Table of Contents
All applicants must complete Part I. Attachments to Form 1128 must show the applicant's name, identifying number, and address. Also indicate that the statement is an attachment to Form 1128.
If the application is filed for a husband and wife who file a joint income tax return, the names of both should appear in the heading.
In general, the filer of the form is the applicant. However, for members of a consolidated group of corporations and certain foreign corporations, Form 1128 may be filed on behalf of the applicant. For a consolidated group of corporations, enter the name and EIN of the parent corporation on the first line as the filer and enter the name(s) and EIN(s) of the member corporations applying for a change in accounting period on the fourth line. For CFCs and 10/50 corporations, enter the name and EIN of the controlling domestic shareholder(s) (common parent, if applicable) on the first line and the name and EIN, if any, of the foreign corporation on the fourth line. If there is more than one filer or applicant, attach a statement listing each filer's or applicant's name and EIN.
Individuals enter their social security number (SSN). If the application is for a husband and wife who file a joint return, enter both SSNs. However, if one or both are engaged in a trade or business, enter the employer identification number (EIN) instead of the SSNs. All other applicants enter their EIN.
Except as discussed below (regarding foreign corporations), if the applicant does not have an EIN or SSN, it must apply for one. An EIN may be applied for:
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Online—Click on the EIN link at www.irs.gov/businesses/small. The EIN is issued immediately once the application information is validated.
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By telephone at 1-800-829-4933 from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm in the corporation's local time zone.
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By mailing or faxing Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number.
A limited liability company must determine which type of federal tax entity it will be (that is, partnership, corporation, or disregarded entity) before applying for an EIN (see Form 8832, Entity Classification Election, for details).
Note.
The online application process is not yet available for the following types of entities: Entities with addresses in foreign countries or Puerto Rico, limited liability company (LLC) without entity type, REMICs, state and local governments, Federal government/military entities, and Indian Tribal Government/Enterprise entities. Please call the toll-free Business and Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933 for assistance in applying for an EIN.
An SSN must be applied for on Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card. Form SS-5 can be obtained at SSA offices or by calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213. It is also available from the SSA website at www.socialsecurity.gov.
If the applicant has not received its EIN or SSN by the time the application is due, write “Applied for” in the space for the identifying number. See Pub. 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records.
Foreign corporations.
If the applicant is a foreign corporation that is not otherwise required to have or obtain an EIN, enter “Not applicable” in the space provided for the identifying number.
Include the suite, room, or other unit number after the street address. If the Post Office does not deliver mail to the street address and the filer has a P.O. box, show the box number instead.
If the filer receives its mail in care of a third party (such as an accountant or attorney), enter on the street address line “C/O” followed by the third party's name and street address or P.O. box.
The person to contact must be the person authorized to sign the Form 1128, or the applicant's authorized representative. If the person to contact is not the filer or the applicant, attach Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative.
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Has shareholders,
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Has assets, or
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Begins doing business. The initial year ends on the day before the first day of the new tax year.
Part II is completed by applicants requesting automatic approval of a change in tax year under:
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Rev. Proc. 2006-45 (corporations),
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Rev. Proc. 2006-46 (pass-through entities),
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Rev. Proc. 2003-62 (individuals),
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Rev. Proc. 76-10, 1976-1 C.B. 548 and Rev. Proc. 85-58 (exempt organizations), and
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Rev. Proc. 85-15, 1985-1 C.B. 516 (all filers), to correct the adoption of an improper tax year to a calendar or fiscal year by (1) filing an amended return on a calendar year basis and attach Form 1128, or (2) file a Form 1128 under the procedures of either Rev. Proc. 2006-45, 2006-46, 2002-39, or its successor.
Note.
Applicants requesting an automatic approval must complete Parts I and II only.
A user fee is not required if requesting an automatic approval under any of the sections of Part II listed below.
Complete Part II if the applicant can use the automatic approval rules under one of the sections listed below and the application is filed on time.
If the applicant is: | Complete only |
A corporation (other than an S corporation or a PSC) | Section A |
A partnership, S corporation, PSC, or a trust | Section B |
An individual | Section C |
A tax-exempt organization | Section D |
If the applicant does not qualify for automatic approval, a ruling must be requested. See Part III for more information.
If the Service Center denies approval because Form 1128 was not filed on time, the applicant can request relief under Regulations section 301.9100-3, discussed earlier under Late Applications on page 2, by completing Part III, as discussed on page 7, and sending Form 1128 to the IRS National Office for consideration.
Rev. Proc. 2006-45 provides exclusive procedures for certain corporations to obtain automatic approval to change their annual accounting period under section 442 and Regulations section 1.442-1(b). A corporation complying with all the applicable provisions of this revenue procedure will be deemed to have established a business purpose and obtained the approval of the IRS to change its accounting period. See Rev. Proc. 2006-45 for more information.
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Has changed its annual accounting period at any time within the most recent 48-month period ending with the last month of the requested tax year. For exceptions, see section 4.02(1) of Rev. Proc. 2006-45.
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Has an interest in a pass-through entity as of the end of the short period. For exceptions, see section 4.02(2) of Rev. Proc. 2006-45.
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Is a shareholder of a FSC or IC-DISC, as of the end of the short period. For exceptions, see section 4.02(3) of Rev. Proc. 2006-45.
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Is a FSC or an IC-DISC.
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Is an S corporation.
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Attempts to make an S corporation election for the tax year immediately following the short period, unless the change is to a permitted S corporation tax year.
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Is a PSC.
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Is a CFC. For exceptions, see section 4.02(8) of Rev. Proc. 2006-45.
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Is a tax-exempt organization, other than an organization exempt from tax under section 521, 526, 527, or 528.
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Is a cooperative association (within the meaning of section 1381(a)) with a loss in the short period required to effect the change of annual accounting period, unless the patrons of the cooperative association are substantially the same in the year before the change of annual accounting period, in the short period required to effect the change, and in the year following the change.
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Is a corporation leaving a consolidated group. The corporation is precluded from using the automatic approval request procedures during the consolidated group's tax year in which the corporation ceased to be a member of the consolidated group. See Rev. Proc. 2007-64, 2007-42 I.R.B. 818 for details.
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Has a required tax year (for example, a real estate investment trust), unless the corporation is changing to its required tax year and is not described in items (1) through (11), above.
Note.
If the corporation is precluded from using the automatic approval rules because of items (2) or (3), listed above, it can nevertheless automatically change to a natural business year that meets the 25-percent gross receipts test described in section 5.04 of Rev. Proc. 2006-45.
Part II—Automatic Approval Request earlier under Where To File. Do not complete Part III. If the corporation is requesting to change to a natural business year that satisfies the 25-percent gross receipts test, also include its gross receipts for the most recent 47 months (or for any predecessor). If the answer to question 1 is “Yes” because the applicant is a CFC that wants to make a one-month deferral election under section 898(c)(2), see Rev. Proc. 2007-64 which modifies the terms and conditions for this election provided in Rev. Proc. 2006-45. If a CFC wants to revoke its one-month deferral election under section 898(c)(2) and change its tax year to the majority U.S. shareholder year (as defined in section 898(c)(3)), attach a statement providing the names, addresses, and identifying numbers for each U.S. shareholder of the foreign corporation. If the answer to question 1 is “No,” go to Part III after completing Section A.
Rev. Proc. 2006-46 provides exclusive procedures for a partnership, S corporation, PSC, or trust within its scope to adopt, change, or retain its annual accounting period under section 442 and Regulations section 1.442-1(b).
The automatic approval request procedures apply to trusts, with the exception of trusts exempt from taxation under section 501(a), charitable trusts described in section 4947(a)(1), and grantor trusts described in Rev. Rul. 90-55, changing to a calendar year.
The rev. proc. only applies to trusts that are using an incorrect tax year and want to change to the required calendar tax year.
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The entity is under examination, unless it obtains consent of the appropriate director as provided in section 7.03(1) of Rev. Proc. 2006-46.
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The entity is before an appeals office with respect to any income tax issue and its annual accounting period is an issue under consideration by the appeals office.
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The entity is before a Federal court with respect to any income tax issue and its annual accounting period is an issue under consideration by the Federal court.
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On the date the partnership or S corporation would otherwise file its application, the partnership's or S corporation's annual accounting period is an issue under consideration in the examination of a partner's or shareholders's federal income tax return or an issue under consideration by an area office or by a Federal court with respect to a partner's or shareholder's federal income tax return.
Note.
If any of the above circumstances apply, you may still be eligible under the automatic approval request procedures if you comply with the procedures explained following item 5 below. See section 7.03 of Rev. Proc. 2006-46 for more information.
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The entity is requesting a change to, or retention of, a natural business year as described in section 4.01(2) of Rev. Proc. 2006-46 if the entity has changed its annual accounting period at any time within the most recent 48-month period ending with the last month of the requested tax year. For this purpose, the following changes are not considered prior changes in annual accounting period: (a) a change to a required tax year or ownership tax year; (b) a change from a 52-53 week tax year to a non-52-53 week tax year that ends with reference to the same calendar month, and vice versa; or (c) a change in accounting period by an S corporation or PSC, in order to comply with the common tax year requirements of Regulations sections 1.1502-75(d)(3)(v) and 1.1502-76(a).
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The applicant is under examination and has obtained the consent of the appropriate director to the change or retention of the applicant's annual accounting period. The applicant must attach to the application a statement from the director consenting to the change or retention. The applicant must also provide a copy of the application to the director at the same time it files the application with the Service Center. The application must contain the name(s) and telephone number(s) of the examination agent(s).
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The applicant is before an appeals (area) office and the applicant's annual accounting period is not an issue under consideration by the appeals (area) office. The applicant must attach to the application a separate statement signed by the applicant certifying that, to the best of the applicant's knowledge, the applicant's annual accounting period is not an issue under consideration by the appeals (area) office. The applicant must also provide a copy of the application to the appeals officer at the same time it files the application with the Service Center. The application must contain the name and telephone number of the appeals officer.
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The applicant is before a Federal court and the applicant's annual accounting period is not an issue under consideration by the Federal court. The applicant must attach to the application a separate statement signed by the applicant certifying that, to the best of the applicant's knowledge, the applicant's annual accounting period is not an issue under consideration by the Federal court. The applicant must also provide a copy of the application to the government counsel at the same time it files the application with the Service Center. The application must contain the name and telephone number of the government counsel.
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Prior 3 years gross receipts:
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Gross receipts from sales and services for the most recent 12-month period that ends with the last month of the requested annual accounting period are totaled and then divided into the amount of gross receipts from sales and services for the last 2 months of this 12-month period.
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The same computation as in a, above is made for the two preceding 12-month periods ending with the last month of the requested annual accounting period.
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Natural business year:
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Except as provided in b, below, if each of the three results described in 1 above equals or exceeds 25 percent, then the requested annual accounting period is deemed to be the taxpayer's natural business year.
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The taxpayer must determine whether any annual accounting period other than the requested annual accounting period also meets the 25-percent test described in a, above. If one or more other annual accounting periods produce higher averages of the three percentages (rounded to 1/100 of a percent) described in 1 above than the requested annual accounting period, then the requested annual accounting period will not qualify as the taxpayer's natural business year.
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Special rules:
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To apply the 25-percent gross receipts test for any particular year, the taxpayer must compute its gross receipts under the method of accounting used to prepare its federal income tax returns for such tax year.
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If the taxpayer has a predecessor organization and is continuing the same business as its predecessor, the taxpayer must use the gross receipts of its predecessor for purposes of computing the 25-percent gross receipts test.
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If the taxpayer (including any predecessor organization) does not have a 47-month period of gross receipts (36-month period for the requested tax year plus an additional 11-month period for comparing the requested tax year with other potential tax years), then it cannot establish a natural business year under this revenue procedure.
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If the requested tax year is a 52-53-week tax year, the calendar month ending nearest to the last day of the 52-53-week tax year is treated as the last month of the requested tax year for purposes of computing the 25-percent gross receipts test.
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“No,” go to Section A of Part III.
A tax-exempt organization can request a change to its tax year under the simplified method of either Rev. Proc. 85-58 or Rev. Proc. 76-10.
Under Rev. Proc. 85-58, an organization exempt under section 501(a) does not have to file Form 1128 unless the following conditions described in section 3.03 of Rev. Proc. 85-58 apply:
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The organization was required to file an annual information return or Form 990-T, Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return, at any time during the last 10 calendar years, and
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The organization has changed its tax year at any time within the last 10 calendar years ending with the calendar year that includes the beginning of the short period resulting from the change of tax year.
An organization described in section 501(c) or (d) is exempt from tax under section 501(a) unless the exemption is denied under section 502 or 503.
Rev. Proc. 85-58 does not apply to:
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Farmers' cooperatives exempt from federal income tax under section 521,
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Organizations described in sections 526, 527, and 528,
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Organizations described in section 401(a), and
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Organizations requesting a change in a tax year on a group basis.
A central organization should follow Rev. Proc. 76-10 to apply for a group change in tax year for all its subordinate organizations.
Rev. Proc. 76-10 does not apply to:
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Farmers' cooperatives exempt from federal income tax under section 521,
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Certain organizations that have unrelated business taxable income defined in section 512(a), and
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Organizations that are private foundations defined in section 509(a).
Part III is completed only by applicants requesting to adopt, change, or retain a tax year that cannot use the automatic procedures listed in Part II.
Also, the applicant must complete the specific section(s) in Part III that applies to that particular applicant.
If the applicant is: | Complete only |
A corporation (other than an S corporation, 10/50 corporation, or CFC) | Sections A and B, plus any other applicable section in Part III |
An S corporation | Sections A and C |
A partnership | Sections A and D |
A CFC or 10/50 corporation | Sections A and E |
Do not file a tax return using the requested tax year until this application is approved.
Rev. Proc. 2002-39 provides the general procedures for obtaining approval to adopt, change, or retain a tax year for taxpayers not qualifying under the automatic approval rules or if the application is late.
All applicants must complete this section to request a ruling on an adoption of, change to, or retention of a tax year.
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The applicant is under examination and has obtained the consent of the appropriate director to the change or retention of the applicant's annual accounting period. The applicant must attach to the application a statement from the director consenting to the change or retention of its annual accounting period. The applicant must also provide a copy of the application to the director at the same time it files the application with the IRS National Office. The application must contain the name(s) and telephone number(s) of the examination agent(s).
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The applicant is before an appeals (area) office and the applicant's annual accounting period is not an issue under consideration by the appeals (area) office. The applicant must attach to the application a separate statement signed by the appropriate person certifying that, to the best of that person's knowledge, the entity's annual accounting period is not an issue under consideration by the appeals (area) office. The applicant must also provide a copy of the application to the appeals officer at the same time it files the application with the IRS National Office. The application must contain the name and telephone number of the appeals officer.
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The applicant is before a Federal court and the applicant's annual accounting period is not an issue under consideration by the Federal court. The applicant must attach to the application a separate statement signed by the appropriate person certifying that, to the best of that person's knowledge, the entity's annual accounting period is not an issue under consideration by the Federal court. The applicant must also provide a copy of the application to the government counsel at the same time it files the application with the IRS National Office. The application must contain the name and telephone number of the government counsel.
Note.
The user fees referred to in the above paragraphs are published in Rev. Proc. 2007-1 (exempt organizations, see Rev. Proc. 2007-8), or an annual update. The annual updates are published as revenue procedures in the Internal Revenue Bulletin. The Internal Revenue Bulletins can be accessed at www.irs.gov/irb. The fees for 2008 are in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2008-1.
Corporations must complete this section and any other section in Part III that applies to that particular entity. For example, a Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) completes Section B and attaches the statement required by Section H. Complete Sections B and F for a tax-exempt organization that is a corporation.
Note.
In addition to excluding CFC's from Section B, 10/50 corporations are also excluded.
An S corporation must have a permitted tax year unless it has elected under section 444 to have a tax year other than the required tax year. A “permitted tax year” is:
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A tax year that ends on December 31 or
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Any other tax year if the corporation can establish a business purpose to the satisfaction of the IRS.
For purposes of 2, above, any deferral of income to shareholders will not be treated as a business purpose. For more information, see Rev. Proc. 2006-46.
If any shareholder is applying for a corresponding change in tax year, that shareholder must file a separate Form 1128 to get advance approval to change its tax year.
A partnership must obtain advance approval from the IRS to adopt, change, or retain a tax year unless it is not required to file Form 1128, or it meets one of the automatic approval rules discussed in Part II, Section B on page 5. See Exceptions on page 1.
Partners must also get separate advance approval to change their tax years.
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