[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 11]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.1221-2]

[Page 261-269]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.1221-2  Hedging transactions.

    (a) Treatment of hedging transactions--(1) In general. This section 
governs the treatment of hedging transactions under section 1221(a)(7). 
Except as provided in paragraph (g)(2) of this section, the term capital 
asset does not include property that is part of a hedging transaction 
(as defined in paragraph (b) of this section).
    (2) Short sales and options. This section also governs the character 
of gain or loss from a short sale or option that is part of a hedging 
transaction. Except as provided in paragraph (g)(2) of this section, 
gain or loss on a short sale or option that is part of a hedging 
transaction (as defined in paragraph (b) of this section) is ordinary 
income or loss.
    (3) Exclusivity. If a transaction is not a hedging transaction as 
defined in paragraph (b) of this section, gain or loss from the 
transaction is not made ordinary on the grounds that property involved 
in the transaction is a surrogate for a noncapital asset, that the 
transaction serves as insurance against a business risk, that the 
transaction serves a hedging function, or that the transaction serves a 
similar function or purpose.
    (4) Coordination with section 988. This section does not apply to 
determine the character of gain or loss realized on a section 988 
transaction as defined in section 988(c)(1) or realized with respect to 
any qualified fund as defined in section 988(c)(1)(E)(iii).
    (b) Hedging transaction defined. Section 1221(b)(2)(A) provides that 
a hedging transaction is any transaction that a taxpayer enters into in 
the normal

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course of the taxpayer's trade or business primarily--
    (1) To manage risk of price changes or currency fluctuations with 
respect to ordinary property (as defined in paragraph (c)(2) of this 
section) that is held or to be held by the taxpayer;
    (2) To manage risk of interest rate or price changes or currency 
fluctuations with respect to borrowings made or to be made, or ordinary 
obligations incurred or to be incurred, by the taxpayer; or
    (3) To manage such other risks as the Secretary may prescribe in 
regulations (see paragraph (d)(6) of this section).
    (c) General rules--(1) Normal course. Solely for purposes of 
paragraph (b) of this section, if a transaction is entered into in 
furtherance of a taxpayer's trade or business, the transaction is 
entered into in the normal course of the taxpayer's trade or business. 
This rule includes managing risks relating to the expansion of an 
existing business or the acquisition of a new trade or business.
    (2) Ordinary property and obligations. Property is ordinary property 
to a taxpayer only if a sale or exchange of the property by the taxpayer 
could not produce capital gain or loss under any circumstances. Thus, 
for example, property used in a trade or business within the meaning of 
section 1231(b) (determined without regard to the holding period 
specified in that section) is not ordinary property. An obligation is an 
ordinary obligation if performance or termination of the obligation by 
the taxpayer could not produce capital gain or loss. For purposes of 
this paragraph (c)(2), the term termination has the same meaning as it 
does in section 1234A.
    (3) Hedging an aggregate risk. The term hedging transaction includes 
a transaction that manages an aggregate risk of interest rate changes, 
price changes, and/or currency fluctuations only if all of the risk, or 
all but a de minimis amount of the risk, is with respect to ordinary 
property, ordinary obligations, or borrowings.
    (4) Managing risk--(i) In general. Whether a transaction manages a 
taxpayer's risk is determined based on all of the facts and 
circumstances surrounding the taxpayer's business and the transaction. 
Whether a transaction manages a taxpayer's risk may be determined on a 
business unit by business unit basis (for example by treating particular 
groups of activities, including the assets and liabilities attributable 
to those activities, as separate business units), provided that the 
business unit is within a single entity or consolidated return group 
that adopts the single-entity approach. A taxpayer's hedging strategies 
and policies as reflected in the taxpayer's minutes or other records are 
evidence of whether particular transactions were entered into primarily 
to manage the taxpayer's risk.
    (ii) Limitation of risk management transactions to those 
specifically described. Except as otherwise determined by published 
guidance or by private letter ruling, a transaction that is not treated 
as a hedging transaction under paragraph (d) does not manage risk. 
Moreover, a transaction undertaken for speculative purposes will not be 
treated as a hedging transaction.
    (d) Transactions that manage risk--(1) Risk reduction transactions--
(i) In general. A transaction that is entered into to reduce a 
taxpayer's risk, manages a taxpayer's risk.
    (ii) Micro and macro hedges--(A) In general. A taxpayer generally 
has risk of a particular type only if it is at risk when all of its 
operations are considered. Nonetheless, a hedge of a particular asset or 
liability generally will be respected as reducing risk if it reduces the 
risk attributable to the asset or liability and if it is reasonably 
expected to reduce the overall risk of the taxpayer's operations. If a 
taxpayer hedges particular assets or liabilities, or groups of assets or 
liabilities, and the hedges are undertaken as part of a program that, as 
a whole, is reasonably expected to reduce the overall risk of the 
taxpayer's operations, the taxpayer generally does not have to 
demonstrate that each hedge that was entered into pursuant to the 
program reduces its overall risk.
    (B) Example. The following example illustrates the rules stated in 
paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(A) of this section:

    Example. Corporation X manages its business operations by treating 
particular groups

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of activities, including the assets and liabilities attributable to 
those assets, as separate business units. A separate set of books and 
records is maintained with respect to the activities, assets and 
liabilities of separate business unit y. As part of a risk management 
program that Corporation X reasonably expects to reduce the overall 
risks of its business operations, Corporation X enters into hedges to 
reduce the risks of separate business unit y. Corporation X may 
demonstrate that the hedges reduce risk by taking into account only the 
activities, assets and liabilities of business unit y.

    (iii) Written options. A written option may reduce risk. For 
example, in appropriate circumstances, a written call option with 
respect to assets held by a taxpayer or a written put option with 
respect to assets to be acquired by a taxpayer may be a hedging 
transaction. See also paragraph (d)(3) of this section.
    (iv) Fixed-to-floating price hedges. Under the principles of 
paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(A) of this section, a transaction that economically 
converts a price from a fixed price to a floating price may reduce risk. 
For example, a taxpayer with a fixed cost for its inventory may be at 
risk if the price at which the inventory can be sold varies with a 
particular factor. Thus, for such a taxpayer a transaction that converts 
its fixed price to a floating price may be a hedging transaction.
    (2) Interest rate conversions. A transaction that economically 
converts an interest rate from a fixed rate to a floating rate or that 
converts an interest rate from a floating rate to a fixed rate manages 
risk.
    (3) Transactions that counteract hedging transactions. If a 
transaction is entered into primarily to offset all or any part of the 
risk management effected by one or more hedging transactions, the 
transaction is a hedging transaction. For example, if a written option 
is used to reduce or eliminate the risk reduction obtained from another 
position such as a purchased option, then it may be a hedging 
transaction.
    (4) Recycling. A taxpayer may enter into a hedging transaction by 
using a position that was a hedge of one asset or liability as a hedge 
of another asset or liability (recycling).
    (5) Transactions not entered into primarily to manage risk--(i) 
Rule. Except as otherwise determined in published guidance or private 
letter ruling, the purchase or sale of a debt instrument, an equity 
security, or an annuity contract is not a hedging transaction even if 
the transaction limits or reduces the taxpayer's risk with respect to 
ordinary property, borrowings, or ordinary obligations. In addition, the 
Commissioner may determine in published guidance that other transactions 
are not hedging transactions.
    (ii) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rule stated in 
paragraph (d)(5)(i) of this section:

    Example 1. Taxpayer borrows money and agrees to pay a floating rate 
of interest. Taxpayer purchases debt instruments that bear a comparable 
floating rate. Although taxpayer's interest rate risk from the floating 
rate borrowing may be reduced by the purchase of the debt instruments, 
the acquisition of the debt instruments is not a hedging transaction, 
because the transaction is not entered into primarily to manage the 
taxpayer's risk.
    Example 2. Taxpayer undertakes obligations to pay compensation in 
the future. The amount of the future compensation payments is adjusted 
as if amounts were invested in a specified mutual fund and were 
increased or decreased by the earnings, gains and losses that would 
result from such an investment. Taxpayer invests funds in the shares of 
the mutual fund. Although the investment in shares of the mutual fund 
reduces the taxpayer's risk of fluctuation in the amount of its 
obligation to employees, the investment was not made primarily to manage 
the taxpayer's risk. Accordingly, the transaction is not a hedging 
transaction.
    Example 3. Taxpayer provides a nonqualified retirement plan for 
employees that is structured like a defined contribution plan. Based on 
a schedule that takes into account an employee's monthly salary and 
years of service with the taxpayer, the taxpayer makes monthly credits 
to an account for each employee. Each employee may designate that the 
account will be treated as if it were used to pay premiums on a variable 
annuity contract issued by the M insurance company with a value that 
reflects a specified investment option. M offers a number of investment 
options for its variable annuity contracts. Taxpayer invests funds in M 
company variable annuity contracts that parallel the investment options 
selected by the employees. The investment is not made primarily to 
manage the taxpayer's risk and is not a hedging transaction.


[[Page 264]]


    (6) Hedges of other risks. The Commissioner may, by published 
guidance, determine that hedging transactions include transactions 
entered into to manage risks other than interest rate or price changes, 
or currency fluctuations.
    (7) Miscellaneous provision--(i) Extent of risk management. A 
taxpayer may hedge all or any portion of its risk for all or any part of 
the period during which it is exposed to the risk.
    (ii) Number of transactions. The fact that a taxpayer frequently 
enters into and terminates positions (even if done on a daily or more 
frequent basis) is not relevant to whether these transactions are 
hedging transactions. Thus, for example, a taxpayer hedging the risk 
associated with an asset or liability may frequently establish and 
terminate positions that hedge that risk, depending on the extent the 
taxpayer wishes to be hedged. Similarly, if a taxpayer maintains its 
level of risk exposure by entering into and terminating a large number 
of transactions in a single day, its transactions may nonetheless 
qualify as hedging transactions.
    (e) Hedging by members of a consolidated group--(1) General rule: 
single-entity approach. For purposes of this section, the risk of one 
member of a consolidated group is treated as the risk of the other 
members as if all of the members of the group were divisions of a single 
corporation. For example, if any member of a consolidated group hedges 
the risk of another member of the group by entering into a transaction 
with a third party, that transaction may potentially qualify as a 
hedging transaction. Conversely, intercompany transactions are not 
hedging transactions because, when considered as transactions between 
divisions of a single corporation, they do not manage the risk of that 
single corporation.
    (2) Separate-entity election. In lieu of the single-entity approach 
specified in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, a consolidated group may 
elect separate-entity treatment of its hedging transactions. If a group 
makes this separate-entity election, the following rules apply:
    (i) Risk of one member not risk of other members. Notwithstanding 
paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the risk of one member is not treated 
as the risk of other members.
    (ii) Intercompany transactions. An intercompany transaction is a 
hedging transaction (an intercompany hedging transaction) with respect 
to a member of a consolidated group if and only if it meets the 
following requirements--
    (A) The position of the member in the intercompany transaction would 
qualify as a hedging transaction with respect to the member (taking into 
account paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section) if the member had entered 
into the transaction with an unrelated party; and
    (B) The position of the other member (the marking member) in the 
transaction is marked to market under the marking member's method of 
accounting.
    (iii) Treatment of intercompany hedging transactions. An 
intercompany hedging transaction (that is, a transaction that meets the 
requirements of paragraphs (e)(2)(ii)(A) and (B) of this section) is 
subject to the following rules--
    (A) The character and timing rules of Sec. 1.1502-13 do not apply 
to the income, deduction, gain, or loss from the intercompany hedging 
transaction; and
    (B) Except as provided in paragraph (g)(3) of this section, the 
character of the marking member's gain or loss from the transaction is 
ordinary.
    (iv) Making and revoking the election. Unless the Commissioner 
otherwise prescribes, the election described in this paragraph (e)(2) 
must be made in a separate statement saying ``[Insert Name and Employer 
Identification Number of Common Parent] HEREBY ELECTS THE APPLICATION OF 
SECTION 1.1221-2(e)(2) (THE SEPARATE-ENTITY APPROACH).'' The statement 
must also indicate the date as of which the election is to be effective. 
The election must be signed by the common parent and filed with the 
group's Federal income tax return for the taxable year that includes the 
first date for which the election is to apply. The election applies to 
all transactions entered into on or after the date so indicated. The 
election may be revoked only with the consent of the Commissioner.
    (3) Definitions. For definitions of consolidated group, divisions of 
a single

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corporation, group, intercompany transactions, and member, see section 
1502 and the regulations thereunder.

    (4) Examples. General Facts. In these examples, O and H are members 
of the same consolidated group. O's business operations give rise to 
interest rate risk ``A,'' which O wishes to hedge. O enters into an 
intercompany transaction with H that transfers the risk to H. O's 
position in the intercompany transaction is ``B,'' and H's position in 
the transaction is ``C.'' H enters into position ``D'' with a third 
party to reduce the interest rate risk it has with respect to its 
position C. D would be a hedging transaction with respect to risk A if 
O's risk A were H's risk. The following examples illustrate this 
paragraph (e):
    Example 1. Single-entity treatment--(i) General rule. Under 
paragraph (e)(1) of this section, O's risk A is treated as H's risk, and 
therefore D is a hedging transaction with respect to risk A. Thus, the 
character of D is determined under the rules of this section, and the 
income, deduction, gain, or loss from D must be accounted for under a 
method of accounting that satisfies Sec. 1.446-4. The intercompany 
transaction B-C is not a hedging transaction and is taken into account 
under Sec. 1.1502-13.
    (ii) Identification. D must be identified as a hedging transaction 
under paragraph (f)(1) of this section, and A must be identified as the 
hedged item under paragraph (f)(2) of this section. Under paragraph 
(f)(5) of this section, the identification of A as the hedged item can 
be accomplished by identifying the positions in the intercompany 
transaction as hedges or hedged items, as appropriate. Thus, 
substantially contemporaneous with entering into D, H may identify C as 
the hedged item and O may identify B as a hedge and A as the hedged 
item.
    Example 2. Separate-entity election; counterparty that does not mark 
to market. In addition to the General Facts stated above, assume that 
the group makes a separate-entity election under paragraph (e)(2) of 
this section. If H does not mark C to market under its method of 
accounting, then B is not a hedging transaction, and the B-C 
intercompany transaction is taken into account under the rules of 
section 1502. D is not a hedging transaction with respect to A, but D 
may be a hedging transaction with respect to C if C is ordinary property 
or an ordinary obligation and if the other requirements of paragraph (b) 
of this section are met. If D is not part of a hedging transaction, then 
D may be part of a straddle for purposes of section 1092.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20MR02.002

    Example 3. Separate-entity election; counterparty that marks to 
market. The facts are the same as in Example 2 above, except that H 
marks C to market under its method of accounting. Also assume that B 
would be a hedging transaction with respect to risk A if O had entered 
into that transaction with an unrelated party. Thus, for O, the B-C 
transaction is an intercompany hedging transaction with respect to O's 
risk A, the character and timing rules of Sec. 1.1502-13 do not apply 
to the B-C transaction, and H's income, deduction, gain, or loss from C 
is ordinary. However, other attributes of the items from the B-C 
transaction are determined under Sec. 1.1502-13. D is a hedging 
transaction with respect to C if it meets the requirements of paragraph 
(b) of this section.
    (f) Identification and recordkeeping--(1) Same-day identification of 
hedging transactions. Under section 1221(a)(7), a taxpayer that enters 
into a hedging transaction (including recycling an existing hedging 
transaction) must clearly identify it as a hedging transaction before 
the close of the day on which the taxpayer acquired, originated, or 
entered into the transaction (or recycled the existing hedging 
transaction).
    (2) Substantially contemporaneous identification of hedged item--(i) 
Content of the identification. A taxpayer that enters into a hedging 
transaction must identify the item, items, or aggregate risk being 
hedged. Identification of an

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item being hedged generally involves identifying a transaction that 
creates risk, and the type of risk that the transaction creates. For 
example, if a taxpayer is hedging the price risk with respect to its 
June purchases of corn inventory, the transaction being hedged is the 
June purchase of corn and the risk is price movements in the market 
where the taxpayer buys its corn. For additional rules concerning the 
content of this identification, see paragraph (f)(3) of this section.
    (ii) Timing of the identification. The identification required by 
this paragraph (f)(2) must be made substantially contemporaneously with 
entering into the hedging transaction. An identification is not 
substantially contemporaneous if it is made more than 35 days after 
entering into the hedging transaction.
    (3) Identification requirements for certain hedging transactions. In 
the case of the hedging transactions described in this paragraph (f)(3), 
the identification under paragraph (f)(2) of this section must include 
the information specified.
    (i) Anticipatory asset hedges. If the hedging transaction relates to 
the anticipated acquisition of assets by the taxpayer, the 
identification must include the expected date or dates of acquisition 
and the amounts expected to be acquired.
    (ii) Inventory hedges. If the hedging transaction relates to the 
purchase or sale of inventory by the taxpayer, the identification is 
made by specifying the type or class of inventory to which the 
transaction relates. If the hedging transaction relates to specific 
purchases or sales, the identification must also include the expected 
dates of the purchases or sales and the amounts to be purchased or sold.
    (iii) Hedges of debt of the taxpayer--(A) Existing debt. If the 
hedging transaction relates to accruals or payments under an issue of 
existing debt of the taxpayer, the identification must specify the issue 
and, if the hedge is for less than the full issue price or the full term 
of the debt, the amount of the issue price and the term covered by the 
hedge.
    (B) Debt to be issued. If the hedging transaction relates to the 
expected issuance of debt by the taxpayer or to accruals or payments 
under debt that is expected to be issued by the taxpayer, the 
identification must specify the following information: the expected date 
of issuance of the debt; the expected maturity or maturities; the total 
expected issue price; and the expected interest provisions. If the hedge 
is for less than the entire expected issue price of the debt or the full 
expected term of the debt, the identification must also include the 
amount or the term being hedged. The identification may indicate a range 
of dates, terms, and amounts, rather than specific dates, terms, or 
amounts. For example, a taxpayer might identify a transaction as hedging 
the yield on an anticipated issuance of fixed rate debt during the 
second half of its fiscal year, with the anticipated amount of the debt 
between $75 million and $125 million, and an anticipated term of 
approximately 20 to 30 years.
    (iv) Hedges of aggregate risk--(A) Required identification. If a 
transaction hedges aggregate risk as described in paragraph (c)(3) of 
this section, the identification under paragraph (f)(2) of this section 
must include a description of the risk being hedged and of the hedging 
program under which the hedging transaction was entered. This 
requirement may be met by placing in the taxpayer's records a 
description of the hedging program and by establishing a system under 
which individual transactions can be identified as being entered into 
pursuant to the program.
    (B) Description of hedging program. A description of a hedging 
program must include an identification of the type of risk being hedged, 
a description of the type of items giving rise to the risk being 
aggregated, and sufficient additional information to demonstrate that 
the program is designed to reduce aggregate risk of the type identified. 
If the program contains controls on speculation (for example, position 
limits), the description of the hedging program must also explain how 
the controls are established, communicated, and implemented.
    (v) Transactions that counteract hedging transactions. If the 
hedging transaction is described in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, 
the description of the

[[Page 267]]

hedging transaction must include an identification of the risk 
management transaction that is being offset and the original underlying 
hedged item.
    (4) Manner of identification and records to be retained--(i) 
Inclusion of identification in tax records. The identification required 
by this paragraph (f) must be made on, and retained as part of, the 
taxpayer's books and records.
    (ii) Presence of identification must be unambiguous. The presence of 
an identification for purposes of this paragraph (f) must be 
unambiguous. The identification of a hedging transaction for financial 
accounting or regulatory purposes does not satisfy this requirement 
unless the taxpayer's books and records indicate that the identification 
is also being made for tax purposes. The taxpayer may indicate that 
individual hedging transactions, or a class or classes of hedging 
transactions, that are identified for financial accounting or regulatory 
purposes are also being identified as hedging transactions for purposes 
of this section.
    (iii) Manner of identification. The taxpayer may separately and 
explicitly make each identification, or, so long as paragraph (f)(4)(ii) 
of this section is satisfied, the taxpayer may establish a system 
pursuant to which the identification is indicated by the type of 
transaction or by the manner in which the transaction is consummated or 
recorded. An identification under this system is made at the later of 
the time that the system is established or the time that the transaction 
satisfies the terms of the system by being entered, or by being 
consummated or recorded, in the designated fashion.
    (iv) Principles of paragraph (f)(4)(iii) of this section 
illustrated. Paragraphs (f)(4)(iv)(A) through (C) of this section 
illustrate the principles of paragraph (f)(4)(iii) of this section and 
assume that the other requirements of this paragraph (f) are satisfied.
    (A) A taxpayer can make an identification by designating a hedging 
transaction for (or placing it in) an account that has been identified 
as containing only hedges of a specified item (or of specified items or 
specified aggregate risk).
    (B) A taxpayer can make an identification by including and retaining 
in its books and records a statement that designates all future 
transactions in a specified derivative product as hedges of a specified 
item, items, or aggregate risk.
    (C) A taxpayer can make an identification by designating a certain 
mark, a certain form, or a certain legend as meaning that a transaction 
is a hedge of a specified item (or of specified items or a specified 
aggregate risk). Identification can be made by placing the designated 
mark on a record of the transaction (for example, trading ticket, 
purchase order, or trade confirmation) or by using the designated form 
or a record that contains the designated legend.
    (5) Identification of hedges involving members of the same 
consolidated group--(i) General rule: single-entity approach. A member 
of a consolidated group must satisfy the requirements of this paragraph 
(f) as if all of the members of the group were divisions of a single 
corporation. Thus, the member entering into the hedging transaction with 
a third party must identify the hedging transaction under paragraph 
(f)(1) of this section. Under paragraph (f)(2) of this section, that 
member must also identify the item, items, or aggregate risk that is 
being hedged, even if the item, items, or aggregate risk relates 
primarily or entirely to other members of the group. If the members of a 
group use intercompany transactions to transfer risk within the group, 
the requirements of paragraph (f)(2) of this section may be met by 
identifying the intercompany transactions, and the risks hedged by the 
intercompany transactions, as hedges or hedged items, as appropriate. 
Because identification of the intercompany transaction as a hedge serves 
solely to identify the hedged item, the identification is timely if made 
within the period required by paragraph (f)(2) of this section. For 
example, if a member transfers risk in an intercompany transaction, it 
may identify under the rules of this paragraph (f) both its position in 
that transaction and the item, items, or aggregate risk being hedged. 
The member that hedges the risk outside the group may identify under the

[[Page 268]]

rules of this paragraph (f) both its position with the third party and 
its position in the intercompany transaction. Paragraph (e)(4) Example 1 
of this section illustrates this identification.
    (ii) Rule for consolidated groups making the separate-entity 
election. If a consolidated group makes the separate-entity election 
under paragraph (e)(2) of this section, each member of the group must 
satisfy the requirements of this paragraph (f) as though it were not a 
member of a consolidated group.
    (6) Consistency with section 1256(e)(2). Any identification for 
purposes of section 1256(e)(2) is also an identification for purposes of 
paragraph (f)(1) of this section.
    (g) Effect of identification and non-identification--(1) 
Transactions identified--(i) In general. If a taxpayer identifies a 
transaction as a hedging transaction for purposes of paragraph (f)(1) of 
this section, the identification is binding with respect to gain, 
whether or not all of the requirements of paragraph (f) of this section 
are satisfied. Thus, gain from that transaction is ordinary income. If 
the transaction is not in fact a hedging transaction described in 
paragraph (b) of this section, however, paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of 
this section do not apply and the character of loss is determined 
without reference to whether the transaction is a surrogate for a 
noncapital asset, serves as insurance against a business risk, serves a 
hedging function, or serves a similar function or purpose. Thus, the 
taxpayer's identification of the transaction as a hedging transaction 
does not itself make loss from the transaction ordinary.
    (ii) Inadvertent identification. Notwithstanding paragraph (g)(1)(i) 
of this section, if the taxpayer identifies a transaction as a hedging 
transaction for purposes of paragraph (f) of this section, the character 
of the gain is determined as if the transaction had not been identified 
as a hedging transaction if--
    (A) The transaction is not a hedging transaction (as defined in 
paragraph (b) of this section);
    (B) The identification of the transaction as a hedging transaction 
was due to inadvertent error; and
    (C) All of the taxpayer's transactions in all open years are being 
treated on either original or, if necessary, amended returns in a manner 
consistent with the principles of this section.
    (2) Transactions not identified--(i) In general. Except as provided 
in paragraphs (g)(2)(ii) and (iii) of this section, the absence of an 
identification that satisfies the requirements of paragraph (f)(1) of 
this section is binding and establishes that a transaction is not a 
hedging transaction. Thus, subject to the exceptions, the rules of 
paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply, and the 
character of gain or loss is determined without reference to whether the 
transaction is a surrogate for a noncapital asset, serves as insurance 
against a business risk, serves a hedging function, or serves a similar 
function or purpose.
    (ii) Inadvertent error. If a taxpayer does not make an 
identification that satisfies the requirements of paragraph (f) of this 
section, the taxpayer may treat gain or loss from the transaction as 
ordinary income or loss under paragraph (a)(1) or (2) of this section 
if--
    (A) The transaction is a hedging transaction (as defined in 
paragraph (b) of this section);
    (B) The failure to identify the transaction was due to inadvertent 
error; and
    (C) All of the taxpayer's hedging transactions in all open years are 
being treated on either original or, if necessary, amended returns as 
provided in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section.
    (iii) Anti-abuse rule. If a taxpayer does not make an identification 
that satisfies all the requirements of paragraph (f) of this section but 
the taxpayer has no reasonable grounds for treating the transaction as 
other than a hedging transaction, then gain from the transaction is 
ordinary. The reasonableness of the taxpayer's failure to identify a 
transaction is determined by taking into consideration not only the 
requirements of paragraph (b) of this section but also the taxpayer's 
treatment of the transaction for financial accounting or other purposes 
and the taxpayer's identification of similar transactions as hedging 
transactions.

[[Page 269]]

    (3) Transactions by members of a consolidated group--(i) Single-
entity approach. If a consolidated group is under the general rule of 
paragraph (e)(1) of this section (the single-entity approach), the rules 
of this paragraph (g) apply only to transactions that are not 
intercompany transactions.
    (ii) Separate-entity election. If a consolidated group has made the 
election under paragraph (e)(2) of this section, then, in addition to 
the rules of paragraphs (g)(1) and (2) of this section, the following 
rules apply:
    (A) If an intercompany transaction is identified as a hedging 
transaction but does not meet the requirements of paragraphs 
(e)(2)(ii)(A) and (B) of this section, then, notwithstanding any 
contrary provision in Sec. 1.1502-13, each party to the transaction is 
subject to the rules of paragraph (g)(1) of this section with respect to 
the transaction as though it had incorrectly identified its position in 
the transaction as a hedging transaction.
    (B) If a transaction meets the requirements of paragraphs (e)(2)(ii) 
(A) and (B) of this section but the transaction is not identified as a 
hedging transaction, each party to the transaction is subject to the 
rules of paragraph (g)(2) of this section. (Because the transaction is 
an intercompany hedging transaction, the character and timing rules of 
Sec. 1.1502-13 do not apply. See paragraph (e)(2)(iii)(A) of this 
section.)
    (h) Effective date. The rules of this section apply to transactions 
entered into on or after March 20, 2002.

[T.D. 8985, 67 FR 12865, Mar. 20, 2002]