PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

When you buy a stripped bond or a stripped coupon, the buyer must treat it like a newly issued bond bought that day. The bond’s original-issue discount (the amount taxed over time) is the difference between what will be paid at maturity (or when the coupon is due) and the piece’s share of the purchase price. Those shares are figured by their fair market values on the purchase date. If someone removes coupons from a bond and then sells the bond or a coupon, that person must report as income any interest that accrued while they owned it and any accrued market discount not already taxed. They must raise the bond’s and coupons’ tax bases by the amount reported, divide the adjusted basis between what they kept and what they sold by fair market value, and are treated as if they bought the pieces they kept on the sale date for those allocated bases. For tax-exempt bonds, the discount is split into a tax-free part and a taxable part, and slightly different rules apply for reporting accrued interest and adjusting basis. Definitions: bond = any debt note; stripped bond = bond whose coupons were separated; stripped coupon = the separated interest right; stated redemption price = amount paid at maturity; coupon = right to interest; purchase = buying as defined in tax rules. The Treasury can make rules to apply these ideas to funds made mostly of bonds or to fix special cases.

Title 26, §1286

Internal Revenue Code, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Inclusion in income as if bond and coupons were original issue discount bonds

If any person purchases a stripped bond or a stripped coupon, then such bond or coupon while held by such purchaser (or by any other person whose basis is determined by reference to the basis in the hands of such purchaser) shall be treated for purposes of this part as a bond originally issued on the purchase date and having an original issue discount equal to the excess (if any) of— (1)

(2)such bond’s or coupon’s ratable share of the purchase price.

For purposes of paragraph (2), ratable shares shall be determined on the basis of their respective fair market values on the date of purchase.

(b)Tax treatment of person stripping bond

For purposes of this subtitle, if any person strips 1 or more coupons from a bond and disposes of the bond or such coupon—

(1)such person shall include in gross income an amount equal to the sum of—

(A)the interest accrued on such bond while held by such person and before the time such coupon or bond was disposed of (to the extent such interest has not theretofore been included in such person’s gross income), and

(B)the accrued market discount on such bond determined as of the time such coupon or bond was disposed of (to the extent such discount has not theretofore been included in such person’s gross income),

(2)the basis of the bond and coupons shall be increased by the amount included in gross income under paragraph (1),

(3)the basis of the bond and coupons immediately before the disposition (as adjusted pursuant to paragraph (2)) shall be allocated among the items retained by such person and the items disposed of by such person on the basis of their respective fair market values, and

(4)for purposes of subsection (a), such person shall be treated as having purchased on the date of such disposition each such item which he retains for an amount equal to the basis allocated to such item under paragraph (3).

A rule similar to the rule of paragraph (4) shall apply in the case of any person whose basis in any bond or coupon is determined by reference to the basis of the person described in the preceding sentence.

(c)Special rules for tax-exempt obligations

(1)In general

In the case of any tax-exempt obligation (as defined in section 1275(a)(3)) from which 1 or more coupons have been stripped—

(A)the amount of the original issue discount determined under subsection (a) with respect to any stripped bond or stripped coupon—

(i)shall be treated as original issue discount on a tax-exempt obligation to the extent such discount does not exceed the tax-exempt portion of such discount, and

(ii)shall be treated as original issue discount on an obligation which is not a tax-exempt obligation to the extent such discount exceeds the tax-exempt portion of such discount,

(B)subsection (b)(1)(A) shall not apply, and

(C)subsection (b)(2) shall be applied by increasing the basis of the bond or coupon by the sum of—

(i)the interest accrued but not paid before such bond or coupon was disposed of (and not previously reflected in basis), plus

(ii)the amount included in gross income under subsection (b)(1)(B).

(2)Tax-exempt portion

For purposes of paragraph (1), the tax-exempt portion of the original issue discount determined under subsection (a) is the excess of— (A)

(B)an issue price which would produce a yield to maturity as of the purchase date equal to the lower of—

(i)the coupon rate of interest on the obligation from which the coupons were separated, or

(ii)the yield to maturity (on the basis of the purchase price) of the stripped obligation or coupon.

The purchaser of any stripped obligation or coupon may elect to apply clause (i) by substituting “original yield to maturity of” for “coupon rate of interest on”.

(d)Definitions and special rules

For purposes of this section

(1) Bond

(2)Stripped bond

The term “stripped bond” means a bond issued at any time with interest coupons where there is a separation in ownership between the bond and any coupon which has not yet become payable.

(3)Stripped coupon

The term “stripped coupon” means any coupon relating to a stripped bond.

(4)Stated redemption price at maturity

The term “stated redemption price at maturity” has the meaning given such term by section 1273(a)(2).

(5)Coupon

The term “coupon” includes any right to receive interest on a bond (whether or not evidenced by a coupon).

(6)Purchase

The term “purchase” has the meaning given such term by section 1272(d)(1).

(e)Treatment of stripped interests in bond and preferred stock funds, etc.

In the case of an account or entity substantially all of the assets of which consist of bonds, preferred stock, or a combination thereof, the Secretary may by regulations provide that rules similar to the rules of this section and section 305(e), as appropriate, shall apply to interests in such account or entity to which (but for this subsection) this section or section 305(e), as the case may be, would not apply.

(f)Regulation authority

The Secretary may prescribe regulations providing that where, by reason of varying rates of interest, put or call options, or other circumstances, the tax treatment under this section does not accurately reflect the income of the holder of a stripped coupon or stripped bond, or of the person disposing of such bond or coupon, as the case may be, for any period, such treatment shall be modified to require that the proper amount of income be included for such period.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1272(d), referred to in subsec. (d)(6), was redesignated section 1272(c) by Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title IV, § 401(c)(1)(B), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1205.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–141, § 401(c)(2)(B), struck out “after

July 1, 1982,” before “a stripped bond” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–141, § 401(c)(2)(B), struck out “after

July 1, 1982,” before “disposes of the bond” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–141, § 401(c)(2)(A), redesignated subsec. (d) as (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which related to retention of existing law for stripped bonds purchased before

July 2, 1982. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–141, § 401(c)(2)(A), redesignated subsec. (e) as (d). Former subsec. (d) redesignated (c). Subsec. (d)(5). Pub. L. 115–141, § 401(c)(2)(C), struck out at end “This paragraph shall apply for purposes of subsection (c) only in the case of purchases after

July 1, 1982.” Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 115–141, § 401(c)(2)(A), redesignated subsec. (f) as (e). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (d). Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 115–141, § 401(c)(2)(A), redesignated subsec. (g) as (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (e). Pub. L. 115–141, § 401(a)(182), substituted “and section 305(e),” for “and 305(e),”. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 115–141, § 401(c)(2)(A), redesignated subsec. (g) as (f). 2004—Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 108–357 added subsec. (f) and redesignated former subsec. (f) as (g). 1988—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–647 amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: “In the case of any tax-exempt obligation (as defined in section 1275(a)(3)) from which 1 or more coupons have been stripped— “(1) the amount of original issue discount determined under subsection (a) with respect to any stripped bond or stripped coupon from such obligation shall be the amount which produces a yield to maturity (as of the purchase date) equal to the lower of— “(A) the coupon rate of interest on such obligation before the separation of coupons, or “(B) the yield to maturity (on the basis of purchase price) of the stripped obligation or coupon, “(2) the amount of original issue discount determined under paragraph (1) shall be taken into account in determining the adjusted basis of the holder under section 1288, “(3) subsection (b)(1) shall not apply, and “(4) subsection (b)(2) shall be applied by increasing the basis of the bond or coupon by the interest accrued but not paid before the time such bond or coupon was disposed of (and not previously reflected in basis).” 1986—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1803(a)(13)(B)(i), amended par. (1) generally, designating existing provisions as subpar. (A) and adding subpar. (B). Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1803(a)(13)(B)(ii), substituted “the amount included in gross income under paragraph (1)” for “the amount of the accrued interest described in paragraph (1)”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1879(s)(1), amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: “In the case of any tax-exempt obligation (as defined in section 1275(a)(3))— “(1) subsections (a) and (b)(1) shall not apply, “(2) the rules of subsection (b)(4) shall apply for purposes of subsection (c), and “(3) subsection (c) shall be applied without regard to the requirement that the bond be purchased before

July 2, 1982.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by section 401(c)(2)(A)–(C) of Pub. L. 115–141 applicable to bonds purchased on or after July 2, 1982, see section 401(c)(2)(E) of Pub. L. 115–141, set out as a note under section 305 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2004 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 108–357 applicable to purchases and dispositions after Oct. 22, 2004, see section 831(c) of Pub. L. 108–357, set out as a note under section 305 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1988 Amendment Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1018(q)(4)(B), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3586, provided that: “(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), the amendment made by subparagraph (A) [amending this section] shall apply to any purchase or sale after

June 10, 1987, of any stripped tax-exempt obligation or stripped coupon from such an obligation. “(ii) If—“(I) any person held any obligation or coupon in stripped form on

June 10, 1987, and “(II) such obligation or coupon was held by such person on such date for sale in the ordinary course of such person’s trade or business, the amendment made by subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any sale of such obligation or coupon by such person and shall not apply to any such obligation or coupon while held by another person who purchased such obligation or coupon from the person referred to in subclause (I).”

Effective Date

of 1986 AmendmentAmendment by section 1803(a)(13)(B) of Pub. L. 99–514 applicable to obligations acquired after Oct. 22, 1986, see section 1803(a)(13)(C) of Pub. L. 99–514, set out as a note under section 1276 of this title. Pub. L. 99–514, title XVIII, § 1879(s)(2), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2913, provided that: “The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall apply to any purchase or sale of any stripped tax-exempt obligation or stripped coupon from such an obligation after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 22, 1986].”

Effective Date

Section applicable to taxable years ending after July 18, 1984, except as otherwise provided, see section 44 of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as a note under section 1271 of this title. Plan

Amendments

Not Required Until January 1, 1989For provisions directing that if any

Amendments

made by subtitle A or subtitle C of title XI [§§ 1101–1147 and 1171–1177] or title XVIII [§§ 1800–1899A] of Pub. L. 99–514 require an amendment to any plan, such plan amendment shall not be required to be made before the first plan year beginning on or after Jan. 1, 1989, see section 1140 of Pub. L. 99–514, as amended, set out as a note under section 401 of this title.

§1286 Tax Treatment of Stripped Bonds

Summary

Title 26, §1286

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

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Amendments

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Citations & Metadata