Sec. 1.691(a)-3 Character of gross income.
(a) The right to receive an amount of income in respect of a decedent shall be treated in the hands of the estate, or by the person entitled to receive such amount by bequest, devise, or inheritance from the decedent or by reason of his death, as if it had been acquired in the transaction by which the decedent (or a prior decedent) acquired such right, and shall be considered as having the same character it would have had if the decedent (or a prior decedent) had lived and received such amount. The provisions of section 1014(a), relating to the basis of property acquired from a decedent, and section 1022, relating to the basis of property acquired from certain decedents who died in 2010, do not apply to these amounts in the hands of the estate and such persons. See sections 1014(c) and 1022(f).
(b) The application of paragraph (a) of this section may be illustrated by the following:
(1) If the income would have been capital gain to the decedent, if he had lived and had received it, from the sale of property, held for more than 1 year (6 months for taxable years beginning before 1977; 9 months for taxable years beginning in 1977), the income, when received, shall be treated in the hands of the estate or of such person as capital gain from the sale of the property, held for more than 1 year (6 months for taxable years beginning before 1977; 9 months for taxable years beginning in 1977), in the same manner as if such person had held the property for the period the decedent held it, and had made the sale.
(2) If the income is interest on United States obligations which were owned by the decedent, such income shall be treated as interest on United States obligations in the hands of the person receiving it, for the purpose of determining the credit provided by section 35, as if such person had owned the obligations with respect to which such interest is paid.
(3) If the amounts received would be subject to special treatment under Part I (section 1301 and following), Subchapter Q, Chapter 1 of the Code, relating to income attributable to several taxable years, as in effect for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1964, if the decedent had lived and included such amounts in his gross income, such sections apply with respect to the recipient of the income.
(4) The provisions of sections 632 and 1347, relating to the tax attributable to the sale of certain oil or gas property and to certain claims against the United States, apply to any amount included in gross income, the right to which was obtained by the decedent by a sale or claim within the provisions of those sections.
(c) Effective/applicability dates. The last two sentences of paragraph (a) of this section apply on and after January 19, 2017. For rules before January 19, 2017, see §1.691(a)-3 as contained in 26 CFR part 1 revised as of April 1, 2016.
[Adopted by T.D. 6257, 22 FR 7993, Oct. 8, 1957; republished by T.D. 6500, 25 FR 11814, Nov. 26, 1960, as amended by T.D. 6885, 31 FR 7803, June 2, 1966; T.D. 7728, 45 FR 72650, Nov. 3, 1980; amended by T.D. 9811, 82 FR 6235-6243, Jan. 19, 2017.]
