us-irs-revenue-procedures-irb-1997-46-pdf•Internal Revenue Bulletin 1997-46 (PDF rendition): IRS Revenue Procedures
Internal Revenue Bulletin 1997-46 (PDF rendition): IRS Revenue Procedures
us-irs-revenue-procedures-irb-1997-46-pdfInternal Revenue Bulletin 1997-46 (PDF rendition): IRS Revenue ProceduresGuidance
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INCOME TAX Rev. Rul. 97–46, page 00. Insurance companies; segregated asset accounts.A life insurance company is not prohibited from transferring assets other than cash from its general asset account to a segregated asset account for qualified pension plans. Rev. Rul. 73–67 revoked. EMPLOYEE PLANS Rev. Rul. 97–45, page 00. Covered compensation tables; 1998.The covered com- pensation tables for the 1998 calendar year for determining contributions to defined benefit plans and permitted dispar- ity are set forth. EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS Announcement 97–112, page 00. A list is provided of organizations now classified as private foundations. ADMINISTRATIVE Notice 97–60, page 00. Education incentives; credits; interest deduction; indi- vidual retirement accounts.Questions and answers are provided about the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Credits, the deduction for student loan interest, Education In- dividual Retirement Accounts, and other higher education tax incentives recently enacted by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. Rev. Proc. 97–52, page 00. Charitable contributions; business expenses.Guid- ance is provided on the deductibility, under sections 162 or 170 of the Code, of unreimbursed travel and other out- of-pocket expenses incurred by a member of a federal ad- visory committee while performing services without com- pensation for the federal government as a member of that committee. Announcement 97–113, page 00. The 1996 Form 3520, Annual Return To Report Transac- tions With Foreign Trusts and Receipt of Certain Foreign Gifts, is now available for downloading from the IRS home page. Announcement 97–114, page 00. New Form 8023, Election Under Section 338 for Corpora- tions Making Qualified Stock Purchases, will replace Form 8023–A, Corporate Qualified Stock Purchases. Internal Revenue bbuulllleettiinn Bulletin No. 1997–46 November 17, 1997 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. Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Finding Lists begin on page 00. Mission of the Service The purpose of the Internal Revenue Service is to collect the proper amount of tax revenue at the least cost; serve the public by continually improving the quality of our prod- ucts and services; and perform in a manner warranting the highest degree of public confidence in our integrity, effi- ciency, and fairness. 2 Statement of Principles of Internal Revenue Tax Administration The function of the Internal Revenue Service is to adminis- ter the Internal Revenue Code. Tax policy for raising revenue is determined by Congress. With this in mind, it is the duty of the Service to carry out that policy by correctly applying the laws enacted by Congress; to determine the reasonable meaning of various Code provi- sions in light of the Congressional purpose in enacting them; and to perform this work in a fair and impartial manner, with neither a government nor a taxpayer point of view. At the heart of administration is interpretation of the Code. It is the responsibility of each person in the Service, charged with the duty of interpreting the law, to try to find the true meaning of the statutory provision and not to adopt a strained construction in the belief that he or she is “protect- ing the revenue.” The revenue is properly protected only when we ascertain and apply the true meaning of the statute. The Service also has the responsibility of applying and administering the law in a reasonable, practical manner. Issues should only be raised by examining officers when they have merit, never arbitrarily or for trading purposes. At the same time, the examining officer should never hesi- tate to raise a meritorious issue. It is also important that care be exercised not to raise an issue or to ask a court to adopt a position inconsistent with an established Service position. Administration should be both reasonable and vigorous. It should be conducted with as little delay as possible and with great courtesy and considerateness. It should never try to overreach, and should be reasonable within the bounds of law and sound administration. It should, howev- er, be vigorous in requiring compliance with law and it should be relentless in its attack on unreal tax devices and fraud. The Internal Revenue Bulletin is the authoritative instrument of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue for announcing offi- cial 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 of a permanent nature are consoli- dated 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 sub- stantive 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 other- wise indicated. Procedures relating solely to matters of in- ternal 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 pub- lished rulings and procedures, the effect of subsequent leg- islation, regulations, court decisions, rulings, and proce- dures must be considered, and Service personnel and oth- ers concerned are cautioned against reaching the same con- clusions 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 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 Sub- parts. Also included in this part are Bank Secrecy Act Admin- istrative 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. With the exception of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and the disbarment and suspension list included in this part, none of these announcements are consolidated in the Cumu- lative Bulletins. The first Bulletin for each month includes a cumulative index for the matters published during the preceding months. These monthly indexes are cumulated on a quarterly and semiannual basis, and are published in the first Bulletin of the succeeding quarterly and semiannual period, respectively. 3 Introduction The contents of this publication are not copyrighted and may be reprinted freely.A citation of the Internal Revenue Bulletin as the source would be appropriate. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S.Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. November 17, 199741997–46 I.R.B. Section 72.—Annuities; Certain Proceeds of Endowment and Life Insurance Contracts Does the 10 percent additional tax on early with- drawals from individual retirement accounts apply to early withdrawals used to pay qualified higher ed- ucation expenses. See Notice 97–60, page 00. Section 127.—Educational Assistance Programs What conditions apply to the extension of tax- free treatment of employer-provided educational as- sistance under the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. See Notice 97–60, page 00. Section 170.—Charitable, Etc., Contributions and Gifts 26 CFR 1.170A–1: Charitable, etc., contributions and gifts; allowance of deduction. What are the rules for the deductibility, under § 162 or 170, of unreimbursed travel and other out- of-pocket expenses incurred by a member of a fed- eral advisory committee while performing services without compensation for the federal government as a member of that committee. See Rev. Proc. 97–52, page 00. Section 221.—Interest on Education Loans What are the rules for deducting interest on edu- cation loans under section 221, added by the Tax- payer Relief Act of 1997. See Notice 97–60, page 00. Section 401.—Qualified Pension, Profit-Sharing, And Stock Bonus Plans 26 CFR 1.401(l)-1: Permitted disparity with respect to employer-provided contributions or benefits. Covered compensation tables; 1998. The covered compensation tables for the 1998 calendar year for determining con- tributions to defined benefit plans and permitted disparity are set forth. Rev. Rul. 97–45 This revenue ruling provides tables of covered compensation under §401(l)- (5)(E) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) and the Income Tax Regulations, thereunder, for the 1998 plan year. Section 401(l)(5)(E)(i) defines covered compensation with respect to an em- ployee, as the average of the contribution and benefit bases in effect under §230 of the Social Security Act (the “Act”) for each year in the 35-year period ending with the year in which the employee at- tains social security retirement age. Section 401(l)(5)(E)(ii) of the Code states that the determination for any year preceding the year in which the employee attains social security retirement age shall be made by assuming that there is no in- crease in covered compensation after the determination year and before the em- ployee attains social security retirement age. Section 1.401(l)–1(c)(34) of the regula- tions defines the taxable wage base as the contribution and benefit base under §230 of the Act. Section 1.401(l)–1(c)(7)(i) defines cov- ered compensation for an employee as the average (without indexing) of the taxable wage bases in effect for each calendar year during the 35-year period ending with the last day of the calendar year in which the employee attains (or will attain) social security retirement age. A35-year period is used for all individuals regard- less of the year of birth of the individual. In determining an employee’s covered compensation for a plan year, the taxable wage base for all calendar years begin- ning after the first day of the plan year is assumed to be the same as the taxable wage base in effect as of the beginning of the plan year. An employee’s covered compensation for a plan year beginning after the 35-year period applicable under §1.401(l)–1(c)(7)(i) is the employee’s covered compensation for a plan year dur- ing which the 35-year period ends. An employee’s covered compensation for a plan year beginning before the 35-year period applicable under this §1.401(l)– 1(c)(7)(i) is the taxable wage base in ef- fect as of the beginning of the plan year. Section 1.401(l)–1(c)(7)(ii) provides that, for purposes of determining the amount of an employee’s covered com- pensation under section 1.401(l)–1(c)- (7)(i), a plan may use tables, provided by the Commissioner, that are developed by rounding the actual amounts of covered compensation for different years of birth. For purposes of determining covered compensation for the 1998 year the tax- able wage base is $68,400. The following tables provide covered compensation for 1998: Part I. Rulings and Decisions Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 1998 Covered Compensation Table CalendarCalendar Year of1998 Covered Year ofSocial SecurityCompensation BirthRetirement Age 19071972$4,488 190819734,704 19091974 5,004 191019755,316 191119765,664 191219776,060 1998 Covered Compensation Table—Continued CalendarCalendar Year of1998 Covered Year ofSocial SecurityCompensation BirthRetirement Age 19131978 6,480 191419797,044 191519807,692 191619818,460 191719829,300 1918198310,236 1919198411,232 1920198512,276 1921198613,368 1922198714,520 1923198815,708 1924198916,968 1925199018,312 1926199119,728 1927199221,192 1928199322,716 1929199424,312 1930199525,920 1931199627,576 1932199729,304 1933199831,128 1934199932,940 1935200034,752 1936200136,528 1937200238,292 1938200441,748 1939200543,488 1940200645,216 1941200746,908 1942200848,552 1943200950,136 1944201051,684 1945201153,208 1946201254,684 1947201356,136 1948201457,432 1949201558,644 1950201659,760 1997–46 I.R.B.5November 17, 1997 1998 Covered Compensation Table—Continued CalendarCalendar Year of1998 Covered Year ofSocial SecurityCompensation BirthRetirement Age 1951201760,780 1952201861,716 1953201962,592 1954202063,420 1955202264,872 1956202365,544 1957202466,120 1958202566,612 1959202667,044 1960202767,404 1961202867,716 1962202967,944 1963203068,148 1964203168,304 1965 or later203268,400 1998 Rounded Covered Compensation Table Year of BirthCovered Compensation 1933$30,000 1934 33,000 1935 – 193636,000 193739,000 1938 – 193942,000 194045,000 1941 – 194248,000 1943 – 194451,000 1945 – 194654,000 1947 – 194857,000 1949 – 195160,000 1952 – 195463,000 1955 – 195966,000 1960 or later68,400 November 17, 199761997–46 I.R.B. Drafting Information The principal author of this revenue ruling is Donna Prestia of the Employee Plans Division. For further information regarding this notice, call (202) 622-6076 between 2:30 and 3:30 Eastern time (not a toll free number) Monday thru Thursday. Ms. Prestia’s number is (202) 622-7377 (also not a toll free number). Section 529.—Qualified State Tuition Programs How have the rules for qualified state tuition pro- grams been changed by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. See Notice 97–60, page 00. Section 530.—Education Individual Retirement Accounts What are the rules for education individual retire- ment accounts, as enacted by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. See Notice 97–60, page 00. Section 817.—Treatment of Variable Contracts 26 CFR 1.801–8: Contracts with reserves based on segregated asset accounts. Alife insurance company is not prohibited from transferring assets other than cash from its general asset account to a segregated asset account for quali- fied pension plans. Rev. Rul. 73–67 is revoked. See Rev. Rul. 97–46, page 00. Insurance companies; segregated asset accounts.Alife insurance company is not prohibited from transferring assets other than cash from its general asset ac- count to a segregated asset account for qualified pension plans. Rev. Rul. 73–67 revoked. Rev. Rul. 97–46 Rev. Rul. 73–67, 1973–1 C.B. 330, held that asset transfers between a life in- surance company’s general asset account and its segregated asset account for quali- fied pension plans may be made only in cash. Rev. Rul. 73–67 is hereby revoked. EFFECTON OTHER REVENUE RULINGS Rev. Rul. 73–67 is revoked. DRAFTING INFORMATION The principal author of this revenue ruling is Campbell Connell of the Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel (Financial Institutions & Products). For further in- formation regarding this revenue ruling contact Mr. Connell on (202) 622-3970 (not a toll free call). 1997–46 I.R.B.7November 17, 1997 November 17, 199781997–46 I.R.B. Education Tax Incentives Notice 97–60 PURPOSE The questions and answers contained in this notice provide guidance on the higher education tax incentives recently enacted by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (Pub. L. No. 105–34, 111 Stat. 788) (TRA‘97). Specifically, TRA‘97 added § 25Aof the Internal Revenue Code providing the Hope Scholarship Credit and Lifetime Learning Credit, § 221 providing a deduc- tion for student loan interest, and § 530 creating Education Individual Retirement Accounts (“Education IRAs”). TRA‘97 also amended § 72(t) eliminating the early withdrawal tax on certain IRAwith- drawals, § 127 providing an exclusion from income for employer-provided edu- cational assistance, and § 529 setting the requirements for tax-exempt status for qualified state tuition programs (QSTPs). These provisions create several new tax benefits for families who are saving for, or already paying, higher education costs or are repaying student loans. In addition, TRA‘97 extends the exclusion for em- ployer-provided educational assistance and makes the rules for qualified state tu- ition programs more flexible. The follow- ing discussion reviews in greater detail the requirements for each of these benefits. Whether a taxpayer may take advantage of these benefits depends on the taxpayer’s individual facts and circumstances. DISCUSSION SECTION 1. THE HOPE SCHOLARSHIPCREDIT Beginning January 1, 1998, taxpayers may be eligible to claim a nonrefundable Hope Scholarship Credit against their fed- eral income taxes. The Hope Scholarship Credit may be claimed for the qualified tuition and related expenses of each stu- dent in the taxpayer’s family (i.e., the tax- payer, the taxpayer’s spouse, or an eligi- ble dependent) who is enrolled at least half-time in one of the first two years of postsecondary education and who is en- rolled in a program leading to a degree, certificate, or other recognized educa- tional credential. The amount that may be claimed as a credit is generally equal to: (1) 100 percent of the first $1,000 of the taxpayer’s out-of-pocket expenses for each student’s qualified tuition and re- lated expenses, plus (2) 50 percent of the next $1,000 of the taxpayer’s out-of- pocket expenses for each student’s quali- fied tuition and related expenses. Thus, the maximum credit a taxpayer may claim for a taxable year is $1,500 multiplied by the number of students in the family who meet the enrollment criteria described above. The amount a taxpayer may claim as a Hope Scholarship Credit is gradually re- duced for taxpayers who have modified adjusted gross income between $40,000 ($80,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly) and $50,000 ($100,000 for mar- ried taxpayers filing jointly). Taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income over $50,000 ($100,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly) may not claim the Hope Scholarship Credit. Both the dollar limi- tation on the expenses for which the credit may be claimed and the modified adjusted gross income limitation will be indexed for inflation in 2002 and years thereafter. The Hope Scholarship Credit may be claimed for payments of qualified tuition and related expenses made on or after January 1, 1998, for academic periods be- ginning on or after January 1, 1998. Therefore, the first time taxpayers will be able to claim the credit is when they file their 1998 tax returns in 1999. The Hope Scholarship Credit is not available for any amount paid in 1997. Q1:Who may claim the Hope Scholar- ship Credit? A1:An individual paying qualified tu- ition and related expenses at a post- secondary educational institution may claim the credit, provided the student whose expenses are being paid and the institution meet certain eligibility requirements. Q2:May an individual claim a Hope Scholarship Credit for paying quali- fied tuition and related expenses for other family members? A2:Yes. An individual may claim the credit for his/her own qualified tu- ition and related expenses and the qualified tuition and related ex- penses of his/her spouse and other eligible dependents (including chil- dren) for whom the dependency ex- emption is claimed. Generally, a parent may claim the dependency exemption for his/her unmarried child if: (1) the parent supplies more than half the child’s support for the taxable year, and (2) the child is under age 19 or is a full-time student under age 24. Q3:What are the eligibility requirements for the student? A3:Astudent is eligible for the Hope Scholarship Credit if: (1) for at least one academic period (e.g., semester, trimester, quarter) beginning during the calendar year, the student is en- rolled at least half-time in a program leading to a degree, certificate, or other recognized educational creden- tial and is enrolled in one of the first two years of postsecondary educa- tion, and (2) the student is free of any conviction for a Federal or State felony offense consisting of the pos- session or distribution of a controlled substance. For purposes of the Hope Scholarship Credit, a student will be considered to be enrolled at least half-time if the student is enrolled for at least half the full-time acade- mic workload for the course of study the student is pursuing as determined under the standards of the institution where the student is enrolled. The institution’s standard for a full- time workload must equal or exceed the standards established by the Depart- ment of Education under the Higher Education Act and set forth in 34 C.F.R. § 674.2(b). Q4:What are the eligibility requirements for the institution? A4:The college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary edu- cational institution where the student is enrolled must be an institution that is described in section 481 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088) and, therefore, eligible to participate in the student aid pro- grams administered by the Depart- ment of Education. This category in- cludes virtually all accredited public, nonprofit, and proprietary postsec- Part III. Administrative, Procedural, and Miscellaneous 1997–46 I.R.B.9November 17, 1997 ondary institutions. (The same eligi- bility requirements for institutions apply for the Lifetime Learning Credit, described in the next sec- tion.) Q5:The Hope Scholarship Credit may be claimed only for amounts spent on “qualified tuition and related ex- penses.” Which expenses are in- cluded in qualified tuition and re- lated expenses? A5:The term “qualified tuition and re- lated expenses” means the tuition and fees an individual is required to pay in order to be enrolled at or at- tend an eligible institution. Amounts paid for any course or other educa- tion involving sports, games, or hob- bies are not eligible for the credit, unless the course or other education is part of the student’s degree pro- gram. Charges and fees associated with room, board, student activities, athletics, insurance, books, equip- ment, transportation, and similar per- sonal, living, or family expenses are not qualified tuition or related ex- penses. (The same definition of “qualified tuition and related ex- penses” applies for the Lifetime Learning Credit, described in the next section.) Q6:The Hope Scholarship Credit is available only if a taxpayer’s “modi- fied adjusted gross income” is below a specified amount. How does a tax- payer know what his/her modified adjusted gross income is? A6:For most taxpayers, modified ad- justed gross income is the same as adjusted gross income. Taxpayers compute adjusted gross income as part of completing a Federal income tax return. For those few taxpayers who earn income abroad or receive income from certain American terri- tories or possessions, modified ad- justed gross income will be greater than adjusted gross income. In those cases, the individual’s adjusted gross income will be increased by: (1) cer- tain amounts that the individual earns abroad, (2) amounts effectively connected with the individual’s con- duct of a trade or business or derived from sources in Guam, American Samoa, or the Northern Mariana Is- lands (if the individual is a resident of the possession where the source of the income is located), and (3) amounts derived from sources in Puerto Rico (if the individual is a Puerto Rican resident). (The same rules apply for the Lifetime Learning Credit, described in the next section.) Q7:May a nonresident alien claim the Hope Scholarship Credit? A7:Generally no. There is an exception for certain nonresident aliens who are married to U.S. citizens or resi- dent aliens. Nonresident aliens should consult a U.S. tax advisor to determine whether the exception ap- plies to them. (The same rules apply to the Lifetime Learning Credit, de- scribed in the next section.) Q8:Are qualified tuition and related ex- penses for graduate-level degree work eligible for the Hope Scholar- ship Credit? A8:No. However, the Lifetime Learning Credit is available for these ex- penses. (See Sec. 2, Q&A5.) Q9:May an individual claim a Hope Scholarship Credit for more than one family member? A9:Yes. Furthermore, the credit is cal- culated on a per student, rather than a per family, basis. For example, if an individual whose modified ad- justed gross income is $35,000 pays over $2,000 in qualified tuition and related expenses for himself and over $2,000 in qualified tuition and related expenses for his dependent child, and both he and his dependent child meet the eligibility require- ments, the individual may claim a Hope Scholarship Credit of $3,000 (i.e., a credit of $1,500 for his ex- penses plus a credit of $1,500 for his child’s expenses). Q10:May both the parent and a depen- dent child claim the Hope Scholar- ship Credit for the child’s qualified tuition and related expenses in the same year? A10:No. Either the parent or the child, but not both, may claim the credit for the child’s expenses in a partic- ular year. If an individual claims the child as a dependent on his/her Federal income tax return for the year, only the individual may claim the Hope Scholarship Credit for the child’s qualified tuition and related expenses. If no one claims the child as a dependent on a Federal income tax return for the year, only the child may claim the Hope Scholarship Credit for the child’s expenses. (The same rules relating to individuals and dependents apply for the Lifetime Learning Credit, described in the next section.) Q11:If a married taxpayer files a sepa- rate return, may the taxpayer claim a Hope Scholarship Credit on his/her income tax return? A11:No. Married taxpayers may claim the credit only if the taxpayer and the taxpayer’s spouse file a joint re- turn for the taxable year. (The same rules apply for the Lifetime Learn- ing Credit, described in the next section.) Q12:How does a parent claim a Hope Scholarship Credit for the qualified tuition and related expenses of a de- pendent child? A12:The parent may claim the credit on his/her tax return even if the child files his/her own tax return. When a child is claimed as a dependent on a parent’s return, any qualified tu- ition or related expenses paid by the child during the year are treated as if the parent had paid them. There- fore, these expenses are included in calculating the parent’s Hope Scholarship Credit. Achild may not claim a Hope Scholarship Credit on his/her tax return for a particular year if the child’s parent claims the child as a dependent in that same year. (The same rules apply for the Lifetime Learning Credit, described in the next sec- tion.) Q13:What is the maximum Hope Schol- arship Credit a taxpayer may claim for an eligible student? A13:Until 2002 (when the dollar limita- tions are indexed for inflation), for each student who meets the eligibil- ity requirements, the credit amount is 100 percent of the first $1,000 of the taxpayer’s out-of-pocket ex- penses for qualified tuition and re- lated expenses, plus 50 percent of the next $1,000 of the taxpayer’s out-of-pocket expenses for quali- fied tuition and related expenses. Therefore, the maximum credit November 17, 1997101997–46 I.R.B. amount for the expenses of an eligi- ble student is $1,500. If the tax- payer is claiming a credit for more than one person, the credit amount for each student in the taxpayer’s family is added together to deter- mine the maximum total credit the taxpayer may claim. Q14:The amount a taxpayer may claim as a Hope Scholarship Credit is gradually reduced for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross in- come between $40,000 and $50,000 (between $80,000 and $100,000 for married taxpayers fil- ing jointly). How does this reduc- tion work? A14:The reduction works on a sliding scale that reflects where the tax- payer’s modified adjusted gross in- come is in the phase-out range. For example, until 2002 (when the dol- lar limitations on the credit and the income ranges are indexed for in- flation), if an eligible student (who is not anyone’s dependent for tax purposes) pays $2,000 or more in qualified tuition and related ex- penses in a particular year, and the student’s modified adjusted gross income for the year is $45,000 (half way along the $10,000 phase-out range), the credit amount for the student is limited to $750. By con- trast, if the same student’s modified adjusted gross income was $35,000, the credit amount for the student would be the maximum $1,500. Q15:How does a taxpayer claim the Hope Scholarship Credit? A15:The first year that the credit will be available is 1998. Thus, taxpayers will not be able to claim the credit until they file their 1998 tax returns in 1999. Instructions accompanying the 1998 tax forms (for returns re- quired to be filed in 1999) will ex- plain how to calculate the credit and how to claim it on the tax return. Q16:Is there a limit to the number of times a taxpayer may claim the Hope Scholarship Credit for each student? A16:Yes. The credit may be claimed in no more than two years for each student. Thus, for example, a cou- ple with a child who starts as a freshman in the fall of 1998, con- tinues as a sophomore in 1999, and meets the eligibility requirements may claim the credit for their child’s expenses in 1998 and again in 1999. After 1999, neither the parents, the student, nor anyone else may claim any additional Hope Scholarship Credits for this stu- dent’s qualified tuition and related expenses. However, in 2000 and thereafter, the Lifetime Learning Credit may be available for this child’s expenses. Furthermore, if the couple has another child who starts as a freshman in the fall of 1999, the couple may claim the Hope Scholarship Credit for that child’s expenses in 1999 and one additional year. Q17:May an individual claim both the Hope Scholarship Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit for a stu- dent’s expenses in a single taxable year? A17:No. For each year in which a stu- dent meets the eligibility require- ments for the Hope Scholarship Credit, the student’s expenses may be used as the basis for a Hope Scholarship Credit or a Lifetime Learning Credit, but not both. If, for example, an eligible student pays more than $2,000 in qualified tuition and related expenses during the calendar year, the student (or the individual claiming the student as a dependent) may not claim the Hope Scholarship Credit for the first $2,000 of expenses and the Lifetime Learning Credit for the rest. Q18:If a couple has two children, one who is a freshman and one who is a junior, may the couple claim a Hope Scholarship Credit for the freshman’s expenses and a Lifetime Learning Credit for the junior’s ex- penses? A18:Yes. Assuming the applicable eligi- bility requirements have been met for each credit, a taxpayer may claim the Hope Scholarship Credit for one student’s expenses and the Lifetime Learning Credit for an- other student’s expenses in the same year. Q19:May a parent or student claim a Hope Scholarship Credit for tuition paid in advance of when the acade- mic period begins? A19:Generally, the credit is available only for payments of qualified tu- ition and related expenses that cover an academic period begin- ning in the same calendar year as the payment is made. (An acade- mic period begins on the first day of classes, and does not include pe- riods of orientation, counseling, or vacation.) An exception, however, allows a parent or student to claim a Hope Scholarship Credit for pay- ments of qualified tuition and re- lated expenses made during the cal- endar year to cover an academic period that begins in January, Feb- ruary, or March of the following taxable year. Because the Hope Scholarship Credit does not apply to expenses paid before January 1, 1998, this exception does not apply to tuition paid in 1997 to cover aca- demic periods beginning in 1998. Q20:If a student (who is not claimed as a dependent on anyone’s Federal in- come tax return) pays qualified tu- ition and related expenses using a combination of a Pell Grant, a loan, a gift from a family member, and some personal savings, what ex- penses may be taken into account in calculating the Hope Scholarship Credit the student may claim? A20:The student may take into account only “out-of-pocket” expenses in calculating the credit. Qualified tu- ition and related expenses paid with the student’s earnings, a loan, a gift, an inheritance, or personal savings (including savings from a qualified state tuition program) are taken into account in calculating the credit amount. However, qualified tuition and related expenses paid with a Pell Grant or other tax-free scholar- ship, a tax-free distribution from an Education IRA, or tax-free em- ployer-provided educational assis- tance are not taken into account in calculating the credit amount. (The same rules apply for the Lifetime Learning Credit, described in the next section.) Q21:May a student’s parents claim the Hope Scholarship Credit for the student’s expenses for a taxable 1997–46 I.R.B.11November 17, 1997 year in which the student takes money out of an Education IRAon a tax-free basis? A21:No. If a student is receiving a tax- free distribution from an Education IRAin a particular taxable year, none of that student’s expenses may be claimed as the basis for a Hope Scholarship Credit for that taxable year. However, the student may waive the tax-free treatment of the Education IRAdistribution and elect to pay any tax that would oth- erwise be owed on the Education IRAdistributions received in any taxable year so that the student or the student’s parents may claim a Hope Scholarship Credit for ex- penses paid in the same year the Ed- ucation IRAdistributions are re- ceived. SECTION 2. LIFETIME LEARNING CREDIT Beginning on July 1, 1998, taxpayers may be eligible to claim a nonrefundable Lifetime Learning Credit against their federal income taxes. The Lifetime Learning Credit may be claimed for the qualified tuition and related expenses of the students in the taxpayer’s family (i.e., the taxpayer, the taxpayer’s spouse, or an eligible dependent) who are enrolled in eligible educational institutions. Through 2002, the amount that may be claimed as a credit is equal to 20 percent of the tax- payer’s first $5,000 of out-of-pocket qual- ified tuition and related expenses for all the students in the family. After 2002, the credit amount is equal to 20 percent of the taxpayer’s first $10,000 of out-of-pocket qualified tuition and related expenses. Thus, the maximum credit a taxpayer may claim for a taxable year is $1,000 through 2002 and $2,000 thereafter. These amounts are not indexed for inflation. If the taxpayer is claiming a Hope Scholarship Credit for a particular student, none of that student’s expenses for that year may be applied toward the Lifetime Learning Credit. The amount a taxpayer may claim as a Lifetime Learning Credit is gradually reduced for taxpayers who have modified adjusted gross income between $40,000 ($80,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly) and $50,000 ($100,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly). Taxpay- ers with modified adjusted gross income over $50,000 ($100,000 for married tax- payers filing jointly) may not claim a Life- time Learning Credit. The modified ad- justed gross income limitation will be indexed for inflation in 2002 and years thereafter. The definition of modified ad- justed gross income is the same as it is for purposes of the Hope Scholarship Credit. (See Sec. 1, Q&A6.) The Lifetime Learning Credit may be claimed for payments of qualified tuition and related expenses made on or after July 1, 1998, for academic periods begin- ning on or after July 1, 1998. Therefore, the first time taxpayers will be able to claim the credit will be when they file their 1998 tax returns in 1999. The Life- time Learning Credit is not available for any amount paid in 1997. Q1:Who may claim the Lifetime Learn- ing Credit? A1:An individual paying qualified tu- ition and related expenses at a post- secondary educational institution may claim the credit, provided the institution is an eligible educational institution. Unlike the Hope Schol- arship Credit, students are not re- quired to be enrolled at least half- time in one of the first two years of postsecondary education. Nonresi- dent aliens generally are not eligible to claim the Lifetime Learning Credit. (See Sec. 1, Q&A7.) Q2:May an individual claim a Lifetime Learning Credit for paying qualified tuition and related expenses for other family members? A2:Yes. An individual may claim the credit for his/her own qualified tu- ition and related expenses and the qualified tuition and related ex- penses of his/her spouse and other eligible dependents (including chil- dren) for whom the dependency ex- emption is allowed. Generally, a parent may claim the dependency exemption for his/her unmarried child if: (1) the parent supplies more than half the child’s support for the taxable year, and (2) the child is under age 19 or is a full-time student under age 24. Q3:What are the eligibility requirements for the institution? A3:They are the same requirements that apply for the Hope Scholarship Credit. (See Sec. 1, Q&A4.) Q4:Is the Lifetime Learning Credit available for a student taking only one course? A4:Yes. For example, a student who has just graduated from high school and is taking a single course at a community college may claim the Lifetime Learn- ing Credit if the student comes within the income limits and is not claimed as a dependent by someone else. Q5:Are qualified tuition and related ex- penses for graduate- level education eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit? A5:Yes. Q6:May an individual claim a Lifetime Learning Credit for more than one family member? A6:Yes. However, unlike the Hope Scholarship Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit is calculated on a per family, rather than a per student, basis. Therefore, the maximum available credit does not vary with the number of students in the family. For example, if in 1999 a married in- dividual whose modified adjusted gross income is $35,000 pays $5,000 of qualified tuition and related ex- penses to attend an eligible educa- tional institution, the individual may claim a $1,000 Lifetime Learning Credit. If in the same year the indi- vidual also pays another $2,000 in qualified tuition and related ex- penses for his spouse to attend an el- igible educational institution, the in- dividual’s Lifetime Learning Credit is still $1,000. Q7:May both the parent and a dependent child claim the Lifetime Learning Credit for the child’s qualified tu- ition and related expenses in the same year? A7:No. Either the parent or the child, but not both, may claim the credit for the child’s expenses in a particular year. If an individual claims the child as a dependent on his/her Fed- eral income tax return for the year, only the individual may claim the Lifetime Learning Credit for the child’s qualified tuition and related expenses. If no one claims the child as a dependent on a Federal income tax return for the year, only the child may claim the Lifetime Learning Credit for the child’s expenses. Q8:How does a parent claim a Lifetime Learning Credit for the qualified tu- ition and related expenses of a de- pendent child? A8:The parent may claim the credit on his/her Federal income tax return even if the child files his/her own tax return. When a child is claimed as a dependent on the parent’s return, any qualified tuition and related ex- penses paid by the child during the year are treated as if the parent had paid them and, therefore, are in- cluded in calculating the parent’s Lifetime Learning Credit. Achild may not claim a Lifetime Learning Credit on his/her tax return for any year if the child’s parent claims the child as a dependent in that same year. Also, a married taxpayer who does not file a joint return is not eli- gible to claim the Lifetime Learning Credit. (See Sec. 1, Q&A11.) Q9:What is the maximum Lifetime Learning Credit a taxpayer may claim? A9:The credit is equal to 20 percent of the taxpayer’s out-of-pocket ex- penses for qualified tuition and re- lated expenses of all eligible family members, up to a maximum of $5,000 in expenses annually through 2002. Thus, the maximum Lifetime Learning Credit a taxpayer may claim through 2002 is $1,000. After 2002, the credit is equal to 20 per- cent of the taxpayer’s out-of-pocket expenses up to a maximum of $10,000 in expenses. Thus, the max- imum Lifetime Learning Credit a taxpayer may claim after 2002 is $2,000. The maximum credit does not change even if the taxpayer is claiming a credit for the expenses of more than one student in the family. Q10:What does the term “qualified tu- ition and related expenses” mean for purposes of the Lifetime Learn- ing Credit? A10:The term “qualified tuition and re- lated expenses” for purposes of the Lifetime Learning Credit has the same meaning as it does for pur- poses of the Hope Scholarship Credit. (See Sec. 1, Q&A5.) Q11:If a student (who is not claimed as a dependent on anyone’s Federal in- come tax return) pays qualified tu- ition and related expenses using a combination of a Pell Grant, a loan, a gift from a family member, and some personal savings, what ex- penses may be taken into account in calculating the Lifetime Learning Credit the student may claim? A11:The student may take into account only “out-of-pocket” expenses in calculating the Lifetime Learning Credit. Qualified tuition and re- lated expenses paid with the stu- dent’s earnings, a loan, a gift, an in- heritance, or personal savings (including savings from a qualified state tuition program) are taken into account in calculating the credit amount. However, qualified tuition and related expenses paid with a Pell Grant or other tax-free scholar- ship, a tax-free distribution from an Education IRA, or tax-free em- ployer-provided educational assis- tance are not taken into account in calculating the credit amount. Q12:How does a taxpayer claim the Lifetime Learning Credit? A12:The first year that the credit will be available is 1998. Taxpayers will not be able to claim the credit until they file their 1998 returns in 1999. Instructions accompanying the 1998 tax forms (for returns required to be filed in 1999) will explain how to calculate the credit and how to claim it on the tax return. Q13:Is there a limit on the number of years in which a Lifetime Learning Credit may be claimed, as there is for the Hope Scholarship Credit? A13:No. Unlike the Hope Scholarship Credit, there is no limit to the num- ber of years in which a Lifetime Learning Credit may be claimed for each student. Thus, for example, an individual who enrolls in one col- lege-level class every year would be able to claim the Lifetime Learn- ing Credit for an unlimited number of years, provided the individual meets the income limits and is tak- ing the classes at institutions that meet the eligibility requirements. (See Q&A3 in this section.) Q14:May a parent or student claim a Lifetime Learning Credit for tuition paid in advance of when the acade- mic period begins? A14:Generally, the credit is available only for payments of qualified tu- ition and related expenses that cover an academic period begin- ning in the same calendar year as the year in which payment is made. (An academic period begins on the first day of classes, and does not in- clude periods of orientation, coun- seling, or vacation.) An exception, however, allows a parent or student to claim a Lifetime Learning Credit for payments of qualified tuition and related expenses made during the calendar year to cover an acade- mic period that begins in January, February, or March of the following taxable year. Because the Lifetime Learning Credit does not apply to expenses paid before July 1, 1998, this exception does not apply to tu- ition paid before that date to cover academic periods beginning before or after that date. Q15:May a student or a student’s parents take the Lifetime Learning Credit for the student’s expenses in a tax- able year in which the student takes money out of an Education IRAon a tax-free basis? A15:No. If a student is receiving a tax- free distribution from an Education IRAin a particular taxable year, none of that student’s expenses may be claimed as the basis for a Life- time Learning Credit for that year. However, the student may waive the tax-free treatment of the Educa- tion IRAdistribution and elect to pay any tax that would otherwise be owed on the Education IRAdistrib- utions so that the student or the stu- dent’s parents may claim a Lifetime Learning Credit for expenses paid in the same year the Education IRA distributions are received. SECTION 3. EDUCATION IRAs Beginning January 1, 1998, taxpayers may deposit up to $500 per year into an Education IRAfor a child under age 18. Parents, grandparents, other family mem- bers, friends, and a child him/herself may contribute to the child’s Education IRA, provided that the total contributions for the child during the taxable year do not exceed the $500 limit. Amounts deposited in the account grow tax-free until distrib- November 17, 1997121997–46 I.R.B. uted, and the child will not owe tax on any withdrawal from the account if the child’s qualified higher education expenses at an eligible educational institution for the year equal or exceed the amount of the with- drawal. If the child does not need the money for postsecondary education, the account balance can be rolled over to the Education IRAof certain family members who can use it for their higher education. Amounts withdrawn from an Education IRAthat exceed the child’s qualified higher education expenses in a taxable year are generally subject to income tax and to an additional tax of 10 percent. The Hope Scholarship Credit and Lifetime Learning Credit may not be claimed for a student’s expenses in a taxable year in which the student takes a tax-free with- drawal from an Education IRA. Q1: What is an Education IRA? A1:An Education IRAis a trust or custo- dial account that is created or orga- nized in the United States exclu- sively for the purpose of paying the qualified higher education expenses of the designated beneficiary of the account. The account must be desig- nated as an Education IRAwhen it is created in order to be treated as an Education IRAfor tax purposes. Q2:For whom may an Education IRAbe established? A2:An Education IRAmay be estab- lished for the benefit of any child under age 18. Contributions to the Education IRAwill not be accepted after the designated beneficiary reaches his/her 18th birthday. Q3:Where may an individual open an Education IRA? A3:An individual may open an Educa- tion IRAwith any bank, or other en- tity that has been approved to serve as a nonbank trustee or custodian of an individual retirement account (IRA), and the bank or entity is of- fering Education IRAs. Other enti- ties that wish to offer Education IRAs but are not approved to serve as IRAtrustees or custodians may seek approval by following the same IRS procedures used for approval of other IRAnonbank trustees. See Notice 97–57, 1997–43 I.R.B. 19 (October 27, 1997). Q4:When may a taxpayer start contribut- ing to an Education IRAfor a child? A4:Ataxpayer may start making contri- butions on January 1, 1998, or at any time thereafter. Q5:How much may be contributed to a child’s Education IRA? A5:Up to $500 per year in aggregate contributions may be made for the benefit of any child. The contribu- tions may be placed in a single Edu- cation IRAor in multiple Education IRAs. Q6:What happens if more than $500 is contributed to an Education IRAon behalf of a child in a calendar year? A6:Aggregate contributions for the ben- efit of a particular child in excess of $500 for a calendar year are treated as excess contributions. If the ex- cess contributions (and any earnings attributable to them) are not with- drawn from the child’s account (or accounts) before the tax return for the year is due, the excess contribu- tions are subject to a 6 percent excise tax for each year the excess amount remains in the account. Q7:May contributions other than cash be made to a child’s Education IRA? A7:No. Education IRAs are permitted to accept contributions made in cash only. Q8:May contributors take a deduction for contributions made to an Educa- tion IRA? A8:No. Q9:Are there any restrictions on who can contribute to an Education IRA? A9:Any individual may contribute up to $500 to a child’s Education IRAif the individual’s modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year is no more than $95,000 ($150,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly). (See Sec. 1, Q&A6 for a description of modified adjusted gross income.) The $500 maximum contribution per child is gradually reduced for indi- viduals with modified adjusted gross income between $95,000 and $110,000 (between $150,000 and $160,000 for married taxpayers fil- ing jointly). For example, an unmar- ried taxpayer with modified adjusted gross income of $96,500 in a taxable year could make a maximum contri- bution per child of $450 for that year. Taxpayers with modified ad- justed gross income above $110,000 ($160,000 for married taxpayers fil- ing jointly) cannot make contribu- tions to anyone’s Education IRA. Q10:May a child contribute to his/her own Education IRA? A10:Yes. Q11:Does a taxpayer have to be related to the designated beneficiary in order to contribute to the desig- nated beneficiary’s Education IRA? A11:No. Q12:How many Education IRAs may a child have? A12:There is no limit on the number of Education IRAs that may be estab- lished designating a particular child as beneficiary. However, in any given taxable year the total aggre- gate contributions to all the ac- counts designating a particular child as beneficiary may not exceed $500. Q13:May a designated beneficiary take a tax-free withdrawal from an Educa- tion IRAto pay qualified higher ed- ucation expenses if the designated beneficiary is enrolled less than full-time at an eligible educational institution? A13:Yes. Whether the designated bene- ficiary is enrolled full- time, half- time, or less than half-time, he/she may take a tax-free withdrawal to pay qualified higher education ex- penses. Q14:What happens when a designated beneficiary withdraws assets from an Education IRAto pay for col- lege? A14:Generally, the withdrawal is tax- free to the designated beneficiary to the extent the amount of the with- drawal does not exceed the desig- nated beneficiary’s qualified higher education expenses. Q15:What are “qualified higher educa- tion expenses”? A15:“Qualified higher education ex- penses” mean expenses for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equip- ment required for the enrollment or attendance of the designated bene- ficiary at an eligible educational in- stitution. Qualified higher educa- tion expenses also include amounts contributed to a qualified state tu- ition program. Qualified higher ed- ucation expenses also include room 1997–46 I.R.B.13November 17, 1997 and board (generally the school’s posted room and board charge, or $2,500 per year for students living off-campus and not at home) if the designated beneficiary is at least a half-time student at an eligible edu- cational institution. The standards for determining whether a student is enrolled at least half-time are the same as those used for the Hope Scholarship Credit. (See Sec. 1, Q&A3.) Q16:What is an eligible educational in- stitution? A16:An eligible educational institution is any college, university, voca- tional school, or other postsec- ondary educational institution that is described in section 481 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088) and, therefore, eligi- ble to participate in the student aid programs administered by the De- partment of Education. This cate- gory includes virtually all accred- ited public, nonprofit, and proprietary postsecondary institu- tions. (The same eligibility re- quirements for institutions apply for the Hope Scholarship Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit, and early withdrawals from IRAs for qualified higher education ex- penses. (See Sec. 1, Q&A4, Sec. 2, Q&A3, and Sec. 4, Q&A2.)) Q17:What happens if a designated bene- ficiary withdraws an amount from an Education IRAbut does not have any qualified higher education ex- penses to pay in the taxable year he/she makes the withdrawal? A17:Generally, if a designated benefi- ciary withdraws an amount from an Education IRAand does not have any qualified higher education ex- penses during the taxable year, a portion of the distribution is tax- able. The taxable portion is the portion that represents earnings that have accumulated tax-free in the account. The taxable portion of the distribution is also subject to a 10 percent additional tax unless an ex- ception applies. Q18:Is a distribution from an Education IRAtaxable if the distribution is contributed to another Education IRA? A18:Any amount distributed from an Education IRAand rolled over to another Education IRAfor the ben- efit of the same designated benefi- ciary or certain members of the des- ignated beneficiary’s family is not taxable. An amount is rolled over if it is paid to another Education IRA on a date within 60 days after the date of the distribution. Members of the designated beneficiary’s fam- ily include the designated benefi- ciary’s children and their descen- dants, stepchildren and their descendants, siblings and their chil- dren, parents and grandparents, stepparents, and spouses of all the foregoing. The $500 annual contri- bution limit to Education IRAs does not apply to these rollover contributions. For example, an older brother who has $2,000 left in his Education IRAafter he gradu- ates from college can roll over the full $2,000 balance to an Education IRAfor his younger sister who is still in high school without paying any tax on the transfer. Q19:What happens to the assets remain- ing in an Education IRAafter the designated beneficiary finishes his/her postsecondary education? A19:There are two options. The amount remaining in the account may be withdrawn for the designated benefi- ciary. The designated beneficiary will be subject to both income tax and the additional 10 percent tax on the portion of the amount withdrawn that represents earnings if the desig- nated beneficiary does not have any qualified higher education expenses in the same taxable year he/she makes the withdrawal. Alterna- tively, if the amount in the desig- nated beneficiary’s Education IRAis withdrawn and rolled over (as de- scribed in Q&A18 of this section) to another Education IRAfor the bene- fit of a member of the designated beneficiary’s family, the amount rolled over will not be taxable. Q20:Rather than rolling over money from one Education IRAto another, may the designated beneficiary of the account be changed from one child to another without triggering a tax? A20:Yes, provided: (1) the terms of the particular trust or custodial account permit a change in designated bene- ficiaries (each trustee or custodian will control whether options like this one are available in the ac- counts they offer), and (2) the new designated beneficiary is a member of the previous designated benefi- ciary’s family. (See Q&A18 in this section). Q21:May a student or the student’s par- ents claim the Hope Scholarship Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit for the student’s expenses in a tax- able year in which the student re- ceives money from an Education IRAon a tax-free basis? A21:No. If a student is receiving a tax- free distribution from an Education IRAin a particular taxable year, none of that student’s expenses may be claimed as the basis for a Hope Scholarship Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit for that year. However, the student may waive the tax-free treatment of the Educa- tion IRAdistribution and elect to pay any tax that would otherwise be owed on an Education IRAdistrib- ution so that the student or the stu- dent’s parents may claim a Hope Scholarship Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit for expenses paid in the same year the Education IRA distributions are received. Q22:May contributions be made to both a qualified state tuition program and an Education IRAon behalf of the same designated beneficiary in the same taxable year? A22:No. Any amount contributed to an Education IRAon behalf of a desig- nated beneficiary during any tax- able year in which an amount is also contributed to a qualified state tuition program on behalf of the same beneficiary will be treated as an excess contribution to the Edu- cation IRA. (See Q&A6 in this section for the treatment of excess contributions.) SECTION 4. USING IRA WITHDRAWALS TO PAYHIGHER EDUCATION EXPENSES Beginning January 1, 1998, a taxpayer may make withdrawals from an individ- November 17, 1997141997–46 I.R.B. ual retirement account (IRA) to pay the qualified higher education expenses for the taxpayer, the taxpayer’s spouse, or the child or grandchild of the taxpayer or tax- payer’s spouse at an eligible educational institution. The taxpayer will owe federal income tax on the amount withdrawn, but will not be subject to the 10 percent early withdrawal tax that applies when amounts are withdrawn from an individual retire- ment account before the account holder reaches age 59 1 ⁄ 2 . Q1:When can an individual first make a withdrawal from an IRAto pay for qualified higher education expenses without paying the 10 percent early withdrawal tax? A1:On or after January 1, 1998, an indi- vidual can make withdrawals from his/her IRAto pay for qualified higher education expenses for acade- mic periods beginning on or after Jan- uary 1, 1998, without paying the 10 percent early withdrawal tax. See Notice 97–53, 1997–40 I.R.B. 6 (Oc- tober 6, 1997). The 10 percent early withdrawal tax does not apply to a distribution from an IRAto the extent that the amount of the distribution does not exceed the qualified higher education expenses during the taxable year for the taxpayer, the taxpayer’s spouse, and the child or grandchild of the taxpayer or the taxpayer’s spouse at an eligible educational institution. For purposes of this rule, the term “qualified higher education expenses” means tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for the enroll- ment or attendance of the student at an eligible educational institution. Qualified higher education expenses also include room and board if the student is enrolled at least half-time. Qualified higher education expenses paid with an individual’s earnings, a loan, a gift, an inheritance given to the student or the individual making the withdrawal, or personal savings (in- cluding savings from a qualified state tuition program) are included in deter- mining the amount of the IRAwith- drawal which is not subject to the 10 percent early withdrawal tax. Quali- fied higher education expenses paid with a Pell Grant or other tax-free scholarship, a tax-free distribution from an Education IRA, or tax-free employer-provided educational assis- tance are excluded. Q2:What are the requirements for an “el- igible educational institution”. A2:An “eligible educational institution” is any college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary edu- cational institution that is described in section 481 of the Higher Educa- tion Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088) and, therefore, eligible to participate in the student aid programs adminis- tered by the Department of Educa- tion. This category includes virtu- ally all accredited public, nonprofit, and proprietary postsecondary insti- tutions. (The same eligibility re- quirements for institutions apply for the Hope Scholarship Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit, and Edu- cation IRAs. (See Sec. 1, Q&A4, Sec. 2, Q&A3, and Sec. 3, Q&A16.)) Q3: When are IRAwithdrawals usually subject to the 10 percent early with- drawal tax? A3:Generally, if a taxpayer makes a withdrawal from his/her IRAbefore reaching age 59 1 ⁄ 2 , the taxpayer must pay the 10 percent early withdrawal tax on all or part of the amount with- drawn. Q4:In addition to the Education IRA, TRA‘97 also created the Roth IRA. May a taxpayer make a withdrawal from a Roth IRAto pay for his/her child’s qualified higher education expenses without paying the 10 per- cent early withdrawal tax? A4:Yes. Ataxpayer may make a with- drawal from a Roth IRA, as they can from other IRAs, to pay qualified higher education expenses without paying the 10 percent early with- drawal tax. SECTION. 5. STUDENTLOAN INTERESTDEDUCTION Beginning January 1, 1998, taxpayers who have taken loans to pay the cost of attending an eligible educational institu- tion for themselves, their spouse, or their dependent generally may deduct interest they pay on these student loans. The maximum deduction each taxpayer is per- mitted to take increases from $1,000 in 1998 to $2,500 in 2001 and thereafter. The following table summarizes the yearly increases. YearMaximum Deduction 1998$1,000 1999$1,500 2000$2,000 2001 and thereafter$2,500 The deduction is available only for in- terest payments made during the first 60 months in which interest payments are re- quired on the loan. The student loan in- terest deduction is available for interest payments due and made on or after Janu- ary 1, 1998. Thus, the first time taxpayers will be able to claim the deduction is when they file their 1998 tax returns in 1999. No student loan interest deduction will be allowed for interest due or paid before 1998. Q1:Are there any limits on what quali- fies as a student loan? A1:Yes. The loan must have been used to pay the costs of attendance at an eligible educational institution for a student enrolled at least half-time in a program leading to a degree, cer- tificate, or other recognized educa- tional credential. An eligible educa- tional institution is any college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary educational in- stitution that is described in section 481 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088) and, there- fore, eligible to participate in the stu- dent aid programs administered by the Department of Education. This category includes virtually all ac- credited public, nonprofit, and pro- prietary postsecondary institutions. For purposes of the student loan in- terest deduction, eligible educational institutions also include institutions that conduct an internship or resi- dency program leading to a degree or certificate awarded by an institution of higher education, a hospital, or a health care facility that offers post- graduate training. Q2:Is a student loan interest deduction available if the student loan is not federally guaranteed or otherwise subsidized? A2:Yes. As long as the loan was used to pay the costs of attendance at an eli- gible educational institution and the other eligibility requirements are met, the deduction is available for the interest on the loan. The deduc- 1997–46 I.R.B.15November 17, 1997 tion does not depend on whether the loan is federally guaranteed or subsi- dized. Q3:What costs are included in the costs of attendance? A3:Costs of attendance include all items that are included in costs of atten- dance for purposes of calculating a student’s financial need in accor- dance with the Higher Education Act. Thus, they include tuition, fees, room, board, books, equipment, and other necessary expenses, such as transportation. Costs of attendance include more items than are included in qualified tuition and related ex- penses for purposes of the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Credits. (See Sec. 1, Q&A5 and Sec. 2, Q&A10.) Q4:Is the deduction available for interest paid on loans used to pay for gradu- ate school? A4:Yes. Q5:Are there any limits on who may take the student loan interest deduc- tion? A5:Yes, there are income restrictions. To claim the maximum deduction, a taxpayer must have modified ad- justed gross income of $40,000 or less ($60,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly). The amount of the taxpayer’s deduction is gradually re- duced for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income between $40,000 and $55,000 (between $60,000 and $75,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly). For exam- ple, for 1998, the maximum deduc- tion a single taxpayer with modified adjusted gross income of $47,500 could take would be $500. Taxpay- ers with modified adjusted gross in- come above $55,000 ($75,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly) may not claim the student loan interest deduction. The modified adjusted gross income limitations are indexed for inflation after 2002. Q6:May former students whose loans are already in repayment deduct the interest they pay on a student loan on or after January 1, 1998? A6:Yes, but they may deduct only those payments made during the first 60 months that interest payments are re- quired on a loan. If interest pay- ments on a student loan were first re- quired before January 1, 1998, the months in which those payments were required count against the 60- month time limit for that loan. The 60-month period may run out at dif- ferent times for different loans. Q7:May a parent claim the student loan interest deduction if the parent bor- rows to pay his/her child’s costs of attending college? A7:Yes. An individual may claim the student loan interest deduction if the individual borrows money to pay the costs of attending college for certain members of the individual’s family or household (including his/her chil- dren) and incurs the debt in a year in which the individual supplies more than half of the student’s support. Q8:If an individual has paid more than $1,000 in interest on student loans in 1998 and is otherwise eligible to take the maximum student loan interest deduction, how large a deduction may the individual claim? A8:The individual’s student loan interest deduction for 1998 is $1,000, pro- vided the individual’s modified ad- justed gross income falls below the point where the deduction is reduced or eliminated. Q9:Does an individual have to itemize his/her income tax deductions to claim the student loan interest de- duction? A9:No. The student loan interest deduc- tion is available regardless of whether an individual elects to take the standard deduction or to itemize deductions. Instructions accompa- nying the 1998 tax forms (for returns required to be filed in 1999) will ex- plain how to compute and claim the deduction. Q10:If a student is claimed as a depen- dent by his/her parent in a particu- lar taxable year, may the student take the student loan interest deduc- tion for student loan interest that he/she pays in that year? A10:No. The student may not claim the student loan interest deduction in any taxable year in which he/she is claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer’s Federal income tax re- turn. However, if the student con- tinues to pay interest on a student loan and meets the other eligibility requirements, the student may claim the student loan interest de- duction for payments made in a later year when the student is no longer a dependent on his/her par- ent’s Federal income tax return. Q11:Are there any tax benefits available if the student repays his/her loan by performing community service rather than making cash payments? A11:There may be. Loan forgiveness provided in return for community service is tax-free when it is part of certain lending programs run by Federal, state, or local govern- ments, educational institutions, or charitable organizations. Students should consult a tax advisor to de- termine whether they qualify. SECTION 6. QUALIFIED STATE TUITION PROGRAMS Under current law, a qualified state tu- ition program (QSTP) means a program established and maintained by a state under which a person may: (1) prepay tu- ition benefits on behalf of a beneficiary so that the beneficiary is entitled to a waiver or a payment of qualified higher educa- tion expenses, or (2) contribute to an ac- count that is established for paying quali- fied higher education expenses of the beneficiary. The tax on earnings attribut- able to prepayments or contributions is deferred until the earnings are distributed from the QSTP. The beneficiary pays tax on the earnings at the time of distribution. If amounts saved through a QSTPare used to pay for college, the student or the student’s parents still may be eligible to claim either the Hope Scholarship Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit. Q1:How have the prior rules for QSTPs been changed by TRA‘97? A1:(1) QSTPs may now be used to save for room and board expenses, up to a specified level (generally the school’s posted room and board charge, or $2,500 per year for stu- dents living off-campus and not at home); (2) QSTPs may now be used to pay expenses not only at public and non- profit institutions but also at propri- etary schools (i.e., any school that is an eligible educational institution for purposes of the Hope Scholarship or November 17, 1997161997–46 I.R.B. Lifetime Learning Credits, see Sec. 1, Q&A4); (3) Accounts in QSTPs may now be transferred tax-free from the benefi- ciary to a broader range of family members. (Step-siblings and spouses of family members have been added.) Q2:May a student using a QSTPto pay for college also benefit from the Hope Scholarship Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit? A2:Yes. The student or the student’s parent may claim a Hope Scholar- ship Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit for qualified tuition and re- lated expenses covered by a quali- fied state tuition program, provided the other eligibility requirements for the credits are met. Q3:When are the changes to the QSTP rules made by TRA‘97 effective? A3:Generally, the new rules go into ef- fect on January 1, 1998. However, the new provision permitting QSTPs to be used to save for room and board expenses is effective back to August 20, 1996. Q4:May contributions be made to both a qualified state tuition program and an Education IRAon behalf of the same designated beneficiary in the same taxable year? A4:No. Any amount contributed to an Education IRAon behalf of a desig- nated beneficiary during any taxable year in which an amount is also con- tributed to a qualified state tuition program on behalf of the same bene- ficiary will be treated as an excess contribution to the Education IRA. (See Sec. 3, Q&A6 for the treatment of excess contributions to an Educa- tion IRA.) SECTION 7. EXCLUSION FOR EMPLOYER-PROVIDED EDUCATIONALASSISTANCE TRA‘97 extends tax-free treatment to employer-provided educational assistance for undergraduate courses that begin be- fore June 1, 2000. Employers may con- tinue to provide up to $5,250 per year in educational assistance to each employee on a tax-free basis for courses beginning before that date, regardless of whether the education is job-related. This benefit ex- pires for assistance in paying for courses that begin on or after June 1, 2000. Q1:How does an employee learn whether tax-free educational assis- tance is available to him/her? A1:Employers have this information. Employers offering tax- free educa- tional assistance are required to have a written plan describing the benefit and the terms under which it is avail- able. Q2:Does the employee have to do any- thing special to avoid being taxed on employer-provided educational as- sistance, up to the $5,250 limit? A2:No. The employer will automati- cally treat the educational assistance as a tax-free benefit and will not in- clude it as wages on the employee’s W–2 form. Q3:May an employee receive tax-free educational assistance from the em- ployer to attend graduate school? A3:In general, no. However, employers can provide job-related educational assistance for graduate-level educa- tion as a tax-free fringe benefit under certain circumstances. Educational assistance would generally qualify as job-related if it maintains or im- proves skills required for the em- ployee’s current job or satisfies cer- tain express employer-imposed conditions for continued employ- ment. Individuals should consult a tax advisor for help in determining the tax treatment of any assistance the individual may be receiving from an employer for graduate-level edu- cation. Q4:If a student is enrolled in undergrad- uate courses in a particular year and owes $3,000 in qualified tuition and related expenses, and the student’s employer pays all of the student’s qualified tuition and related ex- penses, may a Hope Scholarship Credit or a Lifetime Learning Credit be claimed for that student for that year? A4:No. Neither the Hope Scholarship Credit nor the Lifetime Learning Credit may be claimed for that stu- dent for that year. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CON- TACT: Donna J. Welch, (202) 622-4910 regarding the Hope Scholarship and Life- time Learning Credits; Monice L. Rosen- baum, (202) 622-6070 regarding em- ployer-provided educational assistance and qualified state tuition programs; Pamela R. Kinard, (202) 622-6030 re- garding Education IRAs and using IRA withdrawals to pay for higher education expenses; and John Moriarty, (202) 622- 4950 regarding student loan interest de- duction (not toll-free numbers). The IRS will publish additional guid- ance on the provisions discussed in this notice as well as other provisions included in TRA‘97. You may visit the IRS world- wide web site at (http://www.irs. us- treas.gov/prod/hot/index.html) to review this document or for information on addi- tional guidance as it becomes available. The Department of Education has a worldwide web site (http://www.ed.gov/ prog _ info/SFA/StudentGuide) you can visit and telephone numbers (1-800- 4FED-AID and 1-800-USA-LEARN) you can call to get more information on af- fording college and obtaining student aid, such as Pell grants and student loans. DRAFTING INFORMATION: The prin- cipal authors of this notice are Donna J. Welch, Office of Assistant Chief Counsel (Income Tax and Accounting) and Mon- ice L. Rosenbaum and Pamela R. Kinard, Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Em- ployee Benefits and Exempt Organiza- tions). However, other personnel from the IRS and Treasury Department partici- pated in its development. 26 CFR 601.162: Business Expenses. (Also Part I, §§ 170; 1.162-15, 1.170A–1) Rev. Proc. 97–52 SECTION 1. PURPOSE This revenue procedure provides guid- ance on the deductibility, under § 162 or 170 of the Internal Revenue Code, of un- reimbursed travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by a member of a fed- eral advisory committee while performing services without compensation for the federal government as a member of that committee. SECTION 2. BACKGROUND .01 Section 162(a) allows as a deduc- tion all the ordinary and necessary ex- penses paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or business. 1997–46 I.R.B.17November 17, 1997 .02 Section 162(b) provides that no de- duction is allowed under § 162(a) for any contribution or gift that would be allow- able as a deduction under § 170 were it not for the percentage limitations, the dol- lar limitations, or the requirements re- garding the time of payment, set forth in § 170. .03 Section 1.162–15 of the Income Tax Regulations provides, in part, that no deduction is allowable under § 162(a) for a contribution or gift by an individual or a corporation if any part thereof is de- ductible under § 170(a). .04 Section 170(a)(1) allows as a de- duction any charitable contribution (as defined in § 170(c)) payment of which is made within the taxable year. .05 Section 170(c)(1) provides, in part, that the term “charitable contribution” means a contribution or gift to or for the use of the United States, but only if the contribution or gift is made for exclu- sively public purposes. .06 Section 1.170A–1(c)(5) provides that transfers of property to an organiza- tion described in § 170(c) that bear a di- rect relationship to the taxpayer’s trade or business and that are made with a reason- able expectation of financial return com- mensurate with the amount of the transfer may constitute allowable deductions as trade or business expenses under § 162 rather than as charitable contributions under § 170. .07 Section 1.170A–1(g) provides that no deduction is allowable under § 170 for the contribution of services. However, unreimbursed expenditures made incident to the rendition of services to an organiza- tion, contributions to which are de- ductible, may constitute a deductible con- tribution. For example, out-of-pocket transportation expenses necessarily in- curred in performing donated services are deductible. Reasonable expenditures for meals and lodging necessarily incurred while away from home in the course of performing donated services also are de- ductible. For the purposes of this para- graph, the phrase “while away from home” generally has the same meaning as that phrase has for purposes of § 162 and the regulations thereunder. .08 Section 1.170A–1(h)(1) provides that no part of a payment that a taxpayer makes to or for the use of an organization described in § 170(c) that is in considera- tion of goods or services is a contribution or gift unless the taxpayer intends to and actually does pay an amount that exceeds the fair market value of the goods or ser- vices received. See United States v. American Bar Endowment,477 U.S. 105 (1986). .09 Federal advisory committees are governed by the Federal Advisory Com- mittee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. §§ 1–15 (1994) (Act), and the regulations thereunder. A federal advisory committee is a “useful and beneficial means of furnishing expert advice, ideas, and diverse opinions to the Federal Government.” Act § 2(a). Under the Act, a federal agency may accept the services without compensation of a fed- eral advisory committee member. 41 C.F.R. § 101–6.1033(d) (1996). An advi- sory committee member may be reim- bursed by the federal agency for travel ex- penses, including a per diem in lieu of lodging, meal, and incidental expenses. 41 C.F.R. § 1.101–6.1033(e) (1996). SECTION 3. LAW Whether payments are ordinary and necessary business expenses under § 162, or are “contributions or gifts” within the meaning of § 170, depends on whether the payments bear a direct relationship to the taxpayer’s business and are made with a reasonable expectation of substantial ben- efit or financial return commensurate with the amount of the payment, or whether the payments are completely gratuitous. See Rev. Rul. 72–314, 1972–1 C.B. 44 (amounts paid by stock brokerage busi- ness to a charitable organization whose purpose is to reduce neighborhood ten- sions and combat community deteriora- tion are deductible under § 162 because the payments are business related and could reasonably be expected to produce commensurate financial return for the business); Rev. Rul. 72–293, 1972–1 C.B. 95 (payments to the United States Trans- portation Exposition may be deducted under § 162 or 170 depending on the facts and circumstances); Rev. Rul. 65–285, 1965–2 C.B. 56 (out-of-pocket expenses of invitees to the National Conference on Law and Poverty are deductible under § 170 because invitees are rendering ser- vices without compensation to the United States); and Singer Co. v. United States, 449 F.2d 413 (Ct. Cl. 1971) (discounts on a taxpayer’s sales of sewing machines to certain qualified donees, including churches, hospitals, and government agen- cies, were deductible (under prior law) as charitable contributions under § 170 because the taxpayer did not expect to receive substantial benefit from those discounts; discounts provided on similar sales to schools, however, were not de- ductible as charitable contributions under § 170 because the taxpayer expected to re- ceive substantial benefit from those dis- counts in the form of increased future sales). SECTION 4. PROCEDURE .01 The federal income tax deductibil- ity of unreimbursed expenses of a federal advisory committee member under § 162 or 170 depends in part on whether the committee member reasonably expects to receive substantial benefit or commensu- rate financial return as a result of incur- ring the expenses. Determining expected benefit or financial return often can be difficult when the committee member is engaged in a trade or business related to the subjects discussed by a federal advi- sory committee while performing services without compensation for that committee. .02 Therefore, if a taxpayer incurs an unreimbursed travel or other out-of- pocket expense while performing services without compensation as a member of a federal advisory committee, the Service will not challenge the taxpayer’s deduc- tion of the expense as a charitable contri- bution under § 170, provided the taxpayer satisfies the requirements of that section other than those relating to the expecta- tion of any benefit or financial return. If a taxpayer incurs an unreimbursed travel or other out-of-pocket expense while per- forming services without compensation as a member of a federal advisory committee and the expense is reasonably related to the taxpayer’s trade or business, the Ser- vice will not challenge the taxpayer’s de- duction of the expense as an ordinary and necessary business expense under § 162, provided the taxpayer satisfies the re- quirements of that section other than those relating to the expectation of any benefit or financial return. SECTION 5. OTHER APPLICABLE LAW Any deduction within the scope of this revenue procedure must conform to other November 17, 1997181997–46 I.R.B. specific applicable requirements of law, such as the requirement to substantiate deducted expenses. See§§ 170(f)(8), 1.170A–13, 274(d), and 1.274–5T. Also, limits on the deductibility of expenses in- curred for lobbying purposes may apply in certain situations. See§§ 162(e), 1.162–20, 1.162–28, 1.162–29, 170(f)(6), 1.170A–1(j)(11), 170(f)(9), and 1.170A– 1(j)(6). DRAFTING INFORMATION The principal author of this revenue procedure is Catherine A. Prohofsky of the Office of Assistant Chief Counsel (In- come Tax and Accounting). For further information regarding this revenue proce- dure, contact Ms. Prohofsky at 202-622- 4930 (not a toll-free call). 1997–46 I.R.B.19November 17, 1997 Foundations Status of Certain Organizations Announcement 97–112 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 des- ignations in the Cumulative List of Orga- nizations (Publication 78), or on the pre- sumption arising from the filing of notices under section 508(b) of the Code. This listing does notindicate that the organiza- tions have lost their status as organiza- tions described in section 501(c)(3), eligi- ble to receive deductible contributions. Former Public Charities.The following organizations (which have been treated as organizations that are not private founda- tions described in section 509(a) of the Code) are now classified as private foun- dations: Aaron E. Brister Memorial Fund, Pollok, TX AASPIN Foundation Inc., Madison, WI Abate of Indiana Inc., Granger, IN Abernant Youth Football Inc., McCalla, AL ABetter Way Counseling and Diagnostic Agency, Inc., Fort Wayne, IN Ability Associates Inc., Evergreen, CO Absolutely Nutritious Inc., Destrehan, LA ABTK Inc., Fennimore, WI Abundant Life Renewal Center Inc., Littleton, CO Academic Marshall Plan, College Station, TX Academy of Interdisciplinary Dentofacial Therapy, Inc., Springdale, AR Academy of LDS Dentists Inc., Ogden, UT Accept Pregnancy Centers Inc., Longwood, FL Achievement Club and Preschool Inc— Achievement Club Daycare, Springville, UT ACHILDInc., Baton Rouge, LA AChilds Reach, Salt Lake City, UT ADesired Chance Inc., Dallas, TX AGeorgetown Healthcare Foundation Inc., Georgetown, TX AHand Up Inc., Lakewood, CO AHelping Hand Center Inc., Harrisburg, PA AIDS-Aspen Cares, Aspen, CO ALabor of Love Inc-A.L.L., Wichita, KS American Research Laboratory of Forensic Science, Arlington Hgts, IL AMission in Excellence for Students of the Future, Chapel Hill, NC ASmall World Academy Inc., Decatur, GA AWoman’s Place, Lincoln, NE Boston Junior Eagles, Inc., West Roxbury, MA Brackthorn Foundation, Chicago, IL Breukelein Institute, Brooklyn, NY Bridge Street Child Development Center, Brooklyn, NY C4C: Kaleidscope, Inc., San Antonio, TX Center for Executive Methods, Inc., Baltimore, MD Eastern Nursing Research Society, Durham, NH Family Enrichment Center, Inc., Indianapolis, IN Friends of the FDR Library, Hyde Park, NY Global Balance Incorporated, Dallas, TX GNYHAHousing, Inc., New York, NY Grandma’s Hands, Charlotte, NC Jesucristo Reina Evangelistic Association, Inc., Staten Island, NY Leichester Soccer Club, Inc., Rochbale, MA Lifeforce AWay Out, Columbia, SC Media Echos, Inc., Flushing, NY Momma on the Move, Washington, DC Multi-Cultural English, Inc., New York, NY National Association of People With Disabilities, Inc., Rochester, NY National Coalition for Child Protection Reform, Cambridge, MA Near East Side Substance Abuse Council, Inc., Buffalo, NY Neighborhood Kids of Harlem, New York, NY New Questions, Inc., Westville, CT New York Chapter of Core, Inc., New York, NY Overseas Chinese Poetry and Painting Research Center, Inc., New York, NY Oxford Playground Committee, Inc., Oxford, MA Partners in Action for Sustainable Peace, Inc., Somerville, MA People Helping People With Christ, Inc., Wareham, MA Police Chiefs Foundation of Rockland County, Inc., New City, NY Porter Foundation, Inc., Brooklyn, NY Public Land Preservation Society, Inc., Wilmington, DE Rainbow Renewal, Lansing, MI Rainbows of Hope, Inc., Staten Island, NY Sanford Project Literacy U.S. Task Force, Sanford, ME Saugatuck Rowing Association, Westport, CT Self-Help for Hard of Hearing People Greater Boston Chapter, Inc., Brookline, MA Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum, Inc., Shelburne Falls, NY Shiny International, New York, NY Shorefront YM-YWHANursing School of Brighton-Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, NY Stamford Cares, Inc., Stamford, CT State Technologies, Inc., Albany, NY Stillhouse Trestle Corporation, Danville, VA Studio Upstairs Theatre Repertory, Inc., Goshen, NY Suburban Children, Inc., Bay Shore, NY Sunrise Crisis Pregnancy Center, Inc., Wareham, MA Support Our Schools Fund, Inc., New York, NY United Tenant Assoc-Mutual Housing Development Fund Corporation, Inc., New York, NY Upstate New York Health Care Resources, Inc., East Syracuse, NY U.S. Russian Economic Development Initiative, Ltd., New York, NY Vermont Environmental Story Telling Program, Burlington, VT Vision of Hope, Inc., Bronx, NY Wakefield 350, Inc., Wakefield, MA Westchester-Mid-Hudson Chapter the American Institute of Architects Scholarship Fund, Yorktown Heights, NY Weston Land Trust, Weston, MA The West Village Quartet, Inc., Bronx, NY Westwind Ministries, St. John, WA Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Volun- teer Association, Inc., Haverhill, MA Wildomar Elsinore Little League, Wildomar, CA November 17, 1997201997–46 I.R.B. Part IV. Items of General Interest Wish is Granted, Inc., Smithtown, NY World Trust, Inc., Oakland, CA W. Seavey Joyce S.J. Award, Hull, MA Yonkers Consortium for Comprehensive Youth Services, Inc., Yonkers, NY If an organization listed above submits information that warrants the renewal of its classification as a public charity or as a pri- vate operating foundation, the Internal Revenue Service will issue a ruling or de- termination letter with the revised classifi- cation 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 classifi- cation of foundation status in the Internal Revenue Bulletin. Form 3520, Annual Return to Report Transaction With Foreign Trusts and Receipt of Certain Foreign Gifts Announcement 97–113 Notice 97–34, 1997–25 I.R.B. 22, pro- vided guidance regarding the new foreign trust and large foreign gift reporting pro- visions contained in the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 (the “Act”). The Notice stated that the Service would issue a revised Form 3520. The revised form allows U. S. persons to use a single form to comply with all of the new report- ing requirements of the Act pertaining to transactions with foreign trusts and the re- ceipt of foreign gifts after August 20, 1996. The 1996 Form 3520, which reflects the guidelines of Notice 97–34, is now available to be download from the IRS home page at www.irs.ustreas.gov. U.S. persons should use this form to satisfy their reporting requirements for transac- tions occurring after August 20, 1996 for the tax year that includes August 20, 1996. In addition, U.S. persons treated as owning a portion of a foreign trust at any time during 1996 should use this form to satisfy their reporting obligations. Form 8023 to replace Form 8023–A Announcement 97–114 New Form 8023, Election Under Sec- tion 338 for Corporations Making Quali- fied Stock Purchases, will replace Form 8023–A, Corporate Qualified Stock Pur- chases. Corporations that want to make an election under section 338 can now download the form from the Internet or the Internal Revenue Information Ser- vices, using a computer and modem. Be- ginning in early November 1997, you can order Form 8023 by telephone, at the number shown below. 1997–46 I.R.B.21November 17, 1997 Request by—Number or Address Telephone800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) Computer and modem703-321-8020 (modem settings are N, 8, 1) Internet: World Wide Webwww.irs.ustreas.gov FTPftp.irs.ustreas.gov Telnetiris.irs.ustreas.gov November 17, 1997221997–46 I.R.B. 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: Amplified describes a situation where no change is being made in a prior pub- lished 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 confu- sion. It is not used where a position in a prior ruling is being changed. Distinguisheddescribes a situation where a ruling mentions a previously published ruling and points out an essen- tial 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 Abut not to B, and the new ruling holds that it ap- plies to both Aand B, the prior ruling is modified because it corrects a published position. (Compare with amplified and clarified, above). Obsoleted describes a previously pub- lished ruling that is not considered deter- minative with respect to future transac- tions. This term is most commonly used in a ruling that lists previously published rulings that are obsoleted because of changes in law or regulations. Aruling may also be obsoleted because the sub- stance has been included in regulations subsequently adopted. Revoked describes situations where the position in the previously published rul- ing is not correct and the correct position is being stated in the 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 pe- riod 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 pub- lished 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 super- seded. 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 pub- lished 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. Abbreviations The following abbreviations in current use and for- merly 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 Contribution 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.—Statements of Procedral 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. Definition of Terms 1997–46 I.R.B.23November 17, 1997 Numerical Finding List 1 Bulletins 1997–27 through 1997–45 Announcements: 97–61, 1997–29 I.R.B. 13 97–67, 1997–27 I.R.B. 37 97–68, 1997–28 I.R.B. 13 97–69, 1997–28 I.R.B. 13 97–70, 1997–29 I.R.B. 14 97–71, 1997–29 I.R.B. 15 97–72, 1997–29 I.R.B. 15 97–73, 1997–30 I.R.B. 86 97–74, 1997–31 I.R.B.16 97–75, 1997–32 I.R.B. 28 97–76, 1997–32 I.R.B. 28 97–77, 1997–33 I.R.B. 58 97–78, 1997–34 I.R.B. 11 97–79, 1997–35 I.R.B. 8 97–80, 1997–34 I.R.B. 12 97–81, 1997–34 I.R.B. 12 97–82, 1997–34 I.R.B. 12 97–83, 1997–34 I.R.B. 13 97–84, 1997–34 I.R.B. 13 97–85, 1997–35 I.R.B. 8 97–86, 1997–35 I.R.B. 9 97–87, 1997–35 I.R.B. 9 97–88, 1997–35 I.R.B. 9 97–89, 1997–36 I.R.B. 10 97–90, 1997–36 I.R.B. 10 97–91, 1997–37 I.R.B. 25 97–92, 1997–37 I.R.B. 26 97–93, 1997–36 I.R.B. 11 97–94, 1997–36 I.R.B. 12 97–95, 1997–36 I.R.B. 12 97–96, 1997–39 I.R.B.15 97–97, 1997–38 I.R.B. 22 97–98, 1997–39 I.R.B. 15 97–99, 1997–40 I.R.B. 7 97–100, 1997–40 I.R.B. 8 97–101, 1997–41 I.R.B. 13 97–102, 1997–41 I.R.B. 15 97–103, 1997–41 I.R.B. 16 97–104, 1997–42 I.R.B. 39 97–105, 1997–42 I.R.B. 40 97–106, 1997–45 I.R.B. 11 97–107, 1997–43 I.R.B. 25 97–108, 1997–43 I.R.B. 25 97–109, 1997–45 I.R.B. 12 97–110, 1997–45 I.R.B. 14 Court Decisions: 2061, 1997–31 I.R.B. 5 2062, 1997–32 I.R.B. 8 Delegation Orders: 97 (Rev. 34), 1997–41 I.R.B. 14 172 (Rev. 5), 1997–28 I.R.B. 6 Notices: 97–37, 1997–27 I.R.B. 4 97–38, 1997–27 I.R.B. 8 97–39, 1997–27 I.R.B. 8 97–40, 1997–28 I.R.B. 6 97–41, 1997–28 I.R.B. 6 97–42, 1997–29 I.R.B. 12 97–43, 1997–30 I.R.B. 9 97–44, 1997–31 I.R.B. 15 Notices–Continued 97–45, 1997–33 I.R.B. 7 97–46, 1997–34 I.R.B. 10 97–47, 1997–35 I.R.B. 5 97–48, 1997–35 I.R.B. 5 97–49, 1997–36 I.R.B. 8 97–50, 1997–37 I.R.B. 21 97–51, 1997–38 I.R.B. 20 97–52, 1997–38 I.R.B. 20 97–53, 1997–40 I.R.B. 6 97–54, 1997–41 I.R.B. 7 97–55, 1997–40 I.R.B. 6 97–56, 1997–43 I.R.B. 19 97–57, 1997–43 I.R.B. 19 97–58, 1997–45 I.R.B. 7 97–59, 1997–45 I.R.B. 7 Railroad Retirement Quarterly Rate: 1997–28 I.R.B. 5 Public Laws 105–35, 1997–43 I.R.B. 13 Proposed Regulations: REG–104893–97, 1997–29 I.R.B. 13 REG–105160–97, 1997–37 I.R.B. 22 REG–106043–97, 1997–37 I.R.B. 24 REG–107644–97, 1997–32 I.R.B. 24 REG–208151–91, 1997–38 I.R.B. 21 REG–246250–96, 1997–42 I.R.B. 30 Revenue Procedures: 97–32, 1997–27 I.R.B. 9 97–32A, 1997–34 I.R.B. 10 97–33, 1997–30 I.R.B. 10 97–34, 1997–30 I.R.B.14 97–35, 1997–33 I.R.B. 11 97–36, 1997–33 I.R.B. 14 97–37, 1997–33 I.R.B. 18 97–38, 1997–33 I.R.B. 43 97–39, 1997–33 I.R.B. 48 97–40, 1997–33 I.R.B. 50 97–41, 1997–33 I.R.B. 5 97–42, 1997–33 I.R.B. 57 97–43, 1997–39 I.R.B. 12 97–44, 1997–41 I.R.B. 8 97–45, 1997–41 I.R.B. 10 97–46, 1997–42 I.R.B. 10 97–47, 1997–42 I.R.B. 19 97–48, 1997–43 I.R.B. 19 97–49, 1997–43 I.R.B. 22 97–50, 1997–45 I.R.B. 8 97–51, 1997–45 I.R.B. 9 Revenue Rulings: 97–27, 1997–27 I.R.B. 4 97–28, 1997–28 I.R.B. 4 97–29, 1997–28 I.R.B. 4 97–30, 1997–31 I.R.B.12 97–31, 1997–32 I.R.B.4 97–32, 1997–33 I.R.B. 4 97–33, 1997–34 I.R.B. 4 97–34, 1997–34 I.R.B. 14 97–35, 1997–35 I.R.B. 4 97–36, 1997–36 I.R.B. 5 97–37, 1997–37 I.R.B.15 97–38, 1997–38 I.R.B.14 Revenue Rulings— Continued 97–39, 1997–39 I.R.B. 4 97–40, 1997–39 I.R.B. 8 97–41, 1997–40 I.R.B. 4 97–42, 1997–41 I.R.B. 4 97–43, 1997–42 I.R.B. 8 97–44, 1997–45 I.R.B. 5 Treasury Decisions: 8722, 1997–29 I.R.B. 4 8723, 1997–30 I.R.B. 4 8724, 1997–36 I.R.B. 4 8725, 1997–37 I.R.B. 16 8726, 1997–34 I.R.B. 7 8727, 1997–34 I.R.B. 5 8728, 1997–37 I.R.B. 4 8729, 1997–38 I.R.B. 4 8730, 1997–38 I.R.B. 16 8731, 1997–42 I.R.B. 6 8732, 1997–42 I.R.B. 4 8733, 1997–43 I.R.B. 8 8734, 1997–44 I.R.B. 5 8735, 1997–43 I.R.B. 4 1 Acumulative list of all revenue rulings, revenue procedures, Treasury decisions, etc., published in Internal Revenue Bulletins 1997–1 through 1997–26 will be found in Internal Revenue Bulletin 1997–27, dated July 7, 1997. November 17, 1997241997–46 I.R.B. Finding List of Current Action on Previously Published Items 1 Bulletins 1997–27 through 1997–45 *Denotes entry since last publication Revenue Procedures: 82–36 Modified and superseded by 97–49, 1997–43 I.R.B. 22 96–36 Superseded by 97–34, 1997–30 I.R.B. 14 96–42 Superseded by 97–27, 1997–27 I.R.B. 9 97–32 Modified and amplified by 97–32A, 1997–34 I.R.B. 10 Revenue Rulings: 89–42 Supplemented by 97–31, 1997–32 I.R.B. 4 93–76 Clarified, modified, partially obsoleted, and superceded by 97–39, 1997–39 I.R.B 4 94–7 Clarified, modified, partially obsoleted, and superceded by 97–39, 1997–39 I.R.B 4 1 Acumulative finding list for previously published items mentioned in Internal Revenue Bulletins 1997–1 through 1997–26 will be found in Internal Revenue Bulletin 1997–27, dated July 7, 1997. 1997–46 I.R.B.25November 17, 1997 Notes November 17, 1997261997–46 I.R.B. Notes INTERNAL REVENUE BULLETIN The Introduction on page 3 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 week- ly 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. 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 Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. 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.ustreas.gov) or write to the IRS Bulletin Unit, T:FP:F:CD, Room 5560, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20224. You can also leave a recorded message 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1–800–829–9043.
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