Liquidation at Partner’s Retirement

Payments made by the partnership to a retiring partner or successor in interest of a deceased partner in return for the partner’s entire interest in the partnership may have to be allocated between payments in liquidation of the partner’s interest in partnership property and other payments. The partnership’s payments include an assumption of the partner’s share of partnership liabilities treated as a distribution of money.

For income tax purposes, a retiring partner or successor in interest of a deceased partner is treated as a partner until their interest in the partnership has been completely liquidated.

Liquidating payments. Payments made in liquidation of the interest of a retiring or deceased partner in exchange for their interest in partnership property are considered a distribution, not a distributive share or guaranteed payment that could give rise to a deduction (or its equivalent) for the partnership.

Unrealized receivables and goodwill. Payments made for the retiring or deceased partner’s share of the partnership’s unrealized receivables or goodwill are not treated as made in exchange for partnership property if both of the following tests are met.

Capital is not a material income-producing factor for the partnership. Whether capital is a material income-producing factor is explained under Partnership Interests Created by Gift , earlier.
The retiring or deceased partner was a general partner in the partnership.

However, this rule doesn’t apply to payments for goodwill to the extent that the partnership agreement provides for a reasonable payment to a retiring partner for goodwill.

Unrealized receivables include, to the extent not previously includible in income under the method of accounting used by the partnership, any rights (contractual or otherwise) to payment for (1) goods delivered or to be delivered to the extent the proceeds therefrom would be treated as amounts received from the sale or exchange of property other than a capital asset or (2) services rendered or to be rendered.

Partners’ valuation. Generally, the partners’ valuation of a partner’s interest in partnership property in an arm’s-length agreement will be treated as correct. If the valuation reflects only the partner’s net interest in the property (total assets less liabilities), it must be adjusted so that both the value of and the basis for the partner’s interest include the partner’s share of partnership liabilities.

Gain or loss on distribution. Upon the receipt of the distribution, the retiring partner or successor in interest of a deceased partner will recognize gain only to the extent that any money (and marketable securities treated as money) distributed is more than the partner’s adjusted basis in the partnership. The partner will recognize a loss only if the distribution is in money, unrealized receivables,

and inventory items. No loss is recognized if any other property is received. See Partner’s Gain or Loss under Partnership Distributions, earlier.

Other payments. Payments made by the partnership to a retiring partner or successor in interest of a deceased partner that are not made in exchange for an interest in partnership property are treated as distributive shares of partnership income or guaranteed payments. This rule applies regardless of the time over which the payments are to be made. It applies to payments made for the partner’s share of unrealized receivables and goodwill not treated as a distribution.

If the amount is based on partnership income, the payment is taxable as a distributive share of partnership income. The payment retains the same character when reported by the recipient that it would have had if reported by the partnership.

If the amount is not based on partnership income, it is treated as a guaranteed payment. The recipient reports guaranteed payments as ordinary income. For additional information on guaranteed payments, see Transactions Between Partnership and Partners, earlier.

These payments are included in income by the recipi- ent for their tax year that includes the end of the partnership tax year for which the payments are a distributive share or in which the partnership is entitled to deduct them as guaranteed payments.

Former partners who continue to make guaranteed periodic payments to satisfy the partnership’s liability to a retired partner after the partnership is terminated can deduct the payments as a business expense in the year paid.