83_FR_58700 83 FR 58476 - Allocation of Costs Under the Simplified Methods

83 FR 58476 - Allocation of Costs Under the Simplified Methods

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 224 (November 20, 2018)

Page Range58476-58498
FR Document2018-24545

This document contains final regulations on allocating costs to certain property produced or acquired for resale by a taxpayer. These final regulations: Provide rules for the treatment of negative adjustments related to certain costs required to be capitalized to property produced or acquired for resale; provide a new simplified method of accounting for determining the additional costs allocable to property produced or acquired for resale; and redefine how certain types of costs are categorized for purposes of the simplified methods. These final regulations affect taxpayers that are producers or resellers of property that are required to capitalize costs to the property and that elect to allocate costs using a simplified method.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 58476-58498]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24545]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service

26 CFR Part 1

[TD 9843]
RIN 1545-BG07


Allocation of Costs Under the Simplified Methods

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

[[Page 58477]]


ACTION: Final regulations.

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SUMMARY: This document contains final regulations on allocating costs 
to certain property produced or acquired for resale by a taxpayer. 
These final regulations: Provide rules for the treatment of negative 
adjustments related to certain costs required to be capitalized to 
property produced or acquired for resale; provide a new simplified 
method of accounting for determining the additional costs allocable to 
property produced or acquired for resale; and redefine how certain 
types of costs are categorized for purposes of the simplified methods. 
These final regulations affect taxpayers that are producers or 
resellers of property that are required to capitalize costs to the 
property and that elect to allocate costs using a simplified method.

DATES: 
    Effective Date: These regulations are effective on November 20, 
2018.
    Applicability Date: For date of applicability, see Sec. Sec.  
1.263A-1(l)(5) and 1.263A-2(g)(3).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Natasha M. Mulleneaux, of the Office 
of the Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax and Accounting) at (202) 
317-7007 (not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    This document contains final regulations that amend the Income Tax 
Regulations (26 CFR part 1) relating to allocation of costs to certain 
property produced or acquired for resale under section 263A of the 
Internal Revenue Code (Code).
    Section 263A requires taxpayers to capitalize the direct costs and 
indirect costs that are properly allocable to: (1) Real or tangible 
personal property produced by the taxpayer, and (2) real and personal 
property described in section 1221(a)(1) acquired for resale by the 
taxpayer. The costs that a taxpayer must capitalize under section 263A 
are its section 471 costs, additional section 263A costs, and interest 
capitalizable under section 263A(f). Section 263A generally requires 
taxpayers to allocate capitalizable section 263A costs to specific 
items of property produced or acquired for resale. However, section 
263A(j) instructs the Secretary to prescribe regulations that may be 
necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of section 263A, 
including regulations providing simplified procedures. Accordingly, 
Sec.  1.263A-1(f)(1) allows taxpayers to use the simplified methods 
provided in Sec.  1.263A-2(b) (the simplified production method (SPM)) 
or Sec.  1.263A-3(d) (the simplified resale method (SRM)) to allocate a 
lump sum of additional section 263A costs properly allocable to 
property produced or acquired for resale to property that is on hand at 
the end of the taxable year, in lieu of allocating costs to specific 
items of property. Some taxpayers using the SPM or SRM include a 
negative adjustment in additional section 263A costs when the taxpayer 
capitalizes a cost as a section 471 cost in an amount that is greater 
than the amount required to be capitalized for tax purposes. Notice 
2007-29 (2007-14 IRB 881) provides that, pending the issuance of 
additional published guidance, the IRS generally will not challenge the 
inclusion of negative adjustments in computing additional costs under 
section 263A or the permissibility of aggregate negative additional 
section 263A costs.
    On September 5, 2012, the Treasury Department and the IRS published 
in the Federal Register (77 FR 54482) a notice of proposed rulemaking 
(REG-126770-06, 2012-38 IRB 347) under section 263A (the proposed 
regulations) relating to the inclusion of negative adjustments in 
additional section 263A costs under the simplified methods. The 
proposed regulations also provided a new simplified method of 
accounting, the modified simplified production method (MSPM), for 
determining the additional section 263A costs allocable to property 
produced or acquired for resale, and redefined how certain types of 
costs are categorized for purposes of the simplified methods. Two 
comments responding to the proposed regulations were received and a 
public hearing was held on January 7, 2013. After consideration of the 
comments received, these final regulations adopt the proposed 
regulations as revised by this Treasury decision.

Summary of Comments and Explanation of Provisions

1. General Prohibition on Negative Adjustments in Additional Section 
263A Costs

    The proposed regulations generally provided that taxpayers could 
not include negative adjustments in additional section 263A costs to 
remove section 471 costs, unless the taxpayers used: (1) The SPM and 
had average annual gross receipts of $10,000,000 or less; (2) the SRM; 
or (3) the MSPM.
    Both commenters stated that the proposed regulations' prohibition 
on including negative adjustments in additional section 263A costs for 
taxpayers using the SPM (and above the gross receipts threshold) was 
unfair to taxpayers unable or unwilling to use the MSPM. One commenter 
suggested that taxpayers using the SPM are at a disadvantage compared 
to taxpayers using the MSPM, because the SPM overcapitalizes additional 
section 263A costs to the raw material content of ending inventory. 
Another commenter stated that the proposed regulations' prohibition on 
including negative adjustments in additional section 263A costs under 
the SPM unduly punished taxpayers that were unable to use the MSPM by 
requiring those taxpayers to calculate the amount of deductible section 
471 costs that should be excluded from ending inventory. This commenter 
also suggested that only a small number of taxpayers have the resources 
to determine these costs.
    The Treasury Department and the IRS do not adopt these comments 
because including negative adjustments in additional section 263A costs 
under the SPM may result in significant distortions of the amount of 
additional section 263A costs and section 471 costs allocated to ending 
inventory. However, these final regulations include several changes to 
address these comments and reduce compliance costs, burden, and 
administrative complexity. Generally, including negative adjustments in 
additional section 263A costs results in distortions because the method 
used to capitalize the section 471 cost is different than the method 
used to remove the cost from ending inventory. The extent of the 
distortion, and whether it is favorable or unfavorable to the taxpayer, 
generally depends on whether the cost was incurred in the production 
process and how the cost was allocated to raw materials, work-in-
process, or finished goods inventories for purposes of section 471. 
Accordingly, the general restriction on the inclusion of negative 
adjustments in additional section 263A costs provided in the proposed 
regulations remains unchanged in these final regulations.
    In order to limit potential distortion in the simplified methods, 
these final regulations also provide a new consistency requirement for 
taxpayers that are permitted to include negative adjustments in 
additional section 263A costs to remove section 471 costs and that 
include negative adjustments to remove section 471 costs. The rule 
provides that such taxpayer must use this method of accounting for all 
section 471 costs that are permitted to be removed using negative 
adjustments.
    In addition, these final regulations clarify that certain business 
expenses described in section 162(c), (e), (f), and (g), including 
bribes, lobbying expenses,

[[Page 58478]]

and fines and penalties, cannot be removed from a taxpayer's section 
471 costs as negative adjustments in additional section 263A costs. 
This clarification is consistent with Sec.  1.471-3(f), which provides 
that certain of these expenses are not permitted to be included in the 
cost of inventories.

2. Classification of Costs

    One commenter stated that it was unclear how negative adjustments 
in additional section 263A costs are measured (for example, in the case 
of depreciation, at the individual asset level or using total 
depreciation expense). These final regulations provide that section 471 
costs, additional section 263A costs, and any adjustments to section 
471 costs or additional section 263A costs are classified using the 
narrower of (1) the classifications of costs used by the taxpayer in 
its financial statement or (2) the classifications of costs in Sec.  
1.263A-1(e)(2), (3), and (4). If a cost is not described within Sec.  
1.263A-1(e)(2), (3), or (4), the cost is classified using the 
classification of costs used in the taxpayer's financial statement.

3. Modified Simplified Production Method

    The proposed regulations provided a new simplified method, the 
MSPM, to reduce distortions that may result from the SPM. The MSPM in 
the proposed regulations reduced distortions by more precisely 
allocating additional section 263A costs, including negative 
adjustments, among raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods 
inventories on hand at year end. Generally, taxpayers would have 
determined the allocable portion of pre-production additional section 
263A costs using a pre-production absorption ratio of pre-production 
additional section 263A costs incurred during the taxable year over raw 
materials costs incurred during the taxable year. This ratio would have 
applied to raw material section 471 costs incurred during the taxable 
year and remaining on hand at year end (including unprocessed raw 
materials, and raw materials integrated into work-in-process and 
finished goods). Similarly, under the MSPM in the proposed regulations, 
taxpayers would have determined the allocable portion of all other 
additional section 263A costs using a production absorption ratio of 
production additional section 263A costs incurred during the taxable 
year over production section 471 costs incurred during the taxable 
year. This ratio would have applied to production section 471 costs 
incurred during the taxable year and remaining on hand at year end 
(excluding raw materials integrated into work-in-process and finished 
goods).
    Both commenters stated that some taxpayers could not readily 
identify raw materials that are integrated into work-in-process and 
finished goods inventories on hand at year end. The commenters asserted 
that those taxpayers would have to modify their books and records or 
purchase a new computer system to track these raw materials. Both 
commenters stated that this requirement would place an unfair burden on 
taxpayers, especially smaller taxpayers. One commenter suggested that 
the final regulations clarify that a taxpayer may use any reasonable 
method to estimate the raw material component of work-in-process and 
finished goods inventories on hand at year end.
    First, to reduce the number of defined terms and to be consistent 
with the use of that term in Sec.  1.263A-1(e)(2)(i)(A), these final 
regulations use the term ``direct material costs'' rather than ``raw 
material costs,'' as used in the proposed regulations.
    Second, the Treasury Department and the IRS understand that some 
taxpayers may not be able to readily identify direct material costs in 
work-in-process and finished goods inventories on hand at year end. 
Accordingly, these final regulations modify the MSPM so that taxpayers 
using the MSPM are not required to separately track direct material 
costs that are integrated into work-in-process and finished goods 
inventories. Specifically, these final regulations modify the MSPM by: 
(1) Applying the pre-production absorption ratio to only unprocessed 
direct material section 471 costs incurred during the taxable year and 
remaining on hand at year end; (2) applying the production absorption 
ratio to all production section 471 costs incurred during the taxable 
year and remaining on hand at year end, which includes direct material 
costs that have entered or completed production; (3) including the pre-
production additional section 263A costs that are not allocated by the 
pre-production absorption ratio in the numerator of the production 
absorption ratio; and (4) including the direct material costs that have 
entered or completed production in the denominator of the production 
absorption ratio. These modifications to the proposed MSPM reduce 
compliance costs, burden, and administrative complexity by eliminating 
the need to separately track direct material costs in work-in-process 
and finished goods inventories on hand at year end.
    One commenter stated that the production absorption ratio under the 
MSPM in the proposed regulations was distortive because it included 
post-production additional section 263A costs (for example, storage and 
handling allocable to finished goods). This commenter suggested the 
MSPM include a third ratio to allocate post-production additional 
section 263A costs to finished goods inventories. This suggestion is 
not adopted in the final regulations because including a third ratio to 
allocate post-production additional 263A costs adds a degree of 
complexity to the MSPM that outweighs the benefit of the additional 
precision it might provide.

4. Allocation of Mixed Service Costs Under the MSPM

    The proposed regulations provided that taxpayers must allocate 
capitalizable mixed service costs to pre-production additional section 
263A costs in proportion to the raw material costs in total section 471 
costs, with the remaining amount of capitalizable mixed service costs 
allocated to production additional section 263A costs. The proposed 
regulations also specifically requested comments on how mixed service 
costs should be allocated between raw materials, work-in-process, and 
finished goods under the MSPM.
    Both commenters stated that generally raw materials do not attract 
a large amount of mixed service costs, except for a limited amount of 
labor-related purchasing costs. The commenters stated that the proposed 
regulations' allocation of capitalizable mixed service costs between 
pre-production and production additional section 263A costs resulted in 
a disproportionate allocation of mixed service costs to pre-production 
additional section 263A costs. One commenter suggested that the final 
regulations allow taxpayers to allocate capitalizable mixed service 
costs between pre-production and production additional section 263A 
costs using any reasonable method and provided an example of a labor-
based allocation method to allocate mixed service costs.
    In response to the comments, these final regulations expand the 
types of methods permitted under the MSPM to allocate mixed service 
costs between pre-production and production additional section 263A 
costs. These regulations provide that a taxpayer using the MSPM that 
capitalizes mixed service costs using the simplified service cost 
method under Sec.  1.263A-1(h) may allocate capitalizable mixed service 
costs to pre-production

[[Page 58479]]

additional section 263A costs based on unprocessed direct material 
costs in section 471 costs or, alternatively, based on pre-production 
labor costs in total labor costs. Additionally, if a taxpayer using the 
MSPM determines its capitalizable mixed service costs using a method 
described in Sec.  1.263A-1(g)(4) (a direct reallocation method, a 
step-allocation method, or any other reasonable allocation method), the 
taxpayer must use a reasonable method to allocate the costs (for 
example, department or activity costs) between pre-production and 
production additional section 263A costs, unless the taxpayer's 
departments or activities are identified as exclusively pre-production 
or production. For example, it may be reasonable for a taxpayer using a 
method described in Sec.  1.263A-1(g)(4) to allocate a department's 
mixed service costs between pre-production and production additional 
section 263A costs based on labor associated with the department when 
the department is not exclusively identified as pre-production or 
production. If a taxpayer that determines its capitalizable mixed 
service costs using a method described in Sec.  1.263A-1(g)(4) has 
departments or activities that are identified as exclusively pre-
production or production, the department or activity costs must be 
allocated to pre-production or production additional section 263A costs 
according to the department's or activity's identification.
    One commenter stated that the proposed regulations would 
unnecessarily require taxpayers that do not have any additional section 
263A costs that relate to raw material costs to compute a pre-
production absorption ratio. The commenter suggested allocating 
capitalizable mixed service costs between pre-production and production 
additional section 263A costs based on the relative proportion of 
additional section 263A costs in each category that are incurred by the 
taxpayer. These final regulations do not adopt this suggestion because 
the relative amount of pre-production and production additional section 
263A costs reflect the amount of capitalizable tax costs in excess of 
the costs capitalized for financial statement purposes but do not 
accurately reflect the amount of mixed service costs allocable to pre-
production and production activities. However, in response to this 
comment and to reduce compliance costs and burden, these final 
regulations include a de minimis rule that allows taxpayers using the 
MSPM to allocate 100 percent of capitalizable mixed service costs to 
pre-production or production additional section 263A costs if 90 
percent or more of the mixed service costs would otherwise be allocated 
to that amount.

5. Property Produced for the Taxpayer Under a Contract and Property 
Acquired for Resale

    The proposed regulations did not provide explicit rules for the 
treatment of costs related to property produced for the taxpayer under 
a contract with another party that is treated as property produced by 
the taxpayer, as described in Sec.  1.263A-2(a)(1)(ii)(B) (property 
produced under a contract), and property acquired for resale under the 
MSPM.
    One commenter suggested that all costs related to property produced 
under a contract and property acquired for resale should be included in 
the pre-production absorption ratio under the MSPM. The Treasury 
Department and the IRS agree that generally costs related to property 
produced under a contract and property acquired for resale are best 
treated as pre-production costs because costs related to such property 
are primarily purchasing, storage, and handling costs, which are the 
costs frequently attributable to property that has not entered 
production. Accordingly, these final regulations adopt this suggestion 
and provide that additional section 263A costs properly allocable to 
property produced under a contract and property acquired for resale are 
generally included in pre-production additional section 263A costs 
under the MSPM. Similarly, section 471 costs for property produced 
under a contract and property acquired for resale are generally 
included in pre-production section 471 costs under the MSPM.
    One commenter also suggested that the final regulations clarify the 
treatment of costs related to property produced under a contract when 
the property is used in an additional production activity of the 
taxpayer. These final regulations adopt this suggestion and clarify 
that for purposes of the MSPM, direct material costs include property 
produced under a contract that are direct material costs for the 
taxpayer to be used in an additional production process of the 
taxpayer. These costs are included in pre-production section 471 costs.

6. Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) Method Taxpayers Using the MSPM

    The proposed regulations provided that LIFO method taxpayers using 
the MSPM must multiply an inventory increment by a combined absorption 
ratio to determine the amount of additional section 263A costs that 
must be added to the taxpayers' increment for the year. The proposed 
regulations defined the numerator of the combined absorption ratio as 
total additional section 263A costs allocable to eligible property 
remaining on hand at year end and the denominator as the total section 
471 costs remaining on hand at year end. The proposed regulations also 
specifically requested comments on how the MSPM should apply to 
taxpayers using the LIFO method.
    One commenter suggested that LIFO-method taxpayers should be 
allowed to use the same two absorption ratios as taxpayers using the 
first-in, first-out (FIFO) method of accounting for inventories, rather 
than a combined absorption ratio, to determine the amount of additional 
section 263A costs that must be added to the inventory increment for 
the year. This suggestion is not adopted because it would require LIFO-
method taxpayers to divide their inventory increments and decrements 
into raw material and production components, which would add 
unnecessary complexity and administrability challenges to the LIFO 
method and the MSPM.
    One commenter suggested that LIFO-method taxpayers should be 
allowed to choose between annual absorption ratios and shorter-term 
ratios, and base the shorter-term ratios on the taxpayer's method of 
determining the current-year cost of the items in ending inventory and 
the value of any inventory increments. This suggestion is not adopted 
because it ignores the fact that indirect costs are frequently incurred 
outside of the period used for determining current-year cost, and use 
of a shorter-term ratio could cause distortions.
    One commenter suggested that the final regulations provide special 
rules for taxpayers that have elected to apply the LIFO method only to 
raw materials, including raw materials that have entered or completed 
the production process (the raw material content LIFO method). 
Specifically, the commenter suggested that final regulations provide 
that the combined absorption ratio should be applied to any LIFO 
increment of a taxpayer using the raw material content LIFO method with 
the pre-production and production absorption ratios applied separately 
to non-LIFO inventory. The Treasury Department and the IRS agree that 
the combined, pre-production, and production absorption ratios could 
all apply in the case of a taxpayer using the raw material content LIFO 
method and believe this point is sufficiently clear in these final 
regulations.

[[Page 58480]]

    One commenter stated that the definition of the combined absorption 
ratio was ambiguous because it did not indicate whether the combined 
absorption ratio was determined on a LIFO basis. The Treasury 
Department and the IRS intended that the combined absorption ratio be 
determined on a non-LIFO basis; accordingly, this point is clarified in 
these final regulations.

7. Definition of Section 471 Costs

    The proposed regulations provided one definition of section 471 
costs that applied to taxpayers using the SRM, SPM, or MSPM, regardless 
of whether those taxpayers were in existence before the effective date 
of section 263A. The proposed regulations generally provided that a 
taxpayer's section 471 costs were the costs, other than interest, that 
the taxpayer capitalized to its inventory or other eligible property in 
its financial statements. The proposed regulations also provided, 
consistent with the IRS's established administrative practice, that 
taxpayers must include all direct costs in section 471 costs regardless 
of the treatment of the costs in their financial statements.
    These final regulations clarify that a taxpayer's section 471 costs 
are the types of costs capitalized to property produced or property 
acquired for resale in the taxpayer's financial statement. These final 
regulations also clarify that a taxpayer determines the amounts of its 
section 471 costs by using the amounts of those costs that are incurred 
in the taxable year for federal income tax purposes. These final 
regulations also generally retain the proposed regulations' requirement 
that section 471 costs must include all direct costs of property 
produced and property acquired for resale.
    However, the Treasury Department and the IRS understand that 
maintaining separate financial statement and federal income tax cost 
accounting systems or adjusting the amounts of costs capitalized using 
the taxpayer's financial statement methods for federal income tax 
purposes can be costly and burdensome. Therefore, these final 
regulations provide an alternative method that certain taxpayers may 
use to determine the amounts of their section 471 costs. This 
alternative method is available to a taxpayer that is permitted to 
include negative adjustments in additional section 263A costs to remove 
section 471 costs if that taxpayer's financial statement is described 
in Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(6)(i), (ii), or (iii) (for example, a financial 
statement required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (SEC); a certified audited financial statement used for a 
substantial non-tax purpose; or a financial statement (other than a tax 
return) required to be provided to the government). This method is not 
available to a taxpayer if the taxpayer's financial statement is 
described only in Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(6)(iv) (for example, an unaudited 
financial statement used for a substantial non-tax purpose). The use of 
this alternative method is limited to taxpayers that have certain 
financial statements in order to provide adequate safeguards for the 
use of financial statement amounts in the simplified method formulas. A 
taxpayer that uses the alternative method determines the amounts of all 
of its section 471 costs by using the amounts of costs capitalized to 
property produced or property acquired for resale in the taxpayer's 
financial statement using the taxpayer's financial statement methods of 
accounting. A taxpayer using the alternative method may not include any 
financial statement write-downs, reserves, or other financial statement 
valuation adjustments when determining the amounts of its section 471 
costs.
    In order to limit potential distortions in the simplified methods' 
absorption ratios, these final regulations require a taxpayer that uses 
the alternative method to consistently apply the method to all of its 
section 471 costs, including any direct costs required to be included 
in section 471 costs, any costs used for purposes of applying the de 
minimis direct costs rules, any costs included in additional section 
263A costs after applying the de minimis direct costs rules and the 
safe harbor rule for certain variances and under or over-applied 
burdens, and any costs removed from section 471 costs because such 
costs are not required to be, or are not permitted to be, capitalized 
under section 263A. In addition, a taxpayer using the alternative 
method includes in additional section 263A costs all negative 
adjustments to remove section 471 costs and all permitted positive and 
negative book-to-tax adjustments. A taxpayer using the alternative 
method, and the burden rate or standard cost methods described in Sec.  
1.263A-1(f)(3), determines the book-to-tax adjustments required to be 
made as a result of differences in financial statement and tax amounts 
by comparing the actual amount of the cost incurred in the taxable year 
for federal income tax purposes to the actual amount of the cost 
incurred in the taxable year in its financial statement using the 
taxpayer's financial statement methods of accounting, regardless of how 
the taxpayer treats its variances or under or over-applied burdens.
    One commenter noted that the proposed regulations do not specify 
how taxpayers must account for differences between their financial 
statement methods and the tax methods used to determine the value of 
ending inventory. These differences include special tax methods, such 
as the lower of cost or market method and the retail inventory method, 
as well as special financial statement methods, such as write-downs or 
reserves for slow-moving goods. The final regulations do not change the 
current requirement that a taxpayer must value its ending inventory by 
applying its tax methods of accounting, and provide that a taxpayer 
using the alternative method to determine the amounts of its section 
471 costs may not include any financial statement write-downs, 
reserves, or other financial statement valuation adjustments when 
determining the amounts of its section 471 costs.

8. Financial Statement Hierarchy and Recordkeeping Requirements for 
Financial Statements

    The proposed regulations did not provide any guidance as to which 
financial statement a taxpayer uses to determine its section 471 costs. 
For clarity and consistency, these final regulations provide that for 
purposes of section 263A, a taxpayer's financial statement is its 
financial statement of the highest priority, in accordance with the 
list of categories of financial statements, in order of priority, 
provided in these final regulations. For example, in order to determine 
its types of section 471 costs, a taxpayer uses the types of costs 
capitalized in its financial statement with the highest priority within 
the categories described in these final regulations.
    These final regulations do not impose any specific record keeping 
requirements for a taxpayer's identification of costs as section 471 or 
additional section 263A costs, or for a taxpayer's determination of the 
amounts of section 471 costs. However, the regulations under section 
6001 require a taxpayer to keep books and records sufficient to 
establish the amount of gross income, deductions, credits, or other 
matters required to be shown in an income tax return, which includes 
the identification of costs as section 471 or additional section 263A 
costs and the determination of the amounts of section 471 costs. This 
requirement also includes any books and records sufficient to establish 
a taxpayer's calculation of variances and under or over-applied burdens 
used for financial statement purposes.

[[Page 58481]]

9. De Minimis Exceptions for Certain Direct Costs in Section 471 Costs

a. Direct Labor Costs
    As noted previously, the proposed regulations provided, consistent 
with the IRS's established administrative practice, that taxpayers must 
include all direct costs in section 471 costs regardless of the 
treatment of the costs in their financial statement. Both commenters 
stated that some taxpayers do not capitalize certain direct labor costs 
(for example, holiday pay, sick leave pay, shift differential, and 
payroll taxes) to inventory for financial statement purposes, and that 
the proposed regulations' requirement to include all direct costs in 
section 471 costs would force these taxpayers to create or purchase and 
maintain a second inventory costing system for tax purposes only.
    These final regulations generally retain the proposed regulations' 
requirement that section 471 costs must include all direct costs of 
property produced and property acquired for resale. However, to reduce 
compliance costs, burden, and administrative complexity, these final 
regulations provide a de minimis direct labor costs rule to allow 
taxpayers using the SRM, SPM, or MSPM to include in additional section 
263A costs, and exclude from section 471 costs, certain direct labor 
costs that are not capitalized to property produced or property 
acquired for resale in the taxpayer's financial statement 
(uncapitalized direct labor costs). However, a taxpayer cannot use this 
de minimis direct labor costs rule to include in additional section 
263A costs basic compensation or overtime or the types of costs 
included in the taxpayer's standard cost or burden rate methods used 
for section 471 costs.
    Under this de minimis direct labor costs rule, a taxpayer includes 
in additional section 263A costs, and excludes from section 471 costs, 
the total amount of all direct labor costs that are incurred in the 
taxable year that are uncapitalized direct labor costs, if the total 
amount of those costs is less than five percent of total direct labor 
costs incurred in the taxable year (whether or not capitalized for 
financial statement purposes). The de minimis direct labor costs rule 
requires that any amounts that constitute a reduction to costs be 
treated as positive amounts for purposes of determining whether the 
taxpayer's uncapitalized direct labor costs meet the five percent test. 
For a taxpayer using the alternative method to determine the amounts of 
its section 471 costs, the five percent test and the amount included in 
additional section 263A costs are based on the amount of uncapitalized 
direct labor costs and total direct labor costs that are incurred in 
the taxable year in the taxpayer's financial statement using the 
taxpayer's financial statement methods of accounting. The alternative-
method taxpayer includes in additional section 263A costs any negative 
or positive adjustment required to be made as a result of differences 
in financial statement and tax amounts of the taxpayer's de minimis 
direct labor costs.
    A taxpayer using a historic absorption ratio (HAR) that uses the de 
minimis direct labor costs rule during its test period or updated test 
period could treat a particular direct labor cost as an additional 
section 263A cost in one year of the test period or updated test 
period, and as a section 471 cost in a different year of the test 
period or updated test period. The de minimis direct labor costs rule 
provides a special rule that requires this taxpayer to use the SRM, 
SPM, or MSPM and HAR during the qualifying period or extended 
qualifying period in a manner that is most consistent with the 
treatment of the direct labor costs during the test period or updated 
test period. Under this rule, the taxpayer determines whether direct 
labor costs are included in any of its section 471 costs remaining on 
hand at year end during its qualifying period or extended qualifying 
period consistent with how those direct labor costs were classified in 
at least two of the three years of the taxpayer's applicable test 
period or updated test period.
b. Direct Material Costs
    The preamble to the proposed regulations stated that the proposed 
regulations generally prohibited treating cash or trade discounts as 
negative adjustments in additional section 263A costs under any of the 
simplified methods. The proposed regulations expressly prohibited 
treating cash or trade discounts as negative adjustments in additional 
section 263A costs under the MSPM and the SRM, inadvertently omitting 
taxpayers using the SPM from the prohibition. The operative rule in the 
proposed regulations also specifically requested comments on reasonable 
methods of allocating cash or trade discounts that taxpayers do not 
capitalize for financial statement purposes between ending inventory 
and cost of goods sold. In addition, the Treasury Department and the 
IRS are aware that some taxpayers do not capitalize for financial 
statement purposes certain direct material costs (for example, 
transportation and other necessary charges incurred to acquire 
possession of goods).
    One commenter stated that the proposed regulations' treatment of 
cash and trade discounts would impose an administrative burden on 
taxpayers that do not treat any or all of their cash and trade 
discounts as negative purchase or production costs for financial 
statement purposes. The commenter suggested that, if the final 
regulations preclude a taxpayer from treating cash and trade discounts 
as negative additional section 263A costs, then taxpayers should be 
allowed to allocate cash and trade discounts between ending inventory 
and costs of goods sold using some type of averaging convention.
    In general, cash and trade discounts related to section 471 costs, 
and transportation and other necessary charges incurred to acquire 
possession of goods, are treated as adjustments to the underlying 
section 471 costs, and cannot be included as a negative adjustment in 
additional section 263A costs. However, to reduce compliance costs, 
burden, and administrative complexity, these final regulations provide 
a de minimis direct material costs rule to allow taxpayers using the 
SRM, SPM, or MSPM to include in additional section 263A costs, and 
exclude from section 471 costs, certain direct material costs that are 
uncapitalized financial statement costs. This de minimis direct 
material costs rule can be used for certain direct material costs that 
are not capitalized to property produced or property acquired for 
resale in a taxpayer's financial statement (uncapitalized direct 
material costs) such as cash discounts, trade discounts, and freight-in 
costs. However, a taxpayer cannot use this de minimis direct material 
costs rule to include in additional section 263A costs the types of 
costs that are included in the taxpayer's standard cost method used for 
section 471 costs (including cash and trade discounts).
    Under this de minimis direct material costs rule, a taxpayer 
includes in additional section 263A costs, and excludes from section 
471 costs, the total amount of all direct material costs incurred in 
the taxable year that are uncapitalized direct material costs, if the 
amount of those costs in total comprise less than five percent of total 
direct material costs incurred in the taxable year (whether or not 
capitalized for financial statement purposes). The de minimis direct 
material costs rule requires that any amounts that constitute a 
reduction to costs, such as cash and trade discounts, be treated as 
positive amounts for purposes of determining whether the taxpayer's 
uncapitalized direct material costs meet the five percent test. The de 
minimis

[[Page 58482]]

direct material costs rule operates similarly to the de minimis direct 
labor costs rule for an alternative method taxpayer, and for a taxpayer 
using a HAR. Because any direct material costs included in additional 
section 263A costs after applying the de minimis direct material costs 
rule are excluded from section 471 costs, such direct material costs 
are not treated as section 471 costs for any purpose, including as 
section 471 costs that are direct material costs in the modified 
simplified production method formula.

10. Variances and Under- or Over-Applied Burdens

    Both commenters stated that some taxpayers do not capitalize 
certain variances related to direct costs to inventory for financial 
statement purposes, and that the proposed regulations' requirement to 
include all direct costs in section 471 costs would force these 
taxpayers to create or purchase and maintain a second inventory costing 
system for tax purposes only. The IRS's established administrative 
practice requires taxpayers to treat positive and negative cost 
variances and under or over-applied burden amounts related to direct 
and indirect section 471 costs as adjustments to the underlying section 
471 costs. However, to reduce compliance costs, burden, and 
administrative complexity, these final regulations provide a safe 
harbor rule for taxpayers using the SRM, SPM, or MSPM to include in 
additional section 263A costs, and exclude from section 471 costs, 
certain variances and under or over-applied burdens that are not 
capitalized to property produced or property acquired for resale in the 
taxpayer's financial statement (uncapitalized variances or 
uncapitalized under or over-applied burdens).
    Under this safe harbor rule, a taxpayer includes in additional 
section 263A costs, and excludes from section 471 costs, the sum of the 
amounts of all of those uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under 
or over-applied burdens for that taxable year, if such sum is less than 
five percent of the taxpayer's total section 471 costs for all items 
for which the taxpayer uses a standard cost or burden rate method to 
allocate costs. For purposes of this rule, total section 471 costs for 
all items for which the taxpayer uses a standard cost or burden rate 
method to allocate costs are computed before application of the safe 
harbor method, and must reflect the actual amounts incurred by the 
taxpayer on these items, which therefore include variances and under or 
over-applied burdens. If the sum of the amounts of all of those 
uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or over-applied burdens 
in a taxable year are not less than five percent for the taxable year, 
the taxpayer must reallocate such uncapitalized amounts to or among 
units of property as required by Sec.  1.263A-1(f)(3)(i)(C) or 
(f)(3)(ii)(B), respectively.
    Under this safe harbor rule, all variances and under or over-
applied burdens are treated as positive amounts for purposes of 
determining whether the taxpayer's uncapitalized variances and 
uncapitalized under or over-applied burdens meet this five percent 
test. Additionally, this safe harbor rule applies to any variances on 
cash or trade discounts that are included in the taxpayer's standard 
cost, if those discounts are capitalized as part of the taxpayer's 
standard cost method used for section 471 costs. An eligible taxpayer 
must consistently apply the safe harbor method to all items for which 
the taxpayer uses a standard cost or burden rate method to allocate 
costs. However, the safe harbor rule only applies to a taxpayer's 
uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or over-applied 
burdens. In addition, a taxpayer using this safe harbor rule is not 
permitted to treat uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or 
over-applied burdens that are not significant as not allocable to 
property produced or property acquired for resale under Sec.  1.263A-
1(f)(3)(i)(C) and (f)(3)(ii)(B), respectively.
    Finally, for taxpayers using either the SRM or MSPM, allocation 
rules are provided to help taxpayers allocate these uncapitalized costs 
between storage and handling costs and current year purchasing costs, 
in the case of the SRM, and pre-production and production costs, in the 
case of the MSPM.

11. Smaller Taxpayers Using the SPM

    The proposed regulations allowed taxpayers with average annual 
gross receipts of $10,000,000 or less for the three previous taxable 
years to include negative adjustments in additional section 263A costs 
under the SPM.
    One commenter stated that average annual gross receipts of 
$10,000,000 or less does not accurately represent a ``small taxpayer.'' 
The commenter suggested using the average aggregate value of ending 
inventory, rather than gross receipts, to identify this group of 
taxpayers. Both commenters also stated that small taxpayers would have 
difficulty complying with the MSPM.
    The Treasury Department and the IRS do not believe that an average 
aggregated ending inventory value accurately identifies smaller 
taxpayers because inventory value can fluctuate greatly within the 
taxable year, or from year to year. Accordingly, this suggestion is not 
adopted. However, to reduce compliance costs and burden for smaller 
taxpayers using the SPM and minimize the difficulty that smaller 
taxpayers may face complying with the MSPM, these final regulations 
allow taxpayers with average annual gross receipts of $50,000,000 or 
less for the three previous taxable years to include negative 
adjustments in additional section 263A costs under the SPM.

12. Comments Regarding the HAR and the MSPM

    The proposed regulations provided that a taxpayer using the MSPM 
could make the HAR election. Under the proposed regulations, a non-
LIFO-method taxpayer using the MSPM with the HAR election calculates 
both a pre-production HAR and a production HAR, to be used for each 
taxable year within a qualifying period (in place of the actual pre-
production absorption ratio and actual production absorption ratio). In 
the first taxable year following the close of a qualifying period--the 
recomputation year--if the taxpayer's actual pre-production absorption 
ratio or actual production absorption ratio is not within one-half of 
one percentage point (plus or minus) of the corresponding HAR, the 
taxpayer must use actual absorption ratios during an updated test 
period, and the qualifying period is not extended. A LIFO-method 
taxpayer using the MSPM with the HAR election, however, calculates a 
combined HAR to be used for each taxable year within a qualifying 
period (in place of the actual combined absorption ratio). In the 
recomputation year, if the LIFO-method taxpayer's actual combined 
absorption ratio is not within one-half of one percentage point (plus 
or minus) of the combined HAR, the taxpayer must use an actual combined 
absorption ratio during an updated test period, and the qualifying 
period is not extended.
    One commenter suggested that the rules for determining whether a 
qualifying period is extended for LIFO taxpayers should also apply to 
non-LIFO-method taxpayers, and therefore, in the recomputation year, 
all taxpayers should use a combined HAR to compare to an actual 
combined absorption ratio. This suggestion is not adopted because 
calculating combined absorption ratios does not match the ratios 
required to be calculated by a non-LIFO-method taxpayer using the MSPM. 
A non-LIFO-method taxpayer using the MSPM is

[[Page 58483]]

required to calculate separate absorption ratios, even when using the 
HAR.
    The proposed regulations also specifically requested comments on 
transition rules for taxpayers currently using the SPM with the HAR 
election that change to the MSPM, including comments on how the 
regulations should apply to taxpayers within a qualifying period as 
described in Sec.  1.263A-2(b)(4)(ii)(C). One commenter suggested 
allowing taxpayers currently using the HAR that are changing to the 
MSPM with the HAR election to open a new test period. Additionally, one 
commenter suggested that taxpayers be permitted to make the change 
using a section 481(a) adjustment instead of a cut-off method.
    Except as otherwise expressly provided by the Code or the 
regulations thereunder, section 446(e) and Sec.  1.446-1(e)(2) require 
a taxpayer to secure the consent of the Commissioner before changing a 
method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Section 1.446-
1(e)(3)(ii) authorizes the Commissioner to prescribe administrative 
procedures setting forth the terms and conditions necessary for a 
taxpayer to obtain consent to a change in method of accounting. Revenue 
Procedure 2015-13, 2015-5 IRB 419, as clarified and modified by Rev. 
Proc. 2015-33, 2015-24 IRB 1067, as modified by Rev. Proc. 2016-1, 
2016-1 IRB 1, and as modified by Rev. Proc. 2017-59, 2017-48 IRB 543, 
provides the general procedures by which a taxpayer may obtain 
automatic consent of the Commissioner to a change in method of 
accounting described in Rev. Proc. 2018-31, 2018-22 IRB 637. The 
automatic consent procedures reduce filing requirements, waive user 
fees, and extend filing deadlines normally associated with a request 
for change in method of accounting.
    Simultaneously with the publication of these final regulations, the 
Treasury Department and the IRS are issuing Revenue Procedure 2018-56 
(2018-50 IRB) to modify Rev. Proc. 2018-31 and provide the procedures 
by which a taxpayer may obtain automatic consent to make certain method 
changes to conform to these final regulations, such as a change to the 
MSPM by a taxpayer using the HAR.

13. Procedural Requirements for Changing Section 471 Costs or Changing 
to the MSPM

    The proposed regulations did not provide procedural rules for 
taxpayers changing to comply with the final regulations. One commenter 
suggested that the automatic change procedures apply or that procedures 
be implemented allowing the change to be made on an expedited basis.
    Simultaneously with the publication of these final regulations, the 
Treasury Department and the IRS are issuing Revenue Procedure 2018-56 
to modify Rev. Proc. 2018-31 and provide the procedures by which a 
taxpayer may obtain automatic consent to make certain method changes to 
conform to these final regulations, such as a change to comply with the 
new definition of section 471 costs or a change to the MSPM.

Effective Date

    These final regulations are generally effective as of November 20, 
2018 and apply for taxable years beginning on or after November 20, 
2018. For any taxable year that both begins before November 20, 2018 
and ends after November 20, 2018, the IRS will not challenge return 
positions consistent with all of these final regulations.

Special Analyses

Regulatory Planning and Review--Economic Analysis

    Executive Orders 13563 and 12866 direct agencies to assess costs 
and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is 
necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits 
(including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety 
effects, distributive impacts, and equity). Executive Order 13563 
emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, 
reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility.
    These final regulations have been designated by the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) as Significant under 
Executive Order 12866 and section 1(b) of the Memorandum of Agreement 
(April 11, 2018) between the Treasury Department and the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) regarding review of tax regulations and 
thereby subject to review under Executive Order 12866. Accordingly, 
these final regulations have been reviewed by OIRA.

A. Overview

    These final regulations provide taxpayers with computational and 
definitional guidance regarding the application of section 263A under 
the simplified methods. Specifically, they provide guidance for 
taxpayers to determine the amount of additional section 263A costs to 
capitalize and make several changes regarding the application of 
section 263A under the simplified methods to reduce compliance costs, 
burden, and administrative complexity. This economic analysis describes 
the economic benefits and costs of these final regulations.

B. Economic Analysis of the Final Regulations

1. Background
    For a discussion of the background of these final regulations, see 
the Background sections of this preamble and the proposed regulations.
2. Anticipated Benefits and Costs of the Final Regulations
a. Baseline
    The Treasury Department and the IRS have assessed the benefits and 
costs of these final regulations against a status quo baseline that 
reflects projected tax-related and other behavior in the absence of 
these final regulations and includes the effect of Notice 2007-29. 
Notice 2007-29 allows taxpayers to include negative adjustments in 
computing additional costs under section 263A and allows aggregate 
negative additional section 263 costs.
b. Anticipated Benefits
    The Treasury Department and the IRS expect that the certainty and 
clarity provided by these final regulations as well as the substantive 
contribution of the regulations will enhance economic efficiency 
relative to the baseline.
    In developing these final regulations, the Treasury Department and 
the IRS have generally aimed to apply the principle that an 
economically efficient tax system would treat income derived from 
similar economic decisions similarly, to the extent consistent with the 
Code and considerations of administrability of the tax system.
    An economically efficient tax system would generally allow 
businesses to deduct from income taxes an amount meant to capture the 
economic cost of their capital investments. Under this principle, rules 
for capitalization and deductions are most efficient when they most 
closely mimic true economic depreciation. This conclusion is 
complicated by a large number of real world factors, including that 
economic depreciation is endogenous and difficult to measure and that 
the tax system itself will affect true depreciation. Furthermore, the 
principles from which the true-economic-depreciation prescription is 
derived are themselves based on a ``pure'' tax system rather than the 
complex real world tax code. The Treasury Department and the IRS do not 
anticipate substantial changes to

[[Page 58484]]

the aggregate cost of goods sold, the aggregate tax bases of other 
produced assets, or the depreciation deductions that will be generated 
under the new simplified method, the MSPM, relative to the baseline. 
Therefore these final regulations should not materially affect 
aggregate tax revenues or aggregate inventory investment relative to 
the baseline. There may be some modest increase in investment in 
inventory. For example, investment in raw materials inventory may 
increase under these final regulations because the relative tax cost of 
buying and carrying raw materials under the MSPM is generally less than 
under the SPM. Treatment of inventory under the simplified methods 
generally remains the same. Because the tax system requires a periodic 
determination of inventory, there was and still is, an incentive to 
minimize inventory as of that date, usually the end of the taxable 
year. The increased investment in raw materials inventory under the 
MSPM is due to the fact that inventory as of the determination date may 
be divided into pre-production and production inventory and a specific 
rate is applied to estimate overhead for each category. While under the 
SPM the inventory as of the determination date is not divided and one 
rate is used to estimate overhead for all inventory. There may also be 
a modest shifting of investment between different types of inventory 
because the MSPM should improve the measurement of certain types of 
final inventory and improved precision would generally lead to small 
adjustments in inventory amounts. Though no specific types of inventory 
are treated favorably, the modest shifting of investment is expected 
because the reduced carrying cost associated with maintaining raw 
materials inventory may encourage or allow some taxpayers to carry a 
larger quantity of raw materials for business purposes.
c. Anticipated Impacts on Administrative and Compliance Costs
    The Treasury Department and the IRS expect that the certainty, 
clarity, and simplifying changes regarding the application of section 
263A provided by these final regulations, relative to the baseline, 
will reduce annual compliance costs, burden, and administrative 
complexity. Absent these final regulations, different parties would 
continue to take different positions regarding the inclusion of 
negative adjustments in computing additional costs under section 263A 
and the permissibility of aggregate negative additional section 263A 
costs. More uniform positions by taxpayers will in general reduce the 
costs of tax administration.
    For taxpayers, the major cost savings of these final regulations 
derive from the reduction in the computational and record-keeping 
burdens involved with the use of the simplified methods for calculating 
end-of-year inventory. These burdens are reduced because taxpayers will 
now generally be able to use their own current financial accounting 
methods to determine their section 471 costs, albeit using cost amounts 
determined under tax law. Taxpayers with audited financial statements, 
or those who file regulatory financial statements, will also be able to 
use cost amounts determined according to financial accounting rules. In 
addition, taxpayers using a simplified method will be able to make 
positive and negative adjustments to their additional section 263A 
costs in cases where their section 471 costs, determined using 
financial accounting methods, either do not capitalize all actual costs 
or over-capitalize those costs. Finally, taxpayers using the SRM or the 
MSPM, and smaller taxpayers (those with average gross receipts of $50 
million or less) using the SPM will be able to make negative 
adjustments to their additional section 263A costs in cases where the 
capitalization of certain costs is either optional or not permitted 
under the tax law. It is anticipated that larger taxpayers using the 
SPM who desire such treatment will switch from using the SPM to the 
MSPM in order to continue to make these negative adjustments.
    In addition, absent these final regulations, taxpayers and the IRS 
would: (1) Continue to be required to use definitions based on a 
taxpayer's accounting practices used in 1986; (2) continue to be 
required to use tax accounting rules, rather than their own financial 
accounting rules, to determine the allocation of certain capitalized 
amounts; (3) not be able to use the MSPM to more precisely determine 
the lump-sum of costs to capitalize; (4) not be able to use the new 
safe-harbors for direct labor and direct material costs not capitalized 
on a taxpayer's financial statements; and (5) not be able to use the de 
minimis rules for variances and under- or over-applied burden not 
capitalized on a taxpayer's financial statements. The changes in each 
of these directions under the final regulations will generally reduce 
taxpayer compliance costs. For example, under these final regulations, 
one definition of section 471 costs applies to all taxpayers, 
regardless of when the taxpayer came into existence. Previously, 
taxpayers in existence when section 263A was enacted were required to 
use definitions based on their actual tax cost accounting practices as 
of enactment. However, taxpayers that were not in existence when 
section 263A was enacted were required to use definitions based on what 
their tax cost accounting practices would have been as of enactment 
under the law at that time. Under these final regulations, all 
taxpayers use their present financial statement cost accounting 
practices. Moreover, taxpayers using the simplified resale method or 
simplified production method will benefit from no longer being required 
to adjust their section 471 costs incurred during the taxable year to 
reflect tax adjustments in their respective simplified method formula. 
Rather, these simplified method taxpayers may use an alternative method 
that permits them to use their financial statement amounts for their 
section 471 costs incurred during the taxable year and make tax 
adjustments to these costs by using negative adjustments to their 
section 263A costs.
    The most recently available Statistics of Income (SOI) indicates 
that approximately 30,000 taxpayers were subject to section 263A in 
2015 and would be impacted by these final regulations. While the number 
of affected taxpayers will increase with growth in the economy, the 
Treasury Department and the IRS do not expect that these final 
regulations will change the portion of affected taxpayers that use a 
simplified method because those taxpayers not using a simplified method 
will likely continue to allocate capitalizable costs to specific items 
of property under their present method, and taxpayers using a 
simplified method are not likely to begin capitalizing costs to 
specific items of property due to these final regulations. The IRS's 
Office of Research, Applied Analytics, and Statistics (RAAS) estimate 
that these 30,000 taxpayers spent approximately 315,000 hours and $26 
million ($2015) annually to comply with the simplified methods, as 
implemented under Notice 2007-29. The dollar burden is derived from 
RAAS's Business Taxpayer Burden model that relates time and out-of-
pocket costs of business tax preparation, derived from survey data, to 
assets and receipts of affected taxpayers along with other relevant 
variables, and converted by the Treasury Department to $2015. See Tax 
Compliance Burden (John Guyton et al, July 2018) at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/d13315.pdf. The Treasury Department and IRS 
then used this framework to estimate the

[[Page 58485]]

taxpayer burden associated with section 263A compliance under the final 
regulations. These estimates reflect the Treasury Department's and 
IRS's estimate that because these final regulations implement an 
approach substantially consistent with current practice, but also offer 
taxpayers additional compliance simplifications, these final 
regulations will result in a reduction in the aggregate annual taxpayer 
compliance burden of approximately ten percent. The estimated reduction 
in annual compliance burden for impacted taxpayers is summarized below.

                          Estimated Reduction in Annual Compliance Burden (2015 levels)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                       Final          Burden
                                                                     Baseline       regulations      reduction
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taxpayers.......................................................          30,000          30,000               -
Hours...........................................................         315,000         283,500          31,500
Cost ($2015)....................................................     $26,000,000     $23,400,000      $2,600,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The collection of information in these final regulations is in 
Sec.  1.263A-2(c)(4)(i). The collection of information in Sec.  1.263A-
2(c)(4)(i) only applies to taxpayers using the MPSM with HAR. The 
burden for the collection of information contained in these final 
regulations is reflected in the burden for Sec. Sec.  1.263A-
2(b)(4)(iii)(A) and (B) and 1.263A-3(d)(4)(iii)(A) and (B) and is not 
expected to change the previously determined estimated annual burden 
per respondent, the estimated annual burden per recordkeeper, or the 
estimated number of respondents because (i) taxpayers could previously 
use a simplified method with HAR, (ii) these final regulations do not 
make a simplified method with HAR more or less desirable, and (iii) 
only those taxpayers previously using a simplified method with HAR are 
likely to do so under these final regulations. For purposes of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)), the reporting 
burden associated with Sec.  1.263A-2(c)(4)(i) will be reflected in the 
IRS Form 14029, Paperwork Reduction Act Submission, associated with 
Form 1120 (OMB control number 1545-0123) at www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201706-1545-005.

D. Executive Order 13771

    These final regulations are expected to be an Executive Order 13771 
deregulatory action. Details on the estimated effects of this rule can 
be found in the rule's economic analysis.

E. Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    It is hereby certified that these final regulations will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
This certification is based on the fact that: (1) Many small business 
taxpayers are no longer required to capitalize costs under section 263A 
if their average annual gross receipts are less than $25,000,000; (2) a 
taxpayer with average annual gross receipts of less than $50,000,000 
may continue to use the simplified production method and the simplified 
production method with a historical absorption rate (HAR) with negative 
amounts in additional section 263A costs; and (3) a relatively small 
number of taxpayers use a simplified method with HAR compared to a 
simplified method without HAR and, therefore, it is expected that few 
small business taxpayers will use the modified simplified production 
method with HAR. Thus, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis under the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) is not required.

F. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

    Section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires 
that agencies assess anticipated costs and benefits and take certain 
other actions before issuing a final rule that includes any Federal 
mandate that may result in expenditures in any one year by a state, 
local, or tribal government, in the aggregate, or by the private 
sector, of $100 million in 1995 dollars, updated annually for 
inflation. In 2018, that threshold is approximately $150 million. This 
rule does not include any Federal mandate that may result in 
expenditures by state, local, or tribal governments, or by the private 
sector in excess of that threshold.

G. Executive Order 13132: Federalism

    Executive Order 13132 (entitled ``Federalism'') prohibits an agency 
from publishing any rule that has federalism implications if the rule 
either imposes substantial, direct compliance costs on state and local 
governments, and is not required by statute, or preempts state law, 
unless the agency meets the consultation and funding requirements of 
section 6 of the Executive Order. This rule does not have federalism 
implications and does not impose substantial direct compliance costs on 
state and local governments or preempt state law within the meaning of 
the Executive Order.

Drafting Information

    The principal author of these final regulations is Natasha M. 
Mulleneaux of the Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax and 
Accounting). However, other personnel from the IRS and the Treasury 
Department participated in their development.

List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1

    Income taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Adoption of Amendments to the Regulations

    Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is amended as follows:

PART I--INCOME TAXES

0
Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 is amended by revising 
the sectional authority entries for Sec. Sec.  1.263A-1, 1.263A-2, 
1.263A-3 and 1.263A-7, and adding a sectional authority for Sec.  
1.471-3 in numerical order to read in part as follows:

    Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805.
* * * * *
    Section 1.263A-1 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 263A(j).
    Section 1.263A-2 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 263A(j).
    Section 1.263A-3 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 263A(j).
* * * * *
    Section 1.263A-7 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 263A(j).
* * * * *
    Section 1.471-3 issued under 26 U.S.C. 471(a).
* * * * *

0
Par. 2. Section 1.263A-0 is amended by:
0
1. Revising the entry for Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(2)(ii).
0
2. Adding entries for Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(2)(ii)(A) and (B).

[[Page 58486]]

0
3. Revising the entry for Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(2)(iii).
0
4. Adding entries for Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(2)(iii)(A) through (E), 
(d)(2)(iv), (d)(2)(iv)(A) through (E), (d)(2)(v), (d)(2)(v)(A) through 
(E), and (d)(2)(vi) and (vii).
0
5. Adding entries for Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(3)(i), (d)(3)(ii), and 
(d)(3)(ii)(A) through (E).
0
6. Adding entries for Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(5) and (6).
0
7. Adding entries for Sec.  1.263A-2(b)(4)(v)(A) and (B).
0
8. Revising the entry for Sec.  1.263A-2(c).
0
9. Adding entries for Sec.  1.263A-2(c)(1), (c)(2), (c)(2)(i) and (ii), 
(c)(3), (c)(3)(i), (c)(3)(i)(A) and (B), (c)(3)(ii), (c)(3)(ii)(A) and 
(B), (c)(3)(ii)(B)(1) and (2), (c)(3)(ii)(C) and (D), (c)(3)(ii)(D)(1) 
through (4), (c)(3)(ii)(E) and (F), (c)(3)(iii), (c)(3)(iii)(A) through 
(C), (c)(3)(iv), (c)(3)(iv)(A) and (B), (c)(3)(iv)(B)(1) and (2), 
(c)(3)(iv)(C), (c)(3)(v) and (vi), (c)(4), (c)(4)(i) and (ii), 
(c)(4)(ii)(A) and (B), (c)(4)(iii), (c)(4)(iii)(A) and (B), 
(c)(4)(iii)(B)(1) and (2), and (c)(4)(iv) and (v).
0
10. Revising the entry for Sec.  1.263A-2(d).
0
11. Revising the entry for Sec.  1.263A-2(e).
0
12. Removing the entries for Sec.  1.263A-2(e)(1) through (5).
0
13. Revising the entry for Sec.  1.263A-2(f).
0
14. Adding entries for Sec.  1.263A-2(f)(1) through (5).
0
15. Adding an entry for Sec.  1.263A-2(g).
0
16. Adding entries for Sec.  1.263A-3(d)(4)(v)(A) and (B).
    The revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  1.263A-0  Outline of regulations under section 263A.

* * * * *


Sec.  1.263A-1  Uniform Capitalization of Costs.

* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (ii) Inclusion of direct costs.
    (A) In general.
    (B) Allocation of direct costs.
    (iii) Alternative method to determine amounts of section 471 costs 
by using taxpayer's financial statement.
    (A) In general.
    (B) Book-to-tax adjustments.
    (C) Exclusion of certain financial statement items.
    (D) Changes in method of accounting.
    (E) Examples.
    (iv) De minimis rule exceptions for certain direct costs.
    (A) In general.
    (B) De minimis rule for certain direct labor costs.
    (C) De minimis rule for certain direct material costs.
    (D) Taxpayers using a historic absorption ratio.
    (E) Examples.
    (v) Safe harbor method for certain variances and under or over-
applied burdens.
    (A) In general.
    (B) Consistency requirement.
    (C) Allocation of variances and under or over-applied burdens 
between production and preproduction costs under the modified 
simplified production method.
    (D) Allocation of variances and under or over-applied burdens 
between storage and handling costs absorption ratio and purchasing 
costs absorption ratio under the simplified resale method.
    (E) Method of accounting.
    (vi) Removal of section 471 costs.
    (vii) Method changes.
    (3) * * *
    (i) In general.
    (ii) Negative adjustments.
    (A) In general.
    (B) Exception for certain taxpayers removing costs from section 471 
costs.
    (C) No negative adjustments for cash or trade discounts.
    (D) No negative adjustments for certain expenses.
    (E) Consistency requirement for negative adjustments.
    (4) Section 263A costs.
    (5) Classification of costs.
    (6) Financial statement.
* * * * *


Sec.  1.263A-2  Rules Relating to Property Produced by the Taxpayer.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (4) * * *
    (v) * * *
    (A) Transition to elect historic absorption ratio.
    (B) Transition to revoke historic absorption ratio.
* * * * *
    (c) Modified simplified production method.
    (1) Introduction.
    (2) Eligible property.
    (i) In general.
    (ii) Election to exclude self-constructed assets.
    (3) Modified simplified production method without historic 
absorption ratio election.
    (i) General allocation formula.
    (A) In general.
    (B) Effect of allocation.
    (ii) Definitions.
    (A) Direct material costs.
    (B) Pre-production absorption ratio.
    (1) Pre-production additional section 263A costs.
    (2) Pre-production section 471 costs.
    (C) Pre-production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end.
    (D) Production absorption ratio.
    (1) Production additional section 263A costs.
    (2) Residual pre-production additional section 263A costs.
    (3) Production section 471 costs.
    (4) Direct materials adjustment.
    (E) Production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end.
    (F) Costs allocated to property sold.
    (iii) Allocable mixed service costs.
    (A) In general.
    (B) Taxpayer using the simplified service cost method.
    (C) De minimis rule.
    (iv) LIFO taxpayers electing the modified simplified production 
method.
    (A) In general.
    (B) LIFO increment.
    (1) In general.
    (2) Combined absorption ratio defined.
    (C) LIFO decrement.
    (v) De minimis rule for producers with total indirect costs of 
$200,000 or less.
    (vi) Examples.
    (4) Modified simplified production method with historic absorption 
ratio election.
    (i) In general.
    (ii) Operating rules and definitions.
    (A) Pre-production historic absorption ratio.
    (B) Production historic absorption ratio.
    (iii) LIFO taxpayers making the historic absorption ratio election.
    (A) In general.
    (B) Combined historic absorption ratio.
    (1) Total allocable additional section 263A costs incurred during 
the test period.
    (2) Total section 471 costs remaining on hand at each year end of 
the test period.
    (iv) Extension of qualifying period.
    (v) Examples.
    (d) Additional simplified methods for producers.
    (e) Cross reference.
    (f) Change in method of accounting.
    (1) In general.
    (2) Scope limitations.
    (3) Audit protection.
    (4) Section 481(a) adjustment.
    (5) Time for requesting change.
    (g) Effective/applicability date.


Sec.  1.263A-3  Rules Relating to Property Acquired for Resale.

* * * * *
    (d) * * *

[[Page 58487]]

    (4) * * *
    (v) * * *
    (A) Transition to elect historic absorption ratio.
    (B) Transition to revoke historic absorption ratio.
* * * * *

0
Par. 3. Section 1.263A-1 is amended by:
0
1. Revising the last sentence of paragraph (c)(1).
0
2. Revising paragraphs (d)(2) and (3).
0
3. Adding paragraphs (d)(5) and (6).
0
4. Revising the third sentence of paragraph (f)(1).
0
5. In paragraphs (f)(3)(i)(C) and (f)(3)(ii)(B), removing the language 
``financial reports'' and adding ``financial statement'' in its place.
0
6. Revising paragraph (h)(9).
0
7. Adding paragraph (l)(5).
    The revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  1.263A-1  Uniform capitalization of costs.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (1) * * * See however, the simplified production method, the 
modified simplified production method, and the simplified resale method 
in Sec. Sec.  1.263A-2(b) and (c) and 1.263A-3(d).
* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (2) Section 471 costs--(i) In general. Except as otherwise provided 
in paragraphs (d)(2)(ii), (iv), (v), and (vi) of this section, for 
purposes of section 263A, a taxpayer's section 471 costs are the types 
of costs, other than interest, that a taxpayer capitalizes to property 
produced or property acquired for resale in its financial statement. 
Thus, although section 471 applies only to inventories, section 471 
costs include any non-inventory costs, other than interest, that a 
taxpayer capitalizes to, or includes in acquisition or production costs 
of, property produced or property acquired for resale in its financial 
statement. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of 
this section, a taxpayer determines the amounts of section 471 costs by 
using the amounts of such costs that are incurred in the taxable year 
for federal income tax purposes.
    (ii) Inclusion of direct costs--(A) In general. Notwithstanding the 
last sentence of paragraph (g)(2) of this section, a taxpayer's section 
471 costs must include all direct costs of property produced and 
property acquired for resale, whether or not a taxpayer capitalizes 
these costs to property produced or property acquired for resale in its 
financial statement. See paragraph (e)(2) of this section for a 
description of direct costs of property produced and property acquired 
for resale.
    (B) Allocation of direct costs. Except for any direct costs that 
are treated as additional section 263A costs under paragraphs 
(d)(2)(iv) and (v) of this section, a taxpayer's direct costs of 
property produced and property acquired for resale must be allocated 
using a method provided in paragraph (f) of this section.
    (iii) Alternative method to determine amounts of section 471 costs 
by using taxpayer's financial statement--(A) In general. In lieu of 
determining the amounts of section 471 costs under paragraph (d)(2)(i) 
of this section, a taxpayer described in paragraph (d)(3)(ii)(B) of 
this section may determine the amounts of section 471 costs by using 
the amounts of such costs that are incurred in the taxable year in its 
financial statement using the taxpayer's financial statement methods of 
accounting if the taxpayer's financial statement is described in 
paragraph (d)(6)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section. If the taxpayer's 
financial statement is described only in paragraph (d)(6)(iv) of this 
section, the taxpayer may not use the alternative method described in 
this paragraph (d)(2)(iii) and must use the method described in 
paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section to determine its amounts of section 
471 costs. A taxpayer using the alternative method described in this 
paragraph (d)(2)(iii) must remove all section 471 costs described in 
paragraph (d)(2)(vi) of this section, if any, by including negative 
adjustments in additional section 263A costs. A taxpayer using the 
alternative method described in this paragraph (d)(2)(iii) applies the 
method to all of its section 471 costs, including costs described under 
paragraphs (d)(2)(ii), (iv), (v), and (vi) of this section.
    (B) Book-to-tax adjustments. A taxpayer using the alternative 
method described in this paragraph (d)(2)(iii) must include as 
additional section 263A costs all negative and positive adjustments 
required to be made as a result of differences in the book and tax 
amounts of the taxpayer's section 471 costs, including adjustments for 
direct costs required to be added to section 471 costs under paragraph 
(d)(2)(ii) of this section, and costs removed from section 471 costs 
under paragraphs (d)(2)(vi) and (d)(3)(ii)(B) of this section. In 
addition, the taxpayer must include as additional section 263A costs 
all negative and positive adjustments required to be made as a result 
of differences in the book and tax amounts of section 471 costs that 
are treated as additional section 263A costs (for example, de minimis 
direct costs described in paragraph (d)(2)(iv) of this section and 
certain variances and under or over-applied burdens described in 
paragraph (d)(2)(v) of this section). For purposes of determining the 
negative and positive adjustments required to be made as a result of 
differences in book and tax amounts for a taxpayer using the burden 
rate or standard cost methods described in paragraph (f)(3) of this 
section, the taxpayer compares the actual amount of the cost incurred 
in the taxable year for federal income tax purposes to the actual 
amount of the cost incurred in the taxable year in its financial 
statement using the taxpayer's financial statement methods of 
accounting, regardless of how the taxpayer treats its variances or 
under or over-applied burdens.
    (C) Exclusion of certain financial statement items. A taxpayer that 
determines the amounts of section 471 costs under this paragraph 
(d)(2)(iii) may not include any financial statement write-downs, 
reserves, or other financial statement valuation adjustments when 
determining the amounts of its section 471 costs.
    (D) Changes in method of accounting. The use of this method to 
determine the amounts of section 471 costs under this paragraph 
(d)(2)(iii) is the adoption of, or a change in, a method of accounting 
under section 446 of the Internal Revenue Code.
    (E) Examples. The following examples illustrate this paragraph 
(d)(2)(iii):

    (1) Example 1--Alternative-method taxpayer using de minimis 
direct labor costs rule. Taxpayer P uses the modified simplified 
production method described in Sec.  1.263A-2(c) and determines its 
amounts of section 471 costs by using the alternative method under 
paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section. Additionally, P uses the de 
minimis direct labor costs rule under paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B) of 
this section. P does not capitalize vacation pay or holiday pay to 
property produced or property acquired for resale in its financial 
statement but does capitalize all other direct labor costs to such 
property in its financial statement. On its 2018 financial 
statement, P incurs $3,500,000 of total direct labor costs, 
including $110,000 of vacation pay costs and $10,000 of holiday pay 
costs. For federal income tax purposes, P incurs $150,000 of 
vacation pay costs and $18,000 of holiday pay costs in the taxable 
year. P's uncapitalized direct labor costs are $120,000 ($110,000 of 
vacation pay plus $10,000 of holiday pay). For purposes of the five 
percent test in paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B) of this section, P's 
uncapitalized direct labor costs are 3.43% of total direct labor 
costs ($120,000 divided by $3,500,000). Accordingly, under paragraph 
(d)(2)(iv)(B) of this section, P includes $120,000 in its additional 
section 263A costs and excludes that amount from its section 471 
costs in the taxable year. Additionally, pursuant to paragraph 
(d)(2)(iii)(B) of this section, P includes in

[[Page 58488]]

additional section 263A costs a positive book-to-tax adjustment of 
$40,000 for vacation pay costs ($150,000 tax amount-$110,000 book 
amount) and a positive book-to-tax adjustment of $8,000 for holiday 
pay costs ($18,000 tax amount-$10,000 book amount).
    (2) Example 2--Alternative-method taxpayer with under and over-
applied burdens that uses safe harbor rule for certain variances and 
under or over-applied burdens. Taxpayer X uses the modified 
simplified production method described in Sec.  1.263A-2(c) and 
determines its amounts of section 471 costs by using the alternative 
method under paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section. In 2018, X uses 
a burden rate method for book purposes to allocate costs to Products 
A and B, and does not capitalize any under or over-applied burdens 
to property produced or property acquired for resale in its 
financial statement. X does not allocate costs to any other products 
using a burden rate method, and X does not allocate costs to any 
products using a standard cost method. On its 2018 financial 
statement, using X's burden rate, the total amount of predetermined 
indirect costs for Product A is $545,000 and the total amount of 
actual indirect costs incurred for Product A is $550,000; 
accordingly, X has an under-applied burden of $5,000 for Product A. 
For federal income tax purposes, the actual indirect costs incurred 
in 2018 for Product A is $560,000. Additionally, on its 2018 
financial statement, using X's burden rate, the total amount of 
predetermined indirect costs for Product B is $250,000 and the total 
amount of actual indirect costs incurred for Product B is $225,000; 
accordingly, X has an over-applied burden of $25,000 for Product B. 
For federal income tax purposes, the actual indirect costs incurred 
in 2018 for Product B is $240,000. X uses the safe harbor rule for 
certain variances and under or over-applied burdens. Prior to the 
application of this safe harbor rule, X's total section 471 costs 
for 2018 for Products A and B (the only items to which X allocates 
costs using a standard cost method or burden rate method) are 
$2,000,000, which includes $550,000 actual indirect costs for 
Product A, $225,000 actual indirect costs for Product B, and 
$1,225,000 of other section 471 costs for Products A and B that are 
not allocated under X's burden rate method. For purposes of 
determining the amount of uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized 
under or over-applied burdens for the five percent test in paragraph 
(d)(2)(v)(A) of this section, X's under and over-applied burdens for 
Products A and B are treated as positive amounts. Consequently, the 
sum of X's uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or over-
applied burdens is $30,000 ($5,000 under-applied burden for Product 
A plus $25,000 over-applied burden for Product B). Accordingly, 
under paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) of this section, the sum of X's 
uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or over-applied 
burdens is 1.5% of X's total section 471 costs for all items to 
which it allocates costs using a standard cost method or burden rate 
method ($30,000 divided by $2,000,000), and X includes a positive 
$5,000 under-applied burden for Product A and a negative $25,000 
over-applied burden for Product B in its additional section 263A 
costs, and excludes those amounts from its section 471 costs. 
Additionally, pursuant to paragraph (d)(2)(iii)(B) of this section, 
X includes in its additional section 263A costs a positive book-to-
tax adjustment of $10,000 for Product A ($560,000 actual cost tax 
amount-$550,000 actual cost book amount) and a positive book-to-tax 
adjustment of $15,000 for Product B ($240,000 actual tax amount 
cost-$225,000 actual book amount cost) in the taxable year.

    (iv) De minimis rule exceptions for certain direct costs--(A) In 
general. Notwithstanding paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section, a 
taxpayer that uses the simplified resale method, the simplified 
production method, or the modified simplified production method, and 
that does not capitalize certain direct costs to property produced or 
property acquired for resale in its financial statement (uncapitalized 
direct labor costs or uncapitalized direct material costs), may use 
either or both the de minimis direct labor costs rule or the de minimis 
direct material costs rule to include in additional section 263A costs, 
and exclude from section 471 costs, certain uncapitalized direct labor 
costs or uncapitalized direct material costs that are incurred in the 
taxable year as provided in paragraphs (d)(2)(iv)(B) and (C) of this 
section, respectively. The use of the de minimis rules described in 
paragraphs (d)(2)(iv)(B) and (C) of this section is the adoption of, or 
a change in, a method of accounting under section 446 of the Internal 
Revenue Code.
    (B) De minimis rule for certain direct labor costs. A taxpayer 
described in paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(A) of this section that uses the de 
minimis rule described in this paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B) includes in 
additional section 263A costs, and excludes from section 471 costs, the 
sum of the amounts of all of those uncapitalized direct labor costs 
that are incurred in the taxable year, if that sum is less than five 
percent of total direct labor costs incurred in the taxable year 
(whether or not capitalized in the taxpayer's financial statement), or 
another amount specified in other published guidance (see Sec.  
601.601(d)(2) of this chapter). For purposes of determining the amount 
of uncapitalized direct labor costs for this five percent test, any 
amounts that constitute a reduction to costs are treated as a positive 
amount. The amounts of uncapitalized direct labor costs used for the 
five percent test, and the amounts of uncapitalized direct labor costs 
included in additional section 263A costs under this paragraph 
(d)(2)(iv)(B), must not include amounts relating to basic compensation 
or overtime, or the types of costs included in the taxpayer's standard 
cost or burden rate methods used for section 471 costs (but see 
paragraphs (d)(2)(v) and (f)(3)(i)(C) of this section for special rules 
for certain variances and under or over-applied burdens).
    (C) De minimis rule for certain direct material costs. A taxpayer 
described in paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(A) of this section that uses the de 
minimis rule described in this paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(C) includes in 
additional section 263A costs, and excludes from section 471 costs, the 
sum of the amounts of all of those uncapitalized direct material costs 
that are incurred in the taxable year, if that sum is less than five 
percent of total direct material costs incurred in the taxable year 
(whether or not capitalized in the taxpayer's financial statement), or 
another amount specified in other published guidance (see Sec.  
601.601(d)(2) of this chapter). For purposes of determining the amount 
of uncapitalized direct material costs for this five percent test, any 
amounts that constitute a reduction to costs, such as cash and trade 
discounts, are treated as a positive amount. The amounts of 
uncapitalized direct material costs used for the five percent test, and 
the amounts of uncapitalized direct material costs included in 
additional section 263A costs under this paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(C), must 
not include the types of costs included in the taxpayer's standard cost 
method used for section 471 costs (but see paragraphs (d)(2)(v) and 
(f)(3)(ii)(B) of this section for special rules for certain variances).
    (D) Taxpayers using a historic absorption ratio. A taxpayer that 
uses the historic absorption ratio provided in Sec.  1.263A-2(b)(4) or 
(c)(4) or Sec.  1.263A-3(d)(4), and that uses a de minimis rule 
described in paragraph (d)(2)(iv) of this section during its test 
period or updated test period, determines whether direct labor costs or 
direct material costs, as applicable, are included in any of its 
section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end during its qualifying 
period or extended qualifying period according to how those direct 
labor costs or direct material costs, respectively, are identified in 
at least two of the three years of the taxpayer's applicable test 
period or updated test period. If a taxpayer described in this 
paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(D) is required to revise any of its actual 
absorption ratios for its test period or updated test period as a 
result of a change in a method of accounting, the taxpayer determines 
whether direct labor costs or direct material costs, as applicable, are 
included in any of its section 471 costs on hand at year end during a 
qualifying period or extended

[[Page 58489]]

qualifying period according to how those direct labor costs or direct 
material costs, respectively, are identified in the taxpayer's revised 
actual absorption ratios during its applicable test period or updated 
test period.
    (E) Examples. The following examples illustrate this paragraph 
(d)(2)(iv):

    (1) Example 1--Taxpayer using de minimis direct material costs 
rule. Taxpayer R uses the modified simplified production method 
described in Sec.  1.263A-2(c) and the de minimis method of 
accounting under paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(C) of this section. In 2018, R 
does not capitalize freight-in costs or trade discounts to property 
produced or property acquired for resale in its financial statement 
but does capitalize all other direct material costs to such property 
in its financial statement. R incurs total direct material costs of 
$3,105,000, which represents invoice price of $3,000,000 on goods 
purchased, plus $120,000 of freight-in costs, less $15,000 for trade 
discounts. For purposes of determining the amount of uncapitalized 
direct material costs for the five percent test in paragraph 
(d)(2)(iv)(C) of this section, R's trade discounts are treated as a 
positive amount. Consequently, R's uncapitalized direct material 
costs for purposes of the five percent test are $135,000 ($120,000 
of freight-in plus $15,000 of trade discounts). Accordingly, under 
paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(C) of this section, R's uncapitalized direct 
material costs are 4.35% of total direct material costs ($135,000 
divided by $3,105,000), and R includes a positive $120,000 of 
freight-in and a negative $15,000 of trade discounts in its 
additional section 263A costs and excludes those amounts from its 
section 471 costs in the taxable year.
    (2) Example 2--Taxpayer using de minimis direct labor costs rule 
and historic absorption ratio. Taxpayer S uses the historic 
absorption ratio provided in Sec.  1.263A-2(c)(4). S uses the de 
minimis method of accounting under paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B). S 
excludes certain uncapitalized direct labor costs from its section 
471 costs (and includes them in additional section 263A costs) under 
paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B) of this section in Years 1 and 3 of its 
applicable test period. Because S excluded direct labor costs from 
its section 471 costs in at least two of the three years of its 
applicable test period, S must exclude those same costs from its 
pre-production and production section 471 costs remaining on hand at 
year end during its qualifying period or extended qualifying period.

    (v) Safe harbor method for certain variances and under or over-
applied burdens--(A) In general. Notwithstanding paragraphs (d)(2)(i) 
and (ii), (f)(3)(i)(C), and (f)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, a taxpayer 
that uses the simplified resale method, the simplified production 
method, or the modified simplified production method, may use the safe 
harbor method described in this paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) for all of its 
variances and under or over-applied burdens that are not capitalized to 
property produced or property acquired for resale in its financial 
statement (uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or over-
applied burdens). A taxpayer using this safe harbor method must include 
in additional section 263A costs, and exclude from section 471 costs, 
the sum of the amounts of all of those uncapitalized variances and 
uncapitalized under or over-applied burdens for the taxable year, if 
that sum is less than five percent of the taxpayer's total section 471 
costs for all items to which it allocates costs using a standard cost 
method or burden rate method, or another percentage specified in other 
published guidance (see Sec.  601.601(d)(2) of this chapter). If the 
sum of uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or over-applied 
burdens is not less than this five percent threshold, the taxpayer may 
not exclude such uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or 
over-applied burdens from section 471 costs, and must reallocate such 
uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or over-applied burdens 
to or among the units of property to which the costs are allocable in 
accordance with paragraphs (f)(3)(i)(C) and (f)(3)(ii)(B) of this 
section (but see paragraph (d)(2)(v)(B) of this section for a rule that 
a taxpayer using the safe harbor method described in this paragraph 
(d)(2)(v)(A) may not use the methods of accounting described in 
paragraphs (f)(3)(i)(C) and (f)(3)(ii)(B) of this section to treat 
certain uncapitalized variances and certain uncapitalized under or 
over-applied burdens as not allocable to property). For purposes of 
determining the amounts of uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized 
under or over-applied burdens for this five percent test, all variances 
and under or over-applied burdens are treated as positive amounts. 
Additionally, for purposes of this five percent test, a taxpayer's 
total section 471 costs for all items to which it allocates costs using 
a standard cost method or burden rate method are determined before 
application of the safe harbor method described in this paragraph 
(d)(2)(v)(A), and therefore this amount must reflect the actual amounts 
incurred by the taxpayer for those items during the taxable year, which 
includes variances and under or over-applied burdens. The variances 
described in this paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) include any variances on cash 
or trade discounts, if those discounts are capitalized as part of the 
taxpayer's standard cost method used for section 471 costs.
    (B) Consistency requirement. A taxpayer using the safe harbor 
method described in paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) of this section must use the 
method consistently for all items to which it allocates costs using a 
standard cost method or burden rate method and may not use the methods 
of accounting described in paragraphs (f)(3)(i)(C) and (f)(3)(ii)(B) of 
this section to treat its uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized 
under or over-applied burdens that are not significant in amount 
relative to the taxpayer's total indirect costs incurred with respect 
to production and resale activities for the year as not allocable to 
property produced or property acquired for resale.
    (C) Allocation of variances and under or over-applied burdens 
between production and preproduction costs under the modified 
simplified production method. In the case of a taxpayer using the 
modified simplified production method and the safe harbor method 
described in paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) of this section, uncapitalized 
variances and uncapitalized under or over-applied burdens treated as 
additional section 263A costs under the safe harbor method must be 
allocated between production additional section 263A costs, as 
described in Sec.  1.263A-2(c)(3)(ii)(D)(1), and pre-production 
additional section 263A costs, as described in Sec.  1.263A-
2(c)(3)(ii)(B)(1), using any reasonable method. In the case of a 
taxpayer using the modified simplified production method and the safe 
harbor method described in paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) of this section, 
uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or over-applied burdens 
that are not excluded from section 471 costs must be allocated between 
production section 471 costs, as described in Sec.  1.263A-
2(c)(3)(ii)(D)(3), and pre-production section 471 costs, as described 
in Sec.  1.263A-2(c)(3)(ii)(B)(2) based on the taxpayer's reallocation 
of such uncapitalized variances and uncapitalized under or over-applied 
burdens to or among the units of property to which the costs are 
allocable in accordance with paragraphs (f)(3)(i)(C) and (f)(3)(ii)(B) 
of this section, as described in paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) of this 
section.
    (D) Allocation of variances and under or over-applied burdens 
between storage and handling costs absorption ratio and purchasing 
costs absorption ratio under the simplified resale method. In the case 
of a taxpayer using the simplified resale method, any uncapitalized 
variances and uncapitalized under or over-applied

[[Page 58490]]

burdens treated as additional section 263A costs under the safe harbor 
method described in paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) of this section must be 
allocated between storage and handling costs, as described in Sec.  
1.263A-3(d)(3)(i)(D)(2), and current year's purchasing costs, as 
described in Sec.  1.263A-3(d)(3)(i)(E)(2), using any reasonable 
method.
    (E) Method of accounting. The use of the safe harbor method 
described in this paragraph (d)(2)(v) is the adoption of, or a change 
in, a method of accounting under section 446 of the Internal Revenue 
Code.
    (vi) Removal of section 471 costs. A taxpayer must remove those 
costs included in its section 471 costs that are not permitted to be 
capitalized under either paragraph (c)(2) or (j)(2)(ii) of this section 
and those costs included in its section 471 costs that are eligible for 
capitalization under paragraph (j)(2) of this section that the taxpayer 
does not elect to capitalize under section 263A. Except as otherwise 
provided in paragraph (d)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, a taxpayer must 
remove costs pursuant to this paragraph (d)(2)(vi) by adjusting its 
section 471 costs and may not remove the costs by including a negative 
adjustment in its additional section 263A costs. A taxpayer that 
removes costs pursuant to this paragraph (d)(2)(vi) by adjusting its 
section 471 costs must use a reasonable method that approximates the 
manner in which the taxpayer originally capitalized the costs to its 
property produced or property acquired for resale in its financial 
statement.
    (vii) Method changes. A taxpayer using the simplified production 
method, simplified resale method, or the modified simplified production 
method and that changes its financial statement practices for a cost in 
a manner that would change its section 471 costs is required to change 
its method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. A taxpayer 
may change its method of accounting for determining section 471 costs 
only with the consent of the Commissioner as required under section 
446(e) and the corresponding regulations.
    (3) Additional section 263A costs--(i) In general. Additional 
section 263A costs are the costs, other than interest, that are not 
included in a taxpayer's section 471 costs but that are required to be 
capitalized under section 263A. Additional section 263A costs generally 
do not include the direct costs that are required to be included in a 
taxpayer's section 471 costs under paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this 
section; however, additional section 263A costs must include any direct 
costs excluded from section 471 costs under paragraphs (d)(2)(iv) and 
(v) of this section. For a taxpayer using the alternative method 
described in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section, additional section 
263A costs must also include any negative or positive adjustments 
required to be made as a result of differences in the book and tax 
amounts of the taxpayer's section 471 costs.
    (ii) Negative adjustments--(A) In general. Except as otherwise 
provided by regulations or other published guidance (see Sec.  
601.601(d)(2) of this chapter), a taxpayer may not include negative 
adjustments in additional section 263A costs. However, for a taxpayer 
using the alternative method described in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this 
section, see paragraph (d)(2)(iii)(B) of this section for negative or 
positive adjustments required to be made as a result of differences in 
the book and tax amounts of the taxpayer's section 471 costs.
    (B) Exception for certain taxpayers removing costs from section 471 
costs. Notwithstanding paragraphs (d)(2)(vi) and (d)(3)(ii)(A) of this 
section, and except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (d)(3)(ii)(C) 
and (D) of this section, the following taxpayers may, but are not 
required to, include negative adjustments in additional section 263A 
costs to remove the taxpayer's section 471 costs that are described in 
paragraph (d)(2)(vi) of this section (costs that are not required to 
be, or are not permitted to be, capitalized under section 263A):
    (1) A taxpayer using the simplified production method under Sec.  
1.263A-2(b) if the taxpayer's (or its predecessor's) average annual 
gross receipts for the three previous taxable years (test period) do 
not exceed $50,000,000, or another amount specified in other published 
guidance (see Sec.  601.601(d)(2) of this chapter). The rules of Sec.  
1.263A-3(b) apply for purposes of determining the amount of a 
taxpayer's gross receipts and the test period;
    (2) A taxpayer using the modified simplified production method 
under Sec.  1.263A-2(c); and
    (3) A taxpayer using the simplified resale method under Sec.  
1.263A-3(d).
    (C) No negative adjustments for cash or trade discounts. A taxpayer 
may not include negative adjustments in additional section 263A costs 
for cash or trade discounts described in Sec.  1.471-3(b). However, see 
paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(C) of this section for a de minimis rule for 
certain direct material costs that may be included in additional 
section 263A costs and paragraph (d)(2)(v) of this section for certain 
variance amounts that may be included in additional section 263A costs.
    (D) No negative adjustments for certain expenses. A taxpayer may 
not include negative adjustments in additional section 263A costs for 
an amount which is of a type for which a deduction would be disallowed 
under section 162(c), (e), (f), or (g) and the regulations thereunder 
in the case of a business expense.
    (E) Consistency requirement for negative adjustments. A taxpayer 
that is permitted to include negative adjustments in additional section 
263A costs to remove section 471 costs under paragraph (d)(3)(ii)(B) of 
this section and that includes negative adjustments to remove section 
471 costs must use that method of accounting to remove all section 471 
costs required to be removed under paragraph (d)(2)(vi) of this 
section.
* * * * *
    (5) Classification of costs. A taxpayer must classify section 471 
costs, additional section 263A costs, and any permitted adjustments to 
section 471 or additional section 263A costs, using the narrower of the 
classifications of costs described in paragraphs (e)(2), (3), and (4) 
of this section, whether or not the taxpayer is required to maintain 
inventories, or the classifications of costs used by a taxpayer in its 
financial statement. If a cost is not described in paragraph (e)(2), 
(3), or (4) of this section, the cost is to be classified using the 
classification of costs used in the taxpayer's financial statement.
    (6) Financial statement. For purposes of section 263A, financial 
statement means the taxpayer's financial statement listed in paragraphs 
(d)(6)(i) through (iv) of this section that has the highest priority, 
including within paragraphs (d)(6)(ii) and (iv) of this section. The 
financial statements are, in descending priority:
    (i) A financial statement required to be filed with the Securities 
and Exchange Commission (SEC) (the 10-K or the Annual Statement to 
Shareholders);
    (ii) A certified audited financial statement that is accompanied by 
the report of an independent certified public accountant (or in the 
case of a foreign entity, by the report of a similarly qualified 
independent professional) that is used for:
    (A) Credit purposes;
    (B) Reporting to shareholders, partners, or similar persons; or
    (C) Any other substantial non-tax purpose;
    (iii) A financial statement (other than a tax return) required to 
be provided to

[[Page 58491]]

the federal or a state government or any federal or state agency (other 
than the SEC or the Internal Revenue Service); or
    (iv) A financial statement that is used for:
    (A) Credit purposes;
    (B) Reporting to shareholders, partners, or similar persons; or
    (C) Any other substantial non-tax purpose.
* * * * *
    (f) * * *
    (1) * * * In addition, in lieu of a facts-and-circumstances 
allocation method, taxpayers may use the simplified methods provided in 
Sec. Sec.  1.263A-2(b) and (c) and 1.263A-3(d) to allocate direct and 
indirect costs to eligible property produced or eligible property 
acquired for resale; see those sections for definitions of eligible 
property.* * *
* * * * *
    (h) * * *
    (9) Separate election. A taxpayer may elect the simplified service 
cost method in conjunction with any other allocation method used at the 
trade or business level, including the simplified methods described in 
Sec. Sec.  1.263A-2(b) and (c) and 1.263A-3(d). However, the election 
of the simplified service cost method must be made independently of the 
election to use those other simplified methods.
* * * * *
    (l) * * *
    (5) Definitions of section 471 costs and additional section 263A 
costs. Paragraphs (d)(2) and (3) of this section apply for taxable 
years beginning on or after November 20, 2018. For any taxable year 
that both begins before November 20, 2018 and ends after November 20, 
2018, the IRS will not challenge return positions consistent with all 
of paragraphs (d)(2) and (3) of this section.

0
Par. 4. Section 1.263A-2 is amended by:
0
1. Revising paragraph (a)(5).
0
2. Designating the text of paragraph (b)(4)(v) as paragraph 
(b)(4)(v)(A) and adding a paragraph heading.
0
3. Adding paragraph (b)(4)(v)(B).
0
4. Redesignating paragraphs (c), (d), (e), and (f) as paragraphs (d), 
(e), (f), and (g).
0
5. Adding a new paragraph (c).
0
6. Adding paragraph (g)(3).
    The revision and additions read as follows:


Sec.  1.263A-2  Rules relating to property produced by the taxpayer.

    (a) * * *
    (5) Taxpayers required to capitalize costs under this section. This 
section generally applies to taxpayers that produce property. If a 
taxpayer is engaged in both production activities and resale 
activities, the taxpayer applies the principles of this section as if 
it read production or resale activities, and by applying appropriate 
principles from Sec.  1.263A-3. If a taxpayer is engaged in both 
production and resale activities, the taxpayer may elect the simplified 
production method or the modified simplified production method provided 
in this section, but generally may not elect the simplified resale 
method discussed in Sec.  1.263A-3(d). If elected, the simplified 
production method or the modified simplified production method must be 
applied to all eligible property produced and all eligible property 
acquired for resale by the taxpayer.
    (b) * * *
    (4) * * *
    (v) * * *
    (A) Transition to elect historic absorption ratio. * * *
    (B) Transition to revoke historic absorption ratio. Notwithstanding 
the requirements provided in paragraph (b)(4)(iii)(B) of this section 
regarding revocations of the historic absorption ratio during a 
qualifying period, a taxpayer will be permitted to revoke the historic 
absorption ratio in their first, second, or third taxable year ending 
on or after November 20, 2018, under such administrative procedures and 
with terms and conditions prescribed by the Commissioner.
* * * * *
    (c) Modified simplified production method--(1) Introduction. This 
paragraph (c) provides a simplified method for determining the 
additional section 263A costs properly allocable to ending inventories 
of property produced and other eligible property on hand at the end of 
the taxable year.
    (2) Eligible property--(i) In general. Except as otherwise provided 
in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section, the modified simplified 
production method, if elected for any trade or business of a producer, 
must be used for all production and resale activities associated with 
any of the categories of property to which section 263A applies as 
described in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section.
    (ii) Election to exclude-self-constructed assets. A taxpayer using 
the modified simplified production method may elect to exclude self-
constructed assets from application of the modified simplified 
production method by following the same rules applicable to a taxpayer 
using the simplified production method provided in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) 
of this section.
    (3) Modified simplified production method without historic 
absorption ratio election--(i) General allocation formula--(A) In 
general. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c)(3)(v) of this 
section, the additional section 263A costs allocable to eligible 
property remaining on hand at the close of the taxable year under the 
modified simplified production method are computed as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.001

    (B) Effect of allocation. The pre-production and production 
absorption ratios generally are multiplied by the pre-production and 
production section 471 costs, respectively, remaining in ending 
inventory or otherwise on hand at the end of each taxable year in which 
the modified simplified production method is applied. The sum of the 
resulting products is the additional section 263A costs that are added 
to the taxpayer's ending section 471 costs to determine the section 
263A costs that are capitalized. See, however, paragraph (c)(3)(iv) of 
this section for special rules applicable to LIFO taxpayers. Except as 
otherwise provided in this section or in Sec.  1.263A-1 or Sec.  
1.263A-3, additional section 263A costs that are allocated to 
inventories on hand at the close of the taxable year under the modified 
simplified production method of this paragraph (c) are treated as 
inventory costs for all purposes of the Internal Revenue Code.
    (ii) Definitions--(A) Direct material costs. For purposes of 
paragraph (c) of this section, direct material costs has the same 
meaning as described in Sec.  1.263A-1(e)(2)(i)(A). For purposes of 
paragraph

[[Page 58492]]

(c) of this section, direct material costs include property produced 
for the taxpayer under a contract with another party that are direct 
material costs for the taxpayer to be used in an additional production 
process of the taxpayer.
    (B) Pre-production absorption ratio. Under the modified simplified 
production method, the pre-production absorption ratio is determined as 
follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.002

    (1) Pre-production additional section 263A costs. Pre-production 
additional section 263A costs are defined as the additional section 
263A costs described in Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(3) that are pre-production 
costs, as described in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, that a 
taxpayer incurs during its current taxable year, including 
capitalizable mixed service costs allocable to pre-production 
additional section 263A costs, as described in paragraph (c)(3)(iii) of 
this section, that a taxpayer incurs during its current taxable year:
    (i) Plus additional section 263A costs properly allocable to 
property acquired for resale that a taxpayer incurs during its current 
taxable year; and
    (ii) Plus additional section 263A costs properly allocable to 
property produced for the taxpayer under a contract with another party 
that is treated as property produced by the taxpayer, as described in 
paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(B) of this section, that a taxpayer incurs during 
its current taxable year.
    (2) Pre-production section 471 costs. Pre-production section 471 
costs are defined as the section 471 costs described in Sec.  1.263A-
1(d)(2) that are direct material costs that a taxpayer incurs during 
its current taxable year plus the section 471 costs for property 
acquired for resale (see Sec.  1.263A-1(e)(2)(ii)) that a taxpayer 
incurs during its current taxable year, including property produced for 
the taxpayer under a contract with another party that is acquired for 
resale.
    (C) Pre-production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end. 
Pre-production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end means 
the pre-production section 471 costs, as defined in paragraph 
(c)(3)(ii)(B)(2) of this section, that a taxpayer incurs during its 
current taxable year which remain in its ending inventory or are 
otherwise on hand at year end, excluding the section 471 costs that are 
direct material costs that have entered or completed production at year 
end (for example, direct material costs in ending work-in-process 
inventory and ending finished goods inventory). For LIFO inventories of 
a taxpayer, see paragraph (c)(3)(iv) of this section.
    (D) Production absorption ratio. Under the modified simplified 
production method, the production absorption ratio is determined as 
follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.003

    (1) Production additional section 263A costs. Production additional 
section 263A costs are defined as the additional section 263A costs 
described in Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(3) that are not pre-production 
additional section 263A costs, as defined in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(1) 
of this section, that a taxpayer incurs during its current taxable 
year, including capitalizable mixed service costs not allocable to pre-
production additional section 263A costs, as described in paragraph 
(c)(3)(iii) of this section, that a taxpayer incurs during its current 
taxable year. For example, production additional section 263A costs 
include post-production costs, other than post-production costs 
included in section 471 costs, as described in paragraph (a)(3)(iii) of 
this section.
    (2) Residual pre-production additional section 263A costs. Residual 
pre-production additional section 263A costs are defined as the pre-
production additional section 263A costs, as defined in paragraph 
(c)(3)(ii)(B)(1) of this section, that a taxpayer incurs during its 
current taxable year less the product of the pre-production absorption 
ratio, as determined in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, and 
the pre-production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end, as 
defined in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(C) of this section.
    (3) Production section 471 costs. Production section 471 costs are 
defined as the section 471 costs described in Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(2) that 
a taxpayer incurs during its current taxable year less pre-production 
section 471 costs, as defined in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(2) of this 
section, that a taxpayer incurs during its current taxable year.
    (4) Direct materials adjustment. The direct materials adjustment is 
defined as the section 471 costs that are direct material costs, 
including property produced for a taxpayer under a contract with 
another party that are direct material costs for the taxpayer to be 
used in an additional production process of the taxpayer, that had not 
entered production at the beginning of the current taxable year:
    (i) Plus the section 471 costs that are direct material costs 
incurred during the current taxable year (that is, direct material 
purchases); and
    (ii) Less the section 471 costs that are direct material costs that 
have not entered production at the end of the current taxable year.
    (E) Production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end. 
Production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end means the 
section 471 costs, as defined in Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(2), that a taxpayer 
incurs during its current taxable year which remain in its ending 
inventory or are otherwise on hand at year end, less the pre-production 
section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end, as described in 
paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(C) of this section. For LIFO inventories of a 
taxpayer, see paragraph (c)(3)(iv) of this section.
    (F) Costs allocated to property sold. The terms defined in 
paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section do not include costs described in 
Sec.  1.263A-1(e)(3)(ii) or cost reductions described in Sec.  1.471-
3(e) that a taxpayer properly allocates entirely to property that has 
been sold.
    (iii) Allocable mixed service costs--(A) In general. If a taxpayer 
using the modified simplified production method determines its 
capitalizable mixed service costs using a method described in Sec.  
1.263A-1(g)(4), the taxpayer must use a reasonable method to allocate 
the costs (for example, department or activity costs) between 
production and

[[Page 58493]]

pre-production additional section 263A costs. If the taxpayer's Sec.  
1.263A-1(g)(4) method allocates costs to a department or activity that 
is exclusively identified as production or pre-production, those costs 
must be allocated to production or pre-production additional section 
263A costs, respectively.
    (B) Taxpayer using the simplified service cost method. If a 
taxpayer using the modified simplified production method determines its 
capitalizable mixed service costs using the simplified service cost 
method described in Sec.  1.263A-1(h), the amount of capitalizable 
mixed service costs, as computed using the general allocation formula 
in Sec.  1.263A-1(h)(3)(i), allocated to and included in pre-production 
additional section 263A costs in the absorption ratio described in 
paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B) of this section is determined based on either 
of the following: The proportion of direct material costs to total 
section 471 costs that a taxpayer incurs during its current taxable 
year or the proportion of pre-production labor costs to total labor 
costs that a taxpayer incurs during its current taxable year. The 
taxpayer must include the capitalizable mixed service costs that are 
not allocated to pre-production additional section 263A costs in 
production additional section 263A costs in the absorption ratio 
described in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D) of this section. A taxpayer that 
allocates capitalizable mixed service costs based on labor under this 
paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(B) must exclude mixed service labor costs from 
both pre-production labor costs and total labor costs.
    (C) De minimis rule. Notwithstanding paragraphs (c)(3)(iii)(A) and 
(B) of this section, if 90 percent or more of a taxpayer's 
capitalizable mixed service costs determined under paragraph 
(c)(3)(iii)(A) or (B) of this section are allocated to pre-production 
additional section 263A costs or production additional section 263A 
costs, the taxpayer may elect to allocate 100 percent of its 
capitalizable mixed service costs to that amount. For example, if 90 
percent of capitalizable mixed service costs are allocated to 
production additional section 263A costs based on the labor costs that 
are pre-production costs in total labor costs incurred in the 
taxpayer's trade or business during the taxable year, then 100 percent 
of capitalizable mixed service costs may be allocated to production 
additional section 263A costs. An election to allocate capitalizable 
mixed service costs under this paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(C) is the adoption 
of, or a change in, a method of accounting under section 446 of the 
Internal Revenue Code.
    (iv) LIFO taxpayers electing the modified simplified production 
method--(A) In general. Under the modified simplified production 
method, a taxpayer using a LIFO method must calculate a particular 
year's index (for example, under Sec.  1.472-8(e)) without regard to 
its additional section 263A costs. Similarly, a taxpayer that adjusts 
current-year costs by applicable indexes to determine whether there has 
been an inventory increment or decrement in the current year for a 
particular LIFO pool must disregard the additional section 263A costs 
in making that determination.
    (B) LIFO increment--(1) In general. If the taxpayer determines 
there has been an inventory increment, the taxpayer must state the 
amount of the increment in terms of section 471 costs in current-year 
dollars. The taxpayer then multiplies this amount by the combined 
absorption ratio, as defined in paragraph (c)(3)(iv)(B)(2) of this 
section. The resulting product is the additional section 263A costs 
that must be added to the taxpayer's increment in terms of section 471 
costs in current-year dollars for the taxable year.
    (2) Combined absorption ratio defined. For purposes of paragraph 
(c)(3)(iv)(B)(1) of this section, the combined absorption ratio is the 
additional section 263A costs allocable to eligible property remaining 
on hand at the close of the taxable year, as described in paragraph 
(c)(3)(i)(A) of this section, determined on a non-LIFO basis, divided 
by the pre-production and production section 471 costs remaining on 
hand at year end, determined on a non-LIFO basis.
    (C) LIFO decrement. If the taxpayer determines there has been an 
inventory decrement, the taxpayer must state the amount of the 
decrement in dollars applicable to the particular year for which the 
LIFO layer has been invaded. The additional section 263A costs incurred 
in prior years that are applicable to the decrement are charged to cost 
of goods sold. The additional section 263A costs that are applicable to 
the decrement are determined by multiplying the additional section 263A 
costs allocated to the layer of the pool in which the decrement 
occurred by the ratio of the decrement, excluding additional section 
263A costs, to the section 471 costs in the layer of that pool.
    (v) De minimis rule for producers with total indirect costs of 
$200,000 or less. Paragraph (b)(3)(iv) of this section, which provides 
that the additional section 263A costs allocable to eligible property 
remaining on hand at the close of the taxable year are deemed to be 
zero for producers with total indirect costs of $200,000 or less, 
applies to the modified simplified production method.
    (vi) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (c) are illustrated 
by the following examples:

    (A) Example 1--FIFO inventory method. (1) Taxpayer P uses the 
FIFO method of accounting for inventories valued at cost. P's 
beginning inventory for 2018 (all of which is sold during 2018) is 
$2,500,000, consisting of $500,000 of pre-production section 471 
costs (including $400,000 of direct material costs and $100,000 of 
property acquired for resale), $1,500,000 of production section 471 
costs, and $500,000 of additional section 263A costs. During 2018, P 
incurs $2,500,000 of pre-production section 471 costs (including 
$1,900,000 of direct material costs and $600,000 of property 
acquired for resale), $7,500,000 of production section 471 costs, 
$200,000 of pre-production additional section 263A costs, and 
$800,000 of production additional section 263A costs. P's additional 
section 263A costs include capitalizable mixed service costs under 
the simplified service cost method. P's pre-production and 
production section 471 costs remaining in ending inventory at the 
end of 2018 are $1,000,000 (including $800,000 of direct material 
costs and $200,000 of property acquired for resale) and $2,000,000, 
respectively. P computes its pre-production absorption ratio for 
2018 under paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.004

     (2) Under paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D)(2) of this section, P's 
residual pre-production additional section 263A costs for 2018 are 
$120,000 ($200,000 of pre-production additional section 263A costs 
less $80,000 (the product of the 8% pre-production

[[Page 58494]]

absorption ratio and the $1,000,000 of pre-production section 471 
costs remaining on hand at year end)).
    (3) Under paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D)(4) of this section, P's direct 
materials adjustment for 2018 is $1,500,000 ($400,000 of direct 
material costs in beginning raw materials inventory, plus $1,900,000 
of direct material costs incurred to acquire raw materials during 
the taxable year, less $800,000 direct material costs in ending raw 
materials inventory).
    (4) P computes its production absorption ratio for 2018 under 
paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D) of this section, as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.005

     (5) Under the modified simplified production method, P 
determines the additional section 263A costs allocable to its ending 
inventory under paragraph (c)(3)(i)(A) of this section by 
multiplying the pre-production absorption ratio by the pre-
production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end and the 
production absorption ratio by the production section 471 costs 
remaining on hand at year end, as follows:

Additional section 263A costs = (8% x $1,000,000) + (10.22% x 
$2,000,000) = $284,400

     (6) P adds this $284,400 to the $3,000,000 of section 471 costs 
remaining on hand at year end to calculate its total ending 
inventory of $3,284,400. The balance of P's additional section 263A 
costs incurred during 2018, $715,600 ($1,000,000 less $284,400), is 
taken into account in 2018 as part of P's cost of goods sold.
    (7) P's computation is summarized in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Reference           Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beginning Inventory:
    Direct material costs.........  a...................       $ 400,000
    Property acquired for resale..  b...................         100,000
                                                         ---------------
    Pre-production section 471      c = a + b...........         500,000
     costs.
    Production section 471 costs..  d...................       1,500,000
    Additional section 263A costs.  e...................         500,000
                                                         ---------------
        Total.....................  f = c d + e.........       2,500,000
Incurred During 2018:
    Direct material costs.........  g...................       1,900,000
    Property acquired for resale..  h...................         600,000
                                                         ---------------
    Pre-production section 471      i = g + h...........       2,500,000
     costs.
    Production section 471 costs..  j...................       7,500,000
    Pre-production additional       k...................         200,000
     section 263A costs.
    Production additional section   l...................         800,000
     263A costs.
                                                         ---------------
        Total.....................  m = i + j + k + l...      11,000,000
Ending Inventory:
    Direct material costs.........  n...................         800,000
    Property acquired for resale..  o...................         200,000
                                                         ---------------
    Pre-production section 471      p = n + o...........       1,000,000
     costs.
    Production section 471 costs..  q...................       2,000,000
                                                         ---------------
    Section 471 costs.............  r = p + q...........       3,000,000
    Additional section 263A costs   s = v + z...........         284,400
     allocable to ending inventory.
                                                         ---------------
        Total.....................  t = r + s...........       3,284,400
Modified Simplified Production
 Method:
    Pre-production additional       k...................         200,000
     section 263A costs.
    Pre-production section 471      i...................       2,500,000
     costs.
    Pre-production absorption       u = k / i...........           8.00%
     ratio.
    Pre-production section 471      p...................       1,000,000
     costs remaining on hand at
     year end.
    Pre-production additional       v = u * p...........          80,000
     section 263A costs allocable
     to ending inventory.
    Production additional section   l...................         800,000
     263A costs.
    Residual pre-production         w = k-(u * p).......         120,000
     additional section 263A costs.
    Production section 471 costs..  j...................       7,500,000
    Direct materials adjustment...  x = a + g-n.........       1,500,000
    Production absorption ratio...  y = (l + w) / (j +            10.22%
                                     x).
    Production section 471 costs    q...................       2,000,000
     remaining on hand at year end.
    Production additional section   z = y * q...........         204,400
     263A costs allocable to
     ending inventory.
Summary:
    Pre-production additional       v...................          80,000
     section 263A costs allocable
     to ending inventory.
    Production additional section   z...................         204,400
     263A costs allocable to
     ending inventory.
                                                         ---------------
    Additional section 263A costs   s...................         284,400
     allocable to ending inventory.
    Section 471 costs.............  r...................       3,000,000
                                                         ---------------

[[Page 58495]]

 
        Total Ending Inventory....  t...................       3,284,400
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (B) Example 2--FIFO inventory method with alternative method to 
determine amounts of section 471 costs. (1) The facts are the same 
as in Example 1 of paragraph (c)(3)(vi)(A) of this section, except 
that P uses the alternative method to determine amounts of section 
471 costs by using its financial statement under Sec.  1.263A-
1(d)(2)(iii) rather than tax amounts under Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(2)(i). 
In 2018, P's production section 471 costs exclude $40,000 of tax 
depreciation in excess of financial statement depreciation and 
include $50,000 of financial statement direct labor in excess of tax 
direct labor. These are P's only differences in its book and tax 
amounts.
    (2) Under Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(2)(iii)(B), the positive $40,000 
depreciation adjustment and the negative $50,000 direct labor 
adjustment must be included in additional section 263A costs. 
Accordingly, P's production additional section 263A costs are 
$790,000 ($800,000 plus $40,000 less $50,000).
    (3) P computes its production absorption ratio for 2018 under 
paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D) of this section, as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.006

     (4) Under the modified simplified production method, P 
determines the additional section 263A costs allocable to its ending 
inventory under paragraph (c)(3)(i)(A) of this section by 
multiplying the pre-production absorption ratio by the pre-
production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end and the 
production absorption ratio by the production section 471 costs 
remaining on hand at year end, as follows:

Additional section 263A costs = (8.00% x $1,000,000) + (10.11% x 
$2,000,000) = $282,200

     (5) P adds this $282,200 to the $3,000,000 of section 471 costs 
remaining on hand at year end to calculate its total ending 
inventory of $3,282,200. The balance of P's additional section 263A 
costs incurred during 2018, $717,800 ($1,000,000 less $282,200), is 
taken into account in 2018 as part of P's cost of goods sold.
    (C) Example 3--LIFO inventory method. (1) The facts are the same 
as in Example 1 of paragraph (c)(3)(vi)(A) of this section, except 
that P uses a dollar-value LIFO inventory method rather than the 
FIFO method. P's 2018 LIFO increment is $1,500,000.
    (2) Under paragraph (c)(3)(iv)(B)(1) of this section, to 
determine the additional section 263A costs allocable to its ending 
inventory, P multiplies the combined absorption ratio by the 
$1,500,000 of LIFO increment. Under paragraph (c)(3)(iv)(B)(2) of 
this section, the combined absorption ratio is 9.48% ($284,400 
additional section 263A costs allocable to ending inventory, 
determined on a non-LIFO basis, divided by $3,000,000 of section 471 
costs on hand at year end, determined on a non-LIFO basis). Thus, 
P's additional section 263A costs allocable to its ending inventory 
are $142,200 ($1,500,000 multiplied by 9.48%). This $142,200 is 
added to the $1,500,000 to determine a total 2018 LIFO increment of 
$1,642,200. The balance of P's additional section 263A costs 
incurred during 2018, $857,800 ($1,000,000 less $142,200), is taken 
into account in 2018 as part of P's cost of goods sold.
    (3) In 2019, P sells one-half of the inventory in its 2018 
increment. P must include in its cost of goods sold for 2019 the 
amount of additional section 263A costs relating to this inventory, 
$71,100 (one-half of the $142,200 additional section 263A costs 
capitalized in 2018 ending inventory).
    (D) Example 4--Direct materials-based allocation of mixed 
service costs. (1) Taxpayer R computes its capitalizable mixed 
service costs using the simplified service cost method described in 
Sec.  1.263A-1(h). During 2018, R incurs $200,000 of capitalizable 
mixed service costs, computed using the general allocation formula 
in Sec.  1.263A-1(h). During 2018, R also incurs $8,000,000 of total 
section 471 costs, including $2,000,000 of direct material costs.
    (2) Under paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(B) of this section, R determines 
its capitalizable mixed service costs allocable to pre-production 
additional section 263A costs based on the proportion of direct 
material costs in total section 471 costs. R's direct material costs 
are 25% of total section 471 costs ($2,000,000 of direct material 
costs incurred during the year divided by $8,000,000 of total 
section 471 costs incurred during the year). Thus, R allocates 
$50,000 (25% x $200,000) of mixed service costs to pre-production 
additional section 263A costs. R includes the remaining $150,000 
($200,000 less $50,000) of capitalizable mixed service costs as 
production additional section 263A costs.
    (E) Example 5--Labor-based allocation of mixed service costs. 
(1) Taxpayer S computes its capitalizable mixed service costs using 
the simplified service cost method described in Sec.  1.263A-1(h). 
During 2018, S incurs $200,000 of capitalizable mixed service costs, 
computed using the general allocation formula in Sec.  1.263A-1(h). 
During 2018, S also incurs $10,000,000 of total labor costs 
(excluding any labor costs included in mixed service costs), 
including $1,000,000 of labor costs that are pre-production costs as 
described in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section (excluding any 
labor costs included in mixed service costs).
    (2) Under paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(B) of this section, S determines 
its capitalizable mixed service costs allocable to pre-production 
additional section 263A costs based on the proportion of labor costs 
that are pre-production costs in labor costs. S's pre-production 
labor costs are 10% of labor costs ($1,000,000 of labor costs 
incurred during the year that are pre-production costs (excluding 
any labor costs included in mixed service costs), divided by 
$10,000,000 of total labor costs incurred during the year (excluding 
any labor costs included in mixed service costs). Thus, S allocates 
$20,000 (10% x $200,000) of mixed service costs to pre-production 
additional section 263A costs. S includes the remaining $180,000 
($200,000 less $20,000) of capitalizable mixed service costs as 
production additional section 263A costs.
    (F) Example 6--De minimis rule for allocation of mixed service 
costs. The facts are the same as in Example 5 in paragraph 
(c)(3)(vi)(E) of this section, except that S uses the de minimis 
rule for mixed service costs in paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(C) of this 
section. Because 90% or more of S's capitalizable mixed service 
costs are allocated to production additional section 263A costs, 
under the de minimis rule, S allocates all $200,000 of capitalizable 
mixed service costs to production additional section 263A costs. 
None of the capitalizable mixed service costs are allocated to pre-
production additional section 263A costs.

    (4) Modified simplified production method with historic absorption 
ratio election--(i) In general. This paragraph (c)(4) generally permits 
taxpayers using the modified simplified production method to elect a 
historic absorption ratio in determining additional section 263A costs 
allocable to eligible property remaining on hand at the close of their 
taxable years. A taxpayer may only make a historic absorption ratio 
election under this paragraph (c)(4) if it has used the modified 
simplified production method for three or more consecutive taxable 
years immediately prior to the year of election and has capitalized 
additional section 263A costs using an actual pre-production absorption 
ratio, as defined in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, and an 
actual production absorption ratio, as defined in paragraph

[[Page 58496]]

(c)(3)(ii)(D) of this section, or an actual combined absorption ratio, 
as defined in paragraph (c)(3)(iv)(B)(2) of this section, for its three 
most recent consecutive taxable years. This method is not available to 
a taxpayer that is deemed to have zero additional section 263A costs 
under paragraph (c)(3)(v) of this section. The historic absorption 
ratio is used in lieu of the actual absorption ratios computed under 
paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section or the actual combined absorption 
ratio computed under paragraph (c)(3)(iv) and is based on costs 
capitalized by a taxpayer during its test period. If elected, the 
historic absorption ratio must be used for each taxable year within the 
qualifying period described in paragraph (b)(4)(ii)(C) of this section. 
Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (c)(4), paragraph (b)(4) 
of this section applies to the historic absorption ratio election under 
the modified simplified production method.
    (ii) Operating rules and definitions--(A) Pre-production historic 
absorption ratio. The pre-production historic absorption ratio is 
computed as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.007

    (1) Pre-production additional section 263A costs incurred during 
the test period are defined as the pre-production additional section 
263A costs described in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(1) of this section that 
the taxpayer incurs during the test period described in paragraph 
(b)(4)(ii)(B) of this section.
    (2) Pre-production section 471 costs incurred during the test 
period are defined as the pre-production section 471 costs described in 
paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(2) of this section that the taxpayer incurs 
during the test period described in paragraph (b)(4)(ii)(B) of this 
section.
    (B) Production historic absorption ratio. The production historic 
absorption ratio is computed as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.008

    (1) Production additional section 263A costs incurred during the 
test period are defined as the production additional section 263A costs 
described in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D)(1) of this section that the 
taxpayer incurs during the test period described in paragraph 
(b)(4)(ii)(B) of this section.
    (2) Residual pre-production additional section 263A costs incurred 
during the test period are defined as the residual pre-production 
additional section 263A costs described in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D)(2) 
of this section that the taxpayer incurs during the test period 
described in paragraph (b)(4)(ii)(B) of this section.
    (3) Production section 471 costs incurred during the test period 
are defined as the production section 471 costs described in paragraph 
(c)(3)(ii)(D)(3) of this section that the taxpayer incurs during the 
test period described in paragraph (b)(4)(ii)(B) of this section.
    (4) Direct materials adjustments made during the test period are 
defined as the direct materials adjustments described in paragraph 
(c)(3)(ii)(D)(4) of this section that the taxpayer incurs during the 
test period described in paragraph (b)(4)(ii)(B) of this section.
    (iii) LIFO taxpayers making the historic absorption ratio 
election--(A) In general. Instead of the pre-production and production 
historic absorption ratios defined in paragraph (c)(4)(ii) of this 
section, a LIFO taxpayer making the historic absorption ratio election 
under the modified simplified production method calculates a combined 
historic absorption ratio based on costs the taxpayer capitalizes 
during its test period.
    (B) Combined historic absorption ratio. The combined historic 
absorption ratio is computed as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.009

    (1) Total allocable additional section 263A costs incurred during 
the test period. Total allocable additional section 263A costs incurred 
during the test period are the sum of the total additional section 263A 
costs allocable to eligible property on hand at year end as described 
in paragraph (c)(3)(i)(A) of this section, determined on a non-LIFO 
basis, for all taxable years in the test period.
    (2) Total section 471 costs remaining on hand at each year end of 
the test period. Total section 471 costs remaining on hand at each year 
end of the test period are the sum of the total pre-production section 
471 costs remaining on hand at year end as described in paragraph 
(c)(3)(ii)(C) of this section and the total production section 471 
costs remaining on hand at year end as described in paragraph 
(c)(3)(ii)(E) of this section, determined on a non-LIFO basis, for all 
taxable years in the test period.
    (iv) Extension of qualifying period. In the first taxable year 
following the close of each qualifying period (for example, the sixth 
taxable year following the test period), a taxpayer must compute the 
actual absorption ratios under paragraph (c)(3) of this section (pre-
production and production absorption ratios or, for LIFO taxpayers, the 
combined absorption ratio). If the actual combined absorption ratio or 
both the actual pre-production and production absorption ratios, as 
applicable, computed for this

[[Page 58497]]

taxable year (the recomputation year) is within one-half of one 
percentage point, plus or minus, of the corresponding historic 
absorption ratio or ratios used in determining capitalizable costs for 
the qualifying period (the previous five taxable years), the qualifying 
period is extended to include the recomputation year and the following 
five taxable years, and the taxpayer must continue to use the historic 
absorption ratio or ratios throughout the extended qualifying period. 
If, however, the actual combined historic absorption ratio or either 
the actual pre-production absorption ratio or production absorption 
ratio, as applicable, is not within one-half of one percentage point, 
plus or minus, of the corresponding historic absorption ratio, the 
taxpayer must use the actual combined absorption ratio or ratios 
beginning with the recomputation year and throughout the updated test 
period. The taxpayer must resume using the historic absorption ratio or 
ratios based on the updated test period in the third taxable year 
following the recomputation year.
    (v) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (c)(4) are 
illustrated by the following examples:

    (A) Example 1--HAR and FIFO inventory method. (1) Taxpayer S 
uses the FIFO method of accounting for inventories valued at cost 
and for 2021 elects to use the historic absorption ratio with the 
modified simplified production method. S identifies the following 
costs incurred during the test period:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       2018            2019            2020
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-production additional section 263A costs....................            $100            $200            $300
Production additional section 263A costs........................             200             350             450
Pre-production section 471 costs................................           2,000           2,500           3,000
Production section 471 costs....................................           2,500           3,500           4,000
Residual pre-production additional section 263A costs...........              60             136             220
Direct materials adjustments....................................           2,700           3,200           3,700
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     (2) Under paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, S computes 
the pre-production historic absorption ratio as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.010

     (3) Under paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B) of this section, S computes 
the production historic absorption ratio as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.011

     (4) In 2021, S incurs $10,000 of section 471 costs of which 
$1,000 pre-production section 471 costs and $2,000 production 471 
costs remain in ending inventory. Under the modified simplified 
production method using a historic absorption ratio, S determines 
the pre-production additional section 263A costs allocable to its 
ending inventory by multiplying its pre-production historic 
absorption ratio (8.00%) by the pre-production section 471 costs 
remaining on hand at year end ($1,000). Thus, S allocates $80 of 
pre-production additional section 263A costs to its ending inventory 
(8.00% x $1,000). S determines the production additional section 
263A costs allocable to its ending inventory by multiplying its 
production historic absorption ratio (7.22%) by the production 
section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end ($2,000). Thus, S 
allocates $144 of production additional section 263A costs to its 
ending inventory (7.22% x $2,000).
    (5) Under paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section, S's total 
additional section 263A costs allocable to ending inventory in 2021 
are $224, which is the sum of the allocable pre-production 
additional section 263A costs ($80) and the allocable production 
additional section 263A costs ($144). S's ending inventory in 2021 
is $3,224, which is the sum of S's additional section 263A costs 
allocable to ending inventory and S's section 471 costs remaining in 
ending inventory ($224 + $3,000). The balance of S's additional 
section 263A costs incurred during 2021 is taken into account in 
2021 as part of S's cost of goods sold.
    (B) Example 2--HAR and LIFO inventory method. (1)(i) The facts 
are the same as in Example 1 in paragraph (c)(4)(v)(A) of this 
section, except that S uses a dollar-value

[[Page 58498]]

LIFO inventory method rather than the FIFO method. S calculates 
additional section 263A costs incurred during the taxable year and 
allocable to ending inventory under paragraph (c)(4)(iii) of this 
section and identifies the following costs incurred during the test 
period:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       2018            2019            2020
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional section 263A costs incurred during the taxable year               $90            $137            $167
 allocable to ending inventory..................................
Section 471 costs incurred during the taxable year that remain             1,000           1,400           2,100
 in ending inventory............................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     (ii) In 2021, the LIFO value of S's increment is $1,500.
    (2) Under paragraph (c)(4)(iii) of this section, S computes a 
combined historic absorption ratio as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20NO18.012

     (3) S's additional section 263A costs allocable to its 2021 
LIFO increment are $131 ($1,500 beginning LIFO increment x 8.76% 
combined historic absorption ratio). S adds the $131 to the $1,500 
LIFO increment to determine a total 2021 LIFO increment of $1,631.

* * * * *
    (g) * * *
    (3) Paragraph (c) of this section applies for taxable years 
beginning on or after November 20, 2018. For any taxable year that both 
begins before November 20, 2018 and ends after November 20, 2018, the 
IRS will not challenge return positions consistent with all of 
paragraphs (c) of this section.

0
Par. 5. Section 1.263A-3 is amended by:
0
1. Revising paragraph (a)(4)(i).
0
2. Designating the text of paragraph (d)(4)(v) as paragraph 
(d)(4)(v)(A) and adding a paragraph heading.
0
3. Adding paragraph (d)(4)(v)(B).
    The revision and additions read as follows:


Sec.  1.263A-3  Rules relating to property acquired for resale.

    (a) * * *
    (4) * * *
    (i) In general. Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(4)(ii) and 
(iii) of this section, a taxpayer may elect the simplified production 
method, as described in Sec.  1.263A-2(b), or the modified simplified 
production method, as described in Sec.  1.263A-2(c), but may not elect 
the simplified resale method, as described in paragraph (d) of this 
section, if the taxpayer is engaged in both production and resale 
activities with respect to the items of eligible property listed in 
Sec.  1.263A-2(b)(2).
* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (4) * * *
    (v) * * *
    (A) Transition to elect historic absorption ratio. * * *
    (B) Transition to revoke historic absorption ratio. Notwithstanding 
the requirements provided in paragraph (d)(4)(iii)(B) of this section 
regarding revocations of the historic absorption ratio during a 
qualifying period, a taxpayer will be permitted to revoke the historic 
absorption ratio in their first, second, or third taxable year ending 
on or after November 20, 2018, under such administrative procedures and 
with terms and conditions prescribed by the Commissioner.
* * * * *

0
Par. 6. In Sec.  1.263A-7, paragraph (b)(2)(iii)(A)(2)(ii) is revised 
to read as follows:


Sec.  1.263A-7  Changing a method of accounting under section 263A.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (iii) * * *
    (A) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (ii) Simplified method used. A dollar-value LIFO taxpayer using the 
3-year average method and the simplified production method, the 
modified simplified production method, or the simplified resale method 
to revalue its inventory is permitted, but not required, to establish a 
new base year.
* * * * *

0
Par. 7. In Sec.  1.471-3, paragraph (b) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  1.471-3  Inventories at cost.

* * * * *
    (b) In the case of merchandise purchased since the beginning of the 
taxable year, the invoice price less trade or other discounts, except 
strictly cash discounts approximating a fair interest rate, which may 
be deducted or not at the option of the taxpayer, provided a consistent 
course is followed. To this net invoice price should be added 
transportation or other necessary charges incurred in acquiring 
possession of the goods. But see Sec.  1.263A-1(d)(2)(iv)(C) for 
special rules for certain direct material costs that in certain cases 
are permitted to be capitalized as additional section 263A costs by 
taxpayers using a simplified method under Sec.  1.263A-2(b) or (c) or 
Sec.  1.263A-3(d). For taxpayers acquiring merchandise for resale that 
are subject to the provisions of section 263A, see Sec. Sec.  1.263A-1 
and 1.263A-3 for additional amounts that must be included in inventory 
costs.
* * * * *

Kirsten Wielobob,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement.
    Approved: July 23, 2018.
David J. Kautter,
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (Tax Policy).

    Note: This document was received for publication by the Office 
of the Federal Register on November 6, 2018.

[FR Doc. 2018-24545 Filed 11-19-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4830-01-P



     58476            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     List of Subjects in 14 CFR part 97:                     Canon City, CO, Fremont County, RNAV                    CAT II, ILS RWY 30R CAT III, Amdt
        Air traffic control, Airports,                         (RNP) RWY 11, Orig-B, CANCELED                        12
     Incorporation by reference, Navigation                  Canon City, CO, Fremont County, RNAV                  Greensboro, NC, Piedmont Triad Intl,
     (air).                                                    (RNP) Z RWY 29, Orig-B, CANCELED                      ILS OR LOC RWY 5R, ILS RWY 5R
                                                             Bridgeport, CT, Igor I Sikorsky                         SA CAT II, Amdt 7C
       Issued in Washington, DC, on November 2,                Memorial, RNAV (GPS) RWY 29,                        Grand Forks, ND, Grand Forks Intl,
     2018.                                                     Amdt 2                                                RNAV (GPS) RWY 17R, Amdt 1
     Rick Domingo,                                           Oxford, CT, Waterbury-Oxford, ILS OR                  Nebraska City, NE, Nebraska City Muni,
     Executive Director, Flight Standards Service.             LOC RWY 36, Amdt 15                                   NDB RWY 33, Amdt 2
                                                             Oxford, CT, Waterbury-Oxford, RNAV                    Pender, NE, Pender Muni, RNAV (GPS)
     Adoption of the Amendment
                                                               (GPS) RWY 18, Amdt 3                                  RWY 15, Orig-B
       Accordingly, pursuant to the                          Oxford, CT, Waterbury-Oxford, RNAV                    Pender, NE, Pender Muni, RNAV (GPS)
     authority delegated to me, Title 14,                      (GPS) RWY 36, Amdt 3                                  RWY 33, Orig-B
     Code of Federal Regulations, Part 97 (14                Idaho Falls, ID, Idaho Falls Rgnl, ILS OR             Carson City, NV, Carson, RNAV (GPS)-
     CFR part 97) is amended by                                LOC RWY 21, Amdt 12                                   B, Orig
     establishing, amending, suspending, or                  Idaho Falls, ID, Idaho Falls Rgnl, LOC                Ticonderoga, NY, Ticonderoga Muni,
     removing Standard Instrument                              BC RWY 3, Amdt 7                                      Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle DP,
     Approach Procedures and/or Takeoff                      Idaho Falls, ID, Idaho Falls Rgnl, RNAV                 Amdt 1
     Minimums and Obstacle Departure                           (GPS) Y RWY 3, Amdt 2                               Dayton, OH, James M Cox Dayton Intl,
     Procedures effective at 0901 UTC on the                 Idaho Falls, ID, Idaho Falls Rgnl, RNAV                 ILS OR LOC RWY 24L, Amdt 11
     dates specified, as follows:                              (GPS) Y RWY 21, Amdt 2                              Dayton, OH, James M Cox Dayton Intl,
                                                             Idaho Falls, ID, Idaho Falls Rgnl, RNAV                 RNAV (GPS) RWY 24L, Amdt 2
     PART 97—STANDARD INSTRUMENT                               (RNP) Z RWY 3, Amdt 1                               Dayton, OH, James M Cox Dayton Intl,
     APPROACH PROCEDURES                                     Idaho Falls, ID, Idaho Falls Rgnl, RNAV                 RNAV (GPS) Z RWY 6L, Amdt 1E
                                                               (RNP) Z RWY 21, Amdt 1                              Dayton, OH, James M Cox Dayton Intl,
     ■ 1. The authority citation for part 97                 Idaho Falls, ID, Idaho Falls Rgnl,                      RNAV (GPS) Z RWY 24R, Amdt 2B
     continues to read as follows:                             Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle DP,                   Clearfield, PA, Clearfield-Lawrence,
       Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40103,             Amdt 5                                                RNAV (GPS) RWY 30, Amdt 1B
     40106, 40113, 40114, 40120, 44502, 44514,               Idaho Falls, ID, Idaho Falls Rgnl, VOR                Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia Intl, ILS
     44701, 44719, 44721–44722.                                RWY 3, Amdt 6D                                        OR LOC RWY 27L, Amdt 14B
                                                             Idaho Falls, ID, Idaho Falls Rgnl, VOR                Tullahoma, TN, Tullahoma Rgnl Arpt/
     ■ 2. Part 97 is amended to read as
                                                               RWY 21, Amdt 10B                                      Wm Northern Field, NDB RWY 18,
     follows:
                                                             Chicago, IL, Chicago O’Hare Intl, ILS OR                Amdt 3B, CANCELED
     * * * Effective 6 December 2018                           LOC RWY 9R, Amdt 12B                                Tullahoma, TN, Tullahoma Rgnl Arpt/
     Estherville, IA, Estherville Muni, RANV                 Mount Vernon, IL, Mount Vernon, ILS                     Wm Northern Field, RNAV (GPS)
       (GPS) RWY 16, Amdt 1B                                   OR LOC RWY 23, Amdt 12                                RWY 6, Amdt 2
     Rexburg, ID, Rexburg-Madison County,                    Mount Vernon, IL, Mount Vernon, VOR                   Borger, TX, Hutchinson County, Takeoff
       Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle DP,                       RWY 5, Amdt 16C, CANCELED                             Minimums and Obstacle DP, Amdt 2
                                                             Pittsfield, IL, Pittsfield Penstone Muni,             Corpus Christi, TX, Corpus Christi Intl,
       Amdt 5
                                                               RNAV (GPS) RWY 31, Orig-A                             ILS OR LOC RWY 36, Amdt 14
     Philipsburg, PA, Mid-State, RNAV
                                                             Connersville, IN, Mettel Field, ILS OR                Corpus Christi, TX, Corpus Christi Intl,
       (GPS) RWY 16, Orig-C
                                                               LOC RWY 18, Amdt 1                                    RNAV (GPS) Y RWY 36, Amdt 3
     Breckenridge, TX, Stephens County,
                                                                                                                   Beaver, UT, Beaver Muni, Takeoff
       RNAV (GPS) RWY 17, Orig-B                             Connersville, IN, Mettel Field, VOR–A,
                                                                                                                     Minimums and Obstacle DP, Orig-A
     Breckenridge, TX, Stephens County,                        Amdt 1B, CANCELED
                                                                                                                   Stafford, VA, Stafford Rgnl, RNAV
       RNAV (GPS) RWY 35, Orig-B                             Peru, IN, Peru Muni, RNAV (GPS) RWY
                                                                                                                     (GPS) RWY 33, Amdt 1A
                                                               1, Orig-B
     * * * Effective 3 January 2019                                                                                Olympia, WA, Olympia Rgnl, VOR–A,
                                                             Junction City, KS, Freeman Field, RNAV
                                                                                                                     Amdt 2
     Brevig Mission, AK, Brevig Mission,                       (GPS) RWY 36, Orig-E                                Kenosha, WI, Kenosha Rgnl, ILS OR
       BREVIG TWO, Graphic DP                                Eunice, LA, Eunice, RNAV (GPS) RWY                      LOC RWY 7L, Amdt 3A
     Brevig Mission, AK, Brevig Mission,                       34, Orig-A                                          Kenosha, WI, Kenosha Rgnl, RNAV
       RNAV (GPS) RWY 12, Amdt 1                             Taunton, MA, Taunton Muni—King                          (GPS) RWY 7L, Orig-A
     Brevig Mission, AK, Brevig Mission,                       Field, RNAV (GPS) RWY 30, Amdt 2
                                                                                                                   [FR Doc. 2018–24960 Filed 11–19–18; 8:45 am]
       RNAV (GPS) RWY 30, Amdt 1                             Albert Lea, MN, Albert Lea Muni, VOR
     Brevig Mission, AK, Brevig Mission,                       RWY 35, Amdt 1C                                     BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

       Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle DP,                     Bigfork, MN, Bigfork Muni, RNAV (GPS)
       Orig-A                                                  RWY 15, Orig-C
     Hot Springs, AR, Memorial Field, VOR                    Bigfork, MN, Bigfork Muni, RNAV (GPS)                 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
       RWY 5, Amdt 4D                                          RWY 33, Orig-C
     Crescent City, CA, Jack McNamara                        St Louis, MO, St Louis Lambert Intl, ILS              Internal Revenue Service
       Field, Takeoff Minimums and                             OR LOC RWY 6, Amdt 2
       Obstacle DP, Amdt 2A                                  St Louis, MO, St Louis Lambert Intl, ILS              26 CFR Part 1
     Reedley, CA, Reedley Muni, RNAV                           OR LOC RWY 11, ILS RWY 11 CAT                       [TD 9843]
       (GPS) RWY 16, Orig                                      II, ILS RWY 11 CAT III, Amdt 1
     Reedley, CA, Reedley Muni, RNAV                         St Louis, MO, St Louis Lambert Intl, ILS              RIN 1545–BG07
       (GPS) RWY 34, Orig                                      OR LOC RWY 29, Amdt 2                               Allocation of Costs Under the
     Reedley, CA, Reedley Muni, Takeoff                      St Louis, MO, St Louis Lambert Intl, ILS              Simplified Methods
       Minimums and Obstacle DP, Orig                          OR LOC RWY 30L, Amdt 12D
     Canon City, CO, Fremont County, RNAV                    St Louis, MO, St Louis Lambert Intl, ILS              AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS),
       (GPS) RWY 29, Amdt 1                                    OR LOC RWY 30R, ILS RWY 30R                         Treasury.


VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:29 Nov 19, 2018   Jkt 247001   PO 00000   Frm 00014   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\20NOR1.SGM   20NOR1


                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                         58477

     ACTION:   Final regulations.                            production method (SPM)) or § 1.263A–   gross receipts threshold) was unfair to
                                                             3(d) (the simplified resale method      taxpayers unable or unwilling to use the
     SUMMARY: This document contains final                   (SRM)) to allocate a lump sum of        MSPM. One commenter suggested that
     regulations on allocating costs to certain              additional section 263A costs properly  taxpayers using the SPM are at a
     property produced or acquired for resale                allocable to property produced or       disadvantage compared to taxpayers
     by a taxpayer. These final regulations:                                                         using the MSPM, because the SPM
                                                             acquired for resale to property that is on
     Provide rules for the treatment of                      hand at the end of the taxable year, in overcapitalizes additional section 263A
     negative adjustments related to certain                                                         costs to the raw material content of
                                                             lieu of allocating costs to specific items
     costs required to be capitalized to                     of property. Some taxpayers using the   ending inventory. Another commenter
     property produced or acquired for                       SPM or SRM include a negative           stated that the proposed regulations’
     resale; provide a new simplified method                 adjustment in additional section 263A   prohibition on including negative
     of accounting for determining the                       costs when the taxpayer capitalizes a   adjustments in additional section 263A
     additional costs allocable to property                  cost as a section 471 cost in an amount costs under the SPM unduly punished
     produced or acquired for resale; and                    that is greater than the amount requiredtaxpayers that were unable to use the
     redefine how certain types of costs are                 to be capitalized for tax purposes.     MSPM by requiring those taxpayers to
     categorized for purposes of the                         Notice 2007–29 (2007–14 IRB 881)        calculate the amount of deductible
     simplified methods. These final                         provides that, pending the issuance of  section 471 costs that should be
     regulations affect taxpayers that are                   additional published guidance, the IRS  excluded from ending inventory. This
     producers or resellers of property that                 generally will not challenge the        commenter also suggested that only a
     are required to capitalize costs to the                 inclusion of negative adjustments in    small number of taxpayers have the
     property and that elect to allocate costs               computing additional costs under        resources to determine these costs.
     using a simplified method.                              section 263A or the permissibility of      The Treasury Department and the IRS
     DATES:                                                  aggregate negative additional section   do not adopt these comments because
        Effective Date: These regulations are                263A costs.                             including negative adjustments in
     effective on November 20, 2018.                            On September 5, 2012, the Treasury   additional section 263A costs under the
        Applicability Date: For date of                      Department and the IRS published in     SPM may result in significant
     applicability, see §§ 1.263A–1(l)(5) and                the Federal Register (77 FR 54482) a    distortions of the amount of additional
     1.263A–2(g)(3).                                         notice of proposed rulemaking (REG–     section 263A costs and section 471 costs
                                                             126770–06, 2012–38 IRB 347) under       allocated to ending inventory. However,
     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                             section 263A (the proposed regulations) these final regulations include several
     Natasha M. Mulleneaux, of the Office of
                                                             relating to the inclusion of negative   changes to address these comments and
     the Associate Chief Counsel (Income
                                                             adjustments in additional section 263A  reduce compliance costs, burden, and
     Tax and Accounting) at (202) 317–7007
                                                             costs under the simplified methods. The administrative complexity. Generally,
     (not a toll-free number).
                                                             proposed regulations also provided a    including negative adjustments in
     SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                                                                      additional section 263A costs results in
                                                             new simplified method of accounting,
     Background                                              the modified simplified production      distortions because the method used to
                                                             method (MSPM), for determining the      capitalize the section 471 cost is
        This document contains final                                                                 different than the method used to
     regulations that amend the Income Tax                   additional section 263A costs allocable
                                                             to property produced or acquired for    remove the cost from ending inventory.
     Regulations (26 CFR part 1) relating to                                                         The extent of the distortion, and
     allocation of costs to certain property                 resale, and redefined how certain types
                                                             of costs are categorized for purposes ofwhether it is favorable or unfavorable to
     produced or acquired for resale under                                                           the taxpayer, generally depends on
     section 263A of the Internal Revenue                    the simplified methods. Two comments
                                                             responding to the proposed regulations  whether the cost was incurred in the
     Code (Code).                                                                                    production process and how the cost
        Section 263A requires taxpayers to                   were received and a public hearing was
                                                             held on January 7, 2013. After          was allocated to raw materials, work-in-
     capitalize the direct costs and indirect                                                        process, or finished goods inventories
     costs that are properly allocable to: (1)               consideration of the comments received,
                                                                                                     for purposes of section 471.
     Real or tangible personal property                      these final regulations adopt the
                                                                                                     Accordingly, the general restriction on
     produced by the taxpayer, and (2) real                  proposed regulations as revised by this
                                                                                                     the inclusion of negative adjustments in
     and personal property described in                      Treasury decision.
                                                                                                     additional section 263A costs provided
     section 1221(a)(1) acquired for resale by               Summary of Comments and                 in the proposed regulations remains
     the taxpayer. The costs that a taxpayer                 Explanation of Provisions               unchanged in these final regulations.
     must capitalize under section 263A are                                                             In order to limit potential distortion
     its section 471 costs, additional section               1. General Prohibition on Negative      in the simplified methods, these final
     263A costs, and interest capitalizable                  Adjustments in Additional Section 263A regulations also provide a new
     under section 263A(f). Section 263A                     Costs                                   consistency requirement for taxpayers
     generally requires taxpayers to allocate                   The proposed regulations generally   that are permitted to include negative
     capitalizable section 263A costs to                     provided that taxpayers could not       adjustments in additional section 263A
     specific items of property produced or                  include negative adjustments in         costs to remove section 471 costs and
     acquired for resale. However, section                   additional section 263A costs to remove that include negative adjustments to
     263A(j) instructs the Secretary to                      section 471 costs, unless the taxpayers remove section 471 costs. The rule
     prescribe regulations that may be                       used: (1) The SPM and had average       provides that such taxpayer must use
     necessary or appropriate to carry out the               annual gross receipts of $10,000,000 or this method of accounting for all section
     purposes of section 263A, including                     less; (2) the SRM; or (3) the MSPM.     471 costs that are permitted to be
     regulations providing simplified                           Both commenters stated that the      removed using negative adjustments.
     procedures. Accordingly, § 1.263A–                      proposed regulations’ prohibition on       In addition, these final regulations
     1(f)(1) allows taxpayers to use the                     including negative adjustments in       clarify that certain business expenses
     simplified methods provided in                          additional section 263A costs for       described in section 162(c), (e), (f), and
     § 1.263A–2(b) (the simplified                           taxpayers using the SPM (and above the (g), including bribes, lobbying expenses,


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     58478            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     and fines and penalties, cannot be                      taxable year and remaining on hand at                    One commenter stated that the
     removed from a taxpayer’s section 471                   year end (excluding raw materials                     production absorption ratio under the
     costs as negative adjustments in                        integrated into work-in-process and                   MSPM in the proposed regulations was
     additional section 263A costs. This                     finished goods).                                      distortive because it included post-
     clarification is consistent with § 1.471–                  Both commenters stated that some                   production additional section 263A
     3(f), which provides that certain of these              taxpayers could not readily identify raw              costs (for example, storage and handling
     expenses are not permitted to be                        materials that are integrated into work-              allocable to finished goods). This
     included in the cost of inventories.                    in-process and finished goods                         commenter suggested the MSPM
                                                             inventories on hand at year end. The                  include a third ratio to allocate post-
     2. Classification of Costs                              commenters asserted that those                        production additional section 263A
        One commenter stated that it was                     taxpayers would have to modify their                  costs to finished goods inventories. This
     unclear how negative adjustments in                     books and records or purchase a new                   suggestion is not adopted in the final
     additional section 263A costs are                       computer system to track these raw                    regulations because including a third
     measured (for example, in the case of                   materials. Both commenters stated that                ratio to allocate post-production
     depreciation, at the individual asset                   this requirement would place an unfair                additional 263A costs adds a degree of
     level or using total depreciation                       burden on taxpayers, especially smaller               complexity to the MSPM that outweighs
     expense). These final regulations                       taxpayers. One commenter suggested                    the benefit of the additional precision it
     provide that section 471 costs,                         that the final regulations clarify that a             might provide.
     additional section 263A costs, and any                  taxpayer may use any reasonable
     adjustments to section 471 costs or                     method to estimate the raw material                   4. Allocation of Mixed Service Costs
     additional section 263A costs are                       component of work-in-process and                      Under the MSPM
     classified using the narrower of (1) the                finished goods inventories on hand at                    The proposed regulations provided
     classifications of costs used by the                    year end.                                             that taxpayers must allocate
     taxpayer in its financial statement or (2)                 First, to reduce the number of defined             capitalizable mixed service costs to pre-
     the classifications of costs in § 1.263A–               terms and to be consistent with the use               production additional section 263A
     1(e)(2), (3), and (4). If a cost is not                 of that term in § 1.263A–1(e)(2)(i)(A),               costs in proportion to the raw material
     described within § 1.263A–1(e)(2), (3),                 these final regulations use the term                  costs in total section 471 costs, with the
     or (4), the cost is classified using the                ‘‘direct material costs’’ rather than ‘‘raw           remaining amount of capitalizable
     classification of costs used in the                     material costs,’’ as used in the proposed             mixed service costs allocated to
     taxpayer’s financial statement.                         regulations.                                          production additional section 263A
                                                                Second, the Treasury Department and                costs. The proposed regulations also
     3. Modified Simplified Production
                                                             the IRS understand that some taxpayers                specifically requested comments on
     Method
                                                             may not be able to readily identify                   how mixed service costs should be
        The proposed regulations provided a                  direct material costs in work-in-process              allocated between raw materials, work-
     new simplified method, the MSPM, to                     and finished goods inventories on hand                in-process, and finished goods under
     reduce distortions that may result from                 at year end. Accordingly, these final                 the MSPM.
     the SPM. The MSPM in the proposed                       regulations modify the MSPM so that                      Both commenters stated that generally
     regulations reduced distortions by more                 taxpayers using the MSPM are not                      raw materials do not attract a large
     precisely allocating additional section                 required to separately track direct                   amount of mixed service costs, except
     263A costs, including negative                          material costs that are integrated into               for a limited amount of labor-related
     adjustments, among raw materials,                       work-in-process and finished goods                    purchasing costs. The commenters
     work-in-process, and finished goods                     inventories. Specifically, these final                stated that the proposed regulations’
     inventories on hand at year end.                        regulations modify the MSPM by: (1)                   allocation of capitalizable mixed service
     Generally, taxpayers would have                         Applying the pre-production absorption                costs between pre-production and
     determined the allocable portion of pre-                ratio to only unprocessed direct material             production additional section 263A
     production additional section 263A                      section 471 costs incurred during the                 costs resulted in a disproportionate
     costs using a pre-production absorption                 taxable year and remaining on hand at                 allocation of mixed service costs to pre-
     ratio of pre-production additional                      year end; (2) applying the production                 production additional section 263A
     section 263A costs incurred during the                  absorption ratio to all production                    costs. One commenter suggested that the
     taxable year over raw materials costs                   section 471 costs incurred during the                 final regulations allow taxpayers to
     incurred during the taxable year. This                  taxable year and remaining on hand at                 allocate capitalizable mixed service
     ratio would have applied to raw                         year end, which includes direct material              costs between pre-production and
     material section 471 costs incurred                     costs that have entered or completed                  production additional section 263A
     during the taxable year and remaining                   production; (3) including the pre-                    costs using any reasonable method and
     on hand at year end (including                          production additional section 263A                    provided an example of a labor-based
     unprocessed raw materials, and raw                      costs that are not allocated by the pre-              allocation method to allocate mixed
     materials integrated into work-in-                      production absorption ratio in the                    service costs.
     process and finished goods). Similarly,                 numerator of the production absorption                   In response to the comments, these
     under the MSPM in the proposed                          ratio; and (4) including the direct                   final regulations expand the types of
     regulations, taxpayers would have                       material costs that have entered or                   methods permitted under the MSPM to
     determined the allocable portion of all                 completed production in the                           allocate mixed service costs between
     other additional section 263A costs                     denominator of the production                         pre-production and production
     using a production absorption ratio of                  absorption ratio. These modifications to              additional section 263A costs. These
     production additional section 263A                      the proposed MSPM reduce compliance                   regulations provide that a taxpayer
     costs incurred during the taxable year                  costs, burden, and administrative                     using the MSPM that capitalizes mixed
     over production section 471 costs                       complexity by eliminating the need to                 service costs using the simplified
     incurred during the taxable year. This                  separately track direct material costs in             service cost method under § 1.263A–
     ratio would have applied to production                  work-in-process and finished goods                    1(h) may allocate capitalizable mixed
     section 471 costs incurred during the                   inventories on hand at year end.                      service costs to pre-production


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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                        58479

     additional section 263A costs based on                  production or production additional                   additional section 263A costs that must
     unprocessed direct material costs in                    section 263A costs if 90 percent or more              be added to the taxpayers’ increment for
     section 471 costs or, alternatively, based              of the mixed service costs would                      the year. The proposed regulations
     on pre-production labor costs in total                  otherwise be allocated to that amount.                defined the numerator of the combined
     labor costs. Additionally, if a taxpayer                                                                      absorption ratio as total additional
                                                             5. Property Produced for the Taxpayer
     using the MSPM determines its                                                                                 section 263A costs allocable to eligible
                                                             Under a Contract and Property
     capitalizable mixed service costs using                                                                       property remaining on hand at year end
                                                             Acquired for Resale
     a method described in § 1.263A–1(g)(4)                                                                        and the denominator as the total section
     (a direct reallocation method, a step-                     The proposed regulations did not                   471 costs remaining on hand at year
     allocation method, or any other                         provide explicit rules for the treatment              end. The proposed regulations also
     reasonable allocation method), the                      of costs related to property produced for             specifically requested comments on
     taxpayer must use a reasonable method                   the taxpayer under a contract with                    how the MSPM should apply to
     to allocate the costs (for example,                     another party that is treated as property             taxpayers using the LIFO method.
     department or activity costs) between                   produced by the taxpayer, as described                   One commenter suggested that LIFO-
     pre-production and production                           in § 1.263A–2(a)(1)(ii)(B) (property                  method taxpayers should be allowed to
     additional section 263A costs, unless                   produced under a contract), and                       use the same two absorption ratios as
     the taxpayer’s departments or activities                property acquired for resale under the                taxpayers using the first-in, first-out
     are identified as exclusively pre-                      MSPM.                                                 (FIFO) method of accounting for
     production or production. For example,                     One commenter suggested that all                   inventories, rather than a combined
     it may be reasonable for a taxpayer                     costs related to property produced                    absorption ratio, to determine the
     using a method described in § 1.263A–                   under a contract and property acquired                amount of additional section 263A costs
                                                             for resale should be included in the pre-             that must be added to the inventory
     1(g)(4) to allocate a department’s mixed
                                                             production absorption ratio under the                 increment for the year. This suggestion
     service costs between pre-production
                                                             MSPM. The Treasury Department and                     is not adopted because it would require
     and production additional section 263A
                                                             the IRS agree that generally costs related            LIFO-method taxpayers to divide their
     costs based on labor associated with the
                                                             to property produced under a contract                 inventory increments and decrements
     department when the department is not
                                                             and property acquired for resale are best             into raw material and production
     exclusively identified as pre-production
                                                             treated as pre-production costs because               components, which would add
     or production. If a taxpayer that
                                                             costs related to such property are                    unnecessary complexity and
     determines its capitalizable mixed
                                                             primarily purchasing, storage, and                    administrability challenges to the LIFO
     service costs using a method described
                                                             handling costs, which are the costs                   method and the MSPM.
     in § 1.263A–1(g)(4) has departments or
                                                             frequently attributable to property that                 One commenter suggested that LIFO-
     activities that are identified as
                                                             has not entered production.                           method taxpayers should be allowed to
     exclusively pre-production or
                                                             Accordingly, these final regulations                  choose between annual absorption
     production, the department or activity
                                                             adopt this suggestion and provide that                ratios and shorter-term ratios, and base
     costs must be allocated to pre-
                                                             additional section 263A costs properly                the shorter-term ratios on the taxpayer’s
     production or production additional
                                                             allocable to property produced under a                method of determining the current-year
     section 263A costs according to the
                                                             contract and property acquired for                    cost of the items in ending inventory
     department’s or activity’s identification.
                                                             resale are generally included in pre-                 and the value of any inventory
        One commenter stated that the                        production additional section 263A                    increments. This suggestion is not
     proposed regulations would                              costs under the MSPM. Similarly,                      adopted because it ignores the fact that
     unnecessarily require taxpayers that do                 section 471 costs for property produced               indirect costs are frequently incurred
     not have any additional section 263A                    under a contract and property acquired                outside of the period used for
     costs that relate to raw material costs to              for resale are generally included in pre-             determining current-year cost, and use
     compute a pre-production absorption                     production section 471 costs under the                of a shorter-term ratio could cause
     ratio. The commenter suggested                          MSPM.                                                 distortions.
     allocating capitalizable mixed service                     One commenter also suggested that                     One commenter suggested that the
     costs between pre-production and                        the final regulations clarify the                     final regulations provide special rules
     production additional section 263A                      treatment of costs related to property                for taxpayers that have elected to apply
     costs based on the relative proportion of               produced under a contract when the                    the LIFO method only to raw materials,
     additional section 263A costs in each                   property is used in an additional                     including raw materials that have
     category that are incurred by the                       production activity of the taxpayer.                  entered or completed the production
     taxpayer. These final regulations do not                These final regulations adopt this                    process (the raw material content LIFO
     adopt this suggestion because the                       suggestion and clarify that for purposes              method). Specifically, the commenter
     relative amount of pre-production and                   of the MSPM, direct material costs                    suggested that final regulations provide
     production additional section 263A                      include property produced under a                     that the combined absorption ratio
     costs reflect the amount of capitalizable               contract that are direct material costs for           should be applied to any LIFO
     tax costs in excess of the costs                        the taxpayer to be used in an additional              increment of a taxpayer using the raw
     capitalized for financial statement                     production process of the taxpayer.                   material content LIFO method with the
     purposes but do not accurately reflect                  These costs are included in pre-                      pre-production and production
     the amount of mixed service costs                       production section 471 costs.                         absorption ratios applied separately to
     allocable to pre-production and                                                                               non-LIFO inventory. The Treasury
     production activities. However, in                      6. Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) Method                   Department and the IRS agree that the
     response to this comment and to reduce                  Taxpayers Using the MSPM                              combined, pre-production, and
     compliance costs and burden, these                         The proposed regulations provided                  production absorption ratios could all
     final regulations include a de minimis                  that LIFO method taxpayers using the                  apply in the case of a taxpayer using the
     rule that allows taxpayers using the                    MSPM must multiply an inventory                       raw material content LIFO method and
     MSPM to allocate 100 percent of                         increment by a combined absorption                    believe this point is sufficiently clear in
     capitalizable mixed service costs to pre-               ratio to determine the amount of                      these final regulations.


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     58480            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

        One commenter stated that the                        used for a substantial non-tax purpose;                  One commenter noted that the
     definition of the combined absorption                   or a financial statement (other than a tax            proposed regulations do not specify
     ratio was ambiguous because it did not                  return) required to be provided to the                how taxpayers must account for
     indicate whether the combined                           government). This method is not                       differences between their financial
     absorption ratio was determined on a                    available to a taxpayer if the taxpayer’s             statement methods and the tax methods
     LIFO basis. The Treasury Department                     financial statement is described only in              used to determine the value of ending
     and the IRS intended that the combined                  § 1.263A–1(d)(6)(iv) (for example, an                 inventory. These differences include
     absorption ratio be determined on a                     unaudited financial statement used for a              special tax methods, such as the lower
     non-LIFO basis; accordingly, this point                 substantial non-tax purpose). The use of              of cost or market method and the retail
     is clarified in these final regulations.                this alternative method is limited to                 inventory method, as well as special
     7. Definition of Section 471 Costs                      taxpayers that have certain financial                 financial statement methods, such as
                                                             statements in order to provide adequate               write-downs or reserves for slow-
        The proposed regulations provided                    safeguards for the use of financial                   moving goods. The final regulations do
     one definition of section 471 costs that                statement amounts in the simplified                   not change the current requirement that
     applied to taxpayers using the SRM,                     method formulas. A taxpayer that uses                 a taxpayer must value its ending
     SPM, or MSPM, regardless of whether                     the alternative method determines the                 inventory by applying its tax methods of
     those taxpayers were in existence before                amounts of all of its section 471 costs by            accounting, and provide that a taxpayer
     the effective date of section 263A. The                 using the amounts of costs capitalized to             using the alternative method to
     proposed regulations generally provided                 property produced or property acquired                determine the amounts of its section 471
     that a taxpayer’s section 471 costs were                for resale in the taxpayer’s financial                costs may not include any financial
     the costs, other than interest, that the                statement using the taxpayer’s financial              statement write-downs, reserves, or
     taxpayer capitalized to its inventory or                statement methods of accounting. A                    other financial statement valuation
     other eligible property in its financial                taxpayer using the alternative method                 adjustments when determining the
     statements. The proposed regulations                    may not include any financial statement               amounts of its section 471 costs.
     also provided, consistent with the IRS’s                write-downs, reserves, or other financial
     established administrative practice, that                                                                     8. Financial Statement Hierarchy and
                                                             statement valuation adjustments when
     taxpayers must include all direct costs                                                                       Recordkeeping Requirements for
                                                             determining the amounts of its section
     in section 471 costs regardless of the                                                                        Financial Statements
                                                             471 costs.
     treatment of the costs in their financial
                                                                In order to limit potential distortions               The proposed regulations did not
     statements.
        These final regulations clarify that a               in the simplified methods’ absorption                 provide any guidance as to which
     taxpayer’s section 471 costs are the                    ratios, these final regulations require a             financial statement a taxpayer uses to
     types of costs capitalized to property                  taxpayer that uses the alternative                    determine its section 471 costs. For
     produced or property acquired for resale                method to consistently apply the                      clarity and consistency, these final
     in the taxpayer’s financial statement.                  method to all of its section 471 costs,               regulations provide that for purposes of
     These final regulations also clarify that               including any direct costs required to be             section 263A, a taxpayer’s financial
     a taxpayer determines the amounts of its                included in section 471 costs, any costs              statement is its financial statement of
     section 471 costs by using the amounts                  used for purposes of applying the de                  the highest priority, in accordance with
     of those costs that are incurred in the                 minimis direct costs rules, any costs                 the list of categories of financial
     taxable year for federal income tax                     included in additional section 263A                   statements, in order of priority,
     purposes. These final regulations also                  costs after applying the de minimis                   provided in these final regulations. For
     generally retain the proposed                           direct costs rules and the safe harbor                example, in order to determine its types
     regulations’ requirement that section                   rule for certain variances and under or               of section 471 costs, a taxpayer uses the
     471 costs must include all direct costs                 over-applied burdens, and any costs                   types of costs capitalized in its financial
     of property produced and property                       removed from section 471 costs because                statement with the highest priority
     acquired for resale.                                    such costs are not required to be, or are             within the categories described in these
        However, the Treasury Department                     not permitted to be, capitalized under                final regulations.
     and the IRS understand that                             section 263A. In addition, a taxpayer                    These final regulations do not impose
     maintaining separate financial statement                using the alternative method includes in              any specific record keeping
     and federal income tax cost accounting                  additional section 263A costs all                     requirements for a taxpayer’s
     systems or adjusting the amounts of                     negative adjustments to remove section                identification of costs as section 471 or
     costs capitalized using the taxpayer’s                  471 costs and all permitted positive and              additional section 263A costs, or for a
     financial statement methods for federal                 negative book-to-tax adjustments. A                   taxpayer’s determination of the amounts
     income tax purposes can be costly and                   taxpayer using the alternative method,                of section 471 costs. However, the
     burdensome. Therefore, these final                      and the burden rate or standard cost                  regulations under section 6001 require a
     regulations provide an alternative                      methods described in § 1.263A–1(f)(3),                taxpayer to keep books and records
     method that certain taxpayers may use                   determines the book-to-tax adjustments                sufficient to establish the amount of
     to determine the amounts of their                       required to be made as a result of                    gross income, deductions, credits, or
     section 471 costs. This alternative                     differences in financial statement and                other matters required to be shown in an
     method is available to a taxpayer that is               tax amounts by comparing the actual                   income tax return, which includes the
     permitted to include negative                           amount of the cost incurred in the                    identification of costs as section 471 or
     adjustments in additional section 263A                  taxable year for federal income tax                   additional section 263A costs and the
     costs to remove section 471 costs if that               purposes to the actual amount of the                  determination of the amounts of section
     taxpayer’s financial statement is                       cost incurred in the taxable year in its              471 costs. This requirement also
     described in § 1.263A–1(d)(6)(i), (ii), or              financial statement using the taxpayer’s              includes any books and records
     (iii) (for example, a financial statement               financial statement methods of                        sufficient to establish a taxpayer’s
     required to be filed with the Securities                accounting, regardless of how the                     calculation of variances and under or
     and Exchange Commission (SEC); a                        taxpayer treats its variances or under or             over-applied burdens used for financial
     certified audited financial statement                   over-applied burdens.                                 statement purposes.


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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                       58481

     9. De Minimis Exceptions for Certain                    on the amount of uncapitalized direct                    One commenter stated that the
     Direct Costs in Section 471 Costs                       labor costs and total direct labor costs              proposed regulations’ treatment of cash
                                                             that are incurred in the taxable year in              and trade discounts would impose an
     a. Direct Labor Costs
                                                             the taxpayer’s financial statement using              administrative burden on taxpayers that
        As noted previously, the proposed                    the taxpayer’s financial statement                    do not treat any or all of their cash and
     regulations provided, consistent with                   methods of accounting. The alternative-               trade discounts as negative purchase or
     the IRS’s established administrative                    method taxpayer includes in additional                production costs for financial statement
     practice, that taxpayers must include all               section 263A costs any negative or                    purposes. The commenter suggested
     direct costs in section 471 costs                       positive adjustment required to be made               that, if the final regulations preclude a
     regardless of the treatment of the costs                as a result of differences in financial               taxpayer from treating cash and trade
     in their financial statement. Both                      statement and tax amounts of the                      discounts as negative additional section
     commenters stated that some taxpayers                   taxpayer’s de minimis direct labor costs.             263A costs, then taxpayers should be
     do not capitalize certain direct labor                    A taxpayer using a historic absorption              allowed to allocate cash and trade
     costs (for example, holiday pay, sick                   ratio (HAR) that uses the de minimis                  discounts between ending inventory
     leave pay, shift differential, and payroll                                                                    and costs of goods sold using some type
                                                             direct labor costs rule during its test
     taxes) to inventory for financial                                                                             of averaging convention.
                                                             period or updated test period could treat
     statement purposes, and that the                                                                                 In general, cash and trade discounts
                                                             a particular direct labor cost as an
     proposed regulations’ requirement to                                                                          related to section 471 costs, and
                                                             additional section 263A cost in one year
     include all direct costs in section 471                                                                       transportation and other necessary
                                                             of the test period or updated test period,
     costs would force these taxpayers to                                                                          charges incurred to acquire possession
                                                             and as a section 471 cost in a different
     create or purchase and maintain a                                                                             of goods, are treated as adjustments to
                                                             year of the test period or updated test
     second inventory costing system for tax                                                                       the underlying section 471 costs, and
                                                             period. The de minimis direct labor
     purposes only.                                                                                                cannot be included as a negative
        These final regulations generally                    costs rule provides a special rule that
                                                                                                                   adjustment in additional section 263A
     retain the proposed regulations’                        requires this taxpayer to use the SRM,
                                                                                                                   costs. However, to reduce compliance
     requirement that section 471 costs must                 SPM, or MSPM and HAR during the
                                                                                                                   costs, burden, and administrative
     include all direct costs of property                    qualifying period or extended qualifying
                                                                                                                   complexity, these final regulations
     produced and property acquired for                      period in a manner that is most
                                                                                                                   provide a de minimis direct material
     resale. However, to reduce compliance                   consistent with the treatment of the
                                                                                                                   costs rule to allow taxpayers using the
     costs, burden, and administrative                       direct labor costs during the test period
                                                                                                                   SRM, SPM, or MSPM to include in
     complexity, these final regulations                     or updated test period. Under this rule,
                                                                                                                   additional section 263A costs, and
     provide a de minimis direct labor costs                 the taxpayer determines whether direct
                                                                                                                   exclude from section 471 costs, certain
     rule to allow taxpayers using the SRM,                  labor costs are included in any of its
                                                                                                                   direct material costs that are
     SPM, or MSPM to include in additional                   section 471 costs remaining on hand at                uncapitalized financial statement costs.
     section 263A costs, and exclude from                    year end during its qualifying period or              This de minimis direct material costs
     section 471 costs, certain direct labor                 extended qualifying period consistent                 rule can be used for certain direct
     costs that are not capitalized to property              with how those direct labor costs were                material costs that are not capitalized to
     produced or property acquired for resale                classified in at least two of the three               property produced or property acquired
     in the taxpayer’s financial statement                   years of the taxpayer’s applicable test               for resale in a taxpayer’s financial
     (uncapitalized direct labor costs).                     period or updated test period.                        statement (uncapitalized direct material
     However, a taxpayer cannot use this de                  b. Direct Material Costs                              costs) such as cash discounts, trade
     minimis direct labor costs rule to                                                                            discounts, and freight-in costs.
     include in additional section 263A costs                   The preamble to the proposed                       However, a taxpayer cannot use this de
     basic compensation or overtime or the                   regulations stated that the proposed                  minimis direct material costs rule to
     types of costs included in the taxpayer’s               regulations generally prohibited treating             include in additional section 263A costs
     standard cost or burden rate methods                    cash or trade discounts as negative                   the types of costs that are included in
     used for section 471 costs.                             adjustments in additional section 263A                the taxpayer’s standard cost method
        Under this de minimis direct labor                   costs under any of the simplified                     used for section 471 costs (including
     costs rule, a taxpayer includes in                      methods. The proposed regulations                     cash and trade discounts).
     additional section 263A costs, and                      expressly prohibited treating cash or                    Under this de minimis direct material
     excludes from section 471 costs, the                    trade discounts as negative adjustments               costs rule, a taxpayer includes in
     total amount of all direct labor costs that             in additional section 263A costs under                additional section 263A costs, and
     are incurred in the taxable year that are               the MSPM and the SRM, inadvertently                   excludes from section 471 costs, the
     uncapitalized direct labor costs, if the                omitting taxpayers using the SPM from                 total amount of all direct material costs
     total amount of those costs is less than                the prohibition. The operative rule in                incurred in the taxable year that are
     five percent of total direct labor costs                the proposed regulations also                         uncapitalized direct material costs, if
     incurred in the taxable year (whether or                specifically requested comments on                    the amount of those costs in total
     not capitalized for financial statement                 reasonable methods of allocating cash or              comprise less than five percent of total
     purposes). The de minimis direct labor                  trade discounts that taxpayers do not                 direct material costs incurred in the
     costs rule requires that any amounts that               capitalize for financial statement                    taxable year (whether or not capitalized
     constitute a reduction to costs be treated              purposes between ending inventory and                 for financial statement purposes). The
     as positive amounts for purposes of                     cost of goods sold. In addition, the                  de minimis direct material costs rule
     determining whether the taxpayer’s                      Treasury Department and the IRS are                   requires that any amounts that
     uncapitalized direct labor costs meet the               aware that some taxpayers do not                      constitute a reduction to costs, such as
     five percent test. For a taxpayer using                 capitalize for financial statement                    cash and trade discounts, be treated as
     the alternative method to determine the                 purposes certain direct material costs                positive amounts for purposes of
     amounts of its section 471 costs, the five              (for example, transportation and other                determining whether the taxpayer’s
     percent test and the amount included in                 necessary charges incurred to acquire                 uncapitalized direct material costs meet
     additional section 263A costs are based                 possession of goods).                                 the five percent test. The de minimis


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     58482            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     direct material costs rule operates                     burdens. If the sum of the amounts of all             aggregated ending inventory value
     similarly to the de minimis direct labor                of those uncapitalized variances and                  accurately identifies smaller taxpayers
     costs rule for an alternative method                    uncapitalized under or over-applied                   because inventory value can fluctuate
     taxpayer, and for a taxpayer using a                    burdens in a taxable year are not less                greatly within the taxable year, or from
     HAR. Because any direct material costs                  than five percent for the taxable year,               year to year. Accordingly, this
     included in additional section 263A                     the taxpayer must reallocate such                     suggestion is not adopted. However, to
     costs after applying the de minimis                     uncapitalized amounts to or among                     reduce compliance costs and burden for
     direct material costs rule are excluded                 units of property as required by                      smaller taxpayers using the SPM and
     from section 471 costs, such direct                     § 1.263A–1(f)(3)(i)(C) or (f)(3)(ii)(B),              minimize the difficulty that smaller
     material costs are not treated as section               respectively.                                         taxpayers may face complying with the
     471 costs for any purpose, including as                    Under this safe harbor rule, all                   MSPM, these final regulations allow
     section 471 costs that are direct material              variances and under or over-applied                   taxpayers with average annual gross
     costs in the modified simplified                        burdens are treated as positive amounts               receipts of $50,000,000 or less for the
     production method formula.                              for purposes of determining whether the               three previous taxable years to include
                                                             taxpayer’s uncapitalized variances and                negative adjustments in additional
     10. Variances and Under- or Over-                       uncapitalized under or over-applied                   section 263A costs under the SPM.
     Applied Burdens                                         burdens meet this five percent test.
        Both commenters stated that some                     Additionally, this safe harbor rule                   12. Comments Regarding the HAR and
     taxpayers do not capitalize certain                     applies to any variances on cash or trade             the MSPM
     variances related to direct costs to                    discounts that are included in the                       The proposed regulations provided
     inventory for financial statement                       taxpayer’s standard cost, if those                    that a taxpayer using the MSPM could
     purposes, and that the proposed                         discounts are capitalized as part of the              make the HAR election. Under the
     regulations’ requirement to include all                 taxpayer’s standard cost method used                  proposed regulations, a non-LIFO-
     direct costs in section 471 costs would                 for section 471 costs. An eligible                    method taxpayer using the MSPM with
     force these taxpayers to create or                      taxpayer must consistently apply the                  the HAR election calculates both a pre-
     purchase and maintain a second                          safe harbor method to all items for                   production HAR and a production HAR,
     inventory costing system for tax                        which the taxpayer uses a standard cost               to be used for each taxable year within
     purposes only. The IRS’s established                    or burden rate method to allocate costs.              a qualifying period (in place of the
     administrative practice requires                        However, the safe harbor rule only                    actual pre-production absorption ratio
     taxpayers to treat positive and negative                applies to a taxpayer’s uncapitalized                 and actual production absorption ratio).
     cost variances and under or over-                       variances and uncapitalized under or                  In the first taxable year following the
     applied burden amounts related to                       over-applied burdens. In addition, a                  close of a qualifying period—the
     direct and indirect section 471 costs as                taxpayer using this safe harbor rule is               recomputation year—if the taxpayer’s
     adjustments to the underlying section                   not permitted to treat uncapitalized                  actual pre-production absorption ratio
     471 costs. However, to reduce                           variances and uncapitalized under or                  or actual production absorption ratio is
     compliance costs, burden, and                           over-applied burdens that are not                     not within one-half of one percentage
     administrative complexity, these final                  significant as not allocable to property              point (plus or minus) of the
     regulations provide a safe harbor rule                  produced or property acquired for resale              corresponding HAR, the taxpayer must
     for taxpayers using the SRM, SPM, or                    under § 1.263A–1(f)(3)(i)(C) and                      use actual absorption ratios during an
     MSPM to include in additional section                   (f)(3)(ii)(B), respectively.                          updated test period, and the qualifying
     263A costs, and exclude from section                       Finally, for taxpayers using either the            period is not extended. A LIFO-method
     471 costs, certain variances and under                  SRM or MSPM, allocation rules are                     taxpayer using the MSPM with the HAR
     or over-applied burdens that are not                    provided to help taxpayers allocate                   election, however, calculates a
     capitalized to property produced or                     these uncapitalized costs between                     combined HAR to be used for each
     property acquired for resale in the                     storage and handling costs and current                taxable year within a qualifying period
     taxpayer’s financial statement                          year purchasing costs, in the case of the             (in place of the actual combined
     (uncapitalized variances or                             SRM, and pre-production and                           absorption ratio). In the recomputation
     uncapitalized under or over-applied                     production costs, in the case of the                  year, if the LIFO-method taxpayer’s
     burdens).                                               MSPM.                                                 actual combined absorption ratio is not
        Under this safe harbor rule, a taxpayer                                                                    within one-half of one percentage point
     includes in additional section 263A                     11. Smaller Taxpayers Using the SPM                   (plus or minus) of the combined HAR,
     costs, and excludes from section 471                       The proposed regulations allowed                   the taxpayer must use an actual
     costs, the sum of the amounts of all of                 taxpayers with average annual gross                   combined absorption ratio during an
     those uncapitalized variances and                       receipts of $10,000,000 or less for the               updated test period, and the qualifying
     uncapitalized under or over-applied                     three previous taxable years to include               period is not extended.
     burdens for that taxable year, if such                  negative adjustments in additional                       One commenter suggested that the
     sum is less than five percent of the                    section 263A costs under the SPM.                     rules for determining whether a
     taxpayer’s total section 471 costs for all                 One commenter stated that average                  qualifying period is extended for LIFO
     items for which the taxpayer uses a                     annual gross receipts of $10,000,000 or               taxpayers should also apply to non-
     standard cost or burden rate method to                  less does not accurately represent a                  LIFO-method taxpayers, and therefore,
     allocate costs. For purposes of this rule,              ‘‘small taxpayer.’’ The commenter                     in the recomputation year, all taxpayers
     total section 471 costs for all items for               suggested using the average aggregate                 should use a combined HAR to compare
     which the taxpayer uses a standard cost                 value of ending inventory, rather than                to an actual combined absorption ratio.
     or burden rate method to allocate costs                 gross receipts, to identify this group of             This suggestion is not adopted because
     are computed before application of the                  taxpayers. Both commenters also stated                calculating combined absorption ratios
     safe harbor method, and must reflect the                that small taxpayers would have                       does not match the ratios required to be
     actual amounts incurred by the taxpayer                 difficulty complying with the MSPM.                   calculated by a non-LIFO-method
     on these items, which therefore include                    The Treasury Department and the IRS                taxpayer using the MSPM. A non-LIFO-
     variances and under or over-applied                     do not believe that an average                        method taxpayer using the MSPM is


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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                       58483

     required to calculate separate absorption               implemented allowing the change to be                 simplified methods to reduce
     ratios, even when using the HAR.                        made on an expedited basis.                           compliance costs, burden, and
        The proposed regulations also                          Simultaneously with the publication                 administrative complexity. This
     specifically requested comments on                      of these final regulations, the Treasury              economic analysis describes the
     transition rules for taxpayers currently                Department and the IRS are issuing                    economic benefits and costs of these
     using the SPM with the HAR election                     Revenue Procedure 2018–56 to modify                   final regulations.
     that change to the MSPM, including                      Rev. Proc. 2018–31 and provide the
     comments on how the regulations                                                                               B. Economic Analysis of the Final
                                                             procedures by which a taxpayer may
     should apply to taxpayers within a                                                                            Regulations
                                                             obtain automatic consent to make
     qualifying period as described in                       certain method changes to conform to                  1. Background
     § 1.263A–2(b)(4)(ii)(C). One commenter                  these final regulations, such as a change                For a discussion of the background of
     suggested allowing taxpayers currently                  to comply with the new definition of                  these final regulations, see the
     using the HAR that are changing to the                  section 471 costs or a change to the                  Background sections of this preamble
     MSPM with the HAR election to open                      MSPM.                                                 and the proposed regulations.
     a new test period. Additionally, one
     commenter suggested that taxpayers be                   Effective Date                                        2. Anticipated Benefits and Costs of the
     permitted to make the change using a                       These final regulations are generally              Final Regulations
     section 481(a) adjustment instead of a                  effective as of November 20, 2018 and                 a. Baseline
     cut-off method.                                         apply for taxable years beginning on or
        Except as otherwise expressly                        after November 20, 2018. For any                         The Treasury Department and the IRS
     provided by the Code or the regulations                 taxable year that both begins before                  have assessed the benefits and costs of
     thereunder, section 446(e) and § 1.446–                 November 20, 2018 and ends after                      these final regulations against a status
     1(e)(2) require a taxpayer to secure the                November 20, 2018, the IRS will not                   quo baseline that reflects projected tax-
     consent of the Commissioner before                      challenge return positions consistent                 related and other behavior in the
     changing a method of accounting for                     with all of these final regulations.                  absence of these final regulations and
     federal income tax purposes. Section                                                                          includes the effect of Notice 2007–29.
     1.446–1(e)(3)(ii) authorizes the                        Special Analyses                                      Notice 2007–29 allows taxpayers to
     Commissioner to prescribe                               Regulatory Planning and Review—                       include negative adjustments in
     administrative procedures setting forth                 Economic Analysis                                     computing additional costs under
     the terms and conditions necessary for                                                                        section 263A and allows aggregate
     a taxpayer to obtain consent to a change                   Executive Orders 13563 and 12866                   negative additional section 263 costs.
     in method of accounting. Revenue                        direct agencies to assess costs and
                                                             benefits of available regulatory                      b. Anticipated Benefits
     Procedure 2015–13, 2015–5 IRB 419, as
     clarified and modified by Rev. Proc.                    alternatives and, if regulation is                       The Treasury Department and the IRS
     2015–33, 2015–24 IRB 1067, as                           necessary, to select regulatory                       expect that the certainty and clarity
     modified by Rev. Proc. 2016–1, 2016–1                   approaches that maximize net benefits                 provided by these final regulations as
     IRB 1, and as modified by Rev. Proc.                    (including potential economic,                        well as the substantive contribution of
     2017–59, 2017–48 IRB 543, provides the                  environmental, public health and safety               the regulations will enhance economic
     general procedures by which a taxpayer                  effects, distributive impacts, and                    efficiency relative to the baseline.
     may obtain automatic consent of the                     equity). Executive Order 13563                           In developing these final regulations,
     Commissioner to a change in method of                   emphasizes the importance of                          the Treasury Department and the IRS
     accounting described in Rev. Proc.                      quantifying both costs and benefits,                  have generally aimed to apply the
     2018–31, 2018–22 IRB 637. The                           reducing costs, of harmonizing rules,                 principle that an economically efficient
     automatic consent procedures reduce                     and of promoting flexibility.                         tax system would treat income derived
     filing requirements, waive user fees, and                  These final regulations have been                  from similar economic decisions
     extend filing deadlines normally                        designated by the Office of Information               similarly, to the extent consistent with
     associated with a request for change in                 and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) as                      the Code and considerations of
     method of accounting.                                   Significant under Executive Order                     administrability of the tax system.
        Simultaneously with the publication                  12866 and section 1(b) of the                            An economically efficient tax system
     of these final regulations, the Treasury                Memorandum of Agreement (April 11,                    would generally allow businesses to
     Department and the IRS are issuing                      2018) between the Treasury Department                 deduct from income taxes an amount
     Revenue Procedure 2018–56 (2018–50                      and the Office of Management and                      meant to capture the economic cost of
     IRB) to modify Rev. Proc. 2018–31 and                   Budget (OMB) regarding review of tax                  their capital investments. Under this
     provide the procedures by which a                       regulations and thereby subject to                    principle, rules for capitalization and
     taxpayer may obtain automatic consent                   review under Executive Order 12866.                   deductions are most efficient when they
     to make certain method changes to                       Accordingly, these final regulations                  most closely mimic true economic
     conform to these final regulations, such                have been reviewed by OIRA.                           depreciation. This conclusion is
     as a change to the MSPM by a taxpayer                                                                         complicated by a large number of real
                                                             A. Overview                                           world factors, including that economic
     using the HAR.
                                                               These final regulations provide                     depreciation is endogenous and difficult
     13. Procedural Requirements for                         taxpayers with computational and                      to measure and that the tax system itself
     Changing Section 471 Costs or Changing                  definitional guidance regarding the                   will affect true depreciation.
     to the MSPM                                             application of section 263A under the                 Furthermore, the principles from which
       The proposed regulations did not                      simplified methods. Specifically, they                the true-economic-depreciation
     provide procedural rules for taxpayers                  provide guidance for taxpayers to                     prescription is derived are themselves
     changing to comply with the final                       determine the amount of additional                    based on a ‘‘pure’’ tax system rather
     regulations. One commenter suggested                    section 263A costs to capitalize and                  than the complex real world tax code.
     that the automatic change procedures                    make several changes regarding the                    The Treasury Department and the IRS
     apply or that procedures be                             application of section 263A under the                 do not anticipate substantial changes to


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     58484            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     the aggregate cost of goods sold, the                   general reduce the costs of tax                       section 263A was enacted were required
     aggregate tax bases of other produced                   administration.                                       to use definitions based on their actual
     assets, or the depreciation deductions                     For taxpayers, the major cost savings              tax cost accounting practices as of
     that will be generated under the new                    of these final regulations derive from the            enactment. However, taxpayers that
     simplified method, the MSPM, relative                   reduction in the computational and                    were not in existence when section
     to the baseline. Therefore these final                  record-keeping burdens involved with                  263A was enacted were required to use
     regulations should not materially affect                the use of the simplified methods for                 definitions based on what their tax cost
     aggregate tax revenues or aggregate                     calculating end-of-year inventory. These              accounting practices would have been
     inventory investment relative to the                    burdens are reduced because taxpayers                 as of enactment under the law at that
     baseline. There may be some modest                      will now generally be able to use their               time. Under these final regulations, all
     increase in investment in inventory. For                own current financial accounting                      taxpayers use their present financial
     example, investment in raw materials                    methods to determine their section 471                statement cost accounting practices.
     inventory may increase under these                      costs, albeit using cost amounts                      Moreover, taxpayers using the
     final regulations because the relative tax              determined under tax law. Taxpayers                   simplified resale method or simplified
     cost of buying and carrying raw                         with audited financial statements, or                 production method will benefit from no
     materials under the MSPM is generally                   those who file regulatory financial                   longer being required to adjust their
     less than under the SPM. Treatment of                   statements, will also be able to use cost             section 471 costs incurred during the
     inventory under the simplified methods                  amounts determined according to                       taxable year to reflect tax adjustments in
     generally remains the same. Because the                 financial accounting rules. In addition,              their respective simplified method
     tax system requires a periodic                          taxpayers using a simplified method                   formula. Rather, these simplified
     determination of inventory, there was                   will be able to make positive and                     method taxpayers may use an
     and still is, an incentive to minimize                  negative adjustments to their additional              alternative method that permits them to
     inventory as of that date, usually the                  section 263A costs in cases where their               use their financial statement amounts
     end of the taxable year. The increased                  section 471 costs, determined using                   for their section 471 costs incurred
     investment in raw materials inventory                   financial accounting methods, either do               during the taxable year and make tax
     under the MSPM is due to the fact that                  not capitalize all actual costs or over-              adjustments to these costs by using
     inventory as of the determination date                  capitalize those costs. Finally, taxpayers            negative adjustments to their section
     may be divided into pre-production and                  using the SRM or the MSPM, and                        263A costs.
     production inventory and a specific rate                smaller taxpayers (those with average
                                                             gross receipts of $50 million or less)                   The most recently available Statistics
     is applied to estimate overhead for each
                                                             using the SPM will be able to make                    of Income (SOI) indicates that
     category. While under the SPM the
                                                             negative adjustments to their additional              approximately 30,000 taxpayers were
     inventory as of the determination date is
                                                             section 263A costs in cases where the                 subject to section 263A in 2015 and
     not divided and one rate is used to
                                                             capitalization of certain costs is either             would be impacted by these final
     estimate overhead for all inventory.
                                                             optional or not permitted under the tax               regulations. While the number of
     There may also be a modest shifting of
                                                             law. It is anticipated that larger                    affected taxpayers will increase with
     investment between different types of
     inventory because the MSPM should                       taxpayers using the SPM who desire                    growth in the economy, the Treasury
     improve the measurement of certain                      such treatment will switch from using                 Department and the IRS do not expect
     types of final inventory and improved                   the SPM to the MSPM in order to                       that these final regulations will change
     precision would generally lead to small                 continue to make these negative                       the portion of affected taxpayers that
     adjustments in inventory amounts.                       adjustments.                                          use a simplified method because those
     Though no specific types of inventory                      In addition, absent these final                    taxpayers not using a simplified method
     are treated favorably, the modest                       regulations, taxpayers and the IRS                    will likely continue to allocate
     shifting of investment is expected                      would: (1) Continue to be required to                 capitalizable costs to specific items of
     because the reduced carrying cost                       use definitions based on a taxpayer’s                 property under their present method,
     associated with maintaining raw                         accounting practices used in 1986; (2)                and taxpayers using a simplified
     materials inventory may encourage or                    continue to be required to use tax                    method are not likely to begin
     allow some taxpayers to carry a larger                  accounting rules, rather than their own               capitalizing costs to specific items of
     quantity of raw materials for business                  financial accounting rules, to determine              property due to these final regulations.
     purposes.                                               the allocation of certain capitalized                 The IRS’s Office of Research, Applied
                                                             amounts; (3) not be able to use the                   Analytics, and Statistics (RAAS)
     c. Anticipated Impacts on                               MSPM to more precisely determine the                  estimate that these 30,000 taxpayers
     Administrative and Compliance Costs                     lump-sum of costs to capitalize; (4) not              spent approximately 315,000 hours and
        The Treasury Department and the IRS                  be able to use the new safe-harbors for               $26 million ($2015) annually to comply
     expect that the certainty, clarity, and                 direct labor and direct material costs not            with the simplified methods, as
     simplifying changes regarding the                       capitalized on a taxpayer’s financial                 implemented under Notice 2007–29.
     application of section 263A provided by                 statements; and (5) not be able to use the            The dollar burden is derived from
     these final regulations, relative to the                de minimis rules for variances and                    RAAS’s Business Taxpayer Burden
     baseline, will reduce annual compliance                 under- or over-applied burden not                     model that relates time and out-of-
     costs, burden, and administrative                       capitalized on a taxpayer’s financial                 pocket costs of business tax preparation,
     complexity. Absent these final                          statements. The changes in each of these              derived from survey data, to assets and
     regulations, different parties would                    directions under the final regulations                receipts of affected taxpayers along with
     continue to take different positions                    will generally reduce taxpayer                        other relevant variables, and converted
     regarding the inclusion of negative                     compliance costs. For example, under                  by the Treasury Department to $2015.
     adjustments in computing additional                     these final regulations, one definition of            See Tax Compliance Burden (John
     costs under section 263A and the                        section 471 costs applies to all                      Guyton et al, July 2018) at https://
     permissibility of aggregate negative                    taxpayers, regardless of when the                     www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/d13315.pdf.
     additional section 263A costs. More                     taxpayer came into existence.                         The Treasury Department and IRS then
     uniform positions by taxpayers will in                  Previously, taxpayers in existence when               used this framework to estimate the


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                           Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                                                           58485

     taxpayer burden associated with section                                     substantially consistent with current                                   approximately ten percent. The
     263A compliance under the final                                             practice, but also offer taxpayers                                      estimated reduction in annual
     regulations. These estimates reflect the                                    additional compliance simplifications,                                  compliance burden for impacted
     Treasury Department’s and IRS’s                                             these final regulations will result in a                                taxpayers is summarized below.
     estimate that because these final                                           reduction in the aggregate annual
     regulations implement an approach                                           taxpayer compliance burden of

                                                   ESTIMATED REDUCTION IN ANNUAL COMPLIANCE BURDEN (2015 levels)
                                                                                                                                                                                Final       Burden
                                                                                                                                                         Baseline            regulations   reduction

     Taxpayers ....................................................................................................................................           30,000              30,000           ¥
     Hours ...........................................................................................................................................       315,000             283,500       31,500
     Cost ($2015) ................................................................................................................................       $26,000,000         $23,400,000   $2,600,000



     C. Paperwork Reduction Act                                                  (2) a taxpayer with average annual gross                                state and local governments or preempt
        The collection of information in these                                   receipts of less than $50,000,000 may                                   state law within the meaning of the
     final regulations is in § 1.263A–                                           continue to use the simplified                                          Executive Order.
     2(c)(4)(i). The collection of information                                   production method and the simplified
                                                                                                                                                         Drafting Information
     in § 1.263A–2(c)(4)(i) only applies to                                      production method with a historical
     taxpayers using the MPSM with HAR.                                          absorption rate (HAR) with negative                                        The principal author of these final
     The burden for the collection of                                            amounts in additional section 263A                                      regulations is Natasha M. Mulleneaux of
     information contained in these final                                        costs; and (3) a relatively small number                                the Office of Associate Chief Counsel
     regulations is reflected in the burden for                                  of taxpayers use a simplified method                                    (Income Tax and Accounting). However,
     §§ 1.263A–2(b)(4)(iii)(A) and (B) and                                       with HAR compared to a simplified                                       other personnel from the IRS and the
     1.263A–3(d)(4)(iii)(A) and (B) and is not                                   method without HAR and, therefore, it                                   Treasury Department participated in
     expected to change the previously                                           is expected that few small business                                     their development.
     determined estimated annual burden                                          taxpayers will use the modified                                         List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1
     per respondent, the estimated annual                                        simplified production method with
     burden per recordkeeper, or the                                             HAR. Thus, a Regulatory Flexibility                                       Income taxes, Reporting and
     estimated number of respondents                                             Analysis under the Regulatory                                           recordkeeping requirements.
     because (i) taxpayers could previously                                      Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) is                                 Adoption of Amendments to the
     use a simplified method with HAR, (ii)                                      not required.                                                           Regulations
     these final regulations do not make a                                       F. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act                                           Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is
     simplified method with HAR more or
                                                                                   Section 202 of the Unfunded                                           amended as follows:
     less desirable, and (iii) only those
     taxpayers previously using a simplified                                     Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires
                                                                                 that agencies assess anticipated costs                                  PART I—INCOME TAXES
     method with HAR are likely to do so
     under these final regulations. For                                          and benefits and take certain other
                                                                                                                                                         ■ Paragraph 1. The authority citation
     purposes of the Paperwork Reduction                                         actions before issuing a final rule that
                                                                                                                                                         for part 1 is amended by revising the
     Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)), the                                        includes any Federal mandate that may
                                                                                                                                                         sectional authority entries for
     reporting burden associated with                                            result in expenditures in any one year
                                                                                                                                                         §§ 1.263A–1, 1.263A–2, 1.263A–3 and
     § 1.263A–2(c)(4)(i) will be reflected in                                    by a state, local, or tribal government, in
                                                                                                                                                         1.263A–7, and adding a sectional
     the IRS Form 14029, Paperwork                                               the aggregate, or by the private sector, of
                                                                                                                                                         authority for § 1.471–3 in numerical
     Reduction Act Submission, associated                                        $100 million in 1995 dollars, updated
                                                                                                                                                         order to read in part as follows:
     with Form 1120 (OMB control number                                          annually for inflation. In 2018, that
                                                                                 threshold is approximately $150                                             Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805.
     1545–0123) at www.reginfo.gov/public/
     do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201706-1545-                                          million. This rule does not include any                                 *      *       *      *     *
                                                                                 Federal mandate that may result in                                        Section 1.263A–1 also issued under 26
     005.
                                                                                 expenditures by state, local, or tribal                                 U.S.C. 263A(j).
     D. Executive Order 13771                                                    governments, or by the private sector in                                  Section 1.263A–2 also issued under 26
                                                                                 excess of that threshold.                                               U.S.C. 263A(j).
       These final regulations are expected                                                                                                                Section 1.263A–3 also issued under 26
     to be an Executive Order 13771                                              G. Executive Order 13132: Federalism                                    U.S.C. 263A(j).
     deregulatory action. Details on the
                                                                                    Executive Order 13132 (entitled                                      *      *       *      *     *
     estimated effects of this rule can be                                                                                                                 Section 1.263A–7 also issued under 26
     found in the rule’s economic analysis.                                      ‘‘Federalism’’) prohibits an agency from
                                                                                                                                                         U.S.C. 263A(j).
                                                                                 publishing any rule that has federalism
     E. Regulatory Flexibility Analysis                                          implications if the rule either imposes                                 *      *       *      *     *
                                                                                                                                                           Section 1.471–3 issued under 26 U.S.C.
       It is hereby certified that these final                                   substantial, direct compliance costs on
                                                                                                                                                         471(a).
     regulations will not have a significant                                     state and local governments, and is not
     economic impact on a substantial                                            required by statute, or preempts state                                  *     *      *    *     *
     number of small entities. This                                              law, unless the agency meets the                                        ■ Par. 2. Section 1.263A–0 is amended
     certification is based on the fact that: (1)                                consultation and funding requirements                                   by:
     Many small business taxpayers are no                                        of section 6 of the Executive Order. This                               ■ 1. Revising the entry for § 1.263A–
     longer required to capitalize costs under                                   rule does not have federalism                                           1(d)(2)(ii).
     section 263A if their average annual                                        implications and does not impose                                        ■ 2. Adding entries for § 1.263A–
     gross receipts are less than $25,000,000;                                   substantial direct compliance costs on                                  1(d)(2)(ii)(A) and (B).


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     58486            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     ■ 3. Revising the entry for § 1.263A–                      (B) De minimis rule for certain direct                (1) Pre-production additional section
     1(d)(2)(iii).                                            labor costs.                                          263A costs.
     ■ 4. Adding entries for § 1.263A–                          (C) De minimis rule for certain direct                (2) Pre-production section 471 costs.
     1(d)(2)(iii)(A) through (E), (d)(2)(iv),                 material costs.                                         (C) Pre-production section 471 costs
     (d)(2)(iv)(A) through (E), (d)(2)(v),                      (D) Taxpayers using a historic                      remaining on hand at year end.
     (d)(2)(v)(A) through (E), and (d)(2)(vi)                 absorption ratio.                                       (D) Production absorption ratio.
     and (vii).                                                 (E) Examples.                                         (1) Production additional section
     ■ 5. Adding entries for § 1.263A–                          (v) Safe harbor method for certain                  263A costs.
     1(d)(3)(i), (d)(3)(ii), and (d)(3)(ii)(A)                variances and under or over-applied                     (2) Residual pre-production
     through (E).                                             burdens.                                              additional section 263A costs.
     ■ 6. Adding entries for § 1.263A–1(d)(5)                   (A) In general.                                       (3) Production section 471 costs.
     and (6).                                                   (B) Consistency requirement.                          (4) Direct materials adjustment.
     ■ 7. Adding entries for § 1.263A–                          (C) Allocation of variances and under                 (E) Production section 471 costs
     2(b)(4)(v)(A) and (B).                                   or over-applied burdens between                       remaining on hand at year end.
     ■ 8. Revising the entry for § 1.263A–                    production and preproduction costs                      (F) Costs allocated to property sold.
     2(c).                                                    under the modified simplified                           (iii) Allocable mixed service costs.
     ■ 9. Adding entries for § 1.263A–2(c)(1),                production method.                                      (A) In general.
     (c)(2), (c)(2)(i) and (ii), (c)(3), (c)(3)(i),             (D) Allocation of variances and under                 (B) Taxpayer using the simplified
     (c)(3)(i)(A) and (B), (c)(3)(ii), (c)(3)(ii)(A)          or over-applied burdens between storage               service cost method.
     and (B), (c)(3)(ii)(B)(1) and (2),                       and handling costs absorption ratio and                 (C) De minimis rule.
     (c)(3)(ii)(C) and (D), (c)(3)(ii)(D)(1)                  purchasing costs absorption ratio under                 (iv) LIFO taxpayers electing the
     through (4), (c)(3)(ii)(E) and (F),                      the simplified resale method.                         modified simplified production method.
     (c)(3)(iii), (c)(3)(iii)(A) through (C),                   (E) Method of accounting.                             (A) In general.
     (c)(3)(iv), (c)(3)(iv)(A) and (B),                         (vi) Removal of section 471 costs.                    (B) LIFO increment.
     (c)(3)(iv)(B)(1) and (2), (c)(3)(iv)(C),                   (vii) Method changes.                                 (1) In general.
     (c)(3)(v) and (vi), (c)(4), (c)(4)(i) and (ii),            (3) * * *                                             (2) Combined absorption ratio
     (c)(4)(ii)(A) and (B), (c)(4)(iii),                        (i) In general.                                     defined.
     (c)(4)(iii)(A) and (B), (c)(4)(iii)(B)(1) and              (ii) Negative adjustments.                            (C) LIFO decrement.
     (2), and (c)(4)(iv) and (v).                               (A) In general.                                       (v) De minimis rule for producers
     ■ 10. Revising the entry for § 1.263A–
                                                                (B) Exception for certain taxpayers                 with total indirect costs of $200,000 or
     2(d).                                                    removing costs from section 471 costs.                less.
     ■ 11. Revising the entry for § 1.263A–
                                                                (C) No negative adjustments for cash                  (vi) Examples.
     2(e).                                                    or trade discounts.                                     (4) Modified simplified production
     ■ 12. Removing the entries for
                                                                (D) No negative adjustments for                     method with historic absorption ratio
     § 1.263A–2(e)(1) through (5).                            certain expenses.                                     election.
     ■ 13. Revising the entry for § 1.263A–
                                                                (E) Consistency requirement for                       (i) In general.
     2(f).                                                    negative adjustments.                                   (ii) Operating rules and definitions.
     ■ 14. Adding entries for § 1.263A–2(f)(1)
                                                                (4) Section 263A costs.                               (A) Pre-production historic absorption
     through (5).                                               (5) Classification of costs.                        ratio.
     ■ 15. Adding an entry for § 1.263A–2(g).
                                                                (6) Financial statement.                              (B) Production historic absorption
     ■ 16. Adding entries for § 1.263A–                       *      *    *     *     *                             ratio.
     3(d)(4)(v)(A) and (B).                                                                                           (iii) LIFO taxpayers making the
                                                              § 1.263A–2 Rules Relating to Property
        The revisions and additions read as                                                                         historic absorption ratio election.
                                                              Produced by the Taxpayer.
     follows:                                                                                                         (A) In general.
                                                              *      *     *    *     *                               (B) Combined historic absorption
     § 1.263A–0 Outline of regulations under                    (b) * * *                                           ratio.
     section 263A.                                              (4) * * *                                             (1) Total allocable additional section
     *      *     *        *      *                             (v) * * *                                           263A costs incurred during the test
                                                                (A) Transition to elect historic                    period.
     § 1.263A–1       Uniform Capitalization of               absorption ratio.
     Costs.
                                                                                                                      (2) Total section 471 costs remaining
                                                                (B) Transition to revoke historic                   on hand at each year end of the test
     *      *    *     *     *                                absorption ratio.                                     period.
       (d) * * *                                              *      *     *    *     *                               (iv) Extension of qualifying period.
       (2) * * *                                                (c) Modified simplified production                    (v) Examples.
       (ii) Inclusion of direct costs.                        method.                                                 (d) Additional simplified methods for
       (A) In general.                                          (1) Introduction.                                   producers.
       (B) Allocation of direct costs.                          (2) Eligible property.                                (e) Cross reference.
       (iii) Alternative method to determine                    (i) In general.                                       (f) Change in method of accounting.
     amounts of section 471 costs by using                      (ii) Election to exclude self-                        (1) In general.
     taxpayer’s financial statement.                          constructed assets.                                     (2) Scope limitations.
       (A) In general.                                          (3) Modified simplified production                    (3) Audit protection.
       (B) Book-to-tax adjustments.                           method without historic absorption                      (4) Section 481(a) adjustment.
       (C) Exclusion of certain financial                     ratio election.                                         (5) Time for requesting change.
     statement items.                                           (i) General allocation formula.                       (g) Effective/applicability date.
       (D) Changes in method of accounting.                     (A) In general.
       (E) Examples.                                            (B) Effect of allocation.                           § 1.263A–3 Rules Relating to Property
       (iv) De minimis rule exceptions for                      (ii) Definitions.                                   Acquired for Resale.
     certain direct costs.                                      (A) Direct material costs.                          *       *    *    *   *
       (A) In general.                                          (B) Pre-production absorption ratio.                    (d) * * *


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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                             58487

        (4) * * *                                             direct costs of property produced and                 described in paragraph (d)(2)(iv) of this
        (v) * * *                                             property acquired for resale.                         section and certain variances and under
        (A) Transition to elect historic                         (B) Allocation of direct costs. Except             or over-applied burdens described in
     absorption ratio.                                        for any direct costs that are treated as              paragraph (d)(2)(v) of this section). For
        (B) Transition to revoke historic                     additional section 263A costs under                   purposes of determining the negative
     absorption ratio.                                        paragraphs (d)(2)(iv) and (v) of this                 and positive adjustments required to be
     *      *      *    *    *                                section, a taxpayer’s direct costs of                 made as a result of differences in book
                                                              property produced and property                        and tax amounts for a taxpayer using the
     ■ Par. 3. Section 1.263A–1 is amended
                                                              acquired for resale must be allocated                 burden rate or standard cost methods
     by:
                                                              using a method provided in paragraph                  described in paragraph (f)(3) of this
     ■ 1. Revising the last sentence of
                                                              (f) of this section.                                  section, the taxpayer compares the
     paragraph (c)(1).                                           (iii) Alternative method to determine
     ■ 2. Revising paragraphs (d)(2) and (3).                                                                       actual amount of the cost incurred in
                                                              amounts of section 471 costs by using                 the taxable year for federal income tax
     ■ 3. Adding paragraphs (d)(5) and (6).
                                                              taxpayer’s financial statement—(A) In                 purposes to the actual amount of the
     ■ 4. Revising the third sentence of
                                                              general. In lieu of determining the                   cost incurred in the taxable year in its
     paragraph (f)(1).                                        amounts of section 471 costs under
     ■ 5. In paragraphs (f)(3)(i)(C) and                                                                            financial statement using the taxpayer’s
                                                              paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section, a                financial statement methods of
     (f)(3)(ii)(B), removing the language                     taxpayer described in paragraph
     ‘‘financial reports’’ and adding                                                                               accounting, regardless of how the
                                                              (d)(3)(ii)(B) of this section may                     taxpayer treats its variances or under or
     ‘‘financial statement’’ in its place.                    determine the amounts of section 471
     ■ 6. Revising paragraph (h)(9).                                                                                over-applied burdens.
                                                              costs by using the amounts of such costs                 (C) Exclusion of certain financial
     ■ 7. Adding paragraph (l)(5).
                                                              that are incurred in the taxable year in              statement items. A taxpayer that
        The revisions and additions read as                   its financial statement using the
     follows:                                                                                                       determines the amounts of section 471
                                                              taxpayer’s financial statement methods                costs under this paragraph (d)(2)(iii)
     § 1.263A–1       Uniform capitalization of costs.        of accounting if the taxpayer’s financial             may not include any financial statement
     *       *    *     *     *                               statement is described in paragraph                   write-downs, reserves, or other financial
        (c) * * *                                             (d)(6)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section. If the     statement valuation adjustments when
        (1) * * * See however, the simplified                 taxpayer’s financial statement is                     determining the amounts of its section
                                                              described only in paragraph (d)(6)(iv) of             471 costs.
     production method, the modified
                                                              this section, the taxpayer may not use                   (D) Changes in method of accounting.
     simplified production method, and the
                                                              the alternative method described in this              The use of this method to determine the
     simplified resale method in §§ 1.263A–
                                                              paragraph (d)(2)(iii) and must use the                amounts of section 471 costs under this
     2(b) and (c) and 1.263A–3(d).
                                                              method described in paragraph (d)(2)(i)               paragraph (d)(2)(iii) is the adoption of,
     *       *    *     *     *                               of this section to determine its amounts
        (d) * * *                                                                                                   or a change in, a method of accounting
                                                              of section 471 costs. A taxpayer using                under section 446 of the Internal
        (2) Section 471 costs—(i) In general.                 the alternative method described in this
     Except as otherwise provided in                                                                                Revenue Code.
                                                              paragraph (d)(2)(iii) must remove all                    (E) Examples. The following examples
     paragraphs (d)(2)(ii), (iv), (v), and (vi) of            section 471 costs described in paragraph              illustrate this paragraph (d)(2)(iii):
     this section, for purposes of section                    (d)(2)(vi) of this section, if any, by
     263A, a taxpayer’s section 471 costs are                                                                         (1) Example 1—Alternative-method
                                                              including negative adjustments in
     the types of costs, other than interest,                                                                       taxpayer using de minimis direct labor costs
                                                              additional section 263A costs. A                      rule. Taxpayer P uses the modified simplified
     that a taxpayer capitalizes to property                  taxpayer using the alternative method                 production method described in § 1.263A–
     produced or property acquired for resale                 described in this paragraph (d)(2)(iii)               2(c) and determines its amounts of section
     in its financial statement. Thus,                        applies the method to all of its section              471 costs by using the alternative method
     although section 471 applies only to                     471 costs, including costs described                  under paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section.
     inventories, section 471 costs include                   under paragraphs (d)(2)(ii), (iv), (v), and           Additionally, P uses the de minimis direct
     any non-inventory costs, other than                      (vi) of this section.                                 labor costs rule under paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B)
     interest, that a taxpayer capitalizes to, or                (B) Book-to-tax adjustments. A                     of this section. P does not capitalize vacation
     includes in acquisition or production                                                                          pay or holiday pay to property produced or
                                                              taxpayer using the alternative method                 property acquired for resale in its financial
     costs of, property produced or property                  described in this paragraph (d)(2)(iii)               statement but does capitalize all other direct
     acquired for resale in its financial                     must include as additional section 263A               labor costs to such property in its financial
     statement. Except as otherwise provided                  costs all negative and positive                       statement. On its 2018 financial statement, P
     in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section, a              adjustments required to be made as a                  incurs $3,500,000 of total direct labor costs,
     taxpayer determines the amounts of                       result of differences in the book and tax             including $110,000 of vacation pay costs and
     section 471 costs by using the amounts                   amounts of the taxpayer’s section 471                 $10,000 of holiday pay costs. For federal
     of such costs that are incurred in the                   costs, including adjustments for direct               income tax purposes, P incurs $150,000 of
                                                                                                                    vacation pay costs and $18,000 of holiday
     taxable year for federal income tax                      costs required to be added to section                 pay costs in the taxable year. P’s
     purposes.                                                471 costs under paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of               uncapitalized direct labor costs are $120,000
        (ii) Inclusion of direct costs—(A) In                 this section, and costs removed from                  ($110,000 of vacation pay plus $10,000 of
     general. Notwithstanding the last                        section 471 costs under paragraphs                    holiday pay). For purposes of the five percent
     sentence of paragraph (g)(2) of this                     (d)(2)(vi) and (d)(3)(ii)(B) of this section.         test in paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B) of this section,
     section, a taxpayer’s section 471 costs                  In addition, the taxpayer must include                P’s uncapitalized direct labor costs are 3.43%
     must include all direct costs of property                as additional section 263A costs all                  of total direct labor costs ($120,000 divided
     produced and property acquired for                       negative and positive adjustments                     by $3,500,000). Accordingly, under
                                                                                                                    paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B) of this section, P
     resale, whether or not a taxpayer                        required to be made as a result of                    includes $120,000 in its additional section
     capitalizes these costs to property                      differences in the book and tax amounts               263A costs and excludes that amount from its
     produced or property acquired for resale                 of section 471 costs that are treated as              section 471 costs in the taxable year.
     in its financial statement. See paragraph                additional section 263A costs (for                    Additionally, pursuant to paragraph
     (e)(2) of this section for a description of              example, de minimis direct costs                      (d)(2)(iii)(B) of this section, P includes in



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     58488            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     additional section 263A costs a positive                $25,000 over-applied burden for Product B in          overtime, or the types of costs included
     book-to-tax adjustment of $40,000 for                   its additional section 263A costs, and                in the taxpayer’s standard cost or
     vacation pay costs ($150,000 tax                        excludes those amounts from its section 471           burden rate methods used for section
     amount¥$110,000 book amount) and a                      costs. Additionally, pursuant to paragraph
                                                                                                                   471 costs (but see paragraphs (d)(2)(v)
     positive book-to-tax adjustment of $8,000 for           (d)(2)(iii)(B) of this section, X includes in its
     holiday pay costs ($18,000 tax                          additional section 263A costs a positive              and (f)(3)(i)(C) of this section for special
     amount¥$10,000 book amount).                            book-to-tax adjustment of $10,000 for                 rules for certain variances and under or
        (2) Example 2—Alternative-method                     Product A ($560,000 actual cost tax                   over-applied burdens).
     taxpayer with under and over-applied                    amount¥$550,000 actual cost book amount)                 (C) De minimis rule for certain direct
     burdens that uses safe harbor rule for certain          and a positive book-to-tax adjustment of              material costs. A taxpayer described in
     variances and under or over-applied                     $15,000 for Product B ($240,000 actual tax            paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(A) of this section
     burdens. Taxpayer X uses the modified                   amount cost¥$225,000 actual book amount               that uses the de minimis rule described
     simplified production method described in               cost) in the taxable year.                            in this paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(C) includes
     § 1.263A–2(c) and determines its amounts of                (iv) De minimis rule exceptions for                in additional section 263A costs, and
     section 471 costs by using the alternative
                                                             certain direct costs—(A) In general.                  excludes from section 471 costs, the
     method under paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this
     section. In 2018, X uses a burden rate method           Notwithstanding paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of               sum of the amounts of all of those
     for book purposes to allocate costs to                  this section, a taxpayer that uses the                uncapitalized direct material costs that
     Products A and B, and does not capitalize               simplified resale method, the simplified              are incurred in the taxable year, if that
     any under or over-applied burdens to                    production method, or the modified                    sum is less than five percent of total
     property produced or property acquired for              simplified production method, and that                direct material costs incurred in the
     resale in its financial statement. X does not           does not capitalize certain direct costs              taxable year (whether or not capitalized
     allocate costs to any other products using a            to property produced or property                      in the taxpayer’s financial statement), or
     burden rate method, and X does not allocate             acquired for resale in its financial                  another amount specified in other
     costs to any products using a standard cost             statement (uncapitalized direct labor                 published guidance (see § 601.601(d)(2)
     method. On its 2018 financial statement,
     using X’s burden rate, the total amount of
                                                             costs or uncapitalized direct material                of this chapter). For purposes of
     predetermined indirect costs for Product A is           costs), may use either or both the de                 determining the amount of
     $545,000 and the total amount of actual                 minimis direct labor costs rule or the de             uncapitalized direct material costs for
     indirect costs incurred for Product A is                minimis direct material costs rule to                 this five percent test, any amounts that
     $550,000; accordingly, X has an under-                  include in additional section 263A                    constitute a reduction to costs, such as
     applied burden of $5,000 for Product A. For             costs, and exclude from section 471                   cash and trade discounts, are treated as
     federal income tax purposes, the actual                 costs, certain uncapitalized direct labor             a positive amount. The amounts of
     indirect costs incurred in 2018 for Product A           costs or uncapitalized direct material                uncapitalized direct material costs used
     is $560,000. Additionally, on its 2018                  costs that are incurred in the taxable                for the five percent test, and the
     financial statement, using X’s burden rate,             year as provided in paragraphs                        amounts of uncapitalized direct material
     the total amount of predetermined indirect
     costs for Product B is $250,000 and the total
                                                             (d)(2)(iv)(B) and (C) of this section,                costs included in additional section
     amount of actual indirect costs incurred for            respectively. The use of the de minimis               263A costs under this paragraph
     Product B is $225,000; accordingly, X has an            rules described in paragraphs                         (d)(2)(iv)(C), must not include the types
     over-applied burden of $25,000 for Product              (d)(2)(iv)(B) and (C) of this section is the          of costs included in the taxpayer’s
     B. For federal income tax purposes, the                 adoption of, or a change in, a method of              standard cost method used for section
     actual indirect costs incurred in 2018 for              accounting under section 446 of the                   471 costs (but see paragraphs (d)(2)(v)
     Product B is $240,000. X uses the safe harbor           Internal Revenue Code.                                and (f)(3)(ii)(B) of this section for special
     rule for certain variances and under or over-              (B) De minimis rule for certain direct             rules for certain variances).
     applied burdens. Prior to the application of            labor costs. A taxpayer described in                     (D) Taxpayers using a historic
     this safe harbor rule, X’s total section 471            paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(A) of this section               absorption ratio. A taxpayer that uses
     costs for 2018 for Products A and B (the only           that uses the de minimis rule described               the historic absorption ratio provided in
     items to which X allocates costs using a
     standard cost method or burden rate method)
                                                             in this paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B) includes              § 1.263A–2(b)(4) or (c)(4) or § 1.263A–
     are $2,000,000, which includes $550,000                 in additional section 263A costs, and                 3(d)(4), and that uses a de minimis rule
     actual indirect costs for Product A, $225,000           excludes from section 471 costs, the                  described in paragraph (d)(2)(iv) of this
     actual indirect costs for Product B, and                sum of the amounts of all of those                    section during its test period or updated
     $1,225,000 of other section 471 costs for               uncapitalized direct labor costs that are             test period, determines whether direct
     Products A and B that are not allocated under           incurred in the taxable year, if that sum             labor costs or direct material costs, as
     X’s burden rate method. For purposes of                 is less than five percent of total direct             applicable, are included in any of its
     determining the amount of uncapitalized                 labor costs incurred in the taxable year              section 471 costs remaining on hand at
     variances and uncapitalized under or over-              (whether or not capitalized in the                    year end during its qualifying period or
     applied burdens for the five percent test in            taxpayer’s financial statement), or                   extended qualifying period according to
     paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) of this section, X’s
     under and over-applied burdens for Products
                                                             another amount specified in other                     how those direct labor costs or direct
     A and B are treated as positive amounts.                published guidance (see § 601.601(d)(2)               material costs, respectively, are
     Consequently, the sum of X’s uncapitalized              of this chapter). For purposes of                     identified in at least two of the three
     variances and uncapitalized under or over-              determining the amount of                             years of the taxpayer’s applicable test
     applied burdens is $30,000 ($5,000 under-               uncapitalized direct labor costs for this             period or updated test period. If a
     applied burden for Product A plus $25,000               five percent test, any amounts that                   taxpayer described in this paragraph
     over-applied burden for Product B).                     constitute a reduction to costs are                   (d)(2)(iv)(D) is required to revise any of
     Accordingly, under paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) of            treated as a positive amount. The                     its actual absorption ratios for its test
     this section, the sum of X’s uncapitalized              amounts of uncapitalized direct labor                 period or updated test period as a result
     variances and uncapitalized under or over-              costs used for the five percent test, and             of a change in a method of accounting,
     applied burdens is 1.5% of X’s total section
     471 costs for all items to which it allocates
                                                             the amounts of uncapitalized direct                   the taxpayer determines whether direct
     costs using a standard cost method or burden            labor costs included in additional                    labor costs or direct material costs, as
     rate method ($30,000 divided by $2,000,000),            section 263A costs under this paragraph               applicable, are included in any of its
     and X includes a positive $5,000 under-                 (d)(2)(iv)(B), must not include amounts               section 471 costs on hand at year end
     applied burden for Product A and a negative             relating to basic compensation or                     during a qualifying period or extended


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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                       58489

     qualifying period according to how                      burdens that are not capitalized to                      (B) Consistency requirement. A
     those direct labor costs or direct                      property produced or property acquired                taxpayer using the safe harbor method
     material costs, respectively, are                       for resale in its financial statement                 described in paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) of
     identified in the taxpayer’s revised                    (uncapitalized variances and                          this section must use the method
     actual absorption ratios during its                     uncapitalized under or over-applied                   consistently for all items to which it
     applicable test period or updated test                  burdens). A taxpayer using this safe                  allocates costs using a standard cost
     period.                                                 harbor method must include in                         method or burden rate method and may
        (E) Examples. The following examples                 additional section 263A costs, and                    not use the methods of accounting
     illustrate this paragraph (d)(2)(iv):                   exclude from section 471 costs, the sum               described in paragraphs (f)(3)(i)(C) and
        (1) Example 1—Taxpayer using de minimis              of the amounts of all of those                        (f)(3)(ii)(B) of this section to treat its
     direct material costs rule. Taxpayer R uses             uncapitalized variances and                           uncapitalized variances and
     the modified simplified production method               uncapitalized under or over-applied                   uncapitalized under or over-applied
     described in § 1.263A–2(c) and the de                   burdens for the taxable year, if that sum             burdens that are not significant in
     minimis method of accounting under                      is less than five percent of the taxpayer’s           amount relative to the taxpayer’s total
     paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(C) of this section. In                                                                   indirect costs incurred with respect to
     2018, R does not capitalize freight-in costs or
                                                             total section 471 costs for all items to
                                                             which it allocates costs using a standard             production and resale activities for the
     trade discounts to property produced or                                                                       year as not allocable to property
     property acquired for resale in its financial           cost method or burden rate method, or
     statement but does capitalize all other direct          another percentage specified in other                 produced or property acquired for
     material costs to such property in its                  published guidance (see § 601.601(d)(2)               resale.
     financial statement. R incurs total direct                                                                       (C) Allocation of variances and under
                                                             of this chapter). If the sum of
     material costs of $3,105,000, which                                                                           or over-applied burdens between
                                                             uncapitalized variances and
     represents invoice price of $3,000,000 on                                                                     production and preproduction costs
                                                             uncapitalized under or over-applied
     goods purchased, plus $120,000 of freight-in                                                                  under the modified simplified
     costs, less $15,000 for trade discounts. For            burdens is not less than this five percent
                                                                                                                   production method. In the case of a
     purposes of determining the amount of                   threshold, the taxpayer may not exclude
                                                                                                                   taxpayer using the modified simplified
     uncapitalized direct material costs for the             such uncapitalized variances and
                                                                                                                   production method and the safe harbor
     five percent test in paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(C) of         uncapitalized under or over-applied
                                                                                                                   method described in paragraph
     this section, R’s trade discounts are treated as        burdens from section 471 costs, and
     a positive amount. Consequently, R’s                                                                          (d)(2)(v)(A) of this section,
                                                             must reallocate such uncapitalized                    uncapitalized variances and
     uncapitalized direct material costs for                 variances and uncapitalized under or
     purposes of the five percent test are $135,000                                                                uncapitalized under or over-applied
                                                             over-applied burdens to or among the                  burdens treated as additional section
     ($120,000 of freight-in plus $15,000 of trade
     discounts). Accordingly, under paragraph                units of property to which the costs are              263A costs under the safe harbor
     (d)(2)(iv)(C) of this section, R’s uncapitalized        allocable in accordance with paragraphs               method must be allocated between
     direct material costs are 4.35% of total direct         (f)(3)(i)(C) and (f)(3)(ii)(B) of this section        production additional section 263A
     material costs ($135,000 divided by                     (but see paragraph (d)(2)(v)(B) of this               costs, as described in § 1.263A–
     $3,105,000), and R includes a positive                  section for a rule that a taxpayer using              2(c)(3)(ii)(D)(1), and pre-production
     $120,000 of freight-in and a negative $15,000           the safe harbor method described in this
     of trade discounts in its additional section
                                                                                                                   additional section 263A costs, as
                                                             paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) may not use the                described in § 1.263A–2(c)(3)(ii)(B)(1),
     263A costs and excludes those amounts from              methods of accounting described in
     its section 471 costs in the taxable year.                                                                    using any reasonable method. In the
                                                             paragraphs (f)(3)(i)(C) and (f)(3)(ii)(B) of          case of a taxpayer using the modified
        (2) Example 2—Taxpayer using de minimis
     direct labor costs rule and historic absorption         this section to treat certain                         simplified production method and the
     ratio. Taxpayer S uses the historic absorption          uncapitalized variances and certain                   safe harbor method described in
     ratio provided in § 1.263A–2(c)(4). S uses the          uncapitalized under or over-applied                   paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) of this section,
     de minimis method of accounting under                   burdens as not allocable to property).                uncapitalized variances and
     paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B). S excludes certain             For purposes of determining the                       uncapitalized under or over-applied
     uncapitalized direct labor costs from its               amounts of uncapitalized variances and                burdens that are not excluded from
     section 471 costs (and includes them in                 uncapitalized under or over-applied
     additional section 263A costs) under
                                                                                                                   section 471 costs must be allocated
                                                             burdens for this five percent test, all               between production section 471 costs,
     paragraph (d)(2)(iv)(B) of this section in
                                                             variances and under or over-applied                   as described in § 1.263A–
     Years 1 and 3 of its applicable test period.
     Because S excluded direct labor costs from              burdens are treated as positive amounts.              2(c)(3)(ii)(D)(3), and pre-production
     its section 471 costs in at least two of the            Additionally, for purposes of this five               section 471 costs, as described in
     three years of its applicable test period, S            percent test, a taxpayer’s total section              § 1.263A–2(c)(3)(ii)(B)(2) based on the
     must exclude those same costs from its pre-             471 costs for all items to which it                   taxpayer’s reallocation of such
     production and production section 471 costs             allocates costs using a standard cost                 uncapitalized variances and
     remaining on hand at year end during its                method or burden rate method are                      uncapitalized under or over-applied
     qualifying period or extended qualifying                determined before application of the                  burdens to or among the units of
     period.                                                 safe harbor method described in this                  property to which the costs are allocable
       (v) Safe harbor method for certain                    paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A), and therefore                 in accordance with paragraphs
     variances and under or over-applied                     this amount must reflect the actual                   (f)(3)(i)(C) and (f)(3)(ii)(B) of this
     burdens—(A) In general.                                 amounts incurred by the taxpayer for                  section, as described in paragraph
     Notwithstanding paragraphs (d)(2)(i)                    those items during the taxable year,                  (d)(2)(v)(A) of this section.
     and (ii), (f)(3)(i)(C), and (f)(3)(ii)(B) of            which includes variances and under or                    (D) Allocation of variances and under
     this section, a taxpayer that uses the                  over-applied burdens. The variances                   or over-applied burdens between storage
     simplified resale method, the simplified                described in this paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A)              and handling costs absorption ratio and
     production method, or the modified                      include any variances on cash or trade                purchasing costs absorption ratio under
     simplified production method, may use                   discounts, if those discounts are                     the simplified resale method. In the case
     the safe harbor method described in this                capitalized as part of the taxpayer’s                 of a taxpayer using the simplified resale
     paragraph (d)(2)(v)(A) for all of its                   standard cost method used for section                 method, any uncapitalized variances
     variances and under or over-applied                     471 costs.                                            and uncapitalized under or over-applied


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     58490            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     burdens treated as additional section                   include any direct costs excluded from                variance amounts that may be included
     263A costs under the safe harbor                        section 471 costs under paragraphs                    in additional section 263A costs.
     method described in paragraph                           (d)(2)(iv) and (v) of this section. For a                (D) No negative adjustments for
     (d)(2)(v)(A) of this section must be                    taxpayer using the alternative method                 certain expenses. A taxpayer may not
     allocated between storage and handling                  described in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this            include negative adjustments in
     costs, as described in § 1.263A–                        section, additional section 263A costs                additional section 263A costs for an
     3(d)(3)(i)(D)(2), and current year’s                    must also include any negative or                     amount which is of a type for which a
     purchasing costs, as described in                       positive adjustments required to be                   deduction would be disallowed under
     § 1.263A–3(d)(3)(i)(E)(2), using any                    made as a result of differences in the                section 162(c), (e), (f), or (g) and the
     reasonable method.                                      book and tax amounts of the taxpayer’s                regulations thereunder in the case of a
        (E) Method of accounting. The use of                 section 471 costs.                                    business expense.
     the safe harbor method described in this                   (ii) Negative adjustments—(A) In                      (E) Consistency requirement for
     paragraph (d)(2)(v) is the adoption of, or              general. Except as otherwise provided                 negative adjustments. A taxpayer that is
     a change in, a method of accounting                     by regulations or other published                     permitted to include negative
     under section 446 of the Internal                       guidance (see § 601.601(d)(2) of this                 adjustments in additional section 263A
     Revenue Code.                                           chapter), a taxpayer may not include                  costs to remove section 471 costs under
        (vi) Removal of section 471 costs. A                 negative adjustments in additional                    paragraph (d)(3)(ii)(B) of this section
     taxpayer must remove those costs                        section 263A costs. However, for a                    and that includes negative adjustments
     included in its section 471 costs that are              taxpayer using the alternative method                 to remove section 471 costs must use
     not permitted to be capitalized under                   described in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this            that method of accounting to remove all
     either paragraph (c)(2) or (j)(2)(ii) of this           section, see paragraph (d)(2)(iii)(B) of              section 471 costs required to be
     section and those costs included in its                 this section for negative or positive                 removed under paragraph (d)(2)(vi) of
     section 471 costs that are eligible for                 adjustments required to be made as a                  this section.
     capitalization under paragraph (j)(2) of                result of differences in the book and tax
     this section that the taxpayer does not                                                                       *       *     *    *      *
                                                             amounts of the taxpayer’s section 471
     elect to capitalize under section 263A.                                                                          (5) Classification of costs. A taxpayer
                                                             costs.
     Except as otherwise provided in                            (B) Exception for certain taxpayers                must classify section 471 costs,
     paragraph (d)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, a              removing costs from section 471 costs.                additional section 263A costs, and any
     taxpayer must remove costs pursuant to                  Notwithstanding paragraphs (d)(2)(vi)                 permitted adjustments to section 471 or
     this paragraph (d)(2)(vi) by adjusting its              and (d)(3)(ii)(A) of this section, and                additional section 263A costs, using the
     section 471 costs and may not remove                    except as otherwise provided in                       narrower of the classifications of costs
     the costs by including a negative                       paragraphs (d)(3)(ii)(C) and (D) of this              described in paragraphs (e)(2), (3), and
     adjustment in its additional section                    section, the following taxpayers may,                 (4) of this section, whether or not the
     263A costs. A taxpayer that removes                     but are not required to, include negative             taxpayer is required to maintain
     costs pursuant to this paragraph                        adjustments in additional section 263A                inventories, or the classifications of
     (d)(2)(vi) by adjusting its section 471                 costs to remove the taxpayer’s section                costs used by a taxpayer in its financial
     costs must use a reasonable method that                 471 costs that are described in                       statement. If a cost is not described in
     approximates the manner in which the                    paragraph (d)(2)(vi) of this section (costs           paragraph (e)(2), (3), or (4) of this
     taxpayer originally capitalized the costs               that are not required to be, or are not               section, the cost is to be classified using
     to its property produced or property                    permitted to be, capitalized under                    the classification of costs used in the
     acquired for resale in its financial                    section 263A):                                        taxpayer’s financial statement.
     statement.                                                 (1) A taxpayer using the simplified                   (6) Financial statement. For purposes
        (vii) Method changes. A taxpayer                     production method under § 1.263A–2(b)                 of section 263A, financial statement
     using the simplified production method,                 if the taxpayer’s (or its predecessor’s)              means the taxpayer’s financial statement
     simplified resale method, or the                        average annual gross receipts for the                 listed in paragraphs (d)(6)(i) through (iv)
     modified simplified production method                   three previous taxable years (test period)            of this section that has the highest
     and that changes its financial statement                do not exceed $50,000,000, or another                 priority, including within paragraphs
     practices for a cost in a manner that                   amount specified in other published                   (d)(6)(ii) and (iv) of this section. The
     would change its section 471 costs is                   guidance (see § 601.601(d)(2) of this                 financial statements are, in descending
     required to change its method of                        chapter). The rules of § 1.263A–3(b)                  priority:
     accounting for federal income tax                       apply for purposes of determining the                    (i) A financial statement required to
     purposes. A taxpayer may change its                     amount of a taxpayer’s gross receipts                 be filed with the Securities and
     method of accounting for determining                    and the test period;                                  Exchange Commission (SEC) (the 10–K
     section 471 costs only with the consent                    (2) A taxpayer using the modified                  or the Annual Statement to
     of the Commissioner as required under                   simplified production method under                    Shareholders);
     section 446(e) and the corresponding                    § 1.263A–2(c); and                                       (ii) A certified audited financial
     regulations.                                               (3) A taxpayer using the simplified                statement that is accompanied by the
        (3) Additional section 263A costs—(i)                resale method under § 1.263A–3(d).                    report of an independent certified
     In general. Additional section 263A                        (C) No negative adjustments for cash               public accountant (or in the case of a
     costs are the costs, other than interest,               or trade discounts. A taxpayer may not                foreign entity, by the report of a
     that are not included in a taxpayer’s                   include negative adjustments in                       similarly qualified independent
     section 471 costs but that are required                 additional section 263A costs for cash or             professional) that is used for:
     to be capitalized under section 263A.                   trade discounts described in § 1.471–                    (A) Credit purposes;
     Additional section 263A costs generally                 3(b). However, see paragraph                             (B) Reporting to shareholders,
     do not include the direct costs that are                (d)(2)(iv)(C) of this section for a de                partners, or similar persons; or
     required to be included in a taxpayer’s                 minimis rule for certain direct material                 (C) Any other substantial non-tax
     section 471 costs under paragraph                       costs that may be included in additional              purpose;
     (d)(2)(ii) of this section; however,                    section 263A costs and paragraph                         (iii) A financial statement (other than
     additional section 263A costs must                      (d)(2)(v) of this section for certain                 a tax return) required to be provided to


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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                        58491

     the federal or a state government or any                ■ 1. Revising paragraph (a)(5).                       taxpayer will be permitted to revoke the
     federal or state agency (other than the                 ■ 2. Designating the text of paragraph                historic absorption ratio in their first,
     SEC or the Internal Revenue Service); or                (b)(4)(v) as paragraph (b)(4)(v)(A) and               second, or third taxable year ending on
        (iv) A financial statement that is used              adding a paragraph heading.                           or after November 20, 2018, under such
     for:                                                    ■ 3. Adding paragraph (b)(4)(v)(B).                   administrative procedures and with
        (A) Credit purposes;                                 ■ 4. Redesignating paragraphs (c), (d),               terms and conditions prescribed by the
        (B) Reporting to shareholders,                       (e), and (f) as paragraphs (d), (e), (f), and         Commissioner.
     partners, or similar persons; or                        (g).                                                  *       *     *    *     *
        (C) Any other substantial non-tax                    ■ 5. Adding a new paragraph (c).
     purpose.                                                ■ 6. Adding paragraph (g)(3).                            (c) Modified simplified production
                                                                The revision and additions read as                 method—(1) Introduction. This
     *      *     *    *      *
                                                             follows:                                              paragraph (c) provides a simplified
        (f) * * *
        (1) * * * In addition, in lieu of a                                                                        method for determining the additional
                                                             § 1.263A–2 Rules relating to property                 section 263A costs properly allocable to
     facts-and-circumstances allocation                      produced by the taxpayer.
     method, taxpayers may use the                                                                                 ending inventories of property produced
                                                                (a) * * *                                          and other eligible property on hand at
     simplified methods provided in
                                                                (5) Taxpayers required to capitalize               the end of the taxable year.
     §§ 1.263A–2(b) and (c) and 1.263A–3(d)
                                                             costs under this section. This section                   (2) Eligible property—(i) In general.
     to allocate direct and indirect costs to
                                                             generally applies to taxpayers that                   Except as otherwise provided in
     eligible property produced or eligible
                                                             produce property. If a taxpayer is                    paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section, the
     property acquired for resale; see those
                                                             engaged in both production activities                 modified simplified production method,
     sections for definitions of eligible
                                                             and resale activities, the taxpayer                   if elected for any trade or business of a
     property.* * *
                                                             applies the principles of this section as             producer, must be used for all
     *      *     *    *      *                              if it read production or resale activities,
        (h) * * *                                                                                                  production and resale activities
                                                             and by applying appropriate principles                associated with any of the categories of
        (9) Separate election. A taxpayer may                from § 1.263A–3. If a taxpayer is
     elect the simplified service cost method                                                                      property to which section 263A applies
                                                             engaged in both production and resale                 as described in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this
     in conjunction with any other allocation                activities, the taxpayer may elect the
     method used at the trade or business                                                                          section.
                                                             simplified production method or the
     level, including the simplified methods                 modified simplified production method                    (ii) Election to exclude-self-
     described in §§ 1.263A–2(b) and (c) and                 provided in this section, but generally               constructed assets. A taxpayer using the
     1.263A–3(d). However, the election of                   may not elect the simplified resale                   modified simplified production method
     the simplified service cost method must                 method discussed in § 1.263A–3(d). If                 may elect to exclude self-constructed
     be made independently of the election                   elected, the simplified production                    assets from application of the modified
     to use those other simplified methods.                  method or the modified simplified                     simplified production method by
     *      *     *    *      *                              production method must be applied to                  following the same rules applicable to a
        (l) * * *                                            all eligible property produced and all                taxpayer using the simplified
        (5) Definitions of section 471 costs                 eligible property acquired for resale by              production method provided in
     and additional section 263A costs.                      the taxpayer.                                         paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section.
     Paragraphs (d)(2) and (3) of this section                  (b) * * *                                             (3) Modified simplified production
     apply for taxable years beginning on or                    (4) * * *                                          method without historic absorption ratio
     after November 20, 2018. For any                           (v) * * *                                          election—(i) General allocation
     taxable year that both begins before                       (A) Transition to elect historic                   formula—(A) In general. Except as
     November 20, 2018 and ends after                        absorption ratio. * * *                               otherwise provided in paragraph
     November 20, 2018, the IRS will not                        (B) Transition to revoke historic                  (c)(3)(v) of this section, the additional
     challenge return positions consistent                   absorption ratio. Notwithstanding the                 section 263A costs allocable to eligible
     with all of paragraphs (d)(2) and (3) of                requirements provided in paragraph                    property remaining on hand at the close
     this section.                                           (b)(4)(iii)(B) of this section regarding              of the taxable year under the modified
     ■ Par. 4. Section 1.263A–2 is amended                   revocations of the historic absorption                simplified production method are
     by:                                                     ratio during a qualifying period, a                   computed as follows:




        (B) Effect of allocation. The pre-                   section 263A costs that are added to the              taxable year under the modified
     production and production absorption                    taxpayer’s ending section 471 costs to                simplified production method of this
     ratios generally are multiplied by the                  determine the section 263A costs that                 paragraph (c) are treated as inventory
     pre-production and production section                   are capitalized. See, however, paragraph              costs for all purposes of the Internal
     471 costs, respectively, remaining in                   (c)(3)(iv) of this section for special rules          Revenue Code.
     ending inventory or otherwise on hand                   applicable to LIFO taxpayers. Except as                 (ii) Definitions—(A) Direct material
     at the end of each taxable year in which                otherwise provided in this section or in              costs. For purposes of paragraph (c) of
     the modified simplified production                      § 1.263A–1 or § 1.263A–3, additional                  this section, direct material costs has the
     method is applied. The sum of the                       section 263A costs that are allocated to              same meaning as described in § 1.263A–
                                                                                                                                                                 ER20NO18.001</GPH>




     resulting products is the additional                    inventories on hand at the close of the               1(e)(2)(i)(A). For purposes of paragraph


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     58492            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     (c) of this section, direct material costs              the taxpayer to be used in an additional              production method, the pre-production
     include property produced for the                       production process of the taxpayer.                   absorption ratio is determined as
     taxpayer under a contract with another                    (B) Pre-production absorption ratio.                follows:
     party that are direct material costs for                Under the modified simplified




        (1) Pre-production additional section                another party that is treated as property             on hand at year end means the pre-
     263A costs. Pre-production additional                   produced by the taxpayer, as described                production section 471 costs, as defined
     section 263A costs are defined as the                   in paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(B) of this section,           in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(2) of this
     additional section 263A costs described                 that a taxpayer incurs during its current             section, that a taxpayer incurs during its
     in § 1.263A–1(d)(3) that are pre-                       taxable year.                                         current taxable year which remain in its
     production costs, as described in                          (2) Pre-production section 471 costs.              ending inventory or are otherwise on
     paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, that              Pre-production section 471 costs are                  hand at year end, excluding the section
     a taxpayer incurs during its current                    defined as the section 471 costs                      471 costs that are direct material costs
     taxable year, including capitalizable                   described in § 1.263A–1(d)(2) that are                that have entered or completed
     mixed service costs allocable to pre-                   direct material costs that a taxpayer                 production at year end (for example,
     production additional section 263A                      incurs during its current taxable year                direct material costs in ending work-in-
     costs, as described in paragraph                        plus the section 471 costs for property               process inventory and ending finished
     (c)(3)(iii) of this section, that a taxpayer            acquired for resale (see § 1.263A–                    goods inventory). For LIFO inventories
     incurs during its current taxable year:                 1(e)(2)(ii)) that a taxpayer incurs during
                                                                                                                   of a taxpayer, see paragraph (c)(3)(iv) of
        (i) Plus additional section 263A costs               its current taxable year, including
                                                                                                                   this section.
     properly allocable to property acquired                 property produced for the taxpayer
     for resale that a taxpayer incurs during                under a contract with another party that                (D) Production absorption ratio.
     its current taxable year; and                           is acquired for resale.                               Under the modified simplified
        (ii) Plus additional section 263A costs                 (C) Pre-production section 471 costs               production method, the production
     properly allocable to property produced                 remaining on hand at year end. Pre-                   absorption ratio is determined as
     for the taxpayer under a contract with                  production section 471 costs remaining                follows:




        (1) Production additional section                    paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B) of this section,              entered production at the end of the
     263A costs. Production additional                       and the pre-production section 471                    current taxable year.
     section 263A costs are defined as the                   costs remaining on hand at year end, as                  (E) Production section 471 costs
     additional section 263A costs described                 defined in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(C) of this            remaining on hand at year end.
     in § 1.263A–1(d)(3) that are not pre-                   section.                                              Production section 471 costs remaining
     production additional section 263A                        (3) Production section 471 costs.                   on hand at year end means the section
     costs, as defined in paragraph                          Production section 471 costs are defined              471 costs, as defined in § 1.263A–
     (c)(3)(ii)(B)(1) of this section, that a                as the section 471 costs described in                 1(d)(2), that a taxpayer incurs during its
     taxpayer incurs during its current                      § 1.263A–1(d)(2) that a taxpayer incurs               current taxable year which remain in its
     taxable year, including capitalizable                   during its current taxable year less pre-             ending inventory or are otherwise on
     mixed service costs not allocable to pre-               production section 471 costs, as defined              hand at year end, less the pre-
     production additional section 263A                      in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(2) of this                 production section 471 costs remaining
     costs, as described in paragraph                        section, that a taxpayer incurs during its            on hand at year end, as described in
     (c)(3)(iii) of this section, that a taxpayer            current taxable year.                                 paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(C) of this section.
     incurs during its current taxable year.                                                                       For LIFO inventories of a taxpayer, see
                                                               (4) Direct materials adjustment. The
     For example, production additional                                                                            paragraph (c)(3)(iv) of this section.
                                                             direct materials adjustment is defined as                (F) Costs allocated to property sold.
     section 263A costs include post-                        the section 471 costs that are direct                 The terms defined in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)
     production costs, other than post-                      material costs, including property                    of this section do not include costs
     production costs included in section                    produced for a taxpayer under a                       described in § 1.263A–1(e)(3)(ii) or cost
     471 costs, as described in paragraph                    contract with another party that are                  reductions described in § 1.471–3(e) that
     (a)(3)(iii) of this section.                            direct material costs for the taxpayer to             a taxpayer properly allocates entirely to
        (2) Residual pre-production                          be used in an additional production                   property that has been sold.
     additional section 263A costs. Residual                 process of the taxpayer, that had not                    (iii) Allocable mixed service costs—
     pre-production additional section 263A                  entered production at the beginning of                (A) In general. If a taxpayer using the
     costs are defined as the pre-production                 the current taxable year:                             modified simplified production method
     additional section 263A costs, as                         (i) Plus the section 471 costs that are             determines its capitalizable mixed
                                                                                                                                                                ER20NO18.003</GPH>




     defined in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(1) of                direct material costs incurred during the             service costs using a method described
     this section, that a taxpayer incurs                    current taxable year (that is, direct                 in § 1.263A–1(g)(4), the taxpayer must
     during its current taxable year less the                material purchases); and                              use a reasonable method to allocate the
     product of the pre-production                             (ii) Less the section 471 costs that are            costs (for example, department or
                                                                                                                                                                ER20NO18.002</GPH>




     absorption ratio, as determined in                      direct material costs that have not                   activity costs) between production and


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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                          58493

     pre-production additional section 263A                  costs based on the labor costs that are               decrement, the taxpayer must state the
     costs. If the taxpayer’s § 1.263A–1(g)(4)               pre-production costs in total labor costs             amount of the decrement in dollars
     method allocates costs to a department                  incurred in the taxpayer’s trade or                   applicable to the particular year for
     or activity that is exclusively identified              business during the taxable year, then                which the LIFO layer has been invaded.
     as production or pre-production, those                  100 percent of capitalizable mixed                    The additional section 263A costs
     costs must be allocated to production or                service costs may be allocated to                     incurred in prior years that are
     pre-production additional section 263A                  production additional section 263A                    applicable to the decrement are charged
     costs, respectively.                                    costs. An election to allocate                        to cost of goods sold. The additional
        (B) Taxpayer using the simplified                    capitalizable mixed service costs under               section 263A costs that are applicable to
     service cost method. If a taxpayer using                this paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(C) is the                  the decrement are determined by
     the modified simplified production                      adoption of, or a change in, a method of              multiplying the additional section 263A
     method determines its capitalizable                     accounting under section 446 of the                   costs allocated to the layer of the pool
     mixed service costs using the simplified                Internal Revenue Code.                                in which the decrement occurred by the
     service cost method described in                           (iv) LIFO taxpayers electing the                   ratio of the decrement, excluding
     § 1.263A–1(h), the amount of                            modified simplified production                        additional section 263A costs, to the
     capitalizable mixed service costs, as                   method—(A) In general. Under the                      section 471 costs in the layer of that
     computed using the general allocation                   modified simplified production method,                pool.
     formula in § 1.263A–1(h)(3)(i), allocated               a taxpayer using a LIFO method must
                                                             calculate a particular year’s index (for                (v) De minimis rule for producers with
     to and included in pre-production                                                                             total indirect costs of $200,000 or less.
     additional section 263A costs in the                    example, under § 1.472–8(e)) without
                                                             regard to its additional section 263A                 Paragraph (b)(3)(iv) of this section,
     absorption ratio described in paragraph                                                                       which provides that the additional
     (c)(3)(ii)(B) of this section is determined             costs. Similarly, a taxpayer that adjusts
                                                             current-year costs by applicable indexes              section 263A costs allocable to eligible
     based on either of the following: The                                                                         property remaining on hand at the close
     proportion of direct material costs to                  to determine whether there has been an
                                                             inventory increment or decrement in the               of the taxable year are deemed to be zero
     total section 471 costs that a taxpayer                                                                       for producers with total indirect costs of
     incurs during its current taxable year or               current year for a particular LIFO pool
                                                             must disregard the additional section                 $200,000 or less, applies to the modified
     the proportion of pre-production labor                                                                        simplified production method.
     costs to total labor costs that a taxpayer              263A costs in making that
     incurs during its current taxable year.                 determination.                                          (vi) Examples. The provisions of this
                                                                (B) LIFO increment—(1) In general. If              paragraph (c) are illustrated by the
     The taxpayer must include the
                                                             the taxpayer determines there has been                following examples:
     capitalizable mixed service costs that
                                                             an inventory increment, the taxpayer                     (A) Example 1—FIFO inventory method.
     are not allocated to pre-production
                                                             must state the amount of the increment                (1) Taxpayer P uses the FIFO method of
     additional section 263A costs in                        in terms of section 471 costs in current-
     production additional section 263A                                                                            accounting for inventories valued at cost. P’s
                                                             year dollars. The taxpayer then                       beginning inventory for 2018 (all of which is
     costs in the absorption ratio described                 multiplies this amount by the combined                sold during 2018) is $2,500,000, consisting of
     in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D) of this section.             absorption ratio, as defined in paragraph             $500,000 of pre-production section 471 costs
     A taxpayer that allocates capitalizable                 (c)(3)(iv)(B)(2) of this section. The                 (including $400,000 of direct material costs
     mixed service costs based on labor                      resulting product is the additional                   and $100,000 of property acquired for resale),
     under this paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(B) must                section 263A costs that must be added                 $1,500,000 of production section 471 costs,
     exclude mixed service labor costs from                  to the taxpayer’s increment in terms of               and $500,000 of additional section 263A
     both pre-production labor costs and                                                                           costs. During 2018, P incurs $2,500,000 of
                                                             section 471 costs in current-year dollars             pre-production section 471 costs (including
     total labor costs.                                      for the taxable year.
        (C) De minimis rule. Notwithstanding                                                                       $1,900,000 of direct material costs and
                                                                (2) Combined absorption ratio                      $600,000 of property acquired for resale),
     paragraphs (c)(3)(iii)(A) and (B) of this               defined. For purposes of paragraph                    $7,500,000 of production section 471 costs,
     section, if 90 percent or more of a                     (c)(3)(iv)(B)(1) of this section, the                 $200,000 of pre-production additional
     taxpayer’s capitalizable mixed service                  combined absorption ratio is the                      section 263A costs, and $800,000 of
     costs determined under paragraph                        additional section 263A costs allocable               production additional section 263A costs. P’s
     (c)(3)(iii)(A) or (B) of this section are               to eligible property remaining on hand                additional section 263A costs include
     allocated to pre-production additional                  at the close of the taxable year, as                  capitalizable mixed service costs under the
     section 263A costs or production                        described in paragraph (c)(3)(i)(A) of                simplified service cost method. P’s pre-
     additional section 263A costs, the                                                                            production and production section 471 costs
                                                             this section, determined on a non-LIFO
     taxpayer may elect to allocate 100                                                                            remaining in ending inventory at the end of
                                                             basis, divided by the pre-production                  2018 are $1,000,000 (including $800,000 of
     percent of its capitalizable mixed                      and production section 471 costs                      direct material costs and $200,000 of
     service costs to that amount. For                       remaining on hand at year end,                        property acquired for resale) and $2,000,000,
     example, if 90 percent of capitalizable                 determined on a non-LIFO basis.                       respectively. P computes its pre-production
     mixed service costs are allocated to                       (C) LIFO decrement. If the taxpayer                absorption ratio for 2018 under paragraph
     production additional section 263A                      determines there has been an inventory                (c)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, as follows:




       (2) Under paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D)(2) of this          additional section 263A costs for 2018 are            additional section 263A costs less $80,000
     section, P’s residual pre-production                    $120,000 ($200,000 of pre-production                  (the product of the 8% pre-production
                                                                                                                                                                    ER20NO18.004</GPH>




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     58494                Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     absorption ratio and the $1,000,000 of pre-                               2018 is $1,500,000 ($400,000 of direct                                      material costs in ending raw materials
     production section 471 costs remaining on                                 material costs in beginning raw materials                                   inventory).
     hand at year end)).                                                       inventory, plus $1,900,000 of direct material                                 (4) P computes its production absorption
       (3) Under paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D)(4) of this                            costs incurred to acquire raw materials                                     ratio for 2018 under paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D) of
     section, P’s direct materials adjustment for                              during the taxable year, less $800,000 direct                               this section, as follows:




       (5) Under the modified simplified                                       absorption ratio by the production section                                  year end to calculate its total ending
     production method, P determines the                                       471 costs remaining on hand at year end, as                                 inventory of $3,284,400. The balance of P’s
     additional section 263A costs allocable to its                            follows:                                                                    additional section 263A costs incurred
     ending inventory under paragraph (c)(3)(i)(A)                             Additional section 263A costs = (8% ×                                       during 2018, $715,600 ($1,000,000 less
     of this section by multiplying the pre-                                        $1,000,000) + (10.22% × $2,000,000) =                                  $284,400), is taken into account in 2018 as
     production absorption ratio by the pre-                                        $284,400                                                               part of P’s cost of goods sold.
     production section 471 costs remaining on                                   (6) P adds this $284,400 to the $3,000,000                                  (7) P’s computation is summarized in the
     hand at year end and the production                                       of section 471 costs remaining on hand at                                   following table:

                                                                                                                                                                            Reference                       Amount

     Beginning Inventory:
         Direct material costs ........................................................................................................................          a .....................................     $ 400,000
         Property acquired for resale ............................................................................................................               b .....................................       100,000

           Pre-production section 471 costs ....................................................................................................                 c = a + b ........................            500,000
           Production section 471 costs ...........................................................................................................              d .....................................     1,500,000
           Additional section 263A costs ..........................................................................................................              e .....................................       500,000

              Total ..........................................................................................................................................   f = c d + e ......................          2,500,000
     Incurred During 2018:
         Direct material costs ........................................................................................................................          g .....................................     1,900,000
         Property acquired for resale ............................................................................................................               h .....................................       600,000

           Pre-production section 471 costs ....................................................................................................                 i = g + h .........................         2,500,000
           Production section 471 costs ...........................................................................................................              j ......................................    7,500,000
           Pre-production additional section 263A costs .................................................................................                        k .....................................       200,000
           Production additional section 263A costs ........................................................................................                     l ......................................      800,000

             Total ..........................................................................................................................................    m = i + j + k + l ..............           11,000,000
     Ending Inventory:
         Direct material costs ........................................................................................................................          n .....................................      800,000
         Property acquired for resale ............................................................................................................               o .....................................      200,000

           Pre-production section 471 costs ....................................................................................................                 p = n + o ........................          1,000,000
           Production section 471 costs ...........................................................................................................              q .....................................     2,000,000

           Section 471 costs .............................................................................................................................       r = p + q .........................         3,000,000
           Additional section 263A costs allocable to ending inventory ..........................................................                                s = v + z .........................           284,400

              Total ..........................................................................................................................................   t = r + s ..........................        3,284,400
     Modified Simplified Production Method:
        Pre-production additional section 263A costs .................................................................................                           k .....................................       200,000
        Pre-production section 471 costs ....................................................................................................                    i ......................................    2,500,000
        Pre-production absorption ratio ........................................................................................................                 u = k / i ..........................           8.00%
        Pre-production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end .................................................                                         p .....................................     1,000,000
        Pre-production additional section 263A costs allocable to ending inventory ..................................                                            v = u * p .........................            80,000
        Production additional section 263A costs ........................................................................................                        l ......................................      800,000
        Residual pre-production additional section 263A costs ...................................................................                                w = k¥(u * p) ................                120,000
        Production section 471 costs ...........................................................................................................                 j ......................................    7,500,000
        Direct materials adjustment .............................................................................................................                x = a + g¥n ...................             1,500,000
        Production absorption ratio ..............................................................................................................               y = (l + w) / (j + x) ..........              10.22%
        Production section 471 costs remaining on hand at year end ........................................................                                      q .....................................     2,000,000
        Production additional section 263A costs allocable to ending inventory ........................................                                          z = y * q .........................           204,400
     Summary:
        Pre-production additional section 263A costs allocable to ending inventory ..................................                                            v .....................................       80,000
        Production additional section 263A costs allocable to ending inventory ........................................                                          z .....................................      204,400

           Additional section 263A costs allocable to ending inventory ..........................................................                                s .....................................       284,400
           Section 471 costs .............................................................................................................................       r ......................................    3,000,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         ER20NO18.005</GPH>




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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                                                                     58495

                                                                                                                                                                 Reference                       Amount

              Total Ending Inventory ..............................................................................................................   t ......................................    3,284,400



        (B) Example 2—FIFO inventory method                             In 2018, P’s production section 471 costs                               the negative $50,000 direct labor adjustment
     with alternative method to determine                               exclude $40,000 of tax depreciation in excess                           must be included in additional section 263A
     amounts of section 471 costs. (1) The facts                        of financial statement depreciation and                                 costs. Accordingly, P’s production additional
     are the same as in Example 1 of paragraph                          include $50,000 of financial statement direct                           section 263A costs are $790,000 ($800,000
     (c)(3)(vi)(A) of this section, except that P uses                  labor in excess of tax direct labor. These are                          plus $40,000 less $50,000).
     the alternative method to determine amounts                        P’s only differences in its book and tax
     of section 471 costs by using its financial                        amounts.                                                                  (3) P computes its production absorption
     statement under § 1.263A–1(d)(2)(iii) rather                         (2) Under § 1.263A–1(d)(2)(iii)(B), the                               ratio for 2018 under paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D) of
     than tax amounts under § 1.263A–1(d)(2)(i).                        positive $40,000 depreciation adjustment and                            this section, as follows:




        (4) Under the modified simplified                               amount of additional section 263A costs                                 production labor costs are 10% of labor costs
     production method, P determines the                                relating to this inventory, $71,100 (one-half                           ($1,000,000 of labor costs incurred during the
     additional section 263A costs allocable to its                     of the $142,200 additional section 263A costs                           year that are pre-production costs (excluding
     ending inventory under paragraph (c)(3)(i)(A)                      capitalized in 2018 ending inventory).                                  any labor costs included in mixed service
     of this section by multiplying the pre-                               (D) Example 4—Direct materials-based                                 costs), divided by $10,000,000 of total labor
     production absorption ratio by the pre-                            allocation of mixed service costs. (1)                                  costs incurred during the year (excluding any
     production section 471 costs remaining on                          Taxpayer R computes its capitalizable mixed                             labor costs included in mixed service costs).
     hand at year end and the production                                service costs using the simplified service cost                         Thus, S allocates $20,000 (10% × $200,000)
     absorption ratio by the production section                         method described in § 1.263A–1(h). During                               of mixed service costs to pre-production
     471 costs remaining on hand at year end, as                        2018, R incurs $200,000 of capitalizable                                additional section 263A costs. S includes the
     follows:                                                           mixed service costs, computed using the                                 remaining $180,000 ($200,000 less $20,000)
     Additional section 263A costs = (8.00% ×                           general allocation formula in § 1.263A–1(h).                            of capitalizable mixed service costs as
          $1,000,000) + (10.11% × $2,000,000) =                         During 2018, R also incurs $8,000,000 of total                          production additional section 263A costs.
          $282,200                                                      section 471 costs, including $2,000,000 of                                 (F) Example 6—De minimis rule for
        (5) P adds this $282,200 to the $3,000,000                      direct material costs.                                                  allocation of mixed service costs. The facts
     of section 471 costs remaining on hand at                             (2) Under paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(B) of this                           are the same as in Example 5 in paragraph
     year end to calculate its total ending                             section, R determines its capitalizable mixed                           (c)(3)(vi)(E) of this section, except that S uses
     inventory of $3,282,200. The balance of P’s                        service costs allocable to pre-production                               the de minimis rule for mixed service costs
     additional section 263A costs incurred                             additional section 263A costs based on the                              in paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(C) of this section.
     during 2018, $717,800 ($1,000,000 less                             proportion of direct material costs in total                            Because 90% or more of S’s capitalizable
     $282,200), is taken into account in 2018 as                        section 471 costs. R’s direct material costs are                        mixed service costs are allocated to
     part of P’s cost of goods sold.                                    25% of total section 471 costs ($2,000,000 of                           production additional section 263A costs,
        (C) Example 3—LIFO inventory method. (1)                        direct material costs incurred during the year                          under the de minimis rule, S allocates all
     The facts are the same as in Example 1 of                          divided by $8,000,000 of total section 471                              $200,000 of capitalizable mixed service costs
     paragraph (c)(3)(vi)(A) of this section, except                    costs incurred during the year). Thus, R                                to production additional section 263A costs.
     that P uses a dollar-value LIFO inventory                          allocates $50,000 (25% × $200,000) of mixed                             None of the capitalizable mixed service costs
     method rather than the FIFO method. P’s                            service costs to pre-production additional                              are allocated to pre-production additional
     2018 LIFO increment is $1,500,000.                                 section 263A costs. R includes the remaining                            section 263A costs.
        (2) Under paragraph (c)(3)(iv)(B)(1) of this                    $150,000 ($200,000 less $50,000) of
                                                                        capitalizable mixed service costs as                                       (4) Modified simplified production
     section, to determine the additional section
     263A costs allocable to its ending inventory,                      production additional section 263A costs.                               method with historic absorption ratio
     P multiplies the combined absorption ratio                            (E) Example 5—Labor-based allocation of                              election—(i) In general. This paragraph
     by the $1,500,000 of LIFO increment. Under                         mixed service costs. (1) Taxpayer S computes                            (c)(4) generally permits taxpayers using
     paragraph (c)(3)(iv)(B)(2) of this section, the                    its capitalizable mixed service costs using the                         the modified simplified production
     combined absorption ratio is 9.48%                                 simplified service cost method described in                             method to elect a historic absorption
     ($284,400 additional section 263A costs                            § 1.263A–1(h). During 2018, S incurs                                    ratio in determining additional section
     allocable to ending inventory, determined on                       $200,000 of capitalizable mixed service costs,                          263A costs allocable to eligible property
     a non-LIFO basis, divided by $3,000,000 of                         computed using the general allocation
     section 471 costs on hand at year end,                             formula in § 1.263A–1(h). During 2018, S also
                                                                                                                                                remaining on hand at the close of their
     determined on a non-LIFO basis). Thus, P’s                         incurs $10,000,000 of total labor costs                                 taxable years. A taxpayer may only
     additional section 263A costs allocable to its                     (excluding any labor costs included in mixed                            make a historic absorption ratio election
     ending inventory are $142,200 ($1,500,000                          service costs), including $1,000,000 of labor                           under this paragraph (c)(4) if it has used
     multiplied by 9.48%). This $142,200 is                             costs that are pre-production costs as                                  the modified simplified production
     added to the $1,500,000 to determine a total                       described in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this                               method for three or more consecutive
     2018 LIFO increment of $1,642,200. The                             section (excluding any labor costs included                             taxable years immediately prior to the
     balance of P’s additional section 263A costs                       in mixed service costs).                                                year of election and has capitalized
     incurred during 2018, $857,800 ($1,000,000                            (2) Under paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(B) of this
     less $142,200), is taken into account in 2018                      section, S determines its capitalizable mixed
                                                                                                                                                additional section 263A costs using an
     as part of P’s cost of goods sold.                                 service costs allocable to pre-production                               actual pre-production absorption ratio,
        (3) In 2019, P sells one-half of the                            additional section 263A costs based on the                              as defined in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B) of
     inventory in its 2018 increment. P must                            proportion of labor costs that are pre-                                 this section, and an actual production
                                                                                                                                                                                                              ER20NO18.006</GPH>




     include in its cost of goods sold for 2019 the                     production costs in labor costs. S’s pre-                               absorption ratio, as defined in paragraph


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     58496            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     (c)(3)(ii)(D) of this section, or an actual             computed under paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of                otherwise provided in this paragraph
     combined absorption ratio, as defined in                this section or the actual combined                   (c)(4), paragraph (b)(4) of this section
     paragraph (c)(3)(iv)(B)(2) of this section,             absorption ratio computed under                       applies to the historic absorption ratio
     for its three most recent consecutive                   paragraph (c)(3)(iv) and is based on                  election under the modified simplified
     taxable years. This method is not                       costs capitalized by a taxpayer during                production method.
     available to a taxpayer that is deemed to               its test period. If elected, the historic
                                                                                                                      (ii) Operating rules and definitions—
     have zero additional section 263A costs                 absorption ratio must be used for each
     under paragraph (c)(3)(v) of this section.              taxable year within the qualifying                    (A) Pre-production historic absorption
     The historic absorption ratio is used in                period described in paragraph                         ratio. The pre-production historic
     lieu of the actual absorption ratios                    (b)(4)(ii)(C) of this section. Except as              absorption ratio is computed as follows:




       (1) Pre-production additional section                 the test period described in paragraph                taxpayer incurs during the test period
     263A costs incurred during the test                     (b)(4)(ii)(B) of this section.                        described in paragraph (b)(4)(ii)(B) of
     period are defined as the pre-production                   (2) Pre-production section 471 costs               this section.
     additional section 263A costs described                 incurred during the test period are
                                                                                                                     (B) Production historic absorption
     in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(1) of this                   defined as the pre-production section
                                                                                                                   ratio. The production historic
     section that the taxpayer incurs during                 471 costs described in paragraph
                                                             (c)(3)(ii)(B)(2) of this section that the             absorption ratio is computed as follows:




       (1) Production additional section                     period described in paragraph                           (iii) LIFO taxpayers making the
     263A costs incurred during the test                     (b)(4)(ii)(B) of this section.                        historic absorption ratio election—(A) In
     period are defined as the production                       (3) Production section 471 costs                   general. Instead of the pre-production
     additional section 263A costs described                 incurred during the test period are                   and production historic absorption
     in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D)(1) of this                   defined as the production section 471                 ratios defined in paragraph (c)(4)(ii) of
     section that the taxpayer incurs during                 costs described in paragraph                          this section, a LIFO taxpayer making the
     the test period described in paragraph                  (c)(3)(ii)(D)(3) of this section that the             historic absorption ratio election under
     (b)(4)(ii)(B) of this section.                          taxpayer incurs during the test period                the modified simplified production
                                                             described in paragraph (b)(4)(ii)(B) of
       (2) Residual pre-production                                                                                 method calculates a combined historic
                                                             this section.
     additional section 263A costs incurred                     (4) Direct materials adjustments made              absorption ratio based on costs the
     during the test period are defined as the               during the test period are defined as the             taxpayer capitalizes during its test
     residual pre-production additional                      direct materials adjustments described                period.
     section 263A costs described in                         in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D)(4) of this                   (B) Combined historic absorption
     paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D)(2) of this section              section that the taxpayer incurs during               ratio. The combined historic absorption
     that the taxpayer incurs during the test                the test period described in paragraph                ratio is computed as follows:
                                                             (b)(4)(ii)(B) of this section.




       (1) Total allocable additional section                period. Total section 471 costs                          (iv) Extension of qualifying period. In
     263A costs incurred during the test                     remaining on hand at each year end of                 the first taxable year following the close
     period. Total allocable additional                      the test period are the sum of the total              of each qualifying period (for example,
     section 263A costs incurred during the                  pre-production section 471 costs                      the sixth taxable year following the test
                                                                                                                                                                ER20NO18.008</GPH> ER20NO18.009</GPH>




     test period are the sum of the total                    remaining on hand at year end as                      period), a taxpayer must compute the
     additional section 263A costs allocable                 described in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(C) of               actual absorption ratios under paragraph
     to eligible property on hand at year end                this section and the total production                 (c)(3) of this section (pre-production and
     as described in paragraph (c)(3)(i)(A) of               section 471 costs remaining on hand at                production absorption ratios or, for
     this section, determined on a non-LIFO                  year end as described in paragraph                    LIFO taxpayers, the combined
     basis, for all taxable years in the test                (c)(3)(ii)(E) of this section, determined             absorption ratio). If the actual combined
     period.                                                 on a non-LIFO basis, for all taxable                  absorption ratio or both the actual pre-
       (2) Total section 471 costs remaining                 years in the test period.                             production and production absorption
                                                                                                                                                                ER20NO18.007</GPH>




     on hand at each year end of the test                                                                          ratios, as applicable, computed for this


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                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                                                 58497

     taxable year (the recomputation year) is                             historic absorption ratio or either the                           taxable year following the
     within one-half of one percentage point,                             actual pre-production absorption ratio                            recomputation year.
     plus or minus, of the corresponding                                  or production absorption ratio, as                                  (v) Examples. The provisions of this
     historic absorption ratio or ratios used                             applicable, is not within one-half of one                         paragraph (c)(4) are illustrated by the
     in determining capitalizable costs for                               percentage point, plus or minus, of the                           following examples:
     the qualifying period (the previous five                             corresponding historic absorption ratio,
     taxable years), the qualifying period is                             the taxpayer must use the actual                                     (A) Example 1—HAR and FIFO inventory
                                                                                                                                            method. (1) Taxpayer S uses the FIFO
     extended to include the recomputation                                combined absorption ratio or ratios
                                                                                                                                            method of accounting for inventories valued
     year and the following five taxable                                  beginning with the recomputation year                             at cost and for 2021 elects to use the historic
     years, and the taxpayer must continue to                             and throughout the updated test period.                           absorption ratio with the modified simplified
     use the historic absorption ratio or ratios                          The taxpayer must resume using the                                production method. S identifies the
     throughout the extended qualifying                                   historic absorption ratio or ratios based                         following costs incurred during the test
     period. If, however, the actual combined                             on the updated test period in the third                           period:

                                                                                                                                              2018             2019              2020

     Pre-production additional section 263A costs .............................................................................                    $100              $200             $300
     Production additional section 263A costs ...................................................................................                   200               350              450
     Pre-production section 471 costs ................................................................................................            2,000             2,500            3,000
     Production section 471 costs ......................................................................................................          2,500             3,500            4,000
     Residual pre-production additional section 263A costs ..............................................................                            60               136              220
     Direct materials adjustments .......................................................................................................         2,700             3,200            3,700



       (2) Under paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(A) of this
     section, S computes the pre-production
     historic absorption ratio as follows:




       (3) Under paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(B) of this
     section, S computes the production historic
     absorption ratio as follows:




       (4) In 2021, S incurs $10,000 of section 471                       $1,000). S determines the production                              ($80) and the allocable production additional
     costs of which $1,000 pre-production section                         additional section 263A costs allocable to its                    section 263A costs ($144). S’s ending
     471 costs and $2,000 production 471 costs                            ending inventory by multiplying its                               inventory in 2021 is $3,224, which is the sum
     remain in ending inventory. Under the                                production historic absorption ratio (7.22%)                      of S’s additional section 263A costs allocable
     modified simplified production method                                by the production section 471 costs                               to ending inventory and S’s section 471 costs
     using a historic absorption ratio, S                                 remaining on hand at year end ($2,000).                           remaining in ending inventory ($224 +
     determines the pre-production additional                             Thus, S allocates $144 of production                              $3,000). The balance of S’s additional section
     section 263A costs allocable to its ending                           additional section 263A costs to its ending                       263A costs incurred during 2021 is taken into
                                                                                                                                                                                              ER20NO18.011</GPH>




     inventory by multiplying its pre-production                          inventory (7.22% × $2,000).                                       account in 2021 as part of S’s cost of goods
     historic absorption ratio (8.00%) by the pre-                           (5) Under paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section,                 sold.
     production section 471 costs remaining on                            S’s total additional section 263A costs                             (B) Example 2—HAR and LIFO inventory
     hand at year end ($1,000). Thus, S allocates                         allocable to ending inventory in 2021 are                         method. (1)(i) The facts are the same as in
     $80 of pre-production additional section                             $224, which is the sum of the allocable pre-                      Example 1 in paragraph (c)(4)(v)(A) of this
     263A costs to its ending inventory (8.00% ×
                                                                                                                                                                                              ER20NO18.010</GPH>




                                                                          production additional section 263A costs                          section, except that S uses a dollar-value



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     58498            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     LIFO inventory method rather than the FIFO              allocable to ending inventory under                   identifies the following costs incurred during
     method. S calculates additional section 263A            paragraph (c)(4)(iii) of this section and             the test period:
     costs incurred during the taxable year and

                                                                                                                       2018             2019             2020

     Additional section 263A costs incurred during the taxable year allocable to ending inventory                             $90           $137               $167
     Section 471 costs incurred during the taxable year that remain in ending inventory ................                    1,000           1,400             2,100



       (ii) In 2021, the LIFO value of S’s                     (2) Under paragraph (c)(4)(iii) of this
     increment is $1,500.                                    section, S computes a combined historic
                                                             absorption ratio as follows:




        (3) S’s additional section 263A costs                with respect to the items of eligible                 ■ Par. 7. In § 1.471–3, paragraph (b) is
     allocable to its 2021 LIFO increment are $131           property listed in § 1.263A–2(b)(2).                  revised to read as follows:
     ($1,500 beginning LIFO increment × 8.76%
     combined historic absorption ratio). S adds
                                                             *     *      *      *      *                          § 1.471–3     Inventories at cost.
     the $131 to the $1,500 LIFO increment to                  (d) * * *
                                                               (4) * * *                                           *      *     *     *    *
     determine a total 2021 LIFO increment of
     $1,631.                                                   (v) * * *                                              (b) In the case of merchandise
                                                               (A) Transition to elect historic                    purchased since the beginning of the
     *      *    *     *     *                               absorption ratio. * * *                               taxable year, the invoice price less trade
        (g) * * *                                              (B) Transition to revoke historic                   or other discounts, except strictly cash
        (3) Paragraph (c) of this section                    absorption ratio. Notwithstanding the                 discounts approximating a fair interest
     applies for taxable years beginning on or               requirements provided in paragraph                    rate, which may be deducted or not at
     after November 20, 2018. For any                        (d)(4)(iii)(B) of this section regarding              the option of the taxpayer, provided a
     taxable year that both begins before                    revocations of the historic absorption                consistent course is followed. To this
     November 20, 2018 and ends after                        ratio during a qualifying period, a                   net invoice price should be added
     November 20, 2018, the IRS will not                     taxpayer will be permitted to revoke the              transportation or other necessary
     challenge return positions consistent                   historic absorption ratio in their first,             charges incurred in acquiring
     with all of paragraphs (c) of this section.             second, or third taxable year ending on               possession of the goods. But see
                                                             or after November 20, 2018, under such                § 1.263A–1(d)(2)(iv)(C) for special rules
     ■ Par. 5. Section 1.263A–3 is amended
                                                             administrative procedures and with                    for certain direct material costs that in
     by:                                                                                                           certain cases are permitted to be
                                                             terms and conditions prescribed by the
     ■ 1. Revising paragraph (a)(4)(i).                                                                            capitalized as additional section 263A
                                                             Commissioner.
     ■ 2. Designating the text of paragraph
                                                             *     *      *      *      *                          costs by taxpayers using a simplified
     (d)(4)(v) as paragraph (d)(4)(v)(A) and                                                                       method under § 1.263A–2(b) or (c) or
                                                             ■ Par. 6. In § 1.263A–7, paragraph
     adding a paragraph heading.                                                                                   § 1.263A–3(d). For taxpayers acquiring
                                                             (b)(2)(iii)(A)(2)(ii) is revised to read as           merchandise for resale that are subject
     ■ 3. Adding paragraph (d)(4)(v)(B).
                                                             follows:                                              to the provisions of section 263A, see
       The revision and additions read as
     follows:                                                § 1.263A–7 Changing a method of                       §§ 1.263A–1 and 1.263A–3 for
                                                             accounting under section 263A.                        additional amounts that must be
     § 1.263A–3 Rules relating to property                   *      *    *     *   *                               included in inventory costs.
     acquired for resale.                                                                                          *      *     *     *    *
                                                               (b) * * *
       (a) * * *                                               (2) * * *                                           Kirsten Wielobob,
       (4) * * *                                               (iii) * * *                                         Deputy Commissioner for Services and
       (i) In general. Except as provided in                   (A) * * *                                           Enforcement.
     paragraphs (a)(4)(ii) and (iii) of this                   (2) * * *                                             Approved: July 23, 2018.
     section, a taxpayer may elect the                         (ii) Simplified method used. A dollar-
                                                                                                                   David J. Kautter,
     simplified production method, as                        value LIFO taxpayer using the 3-year
                                                                                                                   Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (Tax
     described in § 1.263A–2(b), or the                      average method and the simplified
                                                                                                                   Policy).
     modified simplified production method,                  production method, the modified
     as described in § 1.263A–2(c), but may                  simplified production method, or the                    Note: This document was received for
     not elect the simplified resale method,                 simplified resale method to revalue its               publication by the Office of the Federal
     as described in paragraph (d) of this                   inventory is permitted, but not required,             Register on November 6, 2018.
     section, if the taxpayer is engaged in                  to establish a new base year.                         [FR Doc. 2018–24545 Filed 11–19–18; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                                      ER20NO18.012</GPH>




     both production and resale activities                   *      *    *     *   *                               BILLING CODE 4830–01–P




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Document Created: 2018-11-20 07:59:35
Document Modified: 2018-11-20 07:59:35
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal regulations.
DatesEffective Date: These regulations are effective on November 20, 2018.
ContactNatasha M. Mulleneaux, of the Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax and Accounting) at (202) 317-7007 (not a toll-free number).
FR Citation83 FR 58476 
RIN Number1545-BG07
CFR AssociatedIncome Taxes and Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements

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