03-29043. Transfers To Provide for Satisfaction of Contested Liabilities

AGENCY:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking by cross-reference to temporary regulations and notice of public hearing.

SUMMARY:

In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register, the IRS is issuing temporary regulations relating to the transfer of indebtedness or stock of a taxpayer or related persons or of a promise to provide services or property in the future to provide for the satisfaction of an asserted liability that the taxpayer is contesting. The temporary regulations also relate to transfers of money or other property to a trust, an escrow account, or a court to provide for the satisfaction of a liability for which payment is economic performance. The text of those temporary regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations. This document also provides notice of a public hearing on these proposed regulations.

DATES:

Written or electronic comments must be received by February 19, 2004. Requests to speak and outlines of topics to be discussed at the public hearing scheduled for March 23, 2004, must be received by March 2, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Send submissions to: CC:LPD:PR (REG-136890-02), room 5226, Internal Revenue Service, POB 7604, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, DC 20044. Submissions may be hand delivered Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to: CC:LPD:PR (REG-136890-02), Courier's Desk, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, or sent electronically via the IRS Internet site at www.irs.gov/​regs. The public hearing will be held in the 7th floor auditorium, Internal Revenue Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Concerning the hearing, submission of comments, and/or to be placed on the building access list to attend the hearing, Guy Traynor, [phone]; concerning the proposed regulations, Norma Rotunno, [phone] (not toll-free numbers).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Explanation of Provisions

Temporary regulations in the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register amend the Income Tax Regulations (26 CFR part 1) relating to section 461(f) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). The temporary regulations provide the express rule that transfers of the indebtedness of a taxpayer or of any promise to provide services or property in the future, or transfers (other than to the person asserting the liability) of a taxpayer's stock, or the indebtedness or stock of a person related to the taxpayer (as defined in section 267(b)), are not transfers to provide for the satisfaction of an asserted liability. The temporary regulations also provide rules relating to the application of the economic performance rules to transfers of money or other property under section 461(f) to provide for the satisfaction of a contested workers compensation or tort liability, or other liability for which payment is economic performance under § 1.461-4(g). The text of the temporary regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations. The preamble to the temporary regulations explains the amendments.

Special Analyses

It has been determined that this notice of proposed rulemaking is not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required. It also has been determined that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply to these regulations, and because the regulation does 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, this notice of proposed rulemaking will be submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on its impact on small business.

Comments and Public Hearing

Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations, consideration will be given to any written comments (a signed original and eight (8) copies) or electronic comments that are submitted timely to the IRS. The IRS and Treasury Department request comments on the clarity of the proposed rules and how they can be made easier to understand. All comments will be available for public inspection and copying.

A public hearing has been scheduled for March 23, 2004, in the 7th floor auditorium of the Internal Revenue Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC. Due to building security procedures, visitors must enter at the Constitution Avenue entrance. In addition, all visitors must present photo identification to enter the building. Because of access restrictions, visitors will not be admitted beyond the immediate entrance area more than 30 minutes before the hearing starts. For information about having your name placed on the building access list to attend the hearing, see the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this preamble.

The rules of 26 CFR 601.601(a)(3) apply to the hearing. Persons who wish to present oral comments at the hearing must submit written comments and an outline of the topics to be discussed and the time to be devoted to each topic (signed original and eight (8) copies) by March 2, 2003. A period of 10 minutes will be allotted to each person for making comments. An agenda showing the scheduling of the speakers will be prepared after the deadline for receiving outlines has passed. Copies of the agenda will be available free of charge at the hearing.

Drafting Information

The principal author of these regulations is Norma Rotunno, Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax & Accounting). However, other personnel from the IRS and Treasury Department participated in their development.

List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1

• Income taxes
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

Proposed Amendments to the Regulations

Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 1—INCOME TAXES

1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read in part as follows:

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

2. Section 1.461-2 is amended by revising paragraphs (c)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), and (g) to read as follows:

§ 1.461-2

Contested liabilities.

[The text of proposed paragraphs (c)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), and (g) is the same as the text of § 1.461-2T(c)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), and (g) published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.]

Mark E. Matthews,

Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement.