SECTION 1. PURPOSE

This revenue procedure provides the procedures by which a taxpayer may obtain automatic consent to change the methods of accounting described in the APPENDIX of this revenue procedure. This revenue procedure consolidates and supersedes most published automatic consent guidance for changes in methods of accounting, and generally provides simplified, uniform procedures and terms and conditions to obtain automatic consent to make these changes. It also provides new automatic consent procedures for changes in several other methods of accounting. A taxpayer complying with all the applicable provisions of this revenue procedure has obtained the consent of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue to change its method of accounting under § 446(e) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Income Tax Regulations thereunder.

1997–33 I.R.B. 19 August 18, 1997

the year of change and the following taxable years must be determined under the new method of accounting as if the new method had always been used.

Example. A taxpayer that is not required to use inventories uses the overall cash receipts and disbursements method and changes to an overall accrual method. The taxpayer has $120,000 of income earned but not yet received (accounts receivable) and $100,000 of expenses incurred but not yet paid (accounts payable) as of the end of the taxable year preceding the year of change. A positive § 481(a) adjustment of $20,000 ($120,000 accounts receivable less $100,000 accounts payable) is required as a result of the change.

(2) Adjustment period. Section 481(c) and §§ 1.446–1T(e)(3)(i) and 1.481–4 provide that the adjustment required by § 481(a) may be taken into account in determining taxable income in the manner and subject to the conditions agreed to by the Commissioner and the taxpayer. Generally, in the absence of such an agreement, the § 481(a) adjustment is taken into account completely in the year of change, subject to § 481(b) which limits the amount of tax where the § 481(a) adjustment is substantial. However, under the Commissioner’s authority in § 1.446–1(e)(3)(ii) to prescribe terms and conditions for changes in methods of accounting, this revenue procedure provides specific adjustment periods that are intended to achieve an appropriate balance between the goals of mitigating distortions of income that result from accounting method changes and providing appropriate incentives for voluntary compliance.

.06 Method change using a cut-off method. The Commissioner may determine that certain changes in methods of accounting will be made without a § 481(a) adjustment, using a “cut-off method.” Under a cut-off method, only the items arising on or after the beginning of the year of change (or other operative date) are accounted for under the new method of accounting. Any items arising before the year of change (or other operative date) continue to be accounted for under the taxpayer’s former method of accounting. See, for example, § 263A (which generally applies to costs incurred after December 31, 1986, for noninventory property), § 461(h) (which generally applies to amounts incurred on or after July 18, 1984), and § 1.446–3 (which applies to notional principal contracts entered into on or after December 13, 1993).

Because no items are duplicated or omitted from income when a cut-off method is used to effect a change in accounting method, no § 481(a) adjustment is necessary.

.07 Consistency and clear reflection of income. Methods of accounting should clearly reflect income on a continuing basis, and the Internal Revenue Service exercises its discretion under §§ 446(e) and 481(c) in a manner that generally minimizes distortions of income across taxable years and on an annual basis.

.08 Separate trades or businesses.

(1) Sections 1.446–1(d)(1) and (2) provide that when a taxpayer has two or more separate and distinct trades or businesses, a different method of accounting may be used for each trade or business provided the method of accounting used for each trade or business clearly reflects the overall income of the taxpayer as well as that of each particular trade or business. No trade or business is separate and distinct unless a complete and separable set of books and records is kept for that trade or business.

(2) Section 1.446–1(d)(3) provides that if, by reason of maintaining different methods of accounting, there is a creation or shifting of profits or losses between the trades or businesses of the taxpayer (for example, through inventory adjustments, sales, purchases, or expenses) so that income of the taxpayer is not clearly reflected, the trades or businesses of the taxpayer are not separate and distinct.

.09 Penalties. Any otherwise applicable penalty for the failure of a taxpayer to change its method of accounting (for example, the accuracy-related penalty under § 6662 or the fraud penalty under § 6663) may be imposed if the taxpayer does not timely file a request to change a method of accounting. See § 446(f). Additionally, the taxpayer’s return preparer may also be subject to the preparer penalty under § 6694. However, penalties will not be imposed when a taxpayer changes from an impermissible method of accounting to a permissible one by complying with all applicable provisions of this revenue procedure.

.10 Change made as part of an exami- nation. Section 446(b) and § 1.446–1(b)(1) provide that if a taxpayer does not regularly employ a method of accounting that clearly reflects its income, the compu

tation of taxable income must be made in a manner that, in the opinion of the Commissioner, does clearly reflect income. If a taxpayer under examination is not eligible to change a method of accounting under this revenue procedure, the change may be made by the district director. A change resulting in a positive § 481(a) adjustment will ordinarily be made in the earliest taxable year under examination with a oneyear § 481(a) adjustment period.