Installment purchases where interest charge is not separately stated

(a) In general. (1) Whenever there is a contract with a seller for the purchase of personal property providing for payment of part or all of the purchase price in installments and there is a separately stated carrying charge (including a finance charge, service charge, and the like) but the actual interest charge cannot be ascertained, a portion of the payments made during the taxable year under the contract shall be treated as interest and is deductible under section 163 and this section. Section 163(b) contains a formula, described in paragraph (b) of this section, in accordance with which the amount of interest deductible in the taxable year must be computed. This formula is designed to operate automatically in the case of any installment purchase, without regard to whether payments under the contract are made when due or are in default. For applicable limitations when an obligation to pay is terminated, see paragraph (c) of this section.

(2) Whenever there is a contract with an educational institution for the purchase of educational services providing for payment of part or all of the purchase price in installments and there is a separately stated carrying charge (including a finance charge, service charge, and the like) but the actual interest charge cannot be ascertained, a portion of the payments made during the taxable year under the contract shall be treated as interest and is deductible under section 163 and this section. See paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section for the applicable computation and limitations rules. For purposes of section 163(b) and this section, the term “educational services” means any service (including lodging) which is purchased from an educational institution (as defined in section 151(e)(4) and paragraph (c) of § 1.151-3) and which is provided for a student of such institution.

(3) Section 163(b) and this section do not apply to a contract for the loan of money, even if the loan is to be repaid in installments and even if the borrowed amount is used to purchase personal property or educational services. In cases to which the preceding sentence applies, the portion of the installment payment which constitutes interest (as distinguished from payments of principal and charges such as payments for credit life insurance) is deductible under section 163(a) and § 1.163-1.

(b) Computation. The portion of any such payments to be treated as interest shall be equal to 6 percent of the average unpaid balance under the contract during the taxable year. For purposes of this computation, the average unpaid balance under the contract is the sum of the unpaid balance outstanding on the first day of each month beginning during the taxable year, divided by 12.

(c) Limitations. The amount treated as interest under section 163(b) and this section for any taxable year shall not exceed the amount of the payments made under the contract during the taxable year nor the aggregate carrying charges properly attributable to each contract for such taxable year. In computing the amount to be treated as interest if the obligation to pay is terminated as, for example, in the case of a repossession of the property, the unpaid balance on the first day of the month during which the obligation is terminated shall be zero.

(d) Illustrations. The provisions of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:

Example 1.

On January 20, 1955, A purchased a television set for $400, including a stated carrying charge of $25. The down payment was $50, and the balance was paid in 14 monthly installments of $25 each, on the 20th day of each month commencing with February. Assuming that A is a cash method, calendar year taxpayer and that no other installment purchases were made, the amount to be treated as interest in 1955 is $12.38, computed as follows:

First day of | Unpaid balance outstanding January | 0 February | $350 March | 325 April | 300 May | 275 June | 250 July | 225 August | 200 September | 175 October | 150 November | 125 December | 100 2,475

Sum of unpaid balances $2,475 ÷ 12 = $206.25; 6 percent thereof = $12.38.

Example 2.

On November 20, 1955, B purchased a furniture set for $1,250, including a stated carrying charge of $48. The down payment was $50 and the balance was payable in 12 monthly installments of $100 each, on the first day of each month commencing with December 1955. Assume that B is a cash method, calendar year taxpayer and that no other installment purchases were made. Assume further that B made the first payment when due, but made only one other payment on June 1, 1956. The amount to be treated as interest in 1955 is $4, and the amount to be treated as interest in 1956 is $33, computed as follows:

First day of | Unpaid balance outstanding December | $1,200

Sum of unpaid balances $1,200 ÷ 12 = $100; 6 percent thereof = $6.

Carrying charges attributable to 1955 = $4.

First day of | Unpaid balance outstanding January | $1,100 February | 1,000 March | 900 April | 800 May | 700 June | 600 July | 500 August | 400 September | 300 October | 200 November | 100 6,600

Sum of unpaid balances $6,600 ÷ 12 = $550; 6 percent thereof = $33.

Carrying charges attributable to 1956 = $44 ($4 × 11).

Example 3.

Assume the same facts as in example (2), except that the furniture was repossessed and B's obligation to pay terminated as of July 15, 1956. The amount to be treated as interest in 1955 is $4, computed as in example (2) above. The amount to be treated as interest in 1956 is $25.50, computed as follows:

First day of | Unpaid balance outstanding January | $1,100 February | 1,000 March | 900 April | 800 May | 700 June | 600 July-November | 0 5,100

Sum of unpaid balances $5,100 ÷ 12 = $425. 6 percent thereof = $25.50.

Carrying charges attributable to 1956 = $44 ($4 × 11).

Example 4.

(ii) The result in this example would be the same even if the X University assigned the agreement to a bank or other financial institution and C made his payments directly to the bank or other financial institution.

Example 5.

On September 15, 1968, D registered at Y University for the 1968-69 academic year. The tuition for such year was $1,500. In order to pay his tuition, D borrowed $1,500 from the M Corporation, a lending institution, and remitted that sum to the Y University. The loan agreement between M Corporation and D provided that D was to repay the loan, plus a service charge, in 10 equal monthly installments, on the first day of each month commencing with October 1968. The service charge consisted of interest and the cost of credit life insurance on D's life. Since section 163(b) and this section do not apply to a contract for the loan of money, D is not entitled to compute his interest deduction with respect to his loan from M Corporation under such sections. D may deduct that portion of each installment payment which constitutes interest (as distinguished from payments of principal and the charge for credit life insurance) under section 163(a) and § 1.163-1, provided that the amount of such interest can be ascertained.

(e) Effective date. Except in the case of payments made under a contract for educational services, the rule provided in section 163(b) and this section applies to payments made during taxable years beginning after December 31, 1953, and ending after August 16, 1954, regardless of when the contract of sale was made. In the case of payments made under a contract for educational services, the rule provided in section 163(b) and this section applies to payments made during taxable years beginning after December 31, 1963, regardless of when the contract for educational services was made.