[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: 26CFR1.483-2]

[Page 663-664]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.483-2  Unstated interest.

    (a) In general--(1) Adequate stated interest. For purposes of 
section 483, a contract has unstated interest if the contract does not 
provide for adequate stated interest. A contract does not provide for 
adequate stated interest if the sum of the deferred payments exceeds--
    (i) The sum of the present values of the deferred payments and the 
present values of any stated interest payments due under the contract; 
or
    (ii) In the case of a cash method debt instrument (within the 
meaning of section 1274A(c)(2)) received in exchange for property in a 
potentially abusive situation (as defined in Sec. 1.1274-3), the fair 
market value of the property reduced by the fair market value of any 
consideration other than the debt instrument, and reduced by the sum of 
all principal payments that are not deferred payments.
    (2) Amount of unstated interest. For purposes of section 483, 
unstated interest means an amount equal to the excess of the sum of the 
deferred payments over the amount described in paragraph (a)(1)(i) or 
(a)(1)(ii) of this section, whichever is applicable.
    (b) Operational rules--(1) In general. For purposes of paragraph (a) 
of this section, rules similar to those in Sec. 1.1274-2 apply to 
determine whether a contract has adequate stated interest and the amount 
of unstated interest, if any, on the contract.
    (2) Present value. For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, 
the present value of any deferred payment or interest payment is 
determined by discounting the payment from the date it becomes due to 
the date of the sale or exchange at the test rate of interest applicable 
to the contract in accordance with Sec. 1.483-3.

[[Page 664]]

    (c) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this 
section.

    Example 1. Contract that does not have adequate stated interest. On 
January 1, 1995, A sells B nonpublicly traded property under a contract 
that calls for a $100,000 payment of principal on January 1, 2005, and 
10 annual interest payments of $9,000 on January 1 of each year, 
beginning on January 1, 1996. Assume that the test rate of interest is 
9.2 percent, compounded annually. The contract does not provide for 
adequate stated interest because it does not provide for interest equal 
to 9.2 percent, compounded annually. The present value of the deferred 
payments is $98,727.69. As a result, the contract has unstated interest 
of $1,272.31 ($100,000 - $98,727.69).
    Example 2. Contract that does not have adequate stated interest; no 
interest for initial short period. On May 1, 1996, A sells B nonpublicly 
traded property under a contract that calls for B to make a principal 
payment of $200,000 on December 31, 1998, and semiannual interest 
payments of $9,000, payable on June 30 and December 31 of each year, 
beginning on December 31, 1996. Assume that the test rate of interest is 
9 percent, compounded semiannually. Even though the contract calls for a 
stated rate of interest no lower than the test rate of interest, the 
contract does not provide for adequate stated interest because the 
stated rate of interest does not apply for the short period from May 1, 
1996, through June 30, 1996.
    Example 3. Potentially abusive situation--(i) Facts. In a 
potentially abusive situation, a contract for the sale of nonpublicly 
traded personal property calls for the issuance of a cash method debt 
instrument (as defined in section 1274A(c)(2)) with a stated principal 
amount of $700,000, payable in 5 years. No other consideration is given. 
The debt instrument calls for annual payments of interest over its 
entire term at a rate of 9.2 percent, compounded annually (the test rate 
of interest applicable to the debt instrument). Thus, the present value 
of the deferred payment and the interest payments is $700,000. Assume 
that the fair market value of the property is $500,000.
    (ii) Amount of unstated interest. A cash method debt instrument 
received in exchange for property in a potentially abusive situation 
provides for adequate stated interest only if the sum of the deferred 
payments under the instrument does not exceed the fair market value of 
the property. Because the deferred payment ($700,000) exceeds the fair 
market value of the property ($500,000), the debt instrument does not 
provide for adequate stated interest. Therefore, the debt instrument has 
unstated interest of $200,000.
    Example 4. Variable rate debt instrument with adequate stated 
interest; variable rate as of the issue date greater than the test 
rate-- (i) Facts. A contract for the sale of nonpublicly traded property 
calls for the issuance of a debt instrument in the principal amount of 
$75,000 due in 10 years. The debt instrument calls for interest payable 
semiannually at a rate of 3 percentage points above the yield on 6-month 
Treasury bills at the mid-point of the semiannual period immediately 
preceding each interest payment date. Assume that the interest rate is a 
qualified floating rate and that the debt instrument is a variable rate 
debt instrument within the meaning of Sec. 1.1275-5.
    (ii) Adequate stated interest. Under paragraph (b)(1) of this 
section, rules similar to those in Sec. 1.1274-2(f) apply to determine 
whether the debt instrument has adequate stated interest. Assume that 
the test rate of interest applicable to the debt instrument is 9 
percent, compounded semiannually. Assume also that the yield on 6-month 
Treasury bills on the date of the sale is 8.89 percent, which is greater 
than the yield on 6-month Treasury bills on the first date on which 
there is a binding written contract that substantially sets forth the 
terms under which the sale is consummated. Under Sec. 1.1274-2(f), the 
debt instrument is tested for adequate stated interest as if it provided 
for a stated rate of interest of 11.89 percent (3 percent plus 8.89 
percent), compounded semiannually, payable over its entire term. Because 
the test rate of interest is 9 percent, compounded semiannually, and the 
debt instrument is treated as providing for stated interest of 11.89 
percent, compounded semiannually, the debt instrument provides for 
adequate stated interest.

    (d) Effective date. This section applies to sales and exchanges that 
occur on or after April 4, 1994. Taxpayers, however, may rely on this 
section for sales and exchanges that occur after December 21, 1992, and 
before April 4, 1994.

[T.D. 8517, 59 FR 4806, Feb. 2, 1994]