(a) Allowance of deduction—(1) In general. Under section 169(a), every person, at his election, shall be entitled to a deduction with respect to the amortization of the amortizable basis (as defined in § 1.169-3) of any certified pollution control facility (as defined in § 1.169-2), based on a period of 60 months. Under section 169(b) and paragraph (a) of § 1.169-4, the taxpayer may further elect to begin such 60-month period either with the month following the month in which the facility is completed or acquired or with the first month of the taxable year succeeding the taxable year in which such facility is completed or acquired. Under section 169(c), a taxpayer who has elected under section 169(b) to take the amortization deduction provided by section 169(a) may, at any time after making such election and prior to the expiration of the 60-month amortization period, elect to discontinue the amortization deduction for the remainder of the 60-month period in the manner prescribed in paragraph (b)(1) of § 1.169-4. In addition, if on or before May 18, 1971, an election under section 169(a) has been made, consent is hereby given to revoke such election without the consent of the Commissioner in the manner prescribed in (b)(2) of § 1.169-4.
(2) Amount of deduction. With respect to each month of such 60-month period which falls within the taxable year, the amortization deduction shall be an amount equal to the amortizable basis of the certified pollution control facility at the end of such month divided by the number of months (including the month for which the deduction is computed) remaining in such 60-month period. The amortizable basis at the end of any month shall be computed without regard to the amortization deduction for such month. The total amortization deduction with respect to a certified pollution control facility for a taxable year is the sum of the amortization deductions allowable for each month of the 60-month period which falls within such taxable year. If a certified pollution control facility is sold or exchanged or otherwise disposed of during 1 month, the amortization deduction (if any) allowable to the original holder in respect of such month shall be that portion of the amount to which such person would be entitled for a full month which the number of days in such month during which the facility was held by such person bears to the total number of days in such month.
(3) Effect on other deductions. (i) The amortization deduction provided by section 169 with respect to any month shall be in lieu of the depreciation deduction which would otherwise be allowable under section 167 or a deduction in lieu of depreciation which would otherwise be allowable under paragraph (b) of § 1.162-11 for such month.
(ii) If the adjusted basis of such facility as computed under section 1011 for purposes other than the amortization deduction provided by section 169 is in excess of the amortizable basis, as computed under § 1.169-3, such excess shall be recovered through depreciation deductions under the rules of section 167. See section 169(g).
(iii) See section 179 and paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of § 1.179-1 and paragraph (b)(2) of § 1.169-3 for additional first-year depreciation in respect of a certified pollution control facility.
(4) [Reserved]
(5) Special rules. (i) In the case of a certified pollution control facility held by one person for life with the remainder to another person, the amortization deduction under section 169(a) shall be computed as if the life tenant were the absolute owner of the property and shall be allowable to the life tenant during his life.
(ii) If the assets of a corporation which has elected to take the amortization deduction under section 169(a) are acquired by another corporation in a transaction to which section 381 (relating to carryovers in certain corporate acquisitions) applies, the acquiring corporation is to be treated as if it were the distributor or transferor corporation for purposes of this section.
(iii) For the right of estates and trusts to amortize pollution control facilities see section 642(f) and § 1.642 (f)-1. For the allowance of the amortization deduction in the case of pollution control facilities of partnerships, see section 703 and § 1.703-1.
(6) Depreciation subsequent to discontinuance or in the case of revocation of amortization. A taxpayer which elects in the manner prescribed under paragraph (b) (1) of § 1.169-4 to discontinue amortization deductions or under paragraph (b) (2) of § 1.169-4 to revoke an election under section 169(a) with respect to a certified pollution control facility is entitled, if such facility is of a character subject to the allowance for depreciation provided in section 167, to a deduction for depreciation (to the extent allowable) with respect to such facility. In the case of an election to discontinue an amortization deduction, the deduction for depreciation shall begin with the first month as to which such amortization deduction is not applicable and shall be computed on the adjusted basis of the property as of the beginning of such month (see section 1011 and the regulations thereunder). Such depreciation deduction shall be based upon the remaining portion of the period authorized under section 167 for the facility as determined, as of the first day of the first month as of which the amortization deduction is not applicable. If the taxpayer so elects to discontinue the amortization deduction under section 169(a), such taxpayer shall not be entitled to any further amortization deduction under this section and section 169(a) with respect to such pollution control facility. In the case of a revocation of an election under section 169(a), the deduction for depreciation shall begin as of the time such depreciation deduction would have been taken but for the election under section 169(a). See paragraph (b)(2) of § 1.169-4 for rules as to filing amended returns for years for which amortization deductions have been taken.
(7) Definitions. Except as otherwise provided in § 1.169-2, all terms used in section 169 and the regulations thereunder shall have the meaning provided by this section and §§ 1.169-2 through 1.169-4.
(b) Examples. This section may be illustrated by the following examples:
On September 30, 1970, the X Corporation, which uses the calendar year as its taxable year, completes the installation of a facility all of which qualifies as a certified pollution control facility within the meaning of paragraph (a) of § 1.169-2. The cost of the facility is $120,000 and the period referred to in paragraph (a)(6) of § 1.169-2 is 10 years in accordance with the rules set forth in paragraph (a) of § 1.169-4, on its income tax return filed for 1970, X elects to take amortization deductions under section 169(a) with respect to the facility and to begin the 60-month amortization period with October 1970, the month following the month in which it was completed. The amortizable basis at the end of October 1970 (determined without regard to the amortization deduction under section 169(a) for that month) is $120,000. The allowable amortization deduction with respect to such facility for the taxable year 1970 is $6,000, computed as follows:
| Monthly amortization deductions: | |
| October: $120,000 divided by 60 | $2,000 |
| November: $118,000 (that is, $120,000 minus $2,000) divided by 59 | 2,000 |
| December: $116,000 (that is, $118,000 minus $2,000) divided by 58 | 2,000 |
| Total amortization deduction for 1970 | 6,000 |
Assume the same facts as in example (1). Assume further that on May 20, 1972, X properly files notice of its election to discontinue the amortization deductions with the month of June 1972. The adjusted basis of the facility as of June 1, 1972, is $80,000, computed as follows:
| Yearly amortization deductions: | |
| 1970 (as computed in example (1)) | $6,000 |
| 1971 (computed in accordance with example (1)) | 24,000 |
| 1972 (for the first 5 months of 1972 computed in accordance with example (1)) | 10,000 |
| Total amortization deductions for 20 months | 40,000 |
| Adjusted basis as beginning of amortization period | 120,000 |
| Less: Amortization deductions | 40,000 |
| Adjusted basis as of June 1, 1972 | 80,000 |
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