Extension Granted to Make Taxable Entity Election

Third Party Communication: None
Date of Communication: Not Applicable
Person To Contact: * * * ID No. * * *
Telephone Number: * * *

Index Number: 9100.00-00, 9100.04-00, 168.00-00
Release Date: 1/24/2020

Date: October 22, 2019

Refer Reply To: CC:ITA:B04 - PLR-119893-19

LEGEND:

Taxpayer = * * *
Date 1 =  * * *
Date 2 = * * *
Date 3 = * * *
State = * * *
Exempt Organization = * * *
Partnership = * * *
Year 1 = * * *
Firm = * * *

Dear * * *:

This letter is in response to a private letter ruling request filed on August 15, 2019, on behalf of Taxpayer, seeking an extension of time under §§ 301.9100-1 and 301.9100-3 of the Procedure and Administration Regulations to make an election under §168(h)(6)(F)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code to not be treated as a tax-exempt controlled entity.

FACTS

Based on the information submitted and representations made, the relevant facts are as follows.

On Date 1, Taxpayer was organized under the laws of State as a corporation. Exempt Organization, a corporation that is a tax-exempt entity pursuant to § 501(c)(3), owns 100 percent of Taxpayer. Taxpayer is a tax-exempt controlled entity within the meaning of § 168(h)(6)(F)(iii) because Exempt Organization owns more than 50 percent in value of the stock of Taxpayer. Taxpayer is the majority owner of Partnership, a domestic partnership that owned real property that was placed in service in Year 1.

Since its incorporation on Date 1, Taxpayer has engaged Firm to prepare all of its federal and state tax returns. When filing its return for the first fiscal year ending Date 2, Taxpayer intended to make an election under § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) to not be treated as a tax-exempt controlled entity and reasonably relied on Firm to make the election. All of taxpayer's tax returns since its incorporation have been prepared by Firm and filed by Taxpayer as if it had made the § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election so that the Taxpayer will not have a lower tax liability because of the relief requested.

On Date 3, Taxpayer contacted Firm requesting evidence that the § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election had been made. It was discovered that Taxpayer and its return preparer inadvertently failed to attach the required § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election statement to Taxpayer's Date 2 return. Upon discovering its mistake, Taxpayer promptly submitted this private letter ruling request seeking an extension of time under § 301.9100-3 to make the § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election.

APPLICABLE LAW

Section 167(a) of the Internal Revenue Code provides generally for a depreciation deduction for property used in a trade or business. Under § 168(g), the alternative depreciation system must be used for any tax-exempt use property as defined in § 168(h).

Section 168(h)(6)(A) provides that, for purposes of § 168(h), if any property which (but for this subparagraph) is not tax-exempt use property is owned by a partnership having both a tax-exempt entity and a nontax-exempt entity as partners and any allocation to the tax-exempt entity is not a qualified allocation, then an amount equal to such tax-exempt entity's proportionate share of such property is treated as tax-exempt use property.

Section 168(h)(6)(F)(i) provides generally that any tax-exempt controlled entity is treated as a tax-exempt entity for purposes of § 168(h)(6). Under § 168(h)(6)(F)(iii)(I), a corporation (without regard to that subparagraph and § 168(h)(2)(E)) constitutes a “tax-exempt controlled entity” if 50 percent or more (in value) of the corporation's stock is held by one or more tax-exempt entities (other than a foreign person or entity). In the case of tiered partnerships and other entities, § 168(h)(6)(E) applies similar rules.

Under § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii), a tax-exempt controlled entity can elect not to be treated as a tax-exempt entity. Once made, the election is irrevocable and will bind all tax-exempt entities holding an interest in the tax-exempt controlled entity.

Under § 301.9100-7T(a)(2)(i) of the Procedure and Administration Regulations, a §168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election must be made by the due date of the tax return for the first taxable year for which the election is to be effective. Section 301.9100-7T(a)(3)(i) provides that the § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election must be made by attaching a statement to the tax return for the taxable year for which the election is to be effective. Per § 301.9100-7T(a)(3)(ii), a copy of the election must also be attached to the income tax returns of the tax-exempt shareholders of the tax-exempt controlled entity.

Section 301.9100-1(c) provides the Commissioner of Internal Revenue has the discretion to grant a reasonable extension of time to make a regulatory election. Per § 301.9100-1(b), the term “regulatory election” includes any election the due date for which is prescribed by a regulation. Because the due date of the § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election is prescribed in § 301.9100-7T, the § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election is a regulatory election.

The Service uses standards set forth in §§ 301.9100-1 through 301.9100-3 to determine whether to grant an extension of time to make a regulatory election. Under § 301.9100-3(a), the Service will grant requests for extensions of time for regulatory elections (other than automatic extensions of time covered in § 301.9100-2) when the taxpayer provides evidence (including affidavits) to establish that the taxpayer acted reasonably and in good faith, and granting relief will not prejudice the interests of the Government.

Section 301.9100-3(b)(1) provides that a taxpayer is deemed to have acted reasonably and in good faith if the taxpayer:

Per § 301.9100-3(b)(3), a taxpayer is considered to have not acted reasonably and in good faith if the taxpayer:

Section 301.9100-3(c)(1) provides that the Service will grant a reasonable extension of time only when doing so will not prejudice the interests of the Government. Section 301.9100-3(c)(1)(i) states that the interests of the Government are prejudiced if granting relief would result in a taxpayer having a lower tax liability in the aggregate for all taxable years affected by the election than the taxpayer would have had if the election had been timely made. Under § 301.9100-3(c)(1)(ii), the interests of the Government may be prejudiced if the taxable year in which the regulatory election should have been made, or any taxable years affected by the election had it been timely made, are closed by the period of limitations on assessment under § 6501(a) before the taxpayer's receipt of a ruling granting relief under this section.

ANALYSIS

The representations made and information provided by Taxpayer establishes that Taxpayer acted reasonably and in good faith. Taxpayer has shown that it intended to make the § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election and would have but for the inadvertent mistake by its tax professional on whom Taxpayer reasonably relied. Taxpayer requested this relief before failure to make the election was discovered by the Service. Taxpayer does not seek to alter a return position for which an accuracy-related penalty could be imposed under § 6662 at the time Taxpayer's request for relief. Taxpayer has also represented that it did not affirmatively choose to decline making the § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election and is not using hindsight in requesting relief.

In addition, an extension of time granted to Taxpayer will not prejudice the interests of the Government. Based on representations made by the Taxpayer, granting the request for relief will not provide Taxpayer with a lower tax liability in the aggregate for all taxable years to which the election applies than Taxpayer would have had if the election was timely made. As such, granting an extension to make the § 168(h)(6)(F)(ii) election does not prejudice the interests of the Government.

CONCLUSION

Based solely on the facts as represented and the applicable law, we conclude that the requirements of §§ 301.9100-1 and 301.9100-3 have been met. Taxpayer is granted an extension of 45 days from the date of this ruling to file the election statement with the appropriate service center containing the information required in § 301.9100-7T(a)(3). Taxpayer must attach a copy of this letter to the election statement.

A copy of this ruling should be attached to Taxpayer's federal tax returns for the tax years affected. Alternatively, taxpayers filing their returns electronically may satisfy this requirement by attaching a statement to their return that provides the date and control number of the letter ruling.

The ruling contained in this letter is based upon information and representations submitted by Taxpayer, accompanied by a penalty of perjury statements executed by an appropriate party, and on other affidavits. This office has not verified any of the material submitted in support of the request for a ruling. However, as part of an examination process, the Service may verify the factual information, representations, and other data submitted.

Except as expressly provided herein, no opinion is expressed or implied concerning the tax consequences of any aspect of any transaction or item discussed or referenced in this letter.

This ruling is directed only to the taxpayer requesting it. Section 6110(k)(3) provides that it may not be used or cited as precedent.

Pursuant to the Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representation, on file, we are sending a copy of this letter to Taxpayer's authorized representative.

Sincerely,

Ronald J. Goldstein
Senior Technician Reviewer, Branch 4
(Income Tax & Accounting)