Title 26 — Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-73
§731 Extent of recognition of gain or loss on distribution
Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - Income Taxes › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES › Subchapter Subchapter K— - Partners and Partnerships › Part PART II— - CONTRIBUTIONS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TRANSFERS › Subpart Subpart B— - Distributions by a Partnership › § 731
Summary
When a partnership gives a partner property, the partner usually does not have to report a gain or a loss for tax. The partner must report gain only if the cash (or cash-like things called marketable securities) they get is more than their tax basis in the partnership right before the distribution. A partner can claim a loss only when the partner’s interest is being ended (liquidated) and the partner receives only cash and/or special business items called unrealized receivables or inventory; then the loss equals how much the partner’s basis exceeds the cash plus the basis of those receivables or inventory. The partnership itself does not report gain or loss when it gives out property. Marketable securities (actively traded stocks, bonds, foreign money, and similar financial items) count as cash and are valued at their fair market value on the distribution date. There are special rules and exceptions for securities that a partner contributed, for partnerships that are investment-only, and for partners who only contributed investment-type assets. If gain is recognized because of distributed marketable securities, the reported gain increases the securities’ tax basis and may be treated as ordinary income for certain receivables or inventory. Other tax rules (about partnership basis adjustments and certain special items) apply as if no gain were recognized here. Treasury may make rules to carry out these points, and sections about retiring partners, unrealized receivables/inventory, and precontribution gain can override these rules.
Full Legal Text
Title 26, §731
Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)In the case of a distribution by a partnership to a partner—
(1)gain shall not be recognized to such partner, except to the extent that any money distributed exceeds the adjusted basis of such partner’s interest in the partnership immediately before the distribution, and
(2)loss shall not be recognized to such partner, except that upon a distribution in liquidation of a partner’s interest in a partnership where no property other than that described in subparagraph (A) or (B) is distributed to such partner, loss shall be recognized to the extent of the excess of the adjusted basis of such partner’s interest in the partnership over the sum of—
(A)any money distributed, and
(B)the basis to the distributee, as determined under section 732, of any unrealized receivables (as defined in section 751(c)) and inventory (as defined in section 751(d)).
(b)No gain or loss shall be recognized to a partnership on a distribution to a partner of property, including money.
(A)the term “money” includes marketable securities, and
(B)such securities shall be taken into account at their fair market value as of the date of the distribution.
(2)For purposes of this subsection:
(A)The term “marketable securities” means financial instruments and foreign currencies which are, as of the date of the distribution, actively traded (within the meaning of section 1092(d)(1)).
(B)Such term includes—
(i)any interest in—
(I)a common trust fund, or
(II)a regulated investment company which is offering for sale or has outstanding any redeemable security (as defined in section 2(a)(32) of the Investment Company Act of 1940) of which it is the issuer,
(ii)any financial instrument which, pursuant to its terms or any other arrangement, is readily convertible into, or exchangeable for, money or marketable securities,
(iii)any financial instrument the value of which is determined substantially by reference to marketable securities,
(iv)except to the extent provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary, any interest in a precious metal which, as of the date of the distribution, is actively traded (within the meaning of section 1092(d)(1)) unless such metal was produced, used, or held in the active conduct of a trade or business by the partnership,
(v)except as otherwise provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary, interests in any entity if substantially all of the assets of such entity consist (directly or indirectly) of marketable securities, money, or both, and
(vi)to the extent provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary, any interest in an entity not described in clause (v) but only to the extent of the value of such interest which is attributable to marketable securities, money, or both.
(C)The term “financial instrument” includes stocks and other equity interests, evidences of indebtedness, options, forward or futures contracts, notional principal contracts, and derivatives.
(3)(A)Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the distribution from a partnership of a marketable security to a partner if—
(i)the security was contributed to the partnership by such partner, except to the extent that the value of the distributed security is attributable to marketable securities or money contributed (directly or indirectly) to the entity to which the distributed security relates,
(ii)to the extent provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary, the property was not a marketable security when acquired by such partnership, or
(iii)such partnership is an investment partnership and such partner is an eligible partner thereof.
(B)In the case of a distribution of marketable securities to a partner, the amount taken into account under paragraph (1) shall be reduced (but not below zero) by the excess (if any) of—
(i)such partner’s distributive share of the net gain which would be recognized if all of the marketable securities of the same class and issuer as the distributed securities held by the partnership were sold (immediately before the transaction to which the distribution relates) by the partnership for fair market value, over
(ii)such partner’s distributive share of the net gain which is attributable to the marketable securities of the same class and issuer as the distributed securities held by the partnership immediately after the transaction, determined by using the same fair market value as used under clause (i).
(C)For purposes of subparagraph (A)(iii):
(i)The term “investment partnership” means any partnership which has never been engaged in a trade or business and substantially all of the assets (by value) of which have always consisted of—
(I)money,
(II)stock in a corporation,
(III)notes, bonds, debentures, or other evidences of indebtedness,
(IV)interest rate, currency, or equity notional principal contracts,
(V)foreign currencies,
(VI)interests in or derivative financial instruments (including options, forward or futures contracts, short positions, and similar financial instruments) in any asset described in any other subclause of this clause or in any commodity traded on or subject to the rules of a board of trade or commodity exchange,
(VII)other assets specified in regulations prescribed by the Secretary, or
(VIII)any combination of the foregoing.
(ii)A partnership shall not be treated as engaged in a trade or business by reason of—
(I)any activity undertaken as an investor, trader, or dealer in any asset described in clause (i), or
(II)any other activity specified in regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(iii)(I)The term “eligible partner” means any partner who, before the date of the distribution, did not contribute to the partnership any property other than assets described in clause (i).
(II)The term “eligible partner” shall not include the transferor or transferee in a nonrecognition transaction involving a transfer of any portion of an interest in a partnership with respect to which the transferor was not an eligible partner.
(iv)Except as otherwise provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary—
(I)a partnership shall be treated as engaged in any trade or business engaged in by, and as holding (instead of a partnership interest) a proportionate share of the assets of, any other partnership in which the partnership holds a partnership interest, and
(II)a partner who contributes to a partnership an interest in another partnership shall be treated as contributing a proportionate share of the assets of the other partnership.
(4)(A)The basis of marketable securities with respect to which gain is recognized by reason of this subsection shall be—
(i)their basis determined under section 732, increased by
(ii)the amount of such gain.
(B)Any increase in basis attributable to the gain described in subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be allocated to marketable securities in proportion to their respective amounts of unrealized appreciation before such increase.
(5)section 733 and 734 shall be applied as if no gain were recognized, and no adjustment were made to the basis of property, under this subsection.
(6)In the case of a distribution of a marketable security which is an unrealized receivable (as defined in section 751(c)) or an inventory item (as defined in section 751(d)), any gain recognized under this subsection shall be treated as ordinary income to the extent of any increase in the basis of such security attributable to the gain described in paragraph (4)(A)(ii).
(7)The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this subsection, including regulations to prevent the avoidance of such purposes.
(d)This section shall not apply to the extent otherwise provided by section 736 (relating to payments to a retiring partner or a deceased partner’s successor in interest), section 751 (relating to unrealized receivables and inventory items), and section 737 (relating to recognition of precontribution gain in case of certain distributions).
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
section 2(a)(32) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(B)(i)(II), is classified to section 80a–2(a)(32) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.
Amendments
1997—Subsecs. (a)(2)(B), (c)(6). Pub. L. 105–34 substituted “section 751(d)” for “section 751(d)(2)”. 1994—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 103–465 added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d). 1992—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–486 substituted “, section 751” for “and section 751” and inserted before period at end “, and section 737 (relating to recognition of precontribution gain in case of certain distributions)”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1997 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–34 applicable to sales, exchanges, and distributions after Aug. 5, 1997, but not applicable to any sale or exchange pursuant to a written binding contract in effect on June 8, 1997, and at all times thereafter before such sale or exchange, see section 1062(c) of Pub. L. 105–34, set out as a note under section 724 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1994 Amendment Pub. L. 103–465, title VII, § 741(c), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 5009, provided that: “(1) In general.—Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the
Amendments
made by this section [amending this section and section 737 of this title] shall apply to distributions after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 8, 1994]. “(2) Certain distributions before january 1, 1995.—The
Amendments
made by this section shall not apply to any marketable security distributed before
January 1, 1995, by the partnership which held such security on
July 27, 1994. “(3) Distributions in liquidation of partner’s interest.—The
Amendments
made by this section shall not apply to the distribution of a marketable security in liquidation of a partner’s interest in a partnership if—“(A) such liquidation is pursuant to a written contract which was binding on July 15, 1994, and at all times thereafter before the distribution, and “(B) such contract provides for the purchase of such interest not later than a date certain for—“(i) a fixed value of marketable securities that are specified in the contract, or “(ii) other property. The preceding sentence shall not apply if the partner has the right to elect that such distribution be made other than in marketable securities. “(4) Distributions in complete liquidation of publicly traded partnerships.—“(A) In general.—The
Amendments
made by this section shall not apply to the distribution of a marketable security in a qualified partnership liquidation if—“(i) the marketable securities were received by the partnership in a nonrecognition transaction in exchange for substantially all of the assets of the partnership, “(ii) the marketable securities are distributed by the partnership within 90 days after their receipt by the partnership, and “(iii) the partnership is liquidated before the beginning of the 1st taxable year of the partnership beginning after December 31, 1997. “(B) Qualified partnership liquidation.—For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term ‘qualified partnership liquidation’ means—“(i) a complete liquidation of a publicly traded partnership (as defined in section 7704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) which is an existing partnership (as defined in section 10211(c)(2) of the Revenue Act of 1987 [Pub. L. 100–203, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 7704 of this title]), and “(ii) a complete liquidation of a partnership which is related to a partnership described in clause (i) if such liquidation is related to a complete liquidation of the partnership described in clause (i). “(5) Marketable securities.—For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘marketable securities’ has the meaning given such term by section 731(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as added by this section.”
Effective Date
of 1992 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 102–486 applicable to distributions on or after June 25, 1992, see section 1937(c) of Pub. L. 102–486, set out as a note under section 704 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
26 U.S.C. § 731
Title 26 — Internal Revenue Code
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73