Laws, Regulations & Annotations

Property Taxes Law Guide – Revision 2017

Property Tax Annotations

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A

170.0000 ASSESSMENT

Annotation 170.0085

170.0085 Safe Harbor Lease Transactions. As the result of the Economic Recovery Act of 1981, corporations can buy or sell certain federal income tax benefits, Investment Tax Credits and the opportunity to claim Accelerated Cost Recovery System deductions. These benefits derive from acquisition of qualifying new business property.

A corporation acquiring new business property but not having sufficient net income to realize any benefit from such income tax benefits may sell such benefits through an agreement to lease the property. The corporation acquiring such benefits through a lease or sale/leaseback agreement is said to have established a safe harbor-sheltering of income from higher income tax.

Leases and sale/leaseback agreements may transfer rights of ownership of the property subject thereto, in addition to such income tax benefits. Thus, determination of ownership and whether the property is a fixture or other type of real property is important. In most cases, historical cost is the apparent approach to use in determining market value for property subject to a safe harbor lease. LTA 5/7/1982 (No. 82/68).