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Sec. 1.1031(d)-2 Treatment of assumption of liabilities.

For the purposes of section 1031(d), the amount of any liabilities of the taxpayer assumed by the other party to the exchange (or of any liabilities to which the property exchanged by the taxpayer is subject) is to be treated as money received by the taxpayer upon the exchange, whether or not the assumption resulted in a recognition of gain or loss to the taxpayer under the law applicable to the year in which the exchange was made. The application of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:

Example (1). B, an individual, owns an apartment house which has an adjusted basis in his hands of $500,000, but which is subject to a mortgage of $150,000. On September 1, 1954, he transfers the apartment house to C, receiving in exchange therefor $50,000 in cash and another apartment house with a fair market value on that date of $600,000. The transfer to C is made subject to the $150,000 mortgage. B realizes a gain of $300,000 on the exchange, computed as follows:

Value of property received

$600,000

Cash

50,000

Liabilities subject to which old property was transferred

150,000

Total consideration received

800,000

Less: Adjusted basis of property transferred

500,000

Gain realized

300,000

Under section 1031(b), $200,000 of the $300,000 gain is recognized. The basis of the apartment house acquired by B upon the exchange is $500,000, computed as follows: Adjusted basis of property transferred

500,000

Less: Amount of money received:

 

 

Cash

$50,000

 

Amount of liabilities subject to which property was transferred

150,000

 

 

___

200,000

Difference

 

300,000

Plus: Amount of gain recognized upon the exchange

200,000

Basis of property acquired upon the exchange

500,000

Example (2).

(a) D, an individual, owns an apartment house. On December 1, 1955, the apartment house owned by D has an adjusted basis in his hands of $100,000, a fair market value of $220,000, but is subject to a mortgage of $80,000. E, an individual, also owns an apartment house. On December 1, 1955, the apartment house owned by E has an adjusted basis of $175,000, a fair market value of $250,000, but is subject to a mortgage of $150,000. On December 1, 1955, D transfers his apartment house to E, receiving in exchange therefore $40,000 in cash and the apartment house owned by E. Each apartment house is transferred subject to the mortgage on it.

(b) D realizes a gain of $120,000 on the exchange, computed as follows:

Value of property received

 

$250,000

Cash

40,000

Liabilities subject to which old property was transferred

80,000

Total consideration received

370,000

Less:

 

 

Adjusted basis of property transferred

$100,000

 

Liabilities to which new property is subject

150,000

 

 

___

250,000

Gain realized

 

120,000

For purposes of section 1031(b), the amount of "other property or money" received by D is $40,000. (Consideration received by D in the form of a transfer subject to a liability of $80,000 is offset by consideration given in the form of a receipt of property subject to a $150,000 liability. Thus, only the consideration received in the form of cash, $40,000, is treated as "other property or money" for purposes of section 1031(b).) Accordingly, under section 1031(b), $40,000 of the $120,000 gain is recognized. The basis of the apartment house acquired by D is $170,000, computed as follows:

Adjusted basis of property transferred

$100,000

Liabilities to which new property is subject

150,000

Total

250,000

Less: Amount of money received: Cash

$40,000

 

Amount of liabilities subject to which property was transferred

80,000

 

 

___

120,000

Difference

130,000

Plus: Amount of gain recognized upon the exchange

40,000

Basis of property acquired upon the exchange

170,000

(c) E realizes a gain of $75,000 on the exchange, computed as follows:

Value of property received

$220,000

Liabilities subject to which old property was transferred

150,000

Total consideration received

370,000

Less:

 

Adjusted basis of property transferred

$175,000

 

Cash

40,000

 

Liabilities to which new property is subject

80,000

 

 

___

295,000

Gain realized

75,000

For purposes of section 1031(b), the amount of "other property or money" received by E is $30,000. (Consideration received by E in the form of a transfer subject to a liability of $150,000 is offset by consideration given in the form of a receipt of property subject to an $80,000 liability and by the $40,000 cash paid by E. Although consideration received in the form of cash or other property is not offset by consideration given in the form of an assumption of liabilities or a receipt of property subject to a liability, consideration given in the form of cash or other property is offset against consideration received in the form of an assumption of liabilities or a transfer of property subject to a liability.) Accordingly, under section 1031(b), $30,000 of the $75,000 gain is recognized. The basis of the apartment house acquired by E is $175,000, computed as follows:

Adjusted basis of property transferred

$175,000

Cash

40,000

Liabilities to which new property is subject

80,000

Total

295,000

Less: Amount of money received: Amount of liabilities subject to which property was transferred

$150,000

 

 

___

150,000

Difference

145,000

Plus: Amount of gain recognized upon the exchange

30,000

Basis of property acquired upon the exchange

175,000

[Adopted by T.D. 6210, 21 FR 8536, Nov. 7, 1956; republished by T.D. 6500, 25 FR 11910, Nov. 26, 1960.]

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