26 USC 148 - Arbitrage

View all text of Subpart B [§ 148 - § 149]

§ 148. Arbitrage

(a) Arbitrage bond definedFor purposes of section 103, the term “arbitrage bond” means any bond issued as part of an issue any portion of the proceeds of which are reasonably expected (at the time of issuance of the bond) to be used directly or indirectly—

(1) to acquire higher yielding investments, or

(2) to replace funds which were used directly or indirectly to acquire higher yielding investments.

For purposes of this subsection, a bond shall be treated as an arbitrage bond if the issuer intentionally uses any portion of the proceeds of the issue of which such bond is a part in a manner described in paragraph (1) or (2).

(b) Higher yielding investmentsFor purposes of this section—

(1) In general

(2) Investment propertyThe term “investment property” means—

(A) any security (within the meaning of section 165(g)(2)(A) or (B)),

(B) any obligation,

(D) any investment-type property, or

(E) in the case of a bond other than a private activity bond, any residential rental property for family units which is not located within the jurisdiction of the issuer and which is not acquired to implement a court ordered or approved housing desegregation plan.

(3) Alternative minimum tax bonds treated as investment property in certain cases

(A) In general

(B) Exception

(4) Safe harbor for prepaid natural gas

(A) In general

(B) Qualified natural gas supply contractFor purposes of this paragraph, the term “qualified natural gas supply contract” means any contract to acquire natural gas for resale by a utility owned by a governmental unit if the amount of gas permitted to be acquired under the contract by the utility during any year does not exceed the sum of—

(i) the annual average amount during the testing period of natural gas purchased (other than for resale) by customers of such utility who are located within the service area of such utility, and

(ii) the amount of natural gas to be used to transport the prepaid natural gas to the utility during such year.

(C) Natural gas used to generate electricityNatural gas used to generate electricity shall be taken into account in determining the average under subparagraph (B)(i)—

(i) only if the electricity is generated by a utility owned by a governmental unit, and

(ii) only to the extent that the electricity is sold (other than for resale) to customers of such utility who are located within the service area of such utility.

(D) Adjustments for changes in customer base

(i) New business customersIf—(I) after the close of the testing period and before the date of issuance of the issue, the utility owned by a governmental unit enters into a contract to supply natural gas (other than for resale) for a business use at a property within the service area of such utility, and(II) the utility did not supply natural gas to such property during the testing period or the ratable amount of natural gas to be supplied under the contract is significantly greater than the ratable amount of gas supplied to such property during the testing period,

then a contract shall not fail to be treated as a qualified natural gas supply contract by reason of supplying the additional natural gas under the contract referred to in subclause (I).

(ii) Lost customers

(E) Ruling requests

(F) Adjustment for natural gas otherwise on hand

(i) In generalThe amount otherwise permitted to be acquired under the contract for any period shall be reduced by—(I) the applicable share of natural gas held by the utility on the date of issuance of the issue, and(II) the natural gas (not taken into account under subclause (I)) which the utility has a right to acquire during such period (determined as of the date of issuance of the issue).

(ii) Applicable share

(G) Intentional actsSubparagraph (A) shall cease to apply to any issue if the utility owned by the governmental unit engages in any intentional act to render the volume of natural gas acquired by such prepayment to be in excess of the sum of—

(i) the amount of natural gas needed (other than for resale) by customers of such utility who are located within the service area of such utility, and

(ii) the amount of natural gas used to transport such natural gas to the utility.

(H) Testing period

(I) Service areaFor purposes of this paragraph, the service area of a utility owned by a governmental unit shall be comprised of—

(i) any area throughout which such utility provided at all times during the testing period—(I) in the case of a natural gas utility, natural gas transmission or distribution services, and(II) in the case of an electric utility, electricity distribution services,

(ii) any area within a county contiguous to the area described in clause (i) in which retail customers of such utility are located if such area is not also served by another utility providing natural gas or electricity services, as the case may be, and

(iii) any area recognized as the service area of such utility under State or Federal law.

(1) In general

(2) Limitation on temporary period for pooled financings

(A) In general

(B) Shorter temporary period for loan repayments, etc.

(C) Bonds used to provide construction financingIn the case of an issue described in subparagraph (A) any portion of which is used to make or finance loans for construction expenditures (within the meaning of subsection (f)(4)(C)(iv))—

(i) rules similar to the rules of subsection (f)(4)(C)(v) shall apply, and

(ii) subparagraph (A) shall be applied with respect to such portion by substituting “2 years” for “6 months”.

(D) Exception for mortgage revenue bonds

(d) Special rules for reasonably required reserve or replacement fund

(1) In general

(2) Limitation on amount in reserve or replacement fund which may be financed by issue

(e) Minor portion may be invested in higher yielding investmentsNotwithstanding subsections (a), (c), and (d), a bond issued as part of an issue shall not be treated as an arbitrage bond solely by reason of the fact that an amount of the proceeds of such issue (in addition to the amounts under subsections (c) and (d)) is invested in higher yielding investments if such amount does not exceed the lesser of—

(1) 5 percent of the proceeds of the issue, or

(2) $100,000.

(f) Required rebate to the United States

(1) In general

(2) Rebate to United StatesAn issue shall be treated as meeting the requirements of this paragraph only if an amount equal to the sum of—

(A) the excess of—

(i) the amount earned on all nonpurpose investments (other than investments attributable to an excess described in this subparagraph), over

(ii) the amount which would have been earned if such nonpurpose investments were invested at a rate equal to the yield on the issue, plus

(B) any income attributable to the excess described in subparagraph (A),

is paid to the United States by the issuer in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (3).

(3) Due date of payments under paragraph (2)

(4) Special rules for applying paragraph (2)

(A) In generalIn determining the aggregate amount earned on nonpurpose investments for purposes of paragraph (2)—

(i) any gain or loss on the disposition of a nonpurpose investment shall be taken into account, and

(ii) any amount earned on a bona fide debt service fund shall not be taken into account if the gross earnings on such fund for the bond year is less than $100,000.

In the case of an issue no bond of which is a private activity bond, clause (ii) shall be applied without regard to the dollar limitation therein if the average maturity of the issue (determined in accordance with section 147(b)(2)(A)) is at least 5 years and the rates of interest on bonds which are part of the issue do not vary during the term of the issue.

(B) Temporary investmentsUnder regulations prescribed by the Secretary—

(i) In generalAn issue shall, for purposes of this subsection, be treated as meeting the requirements of paragraph (2) if—(I) the gross proceeds of such issue are expended for the governmental purposes for which the issue was issued no later than the day which is 6 months after the date of issuance of the issue, and(II) the requirements of paragraph (2) are met with respect to amounts not required to be spent as provided in subclause (I) (other than earnings on amounts in any bona fide debt service fund).

Gross proceeds which are held in a bona fide debt service fund or a reasonably required reserve or replacement fund, and gross proceeds which arise after such 6 months and which were not reasonably anticipated as of the date of issuance, shall not be considered gross proceeds for purposes of subclause (I) only.

(ii) Additional period for certain bonds(I) In general(II)

(iii) Safe harbor for determining when proceeds of tax and revenue anticipation bonds are expended(I) In general(II) Cumulative cash flow deficit(III) Period involved

(iv) Payments of principal not to affect requirements

(i) In general

(ii) Spending requirementsThe spending requirements of this clause are met if at least—(I) 10 percent of the available construction proceeds of the construction issue are spent for the governmental purposes of the issue within the 6-month period beginning on the date the bonds are issued,(II) 45 percent of such proceeds are spent for such purposes within the 1-year period beginning on such date,(III) 75 percent of such proceeds are spent for such purposes within the 18-month period beginning on such date, and(IV) 100 percent of such proceeds are spent for such purposes within the 2-year period beginning on such date.

(iii) Exception for reasonable retainageThe spending requirement of clause (ii)(IV) shall be treated as met if—(I) such requirement would be met at the close of such 2-year period but for a reasonable retainage (not exceeding 5 percent of the available construction proceeds of the construction issue), and(II) 100 percent of the available construction proceeds of the construction issue are spent for the governmental purposes of the issue within the 3-year period beginning on the date the bonds are issued.

(iv) Construction issueFor purposes of this subparagraph, the term “construction issue” means any issue if—(I) at least 75 percent of the available construction proceeds of such issue are to be used for construction expenditures with respect to property which is to be owned by a governmental unit or a 501(c)(3) organization, and(II) all of the bonds which are part of such issue are qualified 501(c)(3) bonds, bonds which are not private activity bonds, or private activity bonds issued to finance property to be owned by a governmental unit or a 501(c)(3) organization.

For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “construction” includes reconstruction and rehabilitation, and rules similar to the rules of section 142(b)(1)(B) shall apply.

(v) Portions of issues used for constructionIf—(I) all of the construction expenditures to be financed by an issue are to be financed from a portion thereof, and(II) the issuer elects to treat such portion as a construction issue for purposes of this subparagraph,

then, for purposes of this subparagraph and subparagraph (B), such portion shall be treated as a separate issue.

(vi) Available construction proceedsFor purposes of this subparagraph—(I) In general(II) Earnings on reserve included only for certain periods(III) Payments on acquired purpose obligations excluded(IV) Election to rebate on earnings on reserve

(vii) Election to pay penalty in lieu of rebate(I) In general(II) Termination

(viii) Election to terminate 1½ percent penaltyAt the election of the issuer (made not later than 90 days after the earlier of the end of the initial temporary period or the date the construction is substantially completed), the penalty under clause (vii) shall not apply to any 6-month period after the initial temporary period under subsection (c) if the requirements of subclauses (I), (II), and (III) are met.(I) 3 percent penalty(II) Yield restriction at close of temporary period(III) Redemption of bonds at earliest call date

(ix) Election to terminate 1½ percent penalty before end of temporary periodIf—(I) the construction to be financed by a construction issue is substantially completed before the end of the initial temporary period,(II) the issuer identifies an amount of available construction proceeds which will not be spent for the governmental purposes of the issue,(III) the issuer has made the election under clause (viii), and(IV) the issuer makes an election under this clause before the close of the initial temporary period and not later than 90 days after the date the construction is substantially completed,

then clauses (vii) and (viii) shall be applied to the available construction proceeds so identified as if the initial temporary period ended as of the date the election is made.

(x) Failure to pay penaltiesIn the case of a failure (which is not due to willful neglect) to pay any penalty required to be paid under clause (vii) or (viii) in the amount or at the time prescribed therefor, the Secretary may treat such failure as not occurring if, in addition to paying such penalty, the issuer pays a penalty equal to the sum of—(I) 50 percent of the amount which was not paid in accordance with clauses (vii) and (viii), plus(II) interest (at the underpayment rate established under section 6621) on the portion of the amount which was not paid on the date required for the period beginning on such date.

The Secretary may waive all or any portion of the penalty under this clause. Bonds which are part of an issue with respect to which there is a failure to pay the amount required under this clause (and any refunding bond with respect thereto) shall be treated as not being, and as never having been, tax-exempt bonds.

(xi) Election for pooled financing bondsAt the election of the issuer of an issue the proceeds of which are to be used to make or finance loans (other than nonpurpose investments) to 2 or more persons, the periods described in clauses (ii) and (iii) shall begin on—(I) the date the loan is made, in the case of loans made within the 1-year period after the date the bonds are issued, and(II) the date following such 1-year period, in the case of loans made after such 1-year period.

If such an election applies to an issue, the requirements of paragraph (2) shall apply to amounts earned before the beginning of the periods determined under the preceding sentence.

(xii) Payments of principal not to affect requirements

(xiii) Refunding bonds(I) In general(II) Determination of construction portion of issue(III) Coordination with rebate requirement on refunding bonds

(xiv) Elections

(xv) Time for payment of penalties

(xvi) Treatment of bona fide debt service funds

(D) Exception for governmental units issuing $5,000,000 or less of bonds

(i) In generalAn issue shall, for purposes of this subsection, be treated as meeting the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (3) if—(I) the issue is issued by a governmental unit with general taxing powers,(II) no bond which is part of such issue is a private activity bond,(III) 95 percent or more of the net proceeds of such issue are to be used for local governmental activities of the issuer (or of a governmental unit the jurisdiction of which is entirely within the jurisdiction of the issuer), and(IV) the aggregate face amount of all tax-exempt bonds (other than private activity bonds) issued by such unit during the calendar year in which such issue is issued is not reasonably expected to exceed $5,000,000.

(ii) Aggregation of issuersFor purposes of subclause (IV) of clause (i)—(I) an issuer and all entities which issue bonds on behalf of such issuer shall be treated as 1 issuer,(II) all bonds issued by a subordinate entity shall, for purposes of applying such subclause to each other entity to which such entity is subordinate, be treated as issued by such other entity, and(III) an entity formed (or, to the extent provided by the Secretary, availed of) to avoid the purposes of such subclause (IV) and all other entities benefiting thereby shall be treated as 1 issuer.

(iii) Certain refunding bonds not taken into account in determining small issuer status

(iv) Certain issues issued by subordinate governmental units, etc., exempt from rebate requirementAn issue issued by a subordinate entity of a governmental unit with general taxing powers shall be treated as described in clause (i)(I) if the aggregate face amount of such issue does not exceed the lesser of—(I) $5,000,000, or(II) the amount which, when added to the aggregate face amount of other issues issued by such entity, does not exceed the portion of the $5,000,000 limitation under clause (i)(IV) which such governmental unit allocates to such entity.

For purposes of the preceding sentence, an entity which issues bonds on behalf of a governmental unit with general taxing powers shall be treated as a subordinate entity of such unit. An allocation shall be taken into account under subclause (II) only if it is irrevocable and made before the issuance date of such issue and only to the extent that the limitation so allocated bears a reasonable relationship to the benefits received by such governmental unit from issues issued by such entity.

(v) Determination of whether refunding bonds eligible for exception from rebate requirementIf any portion of an issue is issued to refund other bonds, such portion shall be treated as a separate issue which does not meet the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (3) by reason of this subparagraph unless—(I) the aggregate face amount of such issue does not exceed $5,000,000,(II) each refunded bond was issued as part of an issue which was treated as meeting the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (3) by reason of this subparagraph,(III) the average maturity date of the refunding bonds issued as part of such issue is not later than the average maturity date of the bonds to be refunded by such issue, and(IV) no refunding bond has a maturity date which is later than the date which is 30 years after the date the original bond was issued.

Subclause (III) shall not apply if the average maturity of the issue of which the original bond was a part (and of the issue of which the bonds to be refunded are a part) is 3 years or less. For purposes of this clause, average maturity shall be determined in accordance with section 147(b)(2)(A).

(vi) Refundings of bonds issued under law prior to Tax Reform Act of 1986If section 141(a) did not apply to any refunded bond, the issue of which such refunded bond was a part shall be treated as meeting the requirements of subclause (II) of clause (v) if—(I) such issue was issued by a governmental unit with general taxing powers,(II) no bond issued as part of such issue was an industrial development bond (as defined in section 103(b)(2), but without regard to subparagraph (B) of section 103(b)(3)) or a private loan bond (as defined in section 103(o)(2)(A), but without regard to any exception from such definition other than section 103(o)(2)(C)), and(III) the aggregate face amount of all tax-exempt bonds (other than bonds described in subclause (II)) issued by such unit during the calendar year in which such issue was issued did not exceed $5,000,000.

References in subclause (II) to section 103 shall be to such section as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. Rules similar to the rules of clauses (ii) and (iii) shall apply for purposes of subclause (III). For purposes of subclause (II) of clause (i), bonds described in subclause (II) of this clause to which section 141(a) does not apply shall not be treated as private activity bonds.

(vii) Increase in exception for bonds financing public school capital expenditures

(5) Exemption from gross income of sum rebated

(6) DefinitionsFor purposes of this subsection and subsections (c) and (d)—

(A) Nonpurpose investmentThe term “nonpurpose investment” means any investment property which—

(i) is acquired with the gross proceeds of an issue, and

(ii) is not acquired in order to carry out the governmental purpose of the issue.

(B) Gross proceedsExcept as otherwise provided by the Secretary, the gross proceeds of an issue include—

(i) amounts received (including repayments of principal) as a result of investing the original proceeds of the issue, and

(ii) amounts to be used to pay debt service on the issue.

(7) Penalty in lieu of loss of tax exemptionIn the case of an issue which would (but for this paragraph) fail to meet the requirements of paragraph (2) or (3), the Secretary may treat such issue as not failing to meet such requirements if—

(A) no bond which is part of such issue is a private activity bond (other than a qualified 501(c)(3) bond),

(B) the failure to meet such requirements is not due to willful neglect, and

(i) 50 percent of the amount which was not paid in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3), plus

(ii) interest (at the underpayment rate established under section 6621) on the portion of the amount which was not paid on the date required under paragraph (3) for the period beginning on such date.

The Secretary may waive all or any portion of the penalty under this paragraph.

(g) Student loan incentive payments

(h) Determinations of yield

(i) Regulations

(Added Pub. L. 99–514, title XIII, § 1301(b), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2641; amended Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1013(a)(14)–(16)(A), (17)(A), (B), (18), (19), (43)(A), (B), title IV, § 4005(d)(2), title V, § 5053(b), title VI, §§ 6177(a), (b), 6181(a), (b), 6183(a), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3539, 3540, 3542, 3545, 3646, 3678, 3726, 3727, 3729; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §§ 7652(a)–(d), 7814(c)(2), 7816(r), (t), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2385–2387, 2413, 2423; Pub. L. 101–508, title XI, § 11701(j)(1)–(6), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–508 to 1388–513; Pub. L. 105–34, title II, § 223(a), title XIV, §§ 1441–1444, Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 818, 1053, 1054; Pub. L. 107–16, title IV, § 421(a), June 7, 2001, 115 Stat. 64; Pub. L. 109–58, title XIII, § 1327(a), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 1017; Pub. L. 109–222, title V, § 508(c), May 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 362; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, § 13532(b)(2), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2154.)