[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 3, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31795-31808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13935]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service

26 CFR Part 53

[REG-106877-18]
RIN 1545-BO75


Guidance on the Determination of the Section 4968 Excise Tax 
Applicable to Certain Private Colleges and Universities

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This document contains proposed regulations for determining 
the excise tax applicable to the net investment income of certain 
private colleges and universities, as provided by the Tax Cuts and Jobs 
Act. These regulations affect applicable educational institutions and 
their related organizations.

DATES: Written or electronic comments and requests for a public hearing 
must be received by October 1, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic submissions via the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov (indicate IRS and REG-106877-18) 
by following the online instructions for submitting comments. Once 
submitted to the Federal eRulemaking Portal, comments cannot be edited 
or withdrawn. The Department of the Treasury (Treasury Department) and 
the IRS will publish for public availability any comment received to 
its public docket, whether submitted electronically or in hard copy. 
Send hard copy submissions to: CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-106877-18), Room 5203, 
Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 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:PA:LPD:PR (REG-
106877-18), Courier's Desk, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution 
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20224.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Concerning the proposed regulations, 
Melinda Williams at (202) 317-6172 or Amber L. MacKenzie at (202) 317-
4086; concerning submission of comments and request for hearing, Regina 
L. Johnson at (202) 317-6901 (not toll-free numbers).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    This document contains proposed regulations under section 4968 of 
the Internal Revenue Code (Code) to amend part 53 of the Excise Tax 
Regulations (26 CFR part 53). Section 4968 of the Code, added by 
section 13701 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Public Law 115-97, 131 
Stat. 2054, 2167-68, (2017) (TCJA), imposes on each applicable 
educational institution, as defined in section 4968(b)(1), an excise 
tax equal to 1.4 percent of the institution's net investment income, 
and, as described in section 4968(d), a portion of certain net 
investment income of certain related organizations, for the taxable 
year.
    Section 4968(b)(1) defines the term ``applicable educational 
institution'' as an eligible educational institution (as defined in 
section 25A(f)(2)) which during the preceding taxable year had at least 
500 tuition-paying students, more than 50 percent of whom were located 
in the United States, is not a state college or university as described 
in the first sentence of section 511(a)(2)(B), and had assets (other 
than those assets used directly in carrying out the institution's 
exempt purpose) the aggregate fair market value of which was at least 
$500,000 per student of the institution.
    Section 4968(b)(2) provides that, for purposes of section 
4968(b)(1), the number of students of an institution (including for 
purposes of determining the number of students at a particular 
location) shall be based on the daily average number of full-time 
students attending such institution (with part-time students taken into 
account on a full-time student equivalent basis).
    Section 4968(c) provides that, for purposes of section 4968, ``net 
investment income'' shall be determined under rules similar to the 
rules of section 4940(c).
    Section 4968(d)(1) provides that, for purposes of determining 
aggregate fair market value of an educational institution's assets not 
used directly in carrying out its exempt purpose \1\ and for purposes 
of determining an institution's net investment income, the assets and 
net investment income of any related organization with respect to the 
institution shall be treated as assets and net investment income, 
respectively, of the educational institution, with two exceptions. 
First, no such amount shall be taken into account with respect to more 
than one educational institution. Second, unless such organization is 
controlled by such institution or is described in section 509(a)(3) 
(relating to supporting organizations) with respect to such institution 
for the taxable year, assets and net investment income which are not 
intended or available for the use or benefit of the educational 
institution shall not be taken into account.
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    \1\ Section 4968(d)(1) erroneously cross references section 
4968(b)(1)(C). The correct cross reference should be to section 
4968(b)(1)(D). See Joint Committee on Taxation, ``General 
Explanation of Public Law 115-97'' (JCS-1-18), December 2018, at 
290, n. 1357.
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    Section 4968(d)(2) provides that the term ``related organization,'' 
with respect to an educational institution, means (1) any organization 
which controls, or is controlled by, such institution; (2) is 
controlled by one or more persons that also control such institution; 
or (3) is a supported organization (as defined in section 509(f)(3)), 
or a supporting organization (as described in section 509(a)(3)), 
during the taxable year with respect to the educational institution.
    The Conference Report for the TCJA, H. Rept. 115-466, 115th Cong., 
1st sess., December 15, 2017 (Conference Report), at 555, states that 
Congress intended that the Secretary of the Treasury promulgate 
regulations to carry out the intent of section 4968, including 
regulations that describe: (1) Assets that are used directly in 
carrying out an educational institution's exempt

[[Page 31796]]

purpose; (2) the computation of net investment income; and (3) assets 
that are intended or available for the use or benefit of an educational 
institution.
    In June 2018, the Treasury Department and the IRS issued Notice 
2018-55 (2018-26 I.R.B. 773) (Notice) to provide interim guidance on 
certain issues related to the application of the tax imposed by section 
4968. Specifically, Notice 2018-55 states that, in the case of property 
held on December 31, 2017, and continuously thereafter to the date of 
its disposition, the Treasury Department and the IRS intend to propose 
regulations stating that basis for purposes of determining gain (but 
not loss) shall be deemed to be not less than the fair market value of 
such property on December 31, 2017, plus or minus all adjustments after 
December 31, 2017, and before the date of disposition consistent with 
the regulations under section 4940(c). The Notice provides that, if the 
disposition of an asset would result in a capital loss, basis rules 
that are consistent with the regulations under section 4940(c) will 
apply. Accordingly, if the value of the asset declines after December 
31, 2017, the taxpayer will recognize no gain; however, the taxpayer 
will recognize a loss only if the proceeds from the sale of the asset 
are less than the basis of the property as calculated without the 
special rule in the Notice to increase the basis to fair market value 
on December 31, 2017. The Notice additionally states that the Treasury 
Department and the IRS expect the proposed regulations to provide that 
losses from sales or other dispositions of property generally shall be 
allowed only to the extent of gains, with no capital loss carryovers or 
carrybacks, and that losses from sales or other dispositions of 
property by related organizations will be allowed to offset overall net 
gains from other related organizations or the applicable educational 
institution. The Notice provides that applicable educational 
institutions may rely on the Notice before the issuance of the proposed 
regulations. Finally, the Notice requests comments on any of the issues 
addressed in the Notice and on any additional guidance that is needed 
and whether, and what type of, transitional relief may be necessary.
    The Treasury Department and the IRS received two comments in 
response to Notice 2018-55, which were considered in drafting these 
proposed regulations. The comments are available at http://www.regulations.gov or upon request.

Explanation of Provisions

1. Institutions Subject to the Tax

    Section 4968(a) imposes a 1.4 percent excise tax on the net 
investment income of each applicable educational institution. Section 
4968(b) provides that an applicable educational institution is an 
``eligible educational institution'' (as defined in section 25A(f)(2)) 
if: (i) It had at least 500 tuition-paying students during the 
preceding taxable year; (ii) more than 50 percent of its tuition-paying 
students are located in the United States; (iii) it is not a state 
college or university as described in the first sentence of section 
511(a)(2)(B); and (iv) the aggregate fair market value of its assets 
(other than those assets used directly in carrying out the 
institution's exempt purpose) was at least $500,000 per student of the 
institution at the end of the preceding taxable year. Section 53.4968-
1(a) of these proposed regulations sets forth definitions to determine 
whether an entity is an applicable educational institution that is 
subject to the tax.
    Although, pursuant to section 4968(a), the tax on net investment 
income for each taxable year is based on the net investment income of 
an applicable educational institution for such taxable year, for 
purposes of determining whether an institution is an ``applicable 
educational institution'' subject to the tax, section 4968(b) provides 
that the number of an institution's tuition-paying students and the 
aggregate fair market value of the institution's assets (and the assets 
of any related organization) are based on the preceding taxable year's 
number and value.
A. Eligible Educational Institution Defined in Section 25A(f)(2)
    Section 4968(b)(1) defines ``applicable educational institution,'' 
in part, as an eligible educational institution defined in section 
25A(f)(2). In accordance with section 4968(b), the proposed regulations 
provide that an applicable educational institution must be described in 
section 25A(f)(2) and the regulations thereunder. Section 25A(f)(2) 
provides that, for purposes of the allowance of American Opportunity 
and Lifetime Learning credits, the term ``eligible educational 
institution'' means an institution (1) which is described in section 
481 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088) (HEA), as in 
effect on the enactment of section 25A (1997), and (2) which is 
eligible to participate in a program under title IV of the HEA 
(relating to the United States federal student financial aid programs). 
The Treasury Department and the IRS anticipate that colleges and 
universities already know whether they are described in section 25A, 
but request comments on whether further guidance is needed for purposes 
of applying section 4968.
B. Student
i. In General
    Section 4968(b)(1) defines ``applicable educational institution,'' 
in part, by reference to the number of its students and the amount of 
its assets per student. Section 4968 does not define the term 
``student.'' However, section 4968(b)(2) does provide that the number 
of students of an institution shall be based on the daily average 
number of full-time students attending an institution, with part-time 
students taken into account on a full-time student equivalent basis. As 
described in part 1(A) of this Explanation of Provisions section, the 
definition of the term ``applicable educational institution'' in 
section 4968(b), which references students in some of its definitional 
criteria, relies on the definition of ``eligible educational 
institution'' as defined in section 25A(f)(2).
    For purposes of section 25A, the term ``eligible student'' is 
defined in section 25A(b)(3) to mean a student who (1) meets the 
requirements of section 484(a)(1) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1091(a)(1)), 
and (2) is carrying at least half the normal full-time work load for 
the course of study the student is pursuing. Section 484(a)(1) of the 
HEA (20 U.S.C. 1091(a)(1)) provides that, in order to receive any 
grant, loan, or work assistance under the general provisions relating 
to student assistance programs under the HEA, a student must be 
enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a degree, certification, or 
other program (including a program of study abroad approved for credit 
by the eligible institution at which such student is enrolled) leading 
to a recognized educational credential at an institution of higher 
education that is an eligible institution in accordance with the 
provisions of section 1094 of title 20 of the U.S. Code, except as 
provided in section 1091(b)(3) and (4) of the HEA,\2\

[[Page 31797]]

and not enrolled in an elementary or secondary school.
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    \2\ Subsections (b)(3) and (4) of 20 U.S.C. 1091 provide 
exceptions to section 484(a)(1) of the HEA that allows students to 
be eligible for certain grant programs even if the student does not 
qualify under section 484(a)(1). Under the exceptions, the student 
must be carrying at least one-half the normal full-time work load 
for the course of study that the student is pursuing, as determined 
by an eligible institution, and be enrolled in a course of study 
necessary for enrollment in a program leading to a degree, 
certificate, professional credential or certification from a State 
that is required for employment as a teacher in an elementary or 
secondary school in that State.
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    The Treasury Department and the IRS consider the definition of 
eligible student under section 25A to be an appropriate basis for the 
definition of student for purposes of section 4968; however, the 
requirement found in section 25A(b)(3)(B) that a student must carry at 
least half the normal full-time work load for the course of study the 
student is pursuing is not relevant for purposes of section 4968. 
Section 4968(b)(2) does not contain a requirement that a student must 
carry at least half the normal full-time work load to be considered a 
student for purposes of the asset measurement requirement; instead, it 
states that part-time students are taken into account on a full-time 
student equivalent basis.
    Furthermore, section 4968(b)(2) contains a requirement that the 
number of students of an institution be based on the daily average 
number of students attending the institution. Therefore, the Treasury 
Department and the IRS do not view the portion of the rule found in 
Section 484(a)(1) of the HEA that is incorporated into the definition 
of ``student'' in section 25A(b)(3)(B) and includes an individual 
merely ``accepted for enrollment'' as appropriate to the application of 
section 4968 since such an individual may not yet be attending the 
institution.
    Accordingly, the proposed regulations generally follow the standard 
in section 484(a)(1) of the HEA referenced by section 25A(b)(3)(A) to 
provide that the term ``student'' for section 4968 purposes means a 
person enrolled in a degree, certification, or other program (including 
a program of study abroad approved for credit by the eligible 
institution at which such student is enrolled) leading to a recognized 
educational credential at an eligible educational institution, and not 
enrolled in an elementary or secondary school. See proposed Sec.  
53.4968-1(a)(3)(i). However, the proposed definition of student does 
not include individuals merely accepted for enrollment, nor does it 
contain a requirement that the student have at least half the normal 
full-time work load. Furthermore, the time limitations in section 
25A(b)(2) (such as that the American Opportunity Tax Credit is allowed 
only for 4 taxable years) are not part of the definition of ``eligible 
student'' and thus are not incorporated into the definition of student 
for section 4968 purposes.
    Putting together the section 4968(b)(2) requirement that a student 
be ``attending'' an institution and the proposed definition that a 
student is an individual enrolled in a degree, certification, or other 
program leading to a recognized educational credential at an eligible 
educational institution, in applying the requirements under section 
4968(b)(1), the proposed regulations require that a student be both 
enrolled at and attending the institution. The Treasury Department and 
the IRS request comments on whether further guidance is needed on the 
definitions of ``student,'' ``enrolled,'' or ``attending.''
    Consistent with section 4968(b)(1)(D), the proposed regulations 
provide that an educational institution determines the fair market 
value of assets per student based upon the total number of all 
students, as defined in proposed Sec.  53.4968-1(a)(3)(i), attending an 
eligible educational institution, not just the number of tuition-paying 
students.
ii. Tuition-Paying
    Section 4968(b)(1) defines ``applicable educational institution,'' 
in part, with respect to how many tuition-paying students attend the 
institution. Specifically, under section 4968(b)(1)(A) an institution 
must have had at least 500 tuition-paying students during the preceding 
taxable year, and under 4968(b)(1)(B), more than 50 percent of its 
tuition-paying students must have been located in the United States. 
Section 4968 does not define the term ``tuition-paying.''
    As described in part 1(A) of this Explanation of Provisions 
section, section 25A provides certain education credits relating to 
qualified tuition and related expenses paid by certain eligible 
students. Section 25A(f)(1) and Sec.  1.25A-2(d) provide, in relevant 
part, that the term ``qualified tuition and related expenses'' means 
tuition and fees required for the enrollment or attendance at an 
eligible educational institution for courses of instruction at such 
institution. Such term does not include expenses with respect to any 
course or other education involving sports, games, or hobbies, unless 
such course or other education is part of the individual's degree 
program.
    The Treasury Department and the IRS propose to base the definition 
of ``tuition-paying'' for purposes of section 4968 on the definition of 
qualified tuition and related expenses that is provided in section 
25A(f)(1) and the regulations thereunder, without regard to section 
25A(f)(1)(D). Thus, the proposed regulations provide that tuition-
paying means the payment of tuition and fees required for the 
enrollment or attendance of a student for courses of instruction at an 
eligible educational institution but does not include any separate 
payment for supplies or equipment required during a specific course 
once a student is enrolled in and attending the course (for example, 
art supplies). Tuition-paying also does not include payment of room and 
board or other personal living expenses, and if a student is required 
to pay a fee (such as a comprehensive fee or a bundled fee) to an 
eligible educational institution that combines charges for tuition with 
charges for personal expenses such as room and board, then the student 
is a tuition-paying student. The Treasury Department and the IRS note 
that, notwithstanding the reference to ``enrollment'' for purposes of 
identifying tuition and fees, the tuition-paying student must also be 
attending the educational institution for purposes of determining if 
there are at least 500 tuition-paying students.
    For purposes of section 4968, the proposed regulations also provide 
that whether a student is ``tuition-paying'' is determined after taking 
into account any scholarships provided directly by the educational 
institution and any work study programs operated directly by the 
educational institution. However, scholarship payments provided by 
third parties, even if administered by the institution, are considered 
payments of tuition on behalf of the student. Accordingly, a student 
will be considered a tuition-paying student for purposes of section 
4968 if payment of any tuition or a fee is required for the enrollment 
or attendance of the student for courses of instruction after the 
application of any scholarships offered directly by the institution or 
work study program operated directly by the institution.
iii. Located in the United States
    Section 4968(b)(1)(B) provides, in part, that at least 50 percent 
of an applicable educational institution's tuition-paying students 
attending the institution must have been located in the United States. 
The statute clearly refers to the location of the students, not the 
location of the educational institution or an instructor. Accordingly, 
the proposed regulations provide that a student is considered to have 
been located in the United States if the student resided in the United 
States for at least a portion of the time the student attended the 
educational institution. Like the other requirements of section 
4968(b), this measurement is based on the applicable educational 
institution's preceding taxable year.
    For example, a student that attended an educational institution in 
the preceding taxable year who is citizen of a foreign country is 
considered to have been a student located in the United

[[Page 31798]]

States if the student resided in the United States for at least a 
portion of the time the student attended the educational institution. 
Furthermore, a student attending the educational institution in the 
preceding taxable year who was studying abroad in a foreign country is 
considered to have been a student located in the United States if the 
student resided in the United States for at least a portion of the time 
the student attended the educational institution. However, if a student 
did not reside in the United States for any portion of the time the 
student attended the education institution during the preceding taxable 
year, then that student would not be considered to have been located in 
the United States for purposes of section 4968(b)(1)(B) (although he or 
she may still be considered a student for purposes of section 
4968(b)(1)(D)). The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on 
whether further guidance is needed relating to whether a student is 
considered to have been located in the United States in a preceding 
taxable year.
iv. Full-Time Students and Part-Time Equivalents
    Section 4968(b)(2) provides, in part, that the number of students 
of an applicable educational institution (including for purposes of 
determining the number of students at a particular location) is based 
on the daily average number of full-time students attending such 
institution, with part-time students taken into account on a full-time 
student equivalent basis. Section 4968 does not define the terms 
``full-time'' and ``part-time'' for purposes of the full-time 
equivalent rule in section 4968(b)(2), nor does it provide how to 
determine a full-time student equivalent or a daily average. Section 
1.25A-3(d)(1)(ii) of the Income Tax Regulations provides for section 
25A purposes that the standard for what is half the normal full-time 
work load is determined by each eligible educational institution; 
however, the standard for half-time may not be lower than the 
applicable standard for half-time established by the HEA.
    Unlike section 25A, section 4968 does not require that a student be 
carrying at least half the normal full-time work load for the course of 
study the student is pursuing in order to be considered a student. 
However, the Treasury Department and the IRS otherwise view the 
standard provided in Sec.  1.25A-3(d)(1)(ii) as a helpful model in 
applying the full-time equivalent requirement in section 4968(b)(2) and 
propose to follow a similar approach.
    Accordingly, these proposed regulations provide that, for purposes 
of section 4968(b)(2), the determinations of full-time students, part-
time students, full-time student equivalents, and daily average of 
students attending the institution are made by each applicable 
educational institution as long as the determinations are consistent 
with the institution's practices in determining full-time and part-time 
status for other purposes. For example, it may be reasonable for an 
institution to determine that two students, each carrying half a full-
time load, are equivalent to one full-time student. However, the 
standards an institution uses may not be lower than the applicable 
standards established by the Department of Education under the HEA.
    The Treasury Department and the IRS seek comments on whether more 
specific guidance is required concerning the determination of full-time 
student, part-time student, full-time equivalent, or daily average 
number of full-time students attending the institution.
C. Assets Used Directly in Carrying Out an Institution's Exempt Purpose
i. In General
    To be included within the definition of applicable educational 
institution under section 4968(b)(1), an institution must have assets 
(other than those assets which are used directly in carrying out the 
institution's exempt purpose) the aggregate fair market value of which 
is at least $500,000 per student. The phrase ``assets which are used 
directly in carrying out the institution's exempt purpose'' is not 
defined in section 4968, but a similar phrase is used in section 4942.
    For purposes of section 4942, a private foundation must determine 
its minimum investment return as part of its calculation of its 
distributable amount for any taxable year. Minimum investment return is 
defined in section 4942(e) as 5 percent of the excess of the aggregate 
fair market value of all assets of the foundation ``other than those 
which are used (or held for use) directly in carrying out the 
foundation's exempt purpose,'' over the acquisition indebtedness with 
respect to such assets.
    Since section 4968 contains a phrase similar to the language used 
in section 4942 (other than the omission of the parenthetical ``or held 
for use''), the Treasury Department and the IRS propose generally to 
follow Sec.  53.4942(a)-2(c) for purposes of determining whether an 
educational institution's assets are used directly in carrying out the 
institution's exempt purpose, without regard to provisions relating to 
private foundation assets ``held for use.'' The Treasury Department and 
the IRS seek comments on whether the use of the principles of the 
section 4942 regulations for this purpose creates any concerns.
    Consistent with section 4942, the proposed regulations provide in 
Sec.  53.4968-1(a)(4)(i) that an asset is used directly in carrying out 
an institution's exempt purpose only if the asset is actually used by 
the institution in carrying out its exempt purpose. Administrative 
assets, real estate, and physical property used by the institution 
directly in its exempt activities are all examples of such exempt 
purpose assets. In addition, a reasonable cash balance necessary to 
cover current administrative expenses and other normal and current 
disbursements directly connected with the educational institution's 
exempt activities is considered to be used directly in carrying out the 
institution's exempt purpose. For section 4942 purposes, a reasonable 
cash balance is defined as 1.5 percent of the fair market value of the 
private foundation's non-charitable use assets (i.e., assets not 
actually used by an institution in carrying out its exempt purpose), 
determined without regard to the reduction for the reasonable cash 
balance. For consistency with the 4942 rules, the Treasury Department 
and the IRS propose that a cash balance of 1.5 percent of the fair 
market value of the educational institution's non-charitable use 
assets, determined without regard to the deduction for the reasonable 
cash balance, will be deemed to be a reasonable cash balance for 
purposes of section 4968. However, the Treasury Department and the IRS 
note that the 1.5 percent standard in the section 4942 context is an 
average monthly amount over the entire taxable year and thus has to 
take into account fluctuations in cash needs. Thus, in light of the 
differences in the exempt activities of an educational institution and 
the section 4968 requirement to measure the assets only at the end of 
the taxable year, the Treasury Department and the IRS request comments 
on whether another percentage or other measurement should be deemed to 
be a reasonable cash balance at the end of the taxable year. The 
Treasury Department and the IRS specifically request comments 
supporting why any such other amount would be reasonable, and how 
utilizing a different amount would be administrable.
    The proposed regulations do not address whether a functionally-
related

[[Page 31799]]

business would be considered an exempt use asset for the purposes of 
this test. Although functionally-related businesses are included as an 
illustration of an exempt use asset in the section 4942 regulations, it 
is not clear how the concept of a functionally-related business would 
apply to an educational institution. The Treasury Department and the 
IRS request comments on whether and how educational institutions use 
functionally related businesses in conducting their operations and 
whether functionally-related businesses should be explicitly included 
or excluded as examples of exempt use assets in the final regulations.
    Whether an asset is used directly by an educational institution to 
carry out its exempt purpose is determined based on the facts and 
circumstances. In addition, where property is used both for charitable, 
educational, or other similar exempt purposes and for other purposes, 
if the exempt use represents 95 percent or more of the total use, the 
property is considered to be used exclusively for a charitable, 
educational, or other similar exempt purpose. If the exempt use 
represents less than 95 percent of the total use, the institution must 
make a reasonable allocation between the exempt and nonexempt use.
ii. Exceptions
    Similar to the rules under section 4942, the proposed regulations 
deem certain assets to not be used directly in carrying out an 
institution's exempt purpose, including assets that are held for the 
production of income or for investment (for example, stocks, bonds, 
interest-bearing notes, endowment funds, or, generally, leased real 
estate), even if the income from such assets is used to carry out the 
exempt purpose. Similarly, non-exempt use assets include property used 
for managing endowment funds of the institution.
iii. Valuation of Assets Not Used Directly in Carrying Out an 
Institution's Exempt Purpose
    For purposes of section 4968(b)(1)(D), the value of an 
institution's non-exempt use assets must be determined as of the last 
day of each taxable year for which a valuation must be made. In 
contrast, section 4942(e)(2)(A) provides generally that a foundation's 
securities for which market quotations are readily available shall be 
determined on a monthly basis, and that the values of other assets 
shall be determined at such times and in such manner as the Secretary 
shall by regulations prescribe.
    Section 53.4942(a)-2(c)(4) provides that a private foundation may 
use any reasonable method to determine the fair market value on a 
monthly basis of securities for which market quotations are readily 
available, as long as such method is consistently used, and provides 
additional valuation guidelines for assets that are not market 
securities.
    Consistent with the proposed rules for determining whether an asset 
is used directly in carrying out an institution's exempt purpose, the 
Treasury Department and the IRS propose that, for purposes of valuing 
the institution's non-exempt use assets, institutions use rules similar 
to the rules of section 4942(e) and Sec.  53.4942(a)-2(c)(4), with two 
modifications. First, the phrase ``applicable educational institution'' 
is substituted for ``private foundation'' or ``foundation'' every place 
they appear. Second, an institution will have to make such adjustments 
as are reasonable and necessary to obtain the fair market value of non-
exempt use assets as of the last day of the valuation taxable year, 
rather than any other frequency provided by the section 4942 
regulations.
    The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on valuing 
exempt use assets using the principles of section 4942, as modified by 
this special timing rule.

2. Determination of Net Investment Income and Basis of Property

A. In General
    Section 4968(a) imposes on each applicable educational institution 
a tax equal to 1.4 percent of its net investment income for the taxable 
year. Section 4968(c) provides that net investment income is determined 
under rules similar to the rules of section 4940(c). Accordingly, the 
proposed regulations provide in Sec.  53.4968-1(b) that an institution 
must calculate its net investment income under the rules of section 
4940(c) and Sec.  53.4940-1(c) through (f), with certain modifications 
explained in part 2(B) of this Explanation of Provisions section.
    Section 4940(c)(1) defines net investment income as the amount by 
which the sum of the gross investment income and the capital gain net 
income exceeds certain specified allowable deductions. Section 
4940(c)(1) also states that, except to the extent inconsistent with the 
provisions of section 4940, net investment income is determined under 
the principles of subtitle A of the Code.
    Section 4940(c)(2) provides that, for purposes of section 
4940(c)(1), gross investment income means the gross amount of income 
from interest, dividends, rents, payments with respect to securities 
loans (as defined in section 512(a)(5)), and royalties, but not 
including any such income to the extent included in computing the 
unrelated business income tax imposed by section 511. The term gross 
investment income also includes income from sources similar to those 
specifically listed in the preceding sentence.
    Section 4940(c)(3) provides that, for purposes of section 
4940(c)(1), there is allowed as a deduction all the ordinary and 
necessary expenses paid or incurred for the production or collection of 
gross investment income or for the management, conservation, or 
maintenance of property held for the production of such income, 
determined with the following modifications: (1) The deduction provided 
by section 167 is allowed, but only on the basis of the straight line 
method of depreciation; and (2) the deduction for depletion provided by 
section 611 is allowed, but is determined without regard to section 613 
(relating to percentage depletion).
    Section 4940(c)(4) provides that, for purposes of determining 
capital gain net income under section 4940(c)(1), (1) no gain or loss 
from the sale or other disposition of property is taken into account to 
the extent that any such gain or loss is taken into account for 
purposes of computing the tax imposed by section 511 on unrelated 
business taxable income; (2) in the case of property held by a private 
foundation on December 31, 1969, and continuously thereafter to the 
date of its disposition, the basis for determining gain is deemed to be 
not less than the fair market value of such property on December 31, 
1969; (3) losses from sales or other dispositions of property are 
allowed only to the extent of gains from such sales or other 
dispositions, without capital loss carryovers or carrybacks; and (4) 
except to the extent provided by regulation, under rules similar to the 
rules of section 1031 (including the exception under subsection (a)(2) 
thereof relating to exchanges of real property held primarily for 
sale), no gain or loss is taken into account with respect to any 
portion of property used for a period of not less than 1 year for a 
purpose or function constituting the basis of the private foundation's 
exemption if the entire property is exchanged immediately following 
such period solely for property of like kind which is to be used 
primarily for a purpose or function constituting the basis for such 
foundation's exemption.
    Section 4940(c)(5) provides that, for purposes of section 4940, net 
investment income is determined by applying section 103 (relating to 
State

[[Page 31800]]

and local bonds) and section 265 (relating to expenses and interest 
relating to tax-exempt income).
    Section 4968 does not expressly provide that the tax on net 
investment income is limited to net investment income derived from 
assets that are not used directly in carrying out an applicable 
educational institution's exempt purpose. This lack of a limitation is 
in contrast to the specific language in section 4968(b)(1)(D) that 
excludes assets used directly in carrying out an institution's exempt 
purpose in determining whether the educational institution is an 
applicable educational institution. Instead, section 4968(c) provides 
that net investment income shall be determined under rules similar to 
the rules of section 4940(c). Accordingly, these proposed regulations 
adopt the rules provided in section 4940(c) and the regulations 
thereunder, including Sec.  53.4940-1(d)(1), which specifies that 
``gross investment income'' means the gross amounts of income from 
interest, dividends, rents, royalties (including overriding royalties), 
and capital gain net income received by a private foundation from all 
sources, but does not include such income to the extent included in 
computing the tax imposed by section 511. Under this definition, 
consistent with specific language in Sec.  53.4940-1(d), interest, 
dividends, rents, and royalties derived from assets devoted to 
charitable activities are includible in gross investment income. 
Therefore, for example, interest received on a student loan would be 
includible.
    The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on whether 
specific types of income should be excluded from gross investment 
income under section 4968 because taxing those types of income would 
not achieve the congressional intent in enacting section 4968. In 
explaining why each such type of income should be excluded, please 
state specifically how the proposed exclusion is still ``similar to'' 
the rules of section 4940(c) and the specific characteristics of each 
type of such income that would warrant deviating from the rules 
provided in section 4940 and the regulations thereunder.
    For example, the rules of section 4940(c) specifically include 
student loan interest as net investment income. However, the Treasury 
Department and the IRS recognize that student loans provided directly 
by an applicable educational institution to its students can be seen as 
helping the applicable educational institution fulfill its mission of 
educating its students. Unlike private foundations, colleges and 
universities educate students and charge tuition as part of their 
primary exempt activities. Student loans provided by an applicable 
educational institution to its students arguably can be viewed as a 
form of deferred tuition which will be paid when the student enters the 
workforce. Under this rationale, the interest on the student loan may 
arguably be distinguished from investment income, depending on the 
interest rate. If the interest is at a market (or higher) rate, it 
would be difficult to distinguish the interest on the student loan and 
interest on assets acquired for investment purposes. However, if the 
interest rate is set at a substantially below-market rate, the 
difference between the market interest rate and the interest rate on 
the student loan might be viewed as similar to a scholarship from the 
school to the student. Under these circumstances, the remaining, below-
market rate interest income might be considered distinguishable from 
income derived from assets acquired primarily for investment purposes.
    Any exception for student loan interest that is premised on the 
utilization of an interest rate that is substantially lower than a 
market rate would potentially present tax administrative challenges for 
both the IRS and taxpayers in determining the relevant market-rate and 
an acceptable lower rate, and in adjusting to rate changes during the 
course of the loan. Comments advocating an exception for the interest 
received on student loans should explain how these concerns could be 
addressed. It would be helpful if such comments also provide 
information regarding the number of student loans applicable 
educational institutions make each year, how they set the interest 
rates on those loans, and whether the rates are set below market, or at 
market rates.
    Allowing an exception from net investment income for certain 
categories of student loan interest would raise the question of why 
only those categories of exempt function income are excluded from net 
investment income. Many other categories of income derived from exempt 
functions also help an applicable educational institution fulfill its 
exempt purposes. Private foundations might also argue that many of 
their types of income help them fulfill their exempt purposes. The 
Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on why interest income 
on student loans provided by an applicable educational institution to 
its students is a logical place to draw the line at the type of income 
that should be excluded from the net investment income tax, especially 
given the reference to student loan income in Sec.  1.4940-1(d).
    Similarly, under section 4940(c), net investment income includes 
rents. The Treasury Department and the IRS recognize that colleges and 
universities offer various types of housing (such as dormitories or 
apartments) for use by students, non-students (for example, during the 
summer), and faculty. The Treasury Department and the IRS request 
comments on the differences, if any, among the housing arrangements, 
whether any of the arrangements include the signing of leases, the 
various amounts charged by a college or university related to provision 
of housing and meals, and particular factors that distinguish room and 
board payments from students living in a dormitory from rental income 
that institutions receive.
    Consistent with the requirement in section 4968(c) to calculate net 
investment income under rules similar to the rules under section 
4940(c), these proposed regulations generally follow the rules for 
determining gain upon the sale or other disposition of property that 
have been used for section 4940(c) purposes since 1969. Section 
4940(c)(1) provides that, except to the extent inconsistent with the 
provisions of section 4940, net investment income is determined under 
the principles of subtitle A. Subtitle A encompasses all of the income 
tax provisions (sections 1 through 1564) of the Code, including the 
basis rules in section 1015 (basis of property acquired by gift is 
generally the same as the donor's basis). Accordingly, under the 
proposed regulations, an applicable education institution computes gain 
on the sale or disposition of donated property using the donor's basis. 
The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on whether a 
special rule excluding any appreciation in a gift of donated property 
that occurred before the date of receipt by the applicable educational 
institution should be included in the final regulations and how such a 
special rule would be consistent with the statutory language of section 
4968.
B. Special Rules
    The proposed regulations provide in Sec.  53.4968-1(b)(3) that an 
institution should substitute ``applicable educational institution'' 
for ``private foundation'' or ``foundation'' every place it appears in 
Sec.  53.4940-1(c) through (f). In addition, the proposed regulations 
provide that the rule in Sec.  53.4940-1(d)(3) does not apply because 
it is narrowly focused on section 302 stock redemptions by corporations 
that are disqualified

[[Page 31801]]

persons when the redemptions are part of a transaction designed to 
reduce section 4943 excess business holdings. Colleges and universities 
are not subject to section 4943, so they cannot have excess business 
holdings that could be the subject of a section 302 stock redemption by 
a disqualified person corporation.
    As provided by section 3 of Notice 2018-55 (2018-26 I.R.B. 773), in 
following the rule in section 4940(c)(4), the proposed regulations 
substitute ``December 31, 2017'' for ``December 31, 1969'' every place 
it occurs. In addition, in response to a comment requesting 
clarification of the basis rules for assets held in a partnership on 
December 31, 2017, these proposed regulations also provide that if an 
applicable educational institution held an interest in a partnership 
(including through one or more tiers of partnerships) on December 31, 
2017, and continuously thereafter, and the partnership held assets on 
December 31, 2017, and continuously thereafter to the date of 
disposition, the partnership's basis in its assets with respect to the 
applicable educational institution for purposes of determining the 
applicable educational institution's share of gain upon sale or 
disposition of the assets shall be not less than the fair market value 
of such asset on December 31, 2017, plus or minus all adjustments after 
December 31, 2017, and before the date of disposition. For purposes of 
applying this special partnership basis rule, an institution must 
obtain documentation from the partnership to substantiate the claim.
    Finally, consistent with section 4 of Notice 2018-55 and section 
4940(c)(4)(C), the proposed regulations provide that in applying Sec.  
53.4940-1(f), overall net losses from sales or other dispositions of 
property by one related organization (or by the applicable educational 
institution) shall reduce (but not below zero) overall net gains from 
such sales or other dispositions by other related organizations (or by 
the applicable educational institution).

3. Related Organizations

    Section 4968(d)(1) provides, in part, that for purposes of 
determining the aggregate fair market value of the assets and net 
investment income of an educational institution, the assets and net 
investment income of any related organization with respect to the 
educational institution shall be treated as assets and net investment 
income, respectively, of the educational institution.
    For this purpose, the statute provides two special rules: (1) No 
such amount shall be taken into account with respect to more than 1 
educational institution, and (2) unless such organization is controlled 
by such institution or is described in section 509(a)(3) (relating to 
supporting organizations) with respect to such institution for the 
taxable year, assets and net investment income which are not intended 
or available for the use or benefit of the educational institution 
shall not be taken into account. Section 53.4968-1(c) of these proposed 
regulations provides definitions and special rules relating to related 
organizations.
A. Definition of Related Organization
    Section 4968(d)(2) provides that the term ``related organization'' 
means, with respect to an applicable educational institution, any 
organization which (1) controls, or is controlled by, such institution; 
(2) is controlled by 1 or more persons which also control such 
institution; or (3) is a supported organization (as defined in section 
509(f)(3)) or a supporting organization (as described in section 
509(a)(3)) during the taxable year with respect to such institution.
    Section 4968(d)(2) does not define the term ``control.'' The 
concept of controlled entities is found in numerous other areas of the 
Code, including section 4960, which was enacted at the same time as 
section 4968. Consistent with the position taken in Notice 2019-09, 
``Interim Guidance Under Section 4960'' (2019-04 I.R.B. 403), for 
purposes of defining ``control'' within the meaning of section 4968(d), 
these proposed regulations provide rules based on the definition of 
control under section 512(b)(13)(D) and the regulations thereunder, 
which includes the constructive ownership rules of section 318, and 
that generally align with the definition of related organization for 
purposes of the annual reporting requirements on Form 990. The Treasury 
Department and the IRS request comments on whether there are any 
circumstances in which this definition of control should be modified in 
the context of section 4968.
    Thus, the proposed regulations provide in Sec.  53.4968-1(c)(1) 
that the term ``control'' means (1) in the case of a corporation, 
ownership (by vote or value) of more than 50 percent of the stock of 
the corporation; (2) in the case of a partnership, ownership of more 
than 50 percent of the profits interests or capital interests in such 
partnership; (3) in the case of a trust with beneficial interests, 
ownership of more than 50 percent of the beneficial interests in the 
trust; or (4) in the case of a nonprofit organization or other 
organization without owners or persons having beneficial interests 
(nonstock organization), including a governmental entity, that more 
than 50 percent of the directors or trustees of the applicable 
educational institution or nonstock organization are either 
representatives of, or are directly or indirectly controlled by, the 
other entity or that more than 50 percent of the directors or trustees 
of the nonstock organization are either representatives of, or are 
directly or indirectly controlled by, one or more persons that control 
the applicable educational institution. For purposes of this paragraph, 
a ``representative'' means a trustee, director, agent, or employee, and 
control includes the power to remove a trustee or director and 
designate a new trustee or director. Finally, section 318, which 
contains rules for determining constructive ownership of stock, applies 
for purposes of determining ownership of stock in a corporation, and 
similar principles apply for purposes of determining ownership of an 
interest in any other entity. The Treasury Department and the IRS do 
not propose to adopt the test for control under section 414(b) and (c), 
which generally uses the same test for control of a nonprofit 
organization as section 512(b)(13)(D) except that it replaces the 50-
percent threshold with an 80-percent threshold. Instead, the proposed 
regulations adopt the control test under section 512(b)(13)(D) to align 
more closely with other exempt organization control tests and to ensure 
consideration of available assets consistent with congressional intent 
that would not occur under the higher 80 percent control threshold that 
was established for qualified plans.
    Since the net investment that a taxable entity provides to an 
applicable educational institution has already been taxed under section 
1, the Treasury Department and the IRS do not consider it consistent 
with congressional intent to tax the income again under section 4968. 
Furthermore, with regard to the assets of a taxable entity that is a 
related organization defined in section 4968(d)(2)(A) or (B), the 
institution likely already has included the value of the stock in its 
non-exempt use assets; however, the stock value may differ from the 
value of the taxable entity's underlying assets. The Treasury 
Department and the IRS request comments on how to account for this 
difference without double-counting the assets, as well as comments on 
the treatment of taxable entities that are related organizations for 
purposes of section 4968.

[[Page 31802]]

B. Assets and Net Income Treated as Assets and Net Income of Only One 
Educational Institution
    As noted above, section 4968(d)(1)(A) provides, in part, that for 
purposes of determining the aggregate fair market value of an 
institution's assets and its net investment income, the assets and net 
investment income of any related organization with respect to the 
educational institution shall be treated as assets and net investment 
income, respectively, of the educational institution. However section 
4968(d)(1)(A) provides an exception under which no such amount shall be 
taken into account with respect to more than 1 educational institution.
    In order to effectuate section 4968(d)(1)(A), the proposed 
regulations provide in Sec.  53.4968-1(c)(2)(ii)(A) that, in any case 
in which an organization is a related organization with respect to more 
than 1 educational institution, the assets and net investment income of 
the related organization must be allocated between the educational 
institutions being supported by the related organization. The proposed 
regulations provide that such allocation must be made in a reasonable 
manner, taking into account all facts and circumstances, and must be 
consistently applied across all related organizations. The Treasury 
Department and the IRS request comments on whether more specific 
guidance is required concerning the allocation of a related 
organization's assets and net investment income between multiple 
educational institutions being supported by the same related 
organization, and if so, what such additional guidance should provide.
C. Assets and Net Investment Income ``Not Intended or Available for the 
Use or Benefit of'' an Educational Institution
    For purposes of attributing assets and net investment income of 
related organizations to applicable educational institutions, section 
4968(d)(1)(B) provides that, unless a related organization is 
controlled by the educational institution or is described in section 
509(a)(3) with respect to such institution for the taxable year, assets 
and net investment income of the related organization that are not 
intended or available for the use or benefit of the educational 
institution shall not be taken into account. Put another way, if a 
related organization controls the educational institution or is 
controlled by 1 or more persons which also control such institution but 
is not described in section 509(a)(3) with respect to the educational 
institution for the taxable year, then the assets and net investment 
income of the related organization are taken into account as assets and 
net investment income of the educational institution only if the assets 
and net investment income are intended or available for the use and 
benefit of the educational institution. However, if a related 
organization is either controlled by the educational institution or is 
described in section 509(a)(3) with respect to such institution for the 
taxable year, then all the assets and net investment income of the 
related organization are considered assets and net investment income of 
the educational institution, except as provided below.
    The Conference Report description of section 4968 repeats section 
4968(d)(1)(B) and adds, ``[f]or example, assets of a related 
organization that are earmarked or restricted for (or fairly 
attributable to) the educational institution would be treated as assets 
of the educational institution, whereas assets of a related 
organization that are held for unrelated purposes (and are not fairly 
attributable to the educational institution) would be disregarded.'' H. 
Rept. 115-466, 115th Cong., 1st sess., at 555 (December 15, 2017).
    Thus, the proposed regulations provide in Sec.  53.4968-
1(c)(2)(ii)(B) that when a related organization controls an educational 
institution or is controlled by 1 or more persons which also control 
such institution and is not described in section 509(a)(3) with respect 
to the educational institution, the assets and net investment income of 
a related organization must be allocated between those intended or 
available for the use and benefit of an educational institution and 
those not intended or not available for the use and benefit of that 
educational institution. Such allocation must be made in a reasonable 
manner, taking into account all facts and circumstances, and must be 
consistently applied across all related organizations.
    The proposed regulations further explain that assets and net 
investment income of such a related organization are intended or 
available for the use and benefit of an educational institution if such 
assets and net investment income are specifically earmarked or 
restricted for the benefit of, or are otherwise fairly attributable to, 
the educational institution. Conversely, assets and net investment 
income of a related organization are not intended or available for the 
use and benefit of an educational institution if such assets and net 
investment income are specifically earmarked or restricted for another 
entity or for unrelated purposes or are otherwise not fairly 
attributable to the educational institution. For purposes of this 
required allocation, the Treasury Department and the IRS request 
comments on situations in which an organization's assets or net 
investment income is not specifically earmarked or restricted for the 
benefit of any particular organization but is otherwise fairly 
attributable to the educational institution or to another organization. 
For example, absent any earmarking or restriction, should total 
distributions from a related organization to an applicable educational 
institution in one taxable year establish a presumption for section 
4968 purposes that at least an equal amount is fairly attributable to 
the applicable educational institution for the following taxable year, 
absent demonstrated facts and circumstances supporting attribution of a 
lesser amount?
    Because section 4968(d)(1)(B) carves out organizations that are 
controlled by an institution or are described in section 509(a)(3) with 
respect to such institution for the taxable year from this special 
rule, the proposed regulations provide that if the related organization 
is controlled by the educational institution or is described in section 
509(a)(3) with respect to the educational institution, the assets and 
net investment income of the related organization must be taken into 
account as assets and net investment income of the educational 
institution, regardless of whether the assets and net investment income 
are earmarked or restricted for the benefit of, or otherwise fairly 
attributable to, the educational institution and even if they are 
specifically earmarked or restricted for another entity or for 
unrelated purposes or are otherwise not fairly attributable to the 
educational institution. However, the special rule in section 
4968(d)(1)(A) continues to apply, such that the assets and net 
investment income of the related organization are not taken into 
account by more than one educational institution. See part 3(B) of the 
Explanation of Provisions section.
    In recognition that section 509(a)(3) Type III supporting 
organizations, unlike section 509(a)(3) Type I and Type II supporting 
organizations, are not controlled by their supported organizations,\3\ 
and because applicable

[[Page 31803]]

educational institutions may not be able to get information from their 
Type III supporting organizations, the proposed regulations provide a 
special rule in Sec.  53.4968-1(c)(2)(ii)(B)(3)(ii) for related 
organizations of an educational institution that were Type III 
supporting organizations with respect to the applicable educational 
institution on December 31, 2017. The proposed regulations provide that 
an applicable educational institution with a related organization that 
was a Type III supporting organization with respect to the applicable 
educational institution on December 31, 2017, may take into account 
only the assets and net investment income of the related Type III 
supporting organization that are intended or available for the use and 
benefit of the applicable educational institution, as described in this 
part 3(C) of the Explanation of Provisions section. An applicable 
educational institution can determine whether the assets and net 
investment income of such a Type III supporting organization are 
intended or available for the use and benefit of the applicable 
educational institution using any reasonable method. A method using all 
the distributions received from the Type III supporting organization 
subject to this special rule as net investment income of the applicable 
educational institution each year will be deemed to be reasonable. 
Similarly, a method using the distributions received from the Type III 
supporting organization to calculate the percentage of the Type III 
supporting organization's total net income that was distributed to the 
applicable educational institution, and using the same percentage to 
calculate the value of the underlying assets of the Type III supporting 
organization that are intended or available for the use and benefit of 
the applicable educational institution each year, will be deemed to be 
reasonable. The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on 
whether additional guidance pertaining to Type III supporting 
organizations is needed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Organizations described in section 509(a)(3) are known as 
``supporting organizations.'' Supporting organizations achieve their 
public charity status by providing support to one or more 
organizations described in section 509(a)(1) or (2), which, in this 
context, are referred to as ``supported organizations.'' To be 
described in section 509(a)(3), an organization must satisfy several 
tests, including having one of three ``relationships'' with one or 
more supported organizations. A supporting organization that is 
operated, supervised or controlled by one or more supported 
organizations is known as a ``Type I'' supporting organization. A 
supporting organization that is supervised or controlled in 
connection with one or more supported organizations is known as a 
``Type II'' supporting organization. A supporting organization that 
is operated in connection with one or more supported organizations 
is known as a ``Type III'' supporting organization. The relationship 
of a Type III supporting organization with its supported 
organization(s) is much more attenuated than the other two types.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Special Analyses

    Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess costs 
and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is 
necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits 
(including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety 
effects, distributive impacts, and equity). Executive Order 13563 
emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, of 
reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility.
    The proposed regulations have been designated by the Office of 
Management and Budget's (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs (OIRA) as subject to review under Executive Order 12866 
pursuant to the Memorandum of Agreement (April 11, 2018) between the 
Treasury Department and OMB regarding review of tax regulations. OIRA 
has determined that the proposed rulemaking is significant and subject 
to review under Executive Order 12866 and section 1(b) of the 
Memorandum of Agreement. Accordingly, the proposed regulations have 
been reviewed by OMB.

I. Need for Regulation

    The Conference Report, at 555, states that Congress intended that 
the Secretary promulgate regulations to carry out the intent of section 
4968. These proposed regulations are in response to this congressional 
intent. The proposed regulations provide guidance for determining the 
excise tax applicable to the net investment income of certain private 
colleges and universities, as provided by the TCJA. The regulations are 
intended to clarify which educational institutions are subject to the 
excise tax under section 4968 (excise tax) and how net investment 
income is calculated for purposes of this excise tax.
    Prior to these proposed regulations, the Treasury Department and 
the IRS have not issued formal guidance on the definitions of these 
terms or on the rules under which net investment income for purposes of 
the excise tax in section 4968 were determined.\4\ As a result, there 
was a degree of taxpayer uncertainty as to the definitions of the 
various terms and whether net investment income would be determined 
under rules identical to or similar to the rules of section 4940(c), 
and if the latter, what the deviations from the rules of section 
4940(c) would be.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ In June 2018, the Treasury Department and the IRS issued 
Notice 2018-55 (2018-26 I.R.B. 773) to provide clarification 
regarding the calculation of net investment income for purposes of 
section 4968(c). The Notice stated that the Treasury Department and 
the IRS intended to issue proposed regulations relating to those and 
other issues.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pursuant to section 6(a)(3)(B) of Executive Order 12866, the 
following qualitative analysis provides further details regarding the 
anticipated impacts of the proposed regulations. After describing 
briefly the statute and the proposed regulations in Part II, the 
baseline used for the analysis is described in Part III of this Special 
Analyses section. Part IV of this Special Analyses section describes 
the types of entities affected by the proposed regulations. Part V of 
this Special Analyses section provides a qualitative assessment of the 
potential economic effects, including the benefits and costs, of the 
proposed regulations compared to the baseline.

II. The Statute and the Proposed Regulations

    Section 4968 imposes a 1.4 percent excise tax on the net investment 
income of applicable educational institutions. Under the statute, an 
``applicable educational institution'' is an eligible educational 
institution (which is described in section 481 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1968) that has at least 500 tuition-paying students during the 
preceding taxable year, more than 50 percent of the tuition-paying 
students of which are located in the United States, is not a state 
college or university, and the fair market value of the assets of which 
(other than those assets which are used directly in carrying out the 
institution's exempt purpose) is at least $500,000 per student at the 
end of the preceding taxable year. Under section 4968, net investment 
income is determined under rules ``similar to'' the rules of section 
4940(c) (the rules for calculation of the net investment income of 
private foundations). In addition, the assets and net investment income 
of related organizations are generally treated as the assets and net 
investment income of the educational institution.
    Section 4968 does not define the terms ``student,'' ``tuition-
paying student,'' or ``assets used directly in carrying out the 
institution's exempt purpose.'' Section 4968(c) states that, for the 
purposes of the excise tax in section 4968, net investment income shall 
be determined under rules ``similar to'' the rules of section 4940(c), 
but does not define what is meant by ``similar to.'' Section 4968 does 
not define the term ``control'' as it relates to a ``related 
organization with respect to an educational institution.'' The proposed 
regulations provide general definitional guidance with respect to these 
and other terms and rules relevant to the statute.

[[Page 31804]]

A brief discussion of this guidance follows.
    The proposed regulations define ``student'' to mean, in general, 
``a person enrolled in a degree, certification, or other program 
(including a program of study abroad approved for credit by the 
eligible institution at which such student is enrolled) leading to a 
recognized educational credential at an institution, and who is not 
enrolled in an elementary or secondary school.'' The proposed 
regulations define ``tuition-paying'' to mean, in general, ``the 
payment of any tuition or fees required for the enrollment or 
attendance of a student for a course of instruction at an educational 
institution.'' These definitions follow similar definitions in section 
25A of the Code. The proposed regulations also provide guidance for 
determining whether a student is located in the U.S. and for counting 
full-time and full-time equivalent students.
    The proposed regulations define ``assets used directly in carrying 
out an institution's exempt purpose'' to mean, in general, assets 
``actually used by the institution in carrying out its exempt 
purpose.'' Whether an asset qualifies ``must be determined based on all 
the facts and circumstances.'' If the property's ``exempt use 
represents 95 percent or more of the total use, the property is 
considered to be used exclusively for an exempt purpose. If the exempt 
use of such property represents less than 95 percent of the total use, 
the institution must make a reasonable allocation between such exempt 
and nonexempt uses.''
    The proposed regulations state that the valuation of assets not 
used directly in carrying out an institution's exempt purpose is 
determined under the rules of section 4942 and its regulations, with 
two modifications. First, ``educational institution'' is substituted 
for ``private foundation'' or ``foundation'' each place they appear. 
Second, the educational institution must obtain the fair market value 
of assets on the last day of the preceding taxable year rather than at 
other times provided by the regulations under section 4942.
    Consistent with 4968(c), the proposed regulations state that net 
investment income will be determined under the rules of section 4940(c) 
and its regulations, with five modifications. First, ``applicable 
educational institution'' is substituted for ``private foundation'' or 
``foundation'' each place they appear. Second, the regulations relating 
to the treatment of certain distributions in redemption of stock do not 
apply to applicable educational institutions. Third, December 31, 2017, 
replaces December 31, 1969 (the date used for the excise tax on net 
investment income of private foundations under section 4940(c)), to 
determine the basis of assets held on December 31, 2017, for purposes 
of calculating the excise tax. Fourth, if an applicable educational 
institution held an interest in a partnership on December 31, 2017, and 
continuously thereafter, and the partnership held assets on December 
31, 2017, and continuously thereafter to the date of disposition, 
generally the basis of those assets for determining the applicable 
educational institution's share of gain upon sale or disposition of the 
assets is not less than the fair market value of such assets on 
December 31, 2017, plus or minus adjustments provided under the 
regulations for section 4940 after December 31, 2017, and before the 
date of disposition. Fifth, overall net losses from sales or other 
dispositions of property by one related organization or by the 
applicable educational institution may reduce (but not below zero) 
overall net gains from such sales or other dispositions by other 
related organizations or by the applicable educational institution.
    Following the rules for section 4960, the proposed regulations 
define the term ``control,'' as it relates to a ``related organization 
with respect to an educational institution,'' generally to mean 
ownership of more than 50 percent of (a) the stock of a corporation, 
(b) the profits interests or capital interests in a partnership, or (c) 
the beneficial interests of a trust. For a nonstock corporation, 
control means (a) more than 50 percent of the directors or trustees of 
the applicable educational institution or nonstock organization are 
either representatives of, or are directly or indirectly controlled by, 
the other entity, or (b) more than 50 percent of the directors or 
trustees are representatives of, or are directly or indirectly 
controlled by, one or more persons that control the applicable 
educational institution. The proposed regulations apply the principles 
of section 318 for purposes of determining ownership of stock in a 
corporation and apply similar principles for purposes of determining 
ownership of an interest in any other entity.
    The proposed regulations also provide an allocation rule to 
effectuate section 4968(d)(1)(A) (providing that income be taken into 
account by no more than one institution) and 4968(d)(1)(B) (providing 
that only assets available for use by the institution be taken into 
account in determining the aggregate amount of assets), in the case of 
related organizations.

III. Baseline

    The Treasury Department and the IRS have assessed the benefits and 
costs of the proposed regulations relative to a no-action baseline 
reflecting anticipated Federal income tax-related behavior in the 
absence of these proposed regulations.

IV. Affected Entities

    One researcher used data from the Integrated Post-Secondary 
Education Data System (IPEDS) on endowment values at the end of the 
2015-2016 academic year and enrollment data to estimate the number of 
institutions at risk of having liability under this excise tax.\5\ 
Under the assumption that none of the assets in the endowment are for 
exempt purposes, he estimates that 23 institutions are likely to be 
currently subject to tax. Using the same IPEDS data, another researcher 
estimated that in 2016, among four-year public and not-for-profit 
private institutions located in the United States with at least 500 
full-time equivalent students, and excluding endowments held at the 
university system level, there were 27 endowments worth at least 
$500,000 per student.\6\ These estimates do not take into account all 
of the provisions of the statute and regulations. For example, limiting 
this set of institutions to the not-for-profit private institutions 
subject to tax and excluding assets that are used for the institutions' 
exempt purpose would reduce the number of affected institutions. On the 
other hand, as both authors note, because the $500,000 per student 
threshold for the aggregate fair market value of assets (other than 
those assets which are used directly in carrying out the institution's 
exempt purpose) that in part determines whether the excise tax in 
section 4968 applies to an educational institution is not indexed for 
inflation, the number of institutions to which the excise tax in 
section 4968 applies is expected to increase over time. In addition, 
these studies did not consider assets held by related organizations; 
including such assets could increase the number of affected schools.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ Levine, Phillip. ``The University Endowment Income Tax: Who 
Will Pay it and Why Was it Implemented?'', Econofact, January 25, 
2018, available at https://econofact.org/the-university-endowment-tax-who-will-pay-it-and-why-was-it-implemented, accessed April 29, 
2019.
    \6\ Hinrichs, Peter. ``College Endowments.'' Economic Commentary 
2018-04 (May 17, 2018), Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Table 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

V. Economic Effects of the Proposed Regulations

    The proposed regulations clarify a number of definitions related to 
the

[[Page 31805]]

excise tax in section 4968. In the absence of guidance, affected 
taxpayers would have to calculate their tax liability without the 
definitions and clarifications provided by the proposed regulations, a 
situation that is generally considered more burdensome and could lead 
to greater conflicts with tax administrators. The proposed regulations 
make use of a number of existing statutory and regulatory provisions in 
defining students, tuition, exempt purpose, fair market value, net 
investment income and related organizations. Many taxpayers will 
already be familiar with these definitions. Thus, although the Treasury 
Department and the IRS project that the proposed regulations will 
reduce taxpayer compliance burden, including determining whether the 
excise tax applies to the institution and the time needed to file the 
return, and the costs of tax administration, including monitoring the 
compliance of taxpayers with the excise tax, relative to the no-action 
baseline, it is possible that the proposed regulations will have other 
economic effects.
    The guidance provided in the proposed regulations also ensures that 
the excise tax liability is calculated similarly across taxpayers, 
avoiding situations where one taxpayer receives preferential treatment 
over another taxpayer for fundamentally similar economic activity. For 
example, in the absence of these proposed regulations, an applicable 
educational institution may have uncertainty over whether it is subject 
to the excise tax under section 4968 and what assets are used in 
determining the net investment income for purposes of the excise tax 
under section 4968. As a result, in the absence of guidance, similar 
institutions might take different positions and pay different amounts 
of tax, introducing economic inefficiency and inequity.
    Based on this analysis, the Treasury Department and the IRS 
anticipate the net economic contribution of the proposed regulations 
will be modest, and will be positive relative to not issuing any such 
guidance and conditional on the relevant statutes. However, as stated 
earlier in the preamble, the Treasury Department and the IRS request 
comments on a number of aspects of the proposed regulations, which 
could include comments on the economic effects, any behavioral changes 
caused, or the unintended costs and benefits of the proposed 
regulations.
    These proposed regulations provide further clarity on the Treasury 
Department and IRS policy choices regarding the treatment of investment 
income under section 4968, including the relationship to section 
4940(c). Treasury Department and IRS requests comment on the proposed 
definitions and treatment of investment income in these regulations.
Paperwork Reduction Act
    The collection of information in these proposed regulations is in 
Sec. Sec.  53.4968-1(a)(2), (3), and (4), and 53.4968-1(b) and (c)(1) 
and (2). This information is required to determine whether an 
educational institution is an applicable educational institution, as 
defined in section 4968(b); to calculate net investment income as 
defined in section 4968(c); and to determine the assets and net 
investment income of related organizations that are treated as assets 
and net investment income of applicable educational institutions, as 
defined in section 4968(d). In 2016, the IRS released and invited 
comments on drafts of an earlier version of Form 4720 in order to give 
members of the public the opportunity to benefit from certain specific 
amendments made to the Code. The IRS received no comments on Form 4720 
during the comment period. Consequently, the IRS made Form 4720 
available on December 9, 2016 for use by the public. The IRS is 
contemplating making additional changes to Form 4720 based on these 
regulations. The IRS intends that the burden of the collections of 
information will be reflected in the burden associated with Form 4720, 
OMB approval number 1545-0052.
    The burden associated with Form 4720 is included in the aggregated 
burden estimates for OMB control number 1545-0052 (listing a total 
estimated burden time for all Form 4720 filers of 88,839 hours and 
total estimated monetized costs of $8.441 million ($2017)). The burden 
estimates provided for Form 4720 are aggregate amounts that relate to 
all filers associated with the form, and will in the future include, 
but not isolate, the estimated burden of only those information 
collections associated with these proposed regulations. These numbers 
are therefore unrelated to the future calculations needed to assess the 
burden imposed by these regulations, specific burden estimates for 
which are not currently available. The Treasury Department and the IRS 
have not estimated the burden, including that of any new information 
collections, related to the requirements under the proposed 
regulations.
    The expected burden for private colleges and universities that are 
applicable to this rule as described in section 4968(b) is listed 
below:
    Estimated number of respondents: 40.
    Estimated average annual burden hours per response: 32 hours, 27 
minutes.
    Estimated total annual burden: $123,336 (2017).
    Estimated frequency of collection: Annual.
    The Treasury Department and the IRS request comments on all aspects 
of information collection burdens related to the proposed regulations, 
including estimates for how much time it would take to comply with the 
paperwork burdens described above for each relevant form and ways for 
the IRS to minimize the paperwork burden. Proposed revisions (if any) 
to these forms that reflect the information collections contained in 
these final regulations will be made available for public comment at 
https://apps.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/draftTaxForms.html and will not 
be finalized until after these forms have been approved by OMB under 
the PRA. Comments on these forms can be submitted at https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/comment-on-tax-forms-and-publications.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid 
control number assigned by the Office of Management and Budget.
    Books or records relating to a 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 
return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
    Pursuant to the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6), it 
is hereby certified that these proposed regulations would not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
As discussed elsewhere in this preamble, this rule merely provides 
definitions regarding the applicability of the section 4968 excise tax 
to certain private colleges and universities. The requirements in this 
regulation fall only on educational institutions the aggregate fair 
market values of the non-charitable use assets of which are at least 
$500,000 per student of the institution and that have at least 500 
tuition-paying students (for a minimum investment asset value of 
$250,000,000).
    This proposed rule would not affect a substantial number of small 
entities. Only about 1 percent of four-year colleges and universities 
(less than 30 out of over 2,400 institutions in the National Center for 
Education Statistics'

[[Page 31806]]

Integrated Post-Secondary Education System Data for 2016) are expected 
to be affected by the tax. In addition, they are likely to have income 
from all sources exceeding $27.5 million, the threshold established by 
the Small Business Administration for an educational institution to be 
considered a small entity. This is because at a modest 4 percent rate 
of return, the minimum endowment alone would generate income of $10 
million. To generate another $17.5 million in income would require 
receipts of $35,000 per student if the school had only the minimum 
number of students, compared to average tuition and fees at a four-year 
private school, which was $39,529 \7\ in 2015-16. Therefore, this rule 
is not likely to affect a substantial number of small entities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 
Statistics (2018). Digest of Education Statistics, 2016 (NCES 2017-
094).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Notwithstanding this certification, the Treasury Department and the 
IRS invite comments on the impact this rule may have on small entities.
    Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Code, this proposed rule has 
been submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration for comment on its impact on small entities.

Comments and Requests for Public Hearing

    Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations, 
consideration will be given to any comments that are timely submitted 
to the IRS as prescribed in the preamble under the ADDRESSES section. 
All comments submitted will be made available at https://www.regulations.gov or upon request.
    A public hearing may be scheduled if requested in writing by any 
person that timely submits written comments. If a public hearing is 
scheduled, notice of the date, time, and place for the hearing will be 
published in the Federal Register.

Drafting Information

    The principal authors of these regulations are Melinda Williams and 
Amber L. MacKenzie, Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Employee 
Benefits, Exempt Organizations, and Employment Tax). However, other 
personnel from the Treasury Department and the IRS participated in 
their development.

Statement of Availability of IRS Documents

    IRS Revenue Procedures, Revenue Rulings, Notices, and other 
guidance cited in this document are published in the Internal Revenue 
Bulletin (or Cumulative Bulletin) and are available from the 
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office, 
Washington, DC 20402, or by visiting the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov.

List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 53

    Excise taxes, Foundations, Investments, Lobbying, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

Proposed Amendments to the Regulations

    Accordingly, 26 CFR part 53 is proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 53--FOUNDATION AND SIMILAR EXCISE TAXES

0
Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 53 continues to read, in 
part, as follows:

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

0
Par. 2. Section 53.4968-1 is added to read as follows:


Sec.  53.4968-1  Excise tax based on investment income of certain 
private colleges and universities.

    (a) Excise tax on the investment income of certain private colleges 
and universities--(1) In general. For taxable years beginning after 
December 31, 2017, section 4968 imposes a tax equal to 1.4 percent of 
the net investment income (as defined in section 4968(c) and paragraph 
(b) of this section) of an applicable educational institution (as 
defined in section 4968(b)(1) and paragraph (a)(2) of this section).
    (2) Applicable educational institution. Under section 4968(b)(1) 
and for purposes of this section, the term applicable educational 
institution means any eligible educational institution as defined in 
section 25A(f)(2) and Sec.  1.25A-2(b) of this chapter--
    (i) Which had at least 500 tuition-paying students attending the 
institution during the preceding taxable year;
    (ii) More than 50 percent of the tuition-paying students attending 
the institution are located in the United States;
    (iii) Which is not described in the first sentence of section 
511(a)(2)(B) (relating to state colleges and universities); and
    (iv) The aggregate fair market value of the assets of which at the 
end of such preceding taxable year (other than those assets that are 
used directly in carrying out the institution's exempt purpose) is at 
least $500,000 per student attending the institution.
    (3) Student--(i) In general. For purposes of section 4968 and 
paragraph (a) of this section, the term student means a person enrolled 
in a degree, certification, or other program (including a program of 
study abroad approved for credit by the eligible institution at which 
such student is enrolled) leading to a recognized educational 
credential at an institution, and who is not enrolled in an elementary 
or secondary school.
    (ii) Tuition-paying--(A) In general. For purposes of section 4968 
and paragraph (a) of this section, the term tuition-paying means the 
payment of any tuition or fees required for the enrollment or 
attendance of a student for a course of instruction at an educational 
institution. The term tuition-paying does not include payment for 
supplies or equipment required during a specific course once a student 
is enrolled in and attending the course or the payment of room and 
board or other personal living expenses.
    (B) Treatment of a comprehensive or bundled fee. If a student is 
required to pay a fee (such as a comprehensive fee or a bundled fee) to 
an educational institution that combines charges for tuition with 
charges for personal expenses such as room and board, the student is a 
tuition-paying student.
    (C) Scholarships and work study programs operated directly by the 
applicable educational institution. Whether a student is tuition-paying 
is determined after taking into account any scholarships provided 
directly by the educational institution and any work study programs 
operated directly by the institution. Scholarship payments provided by 
third parties, even if administered by the institution, are considered 
payments of tuition on behalf of the student. Accordingly, a student 
will be considered a tuition-paying student if payment of tuition or a 
fee is required for the enrollment or attendance of the student for 
courses of instruction after the application of any scholarships 
offered directly by the institution or work study program operated 
directly by the institution.
    (iii) Located in the United States. For purposes of section 4968 
and paragraph (a) of this section, the term located in the United 
States refers to the location of a student. A student is considered to 
have been located in the United States if the student resided in the 
United States for at least a portion of the time the student attended 
the institution during the applicable educational institution's 
preceding taxable year.
    (iv) Full-time/part-time students. For purposes of section 4968 and 
paragraph (a) of this section, the number of

[[Page 31807]]

students of an educational institution (including for purposes of 
determining the number of students at a particular location) is based 
on the daily average number of full-time students attending such 
institution (with part-time students taken into account on a full-time 
student equivalent basis). The standards for determining part-time 
students, full-time students, full-time equivalents, and daily average 
are determined by each educational institution. However, the standards 
may not be lower than the applicable standards established by the 
Department of Education under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1088).
    (4) Assets used directly in carrying out an institution's exempt 
purpose--(i) In general. For purposes of section 4968 and this 
paragraph (a)(4), an asset is used directly in carrying out an 
educational institution's exempt purpose only if the asset is actually 
used by the institution in carrying out its exempt purpose. Whether an 
asset is used directly by the institution to carry out its exempt 
purpose must be determined based on all the facts and circumstances. If 
property is used for an exempt purpose and for other purposes, and the 
exempt use represents 95 percent or more of the total use, the property 
is considered to be used exclusively for an exempt purpose. If the 
exempt use of such property represents less than 95 percent of the 
total use, the institution must make a reasonable allocation between 
such exempt and nonexempt uses.
    (ii) Illustrations. Examples of assets that are used directly in 
carrying out an institution's exempt purpose include, but are not 
limited to, the following--
    (A) Administrative assets, such as office equipment and supplies 
used by the institution directly in the administration of its exempt 
activities;
    (B) Real estate or the portion of any building used by the 
institution directly in its exempt activities;
    (C) Physical property such as paintings or other works of art owned 
by the institution which are on public display, fixtures and equipment 
in classrooms, research facilities and related equipment which under 
the facts and circumstances serve a useful purpose in the conduct of 
the institution's exempt activities;
    (D) The reasonable cash balances necessary to cover current 
administrative expenses and other normal and current disbursements 
directly connected with the educational institution's exempt 
activities. For purposes of this paragraph (a)(4)(ii)(D), the portion 
of an educational institution's actual cash balances at the end of a 
year that does not exceed 1.5 percent of the fair market value of the 
institution's non-charitable use assets, determined without regard to 
any reduction for reasonable cash balances, will be deemed to be a 
reasonable cash balance; and
    (E) Any property the educational institution leases to other 
persons at no cost (or at a nominal rent) to the lessee in furtherance 
of the institution's exempt purposes.
    (iii) Exceptions. The following assets are examples of assets not 
used directly in carrying out an institution's exempt purpose--
    (A) Assets that are held for the production of income or for 
investment (for example, stocks, bonds, interest-bearing notes, 
endowment funds, or leased real estate), even if the income from such 
assets is used to carry out such exempt purpose; and
    (B) Property (such as offices) used for the purpose of managing the 
institution's endowment funds.
    (iv) Valuation of assets not used directly in carrying out an 
institution's exempt purpose--(A) In general. The valuation of assets 
not used directly in carrying out an institution's exempt purpose is 
determined under the rules of section 4942(e) and Sec.  53.4942(a)-
2(c)(4), as modified by paragraph (a)(4)(iv)(B) of this section.
    (B) Special rules. In applying the rules of Sec.  53.4942(a)-
2(c)(4), an educational institution must--
    (1) Substitute ``educational institution'' for ``private 
foundation'' or ``foundation'' every place they appear; and
    (2) Make such adjustments as are reasonable and necessary to obtain 
the fair market value of any and all assets as of the last day of the 
preceding taxable year, rather than any other times permitted or 
required by Sec.  53.4942(a)-2(c)(4).
    (b) Net investment income--(1) In general. An applicable 
educational institution described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section 
is subject to the 1.4 percent tax on its net investment income, and, as 
described in paragraph (c) of this section, also on certain amounts of 
net investment income of certain related organizations, for the taxable 
year.
    (2) Calculation of net investment income. For purposes of paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section, net investment income will be determined under 
the rules of section 4940(c) and Sec.  53.4940-1(c) through (f), as 
modified by paragraph (b)(3) of this section.
    (3) Special rules. In applying Sec.  53.4940-1(c) through (f):
    (i) Substitute ``Applicable educational institution'' for ``private 
foundation'' and ``foundation'' each place they appear.
    (ii) Section 53.4940-1(d)(3), relating to certain distributions in 
redemption of stock, does not apply.
    (iii) Substitute ``December 31, 2017'' for ``December 31, 1969'' 
each place it appears.
    (iv) If an applicable educational institution held an interest in a 
partnership (including through one or more tiers of partnerships) on 
December 31, 2017, and continuously thereafter, and the partnership 
held assets on December 31, 2017 and continuously thereafter to the 
date of disposition, the partnership's basis in its assets with respect 
to the applicable educational institution for purposes of determining 
the applicable educational institution's share of gain upon sale or 
disposition of the assets is not less than the fair market value of 
such asset on December 31, 2017, plus or minus all adjustments as 
provided under Sec.  53.4940-1(f)(2)(i) after December 31, 2017, and 
before the date of disposition. To avail itself of this special 
partnership basis rule, an institution must obtain documentation from 
the partnership to substantiate the basis used.
    (v) For purposes of Sec.  53.4940-1(f), overall net losses from 
sales or other dispositions of property by one related organization (or 
by the applicable educational institution) reduce (but not below zero) 
overall net gains from such sales or other dispositions by other 
related organizations (or by the applicable educational institution).
    (c) Related organizations--(1) Definition of related organization--
(i) In general. The term ``related organization'' means, with respect 
to an applicable educational institution, any organization which--
    (A) Controls, or is controlled by, such institution;
    (B) Is controlled by one or more persons which also control such 
institution; or
    (C) Is a supported organization (as defined in section 509(f)(3)) 
or a supporting organization (as described in section 509(a)(3)) during 
the taxable year with respect to such institution.
    (ii) Control. The term control generally means--
    (A) Stock corporation. In the case of a corporation, ownership (by 
vote or value) of more than 50 percent of the stock of the corporation;
    (B) Partnership. In the case of a partnership, ownership of more 
than 50 percent of the profits interests or capital interests in such 
partnership; or

[[Page 31808]]

    (C) Trust. In the case of a trust with beneficial interests, 
ownership of more than 50 percent of the beneficial interests in the 
trust.
    (D) Nonstock organization. In the case of a nonprofit organization 
or other organization without owners or persons having beneficial 
interests (nonstock organization), including a governmental entity, 
control means that--
    (1) More than 50 percent of the directors or trustees of the 
applicable educational institution or nonstock organization are either 
representatives of, or are directly or indirectly controlled by, the 
other entity; or
    (2) More than 50 percent of the directors or trustees of the 
nonstock organization are either representatives of, or are directly or 
indirectly controlled by, one or more persons that control the 
applicable educational institution. For purposes of this paragraph 
(c)(1)(ii)(D)(2), a ``representative'' means a trustee, director, 
agent, or employee, and control includes the power to remove a trustee 
or director and designate a new trustee or director.
    (iii) Constructive ownership. The principles of section 318 apply 
for purposes of determining ownership of stock in a corporation, and 
similar principles apply for purposes of determining ownership of 
interest in any other entity.
    (2) Assets and net investment income of related organizations--(i) 
In general. For purposes of determining the aggregate fair market value 
of the assets and net investment income of an educational institution, 
the assets and net investment income of any related organization are 
treated as the assets and net investment income, respectively, of the 
institution unless an exception provided in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of 
this section applies.
    (ii) Exceptions. For purposes of section 4968 and this paragraph 
(c)(2)--
    (A) No amount taken into account with respect to more than one 
educational institution. In determining the aggregate fair market value 
of the assets and net investment income of an educational institution, 
assets and net investment income of a related organization are not 
taken into account with respect to more than one educational 
institution. Thus, in any case in which an organization is a related 
organization with respect to more than one educational institution, the 
assets and net investment income of the related organization must be 
allocated between the educational institutions being supported by the 
related organization. Such allocation must be made in a reasonable 
manner, taking into account all facts and circumstances, and must be 
used consistently across all related organizations.
    (B) Not intended or available for the use or benefit of the 
educational institution--(1) In general. Except as provided by 
paragraph (c)(2)(ii)(B)(3) of this section, for purposes of determining 
the aggregate fair market value of the assets and net investment income 
of an educational institution, the assets and net investment income of 
a related organization are taken into account as assets and net 
investment income of the educational institution unless the assets and 
net investment are not intended or available for the use and benefit of 
the educational institution.
    (2) Determining whether assets and net investment income of a 
related organization are intended or available for the use and benefit 
of an educational institution. Assets and net investment income of a 
related organization are intended or available for the use and benefit 
of an educational institution if such assets and net investment income 
are specifically earmarked or restricted for the benefit of, or are 
otherwise fairly attributable to, the educational institution. 
Conversely, assets and net investment income of a related organization 
are not intended or available for the use and benefit of an educational 
institution if such assets and net investment income are specifically 
earmarked or restricted for another entity or for unrelated purposes or 
are otherwise not fairly attributable to the educational institution. 
The assets and net investment income of a related organization must be 
allocated between those intended or available for the use and benefit 
of an educational institution and those not intended or not available 
for the use and benefit of an educational institution. Such allocation 
must be made in a reasonable manner, taking into account all facts and 
circumstances, and must be used consistently across all related 
organizations.
    (3) Organizations controlled by the institution or described in 
section 509(a)(3) with respect to the institution for the taxable 
year--(i) In general. If a related organization is controlled, as 
defined in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, by an educational 
institution, or is a supporting organization described in section 
509(a)(3) with respect to the educational institution, the assets and 
net investment income of the related organization are taken into 
account as assets and net investment income of the educational 
institution regardless of whether the assets and net investment income 
are earmarked or restricted for the benefit of, or otherwise fairly 
attributable to, the educational institution and even if they are 
specifically earmarked or restricted for another entity or for 
unrelated purposes or are otherwise not fairly attributable to the 
educational institution, subject to paragraph (c)(2)(ii)(A) of this 
section.
    (ii) Special rule for Type III supporting organizations with 
respect to such institution as of December 31, 2017. An educational 
institution with a related organization that was a Type III supporting 
organization with respect to the educational institution on December 
31, 2017, takes into account only the assets and net investment income 
of such Type III supporting organization that are intended or available 
for the use and benefit of, or otherwise fairly attributable to, the 
educational institution, as described in paragraph (c)(2)(ii)(B)(2) of 
this section. An educational institution may determine whether the 
assets and net investment income of such Type III supporting 
organization are intended or available for the use and benefit of, or 
otherwise fairly attributable to, the educational institution using any 
reasonable method. A method treating all the distributions received 
from such Type III supporting organization as net investment income of 
the school each year is deemed to be reasonable. Similarly, a method 
using the distributions received from the Type III supporting 
organization to calculate the percentage of the Type III supporting 
organization's total net income that was distributed to the educational 
institution, and then using the same percentage to calculate the value 
of the underlying assets of the Type III supporting organization that 
are intended or available for the use and benefit of the educational 
institution each year, will be deemed to be reasonable.
    (d) Applicability date. The rules of this section apply to taxable 
years beginning after the date of publication of the Treasury decision 
adopting these rules as final regulations in the Federal Register. A 
taxpayer may rely on these regulations for taxable years beginning 
before publication of final regulations.

Kirsten Wielobob,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2019-13935 Filed 6-28-19; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 4830-01-P