year, the possible termination of such payments upon the happening of a contingency (other than the passage of time) which has not yet occurred is ignored (unless such contingency may cause all or a portion of the payment to be treated as a child support payment).

Q-24 How does the recapture rule operate?

A-24 The recapture rule operates in the following manner. If the amount of alimony or separate maintenance payments paid in any postseparation year (referred to as the "computation year") falls short of the amount of alimony or separate maintenance payments paid in any prior post-separation year by more than $10,000, the payor must compute an "excess amount" for the computation year. The excess amount for any computation year is the sum of excess amounts determined with respect to each prior post-separation year. The excess amount determined with respect to a prior post-separation year is the excess of (1) the amount of alimony or separate maintenance payments paid by the payor spouse during such prior post-separation year, over (2) the amount of the alimony or separate maintenance payments paid by the payor spouse during the computation year plus $10,000. For purposes of this calculation, the amount of alimony or separate maintenance payments made by the payor spouse during any postseparation year preceding the computation year is reduced by any excess amount previously determined with respect to such year. The rules set forth above may be illustrated by the following example. A makes alimony payments to B of $25,000 in 1985 and $12,000 in 1986. The excess amount with respect to 1985 that is recaptured in 1986 is $3,000 ($25,000($12,000+$10,000)). For purposes of subsequent computation years, the amount deemed paid in 1985 is $22,000. If A makes alimony payments to B of $1,000 in 1987, the excess amount that is recaptured in 1987 will be $12,000. This is the sum of an $11,000 excess amount with respect to 1985 ($22,000-$1,000+$10,000)) and a $1,000 excess amount with respect to 1986 ($12,000-($1,000+$10,000)). If,

prior to the end of 1990, payments decline further, additional recapture will occur. The payor spouse must include the excess amount in gross income for his/her taxable year begining with or in the computation year. The payee spouse is allowed a deduction for the excess amount in computing adjusted gross income for his/her taxable year beginning with or in the computation year. However, the payee spouse must compute the excess amount by reference to the date when payments were made and not when payments were received.

Q-25 What are the exceptions to the recapture rule?

A-25 Apart from the $10,000 threshold for application of the recapture rule, there are three exceptions to the recapture rule. The first exception is for payments received under temporary support orders described in section 71(b)(2)(C) (see A-21). The second exception is for any payment made pursuant to a continuing liability over the period of the post-separation years to pay a fixed portion of the payor's income from a business or property or from compensation for employment or self-employment. The third exception is where the alimony or separate manitenance payments in any post-separation year cease by reason of the death of the payor or payee or the remarriage (as defined under applicable local law) of the payee before the close of the computation year. For example, pursuant to a divorce decree, A is to make cash payments to B of $30,000 in each of the calendar years 1985 through 1990. A makes cash payments of $30,000 in 1985 and $15,000 in 1986, in which year B remarries and A's alimony payments cease. The recapture rule does not apply for 1986 or any subsequent year. If alimony or separate maintenance payments made by A decline or cease during a post-separation year for any other reason (including a failure by the payor to make timely payments, a modification of the divorce or separation instrument, a reduction in the support needs of the payee, or a reduction in the ability of the payor to provide support) excess amounts with respect to prior post-separation years will be subject to recapture.

(e) Effective dates.

Q-26 When does section 71, as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1984, become effective?

A-26 Generally, section 71, as amended, is effective with respect to divorce or separation instruments (as defined in section 71(b)(2)) executed after December 31, 1984. If a decree of divorce or separate maintenance executed after December 31, 1984, incorporates or adopts without change the terms of the alimony or separate maintenance payments under a divorce or separation instrument executed before January 1, 1985, such decree will be treated as executed before January 1, 1985. A change in the amount of alimony or separate maintenance payments or the time period over which such payments are to continue, or the addition or deletion of any contingencies or conditions relating to such payments is a change in the terms of the alimony or separate maintenance payments. For example, in November 1984, A and B executed a written separation agreement. In February 1985, a decree of divorce is entered in substitution for the written separation agreement. The decree of divorce does not change the terms of the alimony A pays to B. The decree of divorce will be treated as executed before January 1, 1985 and hence alimony payments under the decree will be subject to the rules of section 71 prior to amendment by the Tax Reform Act of 1984. If the amount or time period of the alimony or separate maintenance payments are not specified in the pre-1985 separation agreement or if the decree of divorce changes the amount or term of such payments, the decree of divorce will not be treated as executed before January 1, 1985, and alimony payments under the decree will be subject to the rules of section 71, as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1984.

Section 71, as amended, also applies to any divorce or separation instrument executed (or treated as executed) before January 1, 1985 that has been modified on or after January 1, 1985, if such modification expressly provides that section 71, as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1984, shall apply to the instrument as modified.

In this case, section 71, as amended, is effective with respect to payments made after the date the instrument is modified.

(Secs. 1041(d)(4) (98 Stat. 798, 26 U.S.C. 1041(d)(4), 152(e)(2)(A) (98 Stat. 802, 26 U.S.C. 152(e)(2)(A), 215(c) (98 Stat. 800, 26 U.S.C. 215(c)) and 7805 (68A Stat. 917, 26 U.S.C. 7805) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

[T.D. 7973, 49 FR 34455, Aug. 31, 1984; 49 FR 36645, Sept. 19, 1984]

81.71-2 Effective date; taxable years ending after March 31, 1954, subject to the Internal Revenue Code of 1939. Pursuant to section 7851(a)(1)(C), the regulations prescribed in § 1.71-1, to the extent that they relate to payments under a written separation agreement executed after August 16, 1954, and to the extent that they relate to payments under a decree for support received after August 16, 1954, under a decree entered after March 1, 1954, shall also apply to taxable years beginning before January 1, 1954, and ending after August 16, 1954, although such years are subject to the Internal Revenue Code of 1939.

(a) General principle. Section 72 prescribes rules relating to the inclusion in gross income of amounts received under a life insurance, endowment, or annuity contract unless such amounts are specifically excluded from gross income under other provisions of Chapter 1 of the Code. In general, these rules provide that amounts subject to the provisions of section 72 are includible in the gross income of the recipient except to the extent that they are considered to represent a reduction or return of premiums or other consideration paid.

(b) Amounts to be considered as a return of premiums. For the purpose of determining the extent to which amounts received represent a reduction or return of premiums or other consideration paid, the provisions of section 72 distinguish between "amounts received as an annuity" and "amounts not received as an annuity". In general, "amounts received as an annuity" are amounts which are pay

able at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year from the date on which they are deemed to begin, provided the total of the amounts so payable or the period for which they are to be paid can be determined as of that date. See paragraph (b) (2) and (3) of § 1.72-2. Any other amounts to which the provisions of section 72 apply are considered to be "amounts not received as an annuity". See 1.72-11.

(c) "Amounts received as an annuity.” (1) In the case of “amounts received as an annuity” (other than certain employees' annuities described in section 72(d) and in § 1.72-13), a proportionate part of each amount so received is considered to represent a return of premiums or other consideration paid. The proportionate part of each annuity payment which is thus excludable from gross income is determined by the ratio which the investment in the contract as of the date on which the annuity is deemed to begin bears to the expected return under the contract as of that date. See § 1.72-4.

(2) In the case of employees' annuities of the type described in section 72(d), no amount received as an annuity in a taxable year to which the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 applies is includible in the gross income of a recipient until the aggregate of all amounts received thereunder and excluded from gross income under the applicable income tax law exceeds the consideration contributed (or deemed contributed) by the employee under § 1.72-8. Thereafter, all amounts so received are includible in the gross income of the recipient. See § 1.72-13.

(d) "Amounts not received as an annuity". In the case of "amounts not received as an annuity", if such amounts are received after an annuity has begun and during its continuance, amounts so received are generally includible in the gross income of the recipient. Amounts not received as an annuity which are received at any other time are generally includible in the gross income of the recipient only to the extent that such amounts, when added to all amounts previously received under the contract which were excludable from the gross income of the recipient under the income tax

law applicable at the time of receipt, exceed the premiums or other consideration paid (see § 1.72-11). However, if the aggregate of premiums or other consideration paid for the contract includes amounts for which a deduction was allowed under section 404 as contributions on behalf of an owner-employee, the amounts received under the circumstances of the preceding sentence shall be includible in gross income until the amount so included equals the amount for which the deduction was so allowed. See paragraph (b) of § 1.72-17.

(e) Classification of recipients. For the purpose of the regulations under section 72, a recipient shall be considered an "annuitant" if he receives amounts under an annuity contract during the period that the annuity payments are to continue, whether for a term certain or during the continuing life or lives of the person or persons whose lives measure the duration of such annuity. However, a recipient shall be considered a "beneficiary" rather than an "annuitant" if the amounts he receives under a contract are received after the term of the annuity for a life or lives has expired and such amounts are paid by reason of the fact that the contract guarantees that payments of some minimum amount or for some minimum period shall be made. For special rules with respect to beneficiaries, see paragraphs (a)(1)(iii) and (c) of § 1.72-11.

[T.D. 6500, 25 FR 11402, Nov. 26, 1960, as amended by T.D. 6676, 28 FR 10134, Sept. 17, 1963]

§ 1.72-2 Applicability of section.

(a) Contracts. (1) The contracts under which amounts paid will be subject to the provisions of section 72 include contracts which are considered to be life insurance, endowment, and annuity contracts in accordance with the customary practice of life insur ance companies. For the purposes of section 72, however, it is immaterial whether such contracts are entered into with an insurance company. The term "endowment contract" also includes the "face-amount certificates" described in section 72(1).

(2) If two or more annuity obligations or elements to which section 72 applies are acquired for a single consideration, such as an obligation to pay an annuity to A for his life accompanied by an obligation to pay an annuity to B for his life, there being a single consideration paid for both obligations (whether paid by one or more persons in equal or different amounts, and whether paid in a single sum or otherwise), such annuity elements shall be considered to comprise a single contract for the purpose of the application of section 72 and the regulations thereunder. For rules relating to the allocation of investment in the contract in the case of annuity elements payable to two or more persons, see paragraph (b) of § 1.72-6.

(3)(i) Sections 402 and 403 provide that certain distributions by employees' trusts and certain payments under employee plans are taxable under section 72. For taxable years beginning before January 1, 1964, section 72(e)(3), as in effect before such date, does not apply to such distributions or payments. For purposes of applying section 72 to such distributions and payments (other than those described in subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph), each separate program of the employer consisting of interrelated contributions and benefits shall be considered a single contract. Therefore, all distributions or payments (other than those described in subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph) which are attributable to a separate program of interrelated contributions and benefits are considered as received under a single contract. A separate program of interrelated contributions and benefits may be financed by the purchase from an insurance company of one or more group contracts or one or more individual contracts, or may be financed partly by the purchase of contracts from an insurance company and partly through an investment fund, or may be financed completely through an investment fund. A program may be considered separate for purposes of section 72 although it is only a part of a plan which qualifies under section 401. There may be several trusts under one separate program, or several separate programs may make use of a single

trust. See, however, subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph for rules relating to what constitutes a "contract" for purposes of applying section 72 to distributions commencing before October 20, 1960.

(ii) The following types of benefits, and the contributions used to provide them, are examples of separate programs of interrelated contributions and benefits:

(a) Definitely determinable retirement benefits.

(b) Definitely determinable benefits payable prior to retirement in case of disability.

(c) Life insurance.

(d) Accident and health insurance. However, retirement benefits and life insurance will be considered part of a single separate program of interrelated contributions and benefits to the extent they are provided under retirement income, endowment, or other contracts providing life insurance protection. See examples (6), (7), and (8) contained in subdivision (iv) of this subparagraph for illustrations of the principles of this subdivision. See, also, § 1.72-15 for rules relating to the taxation of amounts received under an employee plan which provides both retirement benefits and accident and health benefits.

(iii) If any amount which is taxable under section 72 by reason of section 402 or 403 is actually distributed or made available to any person under an employees' trust or plan (other than the Civil Service Retirement Act, 5 U.S.C. ch. 14) before October 20, 1960, section 72 shall, notwithstanding any other provisions in this subparagraph, be applied to all the distributions with respect to such person (or his beneficiaries) under such trust or plan (whether received before or after October 20, 1960) as though such distributions were provided under a single contract. For purposes of applying section 72 to distributions to which this subdivision applies, therefore, the term “contract” shall be considered to include the entire interest of an employee in each trust or plan described in sections 402 and 403 to the extent that distributions thereunder are subject to the provisions of section 72. Section 72

shall be applied to distributions received under the Civil Service Retirement Act in the manner prescribed in subdivision (i) of this subparagraph (see example (4) in subdivision (iv) of this subparagraph).

(iv) The application of this subparagraph may be illustrated by the following examples:

Example (1). On January 1, 1961, X Corporation established & noncontributory profit-sharing plan for its employees providing that the amount standing to the account of each participant will be paid to him at the time of his retirement and also established a contributory pension plan for its employees providing for the payment to each participant of a lifetime pension after retirement. The profit-sharing plan is designed to enable the employees to participate in the profits of X Corporation; the amount of the contributions to it are determined by reference to the profits of X Corporation; and the amount of any distribution is determined by reference to the amount of contributions made on behalf of any participant and the earnings thereon. On the other hand, the pension plan is designed to provide a lifetime pension for a retired employee; the amount of the pension is to be determined by a formula set forth in the plan; and the amount of contributions to the plan is the amount necessary to provide such pensions. In view of the fact that each of these plans constitutes a separate program of interrelated contributions and benefits, the distributions from each shall be treated as received under a separate contract. If these plans had been established before October 20, 1960, then, in the case of an employee who receives a distribution under the plans before October 20, 1960, the determination as to whether that distribution and all subsequent distributions to such employee are received under a single contract or under more than one contract shall be made by applying the rules in subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph. On the other hand, in the case of an employee who does not receive any distribution under these plans before October 20, 1960, the determination as to whether distributions to him are received under a single contract or under more than one contract shall be made in accordance with the rules illustrated by this example.

Example (2). On January 1, 1961, Z Corporation established a profit-sharing plan for its employees providing that any employee may make contributions, not in excess of 6 percent of his compensation, to a trust and that the employer would make matching contributions out of profits. Under the plan, a participant may receive a periodic distribution of the amount standing in his ac

count during any period that he is absent from work due to a personal injury or sickness. On separation from service, the participant is entitled to receive a distribution of the balance standing in his account in accordance with one of several options. One option provides for the immediate distribution of one-half of the account and for the periodic distribution of the remaining onehalf of the account. In addition, any participant may, after the completion of five years of participation, withdraw any part of his account, but in the case of such a withdrawal, the participant forfeits his rights to participate in the plan for a period of two years. Thus, a participant may receive distributions before separation from service; he may receive a distribution of a lump sum upon separation from service; he may also receive periodic distributions upon separation from service. However, since it is the total amount received under all the options that is interrelated with the contributions to the plan and not the amount received under any one option, this profit-sharing plan consists of only one separate program of interrelated contributions and benefits and all distributions under the plan (regardless of the option under which received) are treated as received under one contract. However, if, instead of providing that the amount standing in an employee's account would be paid to him during any period that he is absent from work due to a personal injury or sickness, the plan provided that a portion of the amount in the employee's account would be used to purchase incidental accident and health insurance, this plan would consist of two separate programs of interrelated contributions and benefits. The accident and health insurance, and the contributions used to purchase it, would be considered as one separate program of interrelated contributions and benefits and, therefore, a separate contract; whereas, the remaining contributions and benefits would be considered another separate program of interrelated contributions and benefits and, consequently, another separate contract.

Example (3). On January 1, 1961, N Corporation established a profit-sharing plan for its employees providing that the employees may make contributions, not in excess of 6 percent of their compensation, to a trust and that N Corporation would make matching contributions out of its profits. Under the plan, the employee may elect each year to have his and the employer's contributions for such year placed in either a savings arrangement or a retirement arrangement. Such an election is irrevocable. Under the savings arrangement, contributions to such arrangement for any one year and the earnings thereon will be distributed five years later. The retirement arrangement provides that all contributions thereto and the earn