SEC. 40. Determination of Amount and Recognition of Gain or Loss

SEC. 40.  Determination of Amount and Recognition of Gain or Loss. - 

(A) Computation of Gain or Loss. - The gain from the sale or other disposition of property shall be the excess of the amount realized therefrom over the basis or adjusted basis for determining gain, and the loss shall be the excess of the basis or adjusted basis for determining loss over the amount realized. The amount realized from the sale or other disposition of property shall be the sum of money received plus the fair market value of the property (other than money) received; 

(B) Basis for Determining Gain or Loss from Sale or Disposition of Property. - The basis of property shall be - 

(1) The cost thereof in the case of property acquired on or after March 1, 1913, if such property was acquired by purchase; or

(2) The fair market price or value as of the date of acquisition, if the same was acquired by inheritance; or

(3) If the property was acquired by gift, the basis shall be the same as if it would be in the hands of the donor or the last preceding owner by whom it was not acquired by gift, except that if such basis is greater than the fair market value of the property at the time of the gift then, for the purpose of determining loss, the basis shall be such fair market value; or

(4) If the property was acquired for less than an adequate consideration in money or money's worth, the basis of such property is the amount paid by the transferee for the property; or

(5) The basis as defined in paragraph (C)(5) of this Section, if the property was acquired in a transaction where gain or loss is not recognized under paragraph (C)(2) of this Section.

(C) Exchange of Property. - 

(1) General Rule. - Except as herein provided, upon the sale or exchange or property, the entire amount of the gain or loss, as the case may be, shall be recognized. 

(2) Exception. - No gain or loss shall be recognized if in pursuance of a plan of merger or consolidation -

(a) A corporation, which is a party to a merger or consolidation, exchanges property solely for stock in a corporation, which is a party to the merger or consolidation; or 

(b) A shareholder exchanges stock in a corporation, which is a party to the merger or consolidation, solely for the stock of another corporation also a party to the merger or consolidation; or

(c) A security holder of a corporation, which is a party to the merger or consolidation, exchanges his securities in such corporation, solely for stock or securities in such corporation, a party to the merger or consolidation.

No gain or loss shall also be recognized if property is transferred to a corporation by a person in exchange for stock or unit of participation in such a corporation of which as a result of such exchange said person, alone or together with others, not exceeding four (4) persons, gains control of said corporation: Provided, That stocks issued for services shall not be considered as issued in return for property.

(3) Exchange Not Solely in Kind. -

(a) If, in connection with an exchange described in the above exceptions, an individual, a shareholder, a security holder or a corporation receives not only stock or securities permitted to be received without the recognition of gain or loss, but also money and/or property, the gain, if any, but not the loss, shall be recognized but in an amount not in excess of the sum of the money and fair market value of such other property received: Provided, That as to the shareholder, if the money and/or other property received has the effect of a distribution of a taxable dividend, there shall be taxed as dividend to the shareholder an amount of the gain recognized not in excess of his proportionate share of the undistributed earnings and profits of the corporation; the remainder, if any, of the gain recognized shall be treated as a capital gain.

(b) If, in connection with the exchange described in the above exceptions, the transferor corporation receives not only stock permitted to be received without the recognition of gain or loss but also money and/or other property, then (i) if the corporation receiving such money and/or other property distributes it in pursuance of the plan of merger or consolidation, no gain to the corporation shall be recognized from the exchange, but (ii) if the corporation receiving such other property and/or money does not distribute it in pursuance of the plan of merger or consolidation, the gain, if any, but not the loss to the corporation shall be recognized but in an amount not in excess of the sum of such money and the fair market value of such other property so received, which is not distributed.

(4) Assumption of Liability. -

(a) If the taxpayer, in connection with the exchanges described in the foregoing exceptions, receives stock or securities which would be permitted to be received without the recognition of the gain if it were the sole consideration, and as part of the consideration, another party to the exchange assumes a liability of the taxpayer, or acquires from the taxpayer property, subject to a liability, then such assumption or acquisition shall not be treated as money and/or other property, and shall not prevent the exchange from being within the exceptions.

(b) If the amount of the liabilities assumed plus the amount of the liabilities to which the property is subject exceed the total of the adjusted basis of the property transferred pursuant to such exchange, then such excess shall be considered as a gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset or of property which is not a capital asset, as the case may be.

(5) Basis -

(a) The basis of the stock or securities received by the transferor upon the exchange specified in the above exception shall be the same as the basis of the property, stock or securities exchanged, decreased by (1) the money received, and (2) the fair market value of the other property received, and increased by (a) the amount treated as dividend of the shareholder and (b) the amount of any gain that was recognized on the exchange: Provided, That the property received as 'boot' shall have as basis its fair market value: Provided, further, That if as part of the consideration to the transferor, the transferee of property assumes a liability of the transferor or acquires form the latter property subject to a liability, such assumption or acquisition (in the amount of the liability) shall, for purposes of this paragraph, be treated as money received by the transferor on the exchange: Provided, finally, That if the transferor receives several kinds of stock or securities, the Commissioner is hereby authorized to allocate the basis among the several classes of stocks or securities.

(b) The basis of the property transferred in the hands of the transferee shall be the same as it would be in the hands of the transferor increased by the amount of the gain recognized to the transferor on the transfer.

(6) Definitions. -

(a) The term "securities" means bonds and debentures but not 'notes' of whatever class or duration. 

(b) The term "merger" or "consolidation", when used in this Section, shall be understood to mean: (i) the ordinary merger or consolidation, or (ii) the acquisition by one corporation of all or substantially all the properties of another corporation solely for stock: Provided, That for a transaction to be regarded as a merger or consolidation within the purview of this Section, it must be undertaken for a bona fide business purpose and not solely for the purpose of escaping the burden of taxation: Provided, further, That in determining whether a bona fide business purpose exists, each and every step of the transaction shall be considered and the whole transaction or series of transaction shall be treated as a single unit: Provided, finally , That in determining whether the property transferred constitutes a substantial portion of the property of the transferor, the term "property" shall be taken to include the cash assets of the transferor.

(c) The term "control", when used in this Section, shall mean ownership of stocks in a corporation possessing at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the total voting power of all classes of stocks entitled to vote.

(d) The Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, is hereby authorized to issue rules and regulations for the purpose "substantially all" and for the proper implementation of this Section.