n-03-54.pdf

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Part III - Administrative, Procedural, and Miscellaneous

Common Trust Fund Straddle Tax Shelter

Notice 2003-54

The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department have become
aware of a type of transaction, described below, that is being used by taxpayers
for the purpose of generating deductions. This notice alerts taxpayers and their
representatives that the claimed tax benefits purportedly generated by these
transactions are not allowable for federal income tax purposes. This notice also
alerts parties involved with these transactions of certain responsibilities that may
arise from their involvement with these transactions.

FACTS

The transaction involves the use of a common trust fund (CTF) that
invests in economically offsetting gain and loss positions in foreign currencies
and allocates the gains to one or more tax indifferent parties and the losses to
another taxpayer. For example, in the transaction, a bank (Bank) forms a CTF.
The CTF's plan provides for monthly valuation dates and for the computation of
income and loss on a monthly basis. Two tax indifferent investors, through
grantor trusts (Investors' Trusts), each invest money in the CTF. The CTF then
invests the money in economically offsetting positions in foreign currencies,
which become offsetting gain and loss positions as a result of market price
movements. The CTF sells the gain position and allocates the gain
proportionately to the Investors' Trusts.

The next month, an investor (Taxpayer) who desires a tax loss uses a
grantor trust (Taxpayer's Trust) to invest in the CTF. Taxpayer's Trust makes a
large investment for an 80 percent share of the CTF. Consequently, the shares
of the CTF's portfolio owned by the Investors' Trusts are diminished to 10 percent
each. The CTF then sells the loss position. For tax purposes, the loss is
allocated proportionately among Taxpayer's Trust and Investors' Trusts.
Taxpayer's Trust is allocated 80 percent of the tax loss and Investors' Trusts are
each allocated 10 percent of the tax loss under the accounting rules provided in §
1.584-2(c)(2) of the Income Tax Regulations.

ANALYSIS

The transaction described in this notice has been designed to use
economically offsetting positions, one or more tax indifferent parties, and the CTF
accounting rules of § 584 of the Internal Revenue Code to allow Taxpayer to

claim a noneconomic loss. The Service intends to challenge the purported tax
benefits from this transaction on a number of grounds.

The offsetting positions entered into by the CTF did not have any effect on
the CTF's net economic position or non-tax objectives and did not serve any non-
tax objectives of the CTF or afford it a reasonable prospect for profit. Therefore,
the losses purportedly resulting from this transaction are not allowable. See
ACM Partnership v. Commissioner, 157 F.3d 231, 260 (3d Cir. 1998), cert.
denied, 526 U.S. 1017 (1999). In addition, the Service may disallow the loss of
an individual under § 165(c)(2) by asserting that the loss was not incurred in a
transaction undertaken for profit. See Smith v. Commissioner, 78 T.C. 350
(1982) and Fox v. Commissioner, 82 T.C. 1001 (1984) (disallowing losses from
straddle transactions). Further, the Service may, under appropriate
circumstances, assert that the CTF does not meet the requirements of § 584,
including the requirement that it be operated in conformity with the rules and
regulations of the Comptroller of the Currency, as set forth in 12 C.F.R. § 9.18
(2003). In that event, the Service will recharacterize such a CTF as a partnership
and reallocate the gains and losses in accordance with the economics of the
transaction and the interests of the participants. See § 704(b). In addition, the
Service may challenge the allowance of the loss deduction based on other
statutory provisions, including § 988, and judicial doctrines.

Transactions that are the same as, or substantially similar to, the
transaction described in this notice are identified as "listed transactions" for
purposes of § 1.6011-4(b)(2) of the Income Tax Regulations and §§ 301.6111-
2(b)(2) and 301.6112-1(b)(2) of the Procedure and Administration Regulations.
The transaction described in this notice and the transactions described in Notice
2002-50, 2002-28 I.R.B. 98 (Partnership Straddle Tax Shelter), and Notice 2002-
65, 2002-41 I.R.B. 690 (Passthrough Entity Straddle Tax Shelter), are
substantially similar transactions. For purposes of §§ 1.6011-4(b)(2), 301.6111-
2(b)(2), and 301.6112-1(b)(2), a transaction will be considered the same as, or
substantially similar to, the transaction described in this notice even if the gain
and loss legs of the economically offsetting positions are triggered in separate
taxable years, or a trust other than a grantor trust is used. Further, it should be
noted that, independent of their classification as "listed transactions" for purposes
of §§ 1.6011-4(b)(2), 301.6111-2(b)(2), and 301.6112-1(b)(2), transactions that
are the same as, or substantially similar to, the transaction described in this
notice may already be subject to the disclosure requirements of § 6011, the tax
shelter registration requirements of § 6111, or the list maintenance requirements
of § 6112 (§§ 1.6011-4, 301.6111-1T, 301.6111-2 and 301.6112-1).

Persons who are required to satisfy the registration requirement of § 6111
with respect to the transaction described in this notice or substantially similar
transactions and who fail to do so may be subject to the penalty under § 6707(a).
Persons who are required to satisfy the list-keeping requirement of § 6112 with
respect to the transaction or substantially similar transactions and who fail to do

so may be subject to the penalty under § 6708(a). In addition, the Service may
impose penalties on participants in this transaction or substantially similar
transactions or, as applicable, on persons who participate in the reporting of this
transaction or substantially similar transactions, including the accuracy-related
penalty under § 6662 and the return preparer penalty under § 6694.

The principal author of this notice is Tara P. Volungis of the Office of
Associate Chief Counsel (Passthroughs and Special Industries). For further
information regarding this notice, contact Ms. Volungis on (202) 622-3080 (not a
toll-free call).