characteristics of the client's customers as a group, without any specific knowledge about the particular customer. Thus, the factor may know nothing about a customer that happens to be in default.

For these reasons, the commentator suggested that reporting under section 6050P should be the responsibility of the client, which has, or had, a direct relation with the debtor. The commentator further suggested that, if factors are required to report, the $600 dollar threshold should be increased or any inclusion of the debtor's taxpayer identification number (TIN) should be optional.

The reporting requirements under section 6050P fall on the entity that owns the debt that is discharged. In the case of the transactions that the commentator called “factoring,” therefore, it is necessary to determine who is the owner of the account receivable for Federal tax purposes. This determination has to be made on the basis of all the facts and circumstances.

The first question is whether the lending of money is a significant trade or business of the factor for the taxable year. This will be the case if, on a regular and continuing basis during the calendar year, the factor makes advances to the clients or acquires the clients' accounts receivable. If the factor is an applicable entity for purposes of section 6050P(c)(2)(D), the second question is whether the factor owned the account receivable for Federal tax purposes when the account receivable was discharged. Section 6050P(c)(2)(D) does not require reporting by a factor if the factor was not the owner of the account receivable for Federal tax purposes at the time of the identifiable event marking the discharge.

The final regulations do not provide guidance on whether a factoring transaction should be treated as a purchase of accounts receivable for Federal tax purposes. Whether or not a factoring transaction is treated as a purchase for Federal tax purposes depends on the facts and circumstances of each transaction. The final regulations provide an example describing the reporting obligations if an account receivable is treated as purchased for Federal tax purposes and, alternatively, if it is not treated as purchased. This example, however, is not intended to address whether a purchase has taken place for Federal tax purposes, and, thus, no inference is intended concerning the character of the transactions addressed in these regulations for purposes of section 6050P or for other provisions, including for purposes of determining effectively connected income of a foreign factor under § 1.864-4(c)(5).

After evaluating the concerns described by the commentator and the requirements imposed by section 6050P, the IRS and the Treasury Department believe that the reporting requirements of these final regulations, combined with the January 1, 2005, effective date, provide reasonable and administrable rules and are consistent with the general requirements applicable to information reporting. The final regulations, therefore, do not adopt the recommendation that the $600 threshold be raised for debt obligations acquired from persons other than the debtor, nor do the final regulations adopt the recommendation that a factor be allowed to report discharges without the debtor's TIN. The $600 threshold and the requirement to include the debtor's TIN derive from section 6050P.

(ii) Filer May Request a Waiver of Penalty if the Filer Cannot Obtain the Debtor's TIN.—If section 6050P requires an applicable entity to file an information return, the applicable entity may request a waiver under section 6724 of any information reporting penalties under section 6721 and 6722. Under section 6724, the IRS may waive the penalties if the failure is due to reasonable cause and is not due to willful neglect. Therefore, upon a showing of reasonable cause, the IRS may waive the penalty under section 6721 for failure to file complete and correct information returns (including the failure to include a TIN) and the penalty under section 6722 for failure to furnish complete and correct information statements (including the failure to include a TIN).

Under § 301.6724-1(a)(2)(ii), a penalty may be waived for reasonable cause if the failure arose from events beyond the filer's control. Section 301.6724-1(c)(6)(i) provides that events beyond the filer's control include the failure of another person to provide the information necessary for the filer to file a correct information return. Section 301.6724-1(a)(2) of the regulations provides that to establish reasonable cause, the filer must have acted in a responsible manner both before and after the failure occurred. Section 301.6724-1(e) provides that a filer must undertake to act in a responsible manner in order to establish reasonable cause for failure to include a TIN (the TIN solicitation rules).

Section 1.6050P-1(e)(6) of the existing final regulations provides special TIN solicitation rules for discharges of indebtedness. Under these rules, a filer must undertake to act in a responsible manner for purposes of section 6724 and the regulations. Section 1.6050P-1(e)(6) provides that a TIN obtained at the time of the indebtedness satisfies the solicitation requirements, unless the entity required to file knows that the TIN is incorrect. The regulations require the filer to solicit the debtor's TIN if it has not obtained the debtor's TIN prior to the occurrence of an identifiable event marking the discharge of indebtedness. The regulations further provide that, if the filer solicits the debtor's TIN in the manner described in § 301.6724-1(e)(1)(i) and (2), the filer is deemed to have acted in a responsible manner for purposes of section 6724. Section 1.6050P-1(e)(6)(ii) contemplates that the filer may undertake the TIN solicitation after the occurrence of the identifiable event. Therefore, a factor that fails to include a debtor's TIN on the required information return and information statement may request a waiver of penalties and may establish reasonable cause under section 6724 if it complies with the special TIN solicitation rules in § 1.6050P-1(e)(6).

D. Related Sellers of Nonfinancial Goods or Services

Commentators requested clarification as to whether a finance company that acquires installment sales contracts from a related seller should be considered an organization that has a significant trade or business of lending money even if the seller would qualify for the exception to reporting for seller-financing transactions. Specifically, the commentators urged that a finance company related to a commonly owned automobile dealership not be required to report the discharge of an installment sales contract that originated between the automobile dealership and an automobile purchaser.

The preamble to the proposed regulations explains that section 6050P(c)(2)(D) applies on an entity-by-entity basis and that the seller-financing exception is not available to a separate financing subsidiary of a retailer. The 1999 Act took an entity-by-entity approach when it expanded the scope of section 6050P to reach “any organization a significant trade or business of which is the lending of money (such as finance companies and credit card companies whether or not affiliated with financial institutions).” See Joint Committee on Taxation Staff, General Explanation of Tax Legislation Enacted in the 106th Congress, 107th Cong., 1st Sess. 48 (2001) (emphasis added). The final regulations, therefore, do not adopt the recommendation to provide an exception to reporting for a company that finances purchases by the customers of a separate, but related, seller of nonfinancial goods or services.

E. Reporting Amounts That Section 108 Excludes From the Debtor's Income

Several commentators noted that often debtors may be insolvent at the time the debt is discharged and that, in these cases, the discharge is excludable from income under section 108(a)(1)(B). The legislative history to section 6050P, however, reflects that Congress intended entities to report discharges regardless of whether the debtor is subject to tax on the discharged debt, including whether the discharge qualifies for exclusion under section 108. See H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 213, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. 671 (1993). This principle is reflected in the general rule of § 1.6050P-1(a)(3) of the existing final regulations and is not changed by this Treasury Decision. The existing regulations provide, “Except as otherwise provided in [§ 1.6050P-1], discharged indebtedness must be reported regardless of whether the debtor is subject to tax on the discharged debt under sections 61 and 108 or otherwise by applicable law.”

F. Reporting Discharges of FFELP Loans

Other commentators requested clarification on the information reporting requirements for public, nonprofit guarantors that participate in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) if the debtor defaults on the FFELP loan. According to the comments, a typical FFELP transaction involves a borrower, a lender (such as a bank, savings and loan association, credit union, school, or state or private nonprofit agency), a state or private nonprofit organization (guaranty agency), and the U.S. Department of Education. If a guaranty agency receives a default claim for nonpayment of a FFELP student loan, the guaranty agency generally pays a percentage of the outstanding balance to the holder of the loan. The U.S. Department of Education, in turn, reimburses the guaranty agency for a percentage of the default claim paid to the holder of the loan. The guaranty agency then acts on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education collecting against the borrower and remitting any amount collected, less a percentage for collection costs, to the U.S. Department of Education.

One commentator suggested that the activities of the guaranty agency do not constitute the lending of money. This commentator suggested that guarantors of FFELP student loans are not applicable entities as defined in section 6050P(c)(2)(D). Another commentator suggested that the final regulations provide that the information reporting requirements under section 6050P do not apply to any student loan made under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, including student loans under the FFELP.

The information reporting requirements under section 6050P apply to student loans made under Title IV of the Higher Education Act. If the owner of the student loan for Federal tax purposes is an entity or organization that is an applicable entity within the meaning of section 6050P(c)(1), the owner must report under section 6050P upon the occurrence of an identifiable event marking the discharge of the indebtedness.

2. Comments Concerning the Existing Final Regulations

Several commentators raised issues relating to the reporting requirements in § 1.6050P-1 of the existing final regulations. These comments are beyond the scope of this regulation project, which addresses whether an organization has a significant trade or business of lending money for purposes of section 6050P(c)(2)(D), but these comments may be addressed in future guidance.

A. Amounts Forgiven Pursuant to the Terms of a Loan

Commentators requested clarification as to whether an organization is required to report amounts forgiven pursuant to the terms of a debt obligation, including loan forgiveness under the FFELP upon a stated event (such as death, disability, or satisfaction of the service requirements of the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program). The IRS may issue future guidance under section 6050P addressing amounts forgiven pursuant to the terms of a debt obligation for purposes of section 6050P. Pending issuance of future guidance, applicable entities will not be subject to penalties under section 6721 and section 6722 for failure to report under section 6050P amounts forgiven pursuant to the terms of a debt obligation.

B. Amounts That Are Defined as “Indebtedness” Under § 1.6050P-1(c) of the Existing Final Regulations but That Do Not Arise in the Context of a Money-Lending Transaction

One commentator requested clarification of the information reporting requirements for amounts that are owed to an organization but that do not arise in the context of a money-lending transaction. The commentator suggested that the definition of indebtedness in § 1.6050P-1(c) of the existing final regulations should be revised to require reporting only of discharged amounts that would give rise to income under section 61(a)(12) and that the definition should cover only amounts arising in money-lending transactions. Alternatively, the commentator suggested that amounts owed that arise in non-money-lending transactions should not be “indebtedness” for purposes of section 6050P unless, and until, reduced to judgment. This commentator also suggested that discharges of amounts such as fees, penalties, administrative costs, and fines should not be subject to reporting under section 6050P regardless of whether the transaction is a money-lending transaction. Section 1.6050P-1(d)(3) of the existing final regulations provides an exception to reporting for discharges of these amounts only in lending transactions.

In particular, the commentator was concerned about amounts arising in leasing transactions. An organization that engages only in transactions that are treated as leases, and not as sales, for Federal tax purposes is not required to report under section 6050P, because leasing is not lending money for purposes of section 6050P(c)(2)(D) and § 1.6050P-2(a). However, if an organization is otherwise engaged in a significant trade or business of lending money and is also engaged in leasing transactions, the existing final regulations under section 6050P would require the organization to report the discharge of any amount owed to it, including fees, administrative costs, and fines for the non-lending leasing transactions.

The IRS and the Treasury Department may issue future guidance under section 6050P addressing the requirements for reporting amounts discharged in non-lending transactions. Pending issuance of future guidance, applicable entities will not be subject to penalties under section 6721 and section 6722 for failure under section 6050P to report amounts discharged in non-lending transactions.

Effective Date

In order to give organizations that are subject to section 6050P(c)(2)(D) time to comply with the reporting requirements of section 6050P, these regulations apply to discharges that occur on or after January 1, 2005.

Special Analyses

It has been determined that this Treasury decision is not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required. It has also been determined that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply to these regulations, and because the regulations do not impose a collection of information on small entities, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) does not apply. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Code, the notice of proposed rulemaking preceding this regulation was submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on its impact on small business.

Drafting Information

The principal author of these final regulations is Joseph P. Dewald, Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration), Administrative Provisions and Judicial Practice Division. However, other personnel from the IRS and Treasury Department participated in the development of the regulations.

List of Subjects

26 CFR Part 1

• Income taxes
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

26 CFR Part 602

• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

Adoption of Amendment to the Regulations

Accordingly, 26 CFR parts 1 and 602 are 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, in part, as follows:

Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805. * * *

Section 1.6050P-2 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6050P. * * *

Par. 2. Section 1.6050P-0 is amended as follows:

1. The introductory text is amended by adding the language “and § 1.6050P-2” immediately after the language “§ 1.6050P-1”.

2. The entry for § 1.6050P-1 is amended by removing the word “financial”.

3. The entry for § 1.6050P-1(e)(2)(v) is added.

4. The entries for §§ 1.6050P-1(e)(5) through (e)(8) are redesignated as entries for §§ 1.6050P-1(e)(6) through (e)(9) and a new entry for § 1.6050P-1(e)(5) is added.

5. The entries for § 1.6050P-2 are added.

The additions read as follows:

§ 1.6050P-0

Table of contents.

* * * * *

§ 1.6050P-1

Information reporting for discharges of indebtedness by certain entities.

* * * * *

(e) * * *

(2) * * *

(v) No double reporting.

* * * * *

(5) Entity formed or availed of to hold indebtedness.

* * * * *

§ 1.6050P-2

Organization a significant trade or business of which is the lending of money.

(a) In general.

(b) Safe harbors.

(1) Organizations not subject to section 6050P in the previous calendar year.

(2) Organizations that were subject to section 6050P in the previous calendar year.

(3) No test year.

(c) Seller financing.

(d) Gross income from lending of money.

(e) Acquisition of an indebtedness from a person other than the debtor included in lending money.

(f) Test year.

(g) Predecessor organization.

(h) Examples.

(i) Effective date.

Par. 3. Section 1.6050P-1 is amended as follows:

1. The section heading for § 1.6050P-1 is amended by removing the word “financial”.

2. Paragraphs (a)(1), (b)(2)(i)(F), (c), (e)(2)(i), (e)(3), (e)(7), (f)(1) introductory text, (f)(1)(ii), and (f)(2) are amended by removing the word “financial”.

3. The first sentence of paragraph (c) is amended by adding the language “and § 1.6050P-2” immediately after the word “section”.

4. Paragraph (e)(2)(v) is added.

5. Paragraph (e)(4) is amended by removing “6050P(c)(1)(A)” each time it appears and adding “6050P(c)(2)(A)” in its place and by removing “6050P(c)(1)(C)” and adding “6050P(c)(2)(C)” in its place.

6. Paragraphs (e)(5) through (e)(8) are redesignated as (e)(6) through (e)(9) and a new paragraph (e)(5) is added.

7. Paragraph (e)(7)(i), as redesignated, is amended by removing “(e)(6)” where it appears and adding “(e)(7)” and paragraph (e)(7)(ii), as redesignated, is amended by removing “(e)(6)(i)” where it appears and adding “(e)(7)(i)” in its place.

8. Paragraph (h)(1) is amended by adding “and, except paragraph (e)(5) of this section, which applies to discharges of indebtedness occurring after December 31, 2004.”, immediately after the language “1994”.

The additions read as follows:

§ 1.6050P-1

Information reporting for discharges of indebtedness by certain entities.

* * * * *

(e) * * *

(2) * * *

(v) No double reporting. If multiple creditors are considered to hold interests in an indebtedness for purposes of this paragraph (e)(2) by virtue of holding ownership interests in an entity, and the entity is required to report a discharge of that indebtedness under paragraph (e)(5) of this section, then the multiple creditors are not required to report the discharge of indebtedness.

* * * * *

(5) Entity formed or availed of to hold indebtedness. Notwithstanding § 1.6050P-2(b)(3), if an entity (the transferee entity) is formed or availed of by an applicable entity (within the meaning of section 6050P(c)(1)) for the principal purpose of holding indebtedness acquired (including originated) by the applicable entity, then, for purposes of section 6050P(c)(2)(D), the transferee entity has a significant trade or business of lending money.

* * * * *

Par. 4. Section 1.6050P-2 is added to read as follows:

§ 1.6050P-2

Organization a significant trade or business of which is the lending of money.

(a) In general. For purposes of section 6050P(c)(2)(D), the lending of money is a significant trade or business of an organization in a calendar year if the organization lends money on a regular and continuing basis during the calendar year.

(b) Safe harbors—(1) Organizations not subject to section 6050P in the previous calendar year. For an organization that was not required to report under section 6050P in the previous calendar year, the lending of money is not treated as a significant trade or business for the calendar year in which the lending occurs if gross income from lending money (as described in paragraph (d) of this section) in the organization's most recent test year (as defined in paragraph (f) of this section) is both less than $5 million and less than 15 percent of the organization's gross income for that test year.

(2) Organizations that were subject to section 6050P in the previous calendar year. For an organization that was required to report under section 6050P for the previous calendar year, the lending of money is not treated as a significant trade or business for the calendar year in which the lending occurs if gross income from lending money (as described in paragraph (d) of this section) in each of the organization's three most recent test years is both less than $3 million and less than 10 percent of the organization's gross income for that test year.

(3) No test year. The lending of money is not treated as a significant trade or business for an organization for the calendar year in which the lending occurs if the organization does not have a test year for that calendar year.

(c) Seller financing. If the principal trade or business of an organization is selling nonfinancial goods or providing nonfinancial services and if the organization extends credit to the purchasers of those goods or services to finance the purchases, then, for purposes of section 6050P(c)(2)(D), these extensions of credit are not a significant trade or business of lending money.

(d) Gross income from lending of money. For purposes of this section, gross income from lending of money includes—

(1) Income from interest, including qualified stated interest, original issue discount, and market discount;

(2) Gains arising from the sale or other disposition of indebtedness;

(3) Penalties with respect to indebtedness (whether or not the penalty is interest for Federal tax purposes); and

(4) Fees with respect to indebtedness, including merchant discount or interchange (whether or not the fee is interest for Federal tax purposes).

(e) Acquisition of an indebtedness from a person other than the debtor included in lending money. For purposes of this section, lending money includes acquiring an indebtedness not only from the debtor at origination but also from a prior holder of the indebtedness. Gross income arising from indebtedness is gross income from the lending of money without regard to who originated the indebtedness. If an organization acquires an indebtedness, the organization is required to report any cancellation of the indebtedness if the organization is engaged in a significant trade or business of lending money.

(f) Test year. For any calendar year, a test year is a taxable year of the organization that ends before July 1 of the previous calendar year.

(g) Predecessor organization. If an organization acquires substantially all of the property that was used in a trade or business of some other organization (the predecessor) (including when two or more corporations are parties to a merger agreement under which the surviving corporation becomes the owner of the assets and assumes the liabilities of the absorbed corporation(s)) or was used in a separate unit of the predecessor, then whether the organization at issue qualifies for one of the safe harbors in paragraph (b) of this section is determined by also taking into account the test years, reporting obligations, and gross income of the predecessor.

(h) Examples. The rules of this section are illustrated by the following examples:

Example 1.

(i) Facts. Finance Company A, a calendar year taxpayer, was formed in Year 1 as a non-bank subsidiary of Manufacturing Company and has no predecessor. A lends money to purchasers of Manufacturing Company's products on a regular and continuing basis to finance the purchase of those products. A's gross income from stated interest in Year 1 is $4.7 million. In Year 1, A's gross income from fees and penalties with respect to the indebtedness is $0.5 million, and A has no other gross income from lending money within the meaning of paragraph (d) of this section.

(ii) Results. Section 6050P does not require A to report discharges of indebtedness occurring in Years 1 or 2, because A has no test year for those years. Notwithstanding that A lends money in those years on a regular and continuing basis, under paragraph (b)(3) of this section, A does not have a significant trade or business of lending money in those years for purposes of section 6050P(c)(2)(D). However, for Year 3, A's test year is Year 1. A's gross income from lending in Year 1 is not less than $5 million for purposes of the applicable safe harbor of paragraph (b)(1) of this section. Because A lends money on a regular and continuing basis and does not meet the applicable safe harbor, section 6050P requires A to report discharges of indebtedness occurring in Year 3.

Example 2.

(i) Facts. The facts are the same as in Example 1, except that A is a division of Manufacturing Company, rather than a separate subsidiary. Manufacturing Company's principal activity is the manufacture and sale of non-financial products, and, other than financing the purchase of those products, Manufacturing Company does not extend credit or otherwise lend money.

(ii) Results. Under paragraph (c) of this section, that financing activity is not a significant trade or business of lending money for purposes of section 6050P(c)(2)(D), and section 6050P does not require Manufacturing Company to report discharges of indebtedness.

Example 3.

(i) Facts. Company B, a calendar year taxpayer, is formed in Year 1. B has no predecessor and a part of its activities consists of the lending of money. B packages and sells part of the indebtedness it originates and holds the remainder. B is engaged in these activities on a regular and continuing basis. For Year 1, the sum of B's gross income from sales of the indebtedness, plus other income described in paragraph (d) of this section, is only $4.8 million, but it is 16% of B's gross income in Year 1.

(ii) Results. Because B lends money on a regular and continuing basis and does not meet the applicable safe harbor of paragraph (b)(1) of this section, section 6050P requires B to report discharges of indebtedness occurring in Year 3. B is not required to report discharges of indebtedness in Years 1 and 2 because B has no test year for Years 1 and 2.

Example 4.

(i) Facts. The facts are the same as in Example 3. In addition, in each of Years 2, 3, and 4, the sum of B's gross income from sales of the indebtedness, plus other income described in paragraph (d) of this section, is less than both $3 million and 10% of B's gross income.

(ii) Results. (A) Because B was required to report under section 6050P for Year 3, the applicable safe harbor for Year 4 is paragraph (b)(2) of this section, which is satisfied only if B's gross income from lending activities for each of the three most recent test years is less than both $3 million and 10% of B's gross income. For Year 4, even though B has only two test years, B's gross income in one of those test years, Year 1, causes B to fail to meet this safe harbor. Accordingly, B is required to report discharges of indebtedness under section 6050P in Year 4. For Year 5, B's three most recent test years are Years 1, 2, and 3. However, B's gross income from lending activities in Year 1 is not less than $3 million and 10% of B's gross income. Accordingly, section 6050P requires B to report discharges of indebtedness in Year 5.

(B) For Year 6, B satisfies the applicable safe harbor requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section for each of the three most recent test years (Years 2, 3, and 4). Therefore, section 6050P does not require B to report discharges of indebtedness in Year 6. Because B is not required to report for Year 6, the applicable safe harbor for Year 7 is the one contained in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, and thus the only relevant test year is Year 5.

Example 5.

(i) Facts. (A) Company C, a calendar year taxpayer, was formed in Year 1 and, on a regular and continuing basis, enters into the following transactions with its clients, all of whom are unrelated parties to C. C does not have any other income.

(B) C's clients sell goods to customers, frequently accepting as payment accounts receivable that are due in 30 to 90 days. Under a contract with each client, C investigates the creditworthiness of the client's customers with respect to the prospective sales, and, for each customer, C determines whether, and to what extent, C is willing to assume the risk of loss on accounts receivable to be issued by the customer. C's decision whether to assume risk of loss may be based on an evaluation of the credit quality of particular customers or on the aggregate credit quality of all of the client's prospective customers. If C is unwilling to assume the risk, the client either may refuse to extend any credit to the customer or may accept the account receivable and bear the risk of loss.

(C) Pursuant to some contracts between C's clients and C, C's clients assign legal title to the accounts receivable to C when the accounts receivable are issued by the customers. For these accounts receivable, C agrees to undertake collections and to remit the amounts collected to the client, less a fee of 0.70 percent of the face value of the accounts receivable. Pursuant to other contracts between C's clients and C, C's clients retain legal title to the accounts receivable and retain the initial collection responsibility. For these accounts receivable, C's fee is reduced to 0.35 percent. Both groups of accounts receivable include accounts receivable for which C has assumed the risk of loss and accounts receivable for which C has not assumed the risk of loss.

(D) Based on all the facts and circumstances, C acquires ownership for Federal tax purposes of some, but not all, of the accounts receivable that it has agreed to collect and of some, but not all, of the accounts receivable for which the client has retained collection responsibility.

(E) In Year 1, C's total fee income with respect to accounts receivable of which it acquired tax ownership was $2 million. C's fee income in Year 1 from accounts receivable of which it did not acquire tax ownership was $700,000. C does not have any other income for Year 1.

(F) In Year 3, there were discharges of $950,000, representing $100,000 of customer defaults on those accounts receivable of which C was the owner for Federal tax purposes at the time of the identifiable event marking the discharge and $850,000 of customer defaults on the accounts receivable of which the clients, and not C, were the owner. Whenever C determined the uncollectibility of an account receivable for which it had not assumed the risk of loss, C reassigned title to the account receivable to the appropriate client. Each defaulting customer defaulted on an account receivable with an outstanding balance of at least $600.

(ii) Results. (A) For Year 3, C's test year is Year 1. Under paragraph (e) of this section, C's $2 million fee income from the accounts receivable of which it acquired tax ownership is “gross income from lending money” for purposes of paragraph (b) of this section, because C was the owner of the accounts for Federal tax purposes. Under paragraph (e) of this section, C's $700,000 fee income from the accounts receivable of which it did not acquire tax ownership is not “gross income from lending money” for purposes of paragraph (b) of this section, because C was not the owner of the accounts receivable for Federal tax purposes. In Year 1, therefore, C's gross income from lending money is less than $5 million but is not less than 15% of C's gross income. Because C lends money on a regular and continuing basis and does not meet the applicable safe harbor, section 6050P requires C to report discharges of indebtedness occurring in Year 3.

(B) In Year 3, section 6050P requires C to report the $100,000 of discharges of the accounts receivable of which C was the owner for Federal tax purposes at the time of the identifiable event marking the discharge. Unless an exception to reporting under paragraph (b) or (c) of this section applies, section 6050P requires C's clients to report the $850,000 of discharges of the accounts receivable of which C did not become the owner.

(i) Effective date. This section applies to discharges of indebtedness occurring on or after January 1, 2005.

PART 602—OMB CONTROL NUMBERS UNDER THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

Par. 5. The authority citation for part 602 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805.

Par. 6. In § 602.101, paragraph (b) is amended by removing two entries from the table as follows:

§ 602.101

OMB Control numbers.

* * * * *

(b) * * *

CFR part or section where identified and described	Current OMB control No.
* * * * *
1.6050P-1	1545-1419
1.6050P-1T	1545-1419
* * * * *

Approved: October 18, 2004.

Mark E. Matthews,

Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement.

Gregory F. Jenner,

Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.