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T.C. Memo.-2011-58

UNITED STATES TAX COURT

ERIN N. HELLWEG, ET AL.,1.Petitioners v.COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent

Docket Nos. 14502-08, 14523-08, Filed-March 9, 2011.14525-08, 14527-08.

Ps held ownership interests in and controlled an Scorporation. Ps' Roth IRAs formed a DISC which entered intoa commission agreement with the S corporation. For'excisetax purposes only, R recharacterized commission paymentsfrom.the S corporation to the DISC as distributions to Psfollowed by Ps' contribution of the proceeds to their RothIRAs. R determined that Ps were each liable for: (1)Excise taxes on excess contributions to their Roth IRAsunder sec. 4973, I.R.C.; (2) an accuracyarelated penaltyunder sec. 6662(a), I.R.C.; and (3) additions to tax undersec. 6651(a) (1), I.R.C., for failing to filer the appropriateinformation returns .

Cases of the following petitioners are àonsolidatedherewith: Tara L. Slaight, docket No. 14523-08; Tyler D.Hellweg, docket No. 14525-08; and Zachary D. Slaight, docket No.14527-08.

SERVEDMar092011

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Held: The transactions must be treated consistentlyfor sec. 4973, I.R.C., and income tax purposes.

Held, further, the commission payments from Ps' Scorporation do not represent excess contributions to Ps'Roth IRAs .

Held, further, Ps are not liable for excise taxes undersec. 4973, I.R.C.

Held, further, Ps are not liable for accuracy-relatedpenalties under sec. 6662(a), I.R.C.

Held, further, Ps are not liable for additions to taxunder sec. 6651(a) (1), I.R.C.

Neal J. Block, Robert S. Walton, Brian C. Dursch, and

John M. Carnahan III, for petitioners.

, Peter N . Scharf f , for respondent .

MEMORANDUM OPINION

NIMS, Judge: This matter is before the Court on

petitioners' motion for summary judgments under Rules 121 (Motion) .

'For each petitioner, respondent determined the following

deficiencies, penalty, and additions with respect to his, or her

Federal income tax: 7 s

Penalty Additions to TaxYear De f ic iencyl Sec . 6662A2 Sec . 6651 (a) (1)

2004 $6,038 $1,207.60 -- -2005 12,038 -- $3,0102006 16,877 -- 4,219

-3-

IIt is not apparent from the record why respondentdetermined identical deficiencies, penalties, andadditions to tax sfor all four petitioners when theamounts distributed by ADF International Sales Co. toENH International Sales Corp., TDH International SalesCorp., TLS International Sales Corp., and ZDSInternational Sales Corp. were not identical.

. 2Respondent determined in the alternative that ifpetitioners are not liable for the accuracy-relatedpenalty under sec. 6662A, then they are liable for theaccuracy-related penalty under sec. 6662(a).

Respondent concedes that petitioners are not liable for the

accuracy-related penalty under section 6662A. Following that

concession, the issues for consideration are: (1) Whether

petitioners are liable for excise taxes under section 4973; (2)

whether petitioners are liable for accuracy-related penalties

under section 6662(a); and (3) whether petitioners are liable for

additions to tax under section 6651(a) (1). Unless otherwise

indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue

Code in effect for the years in issue, and all Rule references

are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.

Background

For the purposes of deciding the Motion only, the following

facts are derived from the affidavits and exhibits submitted by

the parties and the parties' pleadings.

Petitioners Erin Hellweg, Tyler Hellweg,.and Záchary Slaight

resided in Missouri when they filed their petitions. Petitioner

Tara Slaight resided in Texas when she filed her petition.

-4-

Petitioners held ownership interests in and controlled

American Dehydrated Foods, Inc. (ADF), an S corporation which

began operations in 1978 and manufactured ingredients for the pet

food and specialty feed industries. At all relevant times, ADF

was owned by 15 related shareholders, including petitioners.

Before the years in issue petitioners each established a

Roth IRA. The Roth IRAs each subscribed to 25 percent of the

previously unissued stock of ADF International Sales Co. (ADF

International), which elected to be treated gas a domestic

international sales corporation (DISC). Eagh of the Roth IRAs

subsequently contributed its ownership interest in ADF

International to a C corporation in exchange for all of thatI|

corporation's previously unissued stock; following the

contributions, Erin Hellweg's Roth IRA owned ENH International

Sales Corp. (ENH), Tyler Hellweg's Roth IRA 'owned TDH

International Sales Corp. (TDH), Tara Slaight's Roth IRA owned

TLS International Sales Corp. (TLS), and Zachary Slaight's Roth

IRA owned ZDS International Sales Corp. (ZDS).

During the years in issue the following series of

transactions (Transaction) occurred.

(1) ADF paid DISC commissions to ADF International on

ADF's qualified export sales (ADF commission payments).

ADF reported qualified export sales of $10,308,552 in

2004, $8,325,792 in 2005, and.$7,365,851 in 2006. ADF

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International reported for those years DISC commissions

of $465,392, $334,315, and $297,052 and taxable income

of $463,557, $333,119,.and $294,657, 'respectively. ADF

deducted the payment of these DISC commissions to ADF

International·.

(2) As a result of its status as a-DISC, ADF

International was deemed to have made distributions of

. DISC income to ENH, TDH, TLS, and ZDS (the C

corporations) totaling'$40,327 in 2004, $19,595 in

2005, and $17,333 in 2006. ADF International also made

actual distributions of DISC income to the C

corporations totaling $400,400 in 2004, $398,600 in

2005, and $320,400 ing2006.

.The C corporations reported and paid Federal

income tax on the dividend income attributable to both

the deemed and actual distributions. For 2004 to 2006

ENH reported dividend income of $100,152, $99,916, and

$80,510 and paid Federal income taxes of $22,063,

$21,943, and $15,349,v respectively. TDH reported

dividend income of $100,152, $99,916, and $80,510 and

paid Federal income taxes of $22,063, $21,943, and

$15,349, respective.ly. TLS reported dividend income of

$100,152, $99,935, and $80,540 and paid Federal income

taxes of $22,063, $21,949, and $15,359, respectively.

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ZDS reported dividend income of $100,153, $99,935, and

$80,540 and paid Federal income taxes of $22,063,

$21,949, and $15,359, respectively.

(3) Each of the C corporations then distributed some

amount as a dividend to the Roth IRA that owned it.

The record is unclear as to the years for which the C

corporations issued dividends and the amounts.

Respondent audited ADF's and petitioners' 2004, 2005, and

2006 returns. At the conclusion of the.ADF audit, respondent

issued letters to ADF and its shareholders stating that there

would be no changes to ADF's 2004, 2005, and 2006 returns.

The audit of petitioners' returns, however, resulted in

respondent's issuing to petitioners statutory notices of

deficiency. In the notices of deficiency, respondent determined

that payments from ADF to the C corporations each represented:

(1) A distribution from the recipient C corporation to the

petitioner whose Roth IRA owned that C corporation and (2) a

subsequent contribution by that petitioner to his or her Roth

IRA.2 Respondent determined that the amounts deemed contributed

to the Roth IRAs were excess contributions subject to the section

2Respondent has sináe amended his charabterization of theTransaction, as discussed infra. Also, the notices of deficiencyissued to Erin Hellweg, Tyler Hellweg, and Zachary Slaightcontain errors in that they each address thd "Payments fromAmerican Dehydrated Foods, Inc. to TLS Intefnational SalesCorporation" rather than to ~ENH, TDH, and ZÚS, respectively.

-7-

4973 excise tax. For the 2004 tax year, respondent also

determined that petitioners were liable for a section 6662A

penalty (understatement of tax relating to involvement in a

reportable transaction) or, alternatively, ifor a section:6662(a)

penalty (underpayment of tax due to negligence or disregard of

rules or regulations). For-the 2005 and 2006 tax years

résþondent determinëd that petitioners were liable for additions

to tax under section 6651(a) (1) for failure to file' Forms 5329,

Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans ·(Including IRAs) and Other

Tax-Favored Accounts.

On June 13, 2008,'petitioners filed petitions with this

Court. On October 22, 2008, petitioners filed a motion to

consolidate their cases, which the Court granted. On October 22,

2008, petitioners also filed'the Motion.

Discussion

I. Respondent's Objection to Exhibits

Respondent objected to éxhibits K through CC of petitioners'

Second Supplemental Brief in Support of.the Motion. These

exhibits contain information document requests made by respondent

when he audited ADF's and petitioners' returns.. Petitioners

claim the exhibits show that discovery is unnecessary because

respondent has already had an opportunity to obtain all the

relevant information petitioners have. We have not examined'

these exhibits, and our finding that summary judgment is

-8-

appropriate does not depend upon what documents respondent

requested during the audits.. Accordingly, respondent's objection

is denied on the grounds of mootness.

II. Summary Judgment

Summary judgment may be granted when there is no genuine

issue of material fact and a decision may be rendered.as a matter

of law. Rule 121(b); Sundstrand Corp. v. Commissioner,. 98 Ts.C.

518, 520 (1992), affd. 17 F.3d 965 (7th Cir. 1994). The moving

party bears the burden of proving there is no genuine issue of

material fact, and factual inferences will be read in a manner

most favorable to the party opposing summary judgment.. Dahlstrom

v. Commissioner, 85 T.C. 812, 821 (1985); Jacklin v.

Commissioner, 79 T.C. 340, 344 (1982). The adverse party.must

set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue

for trial and may not rest on mere allegations or denials in his

pleadings. Rule 121(d).

Respondent contends that there is an issue as to what

petitioners' respective ownership interests sin ADF were and

therefore whether petitioners exercised con(rol over ADF.

Petitioners have, however, conceded that they controlled ADF

through direct and indirect ownership.

Respondent contends that there is an idsue as to whether

petitioners' purpose in arranging the Trans4ction was to avoid

the limit on ,IIUt contributions. But ,since espondent has deemed

-9-

the Transaction valid for income tax purposes (discussed infra),

he cannot now contend that the Transaction lacked a business

purpose.

Respondent contends that there is an issue as to what each

petitioner's Roth IRA contribution limits were during the years

in issue. The amounts of the contribution limits are not in

issue because the payments from ADF exceed even the maximum

possible (i.e., unreduced) contribution limit under section

408A(c) (2). Thus, even if we were to decide in favor of

respondent, the extent to which -those payments exceed the actual

contribution limits is merely a computational matter.

Respondent contends that material factual issues remain as

to whether the ADF commission payments were qualified DISC

commissions, whether DISC commissions may not be recharacterized

as excess contributions under section 4973, and whether the ADF

commission payments were, in substance, excess contributions to

petitioners' Roth IRAs. However, these are legal issues that do

not require trial and can appropriately be decided as a matter of

law.

Respondent nevertheless insists that summary judgment is not

appropriate because the facts underlying these.legal issues are

in dispute. Respondent does not specify what those disputed

facts are and claims he is unable to do so because he has not had

a reasonable opportunity to conduct discovery.

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While respondent may require.discovery to obtain the"

evidence necessary to resolve the factualaissues that are-in

dispute, the absence of discovery should not prevent him fromt

being-able to identify-what those disputed issues are. The

declaration.of-petitioners' return preparer; Mr. Renkel, details

each leg of the Transaction, ,and respondent has not contested any

part. of Mr. Renkel-'s account of the Transaction. Sincesthere is

no disagreement as to what happened, de do not see whyrdiscovery

is necessary. Respondent's professed'need.for discovery is

nothing more than a fishing- expedition. As iwe have previously

warned: "tax cases are to be thoroughlysingestigated before--

rather than after--the.notice of deficiency iis issued."

Westreco, Inc. v. «Commissioner,aT.C. Memo. 1990-501. - "

Accordingly, we find and.hold that there is no 'genuine issue

of material fact and that judgment may be rendered as a matter of

law.

III. Section 4973 Excise Taxes-- -- e .

Section 4973 imposes a 6-percent excise tax,onsexcess . a

contributions to IRAs.

Respondent contends.that -petitioners used the -Transaction as

a vehicle to improperly shieft value into their Roth IRAs. -

Respondent contends that, - for excise tax--putposes only, the

Transaction wast therefore, formalistic and not substantive.

Respondent thus contends that the ADF commission payments

-11-

represented, in substance,.excess contributions 'to peti-tioners'

Roth IRAs. Respondent now argues.that -thé Transaátion should be

recharacterized as a distribution from ADF to petitioners

followed by petitioners' contribution of the dist ibution -

proceeds to their Tespective Roth IRAs.

Pètitioners contend thatsthe payment"of DISC dividends to a

Roth IRA cannot be treated as an excess contribution because

Congress,specifically addressed the ownership of a DISC by an IRA

when it enacted section 995(g) 'in response -to Blue Bird Body Co.

& Affiliates v. Commissioner, docket No.' 1345-87 (stipulated'

decision entered -Aug'. 30, 1988).3

A DISC provides a mechanism for deferral of a'gortion of the

Federal aincome tax on income from exports. The DISC itself is

not taxed; but instead the DISC's shareholders are currently

taxed on a portion of the DISC's earnings in the form of a deemed

distribution.' Secs. 991, 995(b) (1). This allows'for deferral of

taxation on the remainder of the DISC's earnings until those

earnings~are actually distributed, the shareholders''dispose of

their DISC stock in a taxable transaction, or the corporation

ceases to qualify as arDISC. Seca. 995(b) (2), (c), 996(a) (1).

3Petitioners cite Blue Bird Body Co. because they contendthat Congress was aware of the issues raised therein.Petitioners cannot, and do not, cite the case for anyprecedential value because it was disposed of by stipulateddecision.

-12-

. A DISC sometimes does not generate the -income it reports son

its returns and might otherwise not be recognized as a corporate

entity for tax purposes if it were not a DISC. Addison Intl.,

Inc. v. Commissioner,. 90 T.C. 1207 (1988), affd. 887 F.2d 660

(6th Cir. 1989); Jet Research, Inc. v.+ Commiessioner,- T.C. Memo.

1990-463; see also sec. 1.992-1(a)s, Income Tax Regs. ".The DISC

may be no more than a shell corporation, which performs no

functions other than to receive commissions on foreign sa-les made

by its parent." Thomas Intl. Ltd. v. United States, 773 F.-2d

300, 301 (Fed. Cir. 1985); Folev Mach. Co. Ý. Commissioner, 91

T.C. 434, 438 (1988); see also Jet Research) Inc.- v.

Commissioner, supra.

Because Blue Bird Body Co. & Affiliates v. Commissioner,

supra, involved a DISC.owned by a taxpayer'd tax-exempt section

501 profit-sharing trust, petitioners argue that Congress.was

fully aware of the benefits of DISC ownership by tax-exempt '

entities and chose to address the problem by enacting section

995(g), which subjects tax-exempt entities owning DISC stock to

the unrelated business income tax. Petitioners argue that the

fact that Congress could have prohibited transactions.involving

DISCs owned by IRAs but chose not to do so indicates that

Congress was comfortable with IRAs' holding.DISC stock once

section 995(g) was enacted.

e--13-

We disagree with petitioners. Blue Bird is not mentiöned

sanywhere in the legislative chi'story of -section 995 (g) , arîd there

is no indication that Congress enacted the estatute in response to

that case.

Even if we econsidered-section 995 (g) to be a response~ to

Blue Birdr Congress could not have addressed 'the excess 3

contribution issue because the-issue was not raised in that-âase.

In Blue Bird the taxpayer paid commissións ito a DISC owned by the

taxpayer's profit-sharing plan. The:Internal Revenue Service

(Service) found the transaction offensive because in the absenbe

ofosection 995(g)e the income tax on-the deemed distributions from

the DISC would also'be deferidd. The Service never raised the

issue of whether t:he domittissions :tepresented excèss' contributions

subject to anfexcise tax and sought "only'to prevent complete -

deferral of the income tax on the DISC' s incomè

Petitioners'sargument is further'unconviincing because it "is

logically erroneous In årriving atetheir condlusion that

Congress' inactivity validates the Tránsáction here, etitioners

commit the fallacy of idenyirig the antec'edent. EQuite obviously,

if Congreés had enacted legislation (treating DISC dividends paid

to IRAs as excess contributions subject to usectiion 4973) , therP

all such distributions would be treated as-excess ^contributions.

While 'the contrapositive (i.e.; if not every- such distribùtion is

treated as an excess-contribution, then Congress must nötihave

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enacted such legislation) must be true, the :inverse eis not

necessarily so. Therefore, petitioners' inference that Congress'

failure to enact such legislation means that all DISC-dividends

paid to an IRA cannot be treated as excess contributions.does not

follow. Congress' inaction, assuming it was deliberate, may

merely represent a choice to Àetermine whether such distributions

produce an excess contribution on a case-byscase basis.according

to.the facts and circumstances. -Not every, silence is pregnant.

See Ill. Dept. of Pub. Aid v. Schweiker, 707 F.2d 273, 270 (-7th

Cir.',1983) .

Respondent argues that the facts -and circumstances.of the

present scase do warrant a.determination that the ADF, commission

payments represent -excess contributionse to - petitioners 's Roth ,

IRAs,a gas, outlined in Notice 2004-8; 2004-1 C.B. 5333.

Notice 2004-8,, 200.4--1;C.B. at 333,;a states that where -a 4:

taxpayer's preexisting business enters -into atransactions with a

corporation owned by the taxpayer's Roth IRA, in certain cases

"The. acquisition of shares, the trans.actione or both are not,

fairly valued and thus have the effect of shifting value into the

Roth IRA." - The notice identified three ways in which the Service

would attempt to challenge these.transactions: (1) Apply section

482 tx> allocate income from the corporation to the taxpayer, the

preexisting business, or other entities under the control of the

taxpayer-; (2) assert that under section 408(e) (2) (A) then

I

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transaction gives rise to one or more prohibited transactidns

between a Roth IRA and.a disqualified person described in section

4975(e) (2); and (3) assert-that the substance.of the transaction

is that the amount of the value shifted from the preexisting

business -to the corporation is a payment to the taxpayer,

followed by a contribution by the taxpayer to.the Roth IRA and a

contribution by the Roth IRA to the corporation.

Section 482 authorizes the Secretary to allocate income

among commonly controlled entities. Classification of the

transaction as a prohibited transaction under section

408(e) (2) (A) results in a deemed distribution of the IRA's assets

to the taxpayer that is included in the taxpayer's income and is

subject to a 10-percent additional tax. See secs. 72(t),

408(e) (2) (]B). In cases where the Service attacks the substance

of the transaction, the Notice states:

the Service will deny or reduceethe deduction to theBusiness; may require the Business, if the Business is acorporation, to recognize gain on the transfer under§ 311(b); and may require inclusion of the payment in theincome of the Taxpayer (for example, as a taxable dividendif the Business is a C corporation). * * * [Notice 2004-8,2004-1 C.B. at 333; emphasis added.]

Thus, Notice 2004-8, supra, clearly assumes that an income tax

adjustment will be made no matter which of the three avenues of

attack the Service chooses.

Service notices do not carry the.force of law, see Standley

v. Commissioner, 99 T.C. 259, 267 n.8 (1992), affd. without

-16-

published opinion 24 F.3d 249 (9th Cir. 1994), and are therefore

not accorded deference under Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Res.

Def. Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837, 843-844 (1984); see United

States v. Mead Corp., 533 U.S. 218 (2001). Although they may be

entitled to deference under Skidmore v. Swift & Co., 323 U.S. 134

(1944), see United States v. Mead Corp., supra, we need not

decide whether Notice 2004-8, supra, should be given Skidmore

deference because the Transaction does not féll within.the scope

of the notice.

In contrast to the transactions describ.ed in Notice 2004-8,

supra, respondent has apparently deemed the Transaction to be

fairly valued. Pursuant to Notice -2004-8, supra, reallocation of

income or recharacterization of the Transaction should have,

resulted in: (1) Refund of income taxes paid by the C

corporations on the dividend income from ADF International, (2)

reduction or denial of the deductions claimed by ADF for the ADF

commission payments, (3) additional passthrough S corporation

income to petitioners from ADF, and (4) incdme to petitioners

under section 1368 to the extent, if any, the distributions they

were deemed to have received from ADF exceeded their bases in

ADF. Respondent made no such adjustments and, in fact, issued a

no-change letter to ADF. Respondent made no section 482 .

adjustment. Respondent could not assert thi Transaction was a

prohibited transaction under section 408(e) (2) (A) because of our

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decision in Swanson v. Commissioner, 106 T.C. 76 (1996)

(discussed infra). In the absence of fraud or an illegal purpose

behind the Transaction, respondent could not challenge the

substance of the Transaction for income tax purposes because to

do so would require the existence of ADF International to be

disregarded, which would frustrate the congressional intent

behind the creation of the DISC regime. See Addison Intl., Inc.

v. Commissioner, 90 T.C. 1207 (1988); Jet Research, Inc. v.

Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1990-463.

In the -absence of a challenge to the Transaction using the

three methods delineated in Notice 2004-8, supra, respondent

tries a variation of the notice's third approach. Respondent

argues that the Transaction, while being valid for income tax

purposes, lacks substance for excise tax purposes only.

While respondent's position that the Transaction

simultaneously does and does not have substance seems rather

incongruous, respondent argues that inconsistent treatment is

permissible because the excise tax and income tax regimes are

completely independent of one another. Respondent argues that

"The safe harbor rules [of section 1.994-1(a) (1), Income Tax

Regs.] affect the treatment*of the commissions solely for income

tax purposes, not for other purposes, such as the excise tax

provisions at issue in these cases." In support of that

proposition, ,respondent directs our attention to Rev. Rul. 81-54,

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1981-1 C.B. 476. Respondent claims that "Un er Revenue Ruling

81-54, commissions paid to [a] DISC by * * * [a corporation] were

treated as gifts for gift tax purposes despite the fact that for

income tax purposes the commissions could qualify under the safe

harbor rules."

In Rev. Rul. 81-54, supra, three shareholders of a

corporation formed a DISC. The shareholders|| transferred gifts of

their DISC stock to trusts created for the benefit of their

children, and the corporation subsequently entered into a

commission agreement with the DISC. The revenue ruling

determined that annual DISC commissions paid by the corporation

would be treated as continuing "gifts of profits that would

otherwise flow to * -* * [the corporation] in the absence of the

agreement with the DISC" as each commission payment was made.

Id., 1981-1 C.B. at 477.

Rev. Rul. 81-54, supra, does not address the income tax

consequences of the recharacterization of the DISC commissions.

However, respondent's position that a transaction may be treated

differently under different tax regimes seeds, on the surface, to

have some support in 'cases which have held -that the income and

gift tax statutes are not read in conjunction with one another

(i.e., are not in pari materia). See United States v. Davis, 370

U.S. 65 (1962); Farid-Es-Sultaneh v. Commissioner, 160 F.2d 812

(2d Cir. 1947), revg. 6 T.C. 652 (1946).

-19-

In Farid-Es-Sultaneh, the taxpayer sold stock which she had

acquired pursuant to a prenuptial agreement in exchange for the

release of her marital rights. - In calculating her income tax

liability on the sale, the taxpayer treated the acquisi,tion as a

purchase and used as a basis the stock's fair- market value at the

time she acquired the stock: (i.e., cost basis). The Commissioner

treated the acquisition as one by gift and determined the

taxpayer's basis to be that of the transferor -(i.e., carryover

basis):instead.

The Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit noted that. the

transfer was defined by the gift tax statutes as a gift. The

Revenue Act of 1932, ch. 209, sec. 503, 47 Stat. 247,'provided

that "Where property- is transferred for:less than an adequate and

full consideration in money or money's worth, then the amount by

which the value of the property exce.eded the value of the

consideration shall, for' the purpose of the tax imposed by this

title, be deemed a gift". For gift tax purposes, the release of

the taxpayer's marital rights could not be consideredaadequate

and full "consideration in money or money's worth" because

section 804 of the same act, 47 Stat. 280,. expressly provided

that it was not. Farid-Es-Sultaneh v. Commissioner, supra at.

814. Although that statute was an estate stax statute, the

Supreme Court had. held in Merrillsv. Fahs, 324 U.S. 308 (1945),

-20-

that it also ,extended to the gift :tax regime:since the gift and

estate tax statutes were to be construed together.

For income tax purposes, however, the Còurt of Appeals

observed that there was no statute comparable to section 804 of

the act and held that the income and gift ta statutes do not

relate to the same matter. Therefore,.in the absence of a

statute treating the release of marital rights as inadequate

consideration for income tax purposes, the cburt dealined to -

depart from "the usual legal effect to proof that a transfer was

made for a fair consideration". Farid-Es-Sultaneh v.

Commissioner, supra at 814. The court thus held that the

taxpayer had acquired the stock by purchase despite the afact that

the transferor could have been liable for gift tax if the gift

tax had been in effect at the time of the transfer.

In United States v. Davis, supra, the'Supreme Court held

that the taxpayer's transfer of appreciated iproperty to his -t

former wife'under a marital settlement agreement was a taxable

event. In deciding that the exchange of the, stock for the .

release of the former wife's marital rights (could not be a gift,

the Court stated that it was not constrained by the gift and ,

estate tax statutes and thereby approved of ;the Court of Appeals'

holding in Farid-Es-Sultaneh. Id. at 69 n.d.

The present case, however, is distinguishable in that.there

is no excise tax statute which necessitates the Transaction's

-21-

being treated differently for excise tax purposes. As the

Supreme Court explained in Davis:

Cases in which this Court has held transfers of property inexchange for the release of marital rights subject to gifttaxes are based not on the premise that such transactionsare inherently gifts but on the concept that in thecontemplation of the gift tax statute they are to be taxedas gifts. * * * [Id.]

To the contrary, the excise tax statute in issue here, section

4973, compels consistent treatment of the Transaction because

that statute is intertwined with and inseparable from the income

tax regime. Section 4973(a) imposes the 6-percent excise tax on

the amount of the excess contributions. As to a traditional IRA,

an "excess contribution" is defined in part as the excess of the

amount contributed over the amount allowable as a deduction under

section 219. Sec. 4973(b). As to a Roth IRA, an "excess

contribution" is defined in part as the excess of the amount

contributed over the amount allowable as a contribution under

section 408A(c) (2) and (3). Sec. 4973(f). Section 408A(c) (2)

sets the initial Roth IRA contribution limit as the maximum

amount allowable as a deduction under section 219 reduced by the

aggregate contributions to other individual retirement plans.

Section 408A(c) (3) reduces that amount once the taxpayer's

adjusted gross income exceeds a threshold amount. Thus, the

section 4973 excise tax cannot be determined without regard to

the taxpayer's income tax because sections 219 and 408A(c) (2) and

(3) are income tax provisions and section 408A(c) (3) in

particular refers to the taxpayer's adjusted gross income.

The Transaction being valid for income tax purposes, it must

also be valid for purposes of section 4973. Since respondent has

made no.section 482 adjustment which would result-in

distributions from ADF to petitioners for income tax purposes,

the ADF commission payments cannot be treated as distributions to

petitioners for purposes of the section 4973 excise tax.

Therefore, the ADF commission payments do not constitute excess

contributions to petitioners' Roth IRAs.

This case is distinguishable from Michael C. Hollen, D.D.S.,

P.C. v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2011-2, where we sustained the

Service's determination that a "dividend" paid by a corporate

taxpayer to its employee stock ownership trust (ESOT) represented

an excess contribution to the account of a participant in the

taxpayer's related employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) . There,

the taxpayer sought a declaratory judgment that the ESOP and the

ESOT were qualified for income tax purposes under section 401(a).

The ESOT had borrowed money from the ESOP to purchase stock in.ll

the taxpayer. The ESOT then used the procedds of a $200,000

"dividend" from the taxpayer to partially repay the loan and

allocated an equivalent amount of stock to the accounts of the

ESOP participants. Most of that stock allocation went to the

account of Dr. Hollen, who was the principal shareholder, an

-23-

employee, and a corporate officer of the taxpayer. Dr. Hollen

was also the ESOP's administrator and the ESOT'sutrustee.

e Pursuant to section 1.415-6(b); Income Tax Regs. (which *

authorizes the Service "in an appropriate case, considering all

of the facts and circumstances, [to] treat transactions.between

the plan and the employee or certain allocations to participants'

accounts as giving rise to annual additions"), the Service

treated $150,339 of the $200,000 "dividend" as an annual addition

to Dr. Hollen's account. We held that the Service did not abuse

its discretion -to make that recharacterization, because Dr.

Hollen used the loan and the associated "dividend" to generate a

deduction for the taxpayer for the principal payments on the

loans without any corresponding income recognition by either the

taxpayer or the ESOT. The resulting tax savings increased the

value of the stock held by the ESOT to Dr. Hollen's benefit.

Because the annual addition exceeded the sectiron 415(c)

contribution limit',.we upheld the Service's determination that,

for income tax purposes, the ESOP and the ESOT were not qualified

trusts under section 401(a) and- therefore not tax exempt under

section 501.(a).

Respondent does not contest the: characterization of the

Transaction for income tax purposes, andetherefore we decide an

entirely different and much narrower issue:4. whether respondent

may characterize a transaction inconsistently for excise tax

-24-

purposes. We have not been asked to and do not decide what the

proper treatment of the Transaction is for income tax purposes.

Although we held that an excess contributionfto a retirement plan

had been made in Hollen, respondent's approval of the Transaction

for income tax purposes compels a different result in the present

case. Whereas the Service properly used an income tax regulation

to recharacterize the Hollen transaction for income tax purposes,

respondent's position that the Transaction is substantive for

income tax purposes undermines his attempted: use of the

substance-over-form.doctrine to recharacteritze -the Transaction.

Respondent nevertheless argues that petiitioners should be

liable for the section 4973 excise tax because the,Transaction

was not a type of IRA -investment that Congress intended to

permit.

Congress has enumerated the types of transactions which IRAs

are prohibited from making.in section -408(e) (2) through (5) and

(m).. No part of -the Transaction here is prdhibited under 'argr. of

those provisions.

Section 408.(e)-(2) (A) provides that an ÍRA,loses its exempt

status if it engages in any transaction prohibited by.section

4975. .Section 4975(c) (1) prohibits a specific l'ist:of

self-dealing transactions between a plan and a disqualified

person. We have previously held that a similar transaction was

-25-

not a prohibited transaction under section 4975(c) (1) (A) or (E).

See Swanson v. Commissioner, 106 T.C. 76 (1996).

In Swanson, the taxpayer was the sole shareholder of an

existing S corporation. The taxpayer arranged for the

organization of a DISC (Worldwide), and one of his IRAs (IRA #1)

subscribed to the DISC's original issue stock. The DISC

subsequently received commission payments from the S corporation

and paid dividends to the taxpayer's IRA.

We held that the IRA's acquisition of DISC stock could not

have been a prohibited transaction under section 4975(c) (1) (A)

because the DISC was not a disqualified person at that time. We

explained that

The stock, acquired in that transaction was newly issued--prior to that point in time, Worldwide had no shares orshareholders. A corporation without shares or shareholdersdoes not fit within the definition of a disqualified personunder section 4975(e) (2) (G). It was only after Worldwideissued its stock to IRA #1 that petitioner held a beneficialinterest in Worldwide's stock, thereby causing Worldwide tobecome a disqualified person under section 4975(e) (2) (G).* * * [Id.:at 88; fn. refs. omitted.-]

We also held that the DISC's payment of dividends to the IRA

was not a prohibited transaction under -section 4975(c) (1) (E)

because "there was no such direct or indirect dealing with the

income or assets of a plan,. as the dividends paid by Worldwide

did not become income of IRA #1 until unqualifiedly made subject

to the demand of IRA #1." Id. at 89.

-26-

Similarly, the acquisitions of ADF Integnational stock by

petitioners' Roth IRAs were also not prohibited transactions

under section 4975(c) (1) (A), (B), or (C) because ADF

International was not a disqualified person at the time of the

stock acquisitions. The C corporations' payeent of dividends to

the Roth IRAs was not a prohibited transactibn under section

4975(c) (1) (D), (E), or (-F) because the dividends were not income

of the Roth IRAs until they were received by the Roth IRAs. - -

The Transaction is also enot prohibited nder section

408(e) (3) because that provision deals with borrowing under or by

use of an individual retirement annuity. Section 408(e) (4) is

also inapplicable because no petitioner has pledged any portion

of a Roth IRA as security for a loan. Section 408(e) (5) is not

relevant because no part of any Roth IRA assets has been used to

purchase an endowment contract. Section.408(m) does not apply

because no Roth IRA invested in a collectible..

Contrary to respondent's contention, the Transaction is not

a type of investment that Congress hastexpr(ssly forbidden. To

add it to that list of statutorily prohibited transactions would

amount to -judicial legislation.

Furthermore, even if we were to decide that Congress

intended to prohibit this type of transactidn, we question

whether imposition of the section 4973 excise tax would be

appropriate. Participation in one of the above-mentioned

-27-

statutorily prohibited transactions results in a deemed

distribution from the IRA. See sec. 408(e) (2) (]B), (3), (4), (5),

(m) (1). Such,a distribution is included in the taxpayer's gross

income and is subject to the section 72(t) 10-percent additional

income tax rather than the section 4973 excise tax.

While we are aware that Congress clearly intended to limit

the amounts of annual contributions to IRAs by enacting -section

4973, our holding here does not-negate that limitation. Our

decision does not prevent the Service from recharacterizing the

Transaction consistently for income tax and excise tax purposes.

Nor does it prevent the Service from asserting that an excess

contribution was made when petitioners' Roth IRAs subscribed to

the stock of ADF International if that stock had been

undervalued.4 In fact, Notice 2004-8, 2004~-1 C.B. at 333,

contemplates the possibility that "The acquisition of shares

* * * [is] not fairly valued".

For these reasons, we hold that the' ADF commission payments

ado not represent excess contributions to petitioners' Roth IRAs.

Accordingly, we will grant petitioners summary judgment as to the

issue of their liability for excise taxes under section 4973.

4ADF International received hundreds of thousands of dollarsin DISC commissions each year from a well-established business,and a 25-percent share in a company receiving such a steadystream of income should have been worth a large amount.

-28-

IV. Section 6662(a) Penalty

Section 6662(a) and (b) (1) and (2) imposes an accuracy-

related penalty of 20 percent on the portion of an underpayment

attributable to negligence, disregard of rules or regulations, or

a substantial understatement of income tax. Because petitioners

are not liable for excise taxes under section 4973, they did not

make an underpayment of tax and are therefore not liable for the

section 6662(a) accuracy-related penalty.

Accordingly, we.will grant petitioners summary judgment as

to the section 6662(a) penalty.

V. Section 6651(a) (1) Additions to Tax • .

Section 6651(a) (1) imposes a 5rpercent diaddition to tax for

each month or portion thereof a required return is filed after

the prescribed due date. Taxpayers are required to file a Form

5329 for each year they have excess contributions to their IRA.

See Frick v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1989-86, affd. without

published opinion 916 F.2d 715 (7th Cir. 1990). Because

petitioners did not make excess contributions to their Roth IRAs,

they were not required to file Forms 5329 and are therefore not

liable for additions to tax under section 6651(a) (1)..

Accordingly, we will grant petitioners summary judgment as

to the section 6651(a) (1) additions to tax.

-29-

We have considered all of the parties' contentions,

arguments, requests, and statements. To the extent not discussed

herein, we conclude that they are irrelevant, moot, or without

merit.

To reflect the foregoing,

Appropriate orders and

decisions will be entered

granting petitioners' Motion

for Summary Judgment.

FWM A G A Z I N E

FINANCIERWORLDWIDEcorporatefinanceintelligence

www.financierworldwide.com

R E P R I N T E D F R O M

A p r i l 2 0 1 0 I s s u e

W O R L D WAT C H

Using DISCs to reduce US tax on US exporting companies and theirforeign shareholders

AMERICAS TAX

WORLDWATCH

2010

8

Since 1971, the US Tax Code (Sections 991-997) has reduced US tax on US ex-

ports through a US company called a Domes-tic International Sales Corporation (DISC). The DISC reduces US taxation on exports of US property manufactured, produced, grown or extracted in the United States for direct use outside the United States. Certain engineer-ing and architectural services for construction projects located outside the United States, along with certain related and subsidiary ser-vices, also qualify.

The income which a DISC earns reduces the taxable income of a related US exporting company. The DISCs income is exempt from tax until it is distributed or deemed distributed (under the DISC provisions, DISC income attributable to gross receipts over $10m is deemed distributed. However as discussed be-low, the amounts deemed and actually distrib-uted possibly can be taxed at no greater than 15 percent). A DISC can be an arm’s-length company which earns income in accordance with normal arms-length principles. However it can also receive so-called safe-harbour in-come from qualified transactions with a ‘relat-ed supplier’. The DISC safe-harbour income

generally is the greater of 4 percent of gross receipts or 50 percent of combined taxable in-come from qualifying transactions (generally the DISC safe-harbour income cannot create a loss in a related supplier. However, there are exceptions where the export transactions are less profitable than domestic transactions).

The DISC originally was intended to be a deferral of tax, i.e., the DISC income deferred from tax eventually would be subjected to dividend income treatment at ordinary rates to its shareholders. Commencing in 2004, however, amendments to the Code taxed divi-dends from qualified corporations, including DISCs, at capital gains rates at a maximum of 15 percent to non-corporate shareholders (see Section 1(h)(11)(B)). This allows taxation of an unlimited amount of export profits to be permanently reduced from an effective rate of approximately 35 percent to an effective rate as low as 15 percent.

Generally shareholders of DISCs who may benefit from the 15 percent capital gains rate are either trusts or individuals which are enti-tled to the 15 percent rate on capital gains. So-called C corporation shareholders generally are not eligible for the 15 percent rate. Rather for those corporations the capital gains rate is the same as on ordinary income. As discussed below, however, some foreign corporations may be entitled to claim reduced US tax rates on DISC dividends.

Taxation of DISC foreign shareholders un-der Section 996(g)When the DISC provisions were passed, Con-gress anticipated that certain non-resident aliens of the United States would be acquiring DISC stock. Because Congress intended for DISC shareholders to be taxable at ordinary dividend rates on DISC distributions, it includ-ed section 996(g) in the Code. That section pro-vides that dividends received by non-resident alien individuals, foreign corporations, trusts or estates are to be treated as income effec-tively connected with a US trade or business conducted through a permanent establishment

in the United States. Rather than applying the treaty rate on dividends related to portfolio investments, DISC dividend distributions are treated as if the recipient received the divi-dend from engaging in a US trade or business. When the DISC provisions were first passed and amended in 1984, the 996(g) provisions generally were considered to prevail over any contrary treaty provisions. Even though there was no treaty override in the Code provisions, the later in time of a Code provision or a treaty provision will prevail where the Code and the treaty have inconsistent provisions (see Whit-ney v. Robertson, 124 U.S. 190, 194 (1888)). Thus, for a number of years, DISC dividends were treated as effectively connected income because most tax treaties did not post-date the 1984 amendments to section 996(g). Foreign shareholders, therefore, commonly were sub-ject to taxation on DISC dividends at normal tax rates of 35-45 percent or even higher.

Impact of capital gains treatment to foreign shareholdersThe 2004 Code amendments to make divi-dends from a qualified corporation to its shareholders subject to capital gains treatment should also benefit DISC dividends by being taxed at the same 15 percent rate. Thus foreign entities which are individuals or entities treat-ed as partnerships of individuals for federal in-come tax purposes appear to be eligible for 15 percent maximum capital gains rate. Since the Code provisions were designed to retain the treatment of DISC dividends in the hands of foreign shareholders, the same as fully taxable dividend income in the hands of US sharehold-ers, applying the 15 percent rate is consistent with the intent of the DISC provisions.

Consequently, DISC dividends to foreign shareholders considered to be individuals or individual partners of a partnership, should be taxed at a maximum of 15 percent on the DISC dividends. The same would appear to be ap-plicable to foreign trusts which are not for US income tax purposes treated as business asso-ciations taxed as corporations.

Using DISCs to reduce US tax on US exporting companies and theirforeign shareholdersBY NEAL J. BLOCK

UNITED STATES

DISC dividends to foreign shareholders considered to be individuals or individual partners of a partnership, should be taxed at a maximum of 15 percent on the DISC dividends.

REPRINTREPRINTREPRINT | FW | FW | FW AprilAprilApril 2010 20 2010 201010 2010 | | | www.financierworldwide.comwww.financierworldwide.comwww.financierworldwide.com

This article first appeared in Financier Worldwide’s April 2010April 2010April Issue.© 2010 Financier Worldwide Limited. Permission to use this reprint has been granted by the publisher. For further information on Financier Worldwide and its publications, please contact James Lowe on+44 (0)845 345 0456 or by email: james.lowe@financierworldwide.com

Check-the-box election to deem foreign cor-porations to be US partnershipsAs discussed above foreign entities, treated as corporations for US income tax purposes do not appear eligible for the 15 percent capital gains rate since US corporations are taxed on capital gains at the 35 percent ordinary in-come rate.

One way for a foreign corporation to take advantage of the 15 percent rate would be for it to elect to convert itself for US income tax purposes from a corporation to a partnership with individual shareholders. Under the so-called check-the-box elections under Treas. Reg. § 301.7701-3, a foreign business entity which is not a so-called ‘default corporation’ (see Treas. Reg. § 301.7701-2(b)(8)) is eligible to elect partnership treatment. If it elects to be treated as a partnership, its partners who are individuals would be deemed to receive DISC dividends at the 15 percent capital gains rate.

Before an eligible foreign entity does a check-the-box election, however, it should determine whether or not the change in its US status from a corporation to a partnership or in some cases a disregarded entity would have other federal income tax consequences. If, however, there are no further adverse tax consequences, the

check-the-box election may be a convenient way for a foreign corporation to achieve 15 percent taxation on DISC dividends.

Another alternative would be for the indi-vidual shareholders of the foreign corporation who control the corporation to form a limited liability company (LLC) treated as a partner-ship for US income tax purposes. The LLC would then hold the stock of the DISC. In that manner the individual shareholders would have limited liability and still be able to treat the DISC dividends as dividend income sub-ject to the 15 percent rate.

Tax treaty provisions to reduce dividend taxation may be applicableDespite the language of section 996(g) there are a number of treaties which have come into effect subsequent to the last amendment to sec-tion 996(g) of the Code. Those treaties in many cases are inconsistent with the deemed perma-nent establishment which is found in section 996(g). Under those treaties, there can be no permanent establishment in the absence of an actual physical presence in the United States. Therefore, the language which deems a treaty country person to have a permanent establish-ment in the United States may be inconsistent

with and thus overruled by the treaty.There is nothing in the Code or the legislative

history to the Code which specifically states that the provisions of 996(g) are intended to override existing federal income tax treaties that are later in time to the 996(g) provisions. Consequently, if a treaty’s language prevents a permanent establishment, the treaty provi-sions regarding normal dividends paid in the absence of a permanent establishment should result. To determine whether an existing treaty does override the provisions of section 996(g) of the Code requires an analysis of the specific treaty provisions.

Perhaps more important is the treatment of DISC dividends under the laws of the DISC’s foreign shareholders. If DISC dividends or deemed distributions to a foreign shareholder are subject to foreign tax at a high rate, the benefits of the lower US tax rate may be lost. If, however, foreign taxation of DISC divi-dends is relatively low, relying on the treaty could save substantial taxes in the context of having DISC commissions reduce taxable income of the US exporting company by 50 to 100 percent, while being distributed to the treaty company shareholder at an effective rate of 5 or 10 percent or less.

Baker & McKenzie defined the global law firm in the 20th century, and we are redefining it to meet the challenges of the global economy in the 21st. We bring to matters the instinctively global perspec-tive and deep market knowledge and insights of 3900 locally admitted lawyers in 67 offices world-wide. We have a distinctive global way of thinking, working and behaving – ‘fluency’ – across borders, issues and practices. We understand the challenges

of the global economy because we have been at the forefront of its evolution. Since 1949, we have ad-vised leading corporations on the issues of today’s integrated world market. We have cultivated the culture, commercial pragmatism and technical and interpersonal skills required to deliver world-class service tailored to the preferences of world-class cli-ents worldwide. Ours is a passionately collaborative community of 60 nationalities. We have the deep

roots and knowledge of the language and culture of business required to address the nuances of lo-cal markets worldwide. And our culture of friendship and broad scope of practice enable us to navigate complexity across issues, practices and borders with ease. Our commitment to excellence and fluency are reasons why we have more lawyers listed in more countries in Chambers Global Directory of the World’s Leading Lawyers than any other global firm.

Neal J. BlockPartnerChicago, IllinoisT: + 1 (312) 861 2937E: Neal.J.Block@bakernet.com

Neal J. Block has represented US clients on a broad range of domestic and international tax issues for more than 40 years. He is listed among Illinois’ Su-perlawyers for 2008 and 2009, and has been consis-tently named a leading Illinois attorney by the Law Bulletin since 1997.

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WORLDwatch

Addressing DISC Cash Analysis ofRobert Feinschreiber and ScottBeane

To The Editor:In an article entitled ‘‘Stripping Out the DISC’s Earn-

ings’’ (Tax Notes, July 28, 2008, p. 331, Doc 2008-15728,2008 TNT 146-54), Robert Feinschreiber and MargaretKent assert a DISC whose only asset on the last day of itstax year is cash in an amount which is no greater than$2,500 could be disqualified as a DISC by having failedthe 95 percent qualified export assets test of section992(a)(1)(B),1 that is, the $2,500 amount would be anonqualified asset.

In a reply dated October 7, 2008 (Tax Notes, Oct. 6,2008, p. 103, Doc 2008-20826, 2008 TNT 195-46), ScottBeane rebutted the authors’ assertion primarily on thebasis that because there is a de minimis exception withrespect to cash, the $2,500 should be a qualified asset asa de minimis amount. The authors then countered in aresponse dated October 15, 2008 that in their opinion therisk was a realistic one because there was no authoritydirectly on point for Mr. Beane’s conclusion.

Briefly my experience in DISC goes back as far asRobert Feinschreiber’s, in that I have been practicing inthe DISC area since the DISC provisions were firstintroduced. I have also lectured on various aspects ofDISCs, published a number of articles regarding same,given expert testimony, and was awarded attorney’s feesby the U.S. Tax Court in a DISC case.

I have great respect for the authors. They raise an issuewhich is not directly covered by the code or regulations.However, in my opinion a DISC whose only asset on thelast day of its tax year is cash in an amount which is lessthan or equal to $2,500 (stripped DISC) should not,because of the cash on hand, be disqualified as a DISCunder the 95 percent qualified export assets test.

My reasons are briefly summarized as follows:1. The fact that under section 992(a)(1)(C) a DISC must

have stock outstanding having a par or stated value of$2,500 provides strong support for the argument that$2,500 would be a de minimis amount. It is after all theamount needed to capitalize a DISC and therefore createsan initial need for cash. While it is true that the DISC’scapital does not have to be in cash, or even paid in, thepar value of stock generally does represent a corpora-tion’s shareholder liability to third parties under state

law. Since the shareholders’ contribution is for the benefitof third parties and must be $2,500 under the code, whyit cannot be in cash and remain in cash is not evident.

2. Since the DISCs were first introduced, inflation hasregularly eaten away at the value of a dollar. It is thuslikely that whatever the de minimis amount other than$2,500 which the Service was considering in 1972, itshould have increased more than five fold, i.e., thepurchasing power of $2,500 today roughly would be thesame as $500 in 1972.2

3. Cash falls into the category of temporary invest-ments provided for in reg. section 1.993-2(e). Under thatregulation, cash is considered as a part of the workingcapital of the DISC. Working capital is defined as theexcess of a DISC’s current assets over current liabilities.Reg. section 1.993-2(e)(2)(i).

Assuming that the total current assets are the cash onhand, it would then be offset by current liabilities whichare defined as ‘‘obligations (or portion of obligations) duewithin the current normal operating cycle of the trade orbusiness for the DISC whose satisfaction when due isreasonably expected to require the use of current assets.’’Reg. section 1.993-2(e)(2)(iii).

In view of the fact that the DISC likely will haveongoing expenses (whether or not directly recoverable ascommissions from a related supplier), consisting of ac-counting fees, state franchise taxes and other local taxesand even legal fees, it is likely that the anticipatedexpenditures for such fees and taxes could be equal to orgreater than the $2,500 amount. This is especially true foraccounting fees if the DISC has been actively earningcommission income which it may have distributed beforethe end of the year. Since a DISC has no guaranty of anyincome for the following year under most commissionagreements, the cash on hand at the end of the year is theonly asset available for its future obligations.

4. Since under the 95 percent qualified export assetstest, a DISC is allowed to have 5 percent of its assetsnonqualified, 5 percent of the $2,500 amount or $125could be on hand as a nonqualified asset as long as theremainder of the cash was qualified.

5. Considering the arguments in support of the propo-sitions that $2,500 is reasonable working capital and that$2,500 is a de minimis amount, there should be alloweda ‘‘deficiency distribution’’ under reg. section 1.992-3 forany non-qualified cash. Under the deficiency distributionprocedures of reg. section 1.992-3, the DISC is allowed tomake a deficiency distribution of the assets which arenonqualified assets. A distribution of those assets results

1References to the code refer to the Internal Revenue Code of1986 as amended. Under section 992(a)(1)(B) the 95 percentqualified export assets test is determined on the last day of theDISC’s tax year.

2See U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,Consumer Price Index.

tax notes®

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

TAX NOTES, November 10, 2008 1

in the DISC’s becoming requalified for the year of dis-qualification. By definition the deficiency distribution inthis case would involve a distribution of at most $2,500.

There is a reasonable cause requirement under reg.section 1.992-3(c)(1) for a deficiency distribution whichmust be met. Reg. section 1.992-3(c)(2) specifically pro-vides that reasonable cause includes ‘‘reasonable uncer-tainty as to what constitutes a . . . qualified export asset.’’The strong reasons for treating the $2,500 as meeting thede minimis requirement for a qualified export asset plusthe need for some working capital should provide thereasonable cause necessary for the deficiency distributionto be made. There is a cost to the deficiency distributionwhich is 4.5 percent per year of the amount required todisgorge the nonqualified assets from the DISC. Reg.section 1.992-3(c)(4). Assuming the full amount of the$2,500 is disqualified, the maximum amount whichwould be payable as interest each year is $112.50. Formost taxpayers this truly would be considered a deminimis amount.

6. Most important perhaps is that in the more than 35years that I have been working in the DISC area as botha planner and a litigator, I have never seen a case wherethe DISC was disqualified solely because its total cash onhand at its year end was $2,500 and it had no other assets.

While one can never predict the future with completeconfidence, the fact that the Service apparently has neverraised this issue in the more than 35 years of DISC furtherstrengthens the arguments that such a risk is remote.

As a result, I am comfortable in advising clients that ifthe only asset the DISC has at the end of the year is $2,500in cash, (1) the DISC should not be considered to benon-qualified under the 95 percent qualified export as-sets test; and (2) in any event the DISC should be able toremain qualified by making a deficiency distribution.

Specifically I am not advising clients to have theirstripped DISCs spend their cash or convert it into otherassets.3

Sincerely,

Neal J. BlockOct. 30, 2008

3As pointed out in the Feinschreiber article, there are anumber of ways the issue can be avoided, such as payingadditional commissions for the year in question, creating aqualified commission receivable. I am only addressing thetheoretical situation of a pure stripped DISC.

COMMENTARY / LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

2 TAX NOTES, November 10, 2008