1.706-1—Taxable years of partner and partnership.
(a) Year in which partnership income is includible.
(1)
In computing taxable income for a taxable year, a partner is required to include the partner's distributive share of partnership items set forth in section 702 and the regulations thereunder for any partnership taxable year ending within or with the partner's taxable year. A partner must also include in taxable income for a taxable year guaranteed payments under section 707(c) that are deductible by the partnership under its method of accounting in the partnership taxable year ending within or with the partner's taxable year.
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(3)
If a partner receives distributions under section 731 or sells or exchanges all or part of a partnership interest, any gain or loss arising therefrom does not constitute partnership income.
(b) Taxable year—
(1) Partnership treated as a taxpayer.
The taxable year of a partnership must be determined as though the partnership were a taxpayer.
(2) Partnership's taxable year—
(i) Required taxable year.
Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, the taxable year of a partnership must be—
(B)
If there is no majority interest taxable year, the taxable year of all of the principal partners of the partnership, as defined in 706(b)(3) (the principal partners' taxable year); or
(C)
If there is no majority interest taxable year or principal partners' taxable year, the taxable year that produces the least aggregate deferral of income as determined under paragraph (b)(3) of this section.
(ii) Exceptions.
A partnership may have a taxable year other than its required taxable year if it makes an election under section 444, elects to use a 52-53-week taxable year that ends with reference to its required taxable year or a taxable year elected under section 444, or establishes a business purpose for such taxable year and obtains approval of the Commissioner under section 442.
(3) Least aggregate deferral—
(i) Taxable year that results in the least aggregate deferral of income.
The taxable year that results in the least aggregate deferral of income will be the taxable year of one or more of the partners in the partnership which will result in the least aggregate deferral of income to the partners. The aggregate deferral for a particular year is equal to the sum of the products determined by multiplying the month(s) of deferral for each partner that would be generated by that year and each partner's interest in partnership profits for that year. The partner's taxable year that produces the lowest sum when compared to the other partner's taxable years is the taxable year that results in the least aggregate deferral of income to the partners. If the calculation results in more than one taxable year qualifying as the taxable year with the least aggregate deferral, the partnership may select any one of those taxable years as its taxable year. However, if one of the qualifying taxable years is also the partnership's existing taxable year, the partnership must maintain its existing taxable year. The determination of the taxable year that results in the least aggregate deferral of income generally must be made as of the beginning of the partnership's current taxable year. The director, however, may determine that the first day of the current taxable year is not the appropriate testing day and require the use of some other day or period that will more accurately reflect the ownership of the partnership and thereby the actual aggregate deferral to the partners where the partners engage in a transaction that has as its principal purpose the avoidance of the principles of this section. Thus, for example the preceding sentence would apply where there is a transfer of an interest in the partnership that results in a temporary transfer of that interest principally for purposes of qualifying for a specific taxable year under the principles of this section. For purposes of this section, deferral to each partner is measured in terms of months from the end of the partnership's taxable year forward to the end of the partner's taxable year.
(ii) Determination of the taxable year of a partner or partnership that uses a 52-53-week taxable year.
For purposes of the calculation described in paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section, the taxable year of a partner or partnership that uses a 52-53-week taxable year must be the same year determined under the rules of section 441(f) and the regulations thereunder with respect to the inclusion of income by the partner or partnership.
(iii) Special de minimis rule.
If the taxable year that results in the least aggregate deferral produces an aggregate deferral that is less than .5 when compared to the aggregate deferral of the current taxable year, the partnership's current taxable year will be treated as the taxable year with the least aggregate deferral. Thus, the partnership will not be permitted to change its taxable year.
Code of Federal Regulations
Test 6/30 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Months of deferral for 6/30 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 6/30 | .5 | 0 | 0 |
Partner B | 7/31 | .5 | 1 | .5 |
Aggregate deferral | .5 |
Test 7/31 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Months of deferral for 7/31 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 6/30 | .5 | 11 | 5.5 |
Partner B | 7/31 | .5 | 0 | 0 |
Aggregate deferral | 5.5 |
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Test 12/31 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Months of deferral for 12/31 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 12/31 | .5 | 0 | 0 |
Partner B | 11/30 | .5 | 11 | 5.5 |
Aggregate deferral | 5.5 | |||
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|
Test 11/30 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Months of deferral for 11/30 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 12/31 | .5 | 1 | .5 |
Partner B | 11/30 | .5 | 0 | 0 |
Aggregate deferral | .5 |
Code of Federal Regulations
Test 12/31 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Months of deferral for 12/31 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 12/31 | .5 | 0 | 0 |
Partner B | 6/30 | .5 | 6 | 3.0 |
Aggregate deferral | 3.0 |
Test 6/30 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Months of deferral for 6/30 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 12/31 | .5 | 6 | 3.0 |
Partner B | 6/30 | .5 | 0 | 0 |
Aggregate deferral | 3.0 |
Code of Federal Regulations
Code of Federal Regulations
Test 7/31 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Months of deferral for 7/31 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 6/30 | .06 | 11 | .66 |
Partner B | 7/31 | .5 | 0 | 0 |
Partner C | 6/30 | .04 | 11 | .44 |
Partner D | 4/30 | .4 | 9 | 3.60 |
Aggregate deferral | 4.70 |
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Test 6/30 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Months of deferral for 6/30 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 6/30 | .06 | 0 | 0 |
Partner B | 7/31 | .5 | 1 | .5 |
Partner C | 6/30 | .04 | 0 | 0 |
Partner D | 4/30 | .4 | 10 | 4.0 |
Aggregate deferral | 4.5 |
Test 4/30 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Months of deferral for 4/30 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 6/30 | .06 | 2 | .12 |
Partner B | 7/31 | .5 | 3 | 1.50 |
Partner C | 6/30 | .04 | 2 | .08 |
Partner D | 4/30 | .4 | 0 | 0 |
Aggregate deferral | 1.70 | |||
§ 1.706-1(b)(3) Test | ||||
Current taxable year (June 30) | 4.5 | |||
Less: Taxable year producing the least aggregate deferral (April 30) | 1.7 | |||
Additional aggregate deferral (greater than .5) | 2.8 |
Code of Federal Regulations
Test 3/31 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Deferral for3/31 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 3/31 | .5 | 0 | 0 |
Partner B | 7/31 | .5 | 4 | 2 |
Aggregate deferral | 2 |
Test 7/31 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Deferral for7/31 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 3/31 | .5 | 8 | 4 |
Partner B | 7/31 | .5 | 0 | 0 |
Aggregate deferral | 4 |
Test 3/31 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Deferral for3/31 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 3/31 | .05 | 0 | 0 |
Partner B | 7/31 | .5 | 4 | 2.0 |
Partner C | 4/30 | .45 | 1 | .45 |
Aggregate deferral | 2.45 |
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Test 7/31 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Deferral for7/31 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 3/31 | .05 | 8 | .40 |
Partner B | 7/31 | .5 | 0 | 0 |
Partner C | 4/30 | .45 | 9 | 4.05 |
Aggregate deferral | 4.45 |
Test 4/30 | Year end | Interest inpartnershipprofits | Deferral for4/30 year end | Interest×deferral |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partner A | 3/31 | .05 | 11 | .55 |
Partner B | 7/31 | .5 | 3 | 1.50 |
Partner C | 4/30 | .45 | 0 | 0 |
Aggregate deferral | 2.05 | |||
§ 1.706-1(b)(3) Test | ||||
Current taxable year (3/31) | 2.45 | |||
Less: Taxable year producing the least aggregate deferral (4/30) | 2.05 | |||
Additional aggregate deferral (less than .5) | .40 |
(i) In general.
The rules of this paragraph (b)(4) apply in determining the majority interest taxable year, the principal partners' taxable year, and the least aggregate deferral taxable year.
(ii) Profits interest—
(A) In general.
For purposes of section 706(b), a partner's interest in partnership profits is generally the partner's percentage share of partnership profits for the current partnership taxable year. If the partnership does not expect to have net income for the current partnership taxable year, then a partner's interest in partnership profits instead must be the partner's percentage share of partnership net income for the first taxable year in which the partnership expects to have net income.
(B) Percentage share of partnership net income.
The partner's percentage share of partnership net income for a partnership taxable year is the ratio of: the partner's distributive share of partnership net income for the taxable year, to the partnership's net income for the year. If a partner's percentage share of partnership net income for the taxable year depends on the amount or nature of partnership income for that year (due to, for example, preferred returns or special allocations of specific partnership items), then the partnership must make a reasonable estimate of the amount and nature of its income for the taxable year. This estimate must be based on all facts and circumstances known to the partnership as of the first day of the current partnership taxable year. The partnership must then use this estimate in determining the partners' interests in partnership profits for the taxable year.
(C) Distributive share.
For purposes of this paragraph (b)(4)(ii), a partner's distributive share of partnership net income is determined by taking into account all rules and regulations affecting that determination, including, without limitation, sections 704(b), (c), and (e), 736, and 743.
(iii) Capital interest.
Generally, a partner's interest in partnership capital is determined by reference to the assets of the partnership that the partner would be entitled to upon withdrawal from the partnership or upon liquidation of the partnership. If the partnership maintains capital accounts in accordance with § 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv), then for purposes of section 706(b), the partnership may assume that a partner's interest in partnership capital is the ratio of the partner's capital account to all partners' capital accounts as of the first day of the partnership taxable year.
(5) Taxable year of a partnership with tax-exempt partners—
(i) Certain tax-exempt partners disregarded.
In determining the taxable year (the current year) of a partnership under section 706(b) and the regulations thereunder, a partner that is tax-exempt under section 501(a) shall be disregarded if such partner was not subject to tax, under chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code, on any income attributable to its investment in the partnership during the partnership's taxable year immediately preceding the current year. However, if a partner that is tax-exempt under section 501(a) was not a partner during the partnership's immediately preceding taxable year, such partner will be disregarded for the current year if the partnership reasonably believes that the partner will not be subject to tax, under chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code, on any income attributable to such partner's investment in the partnership during the current year.
(ii) Example.
The provisions of paragraph (b)(5)(i) of this section may be illustrated by the following example:
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(iii) Effective date.
The provisions of this paragraph (b)(5) are applicable for taxable years beginning on or after July 23, 2002. For taxable years beginning before July 23, 2002, see § 1.706-3T as contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised April 1, 2002.
(6) Certain foreign partners disregarded—
(i) Interests of disregarded foreign partners not taken into account.
In determining the taxable year (the current taxable year) of a partnership under section 706(b) and the regulations thereunder, any interest held by a disregarded foreign partner is not taken into account. A foreign partner is a disregarded foreign partner unless such partner is allocated any gross income of the partnership that was effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected) with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States during the partnership's taxable year immediately preceding the current taxable year (or, if such partner was not a partner during the partnership's immediately preceding taxable year, the partnership reasonably believes that the partner will be allocated any such income during the current taxable year) and taxation of that income is not otherwise precluded under any U.S. income tax treaty.
(ii) Definition of foreign partner.
For purposes of this paragraph (b)(6), a foreign partner is any partner that is not a U.S. person (as defined in section 7701(a)(30) ), except that a partner that is a controlled foreign corporation (as defined in section 957(a)) or a foreign personal holding company (as defined in section 552) shall not be treated as a foreign partner.
(iii) Minority interest rule.
If each partner that is not a disregarded foreign partner under paragraph (b)(6)(i) of this section (regarded partner) holds less than a 10-percent interest, and the regarded partners, in the aggregate, hold less than a 20-percent interest in the capital or profits of the partnership, then paragraph (b)(6)(i) of this section does not apply. In determining ownership in a partnership for purposes of this paragraph (b)(6)(iii), each regarded partner is treated as owning any interest in the partnership owned by a related partner. For this purpose, partners are treated as related if they are related within the meaning of sections 267(b) or 707(b) (using the language “10 percent” instead of “50 percent” each place it appears). However, for purposes of determining if partners hold less than a 20-percent interest in the aggregate, the same interests will not be considered as being owned by more than one regarded partner.
(iv) Example.
The provisions of paragraph (b)(6) of this section may be illustrated by the following example:
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(v) Effective date—
(A) Generally.
The provisions of this paragraph (b)(6) are applicable for the first taxable year of a partnership other than an existing partnership that begins on or after July 23, 2002. For this purpose, an existing partnership is a partnership that was formed prior to September 23, 2002.
(B) Voluntary change in taxable year.
An existing partnership may change its taxable year to a year determined in accordance with this section. An existing partnership that makes such a change will cease to be exempted from the requirements of paragraph (b)(6) of this section.
(C) Subsequent sale or exchange of interests.
If an existing partnership terminates under section 708(b)(1)(B), the resulting partnership is not an existing partnership for purposes of paragraph (b)(6)(v)(A) of this section.
(D) Transition rule.
If, in the first taxable year beginning on or after July 23, 2002, an existing partnership voluntarily changes its taxable year to a year determined in accordance with this paragraph (b)(6), then the partners of that partnership may apply the provisions of § 1.702-3T to take into account all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit attributable to the partnership year of change ratably over a four-year period.
(7) Adoption of taxable year.
A newly-formed partnership may adopt, in accordance with § 1.441-1(c), its required taxable year, a taxable year elected under section 444, or a 52-53-week taxable year ending with reference to its required taxable year or a taxable year elected under section 444 without securing the approval of the Commissioner. If a newly-formed partnership wants to adopt any other taxable year, it must establish a business purpose and secure the approval of the Commissioner under section 442.
(8) Change in taxable year—
(i)
Partnerships- (A) Approval required. An existing partnership may change its taxable year only by securing the approval of the Commissioner under section 442 or making an election under section 444. However, a partnership may obtain automatic approval for certain changes, including a change to its required taxable year, pursuant to administrative procedures published by the Commissioner.
(B) Short period tax return.
A partnership that changes its taxable year must make its return for a short period in accordance with section 443, but must not annualize the partnership taxable income.
(C) Change in required taxable year.
If a partnership is required to change to its majority interest taxable year, then no further change in the partnership's required taxable year is required for either of the two years following the year of the change. This limitation against a second change within a three-year period applies only if the first change was to the majority interest taxable year and does not apply following a change in the partnership's taxable year to the principal partners' taxable year or the least aggregate deferral taxable year.
(ii) Partners.
Except as otherwise provided in the Internal Revenue Code or the regulations thereunder (e.g., section 859 regarding real estate investment trusts or § 1.442-2(c) regarding a subsidiary changing to its consolidated parent's taxable year), a partner may not change its taxable year without securing the approval of the Commissioner under section 442. However, certain partners may be eligible to obtain automatic approval to change their taxable years pursuant to the regulations or administrative procedures published by the Commissioner. A partner that changes its taxable year must make its return for a short period in accordance with section 443.
(9) Retention of taxable year.
In certain cases, a partnership will be required to change its taxable year unless it obtains the approval of the Commissioner under section 442, or makes an election under section 444, to retain its current taxable year. For example, a partnership using a taxable year that corresponds to its required taxable year must obtain the approval of the Commissioner to retain such taxable year if its required taxable year changes as a result of a change in ownership, unless the partnership previously obtained approval for its current taxable year or, if appropriate, makes an election under section 444.
(10) Procedures for obtaining approval or making a
See § 1.442-1(b) for procedures to obtain the approval of the Commissioner (automatically or otherwise) to adopt, change, or retain a taxable year. See §§ 1.444-1T and 1.444-2T for qualifications, and § 1.444-3T for procedures, for making an election under section 444.
(11) Effect of partner elections under
For purposes of section 706(b)(1)(B), any section 444 election by a partner in a partnership shall be taken into account in determining the taxable year of the partnership. See § 1.7519-1T(d), Example (4).
(ii) Effective date.
The provisions of this paragraph (b)(11) are applicable for taxable years beginning on or after July 23, 2002. For taxable years beginning before July 23, 2002, see § 1.706-3T as contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised April 1, 2002.
(c) Closing of partnership year—
(1) General rule.
Section 706(c) and this paragraph provide rules governing the closing of partnership years. The closing of a partnership taxable year or a termination of a partnership for Federal income tax purposes is not necessarily governed by the “dissolution”, “liquidation”, etc., of a partnership under State or local law. The taxable year of a partnership shall not close as the result of the death of a partner, the entry of a new partner, the liquidation of a partner's entire interest in the partnership (as defined in section 761(d) ), or the sale or exchange of a partner's interest in the partnership, except in the case of a termination of a partnership and except as provided in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph. In the case of termination, the partnership taxable year closes for all partners as of the date of termination. See section 708(b) and paragraph (b) of § 1.708-1.
(2) Partner who retires or sells interest in partnership—
(i) Disposition of entire interest.
A partnership taxable year shall close with respect to a partner who sells or exchanges his entire interest in a partnership, and with respect to a partner whose entire interest is liquidated. However, a partnership taxable year with respect to a partner who dies shall not close prior to the end of such partnership taxable year, or the time when such partner's interest (held by his estate or other successor) is liquidated or sold or exchanged, whichever is earlier. See subparagraph (3) of this paragraph.
(ii) Inclusions in taxable income.
In the case of a sale, exchange, or liquidation of a partner's entire interest in a partnership, the partner shall include in his taxable income for his taxable year within or with which his membership in the partnership ends, his distributive share of items described in section 702(a), and any guaranteed payments under section 707(c), for his partnership taxable year ending with the date of such sale, exchange, or liquidation. In order to avoid an interim closing of the partnership books, such partner's distributive share of items described in section 702(a) may, by agreement among the partners, be estimated by taking his pro rata part of the amount of such items he would have included in his taxable income had he remained a partner until the end of the partnership taxable year. The proration may be based on the portion of the taxable year that has elapsed prior to the sale, exchange, or liquidation, or may be determined under any other method that is reasonable. Any partner who is the transferee of such partner's interest shall include in his taxable income, as his distributive share of items described in section 702(a) with respect to the acquired interest, the pro rata part (determined by the method used by the transferor partner) of the amount of such items he would have included had he been a partner from the beginning of the taxable year of the partnership. The application of this subdivision may be illustrated by the following example:
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(3) Partner who dies.
(i)
When a partner dies, the partnership taxable year shall not close with respect to such partner prior to the end of the partnership taxable year. The partnership taxable year shall continue both for the remaining partners and the decedent partner. Where the death of a partner results in the termination of the partnership, the partnership taxable year shall close for all partners on the date of such termination under section 708(b)(1)(A). See also paragraph (b)(1)(i)(b) of § 1.708-1 for the continuation of a 2-member partnership under certain circumstances after the death of a partner. However, if the decedent partner's estate or other successor sells or exchanges its entire interest in the partnership, or if its entire interest is liquidated, the partnership taxable year with respect to the estate or other successor in interest shall close on the date of such sale or exchange, or the date of completion of the liquidation.
(ii)
The last return of a decedent partner shall include only his share of partnership taxable income for any partnership taxable year or years ending within or with the last taxable year for such decedent partner (i. e., the year ending with the date of his death). The distributive share of partnership taxable income for a partnership taxable year ending after the decedent's last taxable year is incl