Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2005-10

March 7, 2005


Highlights of This Issue

These synopses are intended only as aids to the reader in identifying the subject matter covered. They may not be relied upon as authoritative interpretations.

INCOME TAX

Rev. Rul. 2005-13 Rev. Rul. 2005-13

Federal rates; adjusted federal rates; adjusted federal long-term rate and the long-term exempt rate. For purposes of sections 382, 642, 1274, 1288, and other sections of the Code, tables set forth the rates for March 2005.

T.D. 9175 T.D. 9175

Temporary and proposed regulations under sections 6011, 6033, and 6037 of the Code affect certain corporations and organizations filing returns. These regulations require certain corporations and organizations to file their Forms 1120, 1120S, 990, and 990-PF electronically. A public hearing on the proposed regulations is scheduled for March 16, 2005.

REG-130671-04 REG-130671-04

Temporary and proposed regulations under sections 6011, 6033, and 6037 of the Code affect certain corporations and organizations filing returns. These regulations require certain corporations and organizations to file their Forms 1120, 1120S, 990, and 990-PF electronically. A public hearing on the proposed regulations is scheduled for March 16, 2005.

T.D. 9177 T.D. 9177

Final regulations under section 6031(a) of the Code allow the Commissioner to publish in the Internal Revenue Bulletin guidance that excepts from the partnership income tax reporting requirements partnerships whose income is primarily from tax-exempt bonds.

EMPLOYEE PLANS

T.D. 9176 T.D. 9176

Final regulations under section 411 of the Code reflect the addition of section 411(d)(6)(E) by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) by amending section 1.411(d)-4, Q&A-2(e) of the regulations. The regulations retain rules under which a defined contribution plan could be amended, but remove the 90-day notice condition.

Rev. Proc. 2005-16 Rev. Proc. 2005-16

This document contains revised procedures for pre-approved plans (master and prototype plans and volume submitter plans). It also provides that the Service will accept applications for opinion and advisory letters beginning February 17, 2005, and ending January 31, 2006, for defined contribution pre-approved plans that take into account the requirements of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) as well as other changes in qualification requirements and guidance. The Service has published a Cumulative List (Notice 2004-84, 2004-52 I.R.B. 1030) reflecting such changes. The List is intended to be used primarily by plan sponsors and practitioners in drafting defined contribution pre-approved plans for their first submission under this procedure. Rev. Proc. 2000-20 modified and superseded. Rev. Procs. 2005-6 and 2005-8 and Announcement 2001-77 modified.

EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS

T.D. 9175 T.D. 9175

Temporary and proposed regulations under sections 6011, 6033, and 6037 of the Code affect certain corporations and organizations filing returns. These regulations require certain corporations and organizations to file their Forms 1120, 1120S, 990, and 990-PF electronically. A public hearing on the proposed regulations is scheduled for March 16, 2005.

REG-130671-04 REG-130671-04

Temporary and proposed regulations under sections 6011, 6033, and 6037 of the Code affect certain corporations and organizations filing returns. These regulations require certain corporations and organizations to file their Forms 1120, 1120S, 990, and 990-PF electronically. A public hearing on the proposed regulations is scheduled for March 16, 2005.

Announcement 2005-16 Announcement 2005-16

A list is provided of organizations now classified as private foundations.

TAX CONVENTIONS

Announcement 2005-17 Announcement 2005-17

U.S.-New Zealand MAP Agreement regarding treatment of income derived through certain fiscally transparent entities. A copy of the news release issued by the Director, International (U.S. Competent Authority), on February 10, 2005, is set forth.

ADMINISTRATIVE

T.D. 9177 T.D. 9177

Final regulations under section 6031(a) of the Code allow the Commissioner to publish in the Internal Revenue Bulletin guidance that excepts from the partnership income tax reporting requirements partnerships whose income is primarily from tax-exempt bonds.

Preface

The IRS Mission

Provide America’s taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and by applying the tax law with integrity and fairness to all.

Introduction

The Internal Revenue Bulletin is the authoritative instrument of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue for announcing official rulings and procedures of the Internal Revenue Service and for publishing Treasury Decisions, Executive Orders, Tax Conventions, legislation, court decisions, and other items of general interest. It is published weekly and may be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents on a subscription basis. Bulletin contents are compiled semiannually into Cumulative Bulletins, which are sold on a single-copy basis.

It is the policy of the Service to publish in the Bulletin all substantive rulings necessary to promote a uniform application of the tax laws, including all rulings that supersede, revoke, modify, or amend any of those previously published in the Bulletin. All published rulings apply retroactively unless otherwise indicated. Procedures relating solely to matters of internal management are not published; however, statements of internal practices and procedures that affect the rights and duties of taxpayers are published.

Revenue rulings represent the conclusions of the Service on the application of the law to the pivotal facts stated in the revenue ruling. In those based on positions taken in rulings to taxpayers or technical advice to Service field offices, identifying details and information of a confidential nature are deleted to prevent unwarranted invasions of privacy and to comply with statutory requirements.

Rulings and procedures reported in the Bulletin do not have the force and effect of Treasury Department Regulations, but they may be used as precedents. Unpublished rulings will not be relied on, used, or cited as precedents by Service personnel in the disposition of other cases. In applying published rulings and procedures, the effect of subsequent legislation, regulations, court decisions, rulings, and procedures must be considered, and Service personnel and others concerned are cautioned against reaching the same conclusions in other cases unless the facts and circumstances are substantially the same.

The Bulletin is divided into four parts as follows:

Part I.—1986 Code. This part includes rulings and decisions based on provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Part II.—Treaties and Tax Legislation. This part is divided into two subparts as follows: Subpart A, Tax Conventions and Other Related Items, and Subpart B, Legislation and Related Committee Reports.

Part III.—Administrative, Procedural, and Miscellaneous. To the extent practicable, pertinent cross references to these subjects are contained in the other Parts and Subparts. Also included in this part are Bank Secrecy Act Administrative Rulings. Bank Secrecy Act Administrative Rulings are issued by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Assistant Secretary (Enforcement).

Part IV.—Items of General Interest. This part includes notices of proposed rulemakings, disbarment and suspension lists, and announcements.

The last Bulletin for each month includes a cumulative index for the matters published during the preceding months. These monthly indexes are cumulated on a semiannual basis, and are published in the last Bulletin of each semiannual period.

Part I. Rulings and Decisions Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986

T.D. 9176

Elimination of Forms of Distribution in Defined Contribution Plans

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 1

AGENCY:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION:

Final regulations.

SUMMARY:

This document contains final regulations that would modify the circumstances under which certain forms of distribution previously available are permitted to be eliminated from qualified defined contribution plans. These final regulations affect qualified retirement plan sponsors, administrators, and participants.

DATES:

These regulations are effective January 25, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Vernon S. Carter, 202-622-6060 (not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

This document contains final amendments to 26 CFR part 1 under section 411(d)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Code) as amended by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) (115 Stat. 117).

Section 411(d)(6)(A) of the Code generally provides that a plan will not be treated as satisfying the requirements of section 411 if the accrued benefit of a participant is decreased by a plan amendment. Section 411(d)(6)(B) prior to amendment by EGTRRA provided that an amendment is treated as reducing an accrued benefit if, with respect to benefits accrued before the amendment is adopted, the amendment has the effect of either eliminating or reducing an early retirement benefit or a retirement-type subsidy, or, except as provided by regulations, eliminating an optional form of benefit.

The IRS published T.D. 8900, 2000-2 C.B. 279 in the Federal Register on September 6, 2000 (65 FR 53901). T.D. 8900, which amended §1.411(d)-4 of the Income Tax Regulations, added paragraph (e) of Q&A-2 to provide for additional circumstances under which a defined contribution plan can be amended to eliminate or restrict a participant’s right to receive payment of accrued benefits under certain optional forms of benefit.

Section 1.411(d)-4, Q&A-2(e)(1), provides that a defined contribution plan may be amended to eliminate or restrict a participant’s right to receive payment of accrued benefits under a particular optional form of benefit without violating the section 411(d)(6) anti-cutback rules if, once the plan amendment takes effect for a participant, the alternative forms of payment that remain available to the participant include payment in a single-sum distribution form that is otherwise identical to the eliminated or restricted optional form of benefit. The amendment cannot apply to a participant for any distribution with an annuity starting date before the earlier of the 90th day after the participant receives a summary that reflects the plan amendment and that satisfies Department of Labor’s requirements for a summary of material modifications under 29 CFR 2520.104b-3, or the first day of the second plan year following the plan year in which the amendment is adopted. Section 1.411(d)-4, Q&A-2(e)(2), provides that a single-sum distribution form is otherwise identical to the optional form of benefit that is being eliminated or restricted only if it is identical in all respects (or would be identical except that it provides greater rights to the participant), except for the timing of payments after commencement. A single-sum distribution form is not otherwise identical to a specified installment form of benefit if the single-sum form:

  • is not available for distribution on any date on which the installment form could have commenced;

  • is not available in the same medium as the installment form; or

  • imposes any additional condition of eligibility.

Further, an otherwise identical distribution form need not retain any rights or features of the eliminated or restricted optional form of benefit to the extent those rights or features would not be protected from elimination under the anti-cutback rules. The single-sum distribution form would not, however, be disqualified from being an otherwise identical distribution form if the single-sum form provides greater rights to participants than did the eliminated or restricted optional form of benefit.

Section 645(a)(1) of EGTRRA added section 411(d)(6)(E), which provides that, except to the extent provided in regulations, a defined contribution plan is not treated as reducing a participant’s accrued benefit where a plan amendment eliminates a form of distribution previously available under the plan if a single-sum distribution is available to the participant at the same time as the form of distribution eliminated by the amendment and the single-sum distribution is based on the same or greater portion of the participant’s account as the form of distribution eliminated by the amendment. Thus, section 411(d)(6)(E) includes conditions that are similar to those in existing §1.411(d)-4, Q&A-2(e), but without the advance notice condition.

On July 8, 2003, a notice of proposed rulemaking (REG-112039-03, 2003-2 C.B. 504 [68 FR 40581]) was published in the Federal Register to reflect the addition of section 411(d)(6)(E) by EGTRRA. The proposed regulations amended §1.411(d)-4, Q&A-2(e) to eliminate the 90-day advance notice condition on plan amendments otherwise permitted under §1.411(d)-4, Q&A-2(e). Following publication of the proposed regulations, comments were received, but no public hearing was requested. After consideration of the comments received, the proposed regulations are adopted as revised by this Treasury decision.

Explanation of Provisions

These final regulations retain the general structure and much of the substance of the proposed regulations, including an example illustrating the provisions. Some changes have been made in connection with a specific recommendation for modification and clarification. The comments received in response to the proposed regulations are generally summarized below.

Two commentators were concerned that, following the elimination of the 90-day notice requirement, plan participants who counted on being able to retire with an annuity could discover that option is suddenly gone. The commentators argued that the participant may have made plans based on the expectation of receiving an annuity, and that, although participants can purchase annuities with their lump sums, they may find that annuities purchased outside the plan cost more or pay lower amounts than what they were expecting from the plan. The commentators recommended that, to the extent plan sponsors adopt amendments that terminate an annuity option, those plan sponsors should allow participants within 90 days of retiring at the time of the amendment to be permitted to elect that annuity.

The legislative history to section 645(a)(1) of EGTRRA shows that Congress was aware of the notice requirement in existing §1.411(d)-4, Q&A-2(e)(2), and adopted all of the same provisions in section 411(d)(6)(E) as are in existing §1.411(d)-4, Q&A-2(e)(2), except for the notice requirement. See Conference Report No. 107-84, 107th Cong., 1st Session 253-254. Accordingly, these final regulations adopt the amendments in the proposed regulation. The regulations retain the rules under which a defined contribution plan may be amended to eliminate or restrict a participant’s right to receive payment of accrued benefits under a particular optional form of benefit without violating the section 411(d)(6) anti-cutback rules if, once the plan amendment takes effect for a participant, the alternative forms of payment that remain available to the participant include payment in a single-sum distribution. The regulations clarify that such an amendment can apply only to distributions with annuity starting dates after the amendment is adopted and, therefore, cannot apply to distributions that have already commenced. However, these final regulations remove the 90-day notice condition previously applicable to these plan amendments.[1]

One commentator commented on the example in §1.411(d)-4, Q&A-2(e), of the proposed regulations. The commentator stated it is not clear from the example why the amendment does not apply to P (the participant in the Plan) if P elects to have annuity payments begin before July 1, 2004. The commentator stated that the confusion may result because the example provided that the amendment is adopted on May 2, 2004, but does not provide when the amendment is effective. The example has been revised to reflect the comment.

Under section 101 of Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1978 (43 FR 47713), the Secretary of the Treasury has interpretive jurisdiction over the subject matter addressed in these regulations for purposes of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Section 204(g)(2) of ERISA, as amended by EGTRRA, provides a parallel rule to section 411(d)(6)(E) of the Code that applies under Title I of ERISA, and authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to provide exception to this parallel ERISA requirement. Therefore, regulations issued under section 411(d)(6)(E) of the Code apply for purposes of the parallel requirements of section 204(g)(2) of ERISA, as well as for section 411(d)(6)(E) of the Code.

Special Analyses

It has been determined that this Treasury decision is not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required. It also has been determined that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply to these regulations, and because the regulation does not impose a collection of information on small entities, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) does not apply. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Code, the notice of proposed rulemaking preceding these regulations was submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on its impact on small business.

Amendments to the Regulations

Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is amended as follows:

Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 is amended to read, in part, as follows:

Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *

Par. 2. Section 1.411(d)-4, Q&A-2(e) is revised to read as follows:

§1.411(d)-4 Section 411(d)(6) protected benefits.

* * * * *

A-2: * * *

(e) Permitted plan amendments affecting alternative forms of payment under defined contribution plans—(1) General rule. A defined contribution plan does not violate the requirements of section 411(d)(6) merely because the plan is amended to eliminate or restrict the ability of a participant to receive payment of accrued benefits under a particular optional form of benefit for distributions with annuity starting dates after the date the amendment is adopted if, after the plan amendment is effective with respect to the participant, the alternative forms of payment available to the participant include payment in a single-sum distribution form that is otherwise identical to the optional form of benefit that is being eliminated or restricted.

(2) Otherwise identical single-sum distribution. For purposes of this paragraph (e), a single-sum distribution form is otherwise identical to an optional form of benefit that is eliminated or restricted pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) of this Q&A-2 only if the single-sum distribution form is identical in all respects to the eliminated or restricted optional form of benefit (or would be identical except that it provides greater rights to the participant) except with respect to the timing of payments after commencement. For example, a single-sum distribution form is not otherwise identical to a specified installment form of benefit if the single-sum distribution form is not available for distribution on the date on which the installment form would have been available for commencement, is not available in the same medium of distribution as the installment form, or imposes any condition of eligibility that did not apply to the installment form. However, an otherwise identical distribution form need not retain rights or features of the optional form of benefit that is eliminated or restricted to the extent that those rights or features would not be protected from elimination or restriction under section 411(d)(6) or this section.

(3) Example. The following example illustrates the application of this paragraph (e):

Example. (i) P is a participant in Plan M, a qualified profit-sharing plan with a calendar plan year that is invested in mutual funds. The distribution forms available to P under Plan M include a distribution of P’s vested account balance under Plan M in the form of distribution of various annuity contract forms (including a single life annuity and a joint and survivor annuity). The annuity payments under the annuity contract forms begin as of the first day of the month following P’s severance from employment (or as of the first day of any subsequent month, subject to the requirements of section 401(a)(9)). P has not previously elected payment of benefits in the form of a life annuity, and Plan M is not a direct or indirect transferee of any plan that is a defined benefit plan or a defined contribution plan that is subject to section 412. Distributions on the death of a participant are made in accordance with plan provisions that comply with section 401(a)(11)(B)(iii)(I). On September 2, 2005, Plan M is amended so that, effective for payments that begin on or after November 1, 2005, P is no longer entitled to any distribution in the form of the distribution of an annuity contract. However, after the amendment is effective, P is entitled to receive a single-sum cash distribution of P’s vested account balance under Plan M payable as of the first day of the month following P’s severance from employment (or as of the first day of any subsequent month, subject to the requirements of section 401(a)(9)).

(ii) Plan M does not violate the requirements of section 411(d)(6) (or section 401(a)(11)) merely because, as of November 1, 2005, the plan amendment has eliminated P’s option to receive a distribution in any of the various annuity contract forms previously available.

(4) Effective date. This paragraph (e) is applicable on January 25, 2005.

* * * * *

Mark E. Matthews,
Deputy Commissioner for
Services and Enforcement
.

Approved January 10, 2005.

Eric Solomon,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (Tax Policy).

Note

(Filed by the Office of the Federal Register on January 24, 2005, 8:45 a.m., and published in the issue of the Federal Register for January 25, 2005, 70 F.R. 3475)

Drafting Information

The principal author of these regulations is Vernon S. Carter of the Office of the Division Counsel/Associate Chief Counsel (Tax Exempt and Government Entities). However, other personnel from the IRS and Treasury participated in their development.

* * * * *



[1] The Department of Labor has advised Treasury and the IRS that plans covered by Title I of ERISA are subject to the requirement under Title I that plan amendments be described in a timely summary of material modifications (SMM) or a revised summary plan description (SPD) to be distributed to plan participants and beneficiaries in accordance with applicable Department of Labor disclosure rules (see 29 CFR 2520.104b-3).

Rev. Rul. 2005-13

Federal rates; adjusted federal rates; adjusted federal long-term rate and the long-term exempt rate. For purposes of sections 382, 642, 1274, 1288, and other sections of the Code, tables set forth the rates for March 2005.

This revenue ruling provides various prescribed rates for federal income tax purposes for March 2005 (the current month). Table 1 contains the short-term, mid-term, and long-term applicable federal rates (AFR) for the current month for purposes of section 1274(d) of the Internal Revenue Code. Table 2 contains the short-term, mid-term, and long-term adjusted applicable federal rates (adjusted AFR) for the current month for purposes of section 1288(b). Table 3 sets forth the adjusted federal long-term rate and the long-term tax-exempt rate described in section 382(f). Table 4 contains the appropriate percentages for determining the low-income housing credit described in section 42(b)(2) for buildings placed in service during the current month. Finally, Table 5 contains the federal rate for determining the present value of an annuity, an interest for life or for a term of years, or a remainder or a reversionary interest for purposes of section 7520.

REV. RUL. 2005-13 TABLE 1
Applicable Federal Rates (AFR) for March 2005
Period for Compounding
Annual Semiannual Quarterly Monthly
Short-term
AFR 3.08% 3.06% 3.05% 3.04%
110% AFR 3.40% 3.37% 3.36% 3.35%
120% AFR 3.70% 3.67% 3.65% 3.64%
130% AFR 4.02% 3.98% 3.96% 3.95%
Mid-term
AFR 3.83% 3.79% 3.77% 3.76%
110% AFR 4.21% 4.17% 4.15% 4.13%
120% AFR 4.60% 4.55% 4.52% 4.51%
130% AFR 4.99% 4.93% 4.90% 4.88%
150% AFR 5.77% 5.69% 5.65% 5.62%
175% AFR 6.74% 6.63% 6.58% 6.54%
Long-term
AFR 4.52% 4.47% 4.45% 4.43%
110% AFR 4.98% 4.92% 4.89% 4.87%
120% AFR 5.43% 5.36% 5.32% 5.30%
130% AFR 5.89% 5.81% 5.77% 5.74%
REV. RUL. 2005-13 TABLE 2
Adjusted AFR for March 2005
Period for Compounding
Annual Semiannual Quarterly Monthly
Short-term adjusted AFR 2.23% 2.22% 2.21% 2.21%
Mid-term adjusted AFR 2.91% 2.89% 2.88% 2.87%
Long-term adjusted AFR 4.09% 4.05% 4.03% 4.02%
REV. RUL. 2005-13 TABLE 3
Rates Under Section 382 for March 2005
Adjusted federal long-term rate for the current month 4.09%
Long-term tax-exempt rate for ownership changes during the current month (the highest of the adjusted federal long-term rates for the current month and the prior two months.) 4.27%
REV. RUL. 2005-13 TABLE 4
Appropriate Percentages Under Section 42(b)(2) for March 2005
Appropriate percentage for the 70% present value low-income housing credit 7.97%
Appropriate percentage for the 30% present value low-income housing credit 3.42%
REV. RUL. 2005-13 TABLE 5
Rate Under Section 7520 for March 2005
Applicable federal rate for determining the present value of an annuity, an interest for life or a term of years, or a remainder or reversionary interest 4.60%

T.D. 9175

Returns Required on Magnetic Media

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Parts 1 and 301

AGENCY:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury

ACTION:

Temporary regulations.

SUMMARY:

This document contains temporary regulations relating to the requirements for filing corporate income tax returns and returns of organizations required to file returns under section 6033 on magnetic media pursuant to section 6011(e) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). The term magnetic media includes any magnetic media permitted under applicable regulations, revenue procedures, or publications, including electronic filing. The text of the temporary regulations also serves as the text of the proposed regulations (REG-130671-04) set forth in the notice of proposed rulemaking on this subject in this issue of the Bulletin.

DATES:

These regulations are effective February 12, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael E. Hara, (202) 622-4910 (not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Electronic filing of tax returns benefits taxpayers and the IRS by eliminating the manual processing of returns and reducing errors that are more likely to occur during the manual preparation and processing of paper returns. Electronic filing results in faster settling of accounts and better customer service because the time required to process paper returns is eliminated. The error rate for corporate income tax returns filed on Form 1120, “U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return” and Form 1120S, “U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation,” on paper is approximately 20 percent. Information returns required to be filed under section 6033, which include Form 990, “Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax,” and Form 990-PF, “Return of Private Foundation or Section 4947(a)(1) Nonexempt Charitable Trust Treated as a Private Foundation,” that are filed on paper have an error rate of approximately 35 percent. The error rate for paper returns is due in roughly equal parts to IRS processing errors and taxpayer return preparation mistakes. By contrast, electronically filed returns have an error rate of less than one percent because these returns are subject to screening by the IRS prior to being accepted and are not required to be input manually by the IRS. Furthermore, returns required to be filed pursuant to section 6033 must be made available to the public by both the organization and the IRS pursuant to section 6104. Many state charity regulatory agencies rely on these returns. Requiring these returns to be filed electronically improves the accuracy of the information for both public and regulatory oversight of these organizations.

Electronic filing of returns improves taxpayer satisfaction and confidence in the filing process, and may be more cost effective for taxpayers who file electronically. Electronic filing will enable the IRS to review taxpayer submissions expeditiously to reduce audit cycle time and will help the IRS identify emerging trends.

In February 2004, the IRS introduced Modernized e-File, a new electronic filing system for corporations required to file Form 1120 or Form 1120S and organizations required to file Form 990. During the development of Modernized e-File, the IRS worked closely with taxpayers and tax professionals to ensure that the new electronic filing system would satisfy their needs. Modernized e-File alleviates the burden of filing massive paper returns, which may be up to 50,000 pages in length. Electronically filed returns are processed upon receipt and, shortly thereafter, an IRS acknowledgment message is generated to inform taxpayers or tax professionals that the return has been accepted or rejected. Error messages for rejected returns identify the reasons the return was rejected and make it easier for the taxpayer or tax professional to correct the errors. Modernized e-File streamlines electronic filing by eliminating the need for paper documents to be mailed to the IRS and enables taxpayers to attach forms and schedules, along with other documents, to the return in Portable Document Format (PDF).

Section 6011(e) authorizes the Secretary to prescribe regulations providing the standards for determining which returns must be filed on magnetic media or in other machine-readable form. Section 6011(e)(2) provides that the Secretary may not require any person to file returns on magnetic media unless the person is required to file at least 250 returns during the calendar year. Section 6011(e)(2)(B) requires that the Secretary, prior to issuing regulations requiring these entities to file returns on magnetic media, take into account (among other relevant factors) the ability of the taxpayer to comply at reasonable cost with the requirements of the regulations. The term magnetic media includes any magnetic media permitted under applicable regulations, revenue procedures, or publications, including electronic filing. Recognizing the benefits of electronic filing, Congress enacted section 2001(a) of the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, Public Law 105-206, 112 Stat. 727, which states that the policy of Congress is to promote paperless filing, with a long-range goal of providing for the filing of at least 80 percent of all Federal and information returns in electronic form by 2007.

The IRS has partnered with taxpayers and tax practitioners in the design of Modernized e-File to minimize burdens on taxpayers and tax practitioners and to address their concerns. Most corporate returns are prepared with the assistance of tax return preparation software. Some of these returns cannot yet be filed electronically using Modernized e-File because additional software is needed to format the return data and additional hardware may be needed to transmit the return data to the IRS. As a result, some taxpayers may incur incremental costs to make the transition from paper filing to electronic filing using Modernized e-File. After carefully evaluating the benefits of electronic filing and the burdens that might be imposed on filers, the IRS has determined that taxpayers will be able to convert to electronic filing at a reasonable cost and that the benefits to both the IRS and taxpayers substantially outweigh the costs.

These regulations amend the Regulations on Procedure and Administration (26 CFR part 301) relating to the filing on magnetic media pursuant to section 6011(e) of corporate income tax returns, S corporation returns, and returns required under section 6033. These regulations provide that certain large corporations, including S corporations, are required to file their corporate income tax returns electronically. These regulations also provide that certain large exempt organizations, nonexempt charitable trusts, and exempt and nonexempt private foundations are required to file electronically returns required to be filed under section 6033.

The IRS currently does not have the capability to accept electronic filing of certain types of Form 1120, Form 1120S, Form 990, and Form 990-PF, such as a Form 1120 for a taxpayer that has changed its accounting period or a Form 1120 that is the taxpayer’s final return. These types of returns are excluded from the electronic filing requirement under these regulations. The IRS will announce those returns that are excluded from electronic filing under these regulations in its publications, forms and instructions. The Treasury Department and the IRS intend to require electronic filing of additional corporate income tax returns, excise tax returns and returns required to be filed under section 6033 as the IRS increases its capability to receive these forms electronically, provided that the Treasury Department and the IRS determine that taxpayers are able to comply with the electronic filing requirements at a reasonable cost.

Explanation of Provisions

To expand electronic filing, these regulations provide that the following taxpayers that are required by the Code or regulations to file at least 250 returns during the calendar year ending with or within the taxpayer’s taxable year are required to file the following tax returns electronically for the taxable years indicated:

Entities Form(s) Applicability Dates
Corporations, including electing small business corporations, with assets of $50 million or more. Form 1120, “U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return” or Form 1120S, “U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation.” Taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2005.
Corporations, including electing small business corporations, with assets of $10 million or more. Form 1120, “U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return” or Form 1120S, “U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation.” Taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2006.
Exempt organizations with assets of $100 million or more that are required to file returns under section 6033. Form 990, “Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax.” Taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2005.
Exempt organizations with assets of $10 million or more that are required to file returns under section 6033. Form 990, “Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax.” Taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2006.
Private foundations or section 4947(a)(1) trusts that are required to file returns under section 6033. Form 990-PF, “Return of Private Foundation or Section 4947(a)(1) Nonexempt Charitable Trust Treated as a Private Foundation.” Taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2006.

Under these regulations, an entity’s assets are determined based on total assets at the end of the taxable year as reported on the entity’s Form 1120, 1120S, or 990.

Some of these large entities already file their returns electronically. In addition, many of these large entities prepare their income tax returns electronically, but file the returns on paper. The Treasury Department and the IRS have determined that these taxpayers are able to comply at a reasonable cost with the requirement to file returns electronically. To eliminate the potential burden of electronic filing on small businesses that may not be able to comply at a reasonable cost, these regulations exclude small corporations and certain exempt organizations with total assets of less than $10 million.

The determination of whether an entity is required to file at least 250 returns is made by aggregating all returns, regardless of type, that the entity is required to file over the calendar year, including, for example, income tax returns, returns required under section 6033, information returns, excise tax returns, and employment tax returns. Under these regulations, corrected or amended returns are not counted in determining whether the 250-return threshold is met. All members of a controlled group of corporations are required to file their Forms 1120 electronically if the total number of returns required to be filed by the controlled group of corporations is at least 250.

The aggregation of returns required under these regulations is limited to determining whether an entity is required to file Form 1120, Form 1120S, Form 990, or Form 990-PF electronically. These regulations do not affect §301.6011-2(c)(1)(iii), which provides that returns are not to be aggregated for purposes of determining whether information returns must be filed on magnetic media. These regulations also do not affect §301.6721-1(a)(2)(ii), which provides that the 250-return threshold requirements apply separately to original and corrected returns.

Corporations required to file Form 1120 or Form 1120S electronically under these regulations may file amended returns on paper in the form allowed by Rev. Proc. 94-69, 1994-2 C.B. 804, or in the manner prescribed by any subsequent revenue procedure. However, an entity that files an incomplete electronic return and subsequently files an amended paper return before the return’s due date has not complied with the provisions of these regulations because a second return filed before the due date is treated as an original return.

Hardship Waiver

These regulations provide that the Commissioner may waive the requirements to file electronically in cases of undue hardship. Because the Treasury Department and the IRS believe that electronic filing will not impose significant burdens on the taxpayers covered by these regulations, the Commissioner will grant waivers of the electronic filing requirement only in exceptional cases. The Treasury Department and the IRS invite comments from the public regarding the waiver provision in these regulations. Additionally, the IRS will meet with various groups, including software developers and tax practitioners, to assist taxpayers in preparing to file their returns electronically. After considering comments, the Treasury Department and the IRS will issue guidance that will set forth the procedures by which a taxpayer may request a hardship waiver.

Exclusions

These regulations provide exclusions from the requirement to file electronically for certain corporations and organizations that have not had a longstanding filing obligation. Corporations and organizations are not required to file their returns electronically if they were not required to file a Form 1120, Form 1120S, Form 990, or Form 990-PF for the preceding taxable year or have not been in existence for at least one calendar year prior to the due date (not including extensions) of their Form 1120, Form 1120S, Form 990, or Form 990-PF.

Date of Filing

A return filed electronically is deemed to be filed on the date of the electronic postmark. See §301.7502-1(d). If a corporation or organization that is required to file electronically fails to do so, the corporation or organization is deemed to have failed to file its return.

Effective Dates

To permit taxpayers sufficient time to implement the requirements of these regulations, these regulations apply to corporations required to file corporate income tax returns with total assets of $50 million or more as shown on their Schedule L of the Form 1120 or 1120S for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2005, and to corporations required to file corporate income tax returns with total assets of $10 million or more as shown on their Schedule L of their Form 1120 or 1120S for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2006. These regulations apply to any organization that is required to file Form 990 and that, for a taxable year ending on or after December 31, 2005, has total assets as of the end of the taxable year of $100 million or more or that, for a taxable year ending on or after December 31, 2006, has total assets as of the end of the taxable year of $10 million or more. These regulations will apply to any organization required to file Form 990-PF for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2006. All other corporations and organizations are encouraged to adopt electronic filing as soon as feasible.

Special Analyses

It has been determined that this Treasury decision is not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required. It also has been determined that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply to these regulations. For applicability of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) refer to the Special Analyses of the preamble to the cross-reference of proposed rulemaking published in this issue of the Bulletin. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Code, these regulations will be submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on their impact on small business.

Amendments to the Regulations

Accordingly, 26 CFR parts 1 and 301 are amended as follows:

PART 1—INCOME TAXES

Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read, in part, as follows:

Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *

Par. 2. Section 1.6011-5T is added to read as follows:

§1.6011-5T Required use of magnetic media for corporate income tax returns (temporary).

The return of a corporation that is required to be filed on magnetic media under §301.6011-5T of this chapter must be filed in accordance with Internal Revenue Service revenue procedures, publications, forms, or instructions. (See §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter).

Par. 3. Section 1.6033-4T is added to read as follows:

§1.6033-4T Required use of magnetic media for returns by organizations required to file returns under section 6033 (temporary).

The return of an organization that is required to be filed on magnetic media under §301.6033-4T of this chapter must be filed in accordance with Internal Revenue Service revenue procedures, publications, forms, or instructions. (See §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter).

Par. 4. Section 1.6037-2T is added to read as follows:

§1.6037-2T Required use of magnetic media for income tax returns of electing small business corporations (temporary).

The return of an electing small business corporation that is required to be filed on magnetic media under §301.6037-2T of this chapter must be filed in accordance with Internal Revenue Service revenue procedures, publications, forms, or instructions. (See §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter).

PART 301—PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION

Par. 5. The authority citation for part 301 is amended by adding entries, in numerical order, to read as follows:

Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *

Section 301.6011-5T also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6011. * * *

Section 301.6033-4T also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6033. * * *

Section 301.6037-2T also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6037. * * *

Par. 6. Section 301.6011-5T is added to read as follows:

§301.6011-5T Required use of magnetic media for corporate income tax returns (temporary).

(a) Corporate income tax returns required on magnetic media—(1) A corporation required to file a corporate income tax return on Form 1120, “U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return,” under §1.6012-2 of this chapter must file its corporate income tax return on magnetic media if the corporation is required by the Internal Revenue Code or regulations to file at least 250 returns during the calendar year ending with or within its taxable year, was required to file a corporate income tax return on Form 1120 under §1.6012-2 of this chapter for the preceding taxable year, and has been in existence for at least one year prior to the due date (excluding extensions) of its corporate income tax return. Returns filed on magnetic media must be made in accordance with applicable revenue procedures, publications, forms, or instructions. In prescribing revenue procedures, publications, forms, or instructions, the Commissioner may direct the type of magnetic media filing. (See §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter).

(2) All members of a controlled group of corporations must file their corporate income tax returns on magnetic media if the aggregate number of returns required to be filed by the controlled group of corporations is at least 250.

(b) Waiver. The Commissioner may grant waivers of the requirements of this section in cases of undue hardship. A request for waiver must be made in accordance with applicable revenue procedures or publications. The waiver also will be subject to the terms and conditions regarding the method of filing as may be prescribed by the Commissioner.

(c) Failure to file. If a corporation fails to file a corporate income tax return on magnetic media when required to do so by this section, the corporation is deemed to have failed to file the return. (See section 6651 for the addition to tax for failure to file a return). In determining whether there is reasonable cause for failure to file the return, §301.6651-1(c) and rules similar to the rules in §301.6724-1(c)(3) (undue economic hardship related to filing information returns on magnetic media) will apply.

(d) Meaning of terms. The following definitions apply for purposes of this section:

(1) Magnetic media. The term magnetic media means any magnetic media permitted under applicable regulations, revenue procedures, or publications. These generally include magnetic tape, tape cartridge, and diskette, as well as other media, such as electronic filing, specifically permitted under the applicable regulations, procedures, publications, forms, or instructions. (See §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter).

(2) Corporation. The term corporation means a corporation as defined in section 7701(a)(3).

(3) Controlled group of corporations. The term controlled group of corporations means a group of corporations as defined in section 1563(a).

(4) Corporate income tax return. The term corporate income tax return means a Form 1120, “U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return,” along with all other related forms and schedules that are required to be attached to the Form 1120.

(5) Determination of 250 returns. For purposes of this section, a corporation or controlled group of corporations is required to file at least 250 returns if, during the calendar year ending with or within the taxable year of the corporation or the controlled group, the corporation or the controlled group is required to file at least 250 returns of any type, including information returns. If the corporation is a member of a controlled group, the determination of the number of returns includes all returns required to be filed by all members of the controlled group during that calendar year.

(e) Example. The following example illustrates the provisions of paragraph (d)(5) of this section:

Example. The taxable year of Corporation X, a fiscal year taxpayer with assets in excess of $10 million, ends on September 30. During the calendar year ending December 31, 2007, X was required to file one Form 1120, “U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return,” 100 Forms W-2, “Wage and Tax Statement,” 146 Forms 1099-DIV, “Dividends and Distributions,” one Form 940, “Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return,” and four Forms 941, “Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return.” Because X is required to file 252 returns during the calendar year that ended within its taxable year ending September 30, 2008, X is required to file its Form 1120 electronically for its taxable year ending September 30, 2008.

(f) Effective dates. This section applies to corporate income tax returns for corporations that report total assets at the end of the corporation’s taxable year that equal or exceed $50 million on Schedule L of their Form 1120, for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2005. This section applies to corporate income tax returns for corporations that report total assets at the end of the corporation’s taxable year that equal or exceed $10 million on Schedule L of their Form 1120, for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2006.

Par. 7. Section 301.6033-4T is added to read as follows:

§301.6033-4T Required use of magnetic media for returns by organizations required to file returns under section 6033 (temporary).

(a) Returns by organizations required to file returns under section 6033 on magnetic media. An organization required to file a return under section 6033 on Form 990, “Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax,” or Form 990-PF, “Return of Private Foundation or Section 4947(a)(1) Nonexempt Charitable Trust Treated as a Private Foundation,” must file its Form 990 or 990-PF on magnetic media if the organization is required by the Internal Revenue Code or regulations to file at least 250 returns during the calendar year ending with or within its taxable year, was required to file its Form 990 or Form 990-PF under section 6033 for the preceding taxable year, and has been in existence for at least one calendar year prior to the due date (excluding extensions) of its Form 990 or Form 990-PF. Returns filed on magnetic media must be made in accordance with applicable revenue procedures, publications, forms, or instructions. In prescribing revenue procedures, publications, forms, or instructions, the Commissioner may direct the type of magnetic media filing. (See §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter).

(b) Waiver. The Commissioner may grant waivers of the requirements of this section in cases of undue hardship. A request for waiver must be made in accordance with applicable revenue procedures or publications. The waiver also will be subject to the terms and conditions regarding the method of filing as may be prescribed by the Commissioner.

(c) Failure to file. If an organization required to file a return under section 6033 fails to file an information return on magnetic media when required to do so by this section, the organization is deemed to have failed to file the return. (See section 6652 for the addition to tax for failure to file a return.) In determining whether there is reasonable cause for failure to file the return, §301.6652-2(f) and rules similar to the rules in §301.6724-1(c)(3) (undue economic hardship related to filing information returns on magnetic media) will apply.

(d) Meaning of terms. The following definitions apply for purposes of this section:

(1) Magnetic media. The term magnetic media means any magnetic media permitted under applicable regulations, revenue procedures, or publications. These generally include magnetic tape, tape cartridge, and diskette, as well as other media, such as electronic filing, specifically permitted under the applicable regulations, procedures, publications, forms or instructions. (See §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter).

(2) Return required under section 6033. The term return required under section 6033 means a Form 990, “Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax,” and Form 990-PF, “Return of Private Foundation or Section 4947(a)(1) Nonexempt Charitable Trust Treated as a Private Foundation,” along with all other related forms and schedules that are required to be attached to the Form 990 or Form 990-PF.

(3) Determination of 250 returns. For purposes of this section, an organization is required to file at least 250 returns if, during the calendar year ending with or within the taxable year of the organization, the organization is required to file at least 250 returns of any type, including information returns.

(e) Example. The following example illustrates the provisions of paragraph (d)(3) of this section. In the example, the organization is a calendar year taxpayer:

Example. In 2006, Organization T, with total assets in excess of $10 million, is required to file one Form 990, “Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax,” 200 Forms W-2, “Wage and Tax Statement,” and 60 Forms 1099-MISC, “Miscellaneous Income.” Because T is required to file 261 returns during the calendar year, T must file its 2006 Form 990 electronically.

(f) Effective dates. This section applies to any organization required to file Form 990 for a taxable year ending on or after December 31, 2005, that has total assets as of the end of the taxable year of $100 million or more. This section applies to any organization required to file Form 990 for a taxable year ending on or after December 31, 2006, that has total assets as of the end of the taxable year of $10 million or more. This section applies to any organization required to file Form 990-PF for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2006.

Par. 8. Section 301.6037-2T is added to read as follows:

§301.6037-2T Required use of magnetic media for returns of electing small business corporation (temporary).

(a) Returns of electing small business corporation required on magnetic media. An electing small business corporation required to file an electing small business return on Form 1120S, “U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation,” under §1.6037-1 of this chapter must file its Form 1120S on magnetic media if the small business corporation is required by the Internal Revenue Code and regulations to file at least 250 returns during the calendar year ending with or within its taxable year, was required to file its Form 1120S under §6037-1 of this chapter for the preceding taxable year, and has been in existence for at least one calendar year prior to the due date (excluding extensions) of its Form 1120S. Returns filed on magnetic media must be made in accordance with applicable revenue procedures, publications, forms, or instructions. In prescribing revenue procedures, publications, forms, or instructions, the Commissioner may direct the type of magnetic media filing. (See §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter).

(b) Waiver. The Commissioner may grant waivers of the requirements of this section in cases of undue hardship. A request for waiver must be made in accordance with applicable revenue procedures or publications. The waiver also will be subject to the terms and conditions regarding the method of filing as may be prescribed by the Commissioner.

(c) Failure to file. If an electing small business corporation fails to file a return on magnetic media when required to do so by this section, the corporation is deemed to have failed to file the return. (See section 6651 for the addition to tax for failure to file a return.) In determining whether there is reasonable cause for failure to file the return, §301.6651-1(c) and rules similar to the rules in §301.6724-1(c)(3) (undue economic hardship related to filing information returns on magnetic media) will apply.

(d) Meaning of terms. The following definitions apply for purposes of this section:

(1) Magnetic media. The term magnetic media means any magnetic media permitted under applicable regulations, revenue procedures, or publications. These generally include magnetic tape, tape cartridge, and diskette, as well as other media, such as electronic filing, specifically permitted under the applicable regulations, procedures, publications, forms, or instructions. (See §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter).

(2) Corporation. The term corporation means a corporation as defined in section 7701(a)(3).

(3) Electing small business corporation return. The term electing small business corporation return means a Form 1120S, “U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation,” along with all other related forms and schedules that are required to be attached to the Form 1120S.

(4) Electing small business corporation. The term electing small business corporation means an S corporation as defined in section 1361(a)(1).

(5) Determination of 250 returns. For purposes of this section, a corporation is required to file at least 250 returns if, during the calendar year ending with or within the taxable year of the corporation, the corporation is required to file at least 250 returns of any type, including information returns.

(e) Example. The following example illustrates the provisions of paragraph (d)(5) of this section. In the example, the corporation is a calendar year taxpayer:

Example. In 2007, Corporation S, an electing small business corporation with assets in excess of $10 million, is required to file one Form 1120S, “U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return,” 100 Forms W-2, “Wage and Tax Statement,” 146 Forms 1099-DIV, “Dividends and Distributions,” one Form 940, “Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return,” four Forms 941, “Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return.” Because S is required to file 252 returns during the calendar year, S is required to file its 2007 Form 1120S electronically.

(f) Effective dates. This section applies to returns of electing small business corporations that report total assets at the end of the corporation’s taxable year that equal or exceed $50 million on Schedule L of Form 1120S for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2005. This section applies to returns of electing small business corporations that report total assets at the end of the corporation’s taxable year that equal or exceed $10 million on Schedule L of Form 1120S for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2006.

Mark E. Matthews,
Deputy Commissioner for
Services and Enforcement
.

Approved January 6, 2005.

Eric Solomon,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

Note

(Filed by the Office of the Federal Register on January 11, 2005, 8:45 a.m., and published in the issue of the Federal Register for January 12, 2005, 70 F.R. 2012)

Drafting Information

The principal author of these temporary regulations is Michael E. Hara, Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration), although other personnel from the IRS and Treasury Department participated in their development.

* * * * *

T.D. 9177

Return of Partnership Income

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 1

AGENCY:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION:

Final regulations and removal of temporary regulations.

SUMMARY:

This document contains final regulations that authorize the Commissioner to provide exceptions to the requirements of section 6031(a) of the Internal Revenue Code for certain partnerships by guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin. The regulations adopt the rules of the temporary regulations without any changes.

DATES:

Effective Date: These regulations are effective November 5, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David A. Shulman, (202) 622-3070 (not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On November 10, 2003, the IRS and Treasury published a notice of proposed rulemaking by cross reference to temporary regulations (REG-115472-03, 2003-2 C.B. 1215) in the Federal Register, and temporary regulations in T.D. 9094 (2003-2 C.B. 1201 [68 FR 63733]), under section 6031 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). Written comments and requests for a public hearing were solicited. No public hearing was requested, and no comments were received. Therefore, the proposed regulations under section 6031 are adopted as final regulations without any changes. The temporary regulations are removed.

Explanation of Provisions

The following is a general explanation of the provisions in the final regulations, which are the same as the provisions in the temporary regulations.

The Commissioner may, in published guidance, provide an exception to the reporting requirements of section 6031(a) for partnerships in situations in which all or substantially all of the partnership’s income is derived from the holding or disposition of tax-exempt obligations (as defined in section 1275(a)(3) and §1.1275-1(e)) or shares in a RIC that pays exempt-interest dividends (as defined in section 852(b)(5)). The exception may be conditioned on substitute reporting and eligibility and other requirements. In conjunction with issuance of the temporary regulations, the Commissioner published Rev. Proc. 2003-84, 2003-2 C.B. 1159, which provides for an exception to section 6031 for specified eligible partnerships.

Special Analyses

It has been determined that this Treasury decision is not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required. It has also been determined that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply to these regulations. These regulations impose no new collection of information on small entities; therefore a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) is not required. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Code, the proposed regulations preceding these regulations were submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on its impact on small business.

Adoption of Amendments to the Regulations

Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is amended as follows:

PART 1—INCOME TAXES

Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 is amended by removing the entry for §1.6031(a)-1T, and revising the entry for §1.6031(a)-1 to read, in part, as follows:

Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805. * * *

Section 1.6031(a)-1 also issued under section 404 of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982) Public Law 97-248; 96 Stat. 324, 669) (TEFRA). * * *

Par. 2. Section 1.6031(a)-1 is amended as follows:

1. In paragraph (a)(1), the first sentence is amended by removing the language “and §1.6031(a)-1T” immediately following the language “of this section”.

2. Paragraphs (a)(3)(ii) and (f) are revised.

The revisions read as follows:

§1.6031(a)-1 Return of partnership income.

(a) * * *

(3) * * *

(ii) The Commissioner may, in guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see §601.601(d)(2)(ii)(b) of this chapter), provide for an exception to partnership reporting under section 6031 and for conditions for the exception, if all or substantially all of a partnership’s income is derived from the holding or disposition of tax-exempt obligations (as defined in section 1275(a)(3) and §1.1275-1(e)) or shares in a regulated investment company (as defined in section 851(a)) that pays exempt-interest dividends (as defined in section 852(b)(5)).

* * * * *

(f) Effective dates. This section applies to taxable years of a partnership beginning after December 31, 1999, except that —

(1) Paragraph (b)(3) of this section applies to taxable years of a foreign partnership beginning after December 31, 2000; and

(2) Paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section applies to taxable years of a partnership beginning on or after November 5, 2003.

§1.6031(a)-1T [REMOVED]

Par. 3. Section 1.6031(a)-1T is removed.

Mark E. Matthews,
Deputy Commissioner for
Services and Enforcement
.

Approved January 26, 2005.

Eric Solomon,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (Tax Policy).

Note

(Filed by the Office of the Federal Register on February 10, 2005, 8:45 a.m., and published in the issue of the Federal Register for February 11, 2005, 70 F.R. 7176)

Drafting Information

The principal author of these regulations is David A. Shulman of the Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (Passthroughs & Special Industries), IRS. However, other personnel from the IRS and Treasury Department participated in their development.

* * * * *

Part II. Treaties and Tax Legislation

Subpart A. Tax Conventions and Other Related Items

Announcement 2005-17

New Zealand LLC MAP Agreement

Following is a copy of the News Release Issued by the Director International (U.S. Competent Authority), on February 10, 2005 (IR-2005-15).

U.S. and New Zealand Reach Mutual Agreement Regarding Treatment of Income Derived Through Certain Fiscally Transparent Entities

IR-2005-15, Feb. 10, 2005

WASHINGTON — The Competent Authorities of the United States and New Zealand have entered into a mutual agreement to clarify the entitlement of members of certain fiscally transparent entities to benefits under the Convention between the United States of America and New Zealand for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, signed on July 23, 1982, and as amended by Protocol signed on July 23, 1982, and as implemented in New Zealand by The Double Taxation Relief (United States of America) Order 1983 signed on July 23, 1983.

It has come to the attention of the Competent Authorities that a resident of a Contracting State may derive income from the other Contracting State through an entity that is organized in, and treated as fiscally transparent by, the first Contracting State, but that is not treated as fiscally transparent by the other Contracting State.

Consistent with the approach taken in Article 4 (Residence) of the Convention, and pursuant to the authority of Article 24 (Mutual Agreement Procedure) of the Convention, the Competent Authorities agree that, in applying the Convention, income paid to and through such an entity is considered to be derived by a resident of the Contracting State to the extent of the share the resident has in the income.

For example, if a resident of the United States is a partner or member of an entity created or organized in the United States, under the law of the United States or any state of the United States, and the entity is treated for United States federal tax purposes as a partnership or is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner (e.g., a limited partnership; or a Limited Liability Company, including one owned by a single member), the resident of the United States would be afforded the benefits of the treaty on the income that the resident derives from New Zealand through the entity, even if under its domestic law New Zealand does not treat the entity as fiscally transparent. Consistent with Article 4 (1)(b) of the New Zealand/US treaty, the benefits extend to the income received by the fiscally transparent entity only to the extent of the resident’s share of that income.

Part III. Administrative, Procedural, and Miscellaneous

Rev. Proc. 2005-16

SECTION 1. PURPOSE

.01 This revenue procedure sets forth the Service’s procedures for issuing opinion and advisory letters regarding the acceptability under § 401 and § 403(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) of the form of pre-approved plans (that is, master and prototype (M&P) and volume submitter (VS) plans). The revenue procedure revises the existing procedures to eliminate several of the differences between the M&P and VS programs while maintaining the distinctive features of each program.

.02 This revenue procedure provides that the Service will accept applications for opinion and advisory letters beginning February 17, 2005, for defined contribution pre-approved plans that take into account the requirements of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-16 (EGTRRA) as well as other changes in qualification requirements and guidance. The submission period for these pre-approved plans will end on January 31, 2006. The Service will announce the deadline for timely adoption by employers after the pre-approved documents have been reviewed. In addition, the Service intends to accept applications for determination letters for individually designed plans beginning on or after February 1, 2006, and applications for opinion and advisory letters for pre-approved defined benefit plans beginning February 1, 2007. The opening of these programs will be announced at a future date.

SECTION 2. BACKGROUND

.01 The procedures of the Service on the issuance of opinion letters regarding the acceptability of the form of M&P plans are set forth in Rev. Proc. 2000-20, 2000-1 C.B. 553, as modified. This revenue procedure modifies and supersedes Rev. Proc. 2000-20.

.02 Rev. Proc. 2005-6, 2005-1 I.R.B. 200, sets forth the general procedures of the Service on the issuance of employee plan determination letters and advisory letters regarding the acceptability of the form of volume submitter plans.

.03 Notice 2001-42, 2001-2 C.B. 70, and Rev. Proc. 2005-6 provide that opinion, advisory and determination letters that take into account EGTRRA will not be issued until further notice.

.04 Announcement 2004-33, 2004-18 I.R.B. 862, contains a draft revenue procedure that applies to both the M&P and VS programs, with the rules for issuing opinion letters and advisory letters for pre-approved plans. This revenue procedure finalizes and replaces the draft revenue procedure in Announcement 2004-33.

.05 Announcement 2004-71, 2004-40 I.R.B. 569, contains a draft revenue procedure that describes procedures for implementing a system of six-year remedial amendment cycles for pre-approved plans and five-year staggered remedial amendment cycles for individually designed plans. Under the draft revenue procedure, sponsors and practitioners of pre-approved plans must submit requests for opinion or advisory letters by a specified time period within a six-year cycle in order to continue to rely on their opinion or advisory letters. The draft revenue procedure on remedial amendment cycles is expected to be finalized in the near future.

.06 Announcement 2004-71 also contains a discussion of the annual Cumulative List of Changes in Plan Qualification Requirements (Cumulative List). This Cumulative List identifies statutory changes and other guidance affecting qualification requirements that are considered by the Service in its review of plans for the applicable cycle. The 2004 Cumulative List was published in Notice 2004-84, 2004-52 I.R.B. 1030. This 2004 Cumulative List was issued in conjunction with the opening of the EGTRRA opinion and advisory letter program providing that the Service will accept applications with respect to defined contribution pre-approved plans beginning February 17, 2005, and ending January 31, 2006, as set forth in section 23 of this revenue procedure. The 2004 Cumulative List reflects law changes under EGTRRA with technical corrections made by the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107-147 (JCWAA), as well as regulations and guidance published by the Service that are effective after December 31, 2001. However, in order to be qualified, a plan must comply with all relevant qualification requirements, not just those on the 2004 Cumulative List. The Service will not review plan language for guidance issued after December 14, 2004, unless it is on the 2004 Cumulative List. Thus, sponsors of pre-approved plans generally may not rely on opinion or advisory letters with respect to any guidance issued after December 14, 2004, unless that guidance is on the 2004 Cumulative List.

SECTION 3. OVERVIEW OF THE REVENUE PROCEDURE

.01 Single Revenue Procedure — The Service maintains two programs for the “pre-approval” of plans qualified under § 401 and § 403(a) — the M&P program and the VS program. The two programs originated to serve different purposes and each has had its own set of rules. Until now, those rules were contained in different revenue procedures. In recent years, there have been changes that have eliminated several of the distinctions between the two programs. While the Service will continue to maintain the two programs separately, the narrowing of the differences between the programs makes it appropriate to set forth the rules for both programs in a single revenue procedure.

.02 Program Changes — The fundamental distinction between M&P and VS plans is unchanged by this revenue procedure. That is, M&P plans will generally continue to consist of a basic plan document and adoption agreement that may not be amended by adopting employers, except by choosing among permitted options under the adoption agreement, without the loss of M&P status. VS plans will continue to be allowed in either adoption agreement or “individually designed” format and employer amendments will not cause the loss of VS status provided the extent and complexity of the amendments are not inconsistent with the purposes of the VS program. However, the revenue procedure eliminates some of the other differences between the M&P and VS programs. The principal changes are as follows:

(1) The revenue procedure eliminates the requirement that the allocation or benefit formula in a nonstandardized M&P plan satisfy the uniformity requirements for safe harbor plans under § 1.401(a)(4)-2(b)(2) or § 1.401(a)(4)-3(b)(2) of the Income Tax Regulations. This change will allow adopting employers of nonstandardized defined contribution M&P plans to adopt an allocation formula that is designed to be cross-tested for nondiscrimination on the basis of equivalent benefits under § 1.401(a)(4)-8.

(2) The revenue procedure permits, but does not require, VS plans to include a provision that allows the VS practitioner to amend the plan on behalf of adopting employers. By choosing to include such a provision in the VS plan, the VS practitioner agrees to comply with certain record keeping and notice requirements that apply to sponsors of M&P plans. The Service will evaluate this new feature over time to determine whether to preserve it as a permanent feature of the VS program.

(3) The revenue procedure simplifies and streamlines the two programs. For example, under the procedure, nonstandardized safe harbor plans and paired standardized plans are discontinued as separate categories of M&P plans. This change has been made because recent changes in law and the procedures for employer reliance have diminished the utility of these types of plans.

.03 Additional Changes in this Revenue Procedure

Announcement 2004-33 contained a draft revenue procedure setting forth the rules for both the M&P and VS programs. The Service sought public comment before finalizing these procedures. This final revenue procedure retains the general structure and much of the substance of the draft, including the program changes listed in 3.02 above that were also contained in the draft. However, the Service has made additional changes to the revenue procedure after considering specific recommendations from commentators. In addition to minor revisions and clarifying language, the following changes have been made:

(1) The definition of VS practitioner is expanded. Generally, a VS practitioner must have at least 30 employer-clients reasonably expected to timely adopt a plan that is substantially similar to the VS practitioner’s specimen plan. This revenue procedure lowers the requirement for a VS practitioner, so that it may have 10 employer/clients reasonably expected to timely adopt a money purchase pension plan (MP Plan), but only if a practitioner has a specimen MP Plan and at least one other type of specimen plan. (sec. 13.04)

(2) The number of trust or custodial account documents that may be submitted by an M&P sponsor or mass submitter with a single plan document is increased from 5 to 10. Additional submissions of trusts or custodial account documents will be permitted for an additional fee. (sec. 4.05)

(3) The category of plans eligible for advisory letters is expanded to include VS plans that provide for non safe-harbor hardship distributions under § 401(k), provided that nondiscriminatory and objective criteria are contained in the plans. (sec. 16.02)

(4) The category of plans eligible for advisory letters is expanded to include defined benefit plans that provide for employee contributions, by eliminating this category from the list of plans not covered by advisory letters. (sec. 16)

(5) The category of plans not eligible for advisory or opinion letters is revised to include plans designed to satisfy the provisions of § 105. (secs. 6.03(20) and 16.02(19))

(6) The instructions to VS practitioners are revised to specify that one specimen plan and application is required for a VS profit-sharing plan, with or without a § 401(k) arrangement. (sec. 17.03)

(7) The submission procedure for modifications of M&P mass submitter plans has been clarified to provide that an M&P mass submitter should submit only the first page of the applicable form along with the applicable fee as part of an initial submission, rather than the entire plan document. (sec. 12.03(2))

(8) The procedures for issuing opinion letters to M&P mass submitters and sponsors, and advisory letters to VS mass submitters and practitioners have been changed to provide that the Service will send an interim email notifying an M&P or VS mass submitter, sponsor or practitioner that review of the applicable plan has been completed, subject to final approval in the form of an opinion or advisory letter. (sections 7.07, 12.01, 17.05, 18.01)

(9) The requirement of word-for-word identical documents in order for an employer to have reliance is clarified to provide that typographical errors and cross-references may be corrected without affecting reliance, provided that these corrections do not change the original intended meaning or impact any qualification requirements, and an employer may adopt model, sample or other required good faith amendments. (sec. 19.03)

(10) The provisions on employer reliance have been expanded to specify that an adopting employer of a VS plan may rely on an advisory letter with respect to the nondiscrimination in amounts requirement under § 401(a)(4) when the adopting employer selects and utilizes certain design-based safe harbors and compensation definitions, under the conditions specified. (sec. 19.02)

(11) The provision on remedial amendment cycles is clarified to specify the circumstances in which the six-year remedial amendment cycle applies to an employer that has adopted a VS or M&P plan and has changed the plan so that it is considered to be an individually designed plan. (sec. 24)

(12) The VS provisions have been clarified to specify that amending the administrative provisions of the trust or custodial documents is allowed. This language is identical to the provisions that apply to nonstandardized M&P plans in section 5.09. (sec. 14)

(13) The definition of “National Sponsor” and “VS Practitioner” is revised to include a sponsor or practitioner that has 3000 or more adopting employers or 30 or more adopting employers in 30 or more states. This definition was included in Announcement 2004-33 but was not in the draft revenue procedure attached to that announcement. (sec. 4.09 and 13.04)

(14) The VS submission procedures specify that Form 4461 is being revised to incorporate VS applications. Until the Form is published, the VS submission must include a cover letter requesting approval. (sec. 17.02)

(15) The application procedure is streamlined to provide that VS and M&P applications are now submitted to the same address. This address was formerly used for VS applications but is a change of address for M&P applications. (sec. 20)

(16) The revocation procedures contain a requirement that the content of the notification to each adopting employer must explain how the revocation affects reliance. (sec. 22)

(17) The provision on employer amendments is revised to specify that sample, model or other required good faith amendments adopted by certain employers will not cause the plan to be individually designed. (sec. 5.02, sec. 15, sec. 19)

(18) The provision on amendments of M&P mass submitter plans is revised to include references to sample or model amendments. (sec. 12.04)

(19) The revenue procedure is revised throughout so that its provisions are consistent with the draft revenue procedure attached to Announcement 2004-71 on remedial amendment periods.

.04 Provisions Related to EGTRRA — This revenue procedure announces the opening of the pre-approved defined contribution plan programs as of February 17, 2005, for EGTRRA and other applicable guidance. The 2004 Cumulative List reflects law changes under EGTRRA including technical corrections made by JCWAA as well as regulations and guidance published by the Service that are effective after December 31, 2001, that will be considered by the Service in its review of plans. Section 23 of this revenue procedure provides further details on the scope of this Cumulative List. This Cumulative List will be updated and published annually to identify statutory, regulatory and guidance changes that will be considered by the Service in its review of plans whose remedial amendment cycles are proposed to end on the January 31 of the second calendar year following publication of the list.

.05 Remedial Amendment Period — In Announcement 2004-71, the Service included a draft revenue procedure containing the Service’s procedures for issuing opinion and advisory letters for pre-approved plans under a regular, six-year remedial amendment cycle under § 401(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. The draft also contains procedures for issuing determination letters under a staggered remedial amendment period system that establishes regular, five-year cycles for determination letters for individually designed plans. The Service intends to issue guidance that will supersede and finalize the draft revenue procedure attached to Announcement 2004-71 in the near future.

PART I — M&P PLANS

SECTION 4. DEFINITIONS

.01 Master Plan — A “master plan” is a plan (including a plan covering self-employed individuals) that is made available by a sponsor for adoption by employers and for which a single funding medium (for example, a trust or custodial account) is established, as part of the plan, for the joint use of all adopting employers. A master plan consists of a basic plan document, an adoption agreement, and, unless included in the basic plan document, a trust or custodial account document.

.02 Prototype Plan — A “prototype plan” is a plan (including a plan covering self-employed individuals) that is made available by a sponsor for adoption by employers and under which a separate funding medium is established for each adopting employer. A prototype plan consists of a basic plan document, an adoption agreement, and, unless the basic plan document incorporates a trust or custodial account agreement the provisions of which are applicable to all adopting employers, a trust or custodial account document.

.03 Basic Plan Document — A “basic plan document” is the portion of a plan containing all the non-elective provisions applicable to all adopting employers. No options (including blanks to be completed) may be provided in the basic plan document, except as provided in section 12.03(1) of this revenue procedure regarding flexible plans.

.04 Adoption Agreement — An “adoption agreement” is the portion of the plan containing the options that may be selected by an adopting employer.

.05 Trust or Custodial Account Document (Note: This definition does not apply if the basic plan document includes a trust or custodial account agreement the provisions of which apply to all adopting employers.) —

(1) A “trust or custodial account document” is the portion of an M&P plan that contains the trust agreement or custodial account agreement and includes provisions covering such matters as the powers and duties of trustees, investment authority, and the kinds of investments that may be made.

(2) Except as provided in section 5.09 and below, all provisions of the trust or custodial account document must be applicable to all adopting employers of that trust or custodial account, and no options (including blanks to be completed) may be provided in the trust or custodial account document.

(3) With respect to prototype plans, a sponsor or mass submitter may provide up to 10 separate trust or custodial account documents that are intended for use with any single basic plan document. Notwithstanding the above, a sponsor or mass submitter may submit more than 10 separate trust or custodial account documents intended for use with any single basic plan document, along with an additional user fee that applies to submissions above the 10 trust (or custodial account) limit. The amount of the applicable user fee will be specified in future guidance.

(4) As provided in section 5.09, a sponsor or M&P mass submitter may provide a trust or custodial account document, designated for use only by adopters of nonstandardized plans, which provides for blanks to be completed with respect to administrative provisions of the trust or custodial account agreement.

(5) Any trust or custodial account document (including one to be used by adopters of standardized plans) may provide for blanks to be completed that merely enable the adopting employer to specify the names of the plan, employer, trustee or custodian, plan administrator and other fiduciaries, the trust year, and the name of any pooled trust in which the plan’s trust will participate.

.06 Opinion Letter — An “opinion letter” is a written statement issued by the Service to a sponsor or M&P mass submitter as to the acceptability of the form of an M&P plan under § 401(a) or § 403(a), and, in the case of a master plan, the acceptability of the master trust under § 501(a).

.07 Sponsor — A “sponsor” is any person that (1) has an established place of business in the United States where it is accessible during every business day and (2) represents to the Service that it has at least 30 employer-clients each of which is reasonably expected to timely adopt the sponsor’s basic plan document. The deadline for timely adoption will be announced by the Service in future guidance.

A sponsor may request opinion letters for any number of basic plan documents and adoption agreements provided the 30-employer requirement is met with respect to at least one basic plan document. The Service reserves the right at any time to request from the sponsor a list of the employers that have adopted or are expected to adopt the sponsor’s M&P plans, including the employers’ business addresses and employer identification numbers.

Notwithstanding the above, any person that has an established place of business in the United States where it is accessible during every business day may sponsor a plan as a word-for-word identical adopter or minor modifier adopter of a plan of an M&P mass submitter, regardless of the number of employers that are expected to adopt the plan.

By submitting an application for an opinion letter for an M&P plan under this revenue procedure (or by having an application filed on its behalf by an M&P mass submitter as required for a minor modifier), a person represents to the Service that it is a sponsor, as defined above, and agrees to comply with any requirements imposed on sponsors by this revenue procedure. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the loss of eligibility to sponsor M&P plans and the revocation of opinion letters that have been issued to the sponsor.

.08 M&P Mass Submitter — An “M&P mass submitter” is any person that (1) has an established place of business in the United States where it is accessible during every business day and (2) submits opinion letter applications on behalf of at least 30 unaffiliated sponsors each of which is sponsoring, on a word-for-word identical basis, the same basic plan document. A flexible plan (as defined in section 12.03(1)) that is adopted by a sponsor will be considered a word-for-word identical plan. An M&P mass submitter may submit an opinion letter application on its own behalf as one of the 30 unaffiliated sponsors. For purposes of this definition, affiliation is determined under § 414(b) and (c). Additionally, the following will be considered to be affiliated: any law, accounting, consulting firm, etc., with its partners, members, associates, etc. An M&P mass submitter will be treated as an M&P mass submitter with respect to all its M&P plans provided the 30 unaffiliated sponsor requirement is met with respect to at least one basic plan document.

Notwithstanding the above, any person that received a favorable TRA ’86 opinion letter for a plan as an M&P mass submitter under Rev. Proc. 89-9, 1989-1 C.B. 780, will continue to be treated as an M&P mass submitter with respect to all its M&P plans if it submits applications on behalf of at least 10 sponsors (regardless of affiliation) each of which is sponsoring, on a word-for-word identical basis, the same basic plan document.

.09 National Sponsor — A “national sponsor” is a sponsor that has either (a) 30 or more adopting employers in each of 30 or more states (treating, for this purpose, the District of Columbia as a state) or (b) 3000 or more adopting employers. The determination as to whether there are 3000 or more adopting employers or 30 or more adopting employers in each of 30 or more states may be made on any one date during the 12 month period ending on the date that is 60 days after the effective date of this revenue procedure. For this purpose, an adopting employer is any employer that has adopted any plan of the sponsor that has a GUST opinion letter. GUST is an acronym for the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (GATT), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 (SBJPA), the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (TRA ’97), the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (RRA ’98), and the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (CRA)

.10 Standardized Plan — A “standardized plan” is an M&P plan that meets the following requirements:

(1) The provisions governing eligibility and participation are such that the plan by its terms must benefit all employees described in section 5.13 (regardless of whether any employer is treated as operating separate lines of business under § 414(r)) except those that may be excluded under § 410(a)(1) or (b)(3). The adoption agreement may provide options as to whether some or all of the employees described in § 410(a)(1) or (b)(3) are to be excluded, provided that the criteria for excluding employees described in § 410(a)(1) or (b)(3) applies uniformly to all employees. A standardized plan generally may not deny an accrual or allocation to an employee eligible to participate merely because the employee is not an active employee on the last day of the plan year or has failed to complete a specified number of hours of service during the year. However, the plan may deny an allocation or accrual to an employee who is eligible to participate if the employee terminates service during the plan year with not more than 500 hours of service and is not an active employee on the last day of the plan year.

(2) The eligibility requirements under the plan are not more favorable for highly compensated employees (as defined in § 414(q)) than for other employees.

(3) Under the plan, allocations, in the case of a defined contribution plan (other than any cash or deferred arrangement part of the plan), or benefits, in the case of a defined benefit plan, are determined on the basis of total compensation. For this purpose, total compensation means a definition of compensation that includes all compensation within the meaning of § 415(c)(3) and excludes all other compensation or that otherwise satisfies § 414(s) under § 1.414(s)-1(c) of the Income Tax Regulations.

(4) Unless the plan is a target benefit plan or a § 401(k) and/or § 401(m) plan, the plan must, by its terms, satisfy one of the design-based safe harbors described in § 1.401(a)(4)-2(b)(2) (taking into account § 1.401(a)(4)-2(b)(4)) or in § 1.401(a)(4)-3(b)(3), (4), or (5) (taking into account § 1.401(a)(4)-3(b)(6)).

(5) All benefits, rights, and features under the plan (other than those, if any, that have been prospectively eliminated) are currently available to all employees benefiting under the plan.

(6) Any past service credit under the plan must meet the safe harbor in § 1.401(a)(4)-5(a)(3).

A plan will not fail to satisfy the coverage requirement for standardized plans merely because the plan provides, either as the result of an elective provision or by default in the absence of an election to the contrary, that individuals who become employees, within the meaning of section 5.13, as the result of a “§ 410(b)(6)(C) transaction” will be excluded from eligibility to participate in the plan during the period beginning on the date of the transaction and ending on a date that is not later than the last day of the first plan year beginning after the date of the transaction. A “§ 410(b)(6)(C) transaction” is an asset or stock acquisition, merger, or other similar transaction involving a change in the employer of the employees of a trade or business.

.11 Nonstandardized Plan — A “nonstandardized plan” is an M&P plan that is not a standardized plan.

SECTION 5. PROVISIONS REQUIRED IN EVERY M&P PLAN

.01 Sponsor Amendments — M&P plans must provide a procedure for sponsor amendment, so that changes in the Code, regulations, revenue rulings, other statements published by the Internal Revenue Service, or corrections of prior approved plans may be applied to all employers who have adopted the plan. Sponsors must make reasonable and diligent efforts to ensure that adopting employers of the sponsor’s M&P plan have actually received and are aware of all plan amendments and that such employers complete and sign new adoption agreements when necessary. See section 5.11. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the loss of eligibility to sponsor M&P plans and the revocation of opinion letters that have been issued to the sponsor.

.02 Employer Amendments — An employer that amends any provision of an approved M&P plan including its adoption agreement (other than to change the choice of options, if the plan permits or contemplates such a change) or an employer that chooses to discontinue participation in a plan as amended by its sponsor and does not substitute another approved M&P plan is considered to have adopted an individually designed plan. However, this rule does not apply in the case of amendments permitted under sections 5.06 and 5.09 and sample or model amendments published by the Service (or other required good faith amendments) that specifically provide that their adoption by an adopter of an M&P plan will not cause such plan to be treated as individually designed. Also see section 19.03 regarding the effect of employer amendments on an employer’s ability to rely on an opinion letter and section 24 with respect to applicable remedial amendment periods. An employer that amends an M&P plan because of a waiver of the minimum funding requirement under § 412(d) will also be considered to have an individually designed plan. The procedures stated in Rev. Proc. 2005-6 relating to the issuance of determination letters for individually designed plans will then apply to the plan as adopted by the employer.

.03 Compensation Requirements in Nonstandardized Plans — Each nonstandardized M&P plan must give the adopting employer the option to select total compensation as the compensation to be used in determining allocations or benefits. For this purpose, total compensation means a definition that includes all compensation within the meaning of § 415(c)(3) and excludes all other compensation or that otherwise satisfies § 414(s) under § 1.414(s)-1(c).

.04 Automatic or Optional Safe Harbor Provisions in Nonstandardized Plans — Each nonstandardized M&P plan must automatically or by option allow the adopting employer to satisfy one of the design-based safe harbors described in § 1.401(a)(4)-2(b)(2) or § 1.401(a)(4)-3(b)(3), (4), and (5). A nonstandardized defined contribution plan is permitted to include allocation formulas which must be general tested under § 1.401(a)(4)-2(c) or cross-tested under § 1.401(a)(4)-8. A nonstandardized defined benefit plan is permitted to include benefit formulas that must be general tested under § 1.401(a)(4)-3(c).

.05 Anti-Cutback Provisions — M&P plans must specifically provide for the protection provided under § 411(a)(10) and (d)(6), to the extent required, in the event that the employer amends the plan in any manner such as by revising the options selected in the adoption agreement or by adopting a new M&P plan. An M&P sponsor may not amend its plan in a manner that could result in the elimination of a benefit to the extent the benefit is required to be protected under § 411(d)(6) with respect to the plan of any adopting employer, unless permitted to do so under §§ 1.401(a)-4 and 1.411(d)-4. In addition, an M&P plan that does not contain vesting for all years that is at least as favorable to participants as that provided in § 416(b), must specifically provide that any vesting that occurs while the plan is top-heavy, will not be cut back if the plan ceases to be top-heavy.

.06 Adopting Employer Modification to Satisfy §§ 415 and 416 — M&P plans must provide that the plan provisions may be amended by overriding plan language completed by the employer in the adoption agreement where such language is necessary to satisfy § 415 or 416 because of the required aggregation of multiple plans under these sections. Generally, a space should be provided in the adoption agreement with instructions for the employer to add such language as necessary to satisfy §§ 415 and 416. In addition, a space must be provided in the adoption agreement for the employer to specify the interest rate and mortality tables used for purposes of establishing the present value of accrued benefits in order to compute the top-heavy ratio under § 416. Such a space must be included in both defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans.

.07 Defined Contribution § 415 Aggregation — Plan language must be incorporated that aggregates all defined contribution M&P plans to satisfy § 415(c) and (f). Sample language provided in the Listing of Required Modifications may be downloaded from the Internet at the following address: http://www.irs.gov.

.08 Top-heavy Requirements — Each plan must either provide that all the additional requirements applicable to top-heavy plans (described in § 416) apply at all times or provide that such requirements apply automatically if the plan is top-heavy regardless of how the adoption agreement is completed. In any case where the latter option is chosen, all the requirements for determining whether the plan is top-heavy must be included in the plan. (See Questions T-35 and T-36 of § 1.416-1.)

.09 Adopting Employer Modification of Trust or Custodial Account Document — An employer that adopts a nonstandardized M&P plan will not be considered to have an individually designed plan merely because the employer amends administrative provisions of the trust or custodial account document (such as provisions relating to investments and the duties of trustees), provided the amended provisions are not in conflict with any other provision of the plan and do not cause the plan to fail to qualify under § 401(a). For this purpose, an amendment includes modification of the language of the trust or custodial account document and the addition of overriding language.

An employer that adopts a standardized M&P plan may amend the trust or custodial account document provided such amendment merely involves the specification of the names of the plan, employer, trustee or custodian, plan administrator and other fiduciaries, the trust year, or the name of any pooled trust in which the plan’s trust will participate.

.10 Provisions Required in Adoption Agreements Regarding Reliance — The adoption agreement of every nonstandardized M&P plan must include, in close proximity to the signature blank, a statement that describes the limitations on employer reliance on an opinion letter without a determination letter and the circumstances under which an employer will have no reliance without a determination letter. See section 19.02 and section 19.03. Standardized plans must also include a similar statement in the adoption agreement that the adopting employer may not rely on the opinion letter issued by the Service but must apply for a determination letter to have reliance under the circumstances described in section 19.01.

.11 Other Provisions Required in Adoption Agreements — Each M&P plan must contain a dated employer signature line. The employer must sign the adoption agreement when it first adopts the plan and must complete and sign a new adoption agreement if the plan has been restated. In addition, the employer must complete a new signature page if it modifies any prior elections or makes new elections in its adoption agreement. The signature requirement may be satisfied by an electronic signature that reliably authenticates and verifies the adoption of the adoption agreement, or restatement, amendment or modification thereof, by the employer. The adoption agreement must state that it is to be used with one and only one specific basic plan document. In addition, the adoption agreement must contain a cautionary statement to the effect that the failure to properly fill out the adoption agreement may result in failure of the plan to qualify. The adoption agreement must also contain a statement that provides that the sponsor will inform the adopting employer of any amendments made to the plan or of the discontinuance or abandonment of the plan.

.12 Sponsor Telephone Numbers — M&P plan adoption agreements must include the sponsor’s name, address and telephone number (or a space for the address and telephone number of the sponsor’s authorized representative) for inquiries by adopting employers regarding the adoption of the plan, the meaning of plan provisions, or the effect of the opinion letter.

.13 Definition of Employee / § 414(b), (c), (m), (n) and (o) — Each M&P plan must include a definition of employee as any employee of the employer maintaining the plan or any other employer aggregated under § 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) and the regulations thereunder. The definition of employee shall also include any individual deemed under § 414(n) (or under regulations under § 414(o)) to be an employee of any employer described in the previous sentence.

.14 Definition of Service / § 414(b), (c), (m), (n), and (o) — Each M&P plan must specifically credit all service with any employer aggregated under § 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) and the regulations thereunder as service with the employer maintaining the plan. In addition, in the case of an individual deemed under § 414(n) (or under regulations under § 414(o)) to be the employee of any employer described in the previous sentence, service with such employer must be credited to such individual.

SECTION 6. OPINION LETTERS — SCOPE

.01 General Limits on Opinion Letters — Opinion letters will be issued only to sponsors or M&P mass submitters. Opinion letters constitute determinations as to the qualification of the plans as adopted by particular employers only under the circumstances, and to the extent, described in section 19. In the case of prototype plans, opinion letters do not constitute rulings or determinations as to the exempt status of related trusts or custodial accounts.

.02 Nonapplicability of the Procedure to IRAs and SEPs — Opinion letters will not be issued under this revenue procedure for prototype plans intended to meet the requirements for individual savings programs or simplified employee pension programs under § 408 (see Rev. Proc. 87-50, 1987-2 C.B. 647, Rev. Proc. 97-29, 1997-1 C.B. 698, and Rev. Proc. 98-59, 1998-2 C.B. 727).

.03 Areas Not Covered by Opinion Letters — Opinion letters will not be issued for:

(1) Multiemployer plans and multiple employer plans;

(2) Union plans (This does not preclude an M&P plan from covering employees of the employer who are included in a unit covered by a collective bargaining agreement or the adoption of an M&P plan pursuant to such agreement as a single employer plan that covers only employees of the employer.);

(3) Stock bonus plans;

(4) Employee stock ownership plans;

(5) Pooled fund arrangements contemplated by Rev. Rul. 81-100, 1981-1 C.B. 326 (as modified by Rev. Rul. 2004-67, 2004-28 I.R.B. 28);

(6) Annuity contracts under § 403(b);

(7) All cash balance plans and any other defined benefit plans (regardless of whether they are cash balance plans) under which the test for nondiscrimination under § 401(a)(4) is made by reference to contributions rather than benefits;

(8) Plans described in § 414(k) (relating to a defined benefit plan that provides a benefit derived from employer contributions that is based partly on the balance of the separate account of a participant);

(9) Target benefit plans, other than plans which, by their terms, satisfy each of the safe harbor requirements described in § 1.401(a)(4)-8(b)(3)(i), as well as the additional rules in § 1.401(a)(4)-8(b)(3)(ii) through (vii);

(10) Defined benefit plans that provide for employee contributions;

(11) Plans that would not satisfy the qualification requirements except as governmental plans as described in § 414(d);

(12) Church plans described in § 414(e) that have not made the election provided by § 410(d);

(13) Plans under which the § 415 limitations are incorporated by reference;

(14) Plans that incorporate the ADP test under § 401(k)(3) or the ACP test under § 401(m)(2) by reference;

(15) Section 401(k) plans (standardized and nonstandardized) that provide for hardship distributions under circumstances other than those described in the safe harbor standards in the regulations under § 401(k);

(16) Fully-insured § 412(i) plans, other than plans that, by their terms, satisfy the safe harbor for § 412(i) plans in § 1.401(a)(4)-3(b)(5);

(17) Plans that fail to contain a provision reflecting the requirements of § 414(u) (see Rev. Proc. 96-49, 1996-2 C.B. 369);

(18) Plans that include so-called fail-safe provisions for § 401(a)(4) or the average benefit test under § 410(b);

(19) Plans that include blanks or fill-in provisions for the employer to complete unless the provisions have parameters that preclude the employer from completing the provisions in a manner that could violate the qualification requirements.

(20) Plans designed to satisfy the provisions of § 105.

The Service may, in its discretion, decline to issue opinion letters for other types of plans not described in this section 6.03.

SECTION 7. OPINION LETTERS — INSTRUCTIONS TO SPONSORS

.01 Employee Plans Rulings and Agreements Issues Opinion Letters — Employee Plans Rulings and Agreements will, upon the request of a sponsor, issue an opinion letter as to the acceptability of the form of the sponsor’s M&P plan and any related trust or custodial account under §§ 401(a), 403(a), and 501(a).

.02 Procedure for Requesting Opinion Letters — A request for an opinion letter relating to an M&P plan must be submitted on the current version of Form 4461, Application for Approval of Master or Prototype Defined Contribution Plan, Form 4461-A, Application for Approval of Master or Prototype Defined Benefit Plan, or Form 4461-B, Application for Approval of Master or Prototype Plan Mass Submitter Adopting Sponsor, as appropriate. The forms (and instructions) specify what to include with the application. These forms may be downloaded from the Internet at the following address: http://www.irs.gov. All information on the first page of the application must be typed. The request must be sent to the address in section 20. The Service intends to revise Form 8717, User Fee for Employee Plan Determination Letter Request, so that it applies to a request for an opinion letter under the M&P program. Until the form has been revised, an M&P request should continue to include the applicable user fee with the submission.

.03 Expediting Review of Substantially Identical Plans — The Service reserves the right to review applications in any order that will expedite the processing of opinion letter applications, subject to section 21.03. To expedite the review of substantially identical plans that are not mass submitter plans, the Service encourages plan drafters and sponsors to include with each opinion letter application, where it is appropriate, a cover letter setting forth the following information:

(1) The name and file folder number (if available) of the plan that, for review purposes, the plan drafter designates as the “lead plan” (including the name and EIN of the sponsor);

(2) A list of all plans written by the plan drafter that are substantially identical to the lead plan (including the information described in (1) above);

(3) A description of each place where the plan for which the application is being submitted is not word-for-word identical to the language of the lead plan, including an explanation of the purpose and effect of each such difference; and

(4) A certification, made under penalty of perjury by the plan drafter, that the information described in (3) above is true and complete.

If the sponsor or plan drafter is aware that a lead plan or any substantially identical plan has been assigned for review to a specialist, the cover letter should also indicate the name of specialist, if possible. To the extent feasible, lead plans and substantially identical plans should be submitted together. The Service will regard the information and certification described in (3) and (4) above as a material representation for purposes of issuing an opinion letter.

.04 Separate Applications Required for Different Categories of M&P Plans / Use of Same Basic Plan Document by Multiple Plans — An M&P plan shall not contain any combination of profit-sharing, money purchase (other than target benefit), target benefit, non-integrated defined benefit, or integrated defined benefit plan features. However, separate defined contribution plans may have the same basic plan document and separate defined benefit plans may have the same basic plan document, but the provisions of the basic plan document must be identical for all plans using that document (that is, no elective or optional features). For example, a sponsor may submit four plans with respect to a given defined benefit basic plan document: integrated standardized and nonstandardized; and nonintegrated standardized and nonstandardized plans. A sponsor may also use one defined contribution basic plan document for a money purchase plan, a target benefit plan, and a profit-sharing plan. One basic plan document may not be used with respect to both defined benefit and defined contribution plans. A separate adoption agreement and completed application form must be submitted with respect to each defined benefit plan and each defined contribution plan. In the case of a simultaneous submission of plans using the same basic plan document, only one copy of the basic plan document should be provided. If the requests are not simultaneous, the sponsor must submit a copy of the basic plan document with each submission and include a cover letter identifying the original submission. The number of such basic plan document must remain the same as in the prior submission.

.05 Sample Language — A Listing of Required Modifications (LRM) containing sample language to be used in drafting M&P plans is available from Employee Plans Rulings and Agreements. Such language is not automatically required in M&P plans but should be used as a guide in drafting such plans. To expedite the review of their plans, sponsors are encouraged to use LRM language and to identify where such language is being used in their plan documents. LRMs may be downloaded from the Internet at the following address: http://www.irs.gov.

.06 Material Furnished to Adopting Employers — A sponsor must furnish each adopting employer with a copy of the approved plan, copies of any subsequent amendments, and the most recently issued Internal Revenue Service opinion letter.

.07 Timing of Issuance of Opinion Letters — The Service intends to issue opinion letters to M&P mass submitters and sponsors (as well as advisory letters to VS mass submitters and practitioners) at approximately the same time within the applicable 6-year cycle. In the interim, the Service will send an email to the applicable M&P or VS mass submitter, sponsor, or practitioner, if the Service determines that the plan appears to be in full compliance with the applicable qualification requirements, based on the submissions and the completed review. Notwithstanding the above, this email only provides assurance that the Service believes the plan appears to meet the applicable qualification requirements under review as of the date of the email. This email correspondence is for the convenience of the applicable sponsor, practitioner or mass submitter, but does not constitute an official opinion or advisory letter. Until issuance of the official opinion or advisory letter no reliance exists. In addition, the Service reserves the right to require changes after the email is sent, in its sole discretion.

SECTION 8. APPROVED PLANS — MAINTENANCE OF APPROVED STATUS

.01 Cumulative List in Six-Year Cycle — Future guidance described in section 3.05 of this revenue procedure will provide that sponsors of pre-approved M&P plans must submit requests for opinion letters by a specified time period within a six-year cycle in order to continue to rely on their opinion letters. Sponsors may apply for opinion letters at other times, but these filings will be “off-cycle” filings as described in section 21.03. The Service will review the plans that have been submitted by the specified time period within a six-year cycle taking into account the applicable Cumulative List that identifies changes in the qualification requirements of the Code as well as items of published guidance relating to the plan qualification requirements, such as regulations and revenue rulings. However, in order to be qualified, a plan must comply with all relevant qualification requirements, not just those on the applicable Cumulative List. The letter will not take into account, and a sponsor may not rely on opinion letters with respect to, statutory changes enacted, and/or any guidance issued, after the issuance of the applicable Cumulative List, unless those changes and/or guidance are listed on the applicable Cumulative List.

.02 Subsequent Required Amendments — Except as otherwise provided in future guidance, in the event of changes in qualification requirements resulting from future guidance, or other regulatory or statutory changes that were not taken into account in issuing the opinion letter, an approved M&P plan must be amended by the sponsor and, if necessary, the employer, to retain its approved status if any provisions therein fail to meet the requirements of law, regulations, or other issuances and guidelines affecting qualification. Failure to so amend could result in the loss of a plan’s qualified status. However, this does not change the applicable period during the six-year cycle when sponsors must request opinion letters, which will still occur only once every six years. Sponsors are required to make reasonable and diligent efforts to ensure that each employer which, to the best of the sponsor’s knowledge, continues to maintain the plan as an M&P plan, amends its plan when necessary.

Even if future guidance provides that the plan need not be amended during a six year cycle to reflect a change in the qualification requirements, the plan must operationally comply with any changes in qualification requirements and the terms of the plan as ultimately amended to reflect the change. Failure to comply with this or any other requirement imposed on sponsors by this revenue procedure may result in the loss of eligibility to sponsor M&P plans and the revocation of opinion letters that have been issued to the sponsor.

.03 Amendments Following Revenue Rulings — If an approved M&P plan is required to be amended to retain its approved status as a result of publication by the Service of a revenue ruling, notice or similar statement in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (I.R.B.), with changes that were not taken into account in issuing the opinion letter then, unless specifically stated otherwise in the revenue ruling, etc., the time by which the sponsor must amend its M&P plan to conform to the requirements of the revenue ruling, etc., shall be the end of the one-year period after its publication in the I.R.B., and with respect to any adopting employer’s plan the effective date of such amendment shall be the first day of the first plan year beginning within such one-year period. As noted in section 8.02, this does not change the applicable period during the six-year cycle when sponsors must request opinion letters, which will still only occur once every six years. Further, sponsors must make reasonable and diligent efforts to ensure that each employer amends its plan when necessary as noted in section 8.02.

.04 Adopting Employers — The Service will announce when adopting employers must adopt amendments to comply with new guidance issued by the Service. Regardless of when amendments are required to be made, adopting employers must operationally comply as of the applicable effective date of the new guidance.

.05 Loss of Qualified Status — If a sponsor reasonably concludes that an employer’s M&P plan may no longer be a qualified plan and the sponsor does not or cannot submit a request to correct the qualification failure under the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS), it is incumbent on the sponsor to notify the employer that the plan may no longer be qualified, advise the employer that adverse tax consequences may result from loss of the plan’s qualified status, and inform the employer about the availability of EPCRS. See Rev. Proc. 2003-44, 2003-1 C.B. 1051.

SECTION 9. WITHDRAWAL OF REQUESTS

.01 Notification and Effect — A sponsor may withdraw its request for an opinion letter at any time prior to the issuance of such letter by notifying EP Rulings and Agreements in writing of such withdrawal. The sponsor must also notify each employer who adopted the plan that the request has been withdrawn. Such an employer will be deemed to have an individually designed plan.

.02 Service Retains Information — Even though a request is withdrawn, EP Rulings and Agreements will retain all correspondence and documents associated with that request and will not return them to the sponsor. EP Rulings and Agreements may furnish its views concerning the qualified status of the plan to EP Examinations, which has audit jurisdiction over the returns of the employers that have adopted the plan.

SECTION 10. ABANDONED PLANS

.01 Notification to the Service — A sponsor should notify EP Rulings and Agreements in writing of an approved M&P plan that is no longer used by any employer and which the sponsor no longer intends to offer for adoption. Such written notification should be sent to the address in section 20 and should refer to the file folder number appearing on the latest opinion letter issued.

.02 Notification to Employers — A sponsor that intends to abandon an approved M&P plan that is in use by any adopting employer must inform each adopting employer that the form of the plan has been terminated, that the employer’s plan will become an individually designed plan (unless the employer adopts another approved M&P plan), and that any employer reliance will not continue if there is a change in law or other change in the qualification requirements. After so informing all adopting employers, the sponsor should notify EP Rulings and Agreements in accordance with subsection .01 above.

SECTION 11. RECORD KEEPING REQUIREMENTS

.01 Filing of Opinion Letter Application Constitutes Agreement to Comply with Record Keeping Requirements — By submitting an application for an opinion letter under this revenue procedure (or by having an application filed on its behalf by an M&P mass submitter), an M&P plan sponsor agrees, as provided in section 4.07, to comply with the requirements imposed on the sponsor by this revenue procedure, including the record keeping requirements of this section. Failure to comply with the requirements imposed on the sponsor by this revenue procedure may result in the loss of eligibility to sponsor M&P plans and the revocation of opinion letters that have been issued to the sponsor.

.02 Maintenance and Availability of Records of Adopting Employers — An M&P plan sponsor must maintain, or have maintained on its behalf, for each of its plans, a record of the names, business addresses, and taxpayer identification numbers of all employers that have adopted the plan. However, a sponsor need not maintain records with respect to employers that, to the best of the sponsor’s knowledge, ceased to maintain the plan as an M&P plan more than three years earlier. Upon written request, a sponsor must provide to the Service a list of such adopting employers that indicates, to the best of the sponsor’s knowledge, which of such employers continue to maintain the plan as an M&P plan and which of such employers have ceased to maintain the plan as an M&P plan within the preceding three years.

SECTION 12. M&P MASS SUBMITTERS

.01 Opinion Letters Issued to M&P Mass Submitters —

(1) EP Rulings and Agreements will, upon request by an M&P mass submitter, as defined in section 4.08, issue an opinion letter as to the acceptability of the form of the mass submitter’s M&P plan and any related trust or custodial account under §§ 401(a), 403(a), and 501(a). With respect to its plan, the M&P mass submitter must submit a completed Form 4461 or 4461-A, as applicable, to the address in section 20. The first page of the Form 4461 or 4461-A must be typed. The application must include a copy of the plan (adoption agreement and basic plan document) and any separate trust or custodial account document(s). In the case of an initial submission of a basic plan document under this revenue procedure, the M&P mass submitter’s application must also be accompanied by applications for opinion letters filed on behalf of the requisite number of identical adopters (as determined under section 4.08), unless the M&P mass submitter has already satisfied this requirement in connection with a previous application under this revenue procedure involving another basic plan document. The Service intends to revise Form 8717, User Fee for Employee Plan Determination Letter Request, so that it applies to such a request. Until the form has been revised, an M&P request should continue to include the applicable user fee with the submission. An M&P mass submitter may submit an application on its own behalf as one of the requisite number of adopting sponsors.

(2) After satisfying the requisite number of adopting sponsors requirement, the M&P mass submitter may submit additional applications on behalf of other sponsors that wish to adopt a word-for-word identical plan or a plan that contains minor modifications from the mass submitter plan, as provided in section 12.03(2). In addition, the M&P mass submitter may then submit requests for opinion letters under this section 12.01 for its other plans, regardless of the number of identical adopters of such other plans.

(3) The Service intends to send opinion letters to M&P mass submitters and sponsors (as well as advisory letters to VS mass submitters and practitioners) at approximately the same time within the applicable six-year cycle. In the interim, the Service will send an email to the applicable M&P or VS mass submitter, sponsor, or practitioner, if the Service determines that the plan appears to be in full compliance with the applicable qualification requirements based on the submissions and the completed review. Notwithstanding the above, this email only provides assurance that the Service believes the plan appears to meet the applicable qualification requirements under review as of the date of this email. This email correspondence is for the convenience of the applicable sponsor, practitioner or mass submitter, but does not constitute an official opinion or advisory letter. Until issuance of the official opinion or advisory letter no reliance exists. The Service reserves the right to require changes after the email is sent, in its sole discretion.

.02 Reduced Procedural Requirements for Sponsors That Use Mass Submitter Plans — A sponsor of an M&P plan of a mass submitter must obtain an opinion letter. For initial qualification, or where the sponsor’s plan includes modifications, the M&P mass submitter on behalf of the sponsor must submit to EP Rulings and Agreements a completed Form 4461-B which contains a declaration by the M&P mass submitter under penalty of perjury that the sponsor has adopted an M&P plan that is word-for-word identical, within the meaning of this section, to a plan of the M&P mass submitter, or an M&P plan that is a minor modification of the mass submitter’s plan. The Form 4461-B must be typed. If the sponsor is sponsoring a word-for-word identical plan (including a flexible plan), a copy of the plan need not be submitted. If the M&P mass submitter submits a plan with minor modifications, it must comply with the requirements of section 12.03(2). The application submitted on behalf of the sponsor must include the required user fee. Upon receipt of the request for an opinion letter, described above, the Service will, as soon as clerically feasible, issue an opinion letter to the sponsor.

.03 Definitions —

(1) Flexible Plan —

(a) In general — A “flexible plan” is a plan submitted by an M&P mass submitter that contains optional provisions (as defined in (b), below). Sponsors that adopt the flexible plan may include or delete any optional provision that is designated as such in the M&P mass submitter’s plan, provided the inclusion or deletion of specific optional provisions conforms to the M&P mass submitter’s written representation to the Service concerning the choices available to sponsors and the coordination of optional provisions. An M&P mass submitter must bracket and identify the optional provisions when submitting such plan to EP Rulings and Agreements and must also provide the Service a written representation describing the choices available to sponsors and the coordination of optional provisions. Thus, such a representation must indicate whether a sponsor’s plan may contain only one of a certain group of optional provisions, may contain only a specific combination of provisions, or may exclude the provisions entirely. Similarly, if the inclusion (or deletion) of a specific optional provision in a sponsor’s plan will automatically result in the inclusion (or deletion) of any other optional provision, this must be set forth in the M&P mass submitter’s representation. A flexible plan may contain only optional provisions which meet the requirements of (b), below, and must be drafted so that the qualification of any sponsor’s plan will not be affected by the inclusion or deletion of optional provisions. For example, if a sponsor’s defined contribution plan contains an optional provision which allows a portion of a participant’s account to be invested in life insurance, then under the terms of the sponsor’s plan, the application of the proceeds must meet the requirements of §§ 401(a)(11) and 417. A flexible plan adopted by a sponsor which differs from the M&P mass submitter plan only because the sponsor has deleted certain optional provisions from its plan in conformance with the M&P mass submitter’s representation described above will be treated as a word-for-word identical plan to the M&P mass submitter plan. The Service encourages M&P mass submitters to limit the number of optional provisions described in (b)(i) and (ii), below, which they provide under a flexible plan to six investment provisions and six administrative provisions.

(b) Optional Provisions — A flexible plan may contain only optional provisions that comply with the requirements set forth below. The optional provisions may be arranged as separate optional articles or as separate optional provisions within a single article. A flexible plan may also contain optional provisions in the adoption agreement. For example, if an M&P mass submitter flexible plan basic plan document contains an optional provision that would allow for loans under a sponsor’s M&P plan, the adoption agreement could also include an optional provision that would enable an adopting employer to elect whether loans will be available under the plan it adopts. If the sponsor does not wish to enable adopting employers to make loans available under their plans, both the basic plan document optional provision and the adoption agreement optional provision would be deleted from the sponsor’s M&P plan. Sponsors may include or delete optional provisions of M&P mass submitter plans, but once the sponsor has decided to include an optional provision, it must offer that provision to all adopting employers. Any optional provision that the Service determines does not meet the requirements of this section will have to be changed to a non-optional provision or deleted from the M&P mass submitter’s plan. The following is an exclusive list of the allowable optional provisions that a flexible plan may contain:

(i) Investment Provisions — An M&P mass submitter may offer a variety of investment provisions in its plan for sponsors to include or delete from their version of the plan. However, the plan as adopted by the sponsor must provide some method for investing trust assets. Investment provisions are those provisions that describe the plan’s methods of investing the trust or custodial funds, including provisions such as the availability of loans and investments in insurance contracts or other funding media, and self-directed investments. (Also see 4.05 and 5.09 regarding flexibility permitted in trust or custodial account documents.)

(ii) Administrative Provisions — An M&P mass submitter may offer a variety of administrative provisions in its plan for sponsors to include or delete from their version of the plan. However, the plan as adopted by the sponsor must describe how the plan will be administered. Administrative provisions are those provisions that describe the administration of the plan, including the powers, duties, and responsibilities of a plan’s custodian, trustee, administrator, employer, and other fiduciaries. Administrative provisions include the allocation of responsibilities among fiduciaries, the resignation or replacement of fiduciaries, claims procedures under the plan, and record-keeping requirements. However, procedural provisions that are required for plan qualification are not administrative provisions under this section. For example, provisions that provide for the notice to participants required by § 417 and record-keeping required by regulations under § 401(k) and (m) are not administrative provisions for purposes of this revenue procedure, and may not be optional provisions.

(iii) Cash or Deferred Arrangement — An M&P mass submitter may include a self-contained cash or deferred arrangement (as defined in § 401(k)) for sponsors to include or delete.

(c) Addition of Optional Provisions by the M&P Mass Submitter — An M&P mass submitter may add additional optional provisions to its plan after a favorable opinion letter is issued. Generally, the addition of such optional provisions will not be treated as a plan amendment for purposes of this revenue procedure, Rev. Proc. 2005-6, and Rev. Proc. 2005-8, 2005-1 I.R.B. 243, and sponsors and adopting employers will not be required to obtain new opinion and determination letters in order to preserve reliance. (However, the addition of a cash or deferred arrangement or any change to the language of the adoption agreement subsequent to the issuance of an opinion letter will be treated as a plan amendment to the M&P mass submitter’s plan and the requirements of subsection .04 will then apply.) The M&P mass submitter must submit such additional optional provisions to the Service, along with a completed Form 4461 or 4461-A, as applicable, and a check or money order in the amount specified in section 6.04(6) of Rev. Proc. 2005-8. No opinion letter will be issued to the M&P mass submitter or any adopting sponsor with respect to the addition of these optional provisions. Instead, a letter will be issued to the M&P mass submitter notifying it that the addition of such optional provisions will not affect the status of favorable opinion and determination letters issued to sponsors and adopting employers.

(d) Notification to Employer — If an M&P mass submitter adds optional provisions, as described in (c), above, all adopting sponsors who wish to include the additional optional provisions must furnish each adopting employer with a copy of the plan that includes such additional provisions. If a sponsor decides to include or delete an optional provision after it initially adopted the plan, it must also furnish each adopting employer with a copy of the new plan. However, if such inclusion or deletion results in a change to the language of the adoption agreement, such change will be treated as a plan amendment and the sponsor and its adopting employers may not continue to rely on previously issued opinion or determination letters.

(2) Minor Modifications —

(a) A “minor modification” is a minor change to an otherwise word-for-word identical plan of the M&P mass submitter that does not require an in-depth technical review. For example, a change from 5 year 100% vesting to 3 year 100% vesting is a minor modification. On the other hand, a change in the method of accrual of benefits in a defined benefit plan would not be considered a minor modification. A minor modification must be submitted by the M&P mass submitter on behalf of the sponsor that will adopt the modified plan. Subject to sections 12.05 and 21.03 and the provisions of this section, submissions with respect to minor modifications will be reviewed on an expedited basis and opinion letters will be issued to the sponsor as soon as possible.

(b) The Service reserves the right to determine if such changes are actually minor. If it is determined that the changes are extensive or require an in-depth technical review, the plan submitted under section (c) below will not be entitled to expedited review and will otherwise be treated as a non-mass submitter plan. (In the event the plan is treated as a non-mass submitter plan, the Service will notify the M&P mass submitter in writing of its determination. Within 30 days following the date of such communication, either the M&P mass submitter may revise the plan so that the modifications are minor and resubmit the revised plan, or the sponsor may submit Form 4461 or 4461-A, whichever is applicable, and an additional user fee in an amount equal to the difference between a non-mass submitter plan application user fee and a minor modifier application user fee. If, after such 30 day period neither action has been taken, the application may be considered withdrawn.)

(c) The M&P mass submitter must initially submit the first page of the applicable Form 4461-B, as a placeholder. Such form must be typed. When the lead plan has been approved, the M&P mass submitter must submit a copy of the M&P mass submitter’s plan with the modifications highlighted, as well as a statement indicating the location and effect of each change. The M&P mass submitter must certify under penalty of perjury that the plan of the sponsor, except for the delineated changes, is word-for-word identical, within the meaning of this section, to the plan for which the M&P mass submitter received a favorable opinion letter. If an M&P mass submitter fails to identify each modification, such failure will be considered a material misrepresentation and an employer may not rely on any opinion or determination letter that may be issued with respect to the plan. If an M&P mass submitter repeatedly fails to identify such modifications, the Service may deny permission to that M&P mass submitter to submit additional modifications.

.04 Amendments of M&P Mass Submitter Plans — Any plan submitted by an M&P mass submitter must include language designating the M&P mass submitter as agent for the sponsor for purposes of making plan amendments (see section 12.02). Any sponsor that does not wish to make the amendments made by an M&P mass submitter may switch to another M&P mass submitter or may submit an application for an opinion letter on its own behalf. If the M&P mass submitter makes any change to the plan, other than the addition of optional provisions pursuant to section 12.03(1)(c), an amendment described in section 21.02, or a sample or model amendment required by the Service, it must comply with the requirements of section 21.01 of this revenue procedure. In addition, prior to submitting an amendment to EP Rulings and Agreements, the M&P mass submitter must notify the Service of its intention to amend the plan. Such notification should be submitted, in writing, to the address in section 20. The Service will then mail a list to the M&P mass submitter showing all sponsors that have adopted plans that are identical to the M&P mass submitter’s plans, as well as the specific plans adopted by each sponsor. The M&P mass submitter must then submit the amended plan to EP Rulings and Agreements for approval (regardless of whether it is an off-cycle or on-cycle filing under section 21.03), along with a list identifying all adopting sponsors’ plans that will be amended, a user fee form for each such sponsor, and the appropriate user fee required under section 6.04 of Rev. Proc. 2005-8. All sponsors that have adopted the M&P mass submitter’s plan, are identified on the list submitted to the Service, and for which a user fee has been submitted, will be considered to have made such amendments and will be issued opinion letters. In the case of modified plans, separate Form 4461 applications must be filed along with copies of the plans as amended, user fee forms, and the user fee required by section 6.04 of Rev. Proc. 2005-8. Copies of the amended plan must be sent to adopting employers. Any adopting sponsor that is not included on the list submitted to the Service (or in the case of a minor modifier, for which a Form 4461-B application has not been filed) or which notifies the Service of its desire not to adopt such amendment will no longer participate as an M&P mass submitter plan but must apply for an opinion letter on its own behalf to retain its status as an M&P plan.

.05 Expeditious Processing Accorded M&P Mass Submitter Plans — Subject to section 21.03, all M&P mass submitter plans, including the adoption of approved M&P mass submitter plans by sponsors, will be accorded more expeditious processing than M&P plans submitted by non-mass submitters, to the extent administratively feasible.

PART II — VOLUME SUBMITTER PLANS

SECTION 13. DEFINITIONS

.01 Volume Submitter Plan — A “volume submitter plan” or “VS plan” refers to either a specimen plan of a VS practitioner or a plan of a client of the VS practitioner that is substantially similar to the VS practitioner’s approved specimen plan.

.02 Specimen Plan — A “specimen plan” is a sample plan of a VS practitioner (rather than the actual plan of an employer). A specimen plan may include an adoption agreement.

.03 Advisory Letter — An “advisory letter” is a written statement issued by the Service to a VS practitioner or VS mass submitter as to the acceptability of the form of a specimen plan and any related trust or custodial account under § 401(a) or § 403(a).

.04 VS Practitioner — A “VS practitioner” is any person that (1) has an established place of business in the United States where it is accessible during every business day and (2) represents to the Service that it has at least 30 employer-clients each of which is reasonably expected to timely adopt a plan that is substantially similar to the VS practitioner’s specimen plan. Notwithstanding the above, the required number of employer-clients reasonably expected to timely adopt a substantially similar money purchase pension specimen plan is reduced to 10 in the case of a VS practitioner that has specimen plans for two or more separate categories described in section 17.03, one of which is a money purchase pension plan. For example, if a VS practitioner has a money purchase pension specimen plan and no other types of plans, or if a VS practitioner has plans described in two or more categories, none of which is a money purchase pension plan, the employer-client requirement remains at 30. The deadline for timely adoption will be announced by the Service in future guidance.

A VS practitioner may submit any number of specimen plans for advisory letters provided the 30 employer requirement (or 10, if applicable) is separately satisfied with respect to each specimen plan. The Service reserves the right at any time to request from the VS practitioner a list of the employers that have adopted or are expected to adopt the VS practitioner’s specimen plans, including the employers’ business addresses and employer identification numbers.

Notwithstanding the above, any person that has an established place of business in the United States where it is accessible during every business day may sponsor a specimen plan as a word-for-word identical adopter of a specimen plan of an VS mass submitter, regardless of the number of employers that are expected to adopt the plan.

A VS practitioner is also a practitioner that has either (a) 30 or more adopting employers in each of 30 or more states (treating, for this purpose, the District of Columbia as a state) or (b) 3000 or more adopting employers. The determination as to whether there are 3000 or more adopting employers or 30 or more adopting employers in each of 30 or more states may be made on any one date during the 12 month period ending on the date that is 60 days after the effective date of this revenue procedure. For this purpose, an adopting employer is any employer that has adopted any plan of the sponsor that has a GUST opinion letter.

By submitting an application for an advisory letter for a specimen plan under this revenue procedure (or by having an application filed on its behalf by a VS mass submitter), a person represents to the Service that it is a VS practitioner, as defined above. If the VS practitioner’s specimen plan permits the VS practitioner to amend the VS plan on behalf of adopting employers, as permitted by section 15, the VS practitioner also agrees to comply with any requirements imposed on sponsors of M&P plans by this procedure. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the loss of eligibility to sponsor specimen plans and the revocation of advisory letters that have been issued to the VS practitioner.

.05 VS Mass Submitter — A “VS mass submitter” is any person that (1) has an established place of business in the United States where it is accessible during every business day and (2) submits advisory letter applications on behalf of at least 30 unaffiliated practitioners each of which is sponsoring, on a word-for-word identical basis, the same specimen plan. A VS mass submitter may submit an advisory letter application on its own behalf as one of the 30 unaffiliated practitioners. For purposes of this definition, affiliation is determined under § 414(b) and (c). Additionally, the following will be considered to be affiliated: any law, accounting, consulting firm, etc., with its partners, members, associates, etc. A VS mass submitter will be treated as a VS mass submitter with respect to each specimen plan for which the 30 unaffiliated practitioner requirement is separately met.

SECTION 14. PROVISIONS REQUIRED IN EVERY VS PLAN

.01 Anti-Cutback Provisions — VS plans must specifically provide for the protection provided under § 411(a)(10) and (d)(6), to the extent required, in the event that the employer amends the plan in any manner. If a VS plan authorizes the VS practitioner to amend the plan on behalf of employers, the VS practitioner may not amend the plan in a manner that could result in the elimination of a benefit to the extent the benefit is required to be protected under § 411(d)(6) with respect to the plan of any adopting employer, unless permitted to do so under §§ 1.401(a)-4 and 1.411(d)-4. In addition, a VS plan that is not exempt from the top-heavy requirements and that does not contain vesting for all years which is at least as favorable to participants as that provided in § 416(b), must specifically provide that any vesting that occurs while the plan is top-heavy will not be cut back if the plan ceases to be top-heavy.

.02 Definition of Employee / § 414(b), (c), (m), (n) and (o) — Each VS plan must include a definition of employee as any employee of the employer maintaining the plan or any other employer aggregated under § 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) and the regulations thereunder. The definition of employee shall also include any individual deemed under § 414(n) (or under regulations under § 414(o)) to be an employee of any employer described in the previous sentence.

.03 Definition of Service / § 414(b), (c), (m), (n), and (o) — Each VS plan must specifically credit all service with any employer aggregated under § 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) and the regulations thereunder as service with the employer maintaining the plan. In addition, in the case of an individual deemed under § 414(n) (or under regulations under § 414(o)) to be the employee of any employer described in the previous sentence, service with such employer must be credited to such individual.

.04 Adopting Employer Modification of Trust or Custodial Account Document — An employer will not be considered to have an individually designed plan merely because the employer amends administrative provisions of the trust or custodial account document (such as provisions relating to investments and the duties of trustees), provided the amended provisions are not in conflict with any other provision of the plan and do not cause the plan to fail to qualify under § 401(a). For this purpose, an amendment includes modification of the language of the trust or custodial account document and the addition of overriding language.

.05 Other Required Provisions — Requirements similar to those under sections 5.11 and 5.12 relating to M&P plans apply with respect to VS plans, except as otherwise provided in this revenue procedure.

SECTION 15. APPROVED PLANS — MAINTENANCE OF APPROVED STATUS

.01 Cumulative List in Six-Year Cycle — Future guidance described in section 3.05 of this revenue procedure will provide that practitioners of pre-approved VS plans must submit requests for advisory letters by a specified time period within a six-year cycle in order to continue to rely on their advisory letters. Practitioners may apply for advisory letters at other times, but these filings will be “off-cycle” filings, as described in section 21.03. The Service will review the plans that have been submitted by the specified time period within a six-year cycle taking into account the applicable Cumulative List that identifies changes in the qualification requirements of the Code as well as items of published guidance relating to the plan qualification requirements, such as regulations and revenue rulings. However, in order to be qualified, a plan must comply with all relevant qualification requirements, not just those on the applicable Cumulative List. The letter will not take into account, and a practitioner may not rely on advisory letters with respect to, statutory changes enacted, and/or any guidance issued, after the issuance of the applicable Cumulative List, unless those changes and/or guidance are listed on the applicable Cumulative List.

.02 Subsequent Required Amendments — Except as otherwise provided in future guidance, in the event of changes in qualification requirements resulting from future guidance, or other regulatory or statutory changes that were not taken into account in issuing the advisory letter, an approved VS plan must be amended by the practitioner and, if necessary, the employer, to retain its approved status if any provisions therein fail to meet the requirements of law, regulations, or other issuances and guidelines affecting qualification. Failure to so amend could result in the loss of a plan’s qualified status. However, this does not change the applicable period during the six-year cycle when practitioners must request advisory letters, which will still occur only once every six years. Practitioners are required to make reasonable and diligent efforts to ensure that each employer which, to the best of the practitioner’s knowledge, continues to maintain the plan as a VS plan, amends its plan when necessary.

Even if future guidance provides that the plan need not be amended during a six-year cycle to reflect a change in the qualification requirements, the plan must operationally comply with any changes in qualification requirements and the terms of the plan as ultimately amended to reflect the change. Failure to comply with this or any other requirement imposed on practitioners by this revenue procedure may result in the loss of eligibility to sponsor VS plans and the revocation of advisory letters that have been issued to the practitioner.

.03 Amendments Following Revenue Rulings — If an approved VS plan is required to be amended to retain its approved status as a result of publication by the Service of a revenue ruling, notice or similar statement in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (I.R.B.), with changes that were not taken into account in issuing the advisory letter then, unless specifically stated otherwise in the revenue ruling, etc., the time by which the practitioner must amend its VS plan to conform to the requirements of the revenue ruling, etc., shall be the end of the one-year period after its publication in the I.R.B., and with respect to any adopting employer’s plan the effective date of such amendment shall be the first day of the first plan year beginning within such one-year period. As noted in section 15.02, this does not change the applicable period during the six-year cycle when practitioners must request advisory letters, which will still only occur once every six years. Further, practitioners must make reasonable and diligent efforts to ensure that each employer amends its plan when necessary as noted in section 15.02.

.04 Adopting Employers — The Service will announce when adopting employers must adopt amendments to comply with new guidance issued by the Service. Regardless of when amendments are required to be made, adopting employers must operationally comply as of the applicable effective date of the new guidance.

.05 Option to Permit Practitioner Amendment — A VS practitioner may amend its specimen plan and request a new advisory letter with respect to the amended plan. Ordinarily, the amendments will apply only to the plans of employers who adopt the plan after it has been amended and will not apply to plans of employers who adopted the plan prior to the amendment. However, a VS plan may, but is not required to, include a provision that authorizes the VS practitioner to amend the plan on behalf of employers who have previously adopted the plan, so that changes in the Code, regulations, revenue rulings, other statements published by the Internal Revenue Service (including model, sample or other required good faith amendments that specifically provide that their adoption will not cause such plan to be individually designed), or corrections of prior approved plans may be applied to all employers who have adopted the plan. The provision must state that the practitioner will no longer have the authority to amend the plan on behalf of the adopting employer as of the date the Service requires the employer to file Form 5300 as an individually designed plan as a result of an employer amendment to the plan to incorporate a type of plan not allowable in the VS program (e.g., the addition of an ESOP) or as a result of amendments described in section 24.03. The provision must also state that if the employer is required to obtain a determination letter in order to have reliance (for example, because the employer has modified the specimen plan), the practitioner’s authority to amend the plan on behalf of the adopting employer is conditioned on the plan being covered by a favorable determination letter.

.06 Responsibilities of Practitioner — A VS practitioner who is authorized to adopt plan amendments on behalf of adopting employers must comply with the requirements in this section 15 as well as sections 7.06 and 9 through 11 that apply to M&P sponsors. Failure to do so may result in the loss of eligibility to sponsor VS plans and the revocation of advisory letters that have been issued to the VS practitioner. Thus, the VS practitioner must maintain, or have maintained on its behalf, a record of the employers that have adopted the plan, and the VS practitioner must make reasonable and diligent efforts to ensure that adopting employers have actually received and are aware of all plan amendments and that such employers adopt new documents when necessary.

.07 Loss of Qualified Status — If a practitioner reasonably concludes that an employer’s VS plan may no longer be a qualified plan and the practitioner does not or cannot submit a request to correct the qualification failure under the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS), it is incumbent on the practitioner to notify the employer that the plan may no longer be qualified, advise the employer that adverse tax consequences may result from loss of the plan’s qualified status, and inform the employer about the availability of EPCRS. See Rev. Proc. 2003-44.

SECTION 16. ADVISORY LETTERS — SCOPE

.01 General Limits on Advisory Letters — Advisory letters will be issued only to VS practitioners or VS mass submitters. Advisory letters constitute determinations as to the qualification of the plans as adopted by particular employers only under the circumstances, and to the extent, described in section 19. Advisory letters do not constitute rulings or determinations as to the exempt status of related trusts or custodial accounts.

.02 Areas Not Covered by Advisory Letters — Advisory letters will not be issued for:

(1) Multiemployer plans;

(2) Union plans (This does not preclude a VS plan from covering employees of the employer who are included in a unit covered by a collective bargaining agreement or the adoption of a VS plan pursuant to such agreement as a single employer plan which covers only employees of the employer.);

(3) Stock bonus plans;

(4) Employee stock ownership plans;

(5) Pooled fund arrangements contemplated by Rev. Rul. 81-100 (as modified by Rev. Rul. 2004-67)

(6) Annuity contracts under § 403(b);

(7) All cash balance plans and any other defined benefit plans (regardless of whether they are cash balance plans) under which the test for nondiscrimination under § 401(a)(4) is made by reference to contributions rather than benefits;

(8) Plans described in § 414(k) (relating to a defined benefit plan which provides a benefit derived from employer contributions which is based partly on the balance of the separate account of a participant);

(9) Target benefit plans, other than plans which, by their terms, satisfy each of the safe harbor requirements described in § 1.401(a)(4)-8(b)(3)(i), as well as the additional rules in § 1.401(a)(4)-8(b)(3)(ii) through (vii);

(10) Church plans described in § 414(e) that have not made the election provided by § 410(d);

(11) Governmental plans that include so-called “DROP” provisions or similar provisions;

(12) Plans under which the § 415 limitations are incorporated by reference;

(13) Plans that incorporate the ADP test under § 401(k)(3) or the ACP test under § 401(m)(2) by reference;

(14) Section 401(k) plans that provide for hardship distributions under circumstances other than those described in the safe harbor standards in the regulations under § 401(k), unless these distributions are subject to nondiscriminatory and objective criteria contained in the plan;

(15) Fully-insured § 412(i) plans, other than plans that, by their terms, satisfy the safe harbor for § 412(i) plans in § 1.401(a)(4)-3(b)(5);

(16) Plans that fail to contain a provision reflecting the requirements of § 414(u) (see Rev. Proc. 96-49);

(17) Plans that include so-called fail-safe provisions for § 401(a)(4) or the average benefit test under § 410(b);

(18) Plans that include blanks or fill-in provisions for the employer to complete unless the provisions have parameters that preclude the employer from completing the provisions in a manner that could violate the qualification requirements.

(19) Plans designed to satisfy the provisions of § 105.

The Service may, in its discretion, decline to issue advisory letters for other types of plans not described in this section 16.02.

SECTION 17. ADVISORY LETTERS — INSTRUCTIONS TO VS PRACTITIONERS

.01 Employee Plans Rulings and Agreements Issues Advisory Letters — Employee Plans Rulings and Agreements will, upon the request of a VS practitioner, issue an advisory letter as to the acceptability of the form of the VS practitioner’s specimen plan under § 401(a) or § 403(a).

.02 Procedure for Requesting Advisory Letters — A request for an advisory letter relating to a specimen plan must be submitted in accordance with the procedures described in this section. Forms 4461, 4461-A, and 4461-B, currently applicable to M&P plans, are being revised to incorporate VS submissions. The Service expects to announce revised procedures for requesting advisory letters that include submission on these forms in the near future. When Forms 4461, 4461-A and 4461-B are published, the following requirements will be incorporated into the instructions to the forms. Until then, VS submissions should include:

(1) a cover letter requesting approval of VS submissions, indicating the type of plan for which approval is requested. The request must include a certification that the VS practitioner meets the requirements, including that it has at least 30 employer-clients (or 10, if applicable) each of which is reasonably expected to timely adopt a plan that is substantially similar to the VS practitioner’s specimen plan, as described in section 13.04.

(2) a copy of the specimen plan, including adoption agreement, if applicable, and any related specimen trust instrument;

(3) the required user fee submitted with Form 8717, User Fee for Employee Plan Determination Letter Request; and

(4) an index/table of contents listing the location of all variable sections.

See section 20 for the address to file the application.

.03 Separate Specimen Plans and Applications Required for Different Categories of Plans — A separate specimen plan and application is required for the following categories of plans: a profit-sharing plan (with or without a § 401(k) arrangement), a money purchase pension plan (other than a target benefit plan), a target benefit plan, and a defined benefit plan. Different categories may not be combined in a single specimen plan or application.

.04 Sample Language — A Listing of Required Modifications (LRM) containing sample plan language is available from Employee Plans Rulings and Agreements. Although the sample language is designed for use in M&P plans, which use an adoption agreement format, VS practitioners should refer to the sample language as a guide in drafting VS plans. To expedite the review of their plans, VS practitioners are encouraged to use LRM language where appropriate and to identify where such language is being used in their plan documents. LRMs may be downloaded from the Internet at the following address: http://www.irs.gov.

.05 Timing of Issuance of Advisory Letters — The Service intends to issue advisory letters to practitioners and VS mass submitters (as well as opinion letters to M&P mass submitters and sponsors) at approximately the same time within the applicable 6-year cycle. In the interim, the Service will send an email to the applicable M&P or VS mass submitter, sponsor, or practitioner if the Service determines that the plan appears to be in full compliance with the applicable qualification requirements, based on the submissions and the completed review. Notwithstanding the above, this email only provides assurance that the Service believes the plan appears to meet the applicable qualification requirements under review as of the date of the email. This email correspondence is for the convenience of the applicable sponsor, practitioner or mass submitter but does not constitute an official opinion or advisory letter. Until issuance of the official opinion or advisory letter no reliance exists. The Service reserves the right to require changes after the email is sent, in its sole discretion.

SECTION 18. VS MASS SUBMITTERS

.01 Advisory Letters Issued to VS Mass Submitters — EP Rulings and Agreements will, upon request by an VS mass submitter, as defined in section 13.05, issue an advisory letter as to the acceptability of the form of the VS mass submitter’s specimen plan under § 401(a) or § 403(a). See section 20 for the address to file the application. The provisions of section 17.05 on the timing of the issuance of advisory letters and an interim email notification by the Service also apply to this section.

.02 As noted in section 17.02, Forms 4461, 4461-A and 4461-B are being revised. Until these revisions are completed, the requirements for the VS mass submitter’s application are as follows:

(1) The application must include the plan and trust and all the other information required by section 17. The application must include a cover letter that states that at least 30 VS practitioners are submitting applications for advisory letters for identical specimen plans and must certify that each such plan is word-for-word identical to the VS mass submitter specimen plan. The cover letter must provide the name, address, and EIN of each of the VS practitioners.

(2) The application for the VS mass submitter specimen plan must include the required user fee under Rev. Proc. 2005-8.

(3) The application must be accompanied by separate advisory letter applications filed by each of the VS practitioners listed in the cover letter.

(4) The required user fee for an identical adopter application under Rev. Proc. 2005-8 must also be submitted.

(5) After the initial submission of advisory letter applications for at least 30 VS practitioners, applications may be filed by other VS practitioners who will sponsor the word-for-word identical plan. A copy of the plan should not be submitted.

PART III — ALL PRE-APPROVED PLANS

SECTION 19. EMPLOYER RELIANCE

.01 Standardized M&P Plans — An employer adopting a standardized M&P plan may rely on that plan’s opinion letter, except as provided in (1) through (3) and section 19.03 below, if the sponsor of such plan or plans has a currently valid favorable opinion letter, the employer has followed the terms of the plan(s), and the coverage and contributions or benefits under the plan(s) are not more favorable for highly compensated employees (as defined in § 414(q)) than for other employees.

(1) An employer may not rely on an opinion letter for a standardized plan with respect to the requirements of §§ 415 and 416, without obtaining a determination letter, if the employer maintains at any time, or has maintained at any time, another plan, including a standardized plan, that was qualified or determined to be qualified covering some of the same participants. For this purpose, a plan that has been properly replaced by the adoption of a standardized plan is not considered another plan. The plan that has been replaced and the standardized plan must be of the same type (e.g., both defined benefit plans) in order for the employer to be able to rely on the standardized plan with respect to the requirements of §§ 415 and 416 without obtaining a determination letter. In addition, an employer that adopts a standardized defined contribution plan will not be considered to have maintained another plan merely because the employer has maintained another defined contribution plan(s), provided such other plan(s) has been terminated prior to the effective date of the standardized plan and no annual additions have been credited to the account of any participant under such other plan(s) as of any date within a limitation year of the standardized plan. Likewise, an employer that adopts a standardized defined contribution plan that is first effective on or after the effective date of the repeal of § 415(e) will not be considered to have maintained another plan merely because the employer has maintained a defined benefit plan(s), provided the defined benefit plan(s) has been terminated prior to the effective date of the standardized defined contribution plan.

(2) An employer that has adopted a standardized defined benefit plan may rely on an opinion letter with respect to the requirements of § 401(a)(26) only if the plan satisfies the requirements of § 401(a)(26) with respect to its prior benefit structure or is deemed to satisfy § 401(a)(26) under the regulations. However, an employer may request a determination letter if the employer wishes to have reliance as to whether the plan satisfies § 401(a)(26) with respect to its prior benefit structure.

(3) An employer that adopts a standardized plan may not rely on an opinion letter with respect to: (a) whether the timing of any amendment to the plan (or series of amendments) satisfies the nondiscrimination requirements of § 1.401(a)(4)-5(a), except with respect to plan amendments granting past service that meet the safe harbor described in § 1.401(a)(4)-5(a)(3) and are not part of a pattern of amendments that significantly discriminates in favor of highly compensated employees; or (b) whether the plan satisfies the effective availability requirement of § 1.401(a)(4)-4(c) with respect to any benefit, right, or feature. An employer that adopts a standardized plan as an amendment to a plan other than a standardized plan may not rely on an opinion letter with respect to whether a benefit, right, or feature that is prospectively eliminated satisfies the current availability requirements of § 1.401(a)(4)-4 of the regulations. Such an employer may request a determination letter if the employer wishes to have reliance as to whether the prospectively eliminated benefit, right, or feature satisfies the current availability requirements.

.02 Nonstandardized M&P Plans and Volume Submitter Plans — An employer adopting a nonstandardized M&P or volume submitter plan may rely on that plan’s opinion or advisory letter as described below if the employer’s plan is identical to an approved M&P or specimen plan with a currently valid favorable opinion or advisory letter, the employer has chosen only options permitted under the terms of the approved plan, and the employer has followed the terms of the plan. Also see section 19.03(3) below. These employers can forego filing Form 5307 and rely on the plan’s favorable opinion or advisory letter with respect to the qualification requirements, except as provided in section (1) through (4) and section 19.03 below.

(1) Except as provided in section 19.03(2), (3) and (4), adopting employers of nonstandardized M&P plans and volume submitter plans may not rely on a favorable opinion or advisory letter with respect to the requirements of:

(a) §§ 401(a)(4), 401(a)(26), 401(l), 410(b) or 414(s); or

(b) if the employer maintains or has ever maintained another plan covering some of the same participants, §§ 415 or 416.

For this purpose, whether an employer maintains or has ever maintained another plan will be determined using principles consistent with section 19.01 above.

(2) Adopting employers of nonstandardized M&P plans and volume submitter plans may rely on the opinion or advisory letter with respect to the requirements of §§ 410(b) and 401(a)(26) (other than the § 401(a)(26) requirements that apply to a prior benefit structure) if 100 percent of all nonexcludable employees benefit under the plan.

(3) Nonstandardized M&P plans must give adopting employers the option to elect a safe harbor allocation or benefit formula and a safe harbor compensation definition. Adopting employers of nonstandardized M&P plans that elect a safe harbor allocation or benefit formula and a safe harbor compensation definition may rely on an opinion letter with respect to the nondiscriminatory amounts requirement under § 401(a)(4). Adopting employers of nonstandardized M&P plans that are § 401(k) and/or § 401(m) plans may rely on an opinion letter with respect to whether the form of the plan satisfies the actual deferral percentage test of § 401(k)(3) or the actual contribution percentage test of § 401(m)(2) if the employer elects to use a safe harbor definition of compensation in the test. Adopting employers of nonstandardized M&P plans described in § 401(k)(11) and/or § 401(m)(12) may rely on an opinion letter with respect to whether the form of the plan satisfies these requirements unless the plan provides for the safe harbor contribution to be made under another plan.

(4) A VS plan may give an adopting employer the ability to select an allocation formula for the employer non-elective contribution which satisfies one of the design-based safe harbors in § 1.401(a)(4)-2(b)(2) or a benefit formula which satisfies one of the design-based safe harbors under § 1.401(a)(4)-3(b)(3), (4), or (5), and the ability to select a safe harbor compensation definition for such formula which satisfies § 1.414(s)-1(c). If the adopting employer selects (utilizes) such formula and compensation definition, then the adopting employer may rely on an advisory letter with respect to the nondiscriminatory amounts requirement under § 401(a)(4).

.03 Other Limitations and Conditions on Reliance — The following conditions and limitations apply with respect to both M&P and VS plans:

(1) An adopting employer can rely on a favorable opinion or advisory letter for a plan that amends or restates a plan of the employer only if the plan that is being amended or restated was qualified.

(2) An adopting employer has no reliance if the employer’s adoption of the plan precedes the issuance of an opinion or advisory letter for the plan.

(3) An adopting employer can rely on an opinion or advisory letter only if the requirements of this section 19 are met, and the employer’s plan is identical to an approved M&P or specimen plan with a currently valid favorable opinion or advisory letter; that is, the employer has not added any terms to the approved M&P or VS plan and has not modified or deleted any terms of the plan other than choosing options permitted under the plan or, in the case of an M&P plan, amended the document as permitted under section 5.06 or 5.09 or, in the case of a VS plan, modified the document as permitted under sections 14 and 15. Thus, for example, in the case of a VS plan, the employer’s plan must be identical to the approved specimen plan except as the result of the employer’s selection among options that are permitted under the terms of the approved specimen plan and modifications permitted under sections 14 and 15.

(4) An employer’s plan will not fail to be identical to an approved M&P or specimen plan merely because the employer modifies or amends the plan to:

(a) Add or change a provision and/or to specify or change the effective date of a provision, provided the employer is permitted to make the modification or amendment under the terms of the approved M&P or specimen plan as well as under § 401(a), and, except for the effective date, the provision is identical to a provision in the approved plan. Thus, an employer is not required to restate its M&P or volume submitter plan in order to change options under the plan or to specify different effective dates. Also see section 5.02, which limits an employer’s ability to amend an M&P plan without causing the plan to be treated as an individually designed plan, and section 5.11, which requires the employer to complete a new signature page when the employer changes options in an M&P adoption agreement.

(b) Correct obvious and unambiguous typographical errors and/or cross-references that merely correct a reference but that do not in any way change the original intended meaning of the provisions. No such changes may affect any qualification requirements of the plan. The Service in its discretion may determine that any such changes are not considered identical.

(c) Adopt model, sample or other required good faith amendments that specifically provide that their adoption by an adopter of a VS and or M&P plan will not cause the plan to be treated as an individually designed plan or cause the plan to fail to be “identical” to the approved M&P or specimen plan within the meaning of this section.

(5) An adopting employer cannot rely on an opinion or advisory letter if the adopting employer has modified the terms of the plan’s approved trust in a manner that would cause the plan to fail to be qualified.

.04 Reliance Equivalent to Determination Letter — If an employer can rely on a favorable opinion or advisory letter pursuant to this section, the opinion or advisory letter shall be equivalent to a favorable determination letter. For example, the favorable opinion or advisory letter shall be treated as a favorable determination letter for purposes of section 21 of Rev. Proc. 2005-6, regarding the effect of a determination letter, and section 5.01(4) of Rev. Proc. 2003-44, regarding the definition of “favorable letter” for purposes of the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System. Of course, the extent of the employer’s reliance may be limited, as provided above.

SECTION 20. WHERE TO FILE AND OTHER RULES FOR APPLICATIONS AND LETTERS

.01 Opinion Letters — Applications for opinion letters, including applications filed by M&P mass submitters, should be sent to the attention of:

Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 2508
Cincinnati, OH 45201
Attn: M&P Coordinator
Room 5106

.02 Advisory Letters — Applications for advisory letters, including applications filed by VS mass submitters, should be sent to:

Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 2508
Cincinnati, OH 45201
Attn: VSC Coordinator
Room 5106

.03 In both .01 and .02 above, a request shipped by Express Mail or a delivery service should be sent to the attention of the VSC Coordinator or the M&P Coordinator, whichever is applicable, to:

Internal Revenue Service
550 Main Street
P.O. Box 2508
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Room 5106

.04 Effect of Failure to Disclose Material Fact or to Accurately Provide Information — The Service may determine, based on the application, the extent of review of the pre-approved plan. A failure to disclose a material fact or misrepresentation of a material fact in the application may adversely affect the reliance that would otherwise be obtained through issuance by the Service of a favorable opinion or advisory letter. Similarly, failure to accurately provide any of the information called for on any form required by this revenue procedure may result in no reliance.

.05 Additional Information May Be Requested — The Service may, at its discretion, require any additional information that it deems necessary, including a demonstration of how the variables (options or alternatives) in the M&P or specimen plan interrelate to satisfy the qualification requirements of the Code. If a letter, requesting changes to plan documents, is sent to the sponsor or VS practitioner or an authorized representative, the changes must be received no later than 30 days from the date of the letter, and the response must include either a copy of the plan with the changes highlighted or, if the changes are not extensive, replacement pages. If the changes are not received within 30 days, the application may be considered withdrawn. An extension of the 30-day time limit will only be granted for good cause.

.06 Inadequate Submissions — The Service will return, without further action, plans that are not in substantial compliance with the qualification requirements or plans that are so deficient that they cannot be reviewed in a reasonable amount of time. A plan may be considered not to be in substantial compliance if, for example, it omits or merely incorporates qualification requirements by reference to the applicable Code section. The Service will not consider these plans until after they are revised, and they will be treated as new requests as of the date they are resubmitted. No additional user fee will be charged if an inadequate submission is amended to be in substantial compliance and is resubmitted to the Service within 30 days following the date the sponsor or VS practitioner is notified of such inadequacy.

.07 Nonidentification of Questionable Issues May Cause Delay — If the plan document submitted as part of an opinion or advisory letter request contains a provision that gives rise to an issue for which contrary published authorities exist, failure to disclose and address significant contrary authorities may result in requests for additional information, which will delay action on the request.

.08 DOL Participant Loan Regulations not Addressed by Opinion or Advisory Letter — Pre-approved plans may adopt procedures to comply with the Department of Labor’s (DOL) participant loan regulations under § 408(b)(1) of ERISA in the plan or in a separate document. The adoption of procedures outside of the plan document that are intended to comply with these regulations will not cause a pre-approved plan to be considered an individually designed plan. The Service will not review loan program procedures (whether in the plan or in a separate written document) to determine whether they comply with the requirements of the DOL regulations. Also, any opinion or advisory letter issued for a pre-approved plan will not consider whether loan program procedures may, in the operation of the plan, have an adverse effect on the qualified status of the plan. However, the loan program procedures under the plan may not be inconsistent with the qualification requirements of § 401(a) of the Code.

.09 Nontransferability of Opinion and Advisory Letters — An opinion or advisory letter issued to a sponsor or VS practitioner is not transferable to any other entity. For this purpose, a change of employer identification number is deemed to be a change of entity.

SECTION 21. AMENDMENTS

.01 Opinion or Advisory Letters for Sponsor or VS Practitioner Amendments — A sponsor or VS practitioner may amend or restate its previously approved plan and the Service will entertain a request for an opinion or advisory letter as to the acceptability, for purposes of § 401(a) or § 403(a), of the form of the plan as amended, during the specified time period within the six-year cycle, as provided in section 8.01 and section 15.01. If the sponsor or VS practitioner is amending its plan, it must, except as provided in section 12 or section 18, submit an application under the procedures in section 7 or section 17, together with a copy of the amendment(s), a cover letter summarizing the changes to the plan that are effected by such amendment(s), and a copy of the plan which is being amended. If the sponsor or practitioner is restating its plan, it must, except as provided in section 12 or section 18, submit the restated plan along with the application. No more than four consecutive amendments may be submitted without restating the plan. In addition, the Service may, at its discretion, require plan restatement at any time that it deems necessary to adequately review a plan.

.02 No Opinion or Advisory Letters for Certain Amendments — A pre-approved plan will not lose its qualified status and, except as provided in (4) below, no opinion or advisory letter will be issued merely because amendments are made which solely cover the following:

(1) Amendments to conform a plan to the requirements of § 402(a) of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), Pub. L. 93-406, 1974-3 C.B. 1, relating to named fiduciaries.

(2) Amendments to conform a plan to the requirements of § 503 of ERISA, relating to claims procedures.

(3) Amendments that merely adjust the limitations under §§ 415, 402(g), 401(a)(17), and 414(q)(1)(B) of the Code to reflect annual cost-of-living increases, other than amendments that add an automatic cost-of-living adjustment provisions to the plan.

(4) Amendments that merely reflect a change of a sponsor’s or VS practitioner’s name. However, the sponsor or VS practitioner must notify the Service, in writing, of the change in name and certify that it still meets the conditions for sponsorship described in section 4.07 or 13.04. No opinion or advisory letter will be issued and no user fee will be required for a mere change in name. However, if the sponsor or VS practitioner wants a new opinion or advisory letter, it will have to submit a new application and pay the appropriate user fee. (Also see section 20 regarding changes in employer identification numbers.) .

.03 Off-Cycle Filing — If a pre-approved plan requests an opinion or advisory letter that is not submitted during the specified period within the six-year cycle, the application will not be reviewed until all on-cycle plans (including applications for determination letters for individually designed plans within their staggered 5-year cycle) have been reviewed and processed. However, the Service may, in its discretion, determine whether the processing of off-cycle filings may be prioritized and accelerated under certain circumstances.

SECTION 22. REVOCATION

Revocation of Opinion or Advisory Letter by the Service — An opinion or advisory letter found to be in error or not in accord with the current views of the Service may be revoked. However, except in rare or unusual circumstances, such revocation will not be applied retroactively if the conditions set forth in section 13 and 14 of Rev. Proc. 2005-4, 2005-1 I.R.B. 128, are met. For this purpose, opinion and advisory letters will be given the same effect as rulings. Revocation may be effected by a notice to the sponsor or VS practitioner to which the letter was originally issued, or by a regulation, revenue ruling or other statement published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin. The sponsor or VS practitioner should then notify each adopting employer of the revocation as soon as possible. The content of the notification to each adopting employer must explain how the revocation affects any reliance an adopting employer has on the applicable advisory or opinion letter and on any determination letter issued.

SECTION 23. EGTRRA

This revenue procedure announces the opening of the pre-approved plan programs. The Service will begin accepting applications for opinion and advisory letters for defined contribution pre-approved plans that take into account the requirements of the EGTRRA as well as other changes in qualification requirements and guidance beginning February 17, 2005. The submission period for these pre-approved plans will end January 31, 2006. The Service will announce the deadline for timely adoption by employers after the pre-approved documents have been reviewed. In addition, the Service intends to accept applications for determination letters for individually designed plans beginning on or after February 1, 2006, in accordance with a five-year staggered cycle, and applications for pre-approved defined benefit plans beginning February 1, 2007. The opening of these programs for individually designed plans and pre-approved defined benefit plans will be officially announced at a future date.

As noted in section 2.06, the Service published the 2004 Cumulative List in Notice 2004-84. The 2004 Cumulative List reflects law changes under EGTRRA with technical corrections made by JCWAA, as well as regulations and guidance published by the Service that are effective after December 31, 2001. (Prior law changes, as well as regulations and guidance, effective on or before December 31, 2001, should generally have been taken into account in the GUST opinion or advisory letters issued to pre-approved plans that were in existence prior to January 1, 2002.) The changes identified on the 2004 Cumulative List will be considered by the Service in its review of pre-approved defined contribution plans that must be submitted by January 31, 2006. However, a plan must comply with all relevant qualification requirements, not just those on the 2004 Cumulative List. The Service will not review plan language for statutory changes enacted, or guidance issued, after December 14, 2004, unless it is on the 2004 Cumulative List. Thus, sponsors of defined contribution pre-approved plans submitting applications during the submission period that will end January 31, 2006, may not rely on opinion or advisory letters with respect to statutory changes enacted, or any guidance issued, after December 14, 2004, unless that guidance is listed on the 2004 Cumulative List.

SECTION 24. REMEDIAL AMENDMENT PERIOD

.01 Announcement 2004-71, 2004-40 I.R.B. 569, contained a draft revenue procedure with the Service’s procedures for issuing letters for pre-approved plans under a regular, six-year remedial amendment cycle and individually designed plans under a staggered five-year remedial amendment cycle. That revenue procedure is expected to be finalized in the near future. It will extend a plan’s EGTRRA remedial amendment period to the end of the applicable cycle. It will also explain the conditions under which an adopting employer who timely adopts the pre-approved plan will be treated as having adopted the plan within the employer’s six-year remedial amendment cycle, and which Cumulative List will apply in the case of plans that become individually designed under the circumstances described in 24.02 below. The Service will announce the deadline for timely adoption after the pre-approved documents have been reviewed, but it is expected that employers will generally have two years in which to adopt.

.02 An employer that has adopted an M&P plan or a VS specimen plan may have modified the plan in such a way that the plan, as adopted by the employer, would not be considered an M&P plan or a VS plan. Nevertheless, such a plan will generally be treated as an M&P or VS plan and will be allowed to remain within the six-year remedial amendment cycle. Notwithstanding the above, if the employer has amended the plan to incorporate a type of plan not allowable in the VS or M&P program, whichever is applicable, (for example, to incorporate an ESOP, which is not allowed in either the M&P or VS program) the employer’s plan will be considered to be an individually designed plan for purposes of this revenue procedure. In that case, the remedial amendment cycle in which the employer impermissibly amends the VS or M&P plan will remain the six-year remedial amendment cycle until that cycle expires. However, the subsequent remedial amendment period is the five-year remedial amendment cycle.

.03 Notwithstanding any of the above provisions in .02, the Service may in its discretion determine that such a plan is an individually designed plan that will not receive an extended remedial amendment cycle, due to the nature and extent of the amendments.

SECTION 25. EFFECT ON OTHER DOCUMENTS

Rev. Proc. 2000-20 is modified and superseded. Rev. Proc. 2005-6, Rev. Proc. 2005-8, and Announcement 2001-77, 2001-2 C.B. 83, are modified.

SECTION 26. EFFECTIVE DATE

This revenue procedure is effective February 17, 2005.

SECTION 27. PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

The collection of information contained in this revenue procedure has been reviewed and approved by the Office of Management and Budget in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3507) under control number 1545-1674.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid OMB control number.

The collection of information in this revenue procedure is in sections 5.11, 8.02, 11.02, 12, 14.05, 15.02, 18 and 24. This information is required to enable the Commissioner, Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division of the Internal Revenue Service to make determinations in connection with plan qualification. This information will be used to determine whether a plan is entitled to favorable tax treatment. The likely respondents are banks, insurance companies, other financial institutions, law, actuarial and consulting firms, employee benefit practitioners and employers.

The estimated total annual reporting and/or recordkeeping burden is 1,058,850 hours.

The estimated annual burden per respondent/recordkeeper varies from 1/2 to 2,000 hours, depending on individual circumstances, with an estimated average of 3.56 hours. The estimated number of respondents and/or recordkeepers is 297,750.

The estimated frequency of responses is occasional.

Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. § 6103.

DRAFTING INFORMATION

The principal author of this revenue procedure is Ingrid Grinde of the Employee Plans, Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division. For further information concerning this revenue procedure, please contact the Employee Plans’ taxpayer assistance telephone service at 1-877-829-5500 between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (a toll-free number). Ms. Grinde may be reached at (202) 283-9888 (not a toll-free number).

Part IV. Items of General Interest

REG-130671-04

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by Cross-Reference to Temporary Regulations and Notice of Public Hearing Returns Required on Magnetic Media

AGENCY:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking by cross-reference to temporary regulations and notice of public hearing.

SUMMARY:

In this issue of the Bulletin, the IRS is issuing temporary regulations (T.D. 9175) relating to the requirements for filing corporate income tax returns, S corporation returns, and returns of organizations required under section 6033 on magnetic media under section 6011(e) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). The text of those regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations. This document also provides notice of a public hearing on these proposed regulations.

DATES:

Written or electronic comments must be received by February 28, 2005. Requests to speak (with outlines of topics to be discussed) at the public hearing scheduled for March 16, 2005, must be received by February 28, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

Send submissions to: CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-130671-04), Room 5203, Internal Revenue Service, POB 7604, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, DC 20044. Submissions may be hand delivered Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to: CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-130671-04), Courier’s Desk, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Alternatively, taxpayers may submit comments electronically via the IRS internet website at www.irs.gov/regs, or via the Federal eRulemaking Portal, www.regulations.gov (IRS-REG-130671-04). The public hearing will be held in the auditorium of the Internal Revenue Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20224.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Concerning the proposed regulations, Michael E. Hara, (202) 622-4910 concerning submissions of comments, the hearing, and/or to be placed on the building access list to attend the hearing, Robin Jones at (202) 622-7180 (not toll-free numbers).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Temporary regulations in this issue of the Bulletin amend the Regulations on Procedure and Administration (26 CFR part 301) relating to the filing of corporate income tax returns, S corporation returns, and returns of organizations required under section 6033 on magnetic media under section 6011(e). The temporary regulations require corporations and certain organizations to file their Form 1120, “U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return,” Form 1120S, “U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation,” Form 990, “Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax,” and Form 990-PF, “Return of Private Foundation or Section 4947(a)(1) Nonexempt Charitable Trust Treated as a Private Foundation,” electronically if they are required to file at least 250 returns during the calendar year ending with or within their taxable year. The text of those regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations. The preamble to the temporary regulations explains the amendments.

Special Analyses

It has been determined that these proposed regulations are not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required. It also has been determined that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply to these regulations. Because these regulations do not impose a collection of information on small entities, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) does not apply. The IRS and Treasury Department note that these regulations only prescribe the method of filing returns that are already required to be filed. Further, these regulations are consistent with the requirements imposed by statute.

Section 6011(e)(2)(A) provides that, in prescribing regulations providing standards for determining which returns must be filed on magnetic media or in other machine-readable form, the Secretary shall not require any person to file returns on magnetic media unless the person is required to file at least 250 returns during the calendar year. Consistent with the statutory provision, these regulations do not require Forms 1120, Forms 1120S, Forms 990, or Forms 990-PF to be filed electronically unless 250 or more returns are required to be filed.

Further, if a taxpayer’s operations are computerized, reporting in accordance with the regulations should be less costly than filing on paper. If the taxpayer’s operations are not computerized, the incremental cost of filing Forms 1120, Forms 1120S, Forms 990, and Forms 990-PF electronically should be minimal in most cases because of the availability of computer service bureaus. In addition, the proposed regulations provide that the IRS may waive the electronic filing requirements upon a showing of hardship.

Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Code, these proposed regulations will be submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on their impact on small business.

Comments and Public Hearing

Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations, consideration will be given to any written (a signed original and eight (8) copies) or electronic comments that are submitted timely to the IRS. The IRS and Treasury Department request comments on the clarity of the proposed regulations and how they can be made easier to understand. The IRS and Treasury Department also request comments on the procedures and criteria for hardship waivers from the electronic filing requirements. The IRS and Treasury Department also request comments on the accuracy of the certification that the regulations in this document will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. All comments will be available for public inspection and copying.

A public hearing has been scheduled for March 16, 2005, at 10 a.m. in the auditorium of the Internal Revenue Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Due to building security procedures, visitors must enter at the Constitution Avenue entrance. In addition, all visitors must present photo identification to enter the building. Because of access restrictions, visitors will not be admitted beyond the immediate entrance area more than 30 minutes before the hearing starts. For information about having your name placed on the building access list to attend the hearing, see the “FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT” section of this preamble.

The rules of 26 CFR 601.601(a)(3) apply to the hearing. Persons who wish to present oral comments at the hearing must submit comments and an outline of the topics to be discussed and the time to be devoted to each topic by February 28, 2005.

A period of 10 minutes will be allotted to each person for making comments. An agenda showing the scheduling of the speakers will be prepared after the deadline for receiving outlines has passed. Copies of the agenda will be available free of charge at the hearing.

Proposed Amendments to the Regulations

Accordingly, 26 CFR parts 1 and 301 are proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 1—INCOME TAXES

Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read, in part, as follows:

Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *

Par. 2. Section 1.6011-5 is added to read as follows:

§1.6011-5 Required use of magnetic media for corporate income tax returns.

[The text of proposed §1.6011-5 is the same as the text of §1.6011-5T published elsewhere in this issue of the Bulletin].

Par. 3. Section 1.6033-4 is added to read as follows:

§1.6033-4 Required use of magnetic media for returns by organizations required to file returns under section 6033.

[The text of proposed §1.6033-4 is the same as the text of §1.6033-4T published elsewhere in this issue of the Bulletin].

Par. 4. Section 1.6037-2 is added to read as follows:

§1.6037-2 Required use of magnetic media for income tax returns of electing small business corporations.

[The text of proposed §1.6037-2 is the same as the text of §1.6037-2T published elsewhere in this issue of the Bulletin].

PART 301—PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION

Par. 5. The authority citation for part 301 is amended by adding entries, in numerical order, to read as follows:

Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *

Section 301.6011-5 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6011. * * *

Section 301.6033-4 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6033. * * *

Section 301.6037-2 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6037. * * *

Par. 6. Section 301.6011-5 is added to read as follows:

§301.6011-5 Required use of magnetic media for corporate income tax returns.

[The text of proposed §301.6011-5 is the same as the text of §301.6011-5T published elsewhere in this issue of the Bulletin].

Par. 7. Section 301.6033-4 is added to read as follows:

§301.6033-4 Required use of magnetic media for returns by organizations required to file returns under section 6033.

[The text of proposed §301.6033-4 is the same as the text of §301.6033-4T published elsewhere in this issue of the Bulletin].

Par. 8. Section 301.6037-2 is added to read as follows:

§301.6037-2 Required use of magnetic media for returns of electing small business corporation.

[The text of proposed §301.6037-2 is the same as the text of §301.6037-2T published elsewhere in this issue of the Bulletin].

Mark E. Matthews,
Deputy Commissioner for
Services and Enforcement.

Note

(Filed by the Office of the Federal Register on January 11, 2005, 8:45 a.m., and published in the issue of the Federal Register for January 12, 2005, 70 F.R. 2075)

Drafting Information

The principal author of these proposed regulations is Michael E. Hara, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration).

* * * * *

Announcement 2005-15

Announcement of Disciplinary Actions Involving Attorneys, Certified Public Accountants, Enrolled Agents, and Enrolled Actuaries — Suspensions, Censures, Disbarments, and Resignations

Under Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 10, attorneys, certified public accountants, enrolled agents, and enrolled actuaries may not accept assistance from, or assist, any person who is under disbarment or suspension from practice before the Internal Revenue Service if the assistance relates to a matter constituting practice before the Internal Revenue Service and may not knowingly aid or abet another person to practice before the Internal Revenue Service during a period of suspension, disbarment, or ineligibility of such other person.

To enable attorneys, certified public accountants, enrolled agents, and enrolled actuaries to identify persons to whom these restrictions apply, the Director, Office of Professional Responsibility, will announce in the Internal Revenue Bulletin their names, their city and state, their professional designation, the effective date of disciplinary action, and the period of suspension. This announcement will appear in the weekly Bulletin at the earliest practicable date after such action and will continue to appear in the weekly Bulletins for five successive weeks.

Consent Disbarments From Practice Before the Internal Revenue Service

Under Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 10, an attorney, certified public accountant, enrolled agent, or enrolled actuary, in order to avoid institution or conclusion of a proceeding for his or her disbarment or suspension from practice before the Internal Revenue Service, may offer his or her consent to disbarment from such practice. The Director, Office of Professional Responsibility, in his discretion, may disbar an attorney, certified public accountant, enrolled agent or enrolled actuary in accordance with the consent offered.

The following individuals have been placed under consent disbarment from practice before the Internal Revenue Service:

Name Location Designation Date
O'Connell, Anthony G. Revere, MA CPA Indefinite from January 5, 2005

Suspensions From Practice Before the Internal Revenue Service After Notice and an Opportunity for a Proceeding

Under Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 10, after notice and an opportunity for a proceeding before an administrative law judge, the following individuals have been placed under suspension from practice before the Internal Revenue Service:

Name Location Designation Date
McCarthy III, William P. Sacramento, CA Enrolled Agent September 12, 2004 to March 10, 2006
Deen, Mae T. Salinas, CA Enrolled Agent October 18, 2004 to April 16, 2006
Adams Jr., Joseph T. Philadelphia, PA Enrolled Agent December 1, 2004 to May 29, 2006

Consent Suspensions From Practice Before the Internal Revenue Service

Under Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 10, an attorney, certified public accountant, enrolled agent, or enrolled actuary, in order to avoid institution or conclusion of a proceeding for his or her disbarment or suspension from practice before the Internal Revenue Service, may offer his or her consent to suspension from such practice. The Director, Office of Professional Responsibility, in his discretion, may suspend an attorney, certified public accountant, enrolled agent or enrolled actuary in accordance with the consent offered.

The following individuals have been placed under consent suspension from practice before the Internal Revenue Service:

Name Location Designation Date
Cornelius, Gerald K. Ventura, CA Enrolled Agent Indefinite from September 15, 2004
Janus, Stephen E. Michigan City, IN CPA Indefinite from October 25, 2004
Arotsky, Marvin A. New Haven, CT CPA Indefinite from December 1, 2004
Penta, Richard Hamilton, MA CPA Indefinite from January 1, 2005
Bedell, Michael F. Ridge, NY CPA Indefinite from January 7, 2005
Nussbaum, Jerrold Annapolis, MD Attorney Indefinite from April 15, 2005

Expedited Suspensions From Practice Before the Internal Revenue Service

Under Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 10, the Director, Office of Professional Responsibility, is authorized to immediately suspend from practice before the Internal Revenue Service any practitioner who, within five years from the date the expedited proceeding is instituted (1) has had a license to practice as an attorney, certified public accountant, or actuary suspended or revoked for cause or (2) has been convicted of certain crimes.

The following individuals have been placed under suspension from practice before the Internal Revenue Service by virtue of the expedited proceeding provisions:

Name Location Designation Date
Whitworth, Douglas D. Houston, TX CPA Indefinite from October 28, 2004
Lindberg, William D. Costa Mesa, CA CPA Indefinite from November 4, 2004
Tompkins, Thomas M. Chickasaw, AL Attorney Indefinite from November 4, 2004
Peterson Jr., Theodore E Charlotte, NC CPA Indefinite from November 4, 2004
Gassiott, William E. Cypress, TX CPA Indefinite from November 4, 2004
Wagar Jr., John E. Lafayette, LA Attorney Indefinite from November 9, 2004
Fiore, Owen G. Kooskia, ID Attorney Indefinite from November 30, 2004
O’Keefe, Michael H. Beaumont, TX Attorney Indefinite from November 30, 2004
Ivker, Richard N. Waltham, MA Attorney Indefinite from November 30, 2004
Jones, Edwin A. Robards, KY Attorney Indefinite from November 30, 2004
Landis, John C. Drexel Hill, PA Attorney Indefinite from November 30, 2004
Cushman, Christopher A. Kansas City, MO Attorney Indefinite from November 30, 2004
Weiner, Alan S. Rockville, MD Attorney Indefinite from November 30, 2004
Virdone, Peter P. Kailua, HI CPA Indefinite from November 30, 2004
Doherty, Paul M. N. Billerica, MA Attorney Indefinite from December 3, 2004
Carney, Kevin F. Woburn, MA Attorney Indefinite from December 3, 2004
Greiner, Thomas Cleveland, OH Attorney Indefinite from December 8, 2004
Wertis, Richard L. Garden City, NY Attorney Indefinite from December 10, 2004
Southerland, Harry L. Raeford, NC Attorney Indefinite from December 10, 2004
Chestnutt, A. Johnson Fayetteville, NC CPA Indefinite from December 13, 2004
Heald, Arthur A. Saint Albans, VT Attorney Indefinite from December 10, 2004
Culliton, James M. Santa Clarita, CA Attorney Indefinite from December 15, 2004
Juarez, Michael G. Douglas, AZ Attorney Indefinite from December 15, 2004
Clark, Carroll A. Mesa, AZ Attorney Indefinite from December 15, 2004
Creque, George A Willow Springs, CA Attorney Indefinite from December 15, 2004
Younts, Roger W. Lexington, NC CPA Indefinite from December 15, 2004
Kluge, David R. Sheridan, OR Attorney Indefinite from December 15, 2004
Fanaras, Andrew R. Haverhill, MA Attorney Indefinite from December 15, 2004
Murphy, Patrick B. Alhambra, CA Attorney Indefinite from December 20, 2004
Mills, Stuart B. Pender, NE Attorney Indefinite from December 20, 2004
North, Gerald D.W. Chicago, IL Attorney Indefinite from December 20, 2004
Nickel, Warren J. Tinley Park, IL Attorney Indefinite from December 20, 2004
Gray, Douglas C. Dover, NH Attorney Indefinite from December 20, 2004
Emmons, Kyle D. Columbia, MO Attorney Indefinite from December 20, 2004
Velella, Guy J. Bronx, NY Attorney Indefinite from December 30, 2004
Ginn, Jeffrey S. Lexington, KY CPA Indefinite from January 25, 2005
Grenrood Jr., Bernard West Monroe, LA Attorney Indefinite from January 25, 2005
Tehin Jr., Nikolai San Francisco, CA Attorney Indefinite from January 25, 2005
Kemper, Morris B. Alameda, CA Attorney Indefinite from January 25, 2005
Harrison, John S. Oakland, CA Attorney Indefinite from January 25, 2005
Mangurten, Irvin B. Buffalo Grove, IL CPA Indefinite from January 27, 2005
Zivin, Mitchell W. Long Grove, IL Attorney Indefinite from February 7, 2005
Zdon, John N. Chicago, IL Attorney Indefinite from February 7, 2005
Lokietz, David S. Mount Dora, FL CPA Indefinite from February 7, 2005
Heldrich Jr., Gerard C. Lincolnshire, IL Attorney Indefinite from February 7, 2005
Whitaker, Paul M. Albany, NY Attorney Indefinite from February 18, 2005
Blake, Linda D. Bellvale, NY Attorney Indefinite from February 18, 2005
Smith, H. Paul San Antonio, TX Attorney Indefinite from February 18, 2005
Atwood, Adina A. Ardmore, OK Attorney Indefinite from February 18, 2005
Sablone Jr., Francis R. Old Lyme, CT Attorney Indefinite from February 18, 2005
Phelps, S. Don Olympia, WA Attorney Indefinite from February 18, 2005
Davidson, Frazier Bronx, NY Attorney Indefinite from February 18, 2005

Censure Issued by Consent

Under Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 10, in lieu of a proceeding being instituted or continued, an attorney, certified public accountant, enrolled agent, or enrolled actuary, may offer his or her consent to the issuance of a censure. Censure is a public reprimand.

The following individuals have consented to the issuance of a Censure:

Name Location Designation Date
Dorris, Virginia A. Bradenton, FL Enrolled Agent December 14, 2004
Mackey, Glen N. Roanoke, VA Attorney December 21, 2004

Announcement 2005-16

Foundations Status of Certain Organizations

The following organizations have failed to establish or have been unable to maintain their status as public charities or as operating foundations. Accordingly, grantors and contributors may not, after this date, rely on previous rulings or designations in the Cumulative List of Organizations (Publication 78), or on the presumption arising from the filing of notices under section 508(b) of the Code. This listing does not indicate that the organizations have lost their status as organizations described in section 501(c)(3), eligible to receive deductible contributions.

Former Public Charities. The following organizations (which have been treated as organizations that are not private foundations described in section 509(a) of the Code) are now classified as private foundations:

Org. Name City State
Abounding Love Christian Ministries, Inc., Brown Deer WI
Abundant Life International, Seatac WA
Academic Achievement Academy, Compton CA
Academic Affairs, Inc., White Plains NY
Academy of Arts and Science Education, Hobart IN
Action Counseling Services, Inc., Denver CO
Action Evaluation Research Institute, Yellow Spring OH
Adobe Southwest Community Land Trust, Silver City NM
Advocates for the Integration of Recovery and Methadone, Inc., Long Beach CA
Aetep International Education Foundation, Framingham MA
Agricultural Education Foundation, Inc., Springfield IL
Aids Ministry Ecumenical Network, Seattle WA
Alamogordo-Otero County Centennial Celebration, Inc., Alamogordo NM
Alaska Cold Water Divers, Inc., Anchorage AK
Alaska Inventor's Alliance, Inc., Anchorage AK
Alliance to Rebuild LA, Santa Monica CA
Alternative Sentencing Program, Inc., Los Angeles CA
Alviso/San Jose Foundation, Foster City CA
Amanecer, Tucson AZ
American Center for Law and Justice of Texas, Inc., Irving TX
American Friends of Israelis for Constitutional Democracy, Livingston NJ
American Head Trauma Foundation of Arizona, Tempe AZ
American Institute for Regeneration, Simi Valley CA
American Library for Photographic History of Aviation, Catskill NY
American Mission, Fife WA
Angel Ministries, Monroe LA
Angels for the Children Foundation, Salt Lake City UT
Animal Safety Center, Inc., Meeker OK
Anna R. King Community Development, Inc., Aventura FL
Apartments of Casa Mesa Corporation, Phoenix AZ
Arc of Cibola County, Grants NM
Arizona Harlem, Phoenix AZ
Ascent Foundation, Seattle WA
Asian American Womens Alliance, San Francisco CA
Atchison County Industrial Development Authority, Rock Port MO
Atfalati Recreational District, Tualatin OR
Atletas De Cristo-International, Portland OR
Auburn Noon Lions Building Fund, Inc., Auburn WA
Audubon Housing Development Fund Corporation, New York NY
B S R Memorial Trust, Brooklyn NY
Backcountry Horsemen Education Foundation of America, Redding CA
Backcountry Horsemen Education Foundation of Washington, Redmond WA
Bainbridge Boys & Girls Club, Bainbridge Island WA
Bainbridge Pee Wee Association, Bainbridge Island WA
Barry's Boxing, Las Vegas NV
Bascom Volunteer Fire Department, Bascom FL
Bay Area Chinese Opera Center, San Francisco CA
Beacon Club, Inc., Denver CO
Believers Life of Faith Ministries, Hempstead NY
Berryville Charity Horse Show, Inc., Berryville VA
Biochemical Research Foundation, Inc., Aspen CO
Birthday Fairy, Tigard OR
Blue Ribbon Pin Program of Mohave County, Bullhead City AZ
Body of Christ, Florence OR
Bonny Lake Youth Center Association, Bonny Lake WA
BOOC, South Holland IL
Bosnian Refugee Education Center, San Francisco CA
Botanic Society of Vancouver, WA, Vancouver WA
Boulder Community Foundation, Inc., Boulder UT
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Blackfeet Nation, Browning MT
Bridge City Productions, Portland OR
Bridget Evans Foundation, Inc., Creek IL
Bringing Resources and Action into Nature Brain Foundation, Inc., Sandia Park NM
Broadway Meadows, Mukilteo WA
Broward County Archaeological Society, Inc., Dania Beach FL
Broward Trust for Historic Preservation, Inc., Fort Lauderdale FL
Burlington Downtown Revitalization Coalition, Burlington WA
California Community Health Advocates, Rocklin CA
Cambridge MHA Education & Charitable Corporation, Cambridge OH
Camelback Business & Professional Association Scholarship Fund, Phoenix AZ
Capital Area Convention, Trenton NJ
Carbondale Public Education Foundation, Glenwood Springs CO
Care Foundation, Chadds Ford PA
Casa Feliz Corporation, Phoenix AZ
Center for Political Reform, Seattle WA
Center, Inc., Portland OR
CenterPoint Foundation, Inc., North Quincy MA
Central City Development Committee, Inc., Las Vegas NV
Central Washington Disabled Sports, Yakima WA
Chaffee County Citizens Forum, Salida CO
Charity Golf Classic, Inc., Kenai AK
Charles & Kay Hanson Junior Golf Foundation, Kansas City MO
Chemical Injury Council, Bellevue WA
Children Are Hope, Inc., Portsmouth VA
Childrens Home Society Services of Miami Dade Florida, Inc., Miami FL
Children's Safety Campaign, Stateline NV
China Nature Protection, Inc., Rego Park NY
Christian Choral Arts Ensemble, Inc., Lakeland FL
Christian School Resource Net, Vancouver WA
Christian Voters Connection, Inc., Boulder CO
Church of God Community Development Corporation, Nashville TN
Citizens for Responsive Research, Littleton CO
City Watch, Inc., Albuquerque NM
Clear Creek County Educational Foundation, Inc., Idaho Springs CO
Club Twenty-Four-Seven, Palm Springs CA
Coalition Against Domestic Abuse, Inc., Lakewood CO
Coalition for Senior Progress, Inc., Albuquerque NM
Cole Spur Community Center, Tuskahoma OK
College Station Business Development Corp., Inc., College Station TX
Colorado Fraternal Order of Police Safety Awareness Foundation, Westminster CO
Community Development Health Management Corporation, Ellenwood GA
Community Enrichment Association, Powell Music Boosters WY
Community Humanitarian Association, Inc., Monsey NY
Community Intervention and Assistance Foundation, Clovis CA
Community Partners Corporation, Las Vegas NV
Community Related Opportunity System for Seniors, Inc., Reno NV
Confederated Chetco Tribe of Southern Oregon, Agness OR
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Southern Oregon, Inc., Medford OR
Coon Rapids High School Foundation, Inc., Coon Rapids MN
Cooperative Family Assistance Fund, Federal Way WA
Cope International-USA, Alexandria VA
Creeks Advantages Boosters Club, Englewood CO
Crogans Foundation, Pleasant Hill CA
Cross Works Ministries, Kalispell MT
Cultural Diversity, Rockport WA
Cure, Inc., Miami FL
Dawn Communications & Education Project, Campbell CA
Day Star International Schools, Tucson AZ
Deer Valley Pride Foundation, Inc., Phoenix AZ
Desert Winds Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality, Las Vegas NV
Devotion Time Ministry, Cincinnati OH
Doin the Stuff, Anaheim CA
Dooly County Unified Transportation Corporation, Vienna GA
Douglas Center for the Performing Arts, Douglas AZ
Dr. Leslie Squires Foundation, Philadelphia PA
Dunnellon Organization for Recreation & Prevention, Ocala FL
Education and Training Foundation, Inc., Salem OR
Eduserc, Laurel MD
Empire of Lemans, Vista CA
Englewood Neighborhood Association, San Antonio TX
ERHKY Foundation, Fort Washington MD
Ethnic Social Services Referral, Inc., Vienna VA
Ethnics United, Columbia SC
Eugene Projects, Inc., Spokane WA
Evolvere Trangender Foundation, Tucson AZ
Expedition Research, Woodinville WA
Exposition Park West Asset Leasing Corporation, Inglewood CA
Faces of the Pacific, Salt Lake City UT
Families of Enchantment, Inc., Albuquerque NM
Family Life Ministries, West Linn OR
Family Relations Success Council, Springhouse PA
Farmington Downtown Association, Farmington NM
Farmland Reserve, Chapel Hill NC
FD Resources, Inc., Tucson AZ
Feat of Northern Nevada, Reno NV
Feather River Fine Arts Association, Inc., Lake Almanor CA
First City Council on Cancer, Ketchikan AK
First Stage, Inc., Prineville OR
Flying Turtle Foundation, Inc., Hollywood CA
For Special People, Inc., Las Vegas NV
Force for Child Protection, Inc., Tucson AZ
Foundation for Advanced Transfusion Practices, Inc., New York NY
Foundation for Research Into Ebony Economics, Inc., Huntsville AL
Foundation for Surgical Technology, Englewood CO
Franmar Manor Corporation, Phoenix AZ
Friendly Winds Community Fellowship, Portland OR
Friends for Life of Southeastern Arizona, Inc., Sierra Vista AZ
Friends International Youth Ministry, Santa Maria CA
Friends of Columbia County Fair, St. Helens OR
Friends of Kings Hill, Wallkill NY
Friends of Nicaragua, Lodi NJ
Friends of the Nature Restoration Foundation, Miami FL
Friends of the Royal College of Art, Chicago IL
Friends of Young Public Library, Young AZ
FSR New Mexico Affordable Housing Foundation, Santa Fe NM
Galaxy Gallery, Spokane WA
Garden Spot, Inc., Las Vegas NV
Genesis Organization, Youngstown OH
Global Medilink Technology, Inc., Honolulu HI
Global Unity in Dignity & Education Foundation, Inc., Chandler AZ
Gold Rush Education Foundation, Inc., Sonora CA
Gold Trail Sports Educational and Research Foundation, Pollock Pines CA
Golden Opportunities Training Corp., Savannah GA
Grace Project, Alameda CA
Greater Basin Rural Community Development Corporation, Klamath Falls OR
Grey Fox Foundation, Inc., Greenwich CT
Guardia-Vedanta Heritage Foundation, Inc., Eugene OR
Healing Arts, Crystal Bay NV
Healing Center, Boise ID
Hearing Health International Institute, Camas WA
Heart & Soul, Longmont CO
Heart to Heart Ministries, Inc., Lakeside AZ
Her-Em-Ahket Boys Academy, Inc., Toledo OH
Herencia De Nortenos Unidos, Espanola NM
Heritage Fountain 2000, Inc., Tallahassee FL
Hindu Society of New Mexico HSNM, Albuquerque NM
Hohokam Village Worship Center, Mesa AZ
Home Management Beautification Community Services, Chicago IL
Homeless Issues Partnership, Corpus Christi TX
Homeward Foundation, Clearwater FL
Hope for the Hurting Ministry, Inc., Mesa AZ
Hospice Memorial Foundation, Inc., Albuquerque NM
Housing Alternatives for New Mexico, Inc., Albuquerque NM
Housing Ourselves Made Easy, Aurora CO
How to Spiritually Heal, Inc., Harwichport MA
Howard-HOPE Foundation, West Monroe LA
Iglesia Cristiana Espiritu Y Verdad, Anchorage AK
Inner Vision Institute, Rohnert Park CA
Innermission, Inc., Peoria AZ
Institute for Environmental Solutions, Denver CO
Institute for Media Literacy, Houston TX
Institute for PEER Development, Inc., Stockbridge GA
Insurance Information Service of Oregon & Idaho, Portland OR
International Morning Star Ministries, Los Angeles CA
International Muslims Organization, Inc., Albany NY
International Youth Development Foundation, Inc., Miami Beach FL
Iosepa Historical Association, Holladay UT
J C Squared, Inc., Myrtle Creek OR
Jasper County Historical Society, Bay Springs MS
Jet Aviation Historical Society, Inc., Phoenix AZ
Jogging For Jesus, Inc., Desoto TX
John H. Gatlin Memorial Scholarship Foundation, Detroit MI
Justin Fox Ministries, Costa Mesa CA
Katylyn Feline Foundation, Lake Oswego OR
Kids Eat Here, Tucson AZ
Kids First, Denver CO
Kids on Stage Foundation of Maury County Tennessee, Inc., Mt. Pleasant TN
Kingdome Childrens Foundation, Seattle WA
Kisn Cares for Kids, Salt Lake City UT
Klimionok Ministries, Inc., Corpus Christie TX
Komputer Enthusiasts of Greater Seattle, Woodinville WA
Korean War Memorial of WNY, Buffalo NY
La Vieja Institute for Healers, Los Angeles CA
Land-Water Steward Association, Seattle WA
Lao Senior Association Incorporation, Richmond CA
Larry Williams Ministries, Dacula GA
Last Patrol, Inc., Los Angeles CA
Latino Chamber Development Corporation, Inc., Pueblo CO
Laughing Crow Productions, Olympia WA
Lawyers for Getting Offenders Off Drugs Good, Inc., Alexandria VA
Learning Network Foundation, Washington DC
Legacy Project, Inc., New York NY
Legends West Foundation, Lynnwood WA
Leonard J. Arrington Lecture & Archives Foundation, Salt Lake City UT
Leroy Butler Foundation, Inc., Jacksonville FL
Lew Wasserman Scholarship Foundation, Los Angeles CA
Liberty Americas Foundation, Inc., Tucson AZ
Light House Foundation, Lehi UT
Living With Lupus Foundation, Inc., Jacksonville AR
Lord's Street Ministry, Seattle WA
Loretta Theatre, Calabasas CA
Love and Forgiveness Institute, Orem UT
Love Begins at Home, Fontana CA
Love Charity, Seattle WA
Love, Inc., of Albuquerque, Albuquerque NM
Love Power, Inc., Phoenix AZ
Lutheran Knolls South, Inc., Boothwyn PA
M V Iris Association, Olympia WA
Machines of Mercy, Longview WA
Main Street Boxing Gym, Inc., Scottsdale AZ
Males Advocating Change for Youth, Inc., Savannah GA
Manchester Economic and Community Development Corporation, Duncanville TX
Marian Rosenthal Foundation, Inc., Trumball CT
Maryvale Stone Soup Project, Phoenix AZ
Mason-Corozal Sister County Association, Shelton WA
Masterworks of Minneapolis, Inc., Minneapolis MN
Matys Bros. Music Award Foundation, Elko NV
Meadow Mountain Foundation, Vail CO
Medical Facilities Foundation, Inc., Canton GA
Metro Friendship League, Colorado Springs CO
Metropolitan Performing Arts Council, Inc., Centennial CO
Mex-Ed: Mexican Educational Foundation of New York, Inc., Pittsburgh PA
Miami Carnival, Inc., Miami FL
Mid-Columbia Ministries, Inc., Whit Salmon WA
Mid Valley Performing Arts, Toppenish WA
Middle East Desaland Research Center Foundation, Los Angeles CA
Mildred Barnard McRae Foundation, Wilmington DE
Mindpower, Incorporated, Owings Mills MD
Ministerio Jireh, Inc., Orlando FL
Miramonte Visual and Performing Arts Club, Orinda CA
Monsignor James A. Suddes Education Tr Fund 122898, Godfrey IL
Montecristi Foundation, Inc., Honolulu HI
Morning Star House, Inc., Albuquerque NM
Mothers Against Gangs-MAG, Flagstaff AZ
Mount Olivet Housing and Community Development Corporation, Richmond VA
Mountain of Roses, Incorporated, Roseburg OR
Mummers Theatre-Eastside, Kirkland WA
Murray Arts Council, Sandy UT
Naomi & Ruth Care Facility, Inc., Nashville TN
National Academy of Dance, Los Angeles CA
National Association of Single Parents & Blended Families, Memphis TN
National Paleolithic Society, Houston TX
Naval Sea Cadet Corps — Mayport Battalion, Jacksonville FL
Navarro Career Consulting, Citrus Heights CA
Neace Lukens Charitable Foundation, Cincinnati OH
Neighborhood Improvement and Community Education, Aliso Viejo CA
Network of Hope, Parker CO
Nevada Young Riders, Las Vegas NV
Nevada Youth Development Program, Inc., Carson City NV
New Agreement Community Development Corporation, Houston TX
New Beginnings and Enhancement Agency, Inc., Harrison GA
New England Wildlife Trust, Georgetown ME
New Mexico Affordable Housing, Inc., Albuquerque NM
New Orleans Community Enhancement, Inc., New Orleans LA
Nitro Fastpitch Club, Olympia WA
North American Kings Kids Resource Center, Everett WA
North Pacific Volcano Learning Center, Inc., Kenai AK
North Star Council for Alcohol and Drug Education, Mercer Island WA
North Valley Love, Inc., Paonia CO
Northeastern Illinois Jr., Golf Alliance, Inc., Waukegan IL
Northern California Center for African American Arts, San Francisco CA
Northern Utah Animal Rehabilitation, Ogden UT
Northwest Divorce Transition Center, Kennewick WA
Northwest Elk and Deer Feed Foundation, Longview WA
Northwest MN Dac Cooperative, Inc., Mahnomen MN
NSDG, Inc., Tucson AZ
Oberlangen Project, Provo UT
Oikonomia, Inc., Mackay ID
On a Positive Tip Productions, Inc., Union City CA
One Degree, Inc., Cedar Hill TX
Open Arms Residential Care Facility, Pasadena CA
Open House Gallery, Tucson AZ
Organization of Cultural Renaissance, San Pablo CA
Oregon Building Congress Educational Foundation, Wilsonville OR
Otero County Domvio, Inc., Alamogordo NM
Ozark Mountain Summit Foundation, Incorporated, Branson MO
Ozark Sermon Psalms, Perryville MO
P A R C – V R A M C, Hixson TX
Parent Involved With Children Association, Seattle WA
Park City Cycling Club, Park City UT
Pawleys Island Rotary Foundation, Pawleys Island SC
Peak Christian Adventures, Jackson WY
Pelican Foundation for the Arts and Neurosciences, Inc., Oklahoma City OK
Penultimate Group, Yeadon PA
People United Renewing Peoples Opportunities & Social Enrichment, Zwolle LA
Peters Road, Salem OR
Pilgrim Refuge, Mineola TX
Pinnacle Foundation, Inc., Phoenix AZ
Polaris Chapter of Texas Mental Health Consumers, Inc., El Paso TX
Potomac Athletic Foundation, Inc., Washington DC
Potter's House in Victory, San Francisco CA
Power-Line Human Services, Inc., Hollywood FL
Pray Here Ministries, Inc., Gresham OR
Prescott College Alumni Association, Prescott AZ
Project Prevention & Intervention, St. Louis MO
Public Partnership Against Crime, Salt Lake City UT
Queen Anne Arts Academy, Seattle WA
Quilcene Fair & Parade Association, Quilcene WA
RA Foundation, Carbondale IL
Racing for Childrens Asthma, Inc., Bronx NY
R A F T a Sportz Foundation, Concord CA
Rainbow Bridge Communities, Michigan City IN
Rainbow Refuge, Inc., St. Louis MO
Rajan Pillai, Inc., Albuquerque NM
Ray Taylor Ministries, Inc., Denver CO
Reachback Project, Cleveland OH
Repairer of the Breach Ministries, Incorporated, Griffith IN
Rescue Equine Services Providing Effective Care & Treatment, Inc., Las Vegas NV
Responsible Cat Fanciers of the Northwest, Tacoma WA
Retirees and Friends, Inc., Tucson AZ
Robert E. Bobby Binion Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, Inc., Tierra Amarilla NM
Role Adoption, Los Angeles CA
Round to It, Inc., Pahrump NV
Royal Light Homeless Shelter, Inc., Atlanta GA
Rural Arts Center, Lorane OR
Rural Health Clinic Association of Washington, Spokane WA
Rural Health Connections, Coos Bay OR
Safe Transition, Phoenix AZ
Samaritan Housing Foundation IV, Inc., Atlanta GA
San Pedro Arts Regional Council, Lajara NM
Santa Clara Day Care, Eugene OR
Sauvie Island School Parent Teacher Club, Portland OR
Scottsdale Museum of Natural History and Cultural Center, Phoenix AZ
Seattle Coalition for Educational Equity, Seattle WA
Second Chance Ministries, Inc., Cameron Park CA
Selmas Home for Children With HIV-AIDS, Detroit MI
Shalom Zone Urban Development Project, Pacoima CA
Shermaine Brown Ministries, Mesa AZ
Sisters in Ministry International, Inc., Roswell NM
Small-Felder-Minifield Training Center Inc., of Tuskegee, Memphis TN
Smart Educational Foundation, Inc., Carson City NV
Socratic Institute, Inc., Sausalito CA
Somar Care, Inc., Hammomton NJ
Sopori Resource Center, Amado AZ
SOS Foundation, Tigard OR
Souls Gospel Roundup Ministries, Incorporated, Phoenix AZ
Source Youth Foundation, Inc., New York NY
South Central Guardianship Program, Inc., Canon City CO
Southeast Alaska Regional Air Show, Juneau AK
Specialized Emergency Response Program, Bellingham WA
Spinal Cord Injury Research Foundation, Birmingham AL
Sportsquest, Inc., Chester VA
Stafford Sabers, Fredericksburg VA
Starfish Foundation, Holyoke MA
Step One, Inc., Houston TX
Storks Nest, Grand Junction CO
Stuart Lutton Scholarship Fund, Kodiak AK
Suisi, Incorporated, Palm Beach Gardens FL
Sustaining the Soul That Serves, Bennettsville SC
Sweet Water Farm and Camp, Inc., Ephraim UT
Synergy Foundation, Everett WA
Tacoma Architectural Foundation, Tacoma WA
Taking Responsibility, Inc., Buckeye AZ
Teen Turning Point, Inc., Chula Vista CA
Temple Outreach, Inc., Laurinburg NC
Terry Marr Ministries, Memphis TN
Texas Vision of Hope International, Jasper TX
Therapon Counseling Center of San Antonio, Inc., San Antonio TX
Tiger Foundation, Newtown Square PA
T'iis Nit'l Resident Organization, Kayenta AZ
Tillamook County Disaster Response, Inc., Tillamook OR
Timeline Community Link, Bellflower CA
Tommy McDaniel Youth Ranch, Helendale CA
Townhouse Foundation, Inc., Eugene OR
TPN Alliance for Patient Rights, Inc., Northridge CA
Triple EEE, Inc., Long Beach CA
Tucson Arizona Razorbacks, Inc., Tucson AZ
Ujima House, Inc., Phoenix AZ
Union Gospel Mission of Lewis County, Chehalis WA
United Nations Youth Organization, N. Hollywood CA
Unity Foundation, San Antonio TX
University, The, Tacoma WA
Urban Habitat for Wildlife, Santa Fe NM
Urban Threads, Portland OR
USS Ingraham Division U S Naval Sea Cadet Corps, Pomona CA
Utah Sonta Clubs Educational Foundation, Salt Lake City UT
UYI Developmental Centers for Children, Inc., Glendale AZ
Vessels of Honor Ministries, Inc., Tallahassee FL
Vietnamese Spring Festival Parade, Inc., San Jose CA
Viets Family Charitable Trust, Klamath Falls OR
Viking Club, Inc., Vernon NJ
Visionary Farm, Inc., Portland OR
Vocational Rehabilitation Equity Assistance Program, Norfolk NE
Wallachia Foundation, Inc., Mesa AZ
Wallingford Foundation, Seattle WA
Washington Foundation for Molecular Pharmacology, Seattle WA
We Dream Too, Inc., Mt. Pleasant SC
Wellness in Motion, Huntington Beach CA
West End Animal Care Center, Bedrock CO
West Las Vegas Pride Community Development Corporation, Las Vegas NV
West Side Coalition, Inc., El Mirage AZ
Western Institute for Public Policy, San Leandro CA
When in Need, Cardwell MO
White Mountain Volunteer Center, Inc., Springerville AZ
Whitestone Ranch, Bothell WA
Wild Life Preserve, Inc., Odessa FL
Williams Counceling Group, Inc., San Francisco CA
Wilton Land Conservancy, Inc., Ganesvoort NY
Winslow Apartments Corporation, Phoenix AZ
Woodland Heights Community Services, Inc., Lufkin TX
Word of Freedom Outreach Ministry, Hampton VA
Workforce, Incorporated, San Bernardino CA
Youth Opportunities, Inc., Portland OR
Zaccheus Foundation, Inc., Indianapolis IN

If an organization listed above submits information that warrants the renewal of its classification as a public charity or as a private operating foundation, the Internal Revenue Service will issue a ruling or determination letter with the revised classification as to foundation status. Grantors and contributors may thereafter rely upon such ruling or determination letter as provided in section 1.509(a)-7 of the Income Tax Regulations. It is not the practice of the Service to announce such revised classification of foundation status in the Internal Revenue Bulletin.

Definition of Terms and Abbreviations

Definition of Terms

Amplified describes a situation where no change is being made in a prior published position, but the prior position is being extended to apply to a variation of the fact situation set forth therein. Thus, if an earlier ruling held that a principle applied to A, and the new ruling holds that the same principle also applies to B, the earlier ruling is amplified. (Compare with modified, below).

Clarified is used in those instances where the language in a prior ruling is being made clear because the language has caused, or may cause, some confusion. It is not used where a position in a prior ruling is being changed.

Distinguished describes a situation where a ruling mentions a previously published ruling and points out an essential difference between them.

Modified is used where the substance of a previously published position is being changed. Thus, if a prior ruling held that a principle applied to A but not to B, and the new ruling holds that it applies to both A and B, the prior ruling is modified because it corrects a published position. (Compare with amplified and clarified, above).

Obsoleted describes a previously published ruling that is not considered determinative with respect to future transactions. This term is most commonly used in a ruling that lists previously published rulings that are obsoleted because of changes in laws or regulations. A ruling may also be obsoleted because the substance has been included in regulations subsequently adopted.

Revoked describes situations where the position in the previously published ruling is not correct and the correct position is being stated in a new ruling.

Superseded describes a situation where the new ruling does nothing more than restate the substance and situation of a previously published ruling (or rulings). Thus, the term is used to republish under the 1986 Code and regulations the same position published under the 1939 Code and regulations. The term is also used when it is desired to republish in a single ruling a series of situations, names, etc., that were previously published over a period of time in separate rulings. If the new ruling does more than restate the substance of a prior ruling, a combination of terms is used. For example, modified and superseded describes a situation where the substance of a previously published ruling is being changed in part and is continued without change in part and it is desired to restate the valid portion of the previously published ruling in a new ruling that is self contained. In this case, the previously published ruling is first modified and then, as modified, is superseded.

Supplemented is used in situations in which a list, such as a list of the names of countries, is published in a ruling and that list is expanded by adding further names in subsequent rulings. After the original ruling has been supplemented several times, a new ruling may be published that includes the list in the original ruling and the additions, and supersedes all prior rulings in the series.

Suspended is used in rare situations to show that the previous published rulings will not be applied pending some future action such as the issuance of new or amended regulations, the outcome of cases in litigation, or the outcome of a Service study.

Revenue rulings and revenue procedures (hereinafter referred to as “rulings”) that have an effect on previous rulings use the following defined terms to describe the effect:

Abbreviations

The following abbreviations in current use and formerly used will appear in material published in the Bulletin.

A—Individual.

Acq.—Acquiescence.

B—Individual.

BE—Beneficiary.

BK—Bank.

B.T.A.—Board of Tax Appeals.

C—Individual.

C.B.—Cumulative Bulletin.

CFR—Code of Federal Regulations.

CI—City.

COOP—Cooperative.

Ct.D.—Court Decision.

CY—County.

D—Decedent.

DC—Dummy Corporation.

DE—Donee.

Del. Order—Delegation Order.

DISC—Domestic International Sales Corporation.

DR—Donor.

E—Estate.

EE—Employee.

E.O.—Executive Order.

ER—Employer.

ERISA—Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

EX—Executor.

F—Fiduciary.

FC—Foreign Country.

FICA—Federal Insurance Contributions Act.

FISC—Foreign International Sales Company.

FPH—Foreign Personal Holding Company.

F.R.—Federal Register.

FUTA—Federal Unemployment Tax Act.

FX—Foreign corporation.

G.C.M.—Chief Counsel’s Memorandum.

GE—Grantee.

GP—General Partner.

GR—Grantor.

IC—Insurance Company.

I.R.B.—Internal Revenue Bulletin.

LE—Lessee.

LP—Limited Partner.

LR—Lessor.

M—Minor.

Nonacq.—Nonacquiescence.

O—Organization.

P—Parent Corporation.

PHC—Personal Holding Company.

PO—Possession of the U.S.

PR—Partner.

PRS—Partnership.

PTE—Prohibited Transaction Exemption.

Pub. L.—Public Law.

REIT—Real Estate Investment Trust.

Rev. Proc.—Revenue Procedure.

Rev. Rul.—Revenue Ruling.

S—Subsidiary.

S.P.R.—Statement of Procedural Rules.

Stat.—Statutes at Large.

T—Target Corporation.

T.C.—Tax Court.

T.D. —Treasury Decision.

TFE—Transferee.

TFR—Transferor.

T.I.R.—Technical Information Release.

TP—Taxpayer.

TR—Trust.

TT—Trustee.

U.S.C.—United States Code.

X—Corporation.

Y—Corporation.

Z —Corporation.

Numerical Finding List

Numerical Finding List

A cumulative list of all revenue rulings, revenue procedures, Treasury decisions, etc., published in Internal Revenue Bulletins 2004-27 through 2004-52 is in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2004-52, dated December 27, 2004.

Bulletins 2005-1 through 2005-10

Announcements

Article Issue Link Page
2005-1 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 257
2005-2 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 319
2005-3 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 270
2005-4 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 319
2005-5 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 353
2005-6 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 377
2005-7 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 377
2005-8 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 380
2005-9 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 380
2005-10 2005-5 I.R.B. 2005-5 450
2005-11 2005-5 I.R.B. 2005-5 451
2005-12 2005-7 I.R.B. 2005-7 555
2005-13 2005-8 I.R.B. 2005-8 627
2005-14 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 653
2005-15 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 654
2005-16 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10
2005-17 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10
2005-18 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 660


Notices

Article Issue Link Page
2005-1 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 274
2005-2 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 337
2005-3 2005-5 I.R.B. 2005-5 447
2005-4 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 289
2005-5 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 337
2005-6 2005-5 I.R.B. 2005-5 448
2005-7 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 340
2005-8 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 368
2005-9 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 369
2005-10 2005-6 I.R.B. 2005-6 474
2005-11 2005-7 I.R.B. 2005-7 493
2005-12 2005-7 I.R.B. 2005-7 494
2005-13 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 630
2005-14 2005-7 I.R.B. 2005-7 498
2005-15 2005-7 I.R.B. 2005-7 527
2005-16 2005-8 I.R.B. 2005-8 605
2005-17 2005-8 I.R.B. 2005-8 606
2005-18 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 634
2005-19 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 634
2005-20 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 635


Proposed Regulations

Article Issue Link Page
117969-00 2005-7 I.R.B. 2005-7 533
125628-01 2005-7 I.R.B. 2005-7 536
129709-03 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 351
148867-03 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 646
130370-04 2005-8 I.R.B. 2005-8 608
130671-04 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10
139683-04 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 371
152914-04 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 650
152945-04 2005-6 I.R.B. 2005-6 484
159824-04 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 372


Revenue Procedures

Article Issue Link Page
2005-1 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 1
2005-2 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 86
2005-3 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 118
2005-4 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 128
2005-5 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 170
2005-6 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 200
2005-7 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 240
2005-8 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 243
2005-9 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 303
2005-10 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 341
2005-11 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 307
2005-12 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 311
2005-14 2005-7 I.R.B. 2005-7 528
2005-15 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 638
2005-16 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10


Revenue Rulings

Article Issue Link Page
2005-1 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 258
2005-2 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 259
2005-3 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 334
2005-4 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 366
2005-5 2005-5 I.R.B. 2005-5 445
2005-6 2005-6 I.R.B. 2005-6 471
2005-7 2005-6 I.R.B. 2005-6 464
2005-8 2005-6 I.R.B. 2005-6 466
2005-9 2005-6 I.R.B. 2005-6 470
2005-10 2005-7 I.R.B. 2005-7 492
2005-12 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 628
2005-13 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10


Tax Conventions

Article Issue Link Page
2005-3 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 270
2005-17 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10


Treasury Decisions

Article Issue Link Page
9164 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 320
9165 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 357
9166 2005-8 I.R.B. 2005-8 558
9167 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 261
9168 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 354
9169 2005-5 I.R.B. 2005-5 381
9170 2005-4 I.R.B. 2005-4 363
9171 2005-6 I.R.B. 2005-6 452
9172 2005-6 I.R.B. 2005-6 468
9173 2005-8 I.R.B. 2005-8 557
9174 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 629
9175 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10
9176 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10
9177 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10


Effect of Current Actions on Previously Published Items

Finding List of Current Actions on Previously Published Items

A cumulative list of current actions on previously published items in Internal Revenue Bulletins 2004-27 through 2004-52 is in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2004-52, dated December 27, 2004.

Bulletins 2005-1 through 2005-10

Announcements

Old Article Action New Article Issue Link Page
2001-77 Modified by Rev. Proc. 2005-16 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10


Notices

Old Article Action New Article Issue Link Page
88-30 Obsoleted by Notice 2005-4 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 289
88-132 Obsoleted by Notice 2005-4 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 289
89-29 Obsoleted by Notice 2005-4 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 289
89-38 Obsoleted by Notice 2005-4 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 289
2004-80 Updated by Notice 2005-17 2005-8 I.R.B. 2005-8 606


Proposed Regulations

Old Article Action New Article Issue Link Page
REG-149519-03 Corrected by Ann. 2005-11 2005-5 I.R.B. 2005-5 451
REG-114726-04 Corrected by Ann. 2005-10 2005-5 I.R.B. 2005-5 450


Revenue Procedures

Old Article Action New Article Issue Link Page
98-16 Modified and superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-11 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 307
2000-20 Modified and superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-16 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10
2001-22 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-12 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 311
2002-9 Modified and amplified by Rev. Proc. 2005-9 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 303
2004-1 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-1 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 1
2004-2 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-2 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 86
2004-3 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-3 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 118
2004-4 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-4 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 128
2004-5 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-5 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 170
2004-6 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-6 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 200
2004-7 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-7 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 240
2004-8 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-8 2005-1 I.R.B. 2005-1 243
2004-18 Obsoleted in part by Rev. Proc. 2005-15 2005-9 I.R.B. 2005-9 638
2004-35 Corrected by Ann. 2005-4 2005-2 I.R.B. 2005-2 319
2004-60 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2005-10 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 341
2005-6 Modified by Rev. Proc. 2005-16 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10
2005-8 Modified by Rev. Proc. 2005-16 2005-10 I.R.B. 2005-10


Revenue Rulings

Old Article Action New Article Issue Link Page
92-63 Modified and superseded by Rev. Rul. 2005-3 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 334
95-63 Modified and superseded by Rev. Rul. 2005-3 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 334
2004-43 Revoked by Rev. Rul. 2005-10 2005-7 I.R.B. 2005-7 492
2004-103 Superseded by Rev. Rul. 2005-3 2005-3 I.R.B. 2005-3 334


Treasury Decisions

Old Article Action New Article Issue Link Page
9170 Corrected by Ann. 2005-13 2005-8 I.R.B. 2005-8 627


How to get the Internal Revenue Bulletin

INTERNAL REVENUE BULLETIN

The Introduction at the beginning of this issue describes the purpose and content of this publication. The weekly Internal Revenue Bulletin is sold on a yearly subscription basis by the Superintendent of Documents. Current subscribers are notified by the Superintendent of Documents when their subscriptions must be renewed.

CUMULATIVE BULLETINS

The contents of this weekly Bulletin are consolidated semiannually into a permanent, indexed, Cumulative Bulletin. These are sold on a single copy basis and are not included as part of the subscription to the Internal Revenue Bulletin. Subscribers to the weekly Bulletin are notified when copies of the Cumulative Bulletin are available. Certain issues of Cumulative Bulletins are out of print and are not available. Persons desiring available Cumulative Bulletins, which are listed on the reverse, may purchase them from the Superintendent of Documents.

ACCESS THE INTERNAL REVENUE BULLETIN ON THE INTERNET

You may view the Internal Revenue Bulletin on the Internet at www.irs.gov. Under information for: select Businesses. Under related topics, select More Topics. Then select Internal Revenue Bulletins.

INTERNAL REVENUE BULLETINS ON CD-ROM

Internal Revenue Bulletins are available annually as part of Publication 1796 (Tax Products CD-ROM). The CD-ROM can be purchased from National Technical Information Service (NTIS) on the Internet at www.irs.gov/cdorders (discount for online orders) or by calling 1-877-233-6767. The first release is available in mid-December and the final release is available in late January.

How to Order

Check the publications and/or subscription(s) desired on the reverse, complete the order blank, enclose the proper remittance, detach entire page, and mail to the

P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh PA, 15250-7954.

Please allow two to six weeks, plus mailing time, for delivery.

We Welcome Comments About the Internal Revenue Bulletin

If you have comments concerning the format or production of the Internal Revenue Bulletin or suggestions for improving it, we would be pleased to hear from you. You can e-mail us your suggestions or comments through the IRS Internet Home Page (www.irs.gov) or write to the

IRS Bulletin Unit, SE:W:CAR:MP:T:T:SP, Washington, DC 20224