26 CFR §1.47-1

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(a)General rule
1. (1)In general.
  1. (i)If during the taxable year any section 38 property the basis (or cost) of which was taken into account, under paragraph (a) of § 1.46-3, in computing the taxpayer's qualified investment is disposed of, or otherwise ceases to be section 38 property or becomes public utility property (as defined in paragraph (g) of § 1.46-3) or is a qualifying commuter highway vehicle (as defined in paragraph (a) of § 1.46-11) which undergoes a change in use (as defined in paragraph (m)(2) of this section) with respect to the taxpayer, before the close of the estimated useful life (as determined under subparagraph (2)(i) of this paragraph) which was taken into account in computing such qualified investment, then the credit earned for the credit year (as defined in subdivision (ii)(a) of this subparagraph) shall be recomputed under the principles of paragraph (a) of § 1.46-1 and paragraph (a) of § 1.46-3 substituting, in lieu of the estimated useful life of the property that was taken into account originally in computing qualified investment, the actual useful life of the property as determined under subparagraph (2)(ii) of this paragraph. There shall also be recomputed under the principles of §§ 1.46-1 and 1.46-2 the credit allowed for the credit year and for any other taxable year affected by reason of the reduction in credit earned for the credit year, giving effect to such reduction in the computation of carryovers or carrybacks of unused credit. If the recomputation described in the preceding sentence results in the aggregate in a decrease (taking into account any recomputations under this paragraph in respect of prior recapture years, as defined in subdivision (ii)(b) of this subparagraph) in the credits allowed for the credit year and for any other taxable year affected by the reduction in credit earned for the credit year, then the income tax for the recapture year shall be increased by the amount of such decrease in credits allowed. For treatment of such increase in tax, see paragraph (b) of this section. For rules relating to “disposition” and “cessation”, see § 1.47-2. For rules relating to certain exceptions to the application of this section, see § 1.47-3. For special rules in the case of an electing small business corporation (as defined in section 1371(b)), an estate or trust, or a partnership, see respectively, §§ 1.47-4, 1.47-5, or 1.47-6. For rules applicable to energy property, see paragraph (h) of this section. For special rules relating to recomputation of credit allowed by section 38 if progress expenditure property (as defined in § 1.46-5(d)) ceases to be progress expenditure property with respect to the taxpayer, see paragraph (g) of this section.
  2. (ii)For purposes of this section and §§ 1.47-2 through 1.47-6—
    1. (a)The term “credit year” means the taxable year in which section 38 property was taken into account in computing a taxpayer's qualified investment.
    2. (b)The term “recapture year” means the taxable year in which section 38 property the basis (or cost) of which was taken into account in computing a taxpayer's qualified investment is disposed of, or otherwise ceases to be section 38 property or becomes public utility property with respect to the taxpayer, before the close of the estimated useful life which was taken into account in computing such qualified investment.
    3. (c)The term “recapture determination” means a recomputation made under this paragraph.
2. (2)Rules for applying subparagraph (1). For purposes of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph—
  1. (i)In determining whether section 38 property is disposed of, or otherwise ceases to be section 38 property with respect to the taxpayer, before the close of the estimated useful life which was taken into account in computing the taxpayer's qualified investment, the term “estimated useful life” means the shortest life of the useful life category within which falls the estimated useful life which was assigned to such property under paragraph (e) of § 1.46-3. Thus, section 38 property which is assigned, under paragraph (e) of § 1.46-3, an estimated useful life of 6 years shall not be treated, for purposes of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, as having been disposed of before the close of its estimated useful life if such property is sold 5 years (that is, the shortest life of the 5 years or more but less than 7 years useful life category) after the date on which it was placed in service. Likewise, section 38 property with an estimated useful life of 15 years which is placed in service on January 1, 1972, shall not be treated as having been disposed of before the close of its estimated useful life if such property is sold at any time after January 1, 1979 (that is, 7 years or more after the date on which it was placed in service).
  2. (ii)In determining the recomputed qualified investment with respect to property which is disposed of or otherwise ceases to be section 38 property the term “actual useful life” means, except as otherwise provided in this section and §§ 1.47-2 through 1.47-6, the period beginning with the date on which the property was placed in service by the taxpayer and ending with the date of such disposition or cessation. See paragraph (c) of this section.
  3. (iii)In determining the recomputed qualified investment with respect to property which ceases to be section 38 property with respect to the taxpayer after August 15, 1971, or which becomes public utility property after such date, such property shall be treated as if it were property described in section 50 at the time it was placed in service (whether or not it was property described in section 50 at such time). Thus, if property was placed in service on October 15, 1968, and was assigned an estimated useful life of 4 years, there would be no increase in tax under section 47 if the property were disposed of at any time after October 14, 1971, that is, 3 years or more after the property was placed in service.
(b)Increase in income tax and reduction of investment credit carryover
1. (1)Increase in tax. Except as provided in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, any increase in income tax under this section shall be treated as income tax imposed on the taxpayer by chapter 1 of the Code for the recapture year notwithstanding that without regard to such increase the taxpayer has no income tax liability, has a net operating loss for such taxable year, or no income tax return was otherwise required for such taxable year.
2. (2)Special rule. Any increase in income tax under this section shall not be treated as income tax imposed on the taxpayer by chapter 1 of the Code for purposes of determining the amount of the credits allowable to such taxpayer under—
  1. (i)Section 33 (relating to taxes of foreign countries and possessions of United States),
  2. (ii)Section 34 (relating to dividends received by individuals before January 1, 1965),
  3. (iii)Section 35 (relating to partially tax-exempt interest received by individuals),
  4. (iv)Section 37 (relating to retirement income), and
  5. (v)Section 38 (relating to investment in certain depreciable property).
3. (3)Reduction in credit allowed as a result of a net operating loss carryback.
  1. (i)If a net operating loss carryback from the recapture year or from any taxable year subsequent to the recapture year reduces the amount allowed as a credit under section 38 for any taxable year up to and including the recapture year, then there shall be a new recapture determination under paragraph (a) of this section for each recapture year affected, taking into account the reduced amount of credit allowed after application of the net operating loss carryback.
  2. (ii)Subdivision (i) of this subparagraph may be illustrated by the following examples:
4. (4)Statement of recomputation. The taxpayer shall attach to his income tax return for the recapture year a separate statement showing in detail the computation of the increase in income tax imposed on such taxpayer by chapter 1 of the Code and the reduction in any investment credit carryovers.
(c)Date placed in service and date of disposition or cessation
1. (1)General rule. For purposes of this section and §§ 1.47-2 through 1.47-6, in determining the actual useful life of section 38 property—
  1. (i)Such property shall be treated as placed in service on the first day of the month in which such property is placed in service. The month in which property is placed in service shall be determined under the principles of paragraph (d) of § 1.46-3.
  2. (ii)If during the taxable year such property ceases to be section 38 property with respect to the taxpayer—
    1. (a)As a result of the occurrence of an event on a specific date (for example, a sale, transfer, retirement or other disposition), such cessation shall be treated as having occurred on the actual date of such event.
    2. (b)For any reason other than the occurrence of an event on a specific date (for example, because such property is used predominantly in connection with the furnishing of lodging during such taxable year), such cessation shall be treated as having occurred on the first day of such taxable year.
2. (2)Special rule. Notwithstanding subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, if a taxpayer uses an averaging convention (see § 1.167(a)(10)) in computing depreciation with respect to section 38 property, then, for purposes of this section and §§ 1.47-2 through 1.47-6, he may use the assumed dates of additions and retirements in determining the actual useful life of such property provided such assumed dates are used consistently for purposes of subpart B of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Code with respect to all section 38 property for which such convention is used for purposes of depreciation. This subparagraph shall not apply in any case where from all the facts and circumstances it appears that the use of such assumed dates results in a substantial distortion of the investment credit allowed by section 38. Thus, for example, if the taxpayer computes depreciation under a convention under which the average of the beginning and ending balances of the asset account for the taxable year are taken into account, he may use July 1 as the assumed date of all additions and retirements to such account. Similarly, if the taxpayer computes depreciation under a convention under which the average of the beginning and ending balances of the asset account for each month is taken into account, he may use the date determined by reference to the weighted average of the monthly averages as the assumed date of all additions and retirements to such account.
3. (3)Example. This paragraph may be illustrated by the following example:
(d)Examples. Paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:
(e)Identification of property
1. (1)General rule
  1. (i)Record requirements. In general, the taxpayer must maintain records from which he can establish, with respect to each item of section 38 property, the following facts:
    1. (a)The date the property is disposed of or otherwise ceases to be section 38 property,
    2. (b)The estimated useful life which was assigned to the property under paragraph (e) of § 1.46-3,
    3. (c)The month and the taxable year in which the property was placed in service, and
    4. (d)The basis (or cost), actually or reasonably determined, of the property.
  2. (ii)Recapture determination. For purposes of determining whether section 38 property is disposed of, or otherwise ceases to be section 38 property with respect to the taxpayer, before the close of its estimated useful life, and for purposes of determining recomputed qualified investment, the taxpayer must establish from his records the facts required by subdivision (i) of this subparagraph.
  3. (iii)Examples. If the taxpayer fails to maintain records from which he can establish the facts required by subdivision (i) of this subparagraph, then this section shall be applied to the taxpayer in the manner indicated in the following examples:
2. (2)Treatment of “mass assets”.
  1. (i)If, in the case of mass assets (as defined in subparagraph (4) of this paragraph), it is impracticable for the taxpayer to maintain records from which he can establish with respect to each item of section 38 property the facts required by subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, and if he adopts other reasonable recordkeeping practices, consonant with good accounting and engineering practices, and consistent with his prior recordkeeping practices, then he may substitute data from an appropriate mortality dispersion table. An appropriate mortality dispersion table must be based on an acceptable sampling of the taxpayer's actual experience or other acceptable statistical or engineering techniques. In lieu of such mortality dispersion table, the taxpayer may use a standard mortality dispersion table prescribed by the Commissioner. If the taxpayer uses such standard mortality dispersion table for any taxable year, it must be used for all subsequent taxable years unless the taxpayer obtains the consent of the Commissioner to change. If mass assets are placed in a multiple asset account and if the depreciation rate for such account is based on the maximum expected life of the longest lived asset in such account, in applying a mortality dispersion table (including a standard mortality dispersion table) the average expected useful life of the mass assets in such account must be used.
  2. (ii)Subdivision (i) of this subparagraph shall not apply with respect to assets placed in service in a taxable year ending on or after June 30, 1967, and beginning before January 1, 1971, or with respect to assets placed in service for a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1970, for which the taxpayer has not made the election provided by section 167(m), unless the estimated useful lives which were assigned to such assets for purposes of determining qualified investment—
    1. (a)Were separate lives based on the estimated range of years taken into account in establishing the average useful life of assets similar in kind under paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(b) of § 1.46-3, and
    2. (b)Were determined by use of a mortality dispersion table (including a standard mortality dispersion table).
  3. (iii)Any standard mortality dispersion table prescribed by the Commissioner shall be based on average useful life categories and with respect to each category shall contain five columns, the first four of which shall state the percentage of property assumed to have a useful life of—
  4. (iv)Whenever the standard mortality dispersion table is used for a taxable year under subdivision (i) of this subparagraph (whether or not such table was used in determining qualified investment), the percentage of property shown in column (1) of the table shall (for purposes of section 47, this section, and §§ 1.47-2 through 1.47-6) be deemed to have been disposed of on the day before the expiration of the 4-year period beginning on the date on which it was considered as placed in service under § 1.47-1(c); the percentage of property shown in column (2) of the table shall be deemed to have been disposed of on the day before the expiration of the 6-year period beginning on the date on which it was so considered as placed in service; and the percentage of property shown in column (3) shall be deemed to have been disposed of on the day before the expiration of the 8-year period beginning on the date on which it was so considered as placed in service. In applying this subdivision for purposes of recomputing qualified investment, the proper average useful life category shall be used whether or not such category was used in determining qualified investment. In the case of property which is described in section 50 or property which is treated as property described in section 50 under paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section (other than property the qualified investment with respect to which was determined by use of the standard or an appropriate mortality dispersion table), this subdivision shall be applied by substituting “3-year period” for “4-year period”, “5-year period” for “6-year period”, and “7-year period” for “8-year period”.
  5. (v)In lieu of using subdivision (iv) of this subparagraph for purposes of recomputing qualified investment, a taxpayer may, for the first recapture year (as defined in paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(b) of this section) to which such subdivision (iv) would otherwise apply with respect to any mass asset account, recompute qualified investment on the basis of the difference between (a) the proper total qualified investment based on the percentage shown in column (5) of the table, and (b) the total qualified investment actually claimed by the taxpayer for the year in which the property was placed in service.
  6. (vi)Subdivision (i) of this subparagraph shall not apply with respect to section 38 property to which an election under section 167(m) applies unless the taxpayer assigns actual retirements of such section 38 property for all taxable years to the same vintage account for purposes of section 47 and for purposes of computing the allowance for depreciation under section 167. The assignment of actual retirements of section 38 property for a taxable year to particular vintage accounts may be made on the basis of an appropriate mortality dispersion table (based on an acceptable sampling of the taxpayer's actual experience or other statistical or engineering techniques) or on the basis of a standard mortality dispersion table prescribed by the Commissioner. If the taxpayer assigns actual retirements for any taxable year to particular vintage accounts on the basis of such standard mortality dispersion table, actual retirements for all subsequent taxable years must be assigned to particular vintage accounts on the basis of such table. Actual retirements of section 38 property for a taxable year shall be assigned to particular vintage accounts by—
    1. (a)Determining the expected retirements for such taxable year from each vintage account containing such section 38 property, and
    2. (b)Ratably allocating such actual retirements to each vintage account containing such section 38 property.
3. (3)Special rules.
  1. (i)Taxpayers who properly determine estimated useful lives under § 1.46-3(e)(3) (ii)(b) or (iii) may treat such assets as having been disposed of or having ceased to be section 38 assets in the order of the estimated useful lives that were assigned to such assets. Thus, the asset that is first disposed of or first ceases to be section 38 property may be treated as the asset to which there was assigned the shortest estimated useful life; the next asset disposed of or ceasing to be section 38 property may be treated as the asset to which there was assigned the second shortest life, etc.
  2. (ii)In the case of taxpayers who use the rule of subdivision (i) of this subparagraph with respect to mass assets for which the estimated useful life was determined under § 1.46-3(e)(3)(iii), if the dispersion shown by the mortality dispersion table effective for a taxable year subsequent to the credit year is the same as the dispersion shown by the mortality table that was effective for the credit year (for example, if the same average useful life on the standard mortality dispersion table reflects the taxpayer's experience for both such years), no recapture determination is required for such subsequent taxable year.
  3. (iii)Notwithstanding subdivision (i) of this subparagraph, taxpayers who, for purposes of determining qualified investment, do not use a mortality dispersion table with respect to certain section 38 assets similar in kind but who consistently assign under paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(b) of § 1.46-3 to such assets separate lives based on the estimated range of years taken into consideration in establishing the average useful life of such assets, may select the order in which such assets shall be considered as having been disposed of, regardless of the taxable years in which such assets were placed in service. If a taxpayer uses the method provided in this subdivision to determine that any asset is considered as having been disposed of, then, in addition to complying with the record requirements of subparagraph (1)(i) of this paragraph, such taxpayer must maintain records from which he can establish to the satisfaction of the district director that such asset has not previously been considered as having been disposed of. In addition, if, for any taxable year, a taxpayer uses the method provided in this subdivision for any asset, he must use for such year and for each subsequent taxable year (unless he obtains the district director's consent to change) with respect to all assets similar in kind to such asset—
    1. (a)The method of determining estimated useful lives described in paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(b) of § 1.46-3, and
    2. (b)The method he has selected under this subdivision for determining the order in which such assets are considered as having been disposed of.
  4. (iv)Notwithstanding subdivisions (i), (ii), and (iii) of this subparagraph, there shall be taken into account separately any abnormal retirement of section 38 property of substantial value for which the estimated useful life was determined under § 1.46-3(e)(3) (ii)(b) or (iii). For definition of abnormal retirement, see paragraph (b) of § 1.167(a)-8.
4. (4)[Reserved]
5. (5)Example. This paragraph may be illustrated by the following example:
(f)Public utility property
1. (1)Recomputed qualified investment. In recomputing qualified investment with respect to section 38 property which becomes public utility property (as defined in paragraph (g) of § 1.46-3)—
  1. (i)If such property becomes public utility property less than 3 years from the date on which it was placed in service, then such property shall be treated as public utility property for its entire useful life.
  2. (ii)If such property becomes public utility property 3 years or more but less than 5 years from the date on which it was placed in service, then such property shall be treated as section 38 property which is not public utility property for the first 3 years of its estimated useful life and as public utility property for the remaining period of its estimated useful life.
  3. (iii)If such property becomes public utility property 5 years or more but less than 7 years from the date on which it was placed in service, then such property shall be treated as section 38 property which is not public utility property for the first 5 years of its estimated useful life and as public utility property for the remaining period of its estimated useful life.
2. (2)Examples. Subparagraph (1) of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:
(g)Special rules for progress expenditure property. Under section 47(a)(3), a recapture determination is required if property ceases to be progress expenditure property (as defined in § 1.46-5(d)). Property ceases to be progress expenditure property if it is sold or otherwise disposed of before it is placed in service. For example, cancellation of the contract for progress expenditure property or abandonment of the project by the taxpayer will be considered a “disposition” within the meaning of § 1.47-2. A cessation occurs if progress expenditure property ceases to be property that will be section 38 property with a useful life of 7 years or more when placed in service. In general, a sale and leaseback is treated as a cessation. However, see paragraph (g)(2) of § 1.47-3 for special rules for certain sale and leaseback transactions. Recapture determinations for progress expenditure property are to be made in a way similar to that provided under §§ 1.47-1 through 1.47-6. Reduction of qualified investment must begin with the most recent credit year (i.e., the most recent taxable year the property is taken into account in computing qualified investment under § 1.46-3 or 1.46-5).
(h)Special rules for energy property
1. (1)In general. A recapture determination is required for the investment credit attributable to the energy percentage (energy credit) if property is (i) disposed of or (ii) otherwise ceases to be energy property (as defined in section 48(l)) with regard to the taxpayer before the close of the estimated useful life (as determined under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section) which was taken into account in computing qualified investment.
2. (2)Dispositions. The term “disposition” is described in § 1.47-2(a)(1). A transfer of energy property that is a “disposition” requiring a recapture determination for the investment credit attributable to the regular percentage (regular credit) and the ESOP percentage (ESOP credit) will also be a “disposition” requiring a recapture determination for the energy credit.
3. (3)Cessation.
  1. (i)The term “cessation” is described in § 1.47-2(a)(2). For energy property, a cessation occurs during a taxable year if, by reason of a change in use or otherwise, the property would not have qualified for an energy credit if placed in service during that year. A change in use will not require a recapture determination for the regular or ESOP credit unless, by reason of the change, the property would not have qualified for the regular or ESOP credit if placed in service during that year.
  2. (ii)A qualified intercity bus described in § 1.48-9(q) must meet the predominant use test (of § 1.48-9(q)(7)) for the remainder of the taxable year from the date it is placed in service and for each taxable year thereafter. A cessation occurs in any taxable year in which the bus is no longer a qualifying bus under § 1.48-9(q)(6). A qualified intercity bus does not cease to be energy property for a taxable year subsequent to the one in which it was placed in service by reason of a decrease in operating capacity (see § 1.48-9(q)(9)) for that year compared to any prior taxable year.
4. (4)Recordkeeping requirement. For recordkeeping requirements with respect to dispositions or cessations, the rules of paragraph (e)(1) of this section apply. For example, the taxpayer must maintain records for each recycling facility indicating the percentage of virgin materials used each year. See, § 1.48-9(g)(5)(ii).
5. (5)Examples. The following examples illustrate this paragraph (h).
  1. (i)-(l) [Reserved]
(m)Commuter highway vehicles
1. (1)Recomputed qualified investment.
  1. (i)If a qualifying commuter highway vehicle (as defined in § 1.46-11(a) undergoes a change in use but does not cease to be section 38 property, qualified investment for that vehicle is recomputed as if the vehicle was section 38 property which is not a qualifying commuter highway vehicle for its entire useful life.
  2. (ii)The following example illustrates this paragraph (m)(1).
2. (2)Change in use
  1. (i)A qualifying commuter highway vehicle undergoes a change in use if the vehicle does not meet the commuter use requirement (as defined in § 1.46-11(d)) for each computation period.
  2. (ii)Each of the following is a computation period:
    1. (A)The period beginning on the date the vehicle was placed in service and ending on the last day of the taxpayer's taxable year in which the vehicle was placed in service;
    2. (B)Each of the taxpayer's taxable years beginning after the date the vehicle was placed in service and ending before the end of the first 36 months after the vehicle was placed in service; and
    3. (C)The period ending at the end of the first 36 months after the vehicle was placed in service and beginning on the first day of the taxpayer's taxable year in which the end of those first 36 months falls.
  3. (iii)The following example illustrates this paragraph (m)(2).