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Optional Write-off of Certain Tax Preferences

Optional Write-off of Certain Tax Preferences
You can elect to amortize certain tax preference items over an optional period beginning in the tax year in which you incurred the costs. If you make this election there is no AMT adjustment. The applicable costs and the optional recovery periods are as follows:
Circulation costs — 3 years,
Intangible drilling and development costs — 60 months,
Mining exploration and development costs — 10 years, and
Research and experimental costs — 10 years.
How to make the election.   To elect to amortize qualifying costs over the optional recovery period, complete Part VI of Form 4562 and attach a statement containing the following information to your return for the tax year in which the election begins:
Your name, address, and taxpayer identification number; and
The type of cost and the specific amount of the cost for which you are making the election.
Generally, the election must be made on a timely filed return (including extensions) for the tax year in which you incurred the costs. However, if you timely filed your return for the year without making the election, you can still make the election by filing an amended return within 6 months of the due date of the return (excluding extensions). Attach Form 4562 to the amended return and write “Filed pursuant to section 301.9100-2” on Form 4562. File the amended return at the same address you filed the original return.
Revoking the election.   You must obtain consent from the IRS to revoke your election. Your request to revoke the election must be submitted to the IRS in the form of a letter ruling before the end of the tax year in which the optional recovery period ends. The request must contain all of the information necessary to demonstrate the rare and unusual circumstances that would justify granting revocation. If the request for revocation is approved, any unamortized costs are deductible in the year the revocation is effective.

Optional Write-off of Certain Tax Preferences

You can elect to amortize certain tax preference items over an optional period beginning in the tax year in which you incurred the costs. If you make this election there is no AMT adjustment. The applicable costs and the optional recovery periods are as follows:

  • Circulation costs — 3 years,
  • Intangible drilling and development costs — 60 months,
  • Mining exploration and development costs — 10 years, and
  • Research and experimental costs — 10 years.

How to make the election.   To elect to amortize qualifying costs over the optional recovery period, complete Part VI of Form 4562 and attach a statement containing the following information to your return for the tax year in which the election begins:

  • Your name, address, and taxpayer identification number; and
  • The type of cost and the specific amount of the cost for which you are making the election.

Generally, the election must be made on a timely filed return (including extensions) for the tax year in which you incurred the costs. However, if you timely filed your return for the year without making the election, you can still make the election by filing an amended return within 6 months of the due date of the return (excluding extensions). Attach Form 4562 to the amended return and write “Filed pursuant to section 301.9100-2” on Form 4562. File the amended return at the same address you filed the original return.

Revoking the election.   You must obtain consent from the IRS to revoke your election. Your request to revoke the election must be submitted to the IRS in the form of a letter ruling before the end of the tax year in which the optional recovery period ends. The request must contain all of the information necessary to demonstrate the rare and unusual circumstances that would justify granting revocation. If the request for revocation is approved, any unamortized costs are deductible in the year the revocation is effective.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 7:34 PM and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

One Response to “Optional Write-off of Certain Tax Preferences”

  1. Optional Write-off of Certain Tax Preferences « Blog * Daniel … — Accounting Blog says:
    March 10, 2010 at 8:54 PM

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