720 / How do the bonus depreciation rules apply to used property under the 2017 tax reform legislation?

Under the 2019 final regulations, “predecessor” is defined to include (i) a transferor of an asset to a transferee in a transaction to which IRC Section 381(a) applies, (ii) a transferor of an asset to a transferee in a transaction in which the transferee’s basis in the asset is determined, in whole or in part, by reference to the basis of the asset in the hands of the transferor, (iii) a partnership that is considered as continuing under IRC Section 708(b)(2), (iv) the decedent in the case of an asset acquired by an estate, or (v) a transferor of an asset to a trust.²

Further, all of the following must be true:

(1)the property was not acquired from certain related parties, including: (a) the taxpayer’s spouse, ancestors and descendants, (b) an individual and a corporation more than 50 percent in value of the outstanding stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by or for the individual, (c) a grantor and a fiduciary of any trust, (d) a fiduciary of a trust and a fiduciary of another trust, if the same person is a grantor of both trusts, (e) a fiduciary and a beneficiary of a trust, (f) a fiduciary of a trust and a beneficiary of another trust, if the same person is a grantor of both trusts, (g) a fiduciary of a trust and a corporation more than 50 percent in value of the outstanding stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by or for the trust or by or for a person who is a grantor of the trust, (h) a person and an organization to which IRC Section 501 (relating to certain educational and charitable organizations which are exempt from tax) applies and which is controlled directly or indirectly by such person or (if such person is an individual) by members of the family of such individual, (i) a corporation and a partnership if the same person owns more than 50 percent of the outstanding stock in the corporation or capital interest or profits of the partnership, (j) an S corporation and another S corporation if the same person owns more than 50 percent of the outstanding stock of each corporation, (k) an S corporation and a C corporation, if the same persons own more than 50 percent in value of the outstanding stock of each corporation, (l) the executor and beneficiary of an estate, (m) two partnerships in which the same person owns more than 50 percent of the capital interests and profits or (n) a partnership and a person owning more than 50 percent of the capital interests and profits of the partnership.

Planning Point: The IRS regulations on the bonus depreciation rules contain a general anti-abuse rule that will apply to determine related party status. The rules provide that in a series of related transactions, the property is treated as though it was transferred directly from its original owner to its ultimate owner. The relationship between the original owner and the ultimate owner is tested immediately after the last transfer in the series of transactions. The 2019 final regulations provide for a five-year “lookback” period in making the determination as to whether the property was previously used by a prohibited party.³

(2)the property was not acquired by one member of a controlled group from another member of that group,