[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 23, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66987-66989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33356]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Parts 25 and 602
[TD 8743]
RIN 1545-AU12
Sale of Residence From Qualified Personal Residence Trust
AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.
ACTION: Final regulations.
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SUMMARY: This document contains final regulations permitting the
reformation of a personal residence trust or a qualified personal
residence trust in order to comply with the applicable requirements for
such trusts. The final regulations also provide that the governing
instruments of such trusts must prohibit the sale of a residence held
in the trust to the grantor of the trust, the grantor's spouse, or an
entity controlled by the grantor or the grantor's spouse.
DATES: The regulations are effective December 23, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lane Damazo (202) 622-3090 (not a
toll-free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Paperwork Reduction Act
The collection of information contained in these final regulations
has been reviewed and approved by the Office of Management and Budget
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3507) under
control number 1545-1485. Responses to this collection of information
are required in order to ensure the proper collection of the gift tax.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of
information displays a valid control number.
The estimated annual burden per respondent/recordkeeper varies from
3 hours to 3.25 hours, depending on individual circumstances, with an
estimated average of 3.1 hours.
Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden estimate and
suggestions for reducing this burden should be sent to the Internal
Revenue Service, Attn: IRS Reports Clearance Officer T:FP, Washington,
DC 20224, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk
Officer for the Department of the Treasury, Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20503.
Books or records relating to this collection of information must be
retained as long as their contents may become material in the
administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and
tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.
Background
On April 16, 1996, the IRS published in the Federal Register a
notice of proposed rulemaking (formerly PS-004-96) at 61 FR 16623. The
IRS received written and oral comments on the proposed regulations and
held a public hearing on July 24, 1996. This document adopts final
regulations with respect to this notice of proposed rulemaking.
Comments with respect to Sec. 25.2702-5(a)(2) indicated that the
procedure permitting reformation of trust instruments will be helpful
to taxpayers and practitioners. It was suggested that an additional
reformation period be made available for trusts for which the gift tax
return due date had passed before the regulations became effective.
Accordingly, under the final regulations, the trustees of trusts
created before January 1, 1997, are granted a 90-day period after these
regulations become final in which to reform the trust.
Some of the comments concerning the amendments to Sec. 25.2702-5(b)
and (c) agreed that the restrictions in the proposed regulations on the
sale of the personal residence after the termination of the grantor's
retained interest in a personal residence trust or a qualified personal
residence trust further the intent of Congress in enacting section
2702(a)(3)(A)(ii). Other comments stated that the restrictions were not
supported by the statute. Treasury and the IRS continue to believe that
these regulations are consistent with the intent of Congress and carry
out the purpose of the personal residence exception to section 2702.
Other comments suggested that the final regulations should contain
an exception permitting the sale of the residence to the grantor if the
need arises. Treasury and the IRS believe, however, that a rule of this
nature is not necessary, since a grantor may lease the residence after
the retained term from a trust or individual to which the
[[Page 66988]]
residence passes after the expiration of the initial term. The right to
lease the residence may be expressly set forth in the trust document
creating the personal residence trust. If the residence is leased for
its fair market value rental, the grantor will not retain the economic
benefit of the property for purposes of section 2036(a), since the
grantor will be paying adequate consideration for the use of the
property. However, if the residence is leased from a trust that is a
grantor trust with respect to the grantor, the IRS under some
circumstances may contend that the grantor has retained the economic
benefit of the property.
Commentators raised a concern that because the regulations prohibit
the transfer of the residence to the grantor, or the grantor's spouse,
etc., the trust could not provide for a reversionary interest or a
testamentary power of disposition, taking effect at the grantor's death
prior to the expiration of the trust term, nor could the trust provide
for a remainder interest in fee for the grantor's spouse (e.g.,
remainder outright to spouse, or remainder to child, but if child
predeceases termination of the trust, then to spouse.) The final
regulations permit dispositions to the spouse.
Finally, commentators objected to the statement in the preamble to
the proposed regulations to the effect that if the IRS finds a pre-
effective date trust to be inconsistent with the purposes of section
2702, the IRS, by established legal doctrines, may treat the trust as
non-qualifying. Treasury and the IRS wish to clarify that the IRS will
apply these regulations only to post-effective date trusts.
Nevertheless, Treasury and the IRS have the authority to apply
established legal doctrines to disqualify a pre-effective date trust in
cases where the statutory purpose has clearly been violated.
Special Analyses
It has been determined that this Treasury decision is not a
significant regulatory action as defined in EO 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 these regulations do
not impose on small entities, a collection of information requirement,
the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6), does not apply.
Therefore, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not required. Pursuant
to section 7805(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking preceding these regulations was submitted to the Small
Business Administration for comment on their impact on small business.
Drafting Information
The principal author of these regulations is Dale Carlton, Office
of the Chief Counsel, IRS. Other personnel from the IRS and Treasury
Department participated in their development.
List of Subjects
26 CFR Part 25
Gift taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
26 CFR Part 602
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Adoption of Amendments to the Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR part 25 is amended as follows:
PART 25--GIFT TAX; GIFTS MADE AFTER DECEMBER 31, 1954
Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 25 continues to read
in part as follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
Par. 2. Section 25.2702-5 is amended as follows:
1. Paragraph (a) heading and text are redesignated as paragraph
(a)(1) heading and text and paragraph (a)(2) is added.
2. In paragraph (b)(1), five sentences are added after the third
sentence.
3. Paragraph (c)(5)(ii)(C) is revised.
4. Paragraph (c)(9) is added.
The additions and revisions read as follows:
Sec. 25.2702-5 Personal residence trusts.
(a) * * *
(2) Modification of trust. A trust that does not comply with one or
more of the regulatory requirements under paragraph (b) or (c) of this
section will, nonetheless, be treated as satisfying these requirements
if the trust is modified, by judicial reformation (or nonjudicial
reformation if effective under state law), to comply with the
requirements. In the case of a trust created after December 31, 1996,
the reformation must be commenced within 90 days after the due date
(including extensions) for the filing of the gift tax return reporting
the transfer of the residence under section 6075 and must be completed
within a reasonable time after commencement. If the reformation is not
completed by the due date (including extensions) for filing the gift
tax return, the grantor or grantor's spouse must attach a statement to
the gift tax return stating that the reformation has been commenced or
will be commenced within the 90-day period. In the case of a trust
created before January 1, 1997, the reformation must be commenced
within 90 days after December 23, 1997 and must be completed within a
reasonable time after commencement.
(b) * * * (1) * * * In addition, the trust does not meet the
requirements of this section unless the governing instrument prohibits
the trust from selling or transferring the residence, directly or
indirectly, to the grantor, the grantor's spouse, or an entity
controlled by the grantor or the grantor's spouse, at any time after
the original duration of the term interest during which the trust is a
grantor trust. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a sale or
transfer to another grantor trust of the grantor or the grantor's
spouse is considered a sale or transfer to the grantor or the grantor's
spouse; however, a distribution (for no consideration) upon or after
the expiration of the original duration of the term interest to another
grantor trust of the grantor or the grantor's spouse pursuant to the
express terms of the trust will not be considered a sale or transfer to
the grantor or the grantor's spouse if such other grantor trust
prohibits the sale or transfer of the property to the grantor, the
grantor's spouse, or an entity controlled by the grantor or the
grantor's spouse. In the event the grantor dies prior to the expiration
of the original duration of the term interest, this paragraph (b)(1)
does not apply to the distribution (for no consideration) of the
residence to any person (including the grantor's estate) pursuant to
the express terms of the trust or pursuant to the exercise of a power
retained by the grantor under the terms of the trust. Further, this
paragraph (b)(1) does not apply to any outright distribution (for no
consideration) of the residence to the grantor's spouse after the
expiration of the original duration of the term interest pursuant to
the express terms of the trust. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(1),
a grantor trust is a trust treated as owned in whole or in part by the
grantor or the grantor's spouse pursuant to sections 671 through 678,
and control is defined in Sec. 25.2701-2(b)(5)(ii) and (iii). * * *
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(5) * * *
(ii) * * *
(C) Sale proceeds. The governing instrument may permit the sale of
the residence (except as set forth in paragraph (c)(9) of this section)
and may permit the trust to hold proceeds from
[[Page 66989]]
the sale of the residence, in a separate account.
* * * * *
(9) Sale of residence to grantor, grantor's spouse, or entity
controlled by grantor or grantor's spouse. The governing instrument
must prohibit the trust from selling or transferring the residence,
directly or indirectly, to the grantor, the grantor's spouse, or an
entity controlled by the grantor or the grantor's spouse during the
retained term interest of the trust, or at any time after the retained
term interest that the trust is a grantor trust. For purposes of the
preceding sentence, a sale or transfer to another grantor trust of the
grantor or the grantor's spouse is considered a sale or transfer to the
grantor or the grantor's spouse; however, a distribution (for no
consideration) upon or after the expiration of the retained term
interest to another grantor trust of the grantor or the grantor's
spouse pursuant to the express terms of the trust will not be
considered a sale or transfer to the grantor or the grantor's spouse if
such other grantor trust prohibits the sale or transfer of the property
to the grantor, the grantor's spouse, or an entity controlled by the
grantor or the grantor's spouse. In the event the grantor dies prior to
the expiration of the retained term interest, this paragraph (c)(9)
does not apply to the distribution (for no consideration) of the
residence to any person (including the grantor's estate) pursuant to
the express terms of the trust or pursuant to the exercise of a power
retained by the grantor under the terms of the trust. Further, this
paragraph (c)(9) does not apply to an outright distribution (for no
consideration) of the residence to the grantor's spouse after the
expiration of the retained trust term pursuant to the express terms of
the trust. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(9), a grantor trust is a
trust treated as owned in whole or in part by the grantor or the
grantor's spouse pursuant to sections 671 through 678, and control is
defined in Sec. 25.2701-2(b)(5)(ii) and (iii).
* * * * *
Par. 3. Section 25.2702-7 is amended as follows:
1. The first sentence is revised.
2. A sentence is added at the end of the section.
The revision and addition read as follows:
Sec. 25.2702-7 Effective dates.
Except as provided in this section, Secs. 25.2702-1 through
25.2702-6 apply as of January 28, 1992. * * * The fourth through eighth
sentences of Sec. 25.2702-5(b)(1) and Sec. 25.2702-5(c)(9) apply with
respect to trusts created after May 16, 1996.
PART 602--OMB CONTROL NUMBERS UNDER THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT
Par. 4. The authority citation for part 602 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805.
Par. 5. In Sec. 602.101, paragraph (c) is amended by adding an
entry in numerical order to the table to read as follows:
Sec. 602.101 OMB Control numbers.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
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Current OMB
CFR part or section where identified and described control No.
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25.2702-5.................................................. 1545-1485
* * * * *
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Michael P. Dolan,
Acting Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
Approved: December 4, 1997.
Donald C. Lubick,
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
[FR Doc. 97-33356 Filed 12-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-U