26 U.S.C. § 514
Unrelated debt-financed income
There shall be included with respect to each debt-financed property as an item of gross income derived from an unrelated trade or business an amount which is the same percentage (but not in excess of 100 percent) of the total gross income derived during the taxable year from or on account of such property as (A) the average acquisition indebtedness (as defined in subsection (c)(7)) for the taxable year with respect to the property is of (B) the average amount (determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary) of the adjusted basis of such property during the period it is held by the organization during such taxable year.
There shall be allowed as a deduction with respect to each debt-financed property an amount determined by applying (except as provided in the last sentence of this paragraph) the percentage derived under paragraph (1) to the sum determined under paragraph (3). The percentage derived under this paragraph shall not be applied with respect to the deduction of any capital loss resulting from the carryback or carryover of net capital losses under section 1212.
The sum referred to in paragraph (2) is the sum of the deductions under this chapter which are directly connected with the debt-financed property or the income therefrom, except that if the debt-financed property is of a character which is subject to the allowance for depreciation provided in section 167, the allowance shall be computed only by use of the straight-line method.
For purposes of applying paragraphs (1) (A), (C), and (D), the use of any property by an exempt organization which is related to an organization shall be treated as use by such organization.
If an organization acquires real property for the principal purpose of using the land (commencing within 10 years of the time of acquisition) in the manner described in paragraph (1)(A) and at the time of acquisition the property is in the neighborhood of other property owned by the organization which is used in such manner, the real property acquired for such future use shall not be treated as debt-financed property so long as the organization does not abandon its intent to so use the land within the 10-year period. The preceding sentence shall not apply for any period after the expiration of the 10-year period, and shall apply after the first 5 years of the 10-year period only if the organization establishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary that it is reasonably certain that the land will be used in the described manner before the expiration of the 10-year period.
If an organization for any taxable year has not used land in the manner to satisfy the actual use condition of subparagraph (B) before the time prescribed by law (including extensions thereof) for filing the return for such taxable year, the tax for such year shall be computed without regard to the application of subparagraph (B), but if and when such use condition is satisfied, the provisions of subparagraph (B) shall then be applied to such taxable year. If the actual use condition of subparagraph (B) is satisfied for any taxable year after such time for filing the return, and if credit or refund of any overpayment for the taxable year resulting from the satisfaction of such use condition is prevented at the close of the taxable year in which the use condition is satisfied, by the operation of any law or rule of law (other than chapter 74, relating to closing agreements and compromises), credit or refund of such overpayment may nevertheless be allowed or made if claim therefor is filed before the expiration of 1 year after the close of the taxable year in which the use condition is satisfied.
In applying this paragraph to a church or convention or association of churches, in lieu of the 10-year period referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (B) a 15-year period shall be applied, and subparagraphs (A) and (B)(ii) shall apply whether or not the acquired land meets the neighborhood test.
Where property (no matter how acquired) is acquired subject to a mortgage or other similar lien, the amount of the indebtedness secured by such mortgage or lien shall be considered as an indebtedness of the organization incurred in acquiring such property even though the organization did not assume or agree to pay such indebtedness.
Where property subject to a mortgage is acquired by an organization by bequest or devise, the indebtedness secured by the mortgage shall not be treated as acquisition indebtedness during a period of 10 years following the date of the acquisition. If an organization acquires property by gift subject to a mortgage which was placed on the property more than 5 years before the gift, which property was held by the donor more than 5 years before the gift, the indebtedness secured by such mortgage shall not be treated as acquisition indebtedness during a period of 10 years following the date of such gift. This subparagraph shall not apply if the organization, in order to acquire the equity in the property by bequest, devise, or gift, assumes and agrees to pay the indebtedness secured by the mortgage, or if the organization makes any payment for the equity in the property owned by the decedent or the donor.
For purposes of this section, an extension, renewal, or refinancing of an obligation evidencing a pre-existing indebtedness shall not be treated as the creation of a new indebtedness.
For purposes of this section, the term “acquisition indebtedness” does not include indebtedness the incurrence of which is inherent in the performance or exercise of the purpose or function constituting the basis of the organization’s exemption, such as the indebtedness incurred by a credit union described in section 501(c)(14) in accepting deposits from its members.
For purposes of this section, the term “average acquisition indebtedness” for any taxable year with respect to a debt-financed property means the average amount, determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the acquisition indebtedness during the period the property is held by the organization during the taxable year, except that for the purpose of computing the percentage of any gain or loss to be taken into account on a sale or other disposition of debt-financed property, such term means the highest amount of the acquisition indebtedness with respect to such property during the 12-month period ending with the date of the sale or other disposition.
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term “acquisition indebtedness” does not, for purposes of this section, include indebtedness incurred by a qualified organization in acquiring or improving any real property. For purposes of this paragraph, an interest in a mortgage shall in no event be treated as real property.
Rules similar to the rules of subparagraph (B)(vi) shall also apply in the case of any pass-thru entity other than a partnership and in the case of tiered partnerships and other entities.
Except as provided in regulations, a partnership may without violating the requirements of this subparagraph provide for chargebacks with respect to disproportionate losses previously allocated to qualified organizations and disproportionate income previously allocated to other partners. Any chargeback referred to in the preceding sentence shall not be at a ratio in excess of the ratio under which the loss or income (as the case may be) was allocated.
To the extent provided in regulations, a partnership may without violating the requirements of this subparagraph provide for reasonable preferred returns or reasonable guaranteed payments.
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this subparagraph, including regulations which may provide for exclusion or segregation of items.
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “disqualified holder” means any shareholder (or beneficiary) which is not described in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (C).
For purposes of clauses (iii) and (iv) of subparagraph (B), a lease to a person described in such clause (iii) or (iv) shall be disregarded if no more than 25 percent of the leasable floor space in a building (or complex of buildings) is covered by the lease and if the lease is on commercially reasonable terms.
Clause (v) of subparagraph (B) shall not apply if the financing is on commercially reasonable terms.
In the case of a qualifying sale by a financial institution, except as provided in regulations, clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (B) shall not apply with respect to financing provided by such institution for such sale.
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “foreclosure property” means any real property acquired by the financial institution as the result of having bid on such property at foreclosure, or by operation of an agreement or process of law, after there was a default (or a default was imminent) on indebtedness which such property secured.
For purposes of this subtitle, if the property was acquired in a complete or partial liquidation of a corporation in exchange for its stock, the basis of the property shall be the same as it would be in the hands of the transferor corporation, increased by the amount of gain recognized to the transferor corporation upon such distribution and by the amount of any gain to the organization which was included, on account of such distribution, in unrelated business taxable income under subsection (a).
Where debt-financed property is held for purposes described in subsection (b)(1)(A), (B), (C), or (D) as well as for other purposes, proper allocation shall be made with respect to basis, indebtedness, and income and deductions. The allocations required by this section shall be made in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary to the extent proper to carry out the purposes of this section.
For purposes of this section, the term “real property” includes personal property of the lessor leased by it to a lessee of its real estate if the lease of such personal property is made under, or in connection with, the lease of such real estate.
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section, including regulations to prevent the circumvention of any provision of this section through the use of segregated asset accounts.
The Tax Reform Act of 1976, referred to in subsec. (b)(3)(C)(iii), is Pub. L. 94–455,
The date of the enactment of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, referred to in subsec. (c)(6)(A)(ii), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 108–357, which was approved
The Small Business Investment Act of 1958, referred to in subsec. (c)(6)(A)(ii), is Pub. L. 85–699,
2006—Subsec. (c)(9)(C)(iv). Pub. L. 109–280 added cl. (iv).
2005—Subsec. (b)(1)(E). Pub. L. 109–135 substituted “section 512(b)(19)” for “section 512(b)(18)”.
2004—Subsec. (b)(1)(E). Pub. L. 108–357, § 702(b), added subpar. (E).
Subsec. (c)(6). Pub. L. 108–357, § 247(a), reenacted heading without change and amended text of par. (6) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “For purposes of this section, the term ‘acquisition indebtedness’ does not include an obligation, to the extent that it is insured by the Federal Housing Administration, to finance the purchase, rehabilitation, or construction of housing for low and moderate income persons.”
1993—Subsec. (c)(9)(A). Pub. L. 103–66, § 13144(b)(1), inserted at end “For purposes of this paragraph, an interest in a mortgage shall in no event be treated as real property.”
Subsec. (c)(9)(B). Pub. L. 103–66, § 13144(b)(2), struck out at end “For purposes of this paragraph, an interest in a mortgage shall in no event be treated as real property.”
Subsec. (c)(9)(G), (H). Pub. L. 103–66, § 13144(a), added subpars. (G) and (H).
1989—Subsec. (c)(9)(E), (F). Pub. L. 101–239 redesignated the subpar. (E), relating to special rules for organizations described in section 501(c)(25), as (F).
1988—Subsec. (c)(9)(B). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1016(a)(6), substituted “this paragraph” for “clause (vi)” in last sentence.
Pub. L. 100–647, § 1018(u)(13)(A), amended directory language of Pub. L. 99–514, § 1878(e)(1), (3), to clarify that general amendment by section 1878(e)(3) included concluding provision as well as cl. (vi) and that amendment by section 1878(e)(1) should have been to the concluding provisions as amended by section 1878(e)(3).
Subsec. (c)(9)(E). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1016(a)(5)(A), added subpar. (E) relating to special rules for organizations described in section 501(c)(25).
Subsec. (c)(9)(E)(i). Pub. L. 100–647, § 2004(h)(2), in subsec. (c)(9)(E), relating to certain allocations permitted, redesignated subcls. (II) and (III) as (I) and (II), respectively, and struck out former subcl. (I) which read as follows: “the allocation of items to any partner other than a qualified organization cannot result in such partner having a share of the overall partnership loss for any taxable year greater than such partner’s share of the overall partnership income for the taxable year for which such partner’s income share will be the smallest,”.
Subsec. (c)(9)(E)(iii). Pub. L. 100–647, § 2004(h)(1), in subsec. (c)(9)(E) relating to certain allocations permitted, added cl. (iii).
1987—Subsec. (c)(9)(B)(vi). Pub. L. 100–203, § 10214(a), amended cl. (vi) generally. Prior to amendment, cl. (vi) read as follows: “the real property is held by a partnership (which does not fail to meet the requirements of clauses (i) through (v)), and—
“(I) any partner of the partnership is not a qualified organization, and
“(II) the principal purpose of any allocation to any partner of the partnership which is a qualified organization which is not a qualified allocation (within the meaning of section 168(h)(6)) is the avoidance of income tax.”
Subsec. (c)(9)(E). Pub. L. 100–203, § 10214(b), added subpar. (E).
1986—Subsec. (c)(9)(B). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1878(e)(1), as amended by Pub. L. 100–647, § 1018(u)(13)(A), which directed amendment of penultimate sentence by substituting “is unrelated business taxable income” for “would be unrelated business taxable income (determined without regard to this paragraph)”, was executed by making the substitution for “would be unrelated business taxable income (determined without regard to this paragraph”, as the probable intent of Congress.
Pub. L. 99–514, § 1878(e)(3), as amended by Pub. L. 100–647, § 1018(u)(13)(B), amended concluding provisions generally. Prior to amendment, concluding provisions read as follows: “For purposes of clause (vi)(I), an organization shall not be treated as a qualified organization if any income of such organization would be unrelated business taxable income (determined without regard to this paragraph).”
Subsec. (c)(9)(B)(vi). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1878(e)(3), as amended by Pub. L. 100–647, § 1018(u)(13)(B), amended cl. (vi) generally. Prior to amendment, cl. (vi) read as follows: “the real property is held by a partnership unless the partnership meets the requirements of clauses (i) through (v) and unless—
“(I) all of the partners of the partnership are qualified organizations, or
“(II) each allocation to a partner of the partnership which is a qualified organization is a qualified allocation (within the meaning of section 168(j)(9)).”
Subsec. (c)(9)(B)(vi)(II). Pub. L. 99–514, § 201(d)(9), substituted “section 168(h)(6)” for “section 168(j)(9)”.
Subsec. (c)(9)(C)(i). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1878(e)(2), substituted “section 509(a)(3)” for “section 509(a)”.
Subsec. (c)(9)(C)(iii). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1603(b), added cl. (iii).
1984—Subsec. (c)(9). Pub. L. 98–369, § 1034(a), amended par. (9) generally, substituting provisions relating to real property acquired by a qualified organization for provisions relating to real property acquired by a qualified trust, with “qualified organization” expanded to include trusts constituting qualified trusts under section 401 of this title as well as organizations described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) of this title and their affiliated support organizations described in section 509(a) of this title.
Subsec. (c)(9)(B)(iii). Pub. L. 98–369, § 174(b)(5)(B), inserted reference to section 707(b).
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 98–369, § 1034(b), added subsec. (g).
1980—Subsec. (c)(9). Pub. L. 96–605 added par. (9).
1978—Subsec. (c)(8). Pub. L. 95–345 added par. (8).
1976—Subsecs. (a)(1), (b)(3)(A), (B)(ii). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.
Subsec. (b)(3)(C)(iii). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(a)(72)(C), substituted “(as defined in this section immediately before the enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1976)” for “as (defined in subsection (f))” after “is a business lease”.
Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(a)(72)(A), struck out exception following subpar. (C) that in any taxable year beginning before
Subsec. (c)(2)(C). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1308(a), added subpar. (C).
Subsecs. (c)(7), (e). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(a)(72(B), struck out subsec. (f) relating to definition of business lease, special rules applicable to such leases, and exceptions to the definition and applicable rules, and redesignated subsec. (h) as (f).
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(a)(72)(B), struck out subsec. (g) relating to definition and special rules applicable to business lease indebtedness.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(a)(72)(B), redesignated subsec. (h) as (f).
1975—Subsec. (b)(3)(D). Pub. L. 93–625 struck out last sentence providing for allowance and payment of interest on any overpayment for a taxable year resulting from application of subpar. (B) after actual use condition was satisfied at rate of 4 in lieu of 6 percent per annum.
1969—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91–172, § 121(d)(1), substituted “Unrelated debt-financed income” for “Business leases” in heading and substituted in text material covering unrelated debt-financed income and deductions for material covering business lease rents and deductions.
Subsecs. (b) to (e). Pub. L. 91–172, § 121(d)(1), (3)(A), added subsecs. (b), (c), (d) and (e). Former subsecs. (b), (c), and (d) redesignated (f), (g), and (h), respectively.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 91–172, § 121(d)(3)(A), (B), redesignated subsec. (b) as subsec. (f), and, in par. (1) of subsec. (f) as so redesignated, substituted reference to subsec. (g) for reference to subsec. (c).
Subsecs. (g), (h). Pub. L. 91–172, § 121(d)(3)(A), redesignated subsecs. (c) and (d) as (g) and (h), respectively.
1960—Subsec. (c)(8). Pub. L. 86–667 added par. (8).
Pub. L. 109–280, title VIII, § 866(b),
Pub. L. 108–357, title II, § 247(b),
Amendment by section 702(b) of Pub. L. 108–357 applicable to any gain or loss on the sale, exchange, or other disposition of any property acquired by the taxpayer after
Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, § 13144(c),
Amendment by Pub. L. 101–239 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provision of the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988, Pub. L. 100–647, to which such amendment relates, see section 7817 of Pub. L. 101–239, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1016(a)(5)(B),
Amendment by sections 1016(a)(6) and 1018(u)(13) of Pub. L. 100–647 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provision of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, Pub. L. 99–514, to which such amendment relates, see section 1019(a) of Pub. L. 100–647, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Amendment by section 2004(h) of Pub. L. 100–647 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provisions of the Revenue Act of 1987, Pub. L. 100–203, title X, to which such amendment relates, see section 2004(u) of Pub. L. 100–647, set out as a note under section 56 of this title.
Pub. L. 100–203, title X, § 10214(c),
Amendment by section 201(d)(9) of Pub. L. 99–514 applicable to property placed in service after
Amendment by section 201(d)(9) of Pub. L. 99–514 not applicable to any property placed in service before
Amendment by section 1603(b) of Pub. L. 99–514 applicable to taxable years beginning after
Amendment by section 1878(e) of Pub. L. 99–514 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, to which such amendment relates, see section 1881 of Pub. L. 99–514, set out as a note under section 48 of this title.
Amendment by section 174(b)(5)(B) of Pub. L. 98–369 applicable to transactions after
Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title X, § 1034(c),
Pub. L. 96–605, title I, § 110(c),
Pub. L. 96–605, title I, § 110(b),
Amendment by Pub. L. 95–345 applicable with respect to amounts received after
Pub. L. 94–455, title XIII, § 1308(b),
Amendment by section 1901(a)(72) of Pub. L. 94–455 applicable with respect to taxable years beginning after
Amendment by Pub. L. 93–625 effective
Amendment by Pub. L. 91–172 applicable to taxable years beginning after
Amendment by Pub. L. 86–667 applicable to taxable years beginning after
For provisions directing that if any amendments made by subtitle A or subtitle C of title XI [§§ 1101–1147 and 1171–1177] or title XVIII [§§ 1800–1899A] of Pub. L. 99–514 require an amendment to any plan, such plan amendment shall not be required to be made before the first plan year beginning on or after
Pub. L. 99–514, title XVI, § 1607,