Certain Entities Not Treated as Corporations

Pub. L. 99–514, title VI, §646, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2292, as amended by Pub. L. 100–647, title I, §1006(k), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3411, provided that:

"(a) General Rule.—For purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, if the entity described in subsection (b) makes an election under subsection (c), such entity shall be treated as a trust to which subpart E of part 1 of subchapter J of chapter 1 of such Code applies.

"(b) Entity.—An entity is described in this subsection if—

"(1) such entity was created in 1906 as a common law trust and is governed by the trust laws of the State of Minnesota,

"(2) such entity is exclusively engaged in the leasing of mineral property and activities incidental thereto, and

"(3) income interests in such entity are publicly traded as of October 22, 1986, on a national stock exchange.

"(c) Election.—

"(1) In general.—An election under this subsection to have the provisions of this section apply—

"(A) shall be made by the board of trustees of the entity before January 1, 1991, and

"(B) shall not be valid unless accompanied by an agreement described in paragraph (2).

"(2) Agreement.—

"(A) In general.—The agreement described in this paragraph is a written agreement signed by the board of trustees of the entity which provides that the entity will not acquire any additional property other than property described in subparagraph (B).

"(B) Permissible acquisitions.—Property is described in this paragraph if it is—

"(i) surface rights to property the acquisition of which—

     "(I) is necessary to mine mineral rights held on October 22, 1986, and

     "(II) is required by a written binding agreement between the entity and an unrelated person entered into on or before October 22, 1986,

"(ii) surface rights to property which are not described in clause (i) and which—

     "(I) are acquired in an exchange to which section 1031 [probably means section 1031 of this title] applies, and

     "(II) are necessary to mine mineral rights held on October 22, 1986,

"(iii) tangible personal property incidental to the leasing of mineral property and activities incidental thereto, or

"(iv) part of any required reserves of the entity.

"(3) Beginning of period for which election is in effect.—The period during which an election is in effect under this subsection shall begin on the 1st day of the 1st taxable year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 22, 1986] and following the taxable year in which the election is made.

"(4) Manner of election.—Any election under this subsection shall be made in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate may prescribe.

"(d) Special Rules for Taxation of Trust.—

"(1) Election treated as a liquidation.—If an election is made under subsection (c) with respect to any entity—

"(A) such entity shall be treated as having been liquidated into a trust immediately before the period described in subsection (c)(3) in a liquidation to which section 333 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (as in effect before the amendments made by this Act) applies, and

"(B) for purposes of section 333 of such Code (as so in effect)—

"(i) any person holding an income interest in such entity as of such time shall be treated as a qualified electing shareholder, and

"(ii) the earnings and profits, and the value of money or stock or securities, of such entity shall be apportioned ratably among persons described in clause (i).

The amendments made by subtitle D of this title [subtitle D (§§631–634) of title VI of Pub. L. 99–514, see Tables for classification] and section 1804 of this Act [see Tables for classification] shall not apply to any liquidation under this paragraph.

"(2) Termination of election.—If an entity ceases to be described in subsection (b) or violates any term of the agreement described in subsection (c)(2), the entity shall, for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, be treated as a corporation for the taxable year in which such cessation or violation occurs and for all subsequent taxable years.

"(3) Trust ceasing to exist.—Paragraph (2) shall not apply if the trust ceases to be described in subsection (b) or violates the agreement in subsection (c)(2) because the trust ceases to exist.

"(e) Special Rule for Persons Holding Income Interests.—In applying subpart E of part I of subchapter J of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to any entity to which this section applies—

"(1) a reversionary interest shall not be taken into account until it comes into possession, and

"(2) all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit shall be allocated to persons holding income interests for the period of the allocation."