Sec. 20.6166-1 Election of alternate extension of time for payment of estate tax where estate consists largely of interest in closely held business.

(1) The decedent's name and taxpayer identification number as they appear on the estate tax return;

(2) The amount of tax which is to be paid in installments;

(3) The date selected for payment of the first installment;

(4) The number of annual installments, including the first installment, in which the tax is to be paid;

(5) The properties shown on the estate tax return which constitute the closely held business interest (identified by schedule and item number); and

(6) The facts which formed the basis for the executor's conclusion that the estate qualifies for payment of the estate tax in installments.

(1) No election before assessment of deficiency.

Where a deficiency is assessed and no election, including a protective election, has been made under section 6166(a) to pay any tax in installments, the executor may elect under section 6166(h) to pay the portion of the deficiency attributable to the closely held business interest in installments. However, this is true only if the estate qualifies under section 6166 based upon values as finally determined (or agreed to following examination of a return). Such an election is exercised by filing a notice of election with the Internal Revenue Service office where the estate tax return was filed. The notice of election must be filed within 60 days after issuance of notice and demand for payment of the deficiency, and it must contain the same information as is required under paragraph (b) of this section. The notice of election is to be accompanied by payment of the amount of tax and interest, the date for payment of which has arrived as determined under paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section, plus any amount of unpaid tax and interest which is not attributable to the closely held business interest and which is not eligible for further extension (or currently extended) under another section (other than section 6166A).

(2) Election made with estate tax return.

If the executor makes an election under section 6166(a) (other than a protective election) at the time the estate tax return is filed and a deficiency is later assessed, the portion of the deficiency which is attributable to the closely held business interest (but not any accrued interest thereon) will be prorated to the installments payable pursuant to the original section 6166(a) election. Any part of the deficiency prorated to an installment, the date for payment of which has arrived, is due upon notice and demand. Interest for any such period, including the deferral period, is payable upon notice and demand.

(3) Portion of deficiency attributable to closely held business interest.

Only that portion of any deficiency which is attributable to a closely held business interest may be paid in installments under section 6166. The amount of any deficiency which is so attributable is the difference between the amount of tax which the executor has previously elected to pay in installments under section 6166 and the maximum amount of tax which the executor could have elected to pay in installments on the basis of a return which reflects the adjustments that resulted in the deficiency.

(1) Effect of deficiencies and protective elections upon payment.

Upon election to extend the time for payment of a deficiency or upon final determination of values following a protective election, the executor must prorate the tax or deficiency attributable to the closely held business interest among all installments. All amounts attributed to installments which would have been due had the election been made at the time the tax was due to be paid under section 6151(a) and all accrued interest must be paid at the time the election is made.

(2) Determination of date for payment of first installment.

The executor may defer payment of tax (but not interest) for any period up to 5 years from the date determined under section 6151(a) for payment of the estate tax. The date chosen for payment of the first installment of tax is not required to be on an annual anniversary of the original due date of the tax; however, it must be the date within any month which corresponds to the day of the month determined under section 6151(a).

Example (1).

(i) Based upon values shown on decedent A's timely filed estate tax return, 60 percent of the value of A's adjusted gross estate consisted of a farm which was a closely held business within the meaning of section 6166. A's executor, B, made a protective election under section 6166 when he filed A's estate tax return. B also applied for an extension of time under section 6161 to pay $15,000 of the $30,000 of estate tax shown due on the return. The requested extension was granted and was renewed at the end of 1 year. Eighteen months after the return was filed and after examination of A's estate tax return, the value of the farm was found to constitute 67 percent of the adjusted gross estate. B entered into an agreement consenting to the values as established on examination and to a deficiency of $5,000. B then filed a final notice of election under section 6166, choosing a 5-year deferral followed by 10 annual installment payments and thereby terminated his extension under section 6161 because that amount of tax was then included under the section 6166 election. B could have extended payment of 67 percent of the total estate tax, or $23,450. $23,450 is eligible for installment payments under section 6166 and the section section 6166 election is considered to be for that amount. B is considered to have prepaid $3,450 of tax since only $20,000 of tax remained unpaid. The $3,450 is attributed to the first installment of $2,345 and to $1,105 of the second installment which would have been payable under the section 6166 election.

(ii) Had B been granted an extension of time under section 6161 to pay $20,000 of tax, $25,000 would remain unpaid when the final section 6166 election is made. Payment of the full $23,450 (67 percent) of tax which is attributable to the closely held business interest is included under the section 6166 election. The balance of unpaid tax ($1,550) is due upon expiration of the estate's section 6161 extension.

(iii) Assume the facts under example (1)(i). B must pay all unpaid accrued interest with his notice of final election. Since only 18 months have passed, no installments of tax are due. Interest on the $5,000 deficiency is computed at 4 percent per annum for the entire 18 months, and interest for 12 months of that period is currently due to be paid. Interest for the remaining 6 months is due at the next succeeding date for payment of interest. Interest on the $15,000 of tax extended under section 6161 is computed at the rate determined under section 6621 until the date of the final section 6166 election and is due upon termination of the section 6161 extension. After that date, the interest on the $15,000 will also accrue at 4 percent per annum.

Example (2). Assume the facts as in example (1), except B initially made an election under section 6166A and made no protective election under section 6166. Following final determination of values, B is not permitted to make any election under section 6166; however, had B protectively elected section 6166 at the time he made the section 6166A election, he could have terminated the section 6166A election and finally elected under section 6166. In such a case, the full $23,450 of tax attributable to the farm would have been eligible for extension under section 6166. The 4 percent interest rate would apply to the $5,000 deficiency from the original due date of the tax, and, as with the extension under section 6161, it would apply to the amounts extended under section 6166A only from the date on which the election under section 6166 was finalized.

Example (3). C died in 1977. His estate owes Federal estate taxes of $750,000, $500,000 of which is attributable to a closely held business interest. Payment of the $500,000 was extended under section 6166. A 5-year deferral followed by 10 annual installment payments was chosen by C's executor. Under paragraph (f) of this section, only 63.16 percent of each installment will be subject to the special 4 percent interest rate and the remainder will be subject to the rate determined under section 6621. The same rule applies in computing interest for the 5 years during which payment of tax is deferred. (This is so because the 4 percent interest rate applies only to a maximum of $345,800 of tax less the $30,000 of credit allowable under section 2010(a) rather than to the entire $500,000 extended amount).