Title 26Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-73not60

§2704 Treatment of Certain Lapsing Rights and Restrictions

Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle B— Estate and Gift Taxes › Chapter 14— SPECIAL VALUATION RULES › § 2704

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Counts ending or weakening a person’s voting or liquidation rights as a change in value when that person and their family control the company both before and after the change. The taxable amount is the difference between the value of the interests right before the rights ended (as if the rights never ended) and their value right after. The Treasury Secretary can make rules to cover similar kinds of rights. Treats giving an ownership interest to a family member while the family controls the company as a change in value if any rule that limits liquidation later ends or can be removed by the transferor’s family. Ordinary bank loan rules and laws required by government do not count as those limiting rules. “Control” means the definition in section 2701(b)(2). “Member of the family” means spouse, ancestors and descendants, siblings, and their spouses. The rule in section 2701(e)(3) applies to count interests.

Full Legal Text

Title 26, §2704

Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)For purposes of this subtitle, if—
(A)there is a lapse of any voting or liquidation right in a corporation or partnership, and
(B)the individual holding such right immediately before the lapse and members of such individual’s family hold, both before and after the lapse, control of the entity,
(2)For purposes of paragraph (1), the amount determined under this paragraph is the excess (if any) of—
(A)the value of all interests in the entity held by the individual described in paragraph (1) immediately before the lapse (determined as if the voting and liquidation rights were nonlapsing), over
(B)the value of such interests immediately after the lapse.
(3)The Secretary may by regulations apply this subsection to rights similar to voting and liquidation rights.
(b)(1)For purposes of this subtitle, if—
(A)there is a transfer of an interest in a corporation or partnership to (or for the benefit of) a member of the transferor’s family, and
(B)the transferor and members of the transferor’s family hold, immediately before the transfer, control of the entity,
(2)For purposes of this subsection, the term “applicable restriction” means any restriction—
(A)which effectively limits the ability of the corporation or partnership to liquidate, and
(B)with respect to which either of the following applies:
(i)The restriction lapses, in whole or in part, after the transfer referred to in paragraph (1).
(ii)The transferor or any member of the transferor’s family, either alone or collectively, has the right after such transfer to remove, in whole or in part, the restriction.
(3)The term “applicable restriction” shall not include—
(A)any commercially reasonable restriction which arises as part of any financing by the corporation or partnership with a person who is not related to the transferor or transferee, or a member of the family of either, or
(B)any restriction imposed, or required to be imposed, by any Federal or State law.
(4)The Secretary may by regulations provide that other restrictions shall be disregarded in determining the value of the transfer of any interest in a corporation or partnership to a member of the transferor’s family if such restriction has the effect of reducing the value of the transferred interest for purposes of this subtitle but does not ultimately reduce the value of such interest to the transferee.
(c)For purposes of this section—
(1)The term “control” has the meaning given such term by section 2701(b)(2).
(2)The term “member of the family” means, with respect to any individual—
(A)such individual’s spouse,
(B)any ancestor or lineal descendant of such individual or such individual’s spouse,
(C)any brother or sister of the individual, and
(D)any spouse of any individual described in subparagraph (B) or (C).
(3)The rule of section 2701(e)(3) shall apply for purposes of determining the interests held by any individual.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 104–188 substituted “section 2701(e)(3)” for “section 2701(e)(3)(A)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1996 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 104–188 effective, except as otherwise expressly provided, as if included in the provision of the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1990, Pub. L. 101–508, title XI, to which such amendment relates, see section 1702(i) of Pub. L. 104–188, set out as a note under section 38 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

26 U.S.C. § 2704

Title 26Internal Revenue Code

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60