[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 6]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.463-1T]

[Page 282-283]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.463-1T  Transitional rule for vested accrued vacation pay (temporary).

    (a) Introduction. Section 91(i) of the Tax Reform Act of 1984 
provides a transitional rule for the election under section 463, 
relating to accrual of vacation pay. Section 91(i) applies only in the 
case of taxpayers with respect to which a deduction was allowable (other 
than under section 463) for vested accrued vacation pay for the last 
taxable year ending or or before July 18, 1984.
    (b) Election under transitional rule. A taxpayer described in 
paragraph (a) of this section that makes an election under section 463 
for the first taxable year ending after July 18, 1984, shall compute the 
opening balance of the account described in section 463(a)(1) (``accrual 
account'') with respect to such vacation pay under the rules provided in 
paragraph (e)(3) of this section.
    (c) Multiple vacation pay accounts within a single trade or 
business. (1) An election under section 463 must be made with respect to 
all vacation pay accounts maintained by the taxpayer within a single 
trade or business whether the liability is for vested accrued vacation 
pay or for vacation pay that is contingent.
    (2) If a taxpayer has elected, in a taxable year ending on or before 
July 18, 1984, to treat contingent vacation pay with respect to a single 
trade or business under section 463, the taxpayer may elect, under the 
provisions of section 91(i) of the Tax Reform Act of 1984, to treat 
vested accrued vacation pay with respect to the same trade or business 
under section 463. However, no election may be made with respect to 
vacation pay for which a prior section 463 election was made and that is 
accounted for under section 463.
    (d) Time for making election. A taxpayer described in paragraph (a) 
of this section that makes an election under section 463 for the first 
taxable year ending after July 18, 1984, must make the election on or 
before the due date (determined with regard to extensions) for filing 
the taxpayer's income tax return for such taxable year. However, if the 
taxpayer's income tax return was filed for the first taxable year ending 
after July 18, 1984, prior to March 6, 1986, the taxpayer must make the 
election by the later of the due date (determined with regard to 
extensions) for filing the taxpayer's income tax return, or May 5, 1986. 
In this case, the election must be made by filing an amended return 
(showing adjustments, if any) for such year and attaching the statement 
required by paragraph (e) of this section on or before the later of

[[Page 283]]

the due date (determined with regard to extensions) for filing the 
taxpayer's income tax return, or May 5, 1986.
    (e) Manner of making election. A taxpayer must make the election 
described in paragraph (b) of this section by attaching a statement to 
the taxpayer's income tax return for the first taxable year ending after 
July 18, 1984. The statement must indicate that the taxpayer is electing 
to apply the provisions of section 463 with respect to vested accrued 
vacation pay for the taxpayer's first taxable year ending after July 18, 
1984. The statement must contain the following information:
    (1) The taxpayer's name and a description of the vacation pay plans 
to which the election applies.
    (2) If a taxpayer has more than one trade or business and is not 
making the election with respect to all trades or businesses, a 
description of the trades or businesses to which the election applies.
    (3) The opening balance in the taxpayer's accrual account. This 
balance equals the amount determined as if the taxpayer had maintained 
an account for the last taxable year ending on or before July 18, 1984, 
representing the taxpayer's liability for vested accrued vacation pay 
earned by employees before the close of the last taxable year ending on 
or before July 18, 1984, and payable during that taxable year or within 
12 months following the close of that taxable year. If the taxpayer's 
liability for vacation pay includes both vested accrued vacation pay and 
vacation pay the liability for which is contingent, the amount in the 
opening balance of the accrual account that represents the taxpayer's 
liability for contingent vacation pay is to be determined under the 
rules provided in section 463(b)(2).
    (4) The opening balance in the taxpayer's suspense account. This 
balance equals the amount determined under paragraph (e)(3) of this 
section less the portion allowed as deductions under section 162 for 
prior taxable years for vacation pay earned but not paid at the close of 
the last taxable year ending on or before July 18, 1984.
    (f) Vested accrued vacation pay. For purposes of paragraphs (a) 
through (e) of this section, ``vested accrued vacation pay'' means any 
amount allowable as a deduction under section 162(a) for a taxable year 
with respect to vacation pay of employees of the taxpayer (determined 
without regard to section 463). For purposes of this section, vacation 
pay will be considered vested accrued vacation pay even though there is 
a limit or ceiling on the amount of vacation pay an employee is entitled 
to as of the close of any plan year.

For example, if under a vacation pay plan an employee may accumulate no 
more than 40 days of vacation leave by the end of any plan year and any 
unused days in excess of 40 days are forfeited, the taxpayer is 
considered to have vested accrued vacation pay (even though the plan is 
not fully vested) and may make an election under the transitional rule.

[T.D. 8073, 51 FR 4329, Feb. 4, 1986, as amended at 51 FR 11303, Apr. 2, 
1986]