Rev. Proc. 2003-39

Part III
Administrative, Procedural, and Miscellaneous
26 CFR 1.1031(a)-1: Property held for productive use in trade or business or for
investment; 1.1031(k)-1: Treatment of deferred exchanges.

Rev. Proc. 2003-39
SECTION 1. PURPOSE
This revenue procedure provides safe harbors with respect to programs involving
ongoing exchanges of tangible personal property using a single intermediary, as
described in section 3.02 of this revenue procedure (an "LKE Program").
SECTION 2. BACKGROUND
.01 Section 1031(a)(1) provides that no gain or loss is recognized on the exchange of
property held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment (“relinquished
property”) if the property is exchanged solely for property of like kind that is to be held
either for productive use in a trade or business or for investment (“replacement
property”).
.02 Section 1031(a)(3) provides that replacement property received by the taxpayer is
not treated as like-kind property if it: (a) is not identified as property to be received in
the exchange on or before the day that is 45 days after the date on which the taxpayer
transfers the relinquished property (the “45-day identification period”); or (b) is received
after the earlier of the date that is 180 days after the date on which the taxpayer
transfers the relinquished property, or the due date (determined with regard to
extensions) for the transferor's federal income tax return for the year in which the
transfer of the relinquished property occurs.
.03 Section 1.1031(k)-1(a) defines a deferred exchange as an exchange in which,
pursuant to an agreement, the taxpayer transfers relinquished property and
subsequently receives replacement property. In order to constitute a deferred

exchange, the transaction must be an exchange (i.e., a transfer of property for property,
as distinguished from a transfer of property for money).
.04 Section 1.1031(k)-1(c)(1) provides that any replacement property that is received
by the taxpayer before the end of the 45-day identification period will be treated in all
events as identified before the end of the 45-day identification period.
-2.05 Section 1.1031(k)-1(f)(1) provides that if a taxpayer actually or constructively
receives money or other property in the full amount of the consideration for the
relinquished property before the taxpayer actually receives the replacement property,
the transaction will constitute a sale and not a deferred exchange, even though the
taxpayer may ultimately receive replacement property.
.06 Section 1.1031(k)-1(g) sets forth safe harbors involving a qualified escrow
account, a qualified trust, or a qualified intermediary, the use of which will result in a
determination that the taxpayer is not in actual or constructive receipt of money or other
property for purposes of § 1031 and the regulations.
.07 Section 1.1031(k)-1(g)(4)(iii) requires that, for an intermediary to be a qualified
intermediary, the intermediary must enter into a written "exchange" agreement with the
taxpayer and, as required by the exchange agreement, acquire the relinquished
property from the taxpayer, transfer the relinquished property, acquire the replacement
property, and transfer the replacement property to the taxpayer.
.08 Section 1.1031(k)-1(g)(4)(iv) provides that the intermediary will be treated as
acquiring or transferring property, as the case may be, if the intermediary (either on its
own behalf or as the agent of any party to the transaction) enters into an agreement for
the acquisition or transfer of property and, pursuant to that agreement, the property is
transferred.
.09 Section 1.1031(k)-1(g)(4)(v) provides that an intermediary will be treated as
entering into an agreement for the acquisition or transfer of property if the taxpayer's
rights in the agreement are assigned to the intermediary, and the other parties to the
acquisition or transfer agreement are notified in writing of the assignment on or before
the date of the relevant transfer of property (the "Assignment Safe Harbor"). Under the
Assignment Safe Harbor, there is no requirement that the taxpayer also assign or
delegate its obligations arising under the agreement.

.10 Section 1.1031(k)-1(g)(6) provides that an agreement with an escrow holder,
trustee or qualified intermediary must expressly limit the taxpayer's rights to receive,
pledge, borrow, or otherwise obtain the benefits of money or other property held in the
qualified escrow or trust or by the qualified intermediary.
.11 Sections 1.1031(k)-1(g)(3) and (4) provide that the application of the safe harbor
requires that in the case of a qualified escrow account, a qualified trust, or a qualified
intermediary, the escrow holder, trustee, or intermediary must not be a "disqualified
person."
-3.12 Section 1.1031(k)-1(k)(2) provides that a person that is the agent of the taxpayer
at the time of the transaction is a disqualified person. For this purpose, a person who
has acted as the taxpayer’s employee, attorney, accountant, investment banker or
broker, or real estate agent or broker within the two-year period ending on the date of
the transfer of the first of the relinquished properties is treated as an agent of the
taxpayer at the time of the transaction. Solely for purposes of §1.1031-1(k)(2),
performance of the following services will not be taken into account: (a) services for the
taxpayer with respect to exchanges of property intended to qualify for nonrecognition of
gain or loss under § 1031; and (b) routine financial, title insurance, escrow, or trust
services for the taxpayer by a financial institution, title insurance company, or escrow
company.
.13 The Service and Treasury Department have determined that it is in the best
interest of sound tax administration to provide taxpayers with guidance regarding the
qualification of LKE Programs under § 1031. Accordingly, this revenue procedure
provides safe harbors that clarify the application of § 1031 and the regulations
thereunder to LKE Programs.
SECTION 3. SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS
.01 Exclusivity. This revenue procedure provides safe harbors for certain aspects of
the qualification under § 1031 of certain exchanges of property pursuant to LKE
Programs. The principles set forth in sections 4 through 6 of this revenue procedure
have no application to any federal income tax determinations other than determinations

that involve LKE Programs qualifying for one or more of the safe harbors. For a
transaction to qualify under § 1031, it must also satisfy the requirements of § 1031 for
which safe harbors are not provided in this revenue procedure (e.g., whether property
involved in an exchange is considered like-kind property within the meaning of § 1031).
.02 LKE Program. For purposes of this revenue procedure, an “LKE Program” is an
ongoing program involving multiple exchanges of 100 or more properties. Although LKE
Programs may differ in various ways, an LKE Program must have all of the following
characteristics:
(1) The taxpayer regularly and routinely enters into agreements to sell tangible
personal property as well as agreements to buy tangible personal property;
-4(2) The taxpayer uses a single, unrelated intermediary to accomplish the
exchanges in the LKE Program;
(3) The taxpayer and the intermediary enter into a written agreement (“master
exchange agreement”);
(4) The master exchange agreement expressly limits the taxpayer's rights to
receive, pledge, borrow, or otherwise obtain the benefits of money or other property
held by the intermediary as provided in § 1.1031(k)-1(g)(6);
(5) In the master exchange agreement, the taxpayer assigns to the intermediary
the taxpayer's rights (but not necessarily its obligations) in some or all of its existing and
future agreements to sell relinquished property and/or to purchase replacement
property;
(6) The taxpayer provides written notice of the assignment to the other party to
each existing and future agreement to sell relinquished property and/or to purchase
replacement property;
(7) The taxpayer
(a) implements a process that identifies potential replacement property or
properties before the end of the identification period for the relinquished property or
group of relinquished properties of which it is disposing in each exchange,
(b) complies with the identification requirement by receiving replacement
property or properties before the end of the 45-day identification period, or
(c) satisfies the identification requirements by a combination of the
approaches in (a) and (b);
(8) The taxpayer implements a process for collecting, holding and disbursing
funds (which may include the use of joint taxpayer and intermediary bank accounts, or

accounts in the name of a third party for the benefit of both the taxpayer and the
intermediary) that ensures that the intermediary controls the receipt, holding, and
disbursement of all funds to which the intermediary is entitled (i.e., proceeds from the
sale of relinquished properties);
(9) Relinquished property or properties that are transferred are matched with
replacement property or properties that are received in order to determine the gain, if
any, recognized on the disposition of the relinquished property and to determine the
basis of the replacement property; and
(10) The taxpayer recognizes gain or loss on the disposition of relinquished
properties that are not matched with replacement properties, and the taxpayer takes a
cost basis in replacement properties that are received but not matched with relinquished
properties.
-5A taxpayer may conduct more than one LKE Program simultaneously. In such a
case, each LKE Program is evaluated separately for purposes of determining whether
that LKE Program qualifies for the safe harbors of this revenue procedure.
.03 No Inference. The Service recognizes that exchanges of property pursuant to
LKE Programs may qualify for nonrecognition treatment under § 1031 although they fall
outside the safe harbors provided in this revenue procedure. No inference is intended
with respect to the federal income tax treatment of transfers of relinquished property
and acquisitions of replacement property that do not satisfy the terms of the safe
harbors provided in this revenue procedure.
.04 Scope of Safe Harbors. Each of the paragraphs under sections 4, 5, and 6 of this
revenue procedure is considered a separate and distinct safe harbor. Therefore, a
taxpayer who fails to qualify for the benefits of one safe harbor may nevertheless qualify
for the benefits of another safe harbor.
SECTION 4. EXCHANGES OF RELINQUISHED PROPERTY AND REPLACEMENT
PROPERTY
.01 Separate and Distinct Exchanges. In the case of an LKE Program, the taxpayer's
transfer of each relinquished property or group of relinquished properties and the
taxpayer's corresponding receipt of each replacement property or group of replacement
properties with which the relinquished property or group of relinquished properties has
been matched by the taxpayer is treated as a separate and distinct exchange for

purposes of § 1031. The determination of whether a particular exchange qualifies
under § 1031 is made without regard to any other exchange. Thus, if a particular
exchange of a relinquished property or group of relinquished properties for a
replacement property or group of replacement properties pursuant to an LKE Program
fails to qualify under § 1031, such failure will not affect the application of § 1031 to any
other exchange pursuant to the LKE Program.
.02 45-day Identification Period. Replacement property that is received within
the 45-day identification period or that is otherwise properly identified as provided in §
1.1031(k)-1(c) is treated as satisfying the requirement of § 1031(a)(3) that replacement
property be identified, notwithstanding that it may not be matched with relinquished
property until after the end of the 45-day identification period. The replacement property
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6–
must, however, be matched no later than the due date (determined with regard to
extensions) of the taxpayer’s return.
SECTION 5. ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE RECEIPT OF MONEY OR OTHER
PROPERTY. For purposes of this section, any requirement that the taxpayer transfer
money or other property to the qualified intermediary will be deemed to be satisfied if
the amount of money held by the qualified intermediary and the amount of money in any
joint account (as described in § 5.02 of this revenue procedure) equals or exceeds the
amount of proceeds from the sale of relinquished property (including the amount that is
required to be transferred by the taxpayer) that has not yet been used to acquire
replacement property.
.01 Receipt of Checks and Other Negotiable Instruments. A taxpayer engaged in an
LKE Program will not be considered to be in actual or constructive receipt of money or
other property as a result of processing a check or other negotiable instrument made
payable to a person other than the taxpayer if:
(1) The check or other negotiable instrument has not been endorsed by the
person to whom the check or other negotiable instrument is made payable;
(2) The person to whom the check or other negotiable instrument is made
payable is not a disqualified person as defined in § 1.1031(k)-1(k); and
(3) The check or other negotiable instrument is forwarded to or for the benefit of a

qualified intermediary or deposited into an account in the name of the qualified
intermediary, a joint account, or an account in the name of a third party (other than a
disqualified person as defined in § 1.1031(k)-1(k)) for the benefit of both the taxpayer
and the qualified intermediary.
.02 Joint Accounts. A taxpayer engaged in an LKE Program will not be considered to
be in actual or constructive receipt of proceeds from the sale of relinquished property
deposited into or held in a joint bank, trust, escrow, or similar account in the name of the
taxpayer and the qualified intermediary, or in an account in the name of a third party
(other than a disqualified person as defined in § 1.1031(k)-1(k)) for the benefit of both
the taxpayer and the qualified intermediary, if:

-7(1) The account is used to collect, hold, and/or disburse proceeds arising from the
sale of relinquished property for the benefit of the qualified intermediary;
(2) The agreement setting forth the terms and conditions with respect to the
account requires authorization from the qualified intermediary to transfer proceeds from
the sale of relinquished properties out of the account; and
(3) The agreement setting forth the terms of the taxpayer's and qualified
intermediary's rights with respect to, or beneficial interest in, the account expressly limits
the taxpayer's rights to receive, pledge, borrow, or otherwise obtain the benefits of
proceeds from the sale of relinquished property held in the joint account as provided in
§ 1.1031(k)-1(g)(6).
The account may also be used by the parties for other purposes provided that such use
does not undermine the qualified intermediary’s right to control the proceeds from the
sale of relinquished property.
.03 Funds Netting. A taxpayer engaged in an LKE Program will not be considered to
be in actual or constructive receipt of money or other property as a result of transferring
relinquished property solely because an amount owed by the taxpayer to the buyer
(other than a lease security deposit) is netted against the sales price of the relinquished
property, provided that, as required by the master exchange agreement, funds equal to
the full amount of sales proceeds from the relinquished property are transferred to or for

the benefit of the qualified intermediary by the opening of the next day’s business.
Likewise, a taxpayer acquiring replacement property in a like-kind exchange will not be
considered to be in actual or constructive receipt of money or other property solely
because an amount owed by the seller to the taxpayer is netted against the purchase
price of the property and the qualified intermediary transfers to the taxpayer funds in an
amount equal to the amount owed by the seller to the taxpayer so that the qualified
intermediary expends the full amount of the purchase price obligation for the
replacement property.
.04 Taxpayer As Lender to Purchaser. If a taxpayer that is engaged in an LKE
Program lends money to the buyer for the purchase of the taxpayer's relinquished
property, the taxpayer's receipt of the buyer's promissory note or other evidence of
indebtedness will not be considered actual or constructive receipt of money or other
property if:
(1) The taxpayer makes similar loans in the ordinary course of its business
operations;
-8(2) The buyer is not obligated to obtain financing from the taxpayer for the
purchase of the relinquished property, but rather is free to borrow the funds from
another lender;
(3) The taxpayer's loan to the buyer is an arm's-length transaction at the
prevailing market terms; and
(4) As required by the master exchange agreement, the taxpayer promptly
transfers funds equal to the loan proceeds (plus a market rate of interest on such
amount for the period between the date of the sale of the relinquished property and the
date of the transfer of the loan proceeds to the qualified intermediary) to or for the
benefit of the qualified intermediary.
05. Application of Lease Security Deposit To Purchase Price. In the case of a
taxpayer that engages in an LKE Program and is the lessor of the property being
purchased by the buyer-lessee, the buyer-lessee's application of its lease security
deposit to the purchase price of the relinquished property will not be considered actual
or constructive receipt of money or other property provided that, as required by the
master exchange agreement, the taxpayer promptly transfers funds equal to the lease

security deposit (plus a market rate of interest on such amount for the period between
the date of the sale of the relinquished property and the date of the transfer of the
security deposit to the qualified intermediary) to or for the benefit of the qualified
intermediary.
SECTION 6. DEFINITION OF QUALIFIED INTERMEDIARY
.01 In General. For purposes of determining whether an intermediary is a disqualified
person in the context of an LKE Program, the intermediary will not fail to be a qualified
intermediary merely because the intermediary:
(1) is assigned the taxpayer's rights in its agreements to sell relinquished
properties that ultimately are not matched with replacement properties under the
taxpayer's LKE Program;
(2) is assigned the taxpayer's rights in its agreements to buy replacement
properties that ultimately are not matched with relinquished properties under the
taxpayer's LKE Program;
(3) receives funds with respect to the transfer of relinquished property that
ultimately is not matched with replacement property under the taxpayer's LKE Program;
or
-9(4) pays funds with respect to the acquisition of replacement property that
ultimately is not matched with relinquished property under the taxpayer's LKE Program.
.02 Assignment Safe Harbor. The taxpayer's assignment in the master exchange
agreement to the intermediary of the taxpayer's rights (but not necessarily its
obligations) in some or all of its existing and future agreements to sell relinquished
property and/or to purchase replacement property, and the taxpayer’s written notice of
the assignment to the other party to each agreement to sell relinquished property and/or
to purchase replacement property on or before the date of the relevant transfer of
property, will be effective to satisfy the Assignment Safe Harbor and notice requirement
under § 1.1031(k)-1(g)(4)(v).
SECTION 7. PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT
The collections of information contained in this revenue procedure have been

reviewed and approved by the Office of Management and Budget in accordance with
the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3507) under control number 1545-1834.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond
to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid control
number.
The collections of information in this revenue procedure are in sections 5 and 6.
This information is required by the Service to provide safe harbors under § 1031 to
taxpayers participating in LKE Programs for federal income tax purposes. The likely
respondents are finance companies; subsidiaries of manufacturers; or banks that
purchases retail leases and retail installment sale contracts from dealers of automobiles
or other types of equipment.
The estimated total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden is 8,600 hours.
The estimated annual burden per respondent/recordkeeper varies from 45
minutes to 75 minutes, depending on individual circumstances, with an estimated
average of 60 minutes. The estimated number of respondents and recordkeepers is
8,600.
The estimated annual frequency of responses is on occasion.
- 10 Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained as long
as their contents may become material in the administration of any internal revenue law.
Generally, tax returns and tax return information are confidential, as required by 26
U.S.C. 6103.
SECTION 8. DRAFTING INFORMATION
The principal author of this revenue procedure is Elizabeth Kaye of the Office of
Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax and Accounting). For further information
regarding this revenue procedure, contact Ms. Kaye at (202) 622-4920 (not a toll-free
call).