Instructions for Form 1065 (2006)

General Instructions

This is archived information that pertains only to the 2006 Tax Year. If you
are looking for information for the current tax year, go to the Tax Prep Help Area.

Table of Contents

Purpose of Form

Form 1065 is an information return used to report the income, deductions, gains, losses, etc., from the operation of a partnership. A partnership does not pay tax on its income but “passes through” any profits or losses to its partners. Partners must include partnership items on their tax returns.

Definitions

Partnership

A partnership is the relationship between two or more persons who join to carry on a trade or business, with each person contributing money, property, labor, or skill and each expecting to share in the profits and losses of the business whether or not a formal partnership agreement is made.

The term “partnership” includes a limited partnership, syndicate, group, pool, joint venture, or other unincorporated organization, through or by which any business, financial operation, or venture is carried on, that is not, within the meaning of the regulations under section 7701, a corporation, trust, estate, or sole proprietorship.

A joint undertaking merely to share expenses is not a partnership. Mere co-ownership of property that is maintained and leased or rented is not a partnership. However, if the co-owners provide services to the tenants, a partnership exists.

Foreign Partnership

A foreign partnership is a partnership that is not created or organized in the United States or under the law of the United States or of any state.

General Partner

A general partner is a partner who is personally liable for partnership debts.

General Partnership

A general partnership is composed only of general partners.

Limited Partner

A limited partner is a partner in a partnership formed under a state limited partnership law, whose personal liability for partnership debts is limited to the amount of money or other property that the partner contributed or is required to contribute to the partnership. Some members of other entities, such as domestic or foreign business trusts or limited liability companies that are classified as partnerships, may be treated as limited partners for certain purposes. See, for example, Temporary Regulations section 1.469-5T(e)(3), which treats all members with limited liability as limited partners for purposes of section 469(h)(2).

Limited Partnership

A limited partnership is formed under a state limited partnership law and composed of at least one general partner and one or more limited partners.

Limited Liability Partnership

A limited liability partnership (LLP) is formed under a state limited liability partnership law. Generally, a partner in an LLP is not personally liable for the debts of the LLP or any other partner, nor is a partner liable for the acts or omissions of any other partner, solely by reason of being a partner.

Limited Liability Company

A limited liability company (LLC) is an entity formed under state law by filing articles of organization as an LLC. Unlike a partnership, none of the members of an LLC are personally liable for its debts. An LLC may be classified for federal income tax purposes as a partnership, a corporation, or an entity disregarded as an entity separate from its owner by applying the rules in Regulations section 301.7701-3. See Form 8832, Entity Classification Election, for more details.

A domestic LLC with at least two members that does not file Form 8832 is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

Nonrecourse Loans

Nonrecourse loans are those liabilities of the partnership for which no partner bears the economic risk of loss.

Who Must File

Domestic Partnerships

Except as provided below, every domestic partnership must file Form 1065, unless it neither receives income nor incurs any expenditures treated as deductions or credits for federal income tax purposes.

Entities formed as LLCs that are classified as partnerships for federal income tax purposes must file Form 1065.

A religious or apostolic organization exempt from income tax under section 501(d) must file Form 1065 to report its taxable income, which must be allocated to its members as a dividend, whether distributed or not. Such an organization must figure its taxable income on an attachment to Form 1065 in the same manner as a corporation. The organization may use Form 1120, U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, for this purpose. Enter the organization's taxable income, if any, on line 6a of Schedule K and each member's pro rata share in box 6a of Schedule K-1. Net operating losses are not deductible by the members but may be carried back or forward by the organization under the rules of section 172. The religious or apostolic organization also must make its annual information return available for public inspection. For this purpose, “annual information return” includes an exact copy of Form 1065 and all accompanying schedules and attachments, except Schedules K-1. For more details, see Regulations section 301.6104(d)-1.

A qualifying syndicate, pool, joint venture, or similar organization may elect under section 761(a) not to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and will not be required to file Form 1065 except for the year of election. For details, see section 761(a) and Regulations section 1.761-2.

An electing large partnership (as defined in section 775) must file Form 1065-B, U.S. Return of Income for Electing Large Partnerships.

Real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs) must file Form 1066, U.S. Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit (REMIC) Income Tax Return.

Certain publicly traded partnerships treated as corporations under section 7704 must file Form 1120.

Foreign Partnerships

Generally, a foreign partnership that has gross income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States or has gross income derived from sources in the United States must file Form 1065, even if its principal place of business is outside the United States or all its members are foreign persons. A foreign partnership required to file a return generally must report all of its foreign and U.S. source income.

A foreign partnership with U.S. source income is not required to file Form 1065 if it qualifies for either of the following two exceptions.

Exception for foreign partnerships with U.S. partners. A return is not required if:

The partnership had no effectively connected income (ECI) during its tax year,
The partnership had U.S. source income of $20,000 or less during its tax year,
Less than 1% of any partnership item of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit was allocable in the aggregate to direct U.S. partners at any time during its tax year, and
The partnership is not a withholding foreign partnership as defined in Regulations section 1.1441-5(c)(2)(i).

Exception for foreign partnerships with no U.S. partners. A return is not required if:

The partnership had no ECI during its tax year,
The partnership had no U.S. partners at any time during its tax year,
All required Forms 1042 and 1042-S were filed by the partnership or another withholding agent as required by Regulations section 1.1461-1(b) and (c),
The tax liability of each partner for amounts reportable under Regulations sections 1.1461-1(b) and (c) has been fully satisfied by the withholding of tax at the source, and
The partnership is not a withholding foreign partnership as defined in Regulations section 1.1441-5(c)(2)(i).

A foreign partnership filing Form 1065 solely to make an election (such as an election to amortize organization expenses) need only provide its name, address, and employer identification number (EIN) on page one of the form and attach a statement citing “Regulations section 1.6031(a)-1(b)(5)” and identifying the election being made. A foreign partnership filing Form 1065 solely to make an election must obtain an EIN if it does not already have one.

Termination of the Partnership

A partnership terminates when:

All its operations are discontinued and no part of any business, financial operation, or venture is continued by any of its partners in a partnership or
At least 50% of the total interest in partnership capital and profits is sold or exchanged within a 12-month period, including a sale or exchange to another partner. See Regulations section 1.708-1(b)(1) for more details.

The partnership's tax year ends on the date of termination. For purposes of 1 above, the date of termination is the date the partnership winds up its affairs. For purposes of 2 above, the date of termination is the date the partnership interest is sold or exchanged that, of itself or together with other sales or exchanges in the preceding 12 months, transfers an interest of 50% or more in both partnership capital and profits.

Special rules apply in the case of a merger, consolidation, or division of a partnership. See Regulations sections 1.708-1(c) and (d) for details.

Electronic Filing

Certain partnerships with more than 100 partners are required to file Form 1065, Schedules K-1, and related forms and schedules electronically. Other partnerships generally have the option to file electronically.

There is a new Modernized e-file system for electronic filing of returns filed during 2007, but you can continue to use the old (Legacy) electronic filing system during 2007.

Use the forms and publications specific to the system you choose. See the instructions below for each system.

Modernized e-file System

Under the new modernized e-file system, the option to file electronically does not apply to certain returns, including:

Amended returns,
Bankruptcy returns,
Returns with a name change,
Returns with precomputed penalty and interest,
Returns with reasonable cause for failing to file timely,

For more details on electronic filing using the modernized e-file system, see:

Publication 3112, IRS e-file Application and Participation;
Publication 4163, Modernized e-file (MeF) Information for Authorized IRS e-file Providers;
Form 8453-PE, U.S. Partnership Declaration form an IRS e-file Return; and
Form 8879-PE, IRS e-file Signature Authorization for Form 1065.

Legacy System

Under the old Legacy system, the option to file electronically does not apply to:

Fiscal year returns with a tax period ending after June 30, 2007. Partnerships with any other fiscal year returns ending on or before June 30, 2007 (January 2007-June 2007) may voluntarily file their return using Legacy e-file.

Note.

Fiscal year returns with an extended due date after October 15, 2007, may not file using Legacy e-file.
Returns filed for religious or apostolic organizations under section 501(d) or for organizations electing not to be treated as a partnership under section 761(a).
Common trust fund returns. Common trust funds using Form 1065 to make a return of income may voluntarily file Form 1065 using Legacy e-file.

For more details on electronic filing using the legacy system, see:

Pub. 1524, Procedures for the 1065 e-file Program, U.S. Return of Partnership Income For Tax Year 2006;
Pub. 1525, File Specifications, Validation Criteria and Record Layouts for the 1065 e-file Program, U.S. Return of Partnership Income for Tax Year 2006;
Pub. 3416, 1065 e-file Program, U.S. Return of Partnership Income for Tax Year 2006 (Publication 1525 Supplement);
Form 8453-P, U.S. Partnership Declaration and Signature for Electronic Filing; and
Form 8633, Application to Participate in the IRS e-file Program.

For More Information on Filing Electronically

Call the Electronic Filing Section at the Ogden Service Center at 866-255-0654,
Write to Internal Revenue Service, Ogden Submission Processing Center, 1065 e-file Team, Stop 1056, Ogden, UT 84201, or
Visit www.irs.gov/efile.

Electronic Filing Waiver

The IRS may waive the electronic filing rules if the partnership demonstrates that a hardship would result if it were required to file its return electronically. A partnership interested in requesting a waiver of the mandatory electronic filing requirement must file a written request, and request one in the manner prescribed by the Ogden Submission Processing Center (OSPC).

All written requests for waivers should be mailed to:Internal Revenue ServiceOgden Submission Processing Centere-file Team, Stop 1057Ogden, UT 84201
Contact OSPC at 866-255-0654 for questions regarding the waiver procedures or process.

When To File

Generally, a domestic partnership must file Form 1065 by the 15th day of the 4th month following the date its tax year ended as shown at the top of Form 1065. For partnerships that keep their records and books of account outside the United States and Puerto Rico, an extension of time to file and pay is granted to the 15th day of the 6th month following the close of the tax year.

Do not file Form 7004, Application for Automatic 6-Month Extension of Time To File Certain Business, Income Tax, Information, and Other Returns, if the partnership is taking this 2-month extension of time to file and pay. Attach a statement to the partnership's tax return stating that the partnership qualifies for the extension of time to file and pay. If the partnership is unable to file its return within the 2-month period, use Form 7004 to request an additional 4-month extension.

If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, file by the next business day.

Private Delivery Services

Partnerships can use certain private delivery services designated by the IRS to meet the “timely mailing as timely filing/paying” rule for Form 1065. These private delivery services include only the following.

DHL Express (DHL): DHL Same Day Service, DHL Next Day 10:30 am, DHL Next Day 12:00 pm, DHL Next Day 3:00 pm, and DHL 2nd Day Service.
Federal Express (FedEx): FedEx Priority Overnight, FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx 2Day, FedEx International Priority, and FedEx International First.
United Parcel Service (UPS): UPS Next Day Air, UPS Next Day Air Saver, UPS 2nd Day Air, UPS 2nd Day Air A.M., UPS Worldwide Express Plus, and UPS Worldwide Express.

The private delivery service can tell you how to get written proof of the mailing date.

Private delivery services cannot deliver items to P.O. boxes. You must use the U.S. Postal Service to mail any item to an IRS P.O. box address.

Extension of Time To File

If you need more time to file a partnership return, file Form 7004 to request a 6-month extension of time to file. File Form 7004 by the regular due date of the partnership return.

Period Covered

Form 1065 is an information return for calendar year 2006 and fiscal years beginning in 2006 and ending in 2007. If the return is for a fiscal year or a short tax year, fill in the tax year space at the top of Form 1065 and each Schedule K-1.

The 2006 Form 1065 may also be used if:

The partnership has a tax year of less than 12 months that begins and ends in 2007 and
The 2007 Form 1065 is not available by the time the partnership is required to file its return.

However, the partnership must show its 2007 tax year on the 2006 Form 1065 and incorporate any tax law changes that are effective for tax years beginning after 2006.

Where To File

File Form 1065 at the applicable IRS address listed below. If Schedule M-3 is filed, Form 1065 must be filed at the Ogden Internal Revenue Service Center as shown below.

If the partnership's principal business, office, or agency is located in:	And the total assets at the end of the tax year (Form 1065, page 1, item F) are:	Use the following Internal Revenue Service Center address:
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin	Less than $10 million and Schedule M-3 is not filed	Cincinnati, OH 45999-0011
	$10 million or more	Ogden, UT 84201-0011
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming	Any amount	Ogden, UT 84201-0011
A foreign country or U.S. possession	Any amount	P.O. Box 409101 Ogden, UT 84409

Who Must Sign

General Partner or LLC Member Manager

Form 1065 is not considered to be a return unless it is signed. One general partner or LLC member manager must sign the return. Where a return is made for a partnership by a receiver, trustee or assignee, the fiduciary must sign the return, instead of the general partner or LLC member manager. Returns and forms signed by a receiver or trustee in bankruptcy on behalf of a partnership must be accompanied by a copy of the order or instructions of the court authorizing signing of the return or form.

Paid Preparer's Information

If a partner or an employee of the partnership completes Form 1065, the paid preparer's space should remain blank. In addition, anyone who prepares Form 1065 but does not charge the partnership should not complete this section.

Generally, anyone who is paid to prepare the partnership return must:

Sign the return in the space provided for the preparer's signature.
Fill in the other blanks in the “Paid Preparer's Use Only” area of the return.
Give the partnership a copy of the return in addition to the copy to be filed with the IRS.

A paid preparer may sign original or amended returns by rubber stamp, mechanical device, or computer software program.

Paid Preparer Authorization

If the partnership wants to allow the paid preparer to discuss its 2006 Form 1065 with the IRS, check the “Yes” box in the signature area of the return. The authorization applies only to the individual whose signature appears in the “Paid Preparer's Use Only” section of its return. It does not apply to the firm, if any, shown in the section.

If the “Yes” box is checked, the partnership is authorizing the IRS to call the paid preparer to answer any questions that may arise during the processing of its return. The partnership is also authorizing the paid preparer to:

Give the IRS any information that is missing from its return,
Call the IRS for information about the processing of its return, and
Respond to certain IRS notices about math errors and return preparation.

The partnership is not authorizing the paid preparer to bind the partnership to anything or otherwise represent the partnership before the IRS. If the partnership wants to expand the paid preparer's authorization, see Pub. 947, Practice Before the IRS and Power of Attorney.

The authorization cannot be revoked. However, the authorization will automatically end no later than the due date (excluding extensions) for filing the 2007 return.

Penalties

Late Filing of Return

A penalty is assessed against the partnership if it is required to file a partnership return and it (a) fails to file the return by the due date, including extensions or (b) files a return that fails to show all the information required, unless such failure is due to reasonable cause. If the failure is due to reasonable cause, attach an explanation to the partnership return. The penalty is $50 for each month or part of a month (for a maximum of 5 months) the failure continues, multiplied by the total number of persons who were partners in the partnership during any part of the partnership's tax year for which the return is due.

Failure To Furnish Information Timely

For each failure to furnish Schedule K-1 to a partner when due and each failure to include on Schedule K-1 all the information required to be shown (or the inclusion of incorrect information), a $50 penalty may be imposed with respect to each Schedule K-1 for which a failure occurs. The maximum penalty is $100,000 for all such failures during a calendar year. If the requirement to report correct information is intentionally disregarded, each $50 penalty is increased to $100 or, if greater, 10% of the aggregate amount of items required to be reported, and the $100,000 maximum does not apply.

Trust Fund Recovery Penalty

This penalty may apply if certain excise, income, social security, and Medicare taxes that must be collected or withheld are not collected or withheld, or these taxes are not paid. These taxes are generally reported on:

Form 720, Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return;
Form 941, Employer's QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return;
Form 943, Employer's Annual Federal Tax Return for Agricultural Employees; or
Form 945, Annual Return of Withheld Federal Income Tax.

The trust fund recovery penalty may be imposed on all persons who are determined by the IRS to have been responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying over these taxes, and who acted willfully in not doing so. The penalty is equal to the unpaid trust fund tax. See the Instructions for Form 720, Pub. 15, (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide, or Pub. 51, (Circular A), Agricultural Employer's Tax Guide, for more details, including the definition of a responsible person.

Accounting Methods

An accounting method is a set of rules used to determine when and how income and expenditures are reported. Figure ordinary business income using the method of accounting regularly used in keeping the partnership's books and records. In all cases, the method used must clearly show taxable income.

Generally, permissible methods include:

Cash,
Accrual, or
Any other method authorized by the Internal Revenue Code.

Generally, a partnership may not use the cash method of accounting if (a) it has at least one corporate partner, average annual gross receipts of more than $5 million, and it is not a farming business or (b) it is a tax shelter (as defined in section 448(d)(3)). See section 448 for details.

Accrual method. If inventories are required, an accrual method of accounting must be used for sales and purchases of merchandise. However, qualifying taxpayers and eligible businesses of qualifying small business taxpayers are excepted from using an accrual method and may account for inventoriable items as materials and supplies that are not incidental. For more details, see Schedule A. Cost of Goods Sold, on page 19.

Under the accrual method, an amount is includible in income when:

All the events have occurred that fix the right to receive the income, which is the earliest of the date:
- Payment is earned through the required performance,
- Payment is due to the taxpayer, or
- Payment is received by the taxpayer and
The amount can be determined with reasonable accuracy.

See Regulations section 1.451-1(a) for details.

Generally, an accrual basis taxpayer can deduct accrued expenses in the tax year in which:

All events that determine the liability have occurred,
The amount of the liability can be figured with reasonable accuracy, and
Economic performance takes place with respect to the expense.

For property and service liabilities, for example, economic performance occurs as the property or service is provided. There are special economic performance rules for certain items, including recurring expenses. See section 461(h) and the related regulations for the rules for determining when economic performance takes place.

Nonaccrual experience method. Accrual method partnerships are not required to accrue certain amounts to be received from the performance of services that, on the basis of their experience, will not be collected, if:

The services are in the fields of health, law, engineering, architecture, accounting, actuarial science, performing arts, or consulting or
The partnership's average annual gross receipts for the 3 prior tax years does not exceed $5 million.

This provision does not apply to any amount if interest is required to be paid on the amount or if there is any penalty for failure to timely pay the amount. For information, see section 448(d)(5) and Temporary Regulations section 1.448-2T. For reporting requirements, see the instructions for line 1a on page 15.

Percentage of completion method. Long-term contracts (except for certain real property construction contracts) must generally be accounted for using the percentage of completion method described in section 460. See section 460 and the underlying regulations for rules on long-term contracts.

Mark-to-market accounting method. Dealers in securities must use the mark-to-market accounting method described in section 475. Under this method, any security that is inventory to the dealer must be included in inventory at its fair market value (FMV). Any security that is not inventory and that is held at the close of the tax year is treated as sold at its FMV on the last business day of the tax year, and any gain or loss must be taken into account in determining gross income. The gain or loss taken into account is generally treated as ordinary gain or loss. For details, including exceptions, see section 475, the related regulations, and Rev. Rul. 94-7, 1994-1 C.B. 151.

Dealers in commodities and traders in securities and commodities can elect to use the mark-to-market accounting method. To make the election, the partnership must file a statement describing the election, the first tax year the election is to be effective, and, in the case of an election for traders in securities or commodities, the trade or business for which the election is made. Except for new taxpayers, the statement must be filed by the due date (not including extensions) of the income tax return for the tax year immediately preceding the election year and attached to that return, or, if applicable, to a request for an extension of time to file that return. For more details, see Rev. Proc. 99-17, 1999-1 I.R.B. 52, and sections 475(e) and (f).

Change in accounting method. Generally, the partnership must get IRS consent to change its method of accounting used to report income (for income as a whole or for any material item). To do so, it must file Form 3115, Application for Change in Accounting Method. See Form 3115.

Section 481(a) adjustment. The partnership may have to make an adjustment to prevent amounts of income or expenses from being duplicated. This is called a section 481(a) adjustment. The section 481(a) adjustment period is generally 1 year for a net negative adjustment and 4 years for a net positive adjustment. However, a partnership may elect to use a 1-year adjustment period for positive adjustments if the net section 481(a) adjustment for the accounting method change is less than $25,000. The partnership must complete the appropriate lines of Form 3115 to make the election.

Include any net positive section 481(a) adjustment on page 1, line 7. If the net section 481(a) adjustment is negative, report it on Form 1065, line 20.

Accounting Periods

A partnership is generally required to have one of the following tax years.

In determining the tax year of a partnership under 1, 2, or 3 above, the tax years of certain tax-exempt and foreign partners are disregarded. See Regulations section 1.706-1(b) for more details.

The tax year of a majority of its partners (majority tax year).
If there is no majority tax year, then the tax year common to all of the partnership's principal partners (partners with an interest of 5% or more in the partnership profits or capital).
If there is neither a majority tax year nor a tax year common to all principal partners, then the tax year that results in the least aggregate deferral of income.
Some other tax year, if:
- The partnership can establish that there is a business purpose for the tax year;
- The partnership elects under section 444 to have a tax year other than a required tax year by filing Form 8716, Election to Have a Tax Year Other Than a Required Tax Year. For a partnership to have this election in effect, it must make the payments required by section 7519 and file Form 8752, Required Payment or Refund Under Section 7519.
  
  A section 444 election ends if a partnership changes its accounting period to its required tax year or some other permitted year or it is penalized for willfully failing to comply with the requirements of section 7519. If the termination results in a short tax year, type or legibly print at the top of the first page of Form 1065 for the short tax year, “SECTION 444 ELECTION TERMINATED”; or
- The partnership elects to use a 52-53 week tax year that ends with reference to either its required tax year or a tax year elected under section 444.

Change of tax year. To change its tax year or to adopt or retain a tax year other than its required tax year, the partnership must file Form 1128, Application To Adopt, Change, or Retain a Tax Year, unless the partnership is making an election under section 444.

The tax year of a common trust fund must be the calendar year.

Rounding Off to Whole Dollars

The partnership can round off cents to whole dollars on its return and schedules. If the partnership does round to whole dollars, it must round all amounts. To round, drop amounts under 50 cents and increase amounts from 50 to 99 cents to the next dollar. For example, $1.39 becomes $1 and $2.50 becomes $3.

If two or more amounts must be added to figure the amount to enter on a line, include cents when adding the amounts and round off only the total.

Recordkeeping

The partnership must keep its records as long as they may be needed for the administration of any provision of the Internal Revenue Code. If the consolidated audit procedures of sections 6221 through 6234 apply, the partnership usually must keep records that support an item of income, deduction, or credit on the partnership return for 3 years from the date the return is due or is filed, whichever is later. If the consolidated audit procedures do not apply, these records usually must be kept for 3 years from the date each partner's return is due or is filed, whichever is later. It must also keep records that verify the partnership's basis in property for as long as they are needed to figure the basis of the original or replacement property.

The partnership should also keep copies of all returns it has filed. They help in preparing future returns and in making computations when filing an amended return.

Amended Return

To correct an error on a Form 1065 already filed, file an amended Form 1065 and check box G(5) on page 1. Attach a statement that identifies the line number of each amended item, the corrected amount or treatment of the item, and an explanation of the reasons for each change. If the income, deductions, credits, or other information provided to any partner on Schedule K-1 are incorrect, file an amended Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) for that partner with the amended Form 1065. Also give a copy of the amended Schedule K-1 to that partner. Check the “Amended K-1” box at the top of the Schedule K-1 to indicate that it is an amended Schedule K-1.

If the partnership is filing an amended partnership return and the partnership is subject to the consolidated audit proceedings of sections 6221 through 6234, the tax matters partner must file Form 8082, Notice of Inconsistent Treatment or Administrative Adjustment Request (AAR).

A change to the partnership's federal return may affect its state return. This includes changes made as a result of an examination of the partnership return by the IRS. For more information, contact the state tax agency for the state in which the partnership return is filed.

Other Forms, Returns, And Statements That May Be Required

Form, Return or Statement	Use this to—
W-2 and W-3—Wage and Tax Statement; and Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements	Report wages, tips, other compensation, and withheld income, social security and Medicare taxes for employees.
720—Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return	Report and pay environmental excise taxes, communications and air transportation taxes, fuel taxes, manufacturers taxes, ship passenger tax, and certain other excise taxes. Also see Trust Fund Recovery Penalty on page 5.
940—Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return	Report and pay FUTA tax.
941—Employer's QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return	Report quarterly income tax withheld on wages and employer and employee social security and Medicare taxes. Also see Trust Fund Recovery Penalty on page 5.
943—Employer's Annual Federal Tax Return for Agricultural Employees	Report income tax withheld and employer and employee social security and Medicare taxes on farmworkers. Also see Trust Fund Recovery Penalty on page 5.
945—Annual Return of Withheld Federal Income Tax	Report income tax withheld from nonpayroll payments, including pensions, annuities, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), gambling winnings, and backup withholding. Also see Trust Fund Recovery Penalty on page 5.
1042 and 1042-S—Annual Withholding Tax Return for U.S. Source Income of Foreign Persons; and Foreign Person's U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding	Report and send withheld tax on payments or distributions made to nonresident alien individuals, foreign partnerships, or foreign corporations to the extent these payments or distributions constitute gross income from sources within the United States that is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. A domestic partnership must also withhold tax on a foreign partner's distributive share of such income, including amounts that are not actually distributed. Withholding on amounts not previously distributed to a foreign partner must be made and paid over by the earlier of: The date on which Schedule K-1 is sent to that partner or The 15th day of the 3rd month after the end of the partnership's tax year. For more details, see sections 1441 and 1442 and Pub. 515, Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Entities.
1042-T—Annual Summary and Transmittal of Forms 1042-S	Transmit paper Forms 1042-S to the IRS.
1096—Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns	Transmit paper Forms 1099, 1098, 5498, and W-2G to the IRS.
1098—Mortgage Interest Statement	Report the receipt from any individual of $600 or more of mortgage interest (including certain points) in the course of the partnership's trade or business.
1099-A, B, C, INT, LTC, MISC, OID, R, S, and SA Important. Every partnership must file Forms 1099-MISC if, in the course of its trade or business, it makes payments of rents, commissions, or other fixed or determinable income (see section 6041) totaling $600 or more to any one person during the calendar year.	Report the following: Acquisitions or abandonments of secured property; Proceeds from broker and barter exchange transactions; Cancellation of debts; Interest payments; Payments of long-term care and accelerated death benefits; Miscellaneous income payments; Original issue discount; Distributions from pensions, annuities, retirement or profit-sharing plans, IRAs, insurance contracts, etc.; Proceeds from real estate transactions; and Distributions from an HSA, Archer MSA, or Medicare Advantage MSA. Also use these returns to report amounts received as a nominee for another person. For more details, see the General Instructions for Forms 1099, 1098, 5498, and W-2G.
5471—Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations	A partnership may have to file Form 5471 if it: Controls a foreign corporation; or Acquires, disposes of, or owns 10% or more in value of the outstanding stock of a foreign corporation; or Owns stock in a corporation that is a controlled foreign corporation for an uninterrupted period of 30 days or more during any tax year of the foreign corporation, and it owned that stock on the last day of that year.
5713—International Boycott Report	Report operations in, or related to, a “boycotting” country, company, or national of a country and to figure the loss of certain tax benefits. The partnership must give each partner a copy of the Form 5713 filed by the partnership if there has been participation in, or cooperation with, an international boycott.
8264—Application for Registration of a Tax Shelter	Until further guidance is issued, material advisors who provide material aid, assistance, or advice with respect to any reportable transaction after October 22, 2004, must use Form 8264 to disclose reportable transactions in accordance with interim guidance provided in Notice 2004-80, 2004-50, I.R.B. 963, Notice 2005-17, 2005-8 I.R.B. 606, and Notice 2005-22, 2005-12 I.R.B 756.
8271—Investor Reporting of Tax Shelter Registration Number	Report the registration number for a tax shelter that is required to be registered. Attach Form 8271 to any return on which a deduction, credit, loss, or other tax benefit attributable to a registered tax shelter is taken or any income attributable to a registered tax shelter is reported.
8275—Disclosure Statement	Disclose items or positions, except those contrary to a regulation, that are not otherwise adequately disclosed on a tax return. The disclosure is made to avoid the parts of the accuracy-related penalty imposed for disregard of rules or substantial understatement of tax. Also use Form 8275 for disclosures relating to preparer penalties for understatements due to unrealistic positions or disregard of rules.
8275-R—Regulation Disclosure Statement	Disclose any item on a tax return for which a position has been taken that is contrary to Treasury regulations.
8288 and 8288-A—U.S. Withholding Tax Return for Dispositions by Foreign Persons of U.S. Real Property Interests; and Statement of Withholding on Dispositions by Foreign Persons of U.S. Real Property Interests	Report and send withheld tax on the sale of U.S. real property by a foreign person. See section 1445 and the related regulations for additional information.
8300—Report of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a Trade or Business	Report the receipt of more than $10,000 in cash or foreign currency in one transaction or a series of related transactions.
8308—Report of a Sale or Exchange of Certain Partnership Interests	Report the sale or exchange by a partner of all or part of a partnership interest where any money or other property received in exchange for the interest is attributable to unrealized receivables or inventory items.
8594—Asset Acquisition Statement Under Section 1060	Report a sale of assets if goodwill or going concern value attaches, or could attach, to such assets. Both the seller and buyer of a group of assets that makes up a trade or business must use this form.
8697—Interest Computation Under the Look-Back Method for Completed Long-Term Contracts	Figure the interest due or to be refunded under the look-back method of section 460(b)(2) on certain long-term contracts that are accounted for under either the percentage of completion-capitalized cost method or the percentage of completion method. Partnerships that are not closely held use this form. Closely held partnerships should see the instructions on page 34 for line 20c, Look-back interest—completed long-term contracts (code J), for details on the Form 8697 information they must provide to their partners.
8804, 8805, and 8813—Annual Return for Partnership Withholding Tax (Section 1446); Foreign Partner's Information Statement of Section 1446 Withholding Tax; and Partnership Withholding Tax Payment (Section 1446)	Figure and report the withholding tax on the distributive shares of any effectively connected gross income for foreign partners. This is done on Forms 8804 and 8805. Use Form 8813 to send installment payments of withheld tax based on effectively connected taxable income allocable to foreign partners. Exception.Publicly traded partnerships that do not elect to pay tax based on effectively connected taxable income do not file these forms. They must instead withhold tax on distributions to foreign partners and report and send payments using Forms 1042 and 1042-S. See Regulations sections 1.1446-4 and 7, for more information.
8832—Entity Classification Election	File an election to make a change in classification. Except for a business entity automatically classified as a corporation, a business entity with at least two members may choose to be classified either as a partnership or an association taxable as a corporation. A domestic eligible entity with at least two members that does not file Form 8832 is classified under the default rules as a partnership. However, a foreign eligible entity with at least two members is classified under the default rules as a partnership only if at least one member does not have limited liability. File Form 8832 only if the entity does not want to be classified under these default rules or if it wants to change its classification.
8865—Return of U.S. Person With Respect To Certain Foreign Partnerships	Report an interest in a foreign partnership. A domestic partnership may have to file Form 8865 if it: Controlled a foreign partnership (that is, it owned more than 50% direct or indirect interest in the partnership). Owned at least a 10% direct or indirect interest in a foreign partnership while U.S. persons controlled that partnership. Had an acquisition, disposition, or change in proportional interest of a foreign partnership that: a. Increased its direct interest to at least 10% or reduced its direct interest of at least 10% to less than 10% or b. Changed its direct interest by at least a 10% interest. Contributed property to a foreign partnership in exchange for a partnership interest if: a. Immediately after the contribution, the partnership directly or indirectly owned at least a 10% interest in the foreign partnership or b. The FMV of the property the partnership contributed to the foreign partnership in exchange for a partnership interest exceeds $100,000, when added to other contributions of property made to the foreign partnership (by the partnership or a related person) during the preceding 12-month period. Also, the domestic partnership may have to file Form 8865 to report certain dispositions by a foreign partnership of property it previously contributed to that partnership if it was a partner at the time of the disposition. For more details, including penalties for failing to file Form 8865, see Form 8865 and its separate instructions.
8866—Interest Computation Under the Look-Back Method for Property Depreciated Under the Income Forecast Method	Figure the interest due or to be refunded under the look-back method of section 167(g)(2) for certain property placed in service after September 13, 1995, depreciated under the income forecast method. Partnerships that are not closely held use this form. Closely held partnerships should see the instructions on page 34 for line 20c, Look-back interest—income forecast method (code K), of Schedule K-1 for details on the Form 8866 information they must provide to their partners.
8876—Excise Tax on Structured Settlement Factoring Transactions	Report and pay the 40% excise tax imposed under section 5891.
Form 8886—Reportable Transaction Disclosure Statement	Disclose information for each reportable transaction in which the partnership participated. Form 8886 must be filed for each tax year the partnership participated in the reportable transaction. The partnership may have to pay a penalty if it's required to file Form 8886 and does not do so. The following are reportable transactions. Any listed transaction, which is a transaction that is the same as or substantially similar to tax avoidance transactions identified by the IRS. Any transaction offered under conditions of confidentiality for which the partnership paid a minimum fee of at least $50,000 ($250,000 for partnerships if all partners are corporations). Certain transactions for which the partnership has contractual protection against disallowance of the tax benefits. Certain transactions resulting in a loss of at least $2 million in any single year or $4 million in any combination of years. Certain transactions resulting in a tax credit of more than $250,000, if the partnership held the asset generating the credit for 45 days or less. See Regulations section 1.6011-4 and the instructions on page 35 for line 20c, Other information (code W), for more information.
Statement of section 743(b) basis adjustments	Report the adjustment of basis under section 743(b). If the partnership is required to adjust the basis of partnership properties under section 743(b) because of a section 754 election or because of a substantial built-in loss as defined in section 743(d) on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest or on the death of a partner, the partnership must attach a statement to its return for the year of the transfer. The statement must list: The name and identifying number of the transferee partner, The computation of the adjustment, and The partnership properties to which the adjustment has been allocated. See section 743 and Elections Made by the Partnership on page 9 for more information.

Assembling the Return

When submitting Form 1065, organize the pages of the return in the following order:

Pages 1-4,
Schedule F (if required),
Form 8825 (if required),
Form 8913,
Any other schedules in alphabetical order, and
Any other forms in numerical order.

Complete every applicable entry space on Form 1065 and Schedule K-1. Do not enter “See attached” instead of completing the entry spaces. Penalties may be assessed if the partnership files an incomplete return. If you need more space on the forms or schedules, attach separate sheets and place them at the end of the return using the same size and format as on the printed forms. Show the totals on the printed forms. Also be sure to put the partnership's name and EIN on each supporting statement or attachment.

Elections Made by the Partnership

Generally, the partnership decides how to figure taxable income from its operations. For example, it chooses the accounting method and depreciation methods it will use. The partnership also makes elections under the following sections:

Section 179 (election to expense certain property).
Section 614 (definition of property—mines, wells, and other natural deposits). This election must be made before the partners figure their individual depletion allowances under section 613A(c)(7)(D).
Section 1033 (involuntary conversions).
Section 754 (manner of electing optional adjustment to basis of partnership property).

Under section 754, a partnership may elect to adjust the basis of partnership property when property is distributed or when a partnership interest is transferred. If the election is made with respect to a transfer of a partnership interest (section 743(b)) and the assets of the partnership constitute a trade or business for purposes of section 1060(c), then the value of any goodwill transferred must be determined in the manner provided in Regulations section 1.1060-1. Once an election is made under section 754, it applies both to all distributions and to all transfers made during the tax year and in all subsequent tax years unless the election is revoked. See Regulations section 1.754-1(c).

This election must be made in a statement that is filed with the partnership's timely filed return (including any extension) for the tax year during which the distribution or transfer occurs. The statement must include:
- The name and address of the partnership,
- A declaration that the partnership elects under section 754 to apply the provisions of section 734(b) and section 743(b), and
- The signature of a partner authorized to sign the partnership return.
The partnership can get an automatic 12-month extension to make the section 754 election provided corrective action is taken within 12 months of the original deadline for making the election. For details, see Regulations section 301.9100-2.

See section 754 and the related regulations for more information.

If there is a distribution of property consisting of an interest in another partnership, see section 734(b).

The partnership is required to attach a statement for any section 743(b) basis adjustments. See page 8 for details.
Section 743(e) (electing investment partnership).

Effect of Section 743(b) Basis Adjustment on Partnership Items

If the basis of partnership property has been adjusted for a transferee partner under section 743(b), the partnership must adjust the transferee's distributive share of the items of partnership income, deduction, gain, or loss in accordance with Regulations section 1.743-1(j)(3) and (4). These adjustments (other than adjustments to depletable oil and gas property allocable to the partner under section 613A(c)(7)(D)) must be reported on Schedule K and the transferee partner's Schedule K-1. Report the adjustments on an attached statement to Schedule K-1 using the codes for Other Income or Other Deductions. Identify the partnership item being adjusted and the amount of the adjustment. If the adjustments are to partnership items from more than one trade or business, report the adjustments separately for each activity. Section 743(b) adjustments do not affect the transferee's capital account.

Elections Made by Each Partner

Elections under the following sections are made by each partner separately on the partner's tax return.

Section 59(e) (election to deduct ratably certain qualified expenditures such as intangible drilling costs, mining exploration expenses, or research and experimental expenditures).
Section 108 (income from discharge of indebtedness).
Section 617 (deduction and recapture of certain mining exploration expenditures paid or incurred).
Section 901 (foreign tax credit).

Partner's Dealings With Partnership

If a partner engages in a transaction with his or her partnership, other than in his or her capacity as a partner, the partner is treated as not being a member of the partnership for that transaction. Special rules apply to sales or exchanges of property between partnerships and certain persons, as explained in Pub. 541, Partnerships.

Contributions to the Partnership

Generally, no gain (loss) is recognized to the partnership or any of the partners when property is contributed to the partnership in exchange for an interest in the partnership. This rule does not apply to any gain realized on a transfer of property to a partnership that would be treated as an investment company (within the meaning of section 351) if the partnership were incorporated. If, as a result of a transfer of property to a partnership, there is a direct or indirect transfer of money or other property to the transferring partner, the partner may have to recognize gain on the exchange.

The basis to the partnership of property contributed by a partner is the adjusted basis in the hands of the partner at the time it was contributed, plus any gain recognized (under section 721(b)) by the partner at that time. See section 723 for more information.

Dispositions of Contributed Property

Generally, if the partnership disposes of property contributed to the partnership by a partner, income, gain, loss, and deductions from that property must be allocated among the partners to take into account the difference between the property's basis and its FMV at the time of the contribution. However, if the adjusted basis of the contributed property exceeds its fair market value at the time of the contribution, the built-in loss can only be taken into account by the contributing partner. For all other partners, the basis of the property in the hands of the partnership is treated as equal to its fair market value at the time of the contribution (see section 704(c)(1)(C)).

For property contributed to the partnership, the contributing partner must recognize gain or loss on a distribution of the property to another partner within 5 years of being contributed. For property contributed after June 8, 1997, the 5-year period is generally extended to 7 years. The gain or loss is equal to the amount that the contributing partner should have recognized if the property had been sold for its FMV when distributed, because of the difference between the property's basis and its FMV at the time of contribution.

See section 704(c) for details and other rules on dispositions of contributed property. See section 724 for the character of any gain or loss recognized on the disposition of unrealized receivables, inventory items, or capital loss property contributed to the partnership by a partner.

Recognition of Precontribution Gain on Certain Partnership Distributions

A partner who contributes appreciated property to the partnership must include in income any precontribution gain to the extent the FMV of other property (other than money) distributed to the partner by the partnership exceeds the adjusted basis of his or her partnership interest just before the distribution. Precontribution gain is the net gain, if any, that would have been recognized under section 704(c)(1)(B) if the partnership had distributed to another partner all the property that had been contributed to the partnership by the distributee partner within 5 years of the distribution and that was held by the partnership just before the distribution. For property contributed after June 8, 1997, the 5-year period is generally extended to 7 years.

Appropriate basis adjustments are to be made to the adjusted basis of the distributee partner's interest in the partnership and the partnership's basis in the contributed property to reflect the gain recognized by the partner.

For more details and exceptions, see Pub. 541.

Unrealized Receivables and Inventory Items

Generally, if a partner sells or exchanges a partnership interest where unrealized receivables or inventory items are involved, the transferor partner must notify the partnership, in writing, within 30 days of the exchange. The partnership must then file Form 8308, Report of a Sale or Exchange of Certain Partnership Interests.

If a partnership distributes unrealized receivables or substantially appreciated inventory items in exchange for all or part of a partner's interest in other partnership property (including money), treat the transaction as a sale or exchange between the partner and the partnership. Treat the partnership gain (loss) as ordinary business income (loss). The income (loss) is specially allocated only to partners other than the distributee partner.

If a partnership gives other property (including money) for all or part of that partner's interest in the partnership's unrealized receivables or substantially appreciated inventory items, treat the transaction as a sale or exchange of the property.

See Rev. Rul. 84-102, 1984-2 C.B. 119, for information on the tax consequences that result when a new partner joins a partnership that has liabilities and unrealized receivables. Also see Pub. 541 for more information on unrealized receivables and inventory items.

Passive Activity Limitations

In general, section 469 limits the amount of losses, deductions, and credits that partners can claim from “passive activities.” The passive activity limitations do not apply to the partnership. Instead, they apply to each partner's share of any income or loss and credit attributable to a passive activity. Because the treatment of each partner's share of partnership income or loss and credit depends on the nature of the activity that generated it, the partnership must report income or loss and credits separately for each activity.

The following instructions and the instructions for Schedules K and K-1 (pages 21-35) explain the applicable passive activity limitation rules and specify the type of information the partnership must provide to its partners for each activity. If the partnership had more than one activity, it must report information for each activity on an attachment to Schedules K and K-1.

Generally, passive activities include (a) activities that involve the conduct of a trade or business if the partner does not materially participate in the activity and (b) all rental activities (defined on page 11) regardless of the partner's participation. For exceptions, see Activities That Are Not Passive Activities below. The level of each partner's participation in an activity must be determined by the partner.

The passive activity rules provide that losses and credits from passive activities can generally be applied only against income and tax from passive activities. Thus, passive losses and credits cannot be applied against income from salaries, wages, professional fees, or a business in which the taxpayer materially participates; against “portfolio income” (defined on page 11); or against the tax related to any of these types of income.

Special provisions apply to certain activities. First, the passive activity limitations must be applied separately with respect to a net loss from passive activities held through a publicly traded partnership. Second, special rules require that net income from certain activities that would otherwise be treated as passive income must be recharacterized as nonpassive income for purposes of the passive activity limitations.

To allow each partner to correctly apply the passive activity limitations, the partnership must report income or loss and credits separately for each of the following: trade or business activities, rental real estate activities, rental activities other than rental real estate, and portfolio income.

Activities That Are Not Passive Activities

The following are not passive activities.

Trade or business activities in which the partner materially participated for the tax year.
Any rental real estate activity in which the partner materially participated if the partner met both of the following conditions for the tax year.
1. More than half of the personal services the partner performed in trades or businesses were performed in real property trades or businesses in which he or she materially participated.
2. The partner performed more than 750 hours of services in real property trades or businesses in which he or she materially participated.
Note.

For a partner that is a closely held C corporation (defined in section 465(a)(1)(B)), the above conditions are treated as met if more than 50% of the corporation's gross receipts are from real property trades or businesses in which the corporation materially participated.

For purposes of this rule, each interest in rental real estate is a separate activity, unless the partner elects to treat all interests in rental real estate as one activity.

If the partner is married filing jointly, either the partner or his or her spouse must separately meet both of the above conditions, without taking into account services performed by the other spouse.

A real property trade or business is any real property development, redevelopment, construction, reconstruction, acquisition, conversion, rental, operation, management, leasing, or brokerage trade or business. Services the partner performed as an employee are not treated as performed in a real property trade or business unless he or she owned more than 5% of the stock (or more than 5% of the capital or profits interest) in the employer.
An interest in an oil or gas well drilled or operated under a working interest if at any time during the tax year the partner held the working interest directly or through an entity that did not limit the partner's liability (for example, an interest as a general partner). This exception applies regardless of whether the partner materially participated for the tax year.
The rental of a dwelling unit used by a partner for personal purposes during the year for more than the greater of 14 days or 10% of the number of days that the residence was rented at fair rental value.
An activity of trading personal property for the account of owners of interests in the activity. For purposes of this rule, personal property means property that is actively traded, such as stocks, bonds, and other securities. See Temporary Regulations section 1.469-1T(e)(6).

Trade or Business Activities

A trade or business activity is an activity (other than a rental activity or an activity treated as incidental to an activity of holding property for investment) that:

Involves the conduct of a trade or business (within the meaning of section 162),
Is conducted in anticipation of starting a trade or business, or
Involves research or experimental expenditures deductible under section 174 (or that would be if you chose to deduct rather than capitalize them).

If the partner does not materially participate in the activity, a trade or business activity held through a partnership is generally a passive activity of the partner.

Each partner must determine if they materially participated in an activity. As a result, while the partnership's overall trade or business income (loss) is reported on page 1 of Form 1065, the specific income and deductions from each separate trade or business activity must be reported on attachments to Form 1065. Similarly, while each partner's allocable share of the partnership's overall trade or business income (loss) is reported in box 1 of Schedule K-1, each partner's allocable share of the income and deductions from each trade or business activity must be reported on attachments to each Schedule K-1. See Passive Activity Reporting Requirements on page 13 for more information.

Rental Activities

Generally, except as noted below, if the gross income from an activity consists of amounts paid principally for the use of real or personal tangible property held by the partnership, the activity is a rental activity.

There are several exceptions to this general rule. Under these exceptions, an activity involving the use of real or personal tangible property is not a rental activity if any of the following apply.

The average period of customer use (defined below) for such property is 7 days or less.
The average period of customer use for such property is 30 days or less and significant personal services (defined below) are provided by or on behalf of the partnership.
Extraordinary personal services (defined below) are provided by or on behalf of the partnership.
The rental of such property is treated as incidental to a nonrental activity of the partnership under Temporary Regulations section 1.469-1T(e)(3)(vi) and Regulations section 1.469-1(e)(3)(vi)(D).
The partnership customarily makes the property available during defined business hours for nonexclusive use by various customers.
The partnership provides property for use in a nonrental activity of a partnership or joint venture in its capacity as an owner of an interest in such partnership or joint venture. Whether the partnership provides property used in an activity of another partnership or of a joint venture in the partnership's capacity as an owner of an interest in the partnership or joint venture is determined on the basis of all the facts and circumstances.

In addition, a guaranteed payment described in section 707(c) is not income from a rental activity under any circumstances.

Average period of customer use. Figure the average period of customer use for a class of property by dividing the total number of days in all rental periods by the number of rentals during the tax year. If the activity involves renting more than one class of property, multiply the average period of customer use of each class by the ratio of the gross rental income from that class to the activity's total gross rental income. The activity's average period of customer use equals the sum of these class-by-class average periods weighted by gross income. See Regulations section 1.469-1(e)(3)(iii).

Significant personal services. Personal services include only services performed by individuals. To determine if personal services are significant personal services, consider all the relevant facts and circumstances. Relevant facts and circumstances include:

How often the services are provided,
The type and amount of labor required to perform the services, and
The value of the services in relation to the amount charged for use of the property.

The following services are not considered in determining whether personal services are significant.

Services necessary to permit the lawful use of the rental property.
Services performed in connection with improvements or repairs to the rental property that extend the useful life of the property substantially beyond the average rental period.
Services provided in connection with the use of any improved real property that are similar to those commonly provided in connection with long-term rentals of high-grade commercial or residential property. Examples include cleaning and maintenance of common areas, routine repairs, trash collection, elevator service, and security at entrances.

Extraordinary personal services. Services provided in connection with making rental property available for customer use are extraordinary personal services only if the services are performed by individuals and the customers' use of the rental property is incidental to their receipt of the services.

For example, a patient's use of a hospital room generally is incidental to the care received from the hospital's medical staff. Similarly, a student's use of a dormitory room in a boarding school is incidental to the personal services provided by the school's teaching staff.

Rental activity incidental to a nonrental activity. An activity is not a rental activity if the rental of the property is incidental to a nonrental activity, such as the activity of holding property for investment, a trade or business activity, or the activity of dealing in property.

Rental of property is incidental to an activity of holding property for investment if both of the following apply.

The main purpose for holding the property is to realize a gain from the appreciation of the property.
The gross rental income from such property for the tax year is less than 2% of the smaller of the property's unadjusted basis or its fair market value.

Rental of property is incidental to a trade or business activity if all of the following apply.

The partnership owns an interest in the trade or business at all times during the year.
The rental property was mainly used in the trade or business activity during the tax year or during at least 2 of the 5 preceding tax years.
The gross rental income from the property for the tax year is less than 2% of the smaller of the property's unadjusted basis or its fair market value.

The sale or exchange of property that is also rented during the tax year ( in which gain or loss is recognized) is treated as incidental to the activity of dealing in property if, at the time of the sale or exchange, the property was held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of the partnership's trade or business.

See Temporary Regulations section 1.469-1T(e)(3) and Regulations section 1.469-1(e)(3) for more information on the definition of rental activities for purposes of the passive activity limitations.

Reporting of rental activities. In reporting the partnership's income or losses and credits from rental activities, the partnership must separately report rental real estate activities and rental activities other than rental real estate activities.

Partners who actively participate in a rental real estate activity may be able to deduct part or all of their rental real estate losses (and the deduction equivalent of rental real estate credits) against income (or tax) from nonpassive activities. The combined amount of rental real estate losses and the deduction equivalent of rental real estate credits from all sources (including rental real estate activities not held through the partnership) that may be claimed is limited to $25,000. This $25,000 amount is generally reduced for high-income partners.

Report rental real estate activity income (loss) on Form 8825, Rental Real Estate Income and Expenses of a Partnership or an S Corporation, and line 2 of Schedule K and box 2 of Schedule K-1, rather than on page 1 of Form 1065. Report credits related to rental real estate activities on lines 15c and 15d of Schedule K (box 15, codes C and D, of Schedule K-1) and low-income housing credits on lines 15a and 15b of Schedule K (box 15, codes A and B of Schedule K-1).

See the instructions on page 23 for Line 3. Other Net Rental Income (Loss) for reporting other net rental income (loss) other than rental real estate.

Portfolio Income

Generally, portfolio income includes all gross income, other than income derived in the ordinary course of a trade or business, that is attributable to interest; dividends; royalties; income from a real estate investment trust, a regulated investment company, a real estate mortgage investment conduit, a common trust fund, a controlled foreign corporation, a qualified electing fund, or a cooperative; income from the disposition of property that produces income of a type defined as portfolio income; and income from the disposition of property held for investment. See Self-Charged Interest on page 12 for an exception.

Solely for purposes of the preceding paragraph, gross income derived in the ordinary course of a trade or business includes (and portfolio income, therefore, does not include) the following types of income.

Interest income on loans and investments made in the ordinary course of a trade or business of lending money.
Interest on accounts receivable arising from the performance of services or the sale of property in the ordinary course of a trade or business of performing such services or selling such property, but only if credit is customarily offered to customers of the business.
Income from investments made in the ordinary course of a trade or business of furnishing insurance or annuity contracts or reinsuring risks underwritten by insurance companies.
Income or gain derived in the ordinary course of an activity of trading or dealing in any property if such activity constitutes a trade or business (unless the dealer held the property for investment at any time before such income or gain is recognized).
Royalties derived by the taxpayer in the ordinary course of a trade or business of licensing intangible property.
Amounts included in the gross income of a patron of a cooperative by reason of any payment or allocation to the patron based on patronage occurring with respect to a trade or business of the patron.
Other income identified by the IRS as income derived by the taxpayer in the ordinary course of a trade or business.

See Temporary Regulations section 1.469-2T(c)(3) for more information on portfolio income.

Report portfolio income and related deductions on Schedule K rather than on page 1 of Form 1065.

Self-Charged Interest

Certain self-charged interest income and deductions may be treated as passive activity gross income and passive activity deductions if the loan proceeds are used in a passive activity. Generally, self-charged interest income and deductions result from loans to and from the partnership and its partners. It also includes loans between the partnership and another partnership if each owner in the borrowing entity has the same proportional ownership interest in the lending entity.

The self-charged interest rules do not apply to a partner's interest in a partnership if the partnership makes an election under Regulations section 1.469-7(g) to avoid the application of these rules. To make the election, the partnership must attach to its original or amended Form 1065, a statement that includes the name, address, and EIN of the partnership and a declaration that the election is being made under Regulations section 1.469-7(g). The election will apply to the tax year in which it was made and all subsequent tax years. Once made, the election may only be revoked with the consent of the IRS.

For more details on the self-charged interest rules, see Regulations section 1.469-7.

Grouping Activities

Generally, one or more trade or business or rental activities may be treated as a single activity if the activities make up an appropriate economic unit for measurement of gain or loss under the passive activity rules. Whether activities make up an appropriate economic unit depends on all the relevant facts and circumstances. The factors given the greatest weight in determining whether activities make up an appropriate economic unit are:

Similarities and differences in types of trades or businesses,
The extent of common control,
The extent of common ownership,
Geographical location, and
Reliance between or among the activities.

Example.

The partnership has a significant ownership interest in a bakery and a movie theater in Baltimore and a bakery and a movie theater in Philadelphia. Depending on the relevant facts and circumstances, there may be more than one reasonable method for grouping the partnership's activities. For instance, the following groupings may or may not be permissible.

A single activity.
A movie theater activity and a bakery activity.
A Baltimore activity and a Philadelphia activity.
Four separate activities.

Once the partnership chooses a grouping under these rules, it must continue using that grouping in later tax years unless a material change in the facts and circumstances makes it clearly inappropriate.

The IRS may regroup the partnership's activities if the partnership's grouping fails to reflect one or more appropriate economic units and one of the primary purposes of the grouping is to avoid the passive activity limitations.

Limitation on grouping certain activities. The following activities may not be grouped together.

A rental activity with a trade or business activity unless the activities being grouped together make up an appropriate economic unit and:
1. The rental activity is insubstantial relative to the trade or business activity or vice versa or
2. Each owner of the trade or business activity has the same proportionate ownership interest in the rental activity. If so, the portion of the rental activity involving the rental of property to be used in the trade or business activity may be grouped with the trade or business activity.
An activity involving the rental of real property with an activity involving the rental of personal property (except personal property provided in connection with the real property or vice versa).
Any activity with another activity in a different type of business and in which the partnership holds an interest as a limited partner or as a limited entrepreneur (as defined in section 464(e)(2)) if that other activity engages in holding, producing, or distributing motion picture films or videotapes; farming; leasing section 1245 property; or exploring for or exploiting oil and gas resources or geothermal deposits.

Activities conducted through other partnerships. Once a partnership determines its activities under these rules, the partnership as a partner may use these rules to group those activities with:

Each other,
Activities conducted directly by the partnership, or
Activities conducted through other partnerships.

A partner may not treat as separate activities those activities grouped together by a partnership.

Recharacterization of Passive Income

Under Temporary Regulations section 1.469-2T(f) and Regulations section 1.469-2(f), net passive income from certain passive activities must be treated as nonpassive income. Net passive income is the excess of an activity's passive activity gross income over its passive activity deductions (current year deductions and prior year unallowed losses).

Income from the following six sources is subject to recharacterization.

Any net passive income recharacterized as nonpassive income is treated as investment income for purposes of figuring investment interest expense limitations if it is from (a) an activity of renting substantially nondepreciable property from an equity-financed lending activity or (b) an activity related to an interest in a pass-through entity that licenses intangible property.

Significant participation passive activities. A significant participation passive activity is any trade or business activity in which the partner participated for more than 100 hours during the tax year but did not materially participate. Because each partner must determine the partner's level of participation, the partnership will not be able to identify significant participation passive activities.

Certain nondepreciable rental property activities. Net passive income from a rental activity is nonpassive income if less than 30% of the unadjusted basis of the property used or held for use by customers in the activity is subject to depreciation under section 167.

Passive equity-financed lending activities. If the partnership has net income from a passive equity-financed lending activity, the smaller of the net passive income or the equity-financed interest income from the activity is nonpassive income.

The amount of income from the activities in paragraphs 1 through 3 that any partner will be required to recharacterize as nonpassive income may be limited under Temporary Regulations section 1.469-2T(f)(8). Because the partnership will not have information regarding all of a partner's activities, it must identify all partnership activities meeting the definitions in paragraphs 2 and 3 as activities that may be subject to recharacterization.

Rental of property incidental to a development activity. Net rental activity income is the excess of passive activity gross income from renting or disposing of property over passive activity deductions (current year deductions and prior year unallowed losses) that are reasonably allocable to the rented property. Net rental activity income is nonpassive income for a partner if all of the following apply.

The partnership recognizes gain from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of the rental property during the tax year.
The use of the item of property in the rental activity started less than 12 months before the date of disposition. The use of an item of rental property begins on the first day that (a) the partnership owns an interest in the property, (b) substantially all of the property is either rented or held out for rent and ready to be rented, and (c) no significant value-enhancing services remain to be performed.
The partner materially or significantly participated for any tax year in an activity that involved performing services to enhance the value of the property (or any other item of property, if the basis of the property disposed of is determined in whole or in part by reference to the basis of that item of property).

Because the partnership cannot determine a partner's level of participation, the partnership must identify net income from property described on page 11 (without regard to the partner's level of participation) as income that may be subject to recharacterization.

Rental of property to a nonpassive activity. If a taxpayer rents property to a trade or business activity in which the taxpayer materially participates, the taxpayer's net rental activity income from the property is nonpassive income.

Acquisition of an interest in a pass-through entity that licenses intangible property. Generally, net royalty income from intangible property is nonpassive income if the taxpayer acquired an interest in the pass-through entity after the pass-through entity created the intangible property or performed substantial services or incurred substantial costs in developing or marketing the intangible property. Net royalty income is the excess of passive activity gross income from licensing or transferring any right in intangible property over passive activity deductions (current year deductions and prior year unallowed losses) that are reasonably allocable to the intangible property.

See Temporary Regulations section 1.469-2T(f)(7)(iii) for exceptions to this rule.

Passive Activity Reporting Requirements

To allow partners to correctly apply the passive activity loss and credit rules, any partnership that carries on more than one activity must:

Provide an attachment for each activity conducted through the partnership that identifies the type of activity conducted (trade or business, rental real estate, rental activity other than rental real estate, or investment). See Grouping Activities discussed earlier.
On the attachment for each activity, provide a statement, using the same box numbers as shown on Schedule K-1, detailing the net income (loss), credits, and all items required to be separately stated under section 702(a) from each trade or business activity, from each rental real estate activity, from each rental activity other than a rental real estate activity, and from investments.
Identify the net income (loss) and credits from each oil or gas well drilled or operated under a working interest that any partner (other than a partner whose only interest in the partnership during the year is as a limited partner) holds through the partnership. Further, if any partner had an interest as a general partner in the partnership during less than the entire year, the partnership must identify both the disqualified deductions from each well that the partner must treat as passive activity deductions, and the ratable portion of the gross income from each well that the partner must treat as passive activity gross income.
Identify the net income (loss) and the partner's share of partnership interest expense from each activity of renting a dwelling unit that any partner uses for personal purposes during the year for more than the greater of 14 days or 10% of the number of days that the residence is rented at fair rental value.
Identify the net income (loss) and the partner's share of partnership interest expense from each activity of trading personal property conducted through the partnership.
For any gain (loss) from the disposition of an interest in an activity or of an interest in property used in an activity (including dispositions before 1987 from which gain is being recognized after 1986):
1. Identify the activity in which the property was used at the time of disposition,
2. If the property was used in more than one activity during the 12 months preceding the disposition, identify the activities in which the property was used and the adjusted basis allocated to each activity, and
3. For gains only, if the property was substantially appreciated at the time of the disposition and the applicable holding period specified in Regulations section 1.469-2(c)(2)(iii)(A) was not satisfied, identify the amount of the nonpassive gain and indicate whether the gain is investment income under the provisions of Regulations section 1.469-2(c)(2)(iii)(F).
Specify the amount of gross portfolio income, the interest expense properly allocable to portfolio income, and expenses other than interest expense that are clearly and directly allocable to portfolio income.
Identify separately any of the following types of payments to partners.
1. Payments to a partner for services other than in the partner's capacity as a partner under section 707(a).
2. Guaranteed payments to a partner for services under section 707(c).
3. Guaranteed payments for use of capital.
4. If section 736(a)(2) payments are made for unrealized receivables or for goodwill, the amount of the payments and the activities to which the payments are attributable.
5. If section 736(b) payments are made, the amount of the payments and the activities to which the payments are attributable.
Identify the ratable portion of any section 481 adjustment (whether a net positive or a net negative adjustment) allocable to each partnership activity.
Identify the amount of gross income from each oil or gas property of the partnership.
Identify any gross income from sources that are specifically excluded from passive activity gross income, including:
1. Income from intangible property if the partner is an individual and the partner's personal efforts significantly contributed to the creation of the property;
2. Income from state, local, or foreign income tax refunds; and
3. Income from a covenant not to compete (in the case of a partner who is an individual and who contributed the covenant to the partnership).
Identify any deductions that are not passive activity deductions.
If the partnership makes a full or partial disposition of its interest in another entity, identify the gain (loss) allocable to each activity conducted through the entity, and the gain allocable to a passive activity that would have been recharacterized as nonpassive gain had the partnership disposed of its interest in property used in the activity (because the property was substantially appreciated at the time of the disposition, and the gain represented more than 10% of the partner's total gain from the disposition).
Identify the following items from activities that may be subject to the recharacterization rules under Temporary Regulations section 1.469-2T(f) and Regulations section 1.469-2(f).
1. Net income from an activity of renting substantially nondepreciable property.
2. The smaller of equity-financed interest income or net passive income from an equity-financed lending activity.
3. Net rental activity income from property that was developed (by the partner or the partnership), rented, and sold within 12 months after the rental of the property commenced.
4. Net rental activity income from the rental of property by the partnership to a trade or business activity in which the partner had an interest (either directly or indirectly).
5. Net royalty income from intangible property if the partner acquired the partner's interest in the partnership after the partnership created the intangible property or performed substantial services, or incurred substantial costs in developing or marketing the intangible property.
Identify separately the credits from each activity conducted by or through the partnership.
Identify the partner's distributive share of the partnership's self-charged interest income or expense (see Self-Charged Interest on page 12).
1. Loans between a partner and the partnership. Identify the lending or borrowing partner's share of the self-charged interest income or expense. If the partner made the loan to the partnership, also identify the activity in which the loan proceeds were used. If the loan proceeds were used in more than one activity, allocate the interest to each activity based on the amount of the proceeds used in each activity.
2. Loans between the partnership and another partnership or an S corporation. If the partnership's partners have the same proportional ownership interest in the partnership and the other partnership or S corporation, identify each partner's share of the interest income or expense from the loan. If the partnership was the borrower, also identify the activity in which the loan proceeds were used. If the loan proceeds were used in more than one activity, allocate the interest to each activity based on the amount of the proceeds used in each activity.

Extraterritorial Income Exclusion

No exclusion is allowed for transactions after 2006. See the Instructions for Form 8873 for details.

Generally, the partnership can exclude extraterritorial income to the extent of qualifying foreign trade income. For details and to figure the amount of the exclusion, see Form 8873, Extraterritorial Income Exclusion, and its separate instructions. The partnership must report the extraterritorial income exclusion on its return as follows.

If the partnership met the foreign economic process requirements explained in the Instructions for Form 8873, it can report the exclusion as a nonseparately stated item on whichever of the following lines apply to that activity.
- Form 1065, page 1, line 20;
- Form 8825, line 15; or
- Form 1065, Schedule K, line 3b.
In addition, the partnership must report as an item of information on Schedule K-1, box 16, using code O, the partner's distributive share of foreign trading gross receipts from Form 8873, line 15.
If the foreign trading gross receipts of the partnership for the tax year are $5 million or less and the partnership did not meet the foreign economic process requirements, it cannot report the extraterritorial income exclusion as a nonseparately stated item on its return. Instead, the partnership must report the following separately stated items to the partners on Schedule K-1, box 16.
- Foreign trading gross receipts (code O). Report each partner's distributive share of foreign trading gross receipts from line 15 of Form 8873 in box 16 using code O.
- Extraterritorial income exclusion (code P). Report each partner's distributive share of the extraterritorial income exclusion from Form 8873 in box 16 using code P and identify on an attached statement the activity to which the exclusion relates. If the partnership is required to complete more than one Form 8873, combine the exclusions from line 54 and report a single exclusion amount in box 16.

Upon request of a partner, the partnership should furnish a copy of the partnership's Form 8873 if that partner has a reduction for international boycott operations, illegal bribes, kickbacks, etc.

General Instructions

Purpose of Form

Definitions

Partnership

Foreign Partnership

General Partner

General Partnership

Limited Partner

Limited Partnership

Limited Liability Partnership

Limited Liability Company

Note.

Nonrecourse Loans

Who Must File

Domestic Partnerships

Foreign Partnerships

Termination of the Partnership

Electronic Filing

Modernized e-file System

Legacy System

Note.

For More Information on Filing Electronically

Electronic Filing Waiver

When To File

Private Delivery Services

Extension of Time To File

Period Covered

Who Must Sign

General Partner or LLC Member Manager

Paid Preparer's Information

Note.

Paid Preparer Authorization

Penalties

Late Filing of Return

Failure To Furnish Information Timely

Trust Fund Recovery Penalty

Accounting Methods

Accounting Periods

Note.

Note.

Rounding Off to Whole Dollars

Recordkeeping

Amended Return

Exception.

Assembling the Return

Elections Made by the Partnership

Effect of Section 743(b) Basis Adjustment on Partnership Items

Elections Made by Each Partner

Partner's Dealings With Partnership

Contributions to the Partnership

Dispositions of Contributed Property

Recognition of Precontribution Gain on Certain Partnership Distributions

Unrealized Receivables and Inventory Items

Passive Activity Limitations

Activities That Are Not Passive Activities

Note.

Trade or Business Activities

Rental Activities

Portfolio Income

Self-Charged Interest

Grouping Activities

Recharacterization of Passive Income

Note.

Note.

Passive Activity Reporting Requirements

Extraterritorial Income Exclusion

Note.