[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: 26CFR1.1274-1]

[Page 531-532]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.1274-1  Debt instruments to which section 1274 applies.

    (a) In general. Subject to the exceptions and limitations in 
paragraph (b) of this section, section 1274 and this section apply to 
any debt instrument issued in consideration for the sale or exchange of 
property. For purposes of section 1274, property includes debt 
instruments and investment units, but does not include money, services, 
or the right to use property. For the treatment of certain obligations 
given in exchange for services or the use of property, see sections 404 
and 467. For purposes of this paragraph (a), money includes functional 
currency and, in certain circumstances, nonfunctional currency. See 
Sec. 1.988-2(b)(2) for circumstances when nonfunctional currency is 
treated as money rather than as property.
    (b) Exceptions--(1) Debt instrument with adequate stated interest 
and no OID. Section 1274 does not apply to a debt instrument if--
    (i) All interest payable on the instrument is qualified stated 
interest;
    (ii) The stated rate of interest is at least equal to the test rate 
of interest (as defined in Sec. 1.1274-4);
    (iii) The debt instrument is not issued in a potentially abusive 
situation (as defined in Sec. 1.1274-3); and
    (iv) No payment from the buyer-borrower to the seller-lender 
designated as points or interest is made at the time of issuance of the 
debt instrument.
    (2) Exceptions under sections 1274(c)(1)(B), 1274(c)(3), 1274A(c), 
and 1275(b)(1)--(i) In general. Sections 1274(c)(1)(B), 1274(c)(3), 
1274A(c), and 1275(b)(1) describe certain transactions to which section 
1274 does not apply. This paragraph (b)(2) provides certain rules to be 
used in applying those exceptions.
    (ii) Special rules for certain exceptions under section 1274(c)(3)--
(A) Determination of sales price for certain sales of farms. For 
purposes of section 1274(c)(3)(A), the determination as to whether the 
sales price cannot exceed $1,000,000 is made without regard to any other 
exception to, or limitation on, the applicability of section 1274 (e.g., 
without regard to the special rules regarding sales of principal 
residences and land transfers between related persons). In addition, the 
sales price is determined without regard to section 1274 and without 
regard to any stated interest. The sales price includes the amount of 
any liability included in the amount realized from the sale or exchange. 
See Sec. 1.1001-2.
    (B) Sales involving total payments of $250,000 or less. Under 
section 1274(c)(3)(C), the determination of the amount of payments due 
under all debt instruments and the amount of other consideration to be 
received is made as of the date of the sale or exchange or, if earlier, 
the contract date. If the precise amount due under any debt instrument 
or the precise amount of any other consideration to be received cannot 
be determined as of that date, section 1274(c)(3)(C) applies only if it 
can be determined that the maximum of the aggregate amount of payments 
due under the debt instruments and other consideration to be received 
cannot exceed $250,000. For purposes of section 1274(c)(3)(C), if a 
liability is assumed or property is taken subject to a liability, the 
aggregate amount of payments due includes the outstanding principal 
balance or adjusted issue price (in the case of an obligation originally 
issued at a discount) of the obligation.
    (C) Coordination with section 1273 and Sec. 1.1273-2. In accordance 
with section

[[Page 532]]

1274(c)(3)(D), section 1274 and this section do not apply if the issue 
price of a debt instrument issued in consideration for the sale or 
exchange of property is determined under paragraph (a)(1), (b)(1), or 
(c)(1) of Sec. 1.1273-2.
    (3) Other exceptions to section 1274--(i) Holders of certain below-
market instruments. Section 1274 does not apply to any holder of a debt 
instrument that is issued in consideration for the sale or exchange of 
personal use property (within the meaning of section 1275(b)(3)) in the 
hands of the issuer and that evidences a below-market loan described in 
section 7872(c)(1).
    (ii) Transactions involving certain demand loans. Section 1274 does 
not apply to any debt instrument that evidences a demand loan that is a 
below-market loan described in section 7872(c)(1).
    (iii) Certain transfers subject to section 1041. Section 1274 does 
not apply to any debt instrument issued in consideration for a transfer 
of property subject to section 1041 (relating to transfers of property 
between spouses or incident to divorce).
    (c) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this 
section.

    Example 1. Single stated rate paid semiannually. A debt instrument 
issued in consideration for the sale of nonpublicly traded property in a 
transaction that is not a potentially abusive situation calls for the 
payment of a principal amount of $1,000,000 at the end of a 10-year term 
and 20 semiannual interest payments of $60,000. Assume that the test 
rate of interest is 12 percent, compounded semiannually. The debt 
instrument is not subject to section 1274 because it provides for 
interest equal to the test rate and all interest payable on the 
instrument is qualified stated interest.
    Example 2. Sale of farm for debt instrument with contingent 
interest--(i) Facts. On July 1, 1995, A, an individual, sells to B land 
used as a farm within the meaning of section 6420(c)(2). As partial 
consideration for the sale, B issues a debt instrument calling for a 
single $500,000 payment due in 10 years unless profits from the land in 
each of the 10 years preceding maturity of the debt instrument exceed a 
specified amount, in which case B is to make a payment of $1,200,000. 
The debt instrument does not provide for interest.
    (ii) Total payments may exceed $1,000,000. Even though the total 
payments ultimately payable under the contract may be less than 
$1,000,000, at the time of the sale or exchange it cannot be determined 
that the sales price cannot exceed $1,000,000. Thus, the sale of the 
land used as a farm is not an excepted transaction described in section 
1274(c)(3)(A).
    Example 3. Sale between related parties subject to section 483(e)--
(i) Facts. On July 1, 1995, A, an individual, sells land (not used as a 
farm within the meaning of section 6420(c)(2)) to A's child B for 
$650,000. In consideration for the sale, B issues a 10-year debt 
instrument to A that calls for a payment of $650,000. No other 
consideration is given. The debt instrument does not provide for 
interest.
    (ii) Treatment of debt instrument. For purposes of section 483(e), 
the $650,000 debt instrument is treated as two separate debt 
instruments: a $500,000 debt instrument and a $150,000 debt instrument. 
The $500,000 debt instrument is subject to section 483(e), and 
accordingly is covered by the exception from section 1274 described in 
section 1274(c)(3)(F). Because the amount of the payments due as 
consideration for the sale exceeds $250,000, however, the $150,000 debt 
instrument is subject to section 1274.

[T.D. 8517, 59 FR 4820, Feb. 2, 1994]