Dividend reinvestment plan
(6) Dividend reinvestment plan(i) In general. For purposes of this paragraph (e), the term dividend reinvestment plan means any written plan, arrangement, or program under which at least 10 percent of every dividend (within the meaning of section 316) on any share of stock is reinvested in stock identical to the stock on which the dividend is paid. A plan is a dividend reinvestment plan if the plan documents require that at least 10 percent of any dividend paid is reinvested in identical stock even if the plan includes stock on which no dividends have ever been declared or paid or on which an issuer ceases paying dividends. A plan that holds one or more different stocks may permit a taxpayer to reinvest a different percentage of dividends in the stocks held. A dividend reinvestment plan may reinvest other distributions on stock, such as capital gain distributions, non-taxable returns of capital, and cash in lieu of fractional shares. The term dividend reinvestment plan includes both issuer administered dividend reinvestment plans and non-issuer administered dividend reinvestment plans. (ii) Acquisition of stock. Stock is acquired in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan if the stock is acquired under that plan, arrangement, or program, or if the dividends and other distributions paid on the stock are subject to that plan, arrangement, or program. Shares of stock acquired in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan include the initial purchase of stock in the dividend reinvestment plan, transfers of identical stock into the dividend reinvestment plan, additional periodic purchases of identical stock in the dividend reinvestment plan, and identical stock acquired through reinvestment of the dividends or other distributions paid on the stock held in the plan. (iii) Dividends and other distributions paid after reorganization. For purposes of this paragraph (e)(6), dividends and other distributions declared or announced before or pending a corporate action (such as a merger, consolidation, acquisition, split-off, or spin-off) involving the issuer and subsequently paid and reinvested in shares of stock in the successor entity or entities are treated as reinvested in shares of stock identical to the shares of stock of the issuer. (iv) Withdrawal from or termination of plan. If a taxpayer withdraws stock from a dividend reinvestment plan or the plan administrator terminates the dividend reinvestment plan, the shares of identical stock the taxpayer acquires after the withdrawal or termination are not acquired in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan. The taxpayer may not use the average basis method after the withdrawal or termination but may use any other permissible basis determination method. See paragraph (e)(7)(v) of this section for the basis of the shares after withdrawal or termination. (7) Computation of average basis(i) In general. Average basis is determined by averaging the basis of all shares of identical stock in an account regardless of holding period. However, for this purpose, shares of stock in a dividend reinvestment plan are not identical to shares of stock with the same CUSIP number that are not in a dividend reinvestment plan. The basis of each share of identical stock in the account is the aggregate basis of all shares of that stock in the account divided by the aggregate number of shares. Unless a single-account election is in effect, see paragraph (e)(11) of this section, a taxpayer may not average together the basis of identical stock held in separate accounts that the taxpayer sells, exchanges, or otherwise disposes of on or after January 1, 2012. (ii) Order of disposition of shares sold or transferred. In the case of the sale or transfer of shares of stock to which the average basis method election applies, shares sold or transferred are deemed to be the shares first acquired. Thus, the first shares sold or transferred are those with a holding period of more than 1 year (long-term shares) to the extent that the account contains long-term shares. If the number of shares sold or transferred exceeds the number of long-term shares in the account, the excess shares sold or transferred are deemed to be shares with a holding period of 1 year or less (short-term shares). Any gain or loss attributable to shares held for more than 1 year constitutes long-term gain or loss, and any gain or loss attributable to shares held for 1 year or less constitutes short-term gain or loss. For example, if a taxpayer sells 50 shares from an account containing 100 long-term shares and 100 short-term shares, the shares sold or transferred are all long-term shares. If, however, the account contains 40 long-term shares and 100 short-term shares, the taxpayer has sold 40 long-term shares and 10 short-term shares. (iii) Transition rule from double-category method. This paragraph (e)(7)(iii) applies to stock for which a taxpayer uses the double-category method under 1.1012-1(e)(3) (April 1, 2010), that the taxpayer acquired before April 1, 2011, and that the taxpayer sells, exchanges, or otherwise disposes of on or after that date. The taxpayer must calculate the average basis of this stock by averaging together all identical shares of stock in the account on April 1, 2011, regardless of holding period. (iv) Wash sales. A taxpayer must apply section 1091 and the associated regulations (dealing with wash sales of substantially identical securities) in computing average basis regardless of whether the stock or security sold or otherwise disposed of and the stock acquired are in the same account or in different accounts. (v) Basis after change from average basis method. Unless a taxpayer revokes an average basis method election under paragraph (e)(9)(iii) of this section, if a taxpayer changes from the average basis method to another basis determination method (including a change resulting from a withdrawal from or termination of a dividend reinvestment plan), the basis of each share of stock immediately after the change is the same as the basis immediately before the change. See paragraph (e)(9)(iv) of this section for rules for changing from the average basis method. (vi) The provisions of this paragraph (e)(7) are illustrated by the following examples: (8) Limitation on use of average basis method for certain gift shares. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(8)(ii) of this section, a taxpayer may not use the average basis method for shares of stock a taxpayer acquires by gift after December 31, 1920, if the basis of the shares (adjusted for the period before the date of the gift as provided in section 1016) in the hands of the donor or the last preceding owner by whom the shares were not acquired by gift was greater than the fair market value of the shares at the time of the gift. This paragraph (e)(8)(i) does not apply to shares the taxpayer acquires as a result of a taxable dividend or capital gain distribution on the gift shares. (ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (e)(8)(i) of this section, a taxpayer may use the average basis method if the taxpayer states in writing that the taxpayer will treat the basis of the gift shares as the fair market value of the shares at the time the taxpayer acquires the shares. The taxpayer must provide this statement when the taxpayer makes the election under paragraph (e)(9) of this section or when transferring the shares to an account for which the taxpayer has made this election, whichever occurs later. The statement must be effective for any gift shares identical to the gift shares to which the average basis method election applies that the taxpayer acquires at any time and must remain in effect as long as the election remains in effect. (iii) The provisions of this paragraph (e)(8) are illustrated by the following examples: (9) Time and manner for making the average basis method election(i) In general. A taxpayer makes an election to use the average basis method for shares of stock described in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section that are covered securities (within the meaning of section 6045(g)(3)) by notifying the custodian or agent in writing by any reasonable means. For purposes of this paragraph (e), a writing may be in electronic format. A taxpayer has not made an election within the meaning of this section if the taxpayer fails to notify a broker of the taxpayer's basis determination method and basis is determined by the broker's default method under paragraph (e)(2) of this section. A taxpayer may make the average basis method election at any time, effective for sales or other dispositions of stock occurring after the taxpayer notifies the custodian or agent. The election must identify each account with that custodian or agent and each stock in that account to which the election applies. The election may specify that it applies to all accounts with a custodian or agent, including accounts the taxpayer later establishes with the custodian or agent. If the election applies to gift shares, the taxpayer must provide the statement required by paragraph (e)(8)(ii) of this section, if applicable, to the custodian or agent with the taxpayer's election. (ii) Average basis method election for securities that are noncovered securities. A taxpayer makes an election to use the average basis method for shares of stock described in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section that are noncovered securities (as described in 1.6045-1(a)(16)) on the taxpayer's income tax return for the first taxable year for which the election applies. A taxpayer may make the election on an amended return filed no later than the time prescribed (including extensions) for filing the original return for the taxable year for which the election applies. The taxpayer must indicate on the return that the taxpayer used the average basis method in reporting gain or loss on the sale or other disposition. A taxpayer must attach to the return the statement described in paragraph (e)(8)(ii) of this section, if applicable. A taxpayer making the election must maintain records necessary to substantiate the average basis reported. (iii) Revocation of election. A taxpayer may revoke an election under paragraph (e)(9)(i) of this section by the earlier of one year after the taxpayer makes the election or the date of the first sale, transfer, or disposition of that stock following the election. A custodian or agent may extend the one-year period but a taxpayer may not revoke an election after the first sale, transfer, or disposition of the stock. A revocation applies to all stock the taxpayer holds in an account that is identical to the shares of stock for which the taxpayer revokes the election. A revocation is effective when the taxpayer notifies, in writing by any reasonable means, the custodian or agent holding the stock to which the revocation applies. After revocation, the taxpayer's basis in the shares of stock to which the revocation applies is the basis before averaging. (iv) Change from average basis method. A taxpayer may change basis determination methods from the average basis method to another method prospectively at any time. A change from the average basis method applies to all identical stock the taxpayer sells or otherwise disposes of before January 1, 2012, that was held in any account. A change from the average basis method applies on an account by account basis (within the meaning of paragraph (e)(10) of this section) to all identical stock the taxpayer sells or otherwise disposes of on or after January 1, 2012. The taxpayer must notify, in writing by any reasonable means, the custodian or agent holding the stock to which the change applies. Unless paragraph (e)(9)(iii) of this section applies, the basis of each share of stock to which the change applies remains the same as the basis immediately before the change. See paragraph (e)(7)(v) of this section. (v) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (e)(9) are illustrated by the following examples: (10) Application of average basis method account by account(i) In general. For sales, exchanges, or other dispositions on or after January 1, 2012, of stock described in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section, the average basis method applies on an account by account basis. A taxpayer may use the average basis method for stock in a regulated investment company or stock acquired in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan in one account but use a different basis determination method for identical stock in a different account. If a taxpayer uses the average basis method for a stock described in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section, the taxpayer must use the average basis method for all identical stock within that account. The taxpayer may use different basis determination methods for stock within an account that is not identical. Except as provided in paragraph (e)(10)(ii) of this section, a taxpayer must make separate elections to use the average basis method for stock held in separate accounts. (ii) Account rule for stock sold before 2012. A taxpayer's election to use the average basis method for shares of stock described in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section that a taxpayer sells, exchanges, or otherwise disposes of before January 1, 2012, applies to all identical shares of stock the taxpayer holds in any account. (iii) Separate account. Unless the single-account election described in paragraph (e)(11)(i) of this section applies, stock described in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section that is a covered security (within the meaning of section 6045(g)(3)) is treated as held in a separate account from stock that is a noncovered security (as described in 1.6045-1(a)(16)), regardless of when acquired. (iv) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (e)(10) are illustrated by the following examples: (11) Single-account election(i) In general. Paragraph (e)(10)(iii) of this section does not apply if a regulated investment company or dividend reinvestment plan elects to treat all identical shares of stock described in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section as held in a single account (single-account election). The single-account election applies only to stock for which a taxpayer elects to use the average basis method that is held in separate accounts or treated as held in separate accounts maintained for the taxpayer and only to accounts with the same ownership. If a broker (as defined by section 6045(c)(1)) holds the stock as a nominee, the broker, and not the regulated investment company or dividend reinvestment plan, makes the election. The single-account election is irrevocable, but is void if the taxpayer revokes the average basis election under paragraph (e)(9)(iii) of this section. (ii) Scope of election. A company, plan, or broker may make a single-account election for one or more taxpayers for which it maintains an account, and for one or more stocks it holds for a taxpayer. The company, plan, or broker may make the election only for the shares of stock for which it has accurate basis information. A company, plan, or broker has accurate basis information if the company, plan, or broker neither knows nor has reason to know that the basis information is inaccurate. See also section 6724 and the associated regulations regarding standards for relief from information reporting penalties. Stock for which accurate basis information is unavailable may not be included in the single-account election and must be treated as held in a separate account. (iii) Effect of single-account election. If a company, plan, or broker makes the single-account election, the basis of all identical shares of stock to which the election applies must be averaged together regardless of when the taxpayer acquires the shares, and all the shares are treated as covered securities. The single-account election applies to all identical stock a taxpayer later acquires in the account that is a covered security (within the meaning of section 6045(g)(3)). A company, plan, or broker may make another single-account election if, for example, the broker later acquires accurate basis information for a stock, or a taxpayer acquires identical stock in the account that is a noncovered security (as described in 1.6045-1(a)(16)) for which the company, plan, or broker has accurate basis information. (iv) Time and manner for making the single-account election. A company, plan, or broker makes the single-account election by clearly noting it on its books and records. The books and records must reflect the date of the election; the taxpayer's name, account number, and taxpayer identification number; the stock subject to the election; and the taxpayer's basis in the stock. The company, plan, or broker must provide copies of the books and records regarding the election to the taxpayer upon request. A company, plan, or broker may make the single-account election at any time. (v) Notification to taxpayer. A company, plan, or broker making the single-account election must use reasonable means to notify the taxpayer of the election. Reasonable means include mailings, circulars, or electronic mail sent separately to the taxpayer or included with the taxpayer's account statement, or other means reasonably calculated to provide actual notice to the taxpayer. The notice must identify the securities subject to the election and advise the taxpayer that the securities will be treated as covered securities regardless of when acquired. (vi) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (e)(11) are illustrated by the following examples: (12) Effective/applicability date. Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(7), (e)(9), and (e)(10) of this section, this paragraph (e) applies for taxable years beginning after October 18, 2010.