The Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 was changed to reflect exchanges between related persons in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989. Subsequent additions were made in the early 1990s that further refined related party 1031 exchange transactions. The reason for the regulations was to prohibit basis shifting between related parties. Basis shifting is when a property with a high adjusted basis is exchanged for a property with a low adjusted basis or a strategy of interdependent steps to avoid or diminish federal income taxes.
Related Party Definition
A related party is defined as any family member of the exchangor including:
- siblings
- spouse
- parents
- lineal descendants
- grandparents
- grantor and fiduciary
- fiduciary and a beneficiary of the same trust
- executor and beneficiaries of the estate
Other related parties include the exchangor and a corporation or partnership where more than 50 percent in stock value is directly or indirectly owned by or for exchangor, or a corporation and a partnership if the same exchangors own more than 50 percent in outstanding stock value of the corporation and more than 50 percent of the capital or profit interest in the partnership.
Selling to Related Party
The disposition of a property to a related party is permissible even if the related party intends to sell the property it acquired from taxpayer within two years per Private Letter Ruling (PLR) 200709036 and PLR 200712013. The property must be held for two years in exchanges between two-party exchanges between related parties and where related party sells replacement property to taxpayer and related party then completes its own exchange.
There are exceptions to the two year rule permitting the sale and not resulting in a failed exchange including:
- Disposition of property following the exchangor’s or related person’s death
- Disposition in a compulsory or involuntary conversion in a Section 1033 given the threat of imminence occurred after the exchange
- Purpose of disposition is not the avoidance of federal income tax.
Acquiring from a Related Party
The exchangor may acquire the replacement property from a related party given the related party is also initiating a 1031 exchange and not cashing out. Do not misinterpret this as the exchangor exchanging property with an unrelated party, acquiring replacement property from related party and holding for two years. Whenever a related party is involved in a 1031 exchange, the exchange must satisfy the non-tax avoidance motive of whether a low tax basis was shifted into high basis property.
Tax Avoidance of Step Transactions
Planned transactions to circumvent related party rules may be considered a step transaction resulting in the 1031 exchange being disallowed. In Kornfeld v. C.I.R., 10th Circuit 1998, the step transaction doctrine was applied to disallow a related party exchange because the taxpayer engaged in a series of steps in addition to the exchange to turn an expenditure for nondepreciable land into depletable, stepped up basis in oil and gas leases.
On Form 8824, Like-Kind Exchanges, line 7, The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) asks whether the property of the exchange was sold to or acquired from a related party. Form 8824 instructions state that if the taxpayer can present to the satisfaction of the IRS, that tax avoidance was not the primary purpose of the exchange, an explanation should be included when filing the form. Otherwise, do not report the transaction on Form 8824 and consider the 1031 exchange disallowed. Recent related party Tax Court cases to consider include Teruya Brothers, Ltd. & Subsidiaries and Ocmulgee Field, Inc.
We Can Help
Atlas 1031 Exchange has been accommodating tax-deferred exchanges of all kinds for more than 17 years. We are fluent in the rules and regulations of IRC Section 1031 and able to help you navigate your exchange.
Contact us today to discuss any questions you may have. Call our office at 1-800-227-1031, email us at info@atlas1031.com, or submit your question through the online form at the top of this page.
