In: Accounting
1: Without Section 351, is transferring property into a corporation in exchange for its stock a taxable event?
2: What reason prompted Congress to enact Section 351? Is it to remove this tax barrier to incorporation of an unincorporated business?
3: Will the gain on an exchange of property for stock be deferred (put off) until a future time?
As per section 351 gain or loss shall not be recognized if property is brought to a corporation by one or more persons for stocks of that corporation and all contributors comprise of 80% or more control in the corporation due to above exchange.
1. Yes, without sec 351 transfering property for shares will become a taxable event.
2. Transferring property in exchange for stock does'nt mean transferor is selling its property and due to this transfer their is just a change in the form in which now he is holding its investment. As, government wanted to encourage investors to form corporations and transfer to corporations prompted congress to enact sec 351 and yes it is a removal of tax barrier due to which now contributors can contribute more without worryiong about tax effect of such transfer and form corporations to do businesses.
3. The ultimate effect of sec 351 will be price of the property will become price of the stock, then those stocks will be recorded at carryover basis and whenever in future stocks will be sold the cost of shares which was cost of property will be reduced and tax will be levied. Hence, it can be said that gain on an exchange of property for stock will be deferred to future.
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