Section 1446(f)
NO WITHHOLDING TAX FOR UNITHOLDERS AND BROKERS ARISING FROM SECTION 1446(f) OF US INTERNAL REVENUE CODE
Prime US REIT formally certifies, through its Qualified Notice, that the withholding tax exception under Treas. Reg. 1.1446(f)-4(b)(3)(ii)(A) applies to Prime US REIT
Prime US REIT Management Pte. Ltd., as manager of Prime US REIT (”PRIME”, and the manager of Prime, the “Manager”), wishes to announce that unitholders of Prime US REIT do NOT need to pay withholding tax pursuant to Section 1446(f) of the US Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) as Prime US REIT does not operate in a manner that will cause it to be treated as engaging in a U.S. trade or business. Accordingly, brokers that effect a transfer of Units are also NOT required to withhold a tax equal to 10% of the amount realised pursuant to Section 1446(f) of the Code.
Section 1446(f) of the Code provides that if a non-US person transfers an interest in a partnership and if any portion of the gain on such transfer is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, the transferee must withhold 10% of the amount realised upon the transfer or sale. Under the final regulations of Section 1446(f), brokers that effect a transfer of an interest in publicly traded partnership (“PTP”) on behalf of a non-US person and pay the amount realised to a non-US transferor that is their customer must generally withhold a tax equal to 10% of the amount realised. The applicability date of the new withholding tax is 1 January 2023.
Prime US REIT has for U.S. federal income tax purposes elected to be treated as a partnership and, by default, is a PTP. However, withholding tax under Section 1446(f) should not be applicable to the transfers by Unitholders because Prime US REIT has and intends to continue to operate in a manner that will not cause it to be treated as engaging in a U.S. trade or business.
In an effort to be comprehensive and upon the advice of our tax advisor, Ernst & Young LLP, the Manager intends to issue a qualified notice (“Qualified Notice”) on a quarterly basis to formally state that PRIME is not engaged in a trade or business within the United States at any time during its taxable year through the “PTP designated date” within the meaning of the Final Regulations.
Accordingly, and to reiterate, the Section 1446(f) Withholding Tax is NOT applicable to transfers by Unitholders. Additionally, brokers that effect a transfer of units in PRIME are also NOT required to withhold the Section 1446(f) Withholding Tax. Unitholders should not be required to file a US federal income tax return or apply for a US tax identification number solely as a result of the Section 1446(f) Withholding Tax.