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§ 121. Exclusion of gain from sale of principal residence – Release date: 2003-05§ 121.
(a) Exclusion
Gross income shall not include gain from the sale or exchange of property if, during the 5-year period ending on the date of the sale or exchange, such property has been owned and used by the taxpayer as the taxpayer’s principal residence for periods aggregating 2 years or more.
(b) Limitations
(1) In general
The amount of gain excluded from gross income under subsection (a) with respect to any sale or exchange shall not exceed $250,000.
(2) Special rules for joint returns
In the case of a husband and wife who make a joint return for the taxable year of the sale or exchange of the property—
(A) $500,000 Limitation for certain joint returns
Paragraph (1) shall be applied by substituting “$500,000” for “$250,000” if—
(i) either spouse meets the ownership requirements of subsection (a) with respect to such property;
(ii) both spouses meet the use requirements of subsection (a) with respect to such property; and
(iii) neither spouse is ineligible for the benefits of subsection (a) with respect to such property by reason of paragraph (3).
(B) Other joint returns
If such spouses do not meet the requirements of subparagraph (A), the limitation under paragraph (1) shall be the sum of the limitations under paragraph (1) to which each spouse would be entitled if such spouses had not been married. For purposes of the preceding sentence, each spouse shall be treated as owning the property during the period that either spouse owned the property.
(3) Application to only 1 sale or exchange every 2 years
(A) In general
Subsection (a) shall not apply to any sale or exchange by the taxpayer if, during the 2-year period ending on the date of such sale or exchange, there was any other sale or exchange by the taxpayer to which subsection (a) applied.
(B) Pre-May 7, 1997, sales not taken into account
Subparagraph (A) shall be applied without regard to any sale or exchange before May 7, 1997.
(c) Exclusion for taxpayers failing to meet certain requirements
(1) In general
In the case of a sale or exchange to which this subsection applies, the ownership and use requirements of subsection (a), and subsection (b)(3), shall not apply; but the dollar limitation under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b), whichever is applicable, shall be equal to—
(A) the amount which bears the same ratio to such limitation (determined without regard to this paragraph) as
(B)
(i) the shorter of—
(I) the aggregate periods, during the 5-year period ending on the date of such sale or exchange, such property has been owned and used by the taxpayer as the taxpayer’s principal residence; or
(II) the period after the date of the most recent prior sale or exchange by the taxpayer to which subsection (a) applied and before the date of such sale or exchange, bears to
(ii) 2 years.
(2) Sales and exchanges to which subsection applies
This subsection shall apply to any sale or exchange if—
(A) subsection (a) would not (but for this subsection) apply to such sale or exchange by reason of—
(i) a failure to meet the ownership and use requirements of subsection (a), or
(ii) subsection (b)(3), and
(B) such sale or exchange is by reason of a change in place of employment, health, or, to the extent provided in regulations, unforeseen circumstances.
(d) Special rules
(1) Joint returns
If a husband and wife make a joint return for the taxable year of the sale or exchange of the property, subsections (a) and (c) shall apply if either spouse meets the ownership and use requirements of subsection (a) with respect to such property.
(2) Property of deceased spouse
For purposes of this section, in the case of an unmarried individual whose spouse is deceased on the date of the sale or exchange of property, the period such unmarried individual owned and used such property shall include the period such deceased spouse owned and used such property before death.
(3) Property owned by spouse or former spouse
For purposes of this section—
(A) Property transferred to individual from spouse or former spouse
In the case of an individual holding property transferred to such individual in a transaction described in section 1041 (a), the period such individual owns such property shall include the period the transferor owned the property.
(B) Property used by former spouse pursuant to divorce decree, etc.
Solely for purposes of this section, an individual shall be treated as using property as such individual’s principal residence during any period of ownership while such individual’s spouse or former spouse is granted use of the property under a divorce or separation instrument (as defined in section 71 (b)(2)).
(4) Tenant-stockholder in cooperative housing corporation
For purposes of this section, if the taxpayer holds stock as a tenant-stockholder (as defined in section 216) in a cooperative housing corporation (as defined in such section), then—
(A) the holding requirements of subsection (a) shall be applied to the holding of such stock, and
(B) the use requirements of subsection (a) shall be applied to the house or apartment which the taxpayer was entitled to occupy as such stockholder.
(5) Involuntary conversions
(A) In general
For purposes of this section, the destruction, theft, seizure, requisition, or condemnation of property shall be treated as the sale of such property.
(B) Application of section 1033
In applying section 1033 (relating to involuntary conversions), the amount realized from the sale or exchange of property shall be treated as being the amount determined without regard to this section, reduced by the amount of gain not included in gross income pursuant to this section.
(C) Property acquired after involuntary conversion
If the basis of the property sold or exchanged is determined (in whole or in part) under section 1033 (b) (relating to basis of property acquired through involuntary conversion), then the holding and use by the taxpayer of the converted property shall be treated as holding and use by the taxpayer of the property sold or exchanged.
(6) Recognition of gain attributable to depreciation
Subsection (a) shall not apply to so much of the gain from the sale of any property as does not exceed the portion of the depreciation adjustments (as defined in section 1250 (b)(3)) attributable to periods after May 6, 1997, in respect of such property.
(7) Determination of use during periods of out-of-residence care
In the case of a taxpayer who—
(A) becomes physically or mentally incapable of self-care, and
(B) owns property and uses such property as the taxpayer’s principal residence during the 5-year period described in subsection (a) for periods aggregating at least 1 year,
then the taxpayer shall be treated as using such property as the taxpayer’s principal residence during any time during such 5-year period in which the taxpayer owns the property and resides in any facility (including a nursing home) licensed by a State or political subdivision to care for an individual in the taxpayer’s condition.
(8) Sales of remainder interests
For purposes of this section—
(A) In general
At the election of the taxpayer, this section shall not fail to apply to the sale or exchange of an interest in a principal residence by reason of such interest being a remainder interest in such residence, but this section shall not apply to any other interest in such residence which is sold or exchanged separately.
(B) Exception for sales to related parties
Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any sale to, or exchange with, any person who bears a relationship to the taxpayer which is described in section 267 (b) or 707 (b).
(e) Denial of exclusion for expatriates
This section shall not apply to any sale or exchange by an individual if the treatment provided by section 877 (a)(1) applies to such individual.
(f) Election to have section not apply
This section shall not apply to any sale or exchange with respect to which the taxpayer elects not to have this section apply.
(g) Residences acquired in rollovers under section 1034
For purposes of this section, in the case of property the acquisition of which by the taxpayer resulted under section 1034 [1] (as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this section) in the nonrecognition of any part of the gain realized on the sale or exchange of another residence, in determining the period for which the taxpayer has owned and used such property as the taxpayer’s principal residence, there shall be included the aggregate periods for which such other residence (and each prior residence taken into account under section 1223 (7) in determining the holding period of such property) had been so owned and used.
§ 1031. Exchange of property held for productive use or investment – Release date: 2003-05-15
(a) Nonrecognition of gain or loss from exchanges solely in kind
(1) In general
No gain or loss shall be recognized on the exchange of property held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment if such property is exchanged solely for property of like kind which is to be held either for productive use in a trade or business or for investment.
(2) Exception
This subsection shall not apply to any exchange of—
(A) stock in trade or other property held primarily for sale,
(B) stocks, bonds, or notes,
(C) other securities or evidences of indebtedness or interest,
(D) interests in a partnership,
(E) certificates of trust or beneficial interests, or
(F) choses in action.
For purposes of this section, an interest in a partnership which has in effect a valid election under section 761 (a) to be excluded from the application of all of subchapter K shall be treated as an interest in each of the assets of such partnership and not as an interest in a partnership.
(3) Requirement that property be identified and that exchange be completed not more than 180 days after transfer of exchanged property
For purposes of this subsection, any property received by the taxpayer shall be treated as property which is not like-kind property if—
(A) such property is not identified as property to be received in the exchange on or before the day which is 45 days after the date on which the taxpayer transfers the property relinquished in the exchange, or
(B) such property is received after the earlier of—
(i) the day which is 180 days after the date on which the taxpayer transfers the property relinquished in the exchange, or
(ii) the due date (determined with regard to extension) for the transferor’s return of the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year in which the transfer of the relinquished property occurs.
(b) Gain from exchanges not solely in kind
If an exchange would be within the provisions of subsection (a), of section 1035(a), of section 1036(a), or of section 1037(a), if it were not for the fact that the property received in exchange consists not only of property permitted by such provisions to be received without the recognition of gain, but also of other property or money, then the gain, if any, to the recipient shall be recognized, but in an amount not in excess of the sum of such money and the fair market value of such other property.
(c) Loss from exchanges not solely in kind
If an exchange would be within the provisions of subsection (a), of section 1035(a), of section 1036(a), or of section 1037(a), if it were not for the fact that the property received in exchange consists not only of property permitted by such provisions to be received without the recognition of gain or loss, but also of other property or money, then no loss from the exchange shall be recognized.
(d) Basis
If property was acquired on an exchange described in this section, section 1035 (a), section 1036(a), or section 1037 (a), then the basis shall be the same as that of the property exchanged, decreased in the amount of any money received by the taxpayer and increased in the amount of gain or decreased in the amount of loss to the taxpayer that was recognized on such exchange. If the property so acquired consisted in part of the type of property permitted by this section, section 1035 (a), section 1036(a), or section 1037 (a), to be received without the recognition of gain or loss, and in part of other property, the basis provided in this subsection shall be allocated between the properties (other than money) received, and for the purpose of the allocation there shall be assigned to such other property an amount equivalent to its fair market value at the date of the exchange. For purposes of this section, section 1035 (a), and section 1036 (a), where as part of the consideration to the taxpayer another party to the exchange assumed (as determined under section 357 (d)) a liability of the taxpayer, such assumption shall be considered as money received by the taxpayer on the exchange.
(e) Exchanges of livestock of different sexes
For purposes of this section, livestock of different sexes are not property of a like kind.
(f) Special rules for exchanges between related persons
(1) In general
If—
(A) a taxpayer exchanges property with a related person,
(B) there is nonrecognition of gain or loss to the taxpayer under this section with respect to the exchange of such property (determined without regard to this subsection), and
(C) before the date 2 years after the date of the last transfer which was part of such exchange—
(i) the related person disposes of such property, or
(ii) the taxpayer disposes of the property received in the exchange from the related person which was of like kind to the property transferred by the taxpayer,
there shall be no nonrecognition of gain or loss under this section to the taxpayer with respect to such exchange; except that any gain or loss recognized by the taxpayer by reason of this subsection shall be taken into account as of the date on which the disposition referred to in subparagraph (C) occurs.
(2) Certain dispositions not taken into account
For purposes of paragraph (1)(C), there shall not be taken into account any disposition—
(A) after the earlier of the death of the taxpayer or the death of the related person,
(B) in a compulsory or involuntary conversion (within the meaning of section 1033) if the exchange occurred before the threat or imminence of such conversion, or
(C) with respect to which it is established to the satisfaction of the Secretary that neither the exchange nor such disposition had as one of its principal purposes the avoidance of Federal income tax.
(3) Related person
For purposes of this subsection, the term “related person” means any person bearing a relationship to the taxpayer described in section 267 (b) or 707 (b)(1).
(4) Treatment of certain transactions
This section shall not apply to any exchange which is part of a transaction (or series of transactions) structured to avoid the purposes of this subsection.
(g) Special rule where substantial diminution of risk
(1) In general
If paragraph (2) applies to any property for any period, the running of the period set forth in subsection (f)(1)(C) with respect to such property shall be suspended during such period.
(2) Property to which subsection applies
This paragraph shall apply to any property for any period during which the holder’s risk of loss with respect to the property is substantially diminished by—
(A) the holding of a put with respect to such property,
(B) the holding by another person of a right to acquire such property, or
(C) a short sale or any other transaction.
(h) Special rules for foreign real and personal property
For purposes of this section—
(1) Real property
Real property located in the United States and real property located outside the United States are not property of a like kind.
(2) Personal property
(A) In general
Personal property used predominantly within the United States and personal property used predominantly outside the United States are not property of a like kind.
(B) Predominant use
Except as provided in subparagraph [1] (C) and (D), the predominant use of any property shall be determined based on—
(i) in the case of the property relinquished in the exchange, the 2-year period ending on the date of such relinquishment, and
(ii) in the case of the property acquired in the exchange, the 2-year period beginning on the date of such acquisition.
(C) Property held for less than 2 years
Except in the case of an exchange which is part of a transaction (or series of transactions) structured to avoid the purposes of this subsection—
(i) only the periods the property was held by the person relinquishing the property (or any related person) shall be taken into account under subparagraph (B)(i), and
(ii) only the periods the property was held by the person acquiring the property (or any related person) shall be taken into account under subparagraph (B)(ii).
(D) Special rule for certain property
Property described in any subparagraph of section 168 (g)(4) shall be treated as used predominantly in the United States.