Private Letter Ruling   
Number: 202321004   
Internal Revenue Service   
February 27, 2023   
     
     
     
Internal Revenue Service   
Department of the Treasury   
Washington, DC 20224   
     
Number: 202321004   
Release Date: 5/26/2023   
Index Number: 9100.00-00, 1400Z.02-00   
[Third Party Communication:   
Date of Communication: Month DD, YYYY]   
Person To Contact:   
ID No.   
Telephone Number:   
Refer Reply To:   
CC:ITA:B04   
PLR-117364-22   
Date:  February 27, 2023   
     
Dear ******:     
     
This letter responds to Taxpayer's request dated Date 7. Specifically, Taxpayer requests relief under Treasury Regulation §§ 301.9100-1 and 301.9100-3 for Taxpayer's Form 8996 (Qualified Opportunity Fund), as filed on Date 8, to be treated as timely for purposes of the election: (1) to self-certify Taxpayer as a qualified opportunity fund (QOF), as defined in § 1400Z-2(d) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code); and (2) for the Taxpayer to be treated as a QOF, effective as of Date 3, as provided under Code § 1400Z-2 and Treasury Regulation § 1.1400Z2(d)-1(a).   
     
FACTS   
     
According to the information and representations provided, Taxpayer was organized as a limited liability company under the laws of State A on Date 1 and is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Taxpayer uses the cash method of accounting as its overall method, and files its Federal income tax returns on a taxable year ending Date 2.   
     
Taxpayer was organized for the purpose of being a QOF and investing in qualified opportunity zone (QOZ) property as defined in section 1400-2(d)(2) of the Code. Taxpayer's operating agreement states the Taxpayer's intention to invest exclusively in QOZ property as a QOF. Taxpayer currently has two members, Member A, a disregarded entity wholly owned by Owner, and Member B. Owner is also the managing member of Taxpayer.   
     
Owner regularly engages Advisor for tax compliance and advisory services for certain Owner's business and investment entities. Shortly after forming Taxpayer, Owner informed Advisor that Taxpayer was created to be a QOF. Although Advisor and Owner discussed using a third-party tax return preparer, who had experience with opportunity zones, to handle tax compliance for Taxpayer, Advisor agreed to prepare and Taxpayer's Federal income tax return, Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income, including any necessary extensions or elections related to the return, such as the Form 8996, Qualified Opportunity Fund ("Taxpayer's Year 1 tax return").   
     
Taxpayer's Year 1 tax return, for the period ending Date 4, was due on Date 5. Taxpayer, however, did not file, by Date 5, either Taxpayer's Year 1 tax return or a Form 7004, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File Certain Business Income Tax, Information, and Other Returns. As such, Taxpayer did not file timely a Form 8996 for Year 1. According to the information and representations provided, the failure was solely due to Advisor's oversight and lack of understanding of the requirements for Taxpayer to self-certify as a QOF.   
     
On Date 6, Advisor notified Owner of Advisor's failure and advised Taxpayer to request an extension of time, pursuant to § 9100 and the Regulations thereunder, to file a Form 8996. Taxpayer then proceeded to prepare this private letter ruling request. Taxpayer represents that since submitting this private letter ruling request on Date 7, Taxpayer has filed its tax return, which included a completed Form 8996, for Year 1 with the appropriate IRS Service Center on Date 8.   
     
LAW AND ANALYSIS   
     
Section 1400Z-2(e)(4)(A) directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations for rules for the certification of QOFs. Treasury Regulation § 1.1400Z2(d)-1(a)(2)(i) provides that the self-certification of a QOF must be timely-filed and effectuated annually in such form and manner as may be prescribed by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue in the Internal Revenue Service forms or instructions, or in publications or guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin.   
     
To self-certify as a QOF, a taxpayer must file Form 8996, Qualified Opportunity Fund, with its tax return for the year to which the certification applies. The Form 8996 must be filed by the due date of the tax return (including extensions). The information provided indicates that the Taxpayer did not file its Form 8996 by the due date of its income tax return (including extensions) due to Advisor's failure to request, on a timely basis, an extension of time to file Taxpayer's Year 1 tax return.   
     
Section 1.1400Z2(d)-1(a)(2)(i) sets forth the manner and timing for electing to be a QOF and electing to self-certify as a QOF. As such, these elections are regulatory elections, as defined in § 301.9100-1(b).   
     
Sections 301.9100-1 through 301.9100-3 provide the standards that the Commissioner will use to determine whether to grant an extension of time to make a regulatory election. Section 301.9100-3(a) provides that requests for extensions of time for regulatory elections (other than automatic extensions covered in § 301.9100-2) will be granted when the taxpayer provides evidence (including affidavits) to establish that the taxpayer acted reasonably and in good faith and the grant of relief will not prejudice the interests of the Government.   
     
Section 301.9100-3(b)(1) provides that a taxpayer is deemed to have acted reasonably and in good faith if the taxpayer   
     
(i) requests relief before the failure to make the regulatory election is discovered by the Service;   
     
(ii) failed to make the election because of intervening events beyond the taxpayer's control;   
     
(iii) failed to make the election because, after exercising reasonable diligence, the taxpayer was unaware of the necessity for the election;   
     
(iv) reasonably relied on the written advice of the Service; or   
     
(v) reasonably relied on a qualified tax professional, and the professional failed to make, or advise the taxpayer to make, the election.   
     
In addition, § 301.9100-3(b)(3) provides that a taxpayer is deemed not to have acted reasonably and in good faith if the taxpayer--   
     
(i) seeks to alter a return position for which an accuracy-related penalty has been or could be imposed under § 6662 at the time the taxpayer requests relief, and the new position requires or permits a regulatory election for which relief is requested;   
     
(ii) was fully informed in all material respects of the required election and related tax consequences but chose not to make the election; or   
     
(iii) uses hindsight in requesting relief. If specific facts have changed since the original deadline that make the election advantageous to a taxpayer, the Service will not ordinarily grant relief.   
     
Section 301.9100-3(c)(1) provides that the Commissioner will grant a reasonable extension of time to make the regulatory election only when the interests of the Government will not be prejudiced by the granting of relief. Section 301.9100-3(c)(1)(i) provides that the interests of the Government are prejudiced if granting relief would result in a taxpayer having a lower tax liability in the aggregate for all taxable years affected by the election than the taxpayer would have had if the election had been timely made (taking into account the time value of money). Section 301.9100-3(c)(1)(ii) provides that the interests of the government are ordinarily prejudiced if the taxable year in which the regulatory election should have been made or any taxable year that would have been affected by the election had it been timely made are closed by the period of limitations on assessment under § 6501(a) before the taxpayer's receipt of a ruling granting relief under this section.   
     
CONCLUSION   
     
Based on the facts and information submitted in connection with this request, we conclude Taxpayer has acted reasonably and in good faith, and that the granting of relief would not prejudice the interests of the Government. Accordingly, Taxpayer has satisfied the requirements of the regulations for the granting of relief, and Taxpayer's Form 8996, filed on Date 8, certifying the Taxpayer as a QOF as of Date 3 is considered timely filed.   
     
This ruling is based upon facts and representations submitted by the Taxpayer and accompanied by penalty of perjury statements executed by the appropriate parties. This office has not verified any of the material submitted in support of the request for a ruling. However, as part of an examination process, the Service may verify the factual information, representations, and other data submitted.   
     
This ruling addresses the granting of Treasury Regulation § 301.9100-3 relief as applied to the election to self-certify the Taxpayer as a QOF by filing Form 8996 for Year 1.   
     
Except as expressly provided herein, no opinion is either expressed or implied concerning the tax consequences of any aspect of any transaction or item discussed or referenced in this letter. Specifically, we have no opinion, either express or implied, concerning whether any investments made into Taxpayer are qualifying investments as defined in Treasury Regulation § 1.1400Z2(a)-1(b)(34) or whether Taxpayer meets the requirements and structure under § 1400Z-2 and the regulations thereunder to be a QOF. In addition, we also express no opinion on whether any interest owned in any entity by Taxpayer qualifies as qualified opportunity zone property, as defined in § 1400Z-2(d)(2), or whether such entity would be treated as a qualified opportunity zone business, as defined in § 1400Z-2(d)(3). We express no opinion regarding the tax treatment of the instant transaction under the provisions of any other sections of the Code or regulations that may be applicable, or regarding the tax treatment of any conditions existing at the time of, or effects resulting from, the instant transaction.   
     
A copy of this letter must be attached to any tax return to which it is relevant. Alternatively, taxpayers filing their returns electronically may satisfy this requirement by attaching a statement to their return that provides the date and control number of the letter ruling.   
     
This ruling is directed only to the taxpayer requesting it. Code § 6110(k)(3) provides that it may not be used or cited as precedent. Enclosed is a copy of the letter ruling showing the deletions proposed to be made when it is disclosed under Code § 6110. Pursuant to the Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representation, on file, we are sending a copy of this letter to Taxpayer's authorized representatives.   
     
This letter is being issued electronically in accordance with Rev.Proc. 2022-1, 2022-1 I.R.B. 1. A paper copy will not be mailed to the taxpayer.   
     
Sincerely,   
     
_____________________________   
Alexa T. Dubert   
Senior Technician Reviewer   
Branch 4   
Office of Chief Counsel   
(Income Tax & Accounting)   
     
cc: ******