IRA owner received a waiver after relying on incorrect rollover advice

Plain-English summary

An IRA owner withdrew funds while refinancing a primary residence after an adviser incorrectly explained how long she had to redeposit them. She placed the money in a non-IRA account three days after the withdrawal and returned the same amount to her IRA several months later. The adviser admitted in writing that the rollover advice was wrong, and the taxpayer represented that the funds had not been used for another purpose. The IRS waived the 60-day deadline and treated the redeposit as a rollover contribution, provided all other section 408(d)(3) requirements were satisfied. The waiver did not apply to any amount required to be distributed under section 408(a)(6).

Ruling snapshot

• Question: Could the taxpayer receive a waiver of the 60-day IRA rollover deadline after relying on an adviser's incorrect advice?
• Outcome: Approved. The IRS waived the deadline, subject to satisfaction of all other rollover requirements.
• Key authorities: IRC §§ 408(d)(3) and 408(a)(6); Rev. Proc. 2003-16

Full text (IRS public release)

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20224

201425024

TAX EXEMPT AND
GOVERNMENT ENTITIES
DIVISION

MAR 25 2014

Uniform Issue List: 408.03-00

Legend:

Taxpayer A =

IRA B =

Financial Institution C =

Individual D =

Financial Institution E =

Account F =

Financial Institution G =

Amount 1 =

Dear

This is in response to a request for a private letter ruling dated February 26,
2013, as supplemented by correspondence dated November 8, and 12, 2013,
and February 11, 2014, in which you request a waiver of the 60-day rollover
requirement contained in section 408(d)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
(“Code”).

The following facts and representations have been submitted under penalty of
perjury in support of the ruling requested:

Taxpayer A represents that she received a distribution of Amount 1 from IRA B.
Taxpayer A asserts that her failure to accomplish a rollover of Amount 1 within

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the 60-day period prescribed by section 408(d)(3) of the Code was due to
incorrect advice provided by Individual D. Taxpayer A further represents that
Amount 1 has not been used for any other purpose.

Taxpayer A maintained IRA B, an individual retirement account (IRA) under
section 408(a) of the Code, with Financial Institution C. On August 21, 2012,
Taxpayer A withdrew Amount 1 from IRA B, relying on incorrect advice of
Individual D regarding the length of the rollover period to redeposit the funds in
an IRA. On August 24, 2012, Taxpayer A deposited Amount 1 into Account F, a
non-IRA account, with Financial Institution G. The funds were needed for a short
period of time so that Taxpayer A and her husband could refinance their primary
residence. Individual D, an employee of Financial Institution E, advised
Taxpayer A that the funds could be used as long as Amount 1 was timely
redeposited into an IRA, and this would not be treated as a taxable distribution.
The ruling request is accompanied by a letter from Individual D admitting he
provided Taxpayer A and her spouse incorrect information about the rollover
period.

On November 19, 2012, Taxpayer A deposited Amount 1 back into IRA B.

Based on the above facts and representations, you request that the Internal
Revenue Service (“Service”) waive the 60-day rollover requirement contained
in section 408(d)(3) of the Code with respect to Amount 1.

Section 408(d)(1) of the Code provides that, except as otherwise provided in
section 408(d) of the Code, any amount paid or distributed out of an IRA shall be
included in gross income by the payee or distributee, as the case may be, in the
manner provided under section 72 of the Code.

Section 408(d)(3) of the Code provides the rules applicable to IRA rollovers.

Section 408(d)(3)(A) of the Code provides that section 408(d)(1) of the Code
does not apply to any amount paid or distributed out of an IRA to the individual
for whose benefit the IRA is maintained if -

(i) the entire amount received (including money and any other property) is
paid into an IRA for the benefit of such individual not later than the 60th day after
the day on which the individual receives the payment or distribution; or

(ii) the entire amount received (including money and any other property) is
paid into an eligible retirement plan (other than an IRA) for the benefit of such
individual not later than the 60th day after the date on which the payment or
distribution is received, except that the maximum amount which may be paid into
such plan may not exceed the portion of the amount received which is includible
in gross income (determined without regard to section 408(d)(3)).

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Section 408(d)(3)(B) of the Code provides that section 408(d)(3) of the Code
does not apply to any amount described in section 408(d)(3)(A)(i) of the Code
received by an individual from an IRA if at any time during the 1-year period
ending on the day of such receipt such individual received any other amount
described in section 408(d)(3)(A)(i) of the Code from an IRA which was not
includible in gross income because of the application of section 408(d)(3) of the
Code.

Section 408(d)(3)(D) of the Code provides a similar 60-day rollover period
for partial rollovers.

Section 408(d)(3)(E) of the Code provides that the rollover provisions of
section 408(d) do not apply to any amount required to be distributed under
section 408(a)(6).

Section 408(d)(3)(I) of the Code provides that the Secretary may waive the
60-day requirement under sections 408(d)(3)(A) and 408(d)(3)(D) of the Code
where the failure to waive such requirement would be against equity or good
conscience, including casualty, disaster, or other events beyond the reasonable
control of the individual subject to such requirement. Only distributions that
occurred after December 31, 2001, are eligible for the waiver under section
408(d)(3)(I) of the Code.

Rev. Proc. 2003-16, 2003-4 I.R.B. 359 (January 27, 2003) provides that in
determining whether to grant a waiver of the 60-day rollover requirement
pursuant to section 408(d)(3)(I) of the Code, the Service will consider all relevant
facts and circumstances, including: (1) errors committed by a financial institution;
(2) inability to complete a rollover due to death, disability, hospitalization,
incarceration, restrictions imposed by a foreign country or postal error; (3) the
use of the amount distributed (for example, in the case of payment by check,
whether the check was cashed); and (4) the time elapsed since the distribution
occurred.

The information presented and the documentation submitted by Taxpayer A is
consistent with her assertion that her failure to accomplish a timely rollover of
Amount 1 was due to her reliance on improper advice provided by Individual D.

Therefore, pursuant to section 408(d)(3)(I) of the Code, the Service hereby
waives the 60-day rollover requirement with respect to the distribution of
Amount 1 from IRA B. Provided all other requirements of section 408(d)(3) of the
Code, except the 60-day requirement, were met with respect to the contribution
of Amount 1 into IRA B maintained with Financial Institution C on November 19,
2012, such contribution will be considered a rollover contribution within the
meaning of section 408(d)(3) of the Code.

This ruling does not authorize the rollover of amounts that are required to be
distributed by section 408(a)(6) of the Code.

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No opinion is expressed as to the tax treatment of the transaction described
herein under the provisions of any other section of either the Code or regulations
which may be applicable thereto.

This letter is directed only to the taxpayer who requested it. Section 6110(k)(3)
of the Code provides that it may not be used or cited as precedent.

If you wish to inquire about this ruling, please contact (I.D. # ),
,at( )

Sincerely yours,

Manager
Employee Plans Technical Group 1

Enclosures:
Deleted Copy of this Letter
Notice of Intention to Disclose, Notice 437