Election To Take Disaster Loss Deduction for Preceding Year

Official source: Federal Register (GovInfo) (https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-10-16/pdf/2019-22376.pdf), retrieved 2026-10-03. U.S. Government work (17 U.S.C. § 105).

55245

Rules and Regulations Federal Register¶

Vol. 84, No. 200

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

the Internal Revenue Bulletin and are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office, Washington, DC 20402, or by visiting the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov.

List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1

Income taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Adoption of Amendments to the Regulations

Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is amended as follows:

PART 1—INCOME TAXES

Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read in part as follows:

Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * -

§ 1.165–11T [Removed]

Par. 2. Remove § 1.165–11T.
Par. 3. Revise § 1.165–11 to read as follows:

§ 1.165–11 Election to take disaster loss deduction for preceding year.

(a) In general. Section 165(i) allows a taxpayer who has sustained a loss attributable to a federally declared disaster in a taxable year to elect to deduct that disaster loss in the preceding year. This section provides rules and procedures for making and revoking an election to claim a disaster loss in the preceding year.

(b) Definitions. The following definitions apply for purposes of this section:

(1) A federally declared disaster means any disaster subsequently determined by the President of the United States to warrant assistance by the Federal Government under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

(2) A federally declared disaster area is the area determined to be eligible for assistance pursuant to the Presidential declaration in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(3) A disaster loss is a loss occurring in a federally declared disaster area that is attributable to a federally declared disaster and that is otherwise allowable as a deduction for the disaster year under section 165(a) and §§ 1.165–1 through 1.165–10.

(4) The disaster year is the taxable year in which a taxpayer sustains a loss

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service

26 CFR Part 1

[TD 9878]

RIN 1545–BP44

Election To Take Disaster Loss Deduction for Preceding Year

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION: Final regulation and removal of temporary regulation.

SUMMARY: This document contains a final regulation relating to the election to accelerate the timing of a loss sustained by a taxpayer attributable to a federally declared disaster. Additionally, this document removes the temporary regulation.

DATES: Effective Date: The final regulation is effective October 11, 2019.

Applicability Date: For date of applicability, see § 1.165–11(h).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Cassano (202) 317–7011 (not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

This document contains amendments to the Income Tax Regulations (26 CFR part 1) under section 165(i) of the Internal Revenue Code regarding the election to deduct a loss attributable to a federally declared disaster for the taxable year prior to the year in which the disaster occurred. On October 14, 2016, a temporary regulation (TD 9789) was published in the Federal Register (81 FR 70938) relating to the election to take a disaster loss deduction for the preceding year. A notice of proposed rulemaking (REG–150992–13) crossreferencing the temporary regulation was also published in the Federal Register (81 FR 71025) on October 14, 2016. Finally, a revenue procedure (Rev. Proc. 2016–53, 2016–44 I.R.B. 530) was

published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin on October 31, 2016 (the revenue procedure with the proposed and temporary regulations collectively, ‘‘the 2016 guidance’’). The 2016 guidance extended the deadline to make the section 165(i) election as well as the deadline to revoke the section 165(i) election. The 2016 guidance also clarified various rules associated with the section 165(i) election. For example, the 2016 guidance clarified that the election is made on either an original Federal income tax return for the preceding year or an amended Federal income tax return for the preceding year. ¹

No public comments were received and no public hearing was requested or held. This final regulation adopts the proposed regulation substantially without change. Additionally, the temporary regulation is removed.

Special Analyses

This regulation is not subject to review under section 6(b) of Executive Order 12866 pursuant to the Memorandum of Agreement (April 11, 2018) between the Department of the Treasury and the Office of Management and Budget regarding review of tax regulations. Because the regulation does not impose a collection of information on small entities, a Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) analysis is not required. Pursuant to section 7805(f), the notice of proposed rulemaking preceding this regulation was submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on its impact on small business. No comments were received.

Drafting Information

The principal author of this regulation is Daniel Cassano of the Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax & Accounting). However, other personnel from the Treasury Department and the IRS participated in its development.

Statement of Availability of IRS Documents

IRS Revenue Procedures, Revenue Rulings, Notices, and other guidance cited in this document are published in

1 To facilitate this election, Section D, Election to Deduct Federally Declared Disaster Loss in Preceding Tax Year, was added to Form 4684, Casualties and Thefts.

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55246 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 16, 2019 / Rules and Regulations

attributable to a federally declared disaster.

(5) The preceding year is the taxable year immediately prior to the disaster year.

(c) Scope and effect of election. An election made pursuant to section 165(i) for a disaster loss attributable to a particular disaster applies to the entire loss sustained by the taxpayer from that disaster during the disaster year. If the taxpayer makes a section 165(i) election with respect to a particular disaster occurring during the disaster year, the disaster to which the election relates is deemed to have occurred, and the disaster loss to which the election applies is deemed to have been sustained, in the preceding year.

(d) Requirement to file consistent returns. A taxpayer may not make a section 165(i) election for a disaster loss if the taxpayer claims a deduction (as a loss, as cost of goods sold, or otherwise) for the same loss for the disaster year. If a taxpayer has claimed a deduction for a disaster loss for the disaster year and the taxpayer wants to make a section 165(i) election with respect to that loss, the taxpayer must file an amended Federal income tax return to remove the previously deducted loss on or before the date that the taxpayer makes the section 165(i) election for the loss. Similarly, if a taxpayer has claimed a deduction for a disaster loss for the preceding year based on a section 165(i) election and the taxpayer wants to revoke that election, the taxpayer must file an amended Federal income tax return to remove the loss for the preceding year on or before the date the taxpayer files the Federal income tax return or amended Federal income tax return for the disaster year that includes the loss.

(e) Manner of making election. An election under section 165(i) to deduct a disaster loss for the preceding year is made either on an original Federal income tax return for the preceding year or an amended Federal income tax return for the preceding year in the manner specified by guidance issued pursuant to this section.

(f) Due date for making election. The due date for making the section 165(i) election is six months after the due date for filing the taxpayer’s Federal income tax return for the disaster year (determined without regard to any extension of time to file).

(g) Revocation. Subject to the requirements in paragraph (d) of this section, a section 165(i) election may be revoked on or before the date that is ninety (90) days after the due date for making the election.

(h) Applicability date. This section applies to elections and revocations that are made on or after October 16, 2019.

Sunita Lough, Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement. Approved: September 3, 2019. David J. Kautter, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (Tax Policy).

[FR Doc. 2019–22376 Filed 10–11–19; 4:15 pm]

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Chapter 301 and Parts 304–2, 304–3, 304–5, and 304–6

[FTR Case 2019–301–2; Docket No. 2019– 0006, Sequence 1]

RIN 3090–AK06

Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); Clarification of Payment in Kind for Speakers at Meetings and Similar Functions

AGENCY: Office of Government-Wide Policy, U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: GSA is amending the FTR to change the definition of ‘‘payment in kind’’. The new definition provides that a waived or discounted registration fee provided by the non-Federal sponsor of a meeting or similar function is not a payment in kind to the agency for the day(s) an employee speaks, participates in a panel, or presents at the event. This rule also makes miscellaneous related corrections.

DATES: Effective November 15, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For clarification of content, contact Ms. Jill Denning, Program Analyst, Office of Government-wide Policy, at 202–208– 7642. Contact the Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20405, 202–501–4755, for information pertaining to status or publication schedules. Please cite FTR Case 2019–301–2.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

GSA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register at 84 FR 19895 on May 7, 2019. The proposed rule noted that under 31 U.S.C. 1353, as implemented in FTR chapter 304 (41 CFR chapter 304), agencies may accept payment of travel expenses from a non-Federal source for employees to attend meetings or similar functions. Currently, the FTR

makes no distinction between employees who participate by speaking, serving on a panel or delivering a presentation, and other attendees at a meeting or similar function.

Because employees participate as a speaker, panelist, or presenter at these types of events to further the mission of their agency as a necessary and customary part of their work activities, GSA is redefining the travel purpose codes found in appendix C of chapter 301, which agencies use for travel reporting purposes. GSA is also amending chapter 304 so that a waived or discounted registration fee for the day(s) an employee participates as a speaker, panelist, or presenter is not a payment in kind. These waived and discounted registration fees will not need to be reported to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE). Other types of travel expenses paid by a non-Federal source, such as transportation, lodging, meals, and attendance on non-speaking days, or other associated event or similar function-related activities, must continue to be reviewed and reported in accordance with FTR chapter 304.

GSA acknowledges that OGE’s Standards of Conduct regulations at 5 CFR 2635.203(b)(8) and (g) permit employees, in their personal capacities, to accept free attendance, including meals, at an event provided by the event sponsor, on the day(s) the employee is presenting information on behalf of the agency. However, GSA’s implementation of 31 U.S.C. 1353 must be more restrictive. In particular, 31 U.S.C. 1353 applies to payments from non-Federal sources for ‘‘travel, subsistence, and related expenses’’ for employees traveling on official business away from their designated post of duty. This statute requires that meals provided in kind by a non-Federal source be considered a ‘‘payment in kind’’ to the agency, as opposed to a gift personally accepted by the employee. Specifically, the language of 31 U.S.C. 1353, when read in conjunction with 5 U.S.C. 5701 and 5702 (prescribing an entitlement for payment of subsistence expenses and defining ‘‘subsistence’’ to include meals) defines ‘‘payment’’ to include meals provided in kind by a non-Federal source. When an agency approves acceptance of meals from a non-Federal source, 31 U.S.C. 1353 also requires that employees be subject to a pro rata reduction to their per diem entitlement. Therefore, GSA’s implementation of 31 U.S.C. 1353 in regulation must include meals in the definition of ‘‘payment in kind.’’

Accordingly, this final rule instructs employees whose agencies have authorized the acceptance of meal(s)

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