§318 — Constructive ownership of stock

95 cases·19 followed·19 distinguished·1 questioned·2 criticized·1 overruled·53 cited20% support

(a)General rule

For purposes of those provisions of this subchapter to which the rules contained in this section are expressly made applicable—

(1)Members of family
(A)In general

An individual shall be considered as owning the stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for—

(i)

his spouse (other than a spouse who is legally separated from the individual under a decree of divorce or separate maintenance), and

(ii)

his children, grandchildren, and parents.

(B)Effect of adoption

For purposes of subparagraph (A)(ii), a legally adopted child of an individual shall be treated as a child of such individual by blood.

(2)Attribution from partnerships, estates, trusts, and corporations
(A)From partnerships and estates

Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a partnership or estate shall be considered as owned proportionately by its partners or beneficiaries.

(B)From trusts
(i)

Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a trust (other than an employees’ trust described in section 401(a) which is exempt from tax under section 501(a)) shall be considered as owned by its beneficiaries in proportion to the actuarial interest of such beneficiaries in such trust.

(ii)

Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for any portion of a trust of which a person is considered the owner under subpart E of part I of subchapter J (relating to grantors and others treated as substantial owners) shall be considered as owned by such person.

(C)From corporations

If 50 percent or more in value of the stock in a corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, by or for any person, such person shall be considered as owning the stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for such corporation, in that proportion which the value of the stock which such person so owns bears to the value of all the stock in such corporation.

(3)Attribution to partnerships, estates, trusts, and corporations
(A)To partnerships and estates

Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a partner or a beneficiary of an estate shall be considered as owned by the partnership or estate.

(B)To trusts
(i)

Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a beneficiary of a trust (other than an employees’ trust described in section 401(a) which is exempt from tax under section 501(a)) shall be considered as owned by the trust, unless such beneficiary’s interest in the trust is a remote contingent interest. For purposes of this clause, a contingent interest of a beneficiary in a trust shall be considered remote if, under the maximum exercise of discretion by the trustee in favor of such beneficiary, the value of such interest, computed actuarially, is 5 percent or less of the value of the trust property.

(ii)

Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a person who is considered the owner of any portion of a trust under subpart E of part I of subchapter J (relating to grantors and others treated as substantial owners) shall be considered as owned by the trust.

(C)To corporations

If 50 percent or more in value of the stock in a corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, by or for any person, such corporation shall be considered as owning the stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for such person.

(4)Options

If any person has an option to acquire stock, such stock shall be considered as owned by such person. For purposes of this paragraph, an option to acquire such an option, and each one of a series of such options, shall be considered as an option to acquire such stock.

(5)Operating rules
(A)In general

Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), stock constructively owned by a person by reason of the application of paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4), shall, for purposes of applying paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4), be considered as actually owned by such person.

(B)Members of family

Stock constructively owned by an individual by reason of the application of paragraph (1) shall not be considered as owned by him for purposes of again applying paragraph (1) in order to make another the constructive owner of such stock.

(C)Partnerships, estates, trusts, and corporations

Stock constructively owned by a partnership, estate, trust, or corporation by reason of the application of paragraph (3) shall not be considered as owned by it for purposes of applying paragraph (2) in order to make another the constructive owner of such stock.

(D)Option rule in lieu of family rule

For purposes of this paragraph, if stock may be considered as owned by an individual under paragraph (1) or (4), it shall be considered as owned by him under paragraph (4).

(E)S corporation treated as partnership

For purposes of this subsection—

(i)

an S corporation shall be treated as a partnership, and

(ii)

any shareholder of the S corporation shall be treated as a partner of such partnership.

The preceding sentence shall not apply for purposes of determining whether stock in the S corporation is constructively owned by any person.

(b)Cross references

For provisions to which the rules contained in subsection (a) apply, see—

(1)

section 302 (relating to redemption of stock);

(2)

section 304 (relating to redemption by related corporations);

(3)

section 306(b)(1)(A) (relating to disposition of section 306 stock);

(4)

section 338(h)(3) (defining purchase);

(5)

section 382(

l

)(3) (relating to special limitations on net operating loss carryovers);

(6)

section 856(d) (relating to definition of rents from real property in the case of real estate investment trusts);

(7)

section 958(b) (relating to constructive ownership rules with respect to controlled foreign corporations); and

(8)

section 6038(e)(2) (relating to information with respect to certain foreign corporations).

  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-1 Constructive ownership of stock; introduction
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-1(a) For the purposes of certain provisions of chapter 1 of the Code, section 318(a) provides that stock owned by a taxpayer includes stock constructively owned by such taxpayer under the rules set forth in such section.
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-1(b) §1.318-1(b)
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-2 Application of general rules
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-2(a) The application of paragraph (b) of § 1.
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-2(b) §1.318-2(b)
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-2(c) §1.318-2(c)
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-3 Estates, trusts, and options
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-3(a) For the purpose of applying section 318(a), relating to estates, property of a decedent shall be considered as owned by his estate if such property is subject to administration by the executor or administrator for the purpose of paying claims against the estate and expenses of administration notwithstanding that, under local law, legal title to such property vests in the decedent's heirs, legatees or devisees immediately upon death.
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-3(b) For the purpose of section 318(a)(2)(B) stock owned by a trust will be considered as being owned by its beneficiaries only to the extent of the interest of such beneficiaries in the trust.
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-3(c) §1.318-3(c)
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-4 Constructive ownership as actual ownership; exceptions
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-4(a) In general.
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-4(b) Constructive family ownership.
  • Treas. Reg. §Treas. Reg. §1.318-4(c) Reattribution.

95 Citing Cases

Section 318 does not apply here for two reasons.

Section 318 does not apply here for two reasons.

DIST. Gary D. & Lindy H. Combrink, Petitioner 117 T.C. No. 8 · 2001

* * * * * * * (c) Constructive Ownership of Stock.-- - 18 - (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, section 318(a) shall apply in determining the ownership of stock for purposes of this section. * * * * * * * (d) Redemptions Treated as Distributions of Property.--Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, if a corporation redeems its stock (within the meaning of section 317(b)), and if subsection (a) of this section does not apply, such redemption shall be

In addition, section - 6 - 318 applies to "those provisions of this subchapter to which the rules contained in this section are expressly made applicable" .

FOLLOWED Richard E. & Mary Ann Hurst, Petitioner 124 T.C. No. 2 · 2005

Hurst did in fact experience a reduction in her constructive RHI interest, even after applying section 318’s attribution rules, because her interest was reduced from 100 percent (her 50- percent interest plus Mr.

Determining Stock Ownership for Purposes of Section 382 Section 382(l)(3)(A) provides that, with certain exceptions, the constructive ownership rules of section 318 apply in determining stock ownership. Under the first of those exceptions, set forth in section 382(l)(3)(A)(i), the family attribution rules of section 318(a)(1) and (5)(B) do not apply;5 instead, an individual and all members of his family described in section 318(a)(1) (spouse, children, grandchildren, and parents) are treated as

Determining Stock Ownership for Purposes of Section 382 Section 382(1)(3)(A) provides that, with certain exceptions, the constructive ownership rules of section 318 apply in determining stock ownership.

While Textron is considered to own those shares under section 958(b), which incorporates by reference section 318 (with amendments),2 Textron did not own those shares either 2 Sec.

Textron Inc. v. Commissioner 117 T.C. 67 · 2001

While Textron is considered to own those shares under section 958(b), which incorporates by reference section 318 (with amendments), Textron did not own those shares either directly or indirectly within the meaning of sections 951(a) and 958(a).

Combrink v. Commissioner 117 T.C. 82 · 2001

2) the acquiring corporation must have assumed a liability or taken the transferred stock subject to a liability; (3) the transferor shareholder must have incurred the assumed liability to acquire the transferred stock; and (4) the transferred stock must not have been acquired from a person whose stock was attributable to the shareholder under the section 318 attribution rules.

John Paul Reddam, Petitioner T.C. Memo. 2012-106 · 2012

(2) In determining whether a distribution in redemption ofstock is treated as a sale ofstock under section 302(a) or a distribution ofproperty under section 301, the attribution rules ofsection 318 generally apply.

Hurst v. Commissioner 124 T.C. 16 · 2005

The Code addresses this problem by incorporating rules attributing stock ownership of one person to another (set out in section 318) in the analysis of transactions governed by section 302.

For this purpose, indirect ownership is determined under rules similar to the rules of § 318 but without regard to the family attribution rules of§ 318(a)(1).

For this purpose, indirect ownership is determined under rules similar to the rules of § 318 but without regard to the family attribution rules of§ 318(a)(1).

For this purpose, indirect ownership is determined under rules similar to the rules of § 318 but without regard to the family attribution rules of§ 318(a)(1).

In short, he testified that he did not own an equity interest in either firm, and he did not offer any other evidence in support ofthe proposition that he met the definition ofa "5-percent owner" ofeither firm within the meaning of section 416(i)(1)(B).

For this purpose, indirect ownership is determined under rules similar to the rules of § 318 but without regard to the family attribution rules of§ 318(a)(1).

For this purpose, indirect ownership is determined under rules similar to the rules of § 318 but without regard to the family attribution rules of§ 318(a)(1).

For this purpose, indirect ownership is determined under rules similar to the rules of § 318 but without regard to the family attribution rules of§ 318(a)(1).

For this purpose, indirect ownership is determined under rules similar to the rules of § 318 but without regard to the family attribution rules of§ 318(a)(1).

16, 35 (2005); see also Rev.

Stephen M. Gaggero, Petitioner T.C. Memo. 2012-331 · 2012

ady taken into account in computing the amount realized. Sec. 1034(b). Since Gaggero hasn't argued that any ofthese additional expenses exist, there's no difference between amount realized and adjusted sales price in this case. - 41 - [*41] 82-183, sec. 318, 65 Stat. at 494." See also Clapham v. Commissioner, 63 T.C. 505, 511 (1975). ,Congress enacted the nonrecognitionprovisions in that section because it was aware that the disposition ofone residence and the acquisition ofanother one were ofte

A.5-percent owner for purposes of section 469(c)(7)(D)(ii) is defined in section 416(i) (1) (B) (i) , which provides : (I) .if the employer is a corporation, any person who owns or is considered as owning within the meaning of section 318) more than 5 percent of the outstanding stock of the corporation or stock possessing more than 5 percent of the total combined voting power of all stock of the corporation, or (II) if the employer is not a corporation, any person who .

Petitioner's argument rests on the following: (1) Immediately before the cross-chain sales, the acquiring corporations were wholly owned subsidiaries of Merrill Parent; (2) under the attribution rules of section 318, ownership of the issuing corporations was also attributed to Merrill Parent through its ownership of ML Capital Resources; and (3) after the sale of ML Capital Resources, Merrill Parent.

Petitioner’s argument rests on the following: (1) Immediately before the cross-chain sales, the acquiring corporations were wholly owned subsidiaries of Merrill Parent; (2) under the attribution rules of section 318, ownership of the issuing corporations was also attributed to Merrill Parent through its ownership of ML Capital Resources; and (3) after the sale of ML Capital Resources, Merrill Parent continued constructively to own 100 percent of the stock of the issuing corporations through its

the 1986 cross-chain sale, P had identified the prospective purchaser of MLL, had negotiated a tentative purchase price for MLL, and clearly intended to sell MLL outside the consolidated group, thereby terminating MLL's constructive ownership under sec. 318, I.R.C., of Merlease, the issuing corporation. On its consolidated tax return for TYE Dec. 26, 1986, P claimed a loss from the sale of MLL after treating the gross sale proceeds as a dividend and increasing its basis in MLL's stock by that a

Section 318, as modified by section 304(b)(1), applies in determining whether the requisite control under section 304(a) exists. Section 304(a)(1) recharacterizes what appears to be a sale as a redemption by treating the sale proceeds as a distribution in redemption of the acquiring corporation’s stock and requiring that the tax consequences of the

Rowland G. & Valerie J. Pilaria, Petitioner T.C. Memo. 2002-230 · 2002

452, 494, Congress has taken steps to diminish the impact of the Federal income tax on gain arising from the sale or exchange of a taxpayer’s principal residence. Section 112(n) (a predecessor to section 1034)4 provided that a taxpayer would not have to recognize a portion of the gain realized upon the sale or exchange of his pri

IBV and petitioners had an identity of interest. Harmont Plaza, Inc. v. Commissioner, 64 T.C. 632, 645 (1975), affd. 549 F.2d 414 (6th Cir. 1977); see Rickey v. United States, 592 F.2d 1251, 1257-1258 (5th Cir. 1979) (discussing attribution rules of sec. 318). 23 Respondent relied on these facts in arguing that sec. 267(a)(3) applies. Petitioners did not dispute respondent's contention that there was a circular flow of funds. - 75 - Transit's and LWSI's payments to LIIBV which they contend are i

Clark v. Commissioner 86 T.C. 138 · 1986
Gunther v. Commissioner 92 T.C. 39 · 1989
Paparo v. Commissioner 71 T.C. 692 · 1979
Sawelson v. Commissioner 61 T.C. 109 · 1973
Robin Haft Trust v. Commissioner 61 T.C. 398 · 1973
Grabowski v. Commissioner 58 T.C. 650 · 1972
Vinnell v. Commissioner 52 T.C. 934 · 1969
Levin v. Commissioner 47 T.C. 258 · 1966
Sorem v. Commissioner 40 T.C. 206 · 1963
Stolk v. Commissioner 40 T.C. 345 · 1963
Cerone v. Commissioner 87 T.C. 1 · 1986
Milliken v. Commissioner 72 T.C. 256 · 1979
Chertkof v. Commissioner 72 T.C. 1113 · 1979
Cox v. Commissioner 78 T.C. 1021 · 1982
Roebling v. Commissioner 77 T.C. 30 · 1981
Miller v. Commissioner 75 T.C. 182 · 1980
Johnson Trust v. Commissioner 71 T.C. 941 · 1979
Benjamin v. Commissioner 66 T.C. 1084 · 1976
Fehrs Finance Co. v. Commissioner 58 T.C. 174 · 1972
In Re South Beach Securities, Inc. 606 F.3d 366 · Cir.
Scattered Corporatio v. William Nea · Cir.
Petersen v. Comm'r of Internal Revenue 924 F.3d 1111 · Cir.
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., and Subsidiaries v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue 386 F.3d 464 · Cir.
Shelton v. Commissioner 105 T.C. 114 · 1995
Bennion v. Commissioner 88 T.C. 684 · 1987
Estate of Fry v. Commissioner 88 T.C. 1020 · 1987
Dunn Trust v. Commissioner 86 T.C. 745 · 1986
Monson v. Commissioner 79 T.C. 827 · 1982
City of Tucson v. Commissioner 78 T.C. 767 · 1982
Yamamoto v. Commissioner 73 T.C. 946 · 1980
Brountas v. Commissioner 73 T.C. 491 · 1979
Insilco Corp. v. Commissioner 73 T.C. 589 · 1979
Dunn v. Commissioner 70 T.C. 715 · 1978
Webb v. Commissioner 67 T.C. 293 · 1976
Deyoe v. Commissioner 66 T.C. 904 · 1976
Clapham v. Commissioner 63 T.C. 505 · 1975
Robin Haft Trust v. Commissioner 62 T.C. 145 · 1974
Niedermeyer v. Commissioner 62 T.C. 280 · 1974
Crawford v. Commissioner 59 T.C. 830 · 1973
Estate of Byrd v. Commissioner 46 T.C. 25 · 1966
Lewis v. Commissioner 47 T.C. 129 · 1966
Wilson v. Commissioner 46 T.C. 334 · 1966
Haserot v. Commissioner 46 T.C. 864 · 1966
Berghash v. Commissioner 43 T.C. 743 · 1965
Himmel v. Commissioner 41 T.C. 62 · 1963
Estate of Squier v. Commissioner 35 T.C. 950 · 1961
Mitchell v. Commissioner 35 T.C. 550 · 1960
Bogley v. Commissioner 30 T.C. 452 · 1958
Reddam v. Commissioner 755 F.3d 1051 · Cir.
Garber Industries, Inc. v. Commissioner 435 F.3d 555 · Cir.