§1274A — Special rules for certain transactions where stated principal amount does not exceed $2,800,000
Statute Text — 26 U.S.C. §1274A
In the case of any qualified debt instrument, the discount rate used for purposes of sections 483 and 1274 shall not exceed 9 percent, compounded semiannually.
For purposes of this section, the term “qualified debt instrument” means any debt instrument given in consideration for the sale or exchange of property (other than new section 38 property within the meaning of section 48(b), as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1990) if the stated principal amount of such instrument does not exceed $2,800,000.
In the case of any cash method debt instrument—
section 1274 shall not apply, and
interest on such debt instrument shall be taken into account by both the borrower and the lender under the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting.
For purposes of paragraph (1), the term “cash method debt instrument” means any qualified debt instrument if—
the stated principal amount does not exceed $2,000,000,
the lender does not use an accrual method of accounting and is not a dealer with respect to the property sold or exchanged,
section 1274 would have applied to such instrument but for an election under this subsection, and
an election under this subsection is jointly made with respect to such debt instrument by the borrower and lender.
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), paragraph (1) shall apply to any successor to the borrower or lender with respect to a cash method debt instrument.
If the lender (or any successor) transfers any cash method debt instrument to a taxpayer who uses an accrual method of accounting, this paragraph shall not apply with respect to such instrument for periods after such transfer.
In the case of any cash method debt instrument, section 483 shall be applied as if it included provisions similar to the provisions of section 1274(b)(3).
For purposes of this section—
all sales or exchanges which are part of the same transaction (or a series of related transactions) shall be treated as 1 sale or exchange, and
all debt instruments arising from the same transaction (or a series of related transactions) shall be treated as 1 debt instrument.
In the case of any debt instrument arising out of a sale or exchange during any calendar year after 1989, each dollar amount contained in the preceding provisions of this section shall be increased by an amount equal to—
such amount, multiplied by
the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year in which the taxable year begins, by substituting “calendar year 1988” for “calendar year 2016” in subparagraph (A)(ii) thereof.
Any increase under the preceding sentence shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100 (or, if such increase is a multiple of $50, such increase shall be increased to the nearest multiple of $100).
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection, including—
regulations coordinating the provisions of this section with other provisions of this title,
regulations necessary to prevent the avoidance of tax through the abuse of the provisions of subsection (c), and
regulations relating to the treatment of transfers of cash method debt instruments.
Treasury Regulations
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Treas. Reg. §1.1274A-1Special rules for certain transactions where stated principal amount does not exceed $2,800,000
(a) In general. Section 1274A allows the use of a lower test rate for purposes of sections 483 and 1274 in the case of a qualified debt instrument (as defined in section 1274A(b)) and, if elected by the borrower and the lender, the use of the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting for interest on a cash method debt instrument (as defined in section 1274A(c)(2)). This section provides special rules for qualified debt instruments and cash method debt instruments.
(b) Rules for both qualified and cash method debt instruments—(1) Sale-leaseback transactions. A debt instrument issued in a sale-leaseback transaction (within the meaning of section 1274(e)) cannot be either a qualified debt instrument or a cash method debt instrument.
(2) Debt instruments calling for contingent payments. A debt instrument that provides for contingent payments cannot be a qualified debt instrument unless it can be determined at the time of the sale or exchange that the maximum stated principal amount due under the debt instrument cannot exceed the amount specified in section 1274A(b). Similarly, a debt instrument that provides for contingent payments cannot be a cash method debt instrument unless it can be determined at the time of the sale or exchange that the maximum stated principal amount due under the debt instrument cannot exceed the amount specified in section 1274A(c)(2)(A).
(3) Aggregation of transactions—(i) General rule. The aggregation rules of section 1274A(d)(1) are applied using a facts and circumstances test.
(ii) Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of section 1274A(d)(1) and paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section.
(4) Inflation adjustment of dollar amounts. Under section 1274A(d)(2), the dollar amounts specified in sections 1274A(b) and 1274A(c)(2)(A) are adjusted for inflation. The dollar amounts, adjusted for inflation, are published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see § 601.601(d)(2)(ii) of this chapter).
(c) Rules for cash method debt instruments—(1) Time and manner of making cash method election. The borrower and lender make the election described in section 1274A(c)(2)(D) by jointly signing a statement that includes the names, addresses, and taxpayer identification numbers of the borrower and lender, a clear indication that an election is being made under section 1274A(c)(2), and a declaration that the debt instrument with respect to which the election is being made fulfills the requirements of a cash method debt instrument. Both the borrower and the lender must sign this statement not later than the earlier of the last day (including extensions) for filing the Federal income tax return of the borrower or lender for the taxable year in which the debt instrument is issued. The borrower and lender should attach this signed statement (or a copy thereof) to their timely filed Federal income tax returns.
(2) Successors of electing parties. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (c)(2), the cash method election under section 1274A(c) applies to any successor of the electing lender or borrower. Thus, for any period after the transfer of a cash method debt instrument, the successor takes into account the interest (including unstated interest) on the instrument under the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting. Nevertheless, if the lender (or any successor thereof) transfers the cash method debt instrument to a taxpayer who uses an accrual method of accounting, section 1272 rather than section 1274A(c) applies to the successor of the lender with respect to the debt instrument for any period after the date of the transfer. The borrower (or any successor thereof), however, remains on the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting with respect to the cash method debt instrument.
(3) Modified debt instrument. In the case of a debt instrument issued in a debt-for-debt exchange that qualifies as an exchange under section 1001, the debt instrument is eligible for the election to be a cash method debt instrument if the other prerequisites to making the election in section 1274A(c) are met. However, if a principal purpose of the modification is to defer interest income or deductions through the use of the election, then the debt instrument is not eligible for the election.
(4) Debt incurred or continued to purchase or carry a cash method debt instrument. If a debt instrument is incurred or continued to purchase or carry a cash method debt instrument, rules similar to those under section 1277 apply to determine the timing of the interest deductions for the debt instrument. For purposes of the preceding sentence, rules similar to those under section 265(a)(2) apply to determine whether a debt instrument is incurred or continued to purchase or carry a cash method debt instrument.
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Treas. Reg. §1.1274A-1(a)In general.
In general. Section 1274A allows the use of a lower test rate for purposes of sections 483 and 1274 in the case of a qualified debt instrument (as defined in section 1274A(b)) and, if elected by the borrower and the lender, the use of the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting for interest on a cash method debt instrument (as defined in section 1274A(c)(2)). This section provides special rules for qualified debt instruments and cash method debt instruments.
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Treas. Reg. §1.1274A-1(b)Rules for both qualified and cash method debt instruments—(1) Sale-leaseback transactions.
Rules for both qualified and cash method debt instruments—(1) Sale-leaseback transactions. A debt instrument issued in a sale-leaseback transaction (within the meaning of section 1274(e)) cannot be either a qualified debt instrument or a cash method debt instrument.
(2) Debt instruments calling for contingent payments. A debt instrument that provides for contingent payments cannot be a qualified debt instrument unless it can be determined at the time of the sale or exchange that the maximum stated principal amount due under the debt instrument cannot exceed the amount specified in section 1274A(b). Similarly, a debt instrument that provides for contingent payments cannot be a cash method debt instrument unless it can be determined at the time of the sale or exchange that the maximum stated principal amount due under the debt instrument cannot exceed the amount specified in section 1274A(c)(2)(A).
(3) Aggregation of transactions—(i) General rule. The aggregation rules of section 1274A(d)(1) are applied using a facts and circumstances test.
(ii) Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of section 1274A(d)(1) and paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section.
(4) Inflation adjustment of dollar amounts. Under section 1274A(d)(2), the dollar amounts specified in sections 1274A(b) and 1274A(c)(2)(A) are adjusted for inflation. The dollar amounts, adjusted for inflation, are published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see § 601.601(d)(2)(ii) of this chapter).
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Treas. Reg. §1.1274A-1(c)Rules for cash method debt instruments—(1) Time and manner of making cash method election.
Rules for cash method debt instruments—(1) Time and manner of making cash method election. The borrower and lender make the election described in section 1274A(c)(2)(D) by jointly signing a statement that includes the names, addresses, and taxpayer identification numbers of the borrower and lender, a clear indication that an election is being made under section 1274A(c)(2), and a declaration that the debt instrument with respect to which the election is being made fulfills the requirements of a cash method debt instrument. Both the borrower and the lender must sign this statement not later than the earlier of the last day (including extensions) for filing the Federal income tax return of the borrower or lender for the taxable year in which the debt instrument is issued. The borrower and lender should attach this signed statement (or a copy thereof) to their timely filed Federal income tax returns.
(2) Successors of electing parties. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (c)(2), the cash method election under section 1274A(c) applies to any successor of the electing lender or borrower. Thus, for any period after the transfer of a cash method debt instrument, the successor takes into account the interest (including unstated interest) on the instrument under the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting. Nevertheless, if the lender (or any successor thereof) transfers the cash method debt instrument to a taxpayer who uses an accrual method of accounting, section 1272 rather than section 1274A(c) applies to the successor of the lender with respect to the debt instrument for any period after the date of the transfer. The borrower (or any successor thereof), however, remains on the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting with respect to the cash method debt instrument.
(3) Modified debt instrument. In the case of a debt instrument issued in a debt-for-debt exchange that qualifies as an exchange under section 1001, the debt instrument is eligible for the election to be a cash method debt instrument if the other prerequisites to making the election in section 1274A(c) are met. However, if a principal purpose of the modification is to defer interest income or deductions through the use of the election, then the debt instrument is not eligible for the election.
(4) Debt incurred or continued to purchase or carry a cash method debt instrument. If a debt instrument is incurred or continued to purchase or carry a cash method debt instrument, rules similar to those under section 1277 apply to determine the timing of the interest deductions for the debt instrument. For purposes of the preceding sentence, rules similar to those under section 265(a)(2) apply to determine whether a debt instrument is incurred or continued to purchase or carry a cash method debt instrument.
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