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On August 31, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (DSIO) issued a no-action letter (No-Action Letter 20-23) providing additional relief to swap dealers (SDs) and other market participants related to the industry-wide initiative to transition from swaps that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and other interbank offered rates (IBORs) to swaps that reference alternative benchmarks.
Continue Reading CFTC No-Action Letter 20-23: CFTC Provides Additional Relief to Market Participants Transitioning from LIBOR

On August 31, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Division of Clearing and Risk (DCR) issued a no-action letter (No-Action Letter 20-25) relating to the swap clearing requirement promulgated pursuant to section 2(h)(1)(A) of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and codified in Part 50 of the CFTC’s regulations (Clearing Requirement).
Continue Reading CFTC No-Action Letter 20-25: CFTC Provides Time-Limited Relief from the Swap Clearing Requirement

On October 9, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) proposed regulations to eliminate tax issues that might otherwise arise due to the modification of instruments and transactions as a result of discontinuation of interbank offered rates (IBORs) used in debt instruments and non-debt contracts (such as derivatives). Under current rules, material alteration of the terms of instruments and contracts can result in tax events, including the realization of gain or loss for income tax purposes.
Continue Reading Proposed IRS Regulations on Modifications of Debt Instruments and Swaps to Replace LIBOR

Included as a revenue offset in the budget legislation (H.R. 1314) signed by President Obama are provisions that simplify the procedure for the Internal Revenue Service to audit and collect adjustments from partnerships. The new rules, which are generally effective beginning 2018, permit the IRS to send the bill for a prior year’s tax deficiency to the partnership, which would then have the obligation to pay the deficiency, unless the partnership elects an alternative payment procedure. The alternative payment procedure permits partnerships to pass the adjustments and related taxes back to the applicable partners, who will pay this additional tax in the year they are notified of the deficiency and will not be required to amend their prior years’ federal returns. (Partners will still be obligated to report the adjustments on amended state tax returns, unless the applicable state adopts similar procedures.) The details for making this election will be set forth in forthcoming US Treasury regulations.
Continue Reading IRS Issues New Partnership Audit Procedures

On September 14, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued final regulations under Internal Revenue Code Section 851 clarifying that control groups under the regulated investment company (RIC) rules may consist of two entities (i.e., the RIC and one subsidiary), rather than two levels of entities, settling a decades-long debate. The IRS also issued Rev. Proc. 2015-45, 2015-39 IRB 1, which provides a safe harbor for fund of funds structures.
Continue Reading IRS Addresses RIC Asset Diversification Requirements