IRS revokes an earlier ruling on debt discharge reporting

Plain-English summary

The IRS revoked a 2007 private letter ruling about whether a financial entity's debt discharges were subject to the reporting requirements of section 6050P. The earlier ruling treated the discharges as triggered by state law. The IRS changed its view and concluded that the discharges resulted from an agreement by the parties, making them identifiable events under Treas. Reg. § 1.6050P-1(b)(2). The revocation was not applied retroactively because the conditions in the cited revenue procedure were satisfied.

Ruling snapshot

• Question: Should an earlier ruling that excluded certain debt discharges from section 6050P reporting be revoked?
• Outcome: Revocation, without retroactive application
• Key authorities: IRC §§ 6050P and 7805(b); Treas. Reg. § 1.6050P-1(b)(2)

Full text (IRS public release)

Internal Revenue Service Department of the Treasury
Washington, DC 20224

Number: 201301001 [Third Party Communication:
Release Date: 1/4/2013 Date of Communication: Month DD, YYYY]
Index Number: 6050P.00-00
Person To Contact:
------------------------ ------------------, ID No. -------------
------------------------- Telephone Number:
----------------------------------------- ---------------------
-------------------------------------- Refer Reply To:
-------------- CC:PA:02
----------------------------------- PLR-104264-12
--------------------------- Date:
October 01, 2012

Legend

Taxpayer = -----------------------------------------

Dear ---------------:

This is to notify you that private letter ruling PLR 200802012 (PRL-128490-07) dated
October 4, 2007 issued in response to Taxpayer’s request dated June 18, 2007 is
hereby revoked. The letter ruling is being revoked because it is not in accord with the
current views of the Service. See Section 11.04 of Rev. Proc. 2012-1, 2012-1 I.R.B. 1,
50.

Our previous letter ruled that discharges made by Taxpayer were triggered by operation
of state law, and that the reporting requirements of section 6050P did not apply. It is the
current view of the Service, however, that the discharges occurred not by operation of
state law but rather as a result of an agreement by the parties to discharge the debt.
Therefore, the transaction was an “identifiable event” under Treas. Reg. § 1.6050P-
1(b)(2) and the reporting requirements apply.

Section 7805(b) provides that the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe the extent to
which any ruling or regulation relating to the internal revenue laws may be applied
without retroactive effect. Section 11.04 of Rev. Proc. 2012-1 provides, in part, that if a
letter ruling is revoked, the revocation applies to all years open under the statute, unless
the Service uses its discretionary authority under section 7805(b) to limit the
revocation’s retroactive effect. Section 11.06 of Rev. Proc. 2012-1 provides that where
the revocation is for reasons other than a change in facts described in section 11.05, it
generally will not be applied retroactively provided that: (1) there has been no change in
the applicable law; (2) the letter ruling was originally issued for a proposed transaction;
and (3) the taxpayer directly involved in the letter ruling acted in good faith in relying on

PLR-104264-12 2

the letter ruling, and revoking the ruling retroactively would be to the taxpayer’s
detriment.

Because the factors in section 11.06 of Rev. Proc. 2012-1 have been satisfied, pursuant
to the authority contained in section 7805(b), the revocation of the October 4, 2007
letter will not be applied retroactively.

In accordance with the Power of Attorney on file with this office, a copy of this letter is
being sent to your authorized representative.

                                   Sincerely,



                                   Charles A. Hall
                                   Senior Technician Reviewer, Branch 1
                                   (Procedure & Administration)

Enclosures:
Copy of letter
Copy of letter for section 6110 purposes