n-02-35.pdf

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Part III - Administrative, Procedural and Miscellaneous

Tax Avoidance Using Notional Principal Contracts

Notice 2002-35
The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department have become aware
of a type of transaction, described below, that is used by taxpayers to generate tax
losses. This Notice alerts taxpayers and their representatives that the tax benefits
purportedly generated by these transactions are not allowable for federal income tax
purposes. This Notice also alerts taxpayers, their representatives, and promoters of
these transactions of certain responsibilities that may arise from participating in these
transactions.
FACTS
In general, the transaction involves the use of a notional principal contract
(ANPC@) to claim current deductions for periodic payments made by a taxpayer (AT@)
while disregarding the accrual of a right to receive offsetting payments in the future.
The NPC has a term of more than one year. Under the NPC, T
is required to make
periodic payments to CP
at regular intervals of one year or less based on a fixed or
floating rate index. In return, CP
is required to make a single payment at the end of the
term of the NPC that consists of a noncontingent component and a contingent
component. The noncontingent component, which is relatively large in comparison to

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the contingent component, may be based upon a fixed or floating interest rate. The
contingent component may reflect changes in the value of a stock index or currency.
T
may fund its obligation to make periodic payments in whole or in part by
borrowing funds from a lender, who may be CP. In addition, T may engage in other
transactions, such as interest rate collars, for purposes of limiting risk with respect to
the NPC transaction. T
may engage in short-term trading activity in securities with a
view to establishing a trade or business. T
may also engage in the transaction through
a partnership, in which case instead of T, the partnership may engage in some or all of
the activities described above. T will likely enter into an agreement with CP to
terminate the NPC prior to the scheduled payment date of CP's payment.
T deducts the ratable daily portion of each periodic payment for the taxable year
to which that portion relates. However, T does not accrue income with respect to the
nonperiodic payment until the year the payment is received. T
intends to report as
capital any gain it realizes upon the termination of the NPC.
ANALYSIS
The requirement of ' 1.446-3(f)(2)(i) that a nonperiodic payment must be
recognized over the term of a NPC in a manner that reflects the economic substance of
the contract must be applied separately to the noncontingent component of the
contract, whether that component is based on a fixed or a floating interest rate.
For a discussion of the proper treatment of the periodic and nonperiodic
payments made pursuant to the interest rate swap if the noncontingent component is
based on a fixed interest rate, see
Rev. Rul. 2002-30, I.R.B. 2002-21, May 28, 2002
(holding that the nonperiodic payment must be accrued ratably over the term of the

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NPC). In addition, depending on the facts of the particular case, the Service may
challenge the purported tax results of these transactions on other grounds, including by:
(i) recharacterizing one or more of the transactions under '' 1.446-3(g)(2) or 1.446-
3(i); (ii) determining that the swap expense, if any, was not incurred in the course of a
trade or business and was therefore subject to the 2-percent floor limitation in section
67 of the Internal Revenue Code; (iii) disregarding the combination of the loans and the
periodic payments as circular flows of cash; or (iv) applying other variations of the
doctrine of substance-over-form.
The Service may impose penalties on participants in these transactions or, as
applicable, on persons who participate in the promotion or reporting of these
transactions, including the accuracy-related penalty under section 6662, the return
preparer penalty under section 6694, the promoter penalty under section 6700, and the
aiding and abetting penalty under section 6701.
Transactions that are the same as, or substantially similar to, the transaction
described in this Notice 2002-35 are identified as Alisted transactions@ for purposes of
' 1.6011-4T(b)(2) of the Temporary Income Tax Regulations and ' 301.6111-2T(b)(2)
of the Temporary Procedure and Administrative Regulations. See also
' 301.6112-1T,
A-4. It should be noted that, independent of their classification as Alisted transactions@
for purposes of '' 1.6011-4T(b)(2) and 301.6111-2T(b)(2), such transactions may
already be subject to the tax shelter registration and list maintenance requirements of
'' 6111 and 6112 under the regulations issued in February 2000 ('' 301.6111-2T and
301.6112-1T, A-4), as well as the regulations issued in 1984 and amended in 1986

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('' 301.6111-1T and 301.6112-1T, A-3). Persons required to register these tax
shelters who have failed to register the shelters may be subject to the penalty under
section 6707(a), and to the penalty under section 6708(a) if the requirements of section
6112 are not satisfied.
The Service and the Treasury recognize that some taxpayers may have filed tax
returns taking the position that they were entitled to the purported tax benefits of the
type of transaction described in this Notice. These taxpayers are advised to take
prompt action to file amended returns.
The principal author of this Notice is Elizabeth Handler of the Office of Associate
Chief Counsel (Financial Institutions and Products). For further information regarding
this Notice, contact Ms. Handler on (202) 622-3930 (not a toll-free call).