IRS Attacks 'Intermediary Transactions' Tax Shelter.

Notice 2001-16

[1] The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department have become aware of certain types of transactions, described below, that are being marketed to taxpayers for the avoidance of federal income taxes. The Service and Treasury are issuing this notice to alert taxpayers and their representatives of certain responsibilities that may arise from participation in these transactions.

[2] These transactions generally involve four parties: seller (X) who desires to sell stock of a corporation (T), an intermediary corporation (M), and buyer (Y) who desires to purchase the assets (and not the stock) of T. Pursuant to a plan, the parties undertake the following steps. X purports to sell the stock of T to M. T then purports to sell some or all of its assets to Y. Y claims a basis in the T assets equal to Y's purchase price. Under one version of this transaction, T is included as a member of the affiliated group that includes M, which files a consolidated return, and the group reports losses (or credits) to offset the gain (or tax) resulting from T's sale of assets. In another form of the transaction, M may be an entity that is not subject to tax, and M liquidates T (in a transaction that is not covered by section 337(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code or section 1.337(d)-4) of the Income Tax Regulations, resulting in no reported gain on M's sale of T's assets.

[3] Depending on the facts of the particular case, the Service may challenge the purported tax results of these transactions on several grounds, including but not limited to one of the following: (1) M is an agent for X, and consequently for tax purposes T has sold assets while T is still owned by X, (2) M is an agent for Y, and consequently for tax purposes Y has purchased the stock of T from X, or (3) the transaction is otherwise properly recharacterized (e.g., to treat X as having sold assets or to treat T as having sold assets while T is still owned by X). Alternatively, the Service may examine M's consolidated group to determine whether it may properly offset losses (or credits) against the gain (or tax) from the sale of assets.

[4] The Service may impose penalties on participants in these transactions, or, as applicable, on persons who participate in the promotion or reporting of these transactions, including the accuracy- related penalty under section 6662, the return preparer penalty under section 6694, the promoter penalty under section 6700, and the aiding and abetting penalty under section 6701.

[5] Transactions that are the same as or substantially similar to those described in the Notice 2001-16 are identified as "listed transactions" for the purposes of section 1.6011-4T(b)(2) of the Temporary Income Tax Regulations and section 301.6111-2T(b)(2) of the Temporary Procedure and Administration Regulations. See also section 301.6112-1T, A-4. It should be noted that, independent of their classification as "listed transactions" for purposes of sections 1.6011-4T(b)(2) and 301.6111-2T(b)(2), such transactions may already be subject to the tax shelter registration and list maintenance requirements of sections 6111 and 6112 under the regulations issued in February 2000 (sections 301.6111-2T and 301.6112-1T, A-4). Persons required to register these tax shelters who have failed to register the shelters may be subject to the penalty under section 6707(a) and to the penalty under section 6708(a) if the requirements of section 6112 are not satisfied.

[6] For further information regarding this notice, contact Theresa Abell, of the Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Corporate), on (202)622-7700 (not a toll-free call).