CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OF OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS
The following is a summary of some of the general terms of our charter and bylaws and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the provisions of our charter and bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and the applicable provisions of the MGCL. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Election of Directors; Vacancies
Our charter provides that the number of our directors may be increased or decreased pursuant to our bylaws. Our bylaws provide that the number of directors on our Board may not be fewer than the minimum number required under the MGCL, which is one, nor, unless our bylaws are amended, more than 15. We have elected by a provision of our charter to be subject to a provision of Maryland law requiring that, except as otherwise provided in the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any individual elected to fill a vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies.
At each annual meeting of our stockholders, our stockholders will elect each of our directors to serve until the next annual meeting of our stockholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. In both contested and uncontested elections, directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which means that the holders of a majority of shares of our outstanding common stock can elect all the directors then standing for election and the holders of the remaining shares of our common stock will not be able to elect any directors.
Removal of Directors
Our charter provides that, subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of preferred stock to elect or remove one or more directors, a director or the entire Board may be removed at any time, but only by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors.
Business Combinations
Under the MGCL, certain business combinations between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. These business combinations include a merger, consolidation, share exchange, or, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities. An interested stockholder is defined as:
•any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10.0% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock; or
•an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10.0% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding stock of the corporation.
A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which such person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. However, in approving a transaction, the board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the board of directors.
After the five-year prohibition, any business combination between the Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder generally must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:
•80.0% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and
•two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares of stock held by the interested stockholder with whom or with whose affiliate the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder.
These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under Maryland law, for their shares of our common stock in the form of cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares of our common stock.
The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations that are exempted by the board of directors before the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Our Board has adopted a resolution providing that any business combination between us and any other person is exempted from this statute, provided that such business combination is first approved by our Board. This resolution, however, may be altered or repealed in whole or in part at any time.
capacity as a limited partner, has any right to participate in or exercise management power or control over the Operating Partnership’s investment or other activities, transact any business in the Operating Partnership’s name, or sign documents for or otherwise bind the Operating Partnership. Continental Merger Sub, LLC may not be removed as the general partner of the Operating Partnership (with or without cause) by the limited partners. In addition to the powers granted to the general partner under applicable law or any provision of the Partnership Agreement, but subject to certain other provisions of the Partnership Agreement and the rights of future holders of any class or series of the OP Units, Continental Merger Sub, LLC, in its capacity as the general partner of the Operating Partnership, has the full power and authority to do all things that it deems necessary or desirable to conduct the business and affairs of the Operating Partnership, to exercise or direct the exercise of all of the powers of the Operating Partnership, and to effectuate the purposes of the Operating Partnership without the approval or consent of any limited partner, including, without limitation, to issue common or preferred OP Units, borrow money, enter into loan arrangements, issue debt securities, obtain letters of credit, or otherwise borrow money on a secured or unsecured basis. Except as provided in the Partnership Agreement and as summarized below, the general partner may execute, deliver, and perform agreements and transactions on behalf of the Operating Partnership without the approval or consent of any limited partner.
Redemption Rights
In general, beginning 12 months after first acquiring such OP Units, each limited partner will have the right, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Partnership Agreement, to require the Operating Partnership to redeem all or a portion of the OP Units held by such limited partner in exchange for a cash amount per OP Unit equal to the value of one share of our common stock, determined in accordance with and subject to adjustment under the Partnership Agreement or, upon election by the general partner in its sole and absolute discretion, a stock amount equal to the product of the number of, and corresponding to the class or series of, OP Units offered for redemption by a redeeming partner multiplied by the conversion factor (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) as may be adjusted to and including the date for redemption. The Operating Partnership’s obligation to redeem OP Units does not arise and is not binding against the Operating Partnership until the tenth business day after the general partner receives the holder’s notice of redemption. Among other limitations, a limited partner may not require the Operating Partnership to redeem its OP Units if the exchange of such OP Units for our common stock would cause any person to violate the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock or violate certain limitations intended to prevent the Operating Partnership from being treated as a “publicly traded partnership” under the Code.
We may, in our sole and absolute discretion (subject to the limitations on ownership and transfer of shares), assume from the Operating Partnership directly the obligation to satisfy a redemption right of a redeeming partner. If we exercise this right with respect to a particular redemption right, the Operating Partnership shall have no obligation to pay any amount in any form to the redeeming partner with respect to such redeeming partner’s exercise of such redemption right.
Transferability of Operating Partnership Units; Withdrawal of General Partner; Extraordinary Transactions
Limited partners in the Operating Partnership cannot transfer all or any portion of their limited partnership interests without the written consent of the general partner, which may be given or withheld in the general partner’s sole and absolute discretion, unless the transfer is to a permitted transferee, subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
•the transferring partner is required to give written notice of the proposed transfer to the general partner; and
•transfers of limited partnership interests may be made only to an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501 promulgated under the Securities Act.
Continental Merger Sub, LLC, the general partner of the Operating Partnership, may not withdraw from the Operating Partnership or transfer any of its general partner interests in the Operating Partnership. However, the general partner may transfer all or any portion of its general partner interest to a wholly owned subsidiary of the general partner or the owner of all of the ownership interests in the general partner, and may withdraw as general partner following the transfer. The general partner may also engage in transactions not required by law or by the rules of the NYSE to be submitted to the vote of holders of membership interests of the general partner.
The Partnership Agreement provides that the general partner may not engage in any merger, consolidation, or other combination of us or the Operating Partnership with or into another entity or sale of all or substantially all of our or the Operating Partnership’s assets (other than in connection with a change in the general partner’s state of incorporation or organizational form) in each case which results in a Change of Control (as defined below), unless it:
•is with the consent of partners (excluding the general partner) who hold partnership units that constitute more than 50.0% of the aggregate number of outstanding partnership units not held by the general partner or a parent entity of the general partner;
•causes all limited partners to receive for each OP Unit an amount of cash, securities, or other property equal to the greatest amount of cash, securities, or other property paid in such transaction in consideration of one share of our common stock; provided that if, in connection with the transaction, a purchase, tender or exchange offer shall have been made to and accepted by the holders of more than 50.0% of the outstanding membership interests of the general partner, each holder of
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer from time to time. This summary does not contain all of the information that you may find useful. The particular terms of any of the warrants that we may offer and the related agreements will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those warrants. For more information, you should review the relevant form of warrant agreement and the relevant form of warrant certificate, if any, which are or will be filed with the SEC.
General
We may issue warrants to purchase our securities or rights (including rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of specified commodities, currencies or indices) or securities of other issuers or any combination of the foregoing. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any securities and may be attached to or separate from such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent we select.
You should review the applicable prospectus supplement for the specific terms of any warrants that may be offered, including:
•the title of the warrants;
•the aggregate number of the warrants;
•price or prices at which the warrants will be issued;
•the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which the price of the warrants may be payable;
•our securities or rights (including rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of one or more specified commodities, currencies or indices) or securities of other issuers or any combination of the foregoing purchasable upon exercise of such warrants;
•the price at which and the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants may be purchased;
•the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and the date on which that right will expire;
•if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;
•if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security;
•if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable;
•information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;
•if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations; and
•any other terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants.
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations related to (1) the qualification and taxation of American Healthcare REIT, Inc as a REIT and (2) an investment in the common stock of American Healthcare REIT, Inc. In addition, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of preferred stock and the acquisition, ownership, disposition and exercise of the warrants will be described in the related prospectus supplement. For purposes of this section under the heading “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” references to “American Healthcare,” “we,” “our,” and “us” mean only American Healthcare REIT, Inc. and not its subsidiaries or other lower-tier entities, except as otherwise indicated. This summary is based upon the Code, the regulations promulgated by the U.S. Treasury Department, or the Treasury Regulations, rulings, and other administrative pronouncements issued by the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, and judicial decisions, all as currently in effect, and all of which are subject to differing interpretations or to change, possibly with retroactive effect. We have not sought and will not seek an advance ruling from the IRS, regarding any matter discussed in this prospectus and the statements in this prospectus are not binding on the IRS or any court. Thus, no assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax consequences described below. In addition, this summary does not discuss how the scheduled expiration of certain provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or the TCJA, may affect us or our stockholders. The summary is also based upon the assumption that we will operate American Healthcare REIT, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliated entities in accordance with their applicable organizational documents or operating agreements. In addition, this summary does not discuss pending proposals to increase U.S. federal income tax rates on both ordinary income and long-term capital gains. This summary is for general information only and does not constitute tax advice. It does not purport to discuss all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to a particular investor in light of its investment or tax circumstances, or to investors subject to special tax rules, such as:
•subchapter S corporations;
•persons who mark-to-market our common stock;
•regulated investment companies;
•partnerships and trusts;
•persons who hold our stock on behalf of other persons as nominees;
•persons who receive our stock through the exercise of employee stock option or otherwise as compensation;
•persons subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code;
•persons holding their interest in us through a partnership or similar pass-through entity;
•persons holding a 10.0% or more (by vote or value) beneficial interest in American Healthcare REIT, Inc.;
•persons holding our stock as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction,” “synthetic security,” or other integrated investment;
•stockholders subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of their use of “applicable financial statements” (within the meaning of Section 451(b)(3) of the Code); and
•except to the extent discussed below, tax-exempt organizations and foreign investors.
This summary assumes that investors will hold their common stock as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code, which generally means property held for investment. In addition, this summary does not address state, local, and foreign tax considerations, or taxes other than U.S. federal income taxes (except where specifically noted).
The U.S. federal income tax treatment of holders of our common stock depends in some instances on determinations of fact and interpretations of complex provisions of U.S. federal income tax law for which no clear precedent or authority may be available. In addition, the tax consequences to any particular stockholder of holding our common stock will depend on the stockholder’s particular tax circumstances. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the federal, state, local, and foreign income and other tax consequences to you in light of your particular investment or tax circumstances of acquiring, holding, exchanging, or otherwise disposing of our common stock.
Taxation of Our Company
General
We were formed as a Maryland corporation in January 2015 and have elected to be taxed as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2016. We believe that commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2016, we have been organized and operated, and we intend to continue to operate, in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. However, qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Code, including through actual annual operating results, asset composition, distribution levels, and diversity of stock ownership. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that we have been organized and have operated, or will continue to be organized and operate, in a manner so as to qualify or remain qualified as a REIT. See “—Failure to Qualify.”
Sidley Austin LLP has acted as our tax counsel in connection with this filing and our federal income tax status as a REIT. Sidley Austin LLP has rendered an opinion to us to the effect that commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2016, we have been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and our current and proposed method of operation will enable us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. It must be emphasized that this opinion will be based on various assumptions and representations as to factual matters, including representations made by us in a factual certificate provided by one or more of our officers. In addition, this opinion will be based upon our factual representations set forth in this prospectus. Moreover, our qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Code, which are discussed below, including through actual annual operating results, asset composition, distribution levels, and diversity of stock ownership, the results of which have not been and will not be reviewed by Sidley Austin LLP. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that our actual results of operations for any particular taxable year will satisfy those requirements. Further, the anticipated U.S. federal income tax treatment described in this discussion may be changed, perhaps retroactively, by legislative, administrative, or judicial action at any time. Sidley Austin LLP has no obligation to update its opinion subsequent to the date of such opinion. Sidley Austin LLP will have no obligation to advise us or the holders of our stock of any subsequent change in the matters addressed in its opinion, the factual representations or assumptions on which the conclusions in the opinion are based, or of any subsequent change in applicable law.
Provided we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we generally will not be required to pay U.S. federal corporate income taxes on our REIT taxable income that is currently distributed to our stockholders. This treatment substantially eliminates the “double taxation” that ordinarily results from investment in a C corporation. A C corporation is a corporation that generally is required to pay tax at the corporate level. Double taxation means taxation once at the corporate level when income is earned and once again at the stockholder level when the income is distributed. We will, however, be required to pay U.S. federal income tax as follows:
•We will be required to pay tax at the corporate rate on any undistributed REIT taxable income, including undistributed net capital gains.
•If we have (1) net income from the sale or other disposition of “foreclosure property” held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business or (2) other nonqualifying income from foreclosure property, we will be required to pay tax at the corporate rate on this income. To the extent that income from foreclosure property is otherwise qualifying income for purposes of the 75.0% gross income test, this tax is not applicable. Subject to certain other requirements, foreclosure property generally is defined as property we acquired through foreclosure or after a default on a loan secured by the property or a lease of the property.
•We will be required to pay a 100% tax on any net income from prohibited transactions. Prohibited transactions are, in general, sales or other taxable dispositions of property, other than foreclosure property, held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business.
•If we fail to satisfy the 75.0% gross income test or the 95.0% gross income test, as described below, but have otherwise maintained our qualification as a REIT because certain other requirements are met, we will be required to pay a tax equal to (1) the greater of (a) the amount by which we fail to satisfy the 75.0% gross income test and (b) the amount by which we fail to satisfy the 95.0% gross income test, multiplied by (2) a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.
•If we fail to satisfy any of the asset tests (other than a de minimis failure of the 5.0% or 10.0% asset test), as described below, due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, and we nonetheless maintain our REIT qualification because of specified cure provisions, we will be required to pay a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the corporate tax rate multiplied by the net income generated by the nonqualifying assets that caused us to fail such test.
•If we fail to satisfy any provision of the Code that would result in our failure to qualify as a REIT (other than a violation of the gross income tests or certain violations of the asset tests, as described below) and the violation is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, we may retain our REIT qualification but we will be required to pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure.
•We will be required to pay a 4.0% excise tax to the extent we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (1) 85.0% of our ordinary income for the year, (2) 95.0% of our capital gain net income for the year, and (3) any undistributed taxable income from prior periods.
•If we acquire any asset from a corporation that is or has been a C corporation in a transaction in which the adjusted tax basis of the asset in our hands is determined by reference to the adjusted tax basis of the asset in the hands of the transferor corporation and our initial tax basis in the asset is less than the fair market value of the asset on the date on which we acquired the asset, and we subsequently recognize gain on the disposition of the asset during the five-year period beginning on the date on which we acquired the asset, then we will be required to pay tax at the corporate tax rate on this gain to the extent of the excess of (1) the fair market value of the asset over (2) our adjusted tax basis in the asset, in each case determined as of the date on which we acquired the asset. The results described in this paragraph with respect to the recognition of gain assume that the C corporation will refrain from making an election to receive different treatment under applicable Treasury Regulations on its tax return for the year in which we acquire the asset from the C corporation. Under applicable Treasury Regulations, any gain from the sale of real property we acquired in an exchange under Section 1031 (a like-kind exchange) or Section 1033 (an involuntary conversion) of the Code generally is excluded from the application of this built-in gains tax. See “—Built-In Gains Tax.”
•Our subsidiaries that are C corporations, including our taxable REIT subsidiaries, or TRSs, generally will be required to pay U.S. federal corporate income tax on their earnings (including potentially a 15% alternative minimum tax on the adjusted financial statement income, or AFSI, of C corporations, including TRSs, whose three-year average AFSI exceeds $1 billion).
•We will be required to pay a 100% tax on any “redetermined rents,” “redetermined deductions,” “excess interest,” or “redetermined TRS service income.” See “—Income Tests” and “—Penalty Tax.” In general, redetermined rents are rents from real property that are overstated as a result of services furnished to any of our tenants by a TRS of ours. Redetermined deductions and excess interest generally represent amounts that are deducted by a TRS of ours for amounts paid to us that are in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arm’s length negotiations. Redetermined TRS service income generally represents income of a TRS that is understated as a result of services provided to us or on our behalf.
•We may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net capital gain. In that case, a stockholder would include its proportionate share of our undistributed net capital gain (to the extent we make a timely designation of such gain to the stockholder) in its income, would be deemed to have paid the tax that we paid on such gain, and would be allowed a credit for its proportionate share of the tax deemed to have been paid, and an adjustment would be made to increase the basis of the stockholder in our common stock.
•We may be required to pay monetary penalties to the IRS in certain circumstances, including if we fail to meet record-keeping requirements intended to monitor its compliance with rules relating to the composition of our stockholders, as described below under “—Requirements for Qualification as a REIT.”
Requirements for Qualification as a REIT
The Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust, or association:
•that is managed by one or more trustees or directors;
•that issues transferable shares or transferable certificates to evidence its beneficial ownership;
•that would be taxable as a domestic corporation, but for the special provisions under the Code and Treasury Regulations applicable to REITs;
•that is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company within the meaning of the Code;
•that is beneficially owned by 100 or more persons;
•not more than 50.0% in value of the outstanding stock of which is owned, actually or constructively, by five or fewer individuals, including certain specified entities, during the last half of each taxable year;
•that uses the calendar year for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
•that makes an election to be taxed as a REIT, or has made such an election for a previous taxable year which has not been revoked or terminated; and
•that meets other tests, described below, regarding the nature of its income and assets and the amount of its distributions.
The Code provides that the first through fourth conditions above, inclusive, must be met during the entire taxable year and that the fifth condition must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months. The fifth and sixth conditions do not apply until after the first taxable year for which an election is made to be taxed as a REIT. For purposes of the sixth condition, the term “individual” includes a supplemental unemployment compensation benefit plan, a private foundation, or a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used exclusively for charitable purposes, but generally does not include a qualified pension plan or profit sharing trust. For purposes of the seventh condition, we use a calendar taxable year, and we thereby satisfy this requirement.
We believe that we have been organized, have operated, and have issued sufficient shares of stock with sufficient diversity of ownership to allow us to satisfy the conditions listed above, during the relevant time periods. In addition, our charter provides for restrictions regarding ownership and transfer of our shares which are intended to assist us in continuing to satisfy the share ownership requirements described in the fifth and sixth bullet points above. A description of the share ownership and transfer restrictions relating to our common stock is contained in the discussion in this prospectus under the heading “Description of Our Capital Stock—Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.” These restrictions, however, do not ensure that we have previously satisfied, and may not ensure that we will, in all cases, be able to continue to satisfy, the share ownership requirements described in the fifth and sixth bullet points listed above. If we fail to satisfy these share ownership requirements, except as provided in the next sentence, our status as a REIT will terminate. If, however, we comply with the rules contained in applicable Treasury Regulations that require us to ascertain the actual ownership of our shares and we do not know, or would not have known through the exercise of reasonable diligence, that we failed to meet the requirement described in the sixth bullet point above, we will be treated as having met this requirement. See “—Failure to Qualify.”
Ownership of Interests in Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies
In the case of a REIT that is a partner in a partnership or a member in a limited liability company treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, Treasury Regulations provide that the REIT will be deemed to own its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, based on its interest in partnership capital, subject to special rules relating to the 10.0% asset test described below. Also, the REIT will be deemed to be entitled to its proportionate share of the income of that entity. The assets and gross income of the partnership or limited liability company retain the same character in the hands of the REIT for purposes of Section 856 of the Code, including satisfying the gross income tests and the asset tests. Thus, our pro rata share of the assets and items of income of any partnership or limited liability company treated as a partnership or disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, including such partnership’s or limited liability company’s share of these items of any partnership or limited liability company treated as a partnership or disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes in which it owns an interest, would be treated as our assets and items of income for purposes of applying the requirements described in this discussion, including the gross income and asset tests described below. A brief summary of the rules governing the U.S. federal income taxation of partnerships and limited liability companies is set forth below in “—Tax Aspects of the Operating Partnership, the Subsidiary Partnerships, and the Limited Liability Companies.”
We generally will have control of the Operating Partnership and the subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies and intend to operate them in a manner consistent with the requirements for our qualification as a REIT. If we become a limited partner or non-managing member in any partnership or limited liability company and such entity takes or expects to take actions that could jeopardize our status as a REIT or require us to pay tax, we may be forced to dispose of our interest in such entity. In addition, it is possible that a partnership or limited liability company could take an action which could cause us to fail a gross income or asset test, and that we would not become aware of such action in time to dispose of our interest in the partnership or limited liability company or take other corrective action on a timely basis. In that case, we could fail to qualify as a REIT unless we were entitled to relief, as described below.
Ownership of Interests in TRSs
We, through the Operating Partnership, own interests in companies that have elected, together with us, to be treated as our TRSs, and we may acquire securities in additional TRSs in the future. A TRS is a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation
for U.S. federal income tax purposes), other than a REIT, in which a REIT directly or indirectly holds stock, and that has made a joint election with such REIT to be treated as TRS. If a TRS owns more than 35.0% of the total voting power or value of the outstanding securities of another corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes), such other corporation will also be treated as a TRS. Other than some activities relating to lodging and healthcare facilities, a TRS may generally engage in any business, including the provision of customary or non-customary services to tenants of its parent REIT. A TRS is subject to U.S. federal income tax as a regular C corporation. A REIT’s ownership of securities of a TRS is not subject to the 5.0% or 10.0% asset test described below. See “—Asset Tests.” The aggregate value of all securities of any TRS held by us may not exceed 20.0% (25.0% for tax years before 2018) of the value of our total assets.
Taxpayers are subject to a limitation on their ability to deduct net business interest generally equal to 30.0% of adjusted taxable income, subject to certain exceptions. See “—Annual Distribution Requirements.” While not certain, this provision may limit the ability of our TRS to deduct interest, which could increase its taxable income.
Ownership of Interests in Subsidiary REITs
We, through the Operating Partnership, own and may acquire direct or indirect interests in one or more entities that have elected or will elect to be taxed as REITs under the Code, or each, a Subsidiary REIT. A Subsidiary REIT, such as Trilogy Real Estate Investment Trust, is subject to the various REIT qualification requirements and other limitations described herein that are applicable to us. Investments in Subsidiary REITs may pose additional challenges, such as smaller income and asset bases against which to absorb nonqualifying income and assets and, in the case of Subsidiary REITs acquired by purchase, reliance on the seller’s compliance with the REIT requirements for periods prior to acquisition. If a Subsidiary REIT were to fail to qualify as a REIT, then (1) that Subsidiary REIT would become subject to U.S. federal income tax and (2) the Subsidiary REIT’s failure to qualify could have an adverse effect on our ability to comply with the REIT income and asset tests, and thus could impair our ability to qualify as a REIT unless we could avail ourselves of certain relief provisions.
Income Tests
We must satisfy two gross income requirements annually to maintain our qualification as a REIT. First, in each taxable year we must derive directly or indirectly at least 75.0% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, certain hedging transactions, and certain foreign currency gains) from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property or on interests in real property, including “rents from real property,” dividends from other REITs, interest on obligations adequately secured by mortgages on real property, and certain types of temporary investments. Second, in each taxable year we must derive at least 95.0% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, certain hedging transactions, and certain foreign currency gains) from the real property investments described above or dividends, interest, and gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities, or from any combination of the foregoing. For these purposes, the term “interest” generally does not include any amount received or accrued, directly or indirectly, if the determination of all or some of the amount depends in any way on the income or profits of any person.
However, an amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from the term “interest” solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales.
Rents we receive from a tenant will qualify as “rents from real property” for the purpose of satisfying the gross income requirements for a REIT described above only if all of the following conditions are met:
•The amount of rent is not based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount we receive or accrue generally will not be excluded from the term “rents from real property” solely because it is based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales;
•Neither we nor an actual or constructive owner of 10.0% or more of our capital stock actually or constructively owns 10.0% or more of the interests in the assets or net profits of a non-corporate tenant, or, if the tenant is a corporation, 10.0% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or 10.0% or more of the total value of all classes of stock of the tenant. Rents we receive from such a tenant that is a TRS of ours, however, will not be excluded from the definition of “rents from real property” as a result of this condition if at least 90.0% of the space at the property to which the rents relate is leased to third parties, and the rents paid by the TRS are substantially comparable to rents paid by our other tenants for comparable space. Whether rents paid by a TRS are substantially comparable to rents paid by other tenants is determined at the time the lease with the TRS is entered into, extended and modified, if such modification increases the rents due under such lease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, if a lease with a “controlled TRS” is modified and such modification results in an increase in the rents payable by such TRS, any such increase will not qualify as “rents from real property.” For purposes of this rule, a “controlled TRS” is a TRS in which the parent REIT owns stock possessing more than 50.0% of the voting power or more than 50.0% of the total value of the outstanding stock of such TRS;
•Rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real property, is not greater than 15.0% of the total rent received under the lease. If this condition is not met, then the portion of the rent attributable to personal property will not qualify as “rents from real property.” To the extent that rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real property, exceeds 15.0% of the total rent received under the lease, we may transfer a portion of such personal property to a TRS; and
•We generally may not operate or manage the property or furnish or render services to our tenants, subject to a 1.0% de minimis exception (for purposes of such exception, the gross income received from such non-customary services is deemed to be at least 150.0% of the direct cost of providing the services) and except as provided below. We are permitted, however, to perform directly certain services that are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not otherwise considered “rendered to the occupant” of the property. Examples of these permitted services include the provision of light, heat, or other utilities, trash removal, and general maintenance of common areas. In addition, we are permitted to employ an independent contractor from whom we derive no revenue to provide customary services to our tenants, or a TRS (which may be wholly or partially owned by us) to provide both customary and non-customary services to our tenants, without causing the rent we receive from those tenants to fail to qualify as “rents from real property.” Any amounts we receive from a TRS with respect to the TRS’s provision of non-customary services will, however, be nonqualifying income under the 75.0% gross income test and, except to the extent received through the payment of dividends, the 95.0% gross income test.
Predominantly all of our integrated senior health campuses, and all of our SHOP are operated using a RIDEA structure. Under a RIDEA structure, we lease certain integrated senior health campuses and all our SHOP to one or more TRSs, and the applicable TRS, in turn, engages an independent third party in the business of operating integrated senior health campuses or SHOP, as applicable, to manage those integrated senior health campuses or SHOP. Under this structure, we receive rents from the TRS and the TRS receives revenues from the operation of the integrated senior health campuses or the SHOP, as applicable, net of expenses (including intercompany rent payments and corporate income taxes) for the operation of the campuses or facilities, as applicable, and the fees payable to the third-party operator. In order for the rent payable under each of these leases to constitute “rents from real property,” each lease must be respected as a true lease for U.S. federal income tax purposes and must not be treated as a service contract, joint venture, or some other type of arrangement. We believe that each such lease is a true lease for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, this determination is inherently a question of fact, and we cannot assure you that the IRS will not successfully assert a contrary position. If any lease is not respected as a true lease, part or all of the payments that we receive as rent from our TRS with respect to such lease may not be considered rent or may not otherwise satisfy the various requirements for qualification as “rents from real property.” In that case, we may not be able to satisfy either the 75.0% or 95.0% gross income test and, as a result, could fail to qualify as a REIT.
Also, our TRSs may not operate or manage a health care property (such as an integrated senior health campus or SHOP) or provide rights to any brand name under which any health care property is operated. However, rents we receive from a lease of a health care property to our TRS will constitute “rents from real property” if the following conditions are satisfied:
•First, the health care property must be a “qualified health care property.” A qualified health care property is any real property (including interests therein), and any personal property incident to such real property, which is (or is necessary or incidental to the use of) a hospital, nursing facility, assisted living facility, congregate care facility, qualified continuing care facility, or other licensed facility which extends medical or nursing or ancillary services to patients and which is operated by a provider of such services which is eligible for participation in Medicare with respect to such facility; and
•Second, the health care property must be managed by an eligible independent contractor, or EIK. An EIK is an independent contractor that, at the time the management contract is entered into, is actively engaged in the trade or business of operating qualified health care properties for any person not related to us or any of our TRSs. For this purpose, an independent contractor means any person (1) that does not own (taking into account relevant attribution rules) more than 35.0% of our capital stock, and (2) with respect to which no person or group owning directly or indirectly (taking into account relevant attribution rules) 35.0% or more of our capital stock owns 35.0% or more directly or indirectly (taking into account relevant attribution rules) of the ownership interest.
We believe each integrated senior health campus and SHOP that we lease to a TRS is a qualified health care property, and each property manager engaged by our TRSs to manage each property is an EIK. Furthermore, while we will monitor the activities of the EIKs to maximize the value of our health care property investments, neither we nor our TRS lessees will directly or indirectly operate or manage our health care properties. Thus, we believe that the rents we derive from our TRSs with respect to the leases of our health care properties will qualify as “rents from real property.”
We generally do not intend, and as the sole owner of the general partner of the Operating Partnership, do not intend to permit the Operating Partnership, to take actions we believe will cause us to fail to satisfy the rental conditions described above. However, we may intentionally fail to satisfy some of these conditions to the extent we determine, based on the advice of our tax counsel, that the
failure will not jeopardize our tax status as a REIT. In addition, with respect to the limitation on the rental of personal property, we have not appraised the relative values of the real property and personal property leased to tenants. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not disagree with our determinations of value of such property.
Hedging
From time to time, we may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Our hedging activities may include entering into interest rate swaps, caps, and floors, options to purchase these items, and futures and forward contracts. Except to the extent provided by Treasury Regulations, any income from the following hedging transactions, including gain from the sale or disposition of such a transaction, that is clearly identified as such before the close of the day on which it was acquired, originated, or entered into, will not constitute gross income for purposes of the 75.0% or 95.0% gross income test:
•a hedging transaction we enter into:
•in the normal course of our business primarily to manage risk of interest rate or price changes or currency fluctuations with respect to borrowings made or to be made to acquire or carry real estate assets; or
•primarily to manage risk of currency fluctuations with respect to any item of income or gain that would be qualifying income under the 75.0% or 95.0% income tests; and
•new hedging transactions we enter into to hedge the income or loss from prior hedging transactions, where the property or indebtedness which was the subject of the prior hedging transaction was extinguished or disposed of.
To the extent that we do not properly identify such transactions as hedges or we enter into other types of hedging transactions, the income from those transactions is likely to be treated as non-qualifying income for purposes of both of the 75% and 95% gross income tests. We intend to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that does not jeopardize our status as a REIT.
TRS Income
To the extent our TRSs make distributions, we generally will derive our allocable share of such distribution through our interest in the Operating Partnership. Such distributions will be classified as dividend income to the extent of the current and accumulated earnings and profits of the distributing corporation. Such distributions will generally constitute qualifying income for purposes of the 95.0% gross income test, but not for purposes of the 75.0% gross income test. We monitor the amount of the dividend and other income from our TRSs and will take actions intended to keep this income, and any other nonqualifying income, within the limitations of the gross income tests. Although we expect these actions will be sufficient to prevent a violation of the gross income tests, we cannot guarantee that such actions will in all cases prevent such a violation.
Failure to Satisfy Gross Income Tests
If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75.0% or 95.0% gross income tests for any taxable year, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for the year if we are entitled to relief under certain provisions of the Code. We generally may make use of the relief provisions if:
•following our identification of the failure to meet the 75.0% or 95.0% gross income tests for any taxable year, we file a schedule with the IRS setting forth each item of our gross income for purposes of the 75.0% or 95.0% gross income tests for such taxable year in accordance with Treasury Regulations to be issued; and
•our failure to meet these tests was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect.
It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions. For example, if we fail to satisfy the gross income tests because nonqualifying income that we intentionally accrue or receive exceeds the limits on nonqualifying income, the IRS could conclude that our failure to satisfy the tests was not due to reasonable cause. If these relief provisions do not apply to a particular set of circumstances, we will not qualify as a REIT. As discussed above in “—Taxation of Our Company—General,” even if these relief provisions apply, and we retain our status as a REIT, a tax would be imposed with respect to our nonqualifying income. We may not always be able to comply with the gross income tests for REIT qualification despite periodic monitoring of our income.
Prohibited Transaction Income
Any gain that we realize on the sale of property (other than foreclosure property) held as inventory or otherwise held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, including our share of any such gain realized by the Operating Partnership, either directly or through its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies, will be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject to a 100% penalty tax, unless certain safe harbor exceptions apply. This prohibited transaction income may also adversely affect our ability to satisfy the gross income tests for qualification as a REIT. Under existing law, whether
property is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business is a question of fact that depends on all the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction. As the sole owner of the general partner of the Operating Partnership, we intend to cause the Operating Partnership to hold its properties for investment with a view to long-term appreciation, to engage in the business of acquiring, developing, and owning its properties and to make occasional sales of the properties as are consistent with our investment objectives. We do not intend, and do not intend to permit the Operating Partnership or its subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies, to enter into any sales that are prohibited transactions. However, the IRS may successfully contend that some or all of the sales made by the Operating Partnership or its subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies are prohibited transactions. We would be required to pay the 100% penalty tax on our allocable share of the gains resulting from any such sales. The 100% penalty tax will not apply to gains from the sale of assets that are held through a TRS, but such income will be subject to tax at regular U.S. federal corporate income tax rates.
Penalty Tax
Any redetermined rents, redetermined deductions, excess interest, or redetermined TRS service income we generate will be subject to a 100% penalty tax. In general, redetermined rents are rents from real property that are overstated as a result of any services furnished to any of our tenants by a TRS of ours, redetermined deductions and excess interest represent any amounts that are deducted by a TRS of ours for amounts paid to us that are in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arm’s length negotiations, and redetermined TRS service income is income of a TRS that is understated as a result of services provided to us or on our behalf. Rents we receive will not constitute redetermined rents if they qualify for certain safe harbor provisions contained in the Code.
We do not believe we have been, and do not expect to be, subject to this penalty tax, although any rental or service arrangements we enter into from time to time may not satisfy the safe-harbor provisions described above. We intend to set any fees paid to a TRS for such services, and any rent payable to us by a TRS, at arm’s length rates, although the amounts paid may not satisfy the safe-harbor provisions described above. These determinations are inherently factual, and the IRS has broad discretion to assert that amounts paid between related parties should be reallocated to clearly reflect their respective incomes. If the IRS successfully made such an assertion, we would be required to pay a 100% penalty tax on the excess of an arm’s length fee for tenant services over the amount actually paid, or on the excess rents paid to us.
Asset Tests
At the close of each calendar quarter of our taxable year, we must also satisfy certain tests relating to the nature and diversification of our assets:
•At least 75.0% of the value of our total assets must be represented by real estate assets, cash, cash items, and U.S. government securities. For this purpose, “real estate assets” include interests in real property, such as land, buildings, leasehold interests in real property, stock (or transferable certificates of beneficial interest) in other REITs, debt instruments of publicly offered REITs, any stock or debt instrument attributable to the investment of the proceeds of a stock offering or a public offering of debt with a term of at least five years, but only for the one-year period beginning on the date we receive such proceeds, certain kinds of mortgage-backed securities, and mortgage loans as well as personal property leased in connection with a lease of real property for which the rent attributable to personal property does not exceed 15.0% of the total rent received under the lease. Assets that do not qualify for purposes of the 75.0% test are subject to the additional asset tests described below.
•Not more than 25.0% of the value of our total assets may be represented by securities (including securities of TRSs), other than those securities includable in the 75.0% test.
•The aggregate value of all securities of any TRSs held by us may not exceed 20.0% of the value (25.0% for tax years before 2018) of our total assets. As long as each of these companies qualifies as a TRS of ours, we will not be subject to the 5.0% asset test, the 10.0% voting securities limitation or the 10.0% value limitation with respect to our ownership of the securities of such companies. We believe that the aggregate value of any TRSs in which we may own an interest will not exceed 20.0% of the aggregate value of our gross assets. We generally do not obtain independent appraisals to support these conclusions. In addition, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not disagree with our determinations of value.
•Not more than 25.0% of the value of our total assets may be represented by debt instruments of publicly offered REITs to the extent those debt instruments are not otherwise secured by real property.
•Of the investments included in the 25.0% asset class, and except for certain investments in our TRSs, the value of any one issuer’s securities may not exceed 5.0% of the value of our total assets, and we may not own more than 10.0% of the total vote or value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer except for certain types of securities that are disregarded as securities solely for purposes of the 10.0% value test, including securities satisfying the “straight debt” safe-harbor, securities issued by a partnership that itself would satisfy the 75.0% income test if it were a REIT, any loan to an individual or an
estate, any obligation to pay rents from real property and any security issued by a REIT. In addition, solely for purposes of the 10.0% value test, the determination of our interest in the assets of a partnership or limited liability company in which we own an interest will be based on our proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership or limited liability company, excluding for this purpose certain securities described in the Code.
The asset tests must be satisfied at the close of each calendar quarter of our taxable year in which we (directly or through any partnership or limited liability company) acquire securities in the applicable issuer, and also at the close of each calendar quarter in which we increase our ownership of securities of such issuer (including as a result of an increase in our interest in any partnership or limited liability company that owns such securities). For example, our indirect ownership, through the Operating Partnership, of securities of each issuer will increase as a result of our capital contributions to the Operating Partnership or as limited partners exercise any redemption/exchange rights. Also, after initially meeting the asset tests at the close of any quarter, we will not lose our status as a REIT for failure to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a later quarter solely by reason of changes in asset values. If we fail to satisfy an asset test because we acquire securities or other property during a quarter (including as a result of an increase in our interest in any partnership or limited liability company that owns such securities), we may cure this failure by disposing of sufficient nonqualifying assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. We believe that we have maintained, and we intend to maintain, adequate records of the value of our assets to ensure compliance with the asset tests. If we fail to cure any noncompliance with the asset tests within the 30-day cure period, we would cease to qualify as a REIT unless we are eligible for certain relief provisions discussed below.
Certain relief provisions may be available to us if we discover a failure to satisfy the asset tests described above after the 30-day cure period. Under these provisions, we will be deemed to have met the 5.0% and 10.0% asset tests if the value of our nonqualifying assets:
•does not exceed the lesser of:
•1.0% of the total value of our assets at the end of the applicable quarter; or
•we dispose of the nonqualifying assets or otherwise satisfy such tests within (1) six months after the last day of the quarter in which the failure to satisfy the asset tests is discovered or (2) the period of time prescribed by Treasury Regulations to be issued. For violations of any of the asset tests due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and that are, in the case of the 5.0% and 10.0% asset tests, in excess of the de minimis exception described above, we may avoid disqualification as a REIT after the 30-day cure period by taking steps including:
•the disposition of sufficient nonqualifying assets, or the taking of other actions, which allow us to meet the asset tests within (1) six months after the last day of the quarter in which the failure to satisfy the asset tests is discovered or (2) the period of time prescribed by Treasury Regulations to be issued.
•paying a tax equal to the greater of:
•the corporate income tax rate multiplied by the net income generated by the nonqualifying assets; and
•disclosing certain information to the IRS.
Although we believe we have satisfied the asset tests described above and plan to take steps to ensure that we satisfy such tests for any quarter with respect to which retesting is to occur, there can be no assurance that we will always be successful, or will not require a reduction in our overall interest in an issuer (including in a TRS). If we fail to cure any noncompliance with the asset tests in a timely manner, and the relief provisions described above are not available, we would cease to qualify as a REIT.
Annual Distribution Requirements
To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we are required to distribute dividends, other than capital gain dividends, to our stockholders each year in an amount at least equal to the sum of:
•90.0% of our “REIT taxable income”; and
•90.0% of our after-tax net income, if any, from foreclosure property; minus
•the excess of the sum of certain items of non-cash income over a specified percentage of our income.
For these purposes, our “REIT taxable income” is computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital gain. In addition, for purposes of this test, non-cash income means income attributable to leveled stepped rents, original issue discount on purchase money debt, cancellation of indebtedness, or a like-kind exchange that is later determined to be taxable.
In addition, if we acquired any asset from a corporation which was or had been a C corporation in a transaction in which our initial tax basis in the asset was less than the fair market value of the asset on the acquisition date, and we dispose of the asset within the five-year period following such acquisition, our REIT taxable income will be reduced by any taxes we are required to pay on any gain we recognize from the disposition. See “—Built-In Gains Tax.”
Subject to the election discussed below, our deduction for net business interest expense will generally be limited to 30.0% of our taxable income, as adjusted for certain items of income, gain, deduction, or loss. Any business interest deduction that is disallowed due to this limitation may be carried forward to future taxable years, subject to special rules applicable to partnerships. If we or any of our subsidiary partnerships or Subsidiary REITs are subject to this interest expense limitation, our REIT taxable income for a taxable year may be increased. Taxpayers that conduct certain real estate businesses may elect to not have this interest expense limitation apply to them, provided that they use an alternative depreciation system to depreciate certain property. We anticipate that we or any of our subsidiary partnerships or Subsidiary REITs that are subject to this interest expense limitation will be eligible to make this election. If such election is made, although we or such subsidiary partnership or Subsidiary REIT, as applicable, would not be subject to the interest expense limitation described above, depreciation deductions may be reduced, and, as a result, our REIT taxable income for a taxable year may be increased. The Operating Partnership has made the election described in this paragraph.
We generally must pay, or be treated as paying, the distributions described above in the taxable year to which they relate. At our election, a distribution will be treated as paid in a taxable year if it is declared before we timely file our tax return for such year and paid on or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration, provided such payment is made during the 12-month period following the close of such year. These distributions are treated as received by our stockholders in the year in which they are paid. This is so even though these distributions relate to the prior year for purposes of the 90.0% distribution requirement. In order to be taken into account for purposes of our distribution requirement, except as provided below, the amount distributed must not be preferential—i.e., every stockholder of the class of stock to which a distribution is made must be treated the same as every other stockholder of that class, and no class of stock may be treated other than according to its dividend rights as a class. This preferential dividend limitation will not apply to distributions made by us, provided we qualify as a “publicly offered REIT.” We believe that we are, and expect we will continue to be, a publicly offered REIT. However, Subsidiary REITs we may own from time to time may not be publicly offered REITs. To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain, or distribute at least 90.0%, but less than 100%, of our “REIT taxable income,” as adjusted, we will be required to pay tax on the undistributed amount at the corporate tax rate. In addition, we may elect to retain, rather than distribute, our net long-term capital gains and pay tax on such gains. In this case, we would elect to have our stockholders include their proportionate share of such undistributed long-term capital gains in their income and receive a corresponding credit for their proportionate share of the tax paid by us. Our stockholders would then increase their adjusted basis in our stock by the difference between the designated amounts included in their long-term capital gains and the tax deemed paid with respect to their proportionate shares. In order to satisfy the requirements for us to qualify and maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes and generally not be subject to U.S. federal income tax and excise tax (as described below), we intend to make distributions of at least 100% of our REIT taxable income to holders of our common stock in each taxable year. In this regard, the Partnership Agreement will authorize us, as the sole owner of the general partner of the Operating Partnership, to take such steps as may be necessary to cause the Operating Partnership to distribute to its partners an amount sufficient to permit us to meet these distribution requirements and to minimize our corporate tax obligation.
We expect that our REIT taxable income will be less than our cash flow because of depreciation and other non-cash charges included in computing REIT taxable income. Accordingly, we anticipate that we generally will have sufficient cash or liquid assets to enable us to satisfy the distribution requirements described above. However, from time to time, we may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets to meet these distribution requirements due to timing differences between the actual receipt of income and actual payment of deductible expenses, and the inclusion of income and deduction of expenses in determining our taxable income. In addition, we may decide to retain our cash, rather than distribute it, in order to repay debt or for other reasons. If these timing differences occur, we may borrow funds to pay dividends or pay dividends in the form of taxable stock dividends in order to meet the distribution requirements, while preserving our cash.
Under certain circumstances, we may be able to rectify an inadvertent failure to meet the 90.0% distribution requirement for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to our stockholders in a later year, which may be included in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. Thus, we may be able to avoid being taxed on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends. However, we will be required to pay interest to the IRS based upon the amount of any deduction claimed for deficiency dividends. While the payment of a deficiency dividend will apply to a prior year for purposes of our REIT distribution requirements, it will be treated as an additional distribution to our stockholders in the year such dividend is paid.
Furthermore, we will be required to pay a 4.0% excise tax to the extent we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of 85.0% of our ordinary income for such year, 95.0% of our capital gain net income for the year and any undistributed taxable income from prior periods. Any ordinary income and net capital gain on which U.S. federal corporate income tax is imposed for any year is treated as an amount distributed during that year for purposes of calculating this excise tax.
For purposes of the 90.0% distribution requirement and excise tax described above, dividends declared during the last three months of the taxable year, payable to stockholders of record on a specified date during such period and paid during January of the following year, will be treated as paid by us and received by our stockholders on December 31 of the year in which they are declared.
Like-Kind Exchanges
We may dispose of real property that is not held primarily for sale in transactions intended to qualify as like-kind exchanges under the Code. Such like-kind exchanges are intended to result in the deferral of gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The failure of any such transaction to qualify as a like-kind exchange could require us to pay U.S. federal income tax, possibly including the 100% prohibited transaction tax, depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction.
Failure to Qualify
If we discover a violation of a provision of the Code that would result in our failure to qualify as a REIT, certain specified cure provisions may be available to us. Except with respect to violations of the gross income tests and asset tests (for which the cure provisions are described above), and provided the violation is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, these cure provisions generally impose a $50,000 penalty for each violation in lieu of a loss of REIT status. If we fail to satisfy the requirements for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year, and the relief provisions do not apply, we will be required to pay tax on our taxable income at the corporate rate. Distributions to stockholders in any year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT will not be deductible by us. As a result, we anticipate that our failure to qualify as a REIT would reduce the cash available for distribution by us to our stockholders. In addition, if we fail to qualify as a REIT, we will not be required to distribute any amounts to our stockholders and all distributions to stockholders will be taxable as regular corporate dividends to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. In such event, corporate distributees may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. In addition, non-corporate stockholders, including individuals, may be eligible for the preferential tax rates on qualified dividend income. Non-corporate U.S. stockholders, including individuals, generally may deduct 20.0% of dividends from a REIT, other than capital gain dividends and dividends treated as qualified dividend income, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2026, for purposes of determining their U.S. federal income tax, subject to certain holding period requirements. If we fail to qualify as a REIT, such stockholders may not claim this deduction with respect to dividends paid by us. Unless entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we would also be ineligible to elect to be treated as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year for which we lose our qualification. It is not possible to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to this statutory relief.
Tax Aspects of the Operating Partnership, the Subsidiary Partnerships, and the Limited Liability Companies
General
All of our investments will be held indirectly through the Operating Partnership. We are the sole owner of the general partner of the Operating Partnership. Such general partner entity is treated as a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Operating Partnership is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and we are treated as owning our proportionate share of the items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the Operating Partnership for such purposes. In addition, the Operating Partnership holds certain of its investments indirectly through subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies that we believe are treated as disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We also hold investments through entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In general, entities that are treated as partnerships or disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes are “pass-through” entities which are not required to pay U.S. federal income tax. Rather, partners or members of such entities are allocated their shares of the items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit of the partnership or limited liability company, and are potentially required to pay tax on this income, without regard to whether they receive a distribution from the partnership or limited liability company. We will include in our income our share of these partnership and limited liability company items for purposes of the various gross income tests, the computation of our REIT taxable income, and the REIT distribution requirements. Moreover, for purposes of the asset tests, we will include our pro rata share of assets held by the Operating Partnership, including its share of its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies, based on our capital interests in each such entity. See “—Taxation of Our Company.” A disregarded entity is not treated as a separate entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and all assets, liabilities, and items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit of a disregarded entity are treated as assets, liabilities, and items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit of its parent that is not a disregarded entity for all purposes under the Code, including all REIT qualification tests.
Entity Classification
Our interests in the Operating Partnership and the subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies involve special tax considerations, including the possibility that the IRS might challenge the status of these entities as disregarded entities or partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For example, an entity that would otherwise be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes may nonetheless be taxable as a corporation if it is a “publicly traded partnership” and certain other requirements are met. A partnership or limited liability company would be treated as a publicly traded partnership if its interests are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or a substantial equivalent thereof, within the meaning of applicable
Treasury Regulations. We do not anticipate that the Operating Partnership or any subsidiary partnership or limited liability company will be treated as a publicly traded partnership that is taxable as a corporation. However, if any such entity were treated as a corporation, it would be required to pay an entity-level tax on its income. In this situation, the character of our assets and items of gross income would change and could prevent us from satisfying the REIT asset tests and possibly the REIT income tests. See “—Taxation of Our Company—Asset Tests” and “—Income Tests.” This, in turn, could prevent us from qualifying as a REIT. See “—Failure to Qualify” for a discussion of the effect of our failure to meet these tests. In addition, a change in the tax status of the Operating Partnership or a subsidiary partnership or limited liability company might be treated as a taxable event. If so, we might incur a tax liability without any related cash payment. We believe the Operating Partnership will be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and each of its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies will be treated as disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Allocations of Items of Income, Gain, Loss, and Deduction
A partnership agreement (or, in the case of a limited liability company treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the limited liability company agreement) will generally determine the allocation of income and loss among partners. These allocations, however, will be disregarded for tax purposes if they do not comply with the provisions of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder. Generally, Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder require that partnership allocations respect the economic arrangement of the partners. If an allocation of partnership income or loss does not comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners’ interests in the partnership. This reallocation will be determined by taking into account all of the facts and circumstances relating to the economic arrangement of the partners with respect to such item. We intend that the allocations of taxable income and loss in each of the partnerships in which we own an interest from time to time comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.
Tax Allocations with Respect to the Properties
Under Section 704(c) of the Code, items of income, gain, loss, and deduction attributable to appreciated or depreciated property that is contributed to a partnership (including a limited liability company treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) in exchange for an interest in the partnership must be allocated in a manner so that the contributing partner is charged with the unrealized gain or benefits from the unrealized loss associated with the property at the time of the contribution. The amount of the unrealized gain or unrealized loss generally is equal to the difference between the fair market value or book value and the adjusted tax basis of the contributed property at the time of contribution (this difference is referred to as a book-tax difference), as adjusted from time to time. These allocations are solely for U.S. federal income tax purposes and do not affect the book capital accounts or other economic or legal arrangements among the partners.
The Operating Partnership may, from time to time, acquire interests in property in exchange for interests in the Operating Partnership. In that case, the tax basis of these property interests will generally carry over to the Operating Partnership, notwithstanding their different book (i.e., fair market) value. The Partnership Agreement will require that income and loss allocations with respect to these properties be made in a manner consistent with Section 704(c) of the Code. Treasury Regulations issued under Section 704(c) of the Code provide partnerships (including a limited liability company treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) with a choice of several methods of accounting for book-tax differences. Depending on the method we choose in connection with any particular contribution, and as adjusted from time to time, the carryover basis of each of the contributed interests in the properties in the hands of the Operating Partnership:
•could cause us to be allocated lower amounts of depreciation deductions for tax purposes than would be allocated to us if any of the contributed properties were to have a tax basis equal to its respective fair market value at the time of the contribution; and
•could cause us to be allocated taxable gain in the event of a sale of such contributed interests or properties in excess of the economic or book income allocated to us as a result of such sale, with a corresponding benefit to the other partners in the Operating Partnership.
An allocation described in the second bullet point above might cause us or the other partners to recognize taxable income in excess of cash proceeds in the event of a sale or other disposition of property, which might adversely affect our ability to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. See “—Requirements for Qualification as a REIT” and “—Annual Distribution Requirements.”
Any property acquired by the Operating Partnership in a taxable transaction will initially have a tax basis equal to its fair market value, and Section 704(c) of the Code generally will not apply.
Partnership Audit Rules
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 changed the rules applicable to U.S. federal income tax audits of partnerships apply to the Operating Partnership and any entity in which we directly or indirectly invest that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax consequences. Under the new rules, any audit adjustment to items of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit of a partnership (and any partner’s distributive share thereof) is determined, and taxes, interest, or penalties attributable thereto are assessed and collected, at the partnership level regardless of changes in composition of the partners (or their relative ownership) between the year under audit and the year of the adjustment. The rules also include an elective alternative method under which the additional taxes resulting from the adjustment are assessed from the affected partners, subject to a higher rate of interest than otherwise would apply. The rules could result in partnerships in which we directly or indirectly invest being required to pay additional taxes, interest, and penalties as a result of an audit adjustment, and we, as a direct or indirect partner of these partnerships, could be required to bear the economic burden of those taxes, interest, and penalties even though we, as a REIT, may not otherwise have been required to pay additional corporate-level taxes as a result of the related audit adjustment. Investors should consult their own tax advisors with respect to these changes and their potential impact on their investment in our common stock.
Built-In Gains Tax
From time to time, we may acquire C corporations in transactions in which the basis of the corporations’ assets in our hands is determined by reference to the basis of the assets in the hands of the acquired corporations, or carry-over basis transactions. In the case of assets we acquire from a C corporation in a carry-over basis transaction, if we dispose of any such asset in a taxable transaction (including by deed in lieu of foreclosure) during the five-year period beginning on the date of the carry-over basis transaction, then we will be required to pay tax at the corporate tax rate on the gain recognized to the extent of the excess of (1) the fair market value of the asset over (2) our adjusted tax basis in the asset, in each case determined as of the date of the carry-over basis transaction. The foregoing result with respect to the recognition of gain assumes that the C corporation will refrain from making an election to receive different treatment under applicable Treasury Regulations on its tax return for the year in which we acquire the asset from the C corporation.
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Our Common Stockholders
The following summary describes the principal U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of purchasing, owning, and disposing of our common stock. This summary assumes you hold shares of our common stock as “capital assets” (generally, property held for investment within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code). It does not address all the tax consequences that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances. In addition, this discussion does not address the tax consequences relevant to persons who receive special treatment under the U.S. federal income tax law, except where specifically noted.
If you are considering purchasing our common stock, you should consult your tax advisors concerning the application of U.S. federal income tax laws to your particular situation as well as any consequences of the purchase, ownership, and disposition of our common stock arising under the laws of any state, local, or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.
When we use the term “U.S. stockholder,” we mean a holder of shares of our common stock who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is:
•an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;
•a corporation, including an entity treated as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof or in the District of Columbia; an estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
•a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and the control of one or more United States persons (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code), or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person.
If you hold shares of our common stock and are neither a U.S. stockholder nor a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, you are a “non-U.S. stockholder.”
If a partnership or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds shares of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, partnerships holding shares of our common stock and the partners in such partnerships are encouraged to consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them.
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders
Distributions Generally
Distributions out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits will be treated as dividends and, other than with respect to capital gain dividends and certain amounts which have previously been subject to corporate level tax, as discussed below, will be taxable to our taxable U.S. stockholders as ordinary income when actually or constructively received. See “—Tax Rates” below. As long as we qualify as a REIT, these distributions will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of U.S. stockholders that are corporations or, except to the extent described in “—Tax Rates” below, the preferential rates on qualified dividend income applicable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders, including individuals. For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2026, dividends that we distribute to U.S. stockholders other than corporations that are not designated as capital gain dividends or otherwise treated as qualified dividends generally are eligible for a deduction equal to 20.0% of the amount of such dividends, subject to certain holding period requirements described in “—Tax Rates” below.
To the extent that we make distributions on our common stock in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits allocable to such stock, these distributions will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital to a U.S. stockholder to the extent of the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in such shares of stock. This treatment will reduce the U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in such shares of stock by the amount of the distribution, but not below zero. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and in excess of a U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in its shares will be taxable as capital gain. Such gain will be taxable as long-term capital gain if the shares have been held for more than one year. Dividends we declare in October, November, or December of any year and which are payable to a stockholder of record on a specified date in any of these months will be treated as both paid by us and received by the stockholder on December 31 of that year, provided we actually pay the dividend on or before January 31 of the following year. U.S. stockholders may not include in their own income tax returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses.
U.S. stockholders that receive taxable stock distributions, including distributions partially payable in our common stock and partially payable in cash, would be required to include the full amount of the distribution (i.e., the cash and the stock portion) as a dividend (subject to limited exceptions) to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as described above. The amount of any distribution payable in our common stock generally is equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of the common stock. Depending on the circumstances of a U.S. stockholder, the tax on the distribution may exceed the amount of the distribution received in cash, in which case such U.S. stockholder would have to pay the tax using cash from other sources. If a U.S. stockholder sells the common stock it received in connection with a taxable stock distribution in order to pay this tax and the proceeds of such sale are less than the amount required to be included in income with respect to the stock portion of the distribution, such U.S. stockholder could have a capital loss with respect to the stock sale that could not be used to offset such income. A U.S. stockholder that receives common stock pursuant to such distribution generally has a tax basis in such common stock equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of such common stock as described above, and has a holding period in such common stock that begins on the day immediately following the payment date for the distribution.
Capital Gain Dividends
Dividends that we properly designate as capital gain dividends will be taxable to our taxable U.S. stockholders as a gain from the sale or disposition of a capital asset held for more than one year, to the extent that such gain does not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year and do not exceed the total amount of dividends paid for the taxable year, including dividends paid the following year that are treated as paid in the current year, without regard to the period for which a U.S. stockholder has held its stock. U.S. stockholders that are corporations may, however, be required to treat up to 20.0% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income. If we properly designate any portion of a dividend as a capital gain dividend, then, except as otherwise required by law, we presently intend to allocate a portion of the total capital gain dividends paid or made available to holders of all classes of our capital stock for the year to the holders of each class of our capital stock in proportion to the amount that our total dividends, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, paid or made available to the holders of each such class of our capital stock for the year bears to the total dividends, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, paid or made available to holders of all classes of our capital stock for the year.
Retention of Net Capital Gains
We may elect to retain, rather than distribute as a capital gain dividend, all or a portion of our net capital gains. If we make this election, we would pay tax on our retained net capital gains. In addition, to the extent we so elect, our earnings and profits (determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) would be adjusted accordingly, and a U.S. stockholder generally would:
•include its pro rata share of our undistributed net capital gains in computing its long-term capital gains in its U.S. federal income tax return for its taxable year in which the last day of our taxable year falls, subject to certain limitations as to the amount that is includable;
•be deemed to have paid its share of the capital gains tax imposed on us on the designated amounts included in the U.S. stockholder’s income as long-term capital gain;
•receive a credit or refund for the amount of tax deemed paid by it;
•increase the adjusted tax basis of its common stock by the difference between the amount of includable gains and the tax deemed to have been paid by it; and
•in the case of a U.S. stockholder that is a corporation, appropriately adjust its earnings and profits for the retained capital gains in accordance with Treasury Regulations to be promulgated by the IRS.
Passive Activity Losses and Investment Interest Limitations
Distributions we make and gain arising from the sale or exchange by a U.S. stockholder of our shares will not be treated as passive activity income. As a result, U.S. stockholders generally will not be able to apply any “passive losses” against this income or gain. A U.S. stockholder may elect to treat capital gain dividends, capital gains from the disposition of our stock and income designated as qualified dividend income, described in “—Tax Rates” below, as investment income for purposes of computing the investment interest limitation, but in such case, the stockholder will be taxed at ordinary income rates on such amount. Other distributions made by us, to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital, generally will be treated as investment income for purposes of computing the investment interest limitation.
Dispositions of Our Common Stock
If a U.S. stockholder sells or disposes of shares of our common stock, it will recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received on the sale or other disposition and the U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares. This gain or loss, except as provided below, will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. stockholder has held such common stock for more than one year. However, if a U.S. stockholder recognizes a loss upon the sale or other disposition of common stock that it has held for six months or less, after applying certain holding period rules, the loss recognized will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent the U.S. stockholder received distributions from us which were required to be treated as long-term capital gains.
Tax Rates
The maximum tax rate for non-corporate taxpayers for (1) long-term capital gains, including certain “capital gain dividends,” is currently 20.0% (although depending on the characteristics of the assets which produced these gains and on designations which we may make, certain capital gain dividends may be taxed at a 25.0% rate) and (2) “qualified dividend income” is currently 20.0%. However, dividends payable by REITs are generally not eligible for the reduced tax rate on qualified dividend income, except to the extent that certain holding period requirements have been met and the REIT’s dividends are attributable to dividends received from taxable corporations (such as its TRSs) or to income that was subject to tax at the corporate/REIT level (for example, if the REIT distributed taxable income that it retained and paid tax on in the prior taxable year) or to dividends properly designated by the REIT as “capital gain dividends.” In addition, U.S. stockholders that are corporations may be required to treat up to 20.0% of some capital gain dividends as ordinary income. As described above, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2026, dividends that we distribute to non-corporate U.S. stockholders that are not designated as capital gain dividends or otherwise treated as qualified dividends generally will be eligible for a deduction equal to 20.0% of the amount of such dividends. To qualify for this deduction, the stockholder receiving a dividend must hold the dividend paying REIT shares for at least 46 days (taking into account certain special holding period rules) of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex dividend, and cannot be under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors as to their ability to claim this deduction.
Medicare Tax on Unearned Income
Certain U.S. stockholders that are individuals, estates or trusts will be required to pay a 3.8% tax on “net investment income,” which includes, among other things, dividends on and gains from the sale or other disposition of shares. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this tax on their ownership and disposition of our common stock.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
We are required to report to our U.S. stockholders and the IRS the amount of dividends paid during each calendar year, and the amount of any tax withheld. Under the backup withholding rules, a stockholder may be subject to backup withholding with respect to dividends paid unless the holder is a corporation or comes within certain other exempt categories and, when required, demonstrates this fact, or provides a taxpayer identification number, certifies as to no loss of exemption from backup withholding, and otherwise complies with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules. A U.S. stockholder that does not provide us with its correct taxpayer identification number may also be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any
amount paid as backup withholding will be creditable against the stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS. In addition, we may be required to withhold a portion of capital gain distributions to any stockholders who fail to certify their non-foreign status. See “—Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders.”
Taxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders
Dividend income from us and gain arising upon a sale of our shares generally should not be unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI, to a U.S. tax-exempt stockholder, except as described below. This income or gain will be UBTI, however, if a tax-exempt U.S. stockholder holds its shares as “debt-financed property” within the meaning of the Code. Generally, “debt-financed property” is property the acquisition or holding of which was financed through a borrowing by the tax-exempt U.S. stockholder.
For tax-exempt U.S. stockholders that are social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, or supplemental unemployment benefit trusts exempt from U.S. federal income taxation under Sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9) or (c)(17) of the Code, respectively, income from an investment in our shares will constitute UBTI unless the organization is able to properly claim a deduction for amounts set aside or placed in reserve for specific purposes so as to offset the income generated by its investment in our shares. These prospective investors should consult their tax advisors concerning these “set aside” and reserve requirements.
Notwithstanding the above, however, a portion of the dividends paid by a “pension-held REIT” may be treated as UBTI as to certain “qualified trusts” (as defined in Section 856(h)(3)(E) of the Code) that hold more than 10.0%, by value, of the interests in the REIT. We will not be a pension-held REIT unless (1) either (a) one qualified trust owns more than 25.0% of the value of our stock, or (b) a group of qualified trusts, each individually holding more than 10.0% of the value of our stock, collectively owns more than 50.0% of such stock and (2) we would not have qualified as a REIT but for the fact that Section 856(h)(3) of the Code provides that stock owned by such trusts shall be treated, for purposes of the requirement that not more than 50.0% of the value of the outstanding stock of a REIT is owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer “individuals” (as defined in the Code to include certain entities), as owned by the beneficiaries of such trusts. Tax-exempt U.S. stockholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our stock.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders
The following discussion addresses the rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of the purchase, ownership, and disposition of our common stock by non-U.S. stockholders. These rules are complex, and no attempt is made herein to provide more than a brief summary of such rules. Accordingly, the discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation and does not address state, local, or non-U.S. tax consequences that may be relevant to a non-U.S. stockholder in light of its particular circumstances. Non-U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the impact of federal, state, local, and non-U.S. income tax laws and any applicable tax treaty on the purchase, ownership, and disposition of shares of our common stock, including any tax return filing and other reporting requirements.
If you are a non-U.S. stockholder, this discussion further assumes that:
•you will not have held more than 10.0% of our common stock (taking into account applicable constructive ownership rules) at any time during the five-year period ending on the date on which you dispose of our common stock or receive distributions from us;
•you are not a qualified foreign pension fund (within the meaning of Section 897(l)(2) of the Code);
•our common stock will be “regularly traded” on an established securities market located in the United States within the meaning of the FIRPTA, although there can be no assurance that this will be the case; and
•that you are not a “qualified shareholder,” as defined in Section 897(k)(3)(A) of the Code, which describes certain partnerships and other collective investment vehicles that satisfy various recordkeeping, administrative and other requirements.
If you are a non-U.S. stockholder as to which any of these assumptions is not accurate, and in particular if you are a “qualified shareholder” within the meaning of FIRPTA, you should consult your tax advisor concerning the tax consequence to you of sales of our stock and the receipt of dividends and other distributions from us.
If a partnership, including for this purpose any entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, holds our stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. An investor that is a partnership and the partners in such partnership should consult their tax advisors about the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of our stock.
Distributions Generally
Distributions (including any taxable stock dividends) that are neither attributable to gains from sales or exchanges by us of U.S. real property interests, or USRPIs, nor designated by us as capital gain dividends (except as described below) will be treated as dividends of ordinary income to the extent that they are made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. Such distributions ordinarily will be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a 30.0% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, unless the distributions are treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. stockholder of a U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S. stockholder maintains a permanent establishment in the Unites States to which such dividends are attributable). Under certain tax treaties, however, lower withholding rates generally applicable to U.S. corporate dividends do not apply to dividends from a U.S. REIT. Foreign sovereigns and their agencies and instrumentalities may be exempt from such withholding taxes on REIT dividends under the Code, and non-U.S. pension funds and other tax-exempt non-U.S. organizations from certain countries may be exempt from such withholding taxes under an applicable tax treaty. Dividends that are treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business will generally not be subject to withholding but will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis at graduated rates, in the same manner as dividends paid to U.S. stockholders are subject to U.S. federal income tax. Any such effectively connected dividends received by a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation may also be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30.0% rate (applicable after deducting U.S. federal income taxes paid on such effectively connected income) or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
Except as otherwise provided below, we expect to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 30.0% on any distributions made to a non-U.S. stockholder unless:
•the non-U.S. stockholder is a foreign government or a foreign government’s agency or instrumentality not engaged in commercial activities, or a foreign governmental entity that is eligible for Section 892 of the Code and the applicable Treasury Regulations and eligible for exemption from U.S. withholding tax thereunder and the non-U.S. stockholder files with us an IRS form W-8EXP;
•a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. stockholder files with us an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E evidencing eligibility for that reduced treaty rate; or
•the non-U.S. stockholder files an IRS Form W-8ECI with us claiming that the distribution is income effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s trade or business.
Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will not be taxable to a non-U.S. stockholder to the extent that such distributions do not exceed the adjusted tax basis of the non-U.S. stockholder’s common stock, but rather will reduce the adjusted tax basis of such stock. To the extent that such distributions exceed the non-U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in such common stock, they will give rise to gain from the sale or exchange of such stock, the tax treatment of which is described below. For withholding purposes, because we generally cannot determine at the time we make a distribution whether the distribution will exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, we expect to treat all distributions as made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits for withholding purposes. However, amounts withheld may be refundable if it is subsequently determined that the distribution was, in fact, in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, provided that certain conditions are met.
Capital Gain Dividends
Distributions attributable to gain from the disposition of a USRPI will be treated as dividends of ordinary income to the extent that they are made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. See “—Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders—Distributions Generally.”
Distributions to a non-U.S. stockholder that do not arise from the disposition of a USRPI and that we properly designate as capital gain dividends generally should not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation, unless:
•the investment in our common stock is treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. stockholder of a U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S. stockholder maintains a permanent establishment in the Unites States to which such dividends are attributable), in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect to such gain, except that a non-U.S. stockholder that is a non-U.S. corporation may also be subject to a branch profits tax of up to 30.0%, as discussed above; or
•the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30.0% on the non-U.S. stockholder’s capital gains (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of such non-U.S. stockholder (even though the
individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided the non-U.S. stockholder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.
Retention of Net Capital Gains
Although the law is not clear on the matter, it appears that amounts we designate as retained net capital gains in respect of the common stock held by stockholders generally should be treated with respect to non-U.S. stockholders in the same manner as actual distributions of capital gain dividends. Under this approach, the non-U.S. stockholders would be able to offset as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability their proportionate share of the tax that we paid on such retained net capital gains and to receive from the IRS a refund to the extent their proportionate share of such tax that we paid exceeds their actual U.S. federal income tax liability. If we were to designate any portion of our net capital gain as retained net capital gain, non-U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the taxation of such retained net capital gain.
Dispositions of Our Stock
Subject to the previously noted assumptions, a non-U.S. stockholder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the gain realized upon a sale of our common stock unless:
•the non-U.S. stockholder’s investment in our common stock is treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. stockholder of a U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S. stockholder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such dividends are attributable, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect to such gain, except that a non-U.S. stockholder that is a non-U.S. corporation may also be subject to a branch profits tax of up to 30.0%); or
•the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the calendar year and certain other conditions are met, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30.0% on the non-U.S. stockholder’s capital gains (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of such non-U.S. stockholder (even though you are not considered a resident of the United States), provided the non-U.S. stockholder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Generally, we must report annually to the IRS the amount of dividends paid to a non-U.S. stockholder, such stockholder’s name and address, and the amount of tax withheld, if any. A similar report is sent to the non-U.S. stockholder. Pursuant to tax treaties or other agreements, the IRS may make its reports available to tax authorities in the non-U.S. stockholder’s country of residence.
Payments of dividends or of proceeds from the disposition of stock made to a non-U.S. stockholder may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless such stockholder establishes an exemption, for example, by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or another appropriate version of IRS Form W-8. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding and information reporting may apply if either we have or our paying agent has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that a non-U.S. stockholder is a United States person.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the U.S. federal income tax liability of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund or credit may be obtained, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, provisions of the Code currently impose a 30.0% withholding tax on U.S. source dividends, interest, and other income items paid to (1) foreign financial institutions that do not agree to comply with certain diligence, reporting, and withholding obligations with respect to their U.S. accounts and (2) non-financial foreign entities that do not identify (or confirm the absence of) substantial U.S. owners. The withholding tax of 30.0% would apply to dividends paid to certain foreign entities unless various information reporting requirements are satisfied. Proposed U.S. Treasury Regulations, which non-U.S. stockholders may rely on, eliminate the FATCA withholding tax on gross proceeds, but such regulations are currently only in proposed form and are subject to change. For these purposes, a foreign financial institution generally is defined as any non-U.S. entity that (1) accepts deposits in the ordinary course of a banking or similar business, (2) is engaged in the business of holding financial assets for the account of others, or (3) is engaged or holds itself out as being engaged primarily in the business of investing, reinvesting, or trading in securities, partnership interests, commodities, or any interest in such assets.
Other Tax Consequences
State, local, and non-U.S. income tax laws may differ substantially from the corresponding federal income tax laws, and this discussion does not purport to describe any aspect of the tax laws of any state, local, or non-U.S. jurisdiction. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the effect of state, local, and non-U.S. tax laws with respect to our tax treatment as a REIT and an investment in our common stock.