Capital Gains, Partnership, Subchapter S, and Trust Provisions

(a) In general. When an interest in a partnership held for more than one year is sold or exchanged, the transferor may recognize ordinary income (e.g., under section 751(a)), collectibles gain, section 1250 capital gain, and residual long-term capital gain or loss. When stock in an S corporation held for more than one year is sold or exchanged, the transferor may recognize ordinary income (e.g., under sections 304, 306, 341, 1254), collectibles gain, and residual long-term capital gain or loss. When an interest in a trust held for more than one year is sold or exchanged, a transferor who is not treated as the owner of the portion of the trust attributable to the interest sold or exchanged (sections 673 through 679) (a non-grantor transferor) may recognize collectibles gain and residual long-term capital gain or loss.

(b) Look-through capital gain—(1) In general. Look-through capital gain is the share of collectibles gain allocable to an interest in a partnership, S corporation, or trust, plus the share of section 1250 capital gain allocable to an interest in a partnership, determined under paragraphs (b)(2) and (3) of this section.

(2) Collectibles gain—(i) Definition. For purposes of this section, collectibles gain shall be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of a collectible (as defined in section 408(m) without regard to section 408(m)(3)) that is a capital asset held for more than 1 year.

(ii) Share of collectibles gain allocable to an interest in a partnership, S corporation, or a trust. When an interest in a partnership, S corporation, or trust held for more than one year is sold or exchanged in a transaction in which all realized gain is recognized, the transferor shall recognize as collectibles gain the amount of net gain (but not net loss) that would be allocated to that partner (taking into account any remedial allocation under § 1.704-3(d)), shareholder, or beneficiary (to the extent attributable to the portion of the partnership interest, S corporation stock, or trust interest transferred that was held for more than one year) if the partnership, S corporation, or trust transferred all of its collectibles for cash equal to the fair market value of the assets in a fully taxable transaction immediately before the transfer of the interest in the partnership, S corporation, or trust. If less than all of the realized gain is recognized upon the sale or exchange of an interest in a partnership, S corporation, or trust, the same methodology shall apply to determine the collectibles gain recognized by the transferor, except that the partnership, S corporation, or trust shall be treated as transferring only a proportionate amount of each of its collectibles determined as a fraction that is the amount of gain recognized in the sale or exchange over the amount of gain realized in the sale or exchange. With respect to the transfer of an interest in a trust, this paragraph (b)(2) applies only to transfers by non-grantor transferors (as defined in paragraph (a) of this section). This paragraph (b)(2) does not apply to a transaction that is treated, for Federal income tax purposes, as a redemption of an interest in a partnership, S corporation, or trust.

(3) Section 1250 capital gain—(i) Definition. For purposes of this section, section 1250 capital gain means the capital gain (not otherwise treated as ordinary income) that would be treated as ordinary income if section 1250(b)(1) included all depreciation and the applicable percentage under section 1250(a) were 100 percent.

(ii) Share of section 1250 capital gain allocable to interest in partnership. When an interest in a partnership held for more than one year is sold or exchanged in a transaction in which all realized gain is recognized, there shall be taken into account under section 1(h)(7)(A)(i) in determining the partner's unrecaptured section 1250 gain the amount of section 1250 capital gain that would be allocated (taking into account any remedial allocation under § 1.704-3(d)) to that partner (to the extent attributable to the portion of the partnership interest transferred that was held for more than one year) if the partnership transferred all of its section 1250 property in a fully taxable transaction for cash equal to the fair market value of the assets immediately before the transfer of the interest in the partnership. If less than all of the realized gain is recognized upon the sale or exchange of an interest in a partnership, the same methodology shall apply to determine the section 1250 capital gain recognized by the transferor, except that the partnership shall be treated as transferring only a proportionate amount of each section 1250 property determined as a fraction that is the amount of gain recognized in the sale or exchange over the amount of gain realized in the sale or exchange. This paragraph (b)(3) does not apply to a transaction that is treated, for Federal income tax purposes, as a redemption of a partnership interest.

(iii) Limitation with respect to net section 1231 gain. In determining a transferor partner's net section 1231 gain (as defined in section 1231(c)(3)) for purposes of section 1(h)(7)(B), the transferor partner's allocable share of section 1250 capital gain in partnership property shall not be treated as section 1231 gain, regardless of whether the partnership property is used in the trade or business (as defined in section 1231(b)).

(c) Residual long-term capital gain or loss. The amount of residual long-term capital gain or loss recognized by a partner, shareholder of an S corporation, or beneficiary of a trust on account of the sale or exchange of an interest in a partnership, S corporation, or trust shall equal the amount of long-term capital gain or loss that the partner would recognize under section 741, that the shareholder would recognize upon the sale or exchange of stock of an S corporation, or that the beneficiary would recognize upon the sale or exchange of an interest in a trust (pre-look-through long-term capital gain or loss) minus the amount of look-through capital gain determined under paragraph (b) of this section.

(d) Special rule for tiered entities. In determining whether a partnership, S corporation, or trust has gain from collectibles, such partnership, S corporation, or trust shall be treated as owning its proportionate share of the collectibles of any partnership, S corporation, or trust in which it owns an interest either directly or indirectly through a chain of such entities. In determining whether a partnership has section 1250 capital gain, such partnership shall be treated as owning its proportionate share of the section 1250 property of any partnership in which it owns an interest, either directly or indirectly through a chain of partnerships.

(e) Notification requirements. Reporting rules similar to those that apply to the partners and the partnership under section 751(a) shall apply in the case of sales or exchanges of interests in a partnership, S corporation, or trust that cause holders of such interests to recognize collectibles gain and in the case of sales or exchanges of interests in a partnership that cause holders of such interests to recognize section 1250 capital gain. See § 1.751-1(a)(3).

(f) Examples. The following examples illustrate the requirements of this section:

Example 1. Collectibles gain. (i) A and B are equal partners in a personal service partnership (PRS). B transfers B's interest in PRS to T for $15,000 when PRS's balance sheet (reflecting a cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting) is as follows:

(ii) At the time of the transfer, B has held the interest in PRS for more than one year, and B's basis for the partnership interest is $10,000 ($9,000 plus $1,000, B's share of partnership liabilities). None of the property owned by PRS is section 704(c) property. The total amount realized by B is $16,000, consisting of the cash received, $15,000, plus $1,000, B's share of the partnership liabilities assumed by T. See section 752. B's undivided one-half interest in PRS includes a one-half interest in the partnership's unrealized receivables and a one-half interest in the partnership's collectibles.

(iii) If PRS were to sell all of its section 751 property in a fully taxable transaction for cash equal to the fair market value of the assets immediately prior to the transfer of B's partnership interest to T, B would be allocated $7,000 of ordinary income from the sale of PRS's unrealized receivables. Therefore, B will recognize $7,000 of ordinary income with respect to the unrealized receivables. The difference between the amount of capital gain or loss that the partner would realize in the absence of section 751 ($6,000) and the amount of ordinary income or loss determined under § 1.751-1(a)(2) ($7,000) is the partner's capital gain or loss on the sale of the partnership interest under section 741. In this case, the transferor has a $1,000 pre-look-through long-term capital loss.

(iv) If PRS were to sell all of its collectibles in a fully taxable transaction for cash equal to the fair market value of the assets immediately prior to the transfer of B's partnership interest to T, B would be allocated $1,000 of gain from the sale of the collectibles. Therefore, B will recognize $1,000 of collectibles gain on account of the collectibles held by PRS.

(v) The difference between the transferor's pre-look-through long-term capital gain or loss (−$1,000) and the look-through capital gain determined under this section ($1,000) is the transferor's residual long-term capital gain or loss on the sale of the partnership interest. Under these facts, B will recognize a $2,000 residual long-term capital loss on account of the sale or exchange of the interest in PRS.

Example 2. Special allocations. Assume the same facts as in Example 1, except that under the partnership agreement, all gain from the sale of the collectibles is specially allocated to B, and B transfers B's interest to T for $16,000. All items of income, gain, loss, or deduction of PRS, other than the gain from the collectibles, are divided equally between A and B. Under these facts, B's amount realized is $17,000, consisting of the cash received, $16,000, plus $1,000, B's share of the partnership liabilities assumed by T. See section 752. B will recognize $7,000 of ordinary income with respect to the unrealized receivables (determined under § 1.751-1(a)(2)). Accordingly, B's pre-look-through long-term capital gain would be $0. If PRS were to sell all of its collectibles in a fully taxable transaction for cash equal to the fair market value of the assets immediately prior to the transfer of B's partnership interest to T, B would be allocated $2,000 of gain from the sale of the collectibles. Therefore, B will recognize $2,000 of collectibles gain on account of the collectibles held by PRS. B will recognize a $2,000 residual long-term capital loss on account of the sale of B's interest in PRS.

Example 3. Net collectibles loss ignored. Assume the same facts as in Example 1, except that the collectibles held by PRS have an adjusted basis of $3,000 and a fair market value of $1,000, and the other capital assets have an adjusted basis of $4,000 and a fair market value of $4,000. (The total adjusted basis and fair market value of the partnership's capital assets are the same as in Example 1.) If PRS were to sell all of its collectibles in a fully taxable transaction for cash equal to the fair market value of the assets immediately prior to the transfer of B's partnership interest to T, B would be allocated $1,000 of loss from the sale of the collectibles. Because none of the gain from the sale of the interest in PRS is attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of collectibles held by PRS, the net loss in collectibles held by PRS is not recognized at the time B transfers the interest in PRS. B will recognize $7,000 of ordinary income (determined under § 1.751-1(a)(2)) and a $1,000 long-term capital loss on account of the sale of B's interest in PRS.

Example 4. Collectibles gain in an S corporation. (i) A corporation (X) has always been an S corporation and is owned by individuals A, B, and C. In 1996, X invested in antiques. Subsequent to their purchase, the antiques appreciated in value by $300. A owns one-third of the shares of X stock and has held that stock for more than one year. A's adjusted basis in the X stock is $100. If A were to sell all of A's X stock to T for $150, A would realize $50 of pre-look-through long-term capital gain.

(ii) If X were to sell its antiques in a fully taxable transaction for cash equal to the fair market value of the assets immediately before the transfer to T, A would be allocated $100 of gain on account of the sale. Therefore, A will recognize $100 of collectibles gain (look-through capital gain) on account of the collectibles held by X.

(iii) The difference between the transferor's pre-look-through long-term capital gain or loss ($50) and the look-through capital gain determined under this section ($100) is the transferor's residual long-term capital gain or loss on the sale of the S corporation stock. Under these facts, A will recognize $100 of collectibles gain and a $50 residual long-term capital loss on account of the sale of A's interest in X.

Example 5. Sale or exchange of partnership interest where part of the interest has a short-term holding period. (i) A, B, and C form an equal partnership (PRS). In connection with the formation, A contributes $5,000 in cash and a capital asset with a fair market value of $5,000 and a basis of $2,000; B contributes $7,000 in cash and a collectible with a fair market value of $3,000 and a basis of $3,000; and C contributes $10,000 in cash. At the time of the contribution, A had held the contributed property for two years. Six months later, when A's basis in PRS is $7,000, A transfers A's interest in PRS to T for $14,000 at a time when PRS's balance sheet (reflecting a cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting) is as follows:

(ii) Although at the time of the transfer A has not held A's interest in PRS for more than one year, 50 percent of the fair market value of A's interest in PRS was received in exchange for a capital asset with a long-term holding period. Therefore, 50 percent of A'sinterest in PRS has a long-term holding period. See § 1.1223-3(b)(1).

(iii) If PRS were to sell all of its section 751 property in a fully taxable transaction immediately before A's transfer of the partnership interest, A would be allocated $2,000 of ordinary income. Accordingly, A will recognize $2,000 ordinary income and $5,000 ($7,000-$2,000) of capital gain on account of the transfer to T of A's interest in PRS. Fifty percent ($2,500) of that gain is long-term capital gain and 50 percent ($2,500) is short-term capital gain. See § 1.1223-3(c)(1).

(iv) If the collectible were sold or exchanged in a fully taxable transaction immediately before A's transfer of the partnership interest, A would be allocated $2,000 of gain attributable to the collectible. The gain attributable to the collectible that is allocable to the portion of the transferred interest in PRS with a long-term holding period is $1,000 (50 percent of $2,000). Accordingly, A will recognize $1,000 of collectibles gain on account of the transfer of A's interest in PRS.

(v) The difference between the amount of pre-look-through long-term capital gain or loss ($2,500) and the look-through capital gain ($1,000) is the amount of residual long-term capital gain or loss that A will recognize on account of the transfer of A's interest in PRS. Under these facts, A will recognize a residual long-term capital gain of $1,500 and a short-term capital gain of $2,500.

(g) Effective date. This section applies to transfers of interests in partnerships, S corporations, and trusts that occur on or after September 21, 2000.

(e) For rules relating to the capital gain or loss recognized when a partner sells or exchanges an interest in a partnership that holds appreciated collectibles or section 1250 property with section 1250 capital gain, see § 1.1(h)-1. This paragraph (e) applies to transfers of interests in partnerships that occur on or after September 21, 2000.

(f) For rules relating to dividing the holding period of an interest in a partnership, see § 1.1223-3. This paragraph (f) applies to transfers of partnership interests and distributions of property from a partnership that occur on or after September 21, 2000.

(a) In general. A partner shall not have a divided holding period in an interest in a partnership unless—

(1) The partner acquired portions of an interest at different times; or

(2) The partner acquired portions of the partnership interest in exchange for property transferred at the same time but resulting in different holding periods (e.g., section 1223).

(b) Accounting for holding periods of an interest in a partnership—(1) General rule. The portion of a partnership interest to which a holding period relates shall be determined by reference to a fraction, the numerator of which is the fair market value of the portion of the partnership interest received in the transaction to which the holding period relates, and the denominator of which is the fair market value of the entire partnership interest (determined immediately after the transaction).

(2) Special rule. For purposes of applying paragraph (b)(1) of this section to determine the holding period of a partnership interest (or portion thereof) that is sold or exchanged (or with respect to which gain or loss is recognized upon a distribution under section 731), if a partner makes one or more contributions of cash to the partnership and receives one or more distributions of cash from the partnership during the one-year period ending on the date of the sale or exchange (or distribution with respect to which gain or loss is recognized under section 731), the partner may reduce the cash contributions made during the year by cash distributions received on a last-in-first-out basis, treating all cash distributions as if they were received immediately before the sale or exchange (or at the time of the distribution with respect to which gain or loss is recognized under section 731).

(3) Deemed contributions and distributions. For purposes of paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section, deemed contributions of cash under section 752(a) and deemed distributions of cash under section 752(b) shall be disregarded to the same extent that such amounts are disregarded under § 1.704-1(b)(2)iv)(c).

(4) Adjustment with respect to contributed section 751 assets. For purposes of applying paragraph (b)(1) of this section to determine the holding period of a partnership interest (or portion thereof) that is sold or exchanged, if a partner receives a portion of the partnership interest in exchange for property described in section 751(c) or (d) (section 751 assets) within the one-year period ending on the date of the sale or exchange of all or a portion of the partner's interest in the partnership, and the partner recognizes ordinary income or loss on account of such a section 751 asset in a fully taxable transaction (either as a result of the sale of all or part of the partner's interest in the partnership or the sale by the partnership of the section 751 asset), the contribution of the section 751 asset during the one-year period shall be disregarded. However, if, in the absence of this paragraph, a partner would not be treated as having held any portion of the interest for more than one year (e.g., because the partner's only contributions to the partnership are contributions of section 751 assets or section 751 assets and cash within the prior one-year period), this adjustment is not available.

(5) Exception. The Commissioner may prescribe by guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see § 601.601(d)(2) of this chapter) a rule disregarding certain cash contributions (including contributions of a de minimis amount of cash) in applying paragraph (b)(1) of this section to determine the holding period of a partnership interest (or portion thereof) that is sold or exchanged.

(c) Sale or exchange of all or a portion of an interest in a partnership—(1) Sale or exchange of entire interest in a partnership. If a partner sells or exchanges the partner's entire interest in a partnership, any capital gain or loss recognized shall be divided between long-term and short-term capital gain or loss in the same proportions as the holding period of the interest in the partnership is divided between the portion of the interest held for more than one year and the portion of the interest held for one year or less.

(2) Sale or exchange of a portion of an interest in a partnership—(i) Certain publicly traded partnerships. A selling partner in a publicly traded partnership (as defined under section 7704(b)) may use the actual holding period of the portion of a partnership interest transferred if—

(A) The ownership interest is divided into identifiable units with ascertainable holding periods;

(B) The selling partner can identify the portion of the partnership interest transferred; and

(C) The selling partner elects to use the identification method for all sales or exchanges of interests in the partnership after September 21, 2000. The selling partner makes the election referred to in this paragraph (c)(2)(i)(C) by using the actual holding period of the portion of the partner's interest in the partnership first transferred after September 21, 2000 in reporting the transaction for federal income tax purposes.

(ii) Other partnerships. If a partner has a divided holding period in a partnership interest, and paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section does not apply, then the holding period of the transferred interest shall be divided between long-term and short-term capital gain or loss in the same proportions as the long-term and short-term capital gain or loss that the transferor partner would realize if the entire interest in the partnership were transferred in a fully taxable transaction immediately before the actual transfer.

(d) Distributions—(1) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, a partner's holding period in a partnership interest is not affected by distributions from the partnership.

(2) Character of capital gain or loss recognized as a result of a distribution from a partnership. If a partner is required to recognize capital gain or loss as a result of a distribution from a partnership, then the capital gain or loss recognized shall be divided between long-term and short-term capital gain or loss in the same proportions as the long-term and short-term capital gain or loss that the distributee partner would realize if such partner's entire interest in the partnership were transferred in a fully taxable transaction immediately before the distribution.

(e) Section 751(c) assets. For purposes of this section, properties and potential gain treated as unrealized receivables under section 751(c) shall be treated as separate assets that are not capital assets as defined in section 1221 or property described in section 1231.

(f) Examples. The provisions of this section are illustrated by the following examples:

Example 1. Division of holding period—contribution of money and a capital asset. (i) A contributes $5,000 of cash and a nondepreciable capital asset A has held for two years to a partnership (PRS) for a 50 percent interest in PRS. A' s basis in the capital asset is $5,000, and the fair market value of the asset is $10,000. After the exchange, A's basis in A's interest in PRS is $10,000, and the fair market value of the interest is $15,000. A received one-third of the interest in PRS for a cash payment of $5,000 ($5,000/$15,000). Therefore, A' s holding period in one-third of the interest received (attributable to the contribution of money to the partnership) begins on the day after the contribution. A received two-thirds of the interest in PRS in exchange for the capital asset ($10,000/$15,000). Accordingly, pursuant to section 1223(1), A has a two-year holding period in two-thirds of the interest received in PRS.

(ii) Six months later, when A's basis in PRS is $12,000 (due to a $2,000 allocation of partnership income to A), A sells the interest in PRS for $17,000. Assuming PRS holds no inventory or unrealized receivables (as defined under section 751(c)) and no collectibles or section 1250 property, A will realize $5,000 of capital gain. As determined above, one-third of A's interest in PRS has a holding period of one year or less, and two-thirds of A's interest in PRS has a holding period equal to two years and six months. Therefore, one-third of the capital gain will be short-term capital gain, and two-thirds of the capital gain will be long-term capital gain.

Example 2. Division of holding period—contribution of section 751 asset and a capital asset. A contributes inventory with a basis of $2,000 and a fair market value of $6,000 and a capital asset which A has held for more than one year with a basis of $4,000 and a fair market value of $6,000, and B contributes cash of $12,000 to form a partnership (AB). As a result of the contribution, one-half of A's interest in AB is treated as having been held for more than one year under section 1223(1). Six months later, A transfers one-half of A's interest in AB to C for $6,000, realizing a gain of $3,000. If AB were to sell all of its section 751 property in a fully taxable transaction immediately before A's transfer of the partnership interest, A would be allocated $4,000 of ordinary income on account of the inventory. Accordingly, A will recognize $2,000 of ordinary income and $1,000 of capital gain ($3,000-$2,000) on account of the transfer to C. Because A recognizes ordinary income on account of the inventory that was contributed to AB within the one year period ending on the date of the sale, the inventory will be disregarded in determining the holding period of A's interest in AB. All of the capital gain will be long-term.

Example 3. Netting of cash contributions and distributions. (i) On January 1, 2000, A holds a 50 percent interest in the capital and profits of a partnership (PS). The value of A's PS interest is $900, and A's holding period in the entire interest is long-term. On January 2, 2000, when the value of A's PS interest is still $900, A contributes $100 to PS. On June 1, 2000, A receives a distribution of $40 cash from the partnership. On September 1, 2000, when the value of A's interest in PS is $1,350, A contributes an additional $230 cash to PS, and on October 1, 2000, A receives another $40 cash distribution from PS. A sells A's entire partnership interest on November 1, 2000, for $1,600. A's adjusted basis in the PS interest at the time of the sale is $1,000.

(ii) For purposes of netting cash contributions and distributions in determining the holding period of A's interest in PS, A is treated as having received a distribution of $80 on November 1, 2000. Applying that distribution on a last-in-first-out basis to reduce prior contributions during the year, the contribution made on September 1, 2000, is reduced to $150 ($230-$80). The holding period then is determined as follows: Immediately after the contribution of $100 on January 2, 2000, A's holding period in A's PS interest is 90 percent long-term ($900/($900 + $100)) and 10 percent short-term ($100/($900 + $100)). The contribution of $150 on September 1, 2000, causes 10 percent of A's partnership interest ($150/($1,350 + $150)) to have a short-term holding period. Accordingly, immediately after the contribution on September 1, 2000, A's holding period in A's PS interest is 81 percent long-term (.90 × .90) and 19 percent short-term ((.10 × .90) + .10). Accordingly, $486 ($600 × .81) of the gain from A's sale of the PS interest is long-term capital gain, and $114 ($600 × .19) is short-term capital gain.

Example 4. Division of holding period when capital account is increased by contribution. A, B, C, and D are equal partners in a partnership (PRS), and the fair market value of a 25 percent interest in PRS is $100. A, B, C, and D each contribute an additional $100 to partnership capital, thereby increasing the fair market value of each partner's interest to $200. As a result of the contribution, each partner has a new holding period in the portion of the partner's interest in PRS that is attributable to the contribution. That portion equals 50 percent ($100/$200) of each partner's interest in PRS.

Example 5. Sale or exchange of a portion of an interest in a partnership. (i) A, B, and C form an equal partnership (PRS). In connection with the formation, A contributes $5,000 in cash and a capital asset (capital asset 1) with a fair market value of $5,000 and a basis of $2,000; B contributes $7,000 in cash and a capital asset (capital asset 2) with a fair market value of $3,000 and a basis of $3,000; and C contributes $10,000 in cash. At the time of the contribution, A had held the contributed property for two years. Six months later, when A's basis in PRS is $7,000, A transfers one-half of A's interest in PRS to T for $7,000 at a time when PRS's balance sheet (reflecting a cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting) is as follows:

(ii) Although at the time of the transfer A has not held A's interest in PRS for more than one year, 50 percent of the fair market value of A's interest in PRS was received in exchange for a capital asset with a long-term holding period. Therefore, 50 percent of A's interest in PRS has a long-term holding period.

(iii) If PRS were to sell all of its section 751 property in a fully taxable transaction immediately before A's transfer of the partnership interest, A would be allocated $2,000 of ordinary income. One-half of that amount ($1,000) is attributable to the portion of A's interest in PRS transferred to T. Accordingly, A will recognize $1,000 oridnary income and $2,500 ($3,500-$1,000) of calital gain on account of the transfer to T of one-half of A's interest in PRS. Fifty percent ($1,250) of that gain is long-term capital gain and 50 percent ($1,250) is short-term capital gain.

Example 6. Sale of units of interests in a partnership. A publicly traded partnership ­(PRS) has ownership interests that are segregated into identifiable units of interest. A owns 10 limited partnership units in PRS for which A paid $10,000 on January 1, 1999. On August 1, 2000, A purchases five additional units for $10,000. At the time of purchase, the fair market value of each unit has increased to $2,000. A's holding period for one-third ($10,000/$30,000) of the interest in PRS begins on the day after the purchase of the five additional units. Less than one year later, A sells five units of ownership in PRS for $11,000. At the time, A's basis in the 15 units of PRS is $20,000, and A's capital gain on the sale of 5 units is $4,333 (amount realized of $11,000—one-third of the adjusted basis or $6,667). For purposes of determining the holding period, A can designate the specific units of PRS sold. If A properly identifies the five units sold as five of the ten units for which A has a long-term holding period and elects to use the identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of interests in the partnership by using the actual holding period in reporting the transaction on A's federal income tax return, the capital gain realized will be long-term capital gain.

Example 7. Disproportionate distribution. In 1997, A and B each contribute cash of $50,000 to form and become equal partners in a partnership (PRS). More than one year later, A receives a distribution worth $22,000 from PRS, which reduces A's interest in PRS to 36 percent. After the distribution, B owns 64 percent of PRS. The holding periods of A and B in their interests in PRS are not affected by the distribution.

Example 8. Gain or loss as a result of a distribution—(i) On January 1, 1996, A contributes property with a basis of $10 and a fair market value of $10,000 in exchange for an interest in a partnership (ABC). On September 30, 2000, when A's interest in ABC is worth $12,000 (and the basis of A's partnership interest is still $10), A contributes $12,000 cash in exchange for an additional interest in ABC. A is allocated a loss equal to $10,000 by ABC for the taxable year ending December 31, 2000, thereby reducing the basis of A's partnership interest to $2,010. On February 1, 2001, ABC makes a cash distribution to A of $10,000. ABC holds no inventory or unrealized receivables. (assume that A is allocated no gain or loss for the taxable year ending December 31, 2001, so that the basis of A's partnership interest does not increase or decrease as a result of such allocations.)

(ii) The netting rule contained in paragraph (b)(2) of this section provides that, in determining the holding period of A's interest in ABC, the cash contribution made on September 30, 2000, must be reduced by the distribution made on February 1, 2001. Accordingly, for purposes of determining the holding period of A's interest in ABC, A is treated as having made a cash contribution of $2,000 ($12,000-$10,000) to ABC on September 30, 2000. A's holding period in one-seventh of A's interest in ABC ($2,000 cash contributed over the $14,000 value of the entire interest (determined as if only $2,000 were contributed rather than $12,000)) begins on the day after the cash contribution. A recognizes $7,990 of capital gain as a result of the distribution. See section 731(a)(1). One-seventh of the capital gain recognized as a result of the distribution is short-term capital gain, and six-sevenths of the capital gain is long-term capital gain. After the distribution, A's basis in the interest in PRS is $0, and the holding period for the interest in PRS continues to be divided in the same proportions as before the distribution.

(g) Effective date. This section applies to transfers of partnership interests and distributions of property from a partnership that occur on or after September 21, 2000.

(b) * * *

Robert E. Wenzel,

Deputy Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

Approved: August 29, 2000.

Jonathan Talisman,

Acting Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

[FR Doc. 00-24038 Filed 9-20-00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4830-01-U