Partnership And Co-Ownership Issues
Investment real estate is commonly owned by co-owners in a partnership containing two or more partners or by co-owners as tenants in common. An exchange of a tenant in common interest in real estate poses no problems and is eligible for 1031 Exchange treatment. However, an exchange of an interest in a partnership is not permitted under the Code and Regulations.
If a partnership owns property and desires to sale/exchange the property, then the partnership is the entity that is the Exchanger and party to the Exchange Agreement. The partnership will take title to the Replacement Property.
Frequently, individual partners in a partnership desire to take their share of the proceeds of sale of the partnership property, replace with qualifying 1031 Replacement Property in their own names and end their relationship with the partnership. This presents problems that require careful planning and is not without tax risk.
If a partnership involving two or more partners wishes to discontinue the partnership, sell the property, and go their separate ways with either the cash or a 1031 Exchange, it is necessary for the individual partners to receive deed to the property in advance of the sale. This is done in the context of a distribution of property from the partnership to its partners who then hold the property as tenants in common. Each individual partner then is positioned to sell or exchange his tenancy in common ownership in the real estate. This is known in the industry as a “drop and swap” and is often done at the same closing table. However, it is better for the “drop” to be performed some time before the “swap” is done in order to comply with the “held for investment” rule by the individual partners. Simultaneous “drop and swaps” have been challenged in past years by the IRS. The courts have been more lenient.
If a partnership with multiple partners wishes to exchange property in the name of the partnership but some of the partners want to “cash out” or go separate ways, it is common for the partnership to do a “split-off.” The partnership distributes tenancy in common title to a portion of the partnership property to those individual partners who wish to proceed in separate directions, and the partnership (and its remaining partners) proceed with an exchange in the name of the partnership.
The services of YAHNIAN LAW CORPORATION are essential for tax planning and structuring for successful exchanges of partnership and co-ownership interests in real estate.