Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-208751
RREEF PROPERTY TRUST, INC.
SUPPLEMENT NO. 14 DATED FEBRUARY 1, 2018
TO THE PROSPECTUS DATED APRIL 26, 2017
This document supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, our prospectus dated April 26, 2017, as supplemented by Supplement No. 1 dated April 26, 2017, Supplement No. 2 dated May 1, 2017, Supplement No. 3 dated May 17, 2017, Supplement No. 4 dated June 1, 2017, Supplement No. 5 dated July 3, 2017, Supplement No. 6 dated August 1, 2017, Supplement No. 7 dated August 15, 2017, Supplement No. 8 dated September 5, 2017, Supplement No. 9 dated October 3, 2017, Supplement No. 10 dated November 1, 2017, Supplement No. 11 dated November 15, 2017, Supplement No. 12 dated December 1, 2017 and Supplement No. 13 dated January 3, 2018. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms shall have the same meanings as set forth in the prospectus. The purpose of this supplement is to disclose:
• | our daily net asset value per share for our Class A, Class I and Class T shares for the month of January 2018; and |
• | an update to our tax disclosures. |
Historical NAV per Share
The following table sets forth the net asset value, or NAV, per share for the Class A, Class I and Class T shares of our common stock on each business day for the month of January 2018:
Date | NAV per Class A Share | NAV per Class I Share | NAV per Class T Share | |||
January 2, 2018 | $13.74 | $13.84 | $13.76 | |||
January 3, 2018 | $13.74 | $13.83 | $13.76 | |||
January 4, 2018 | $13.72 | $13.81 | $13.74 | |||
January 5, 2018 | $13.72 | $13.82 | $13.74 | |||
January 8, 2018 | $13.73 | $13.82 | $13.75 | |||
January 9, 2018 | $13.71 | $13.81 | $13.74 | |||
January 10, 2018 | $13.70 | $13.79 | $13.72 | |||
January 11, 2018 | $13.71 | $13.81 | $13.74 | |||
January 12, 2018 | $13.71 | $13.80 | $13.73 | |||
January 16, 2018 | $13.72 | $13.81 | $13.74 | |||
January 17, 2018 | $13.72 | $13.82 | $13.75 | |||
January 18, 2018 | $13.71 | $13.81 | $13.74 | |||
January 19, 2018 | $13.72 | $13.82 | $13.74 | |||
January 22, 2018 | $13.73 | $13.83 | $13.76 | |||
January 23, 2018 | $13.75 | $13.85 | $13.78 | |||
January 24, 2018 | $13.75 | $13.84 | $13.77 | |||
January 25, 2018 | $13.75 | $13.84 | $13.77 | |||
January 26, 2018 | $13.74 | $13.84 | $13.77 | |||
January 29, 2018 | $13.73 | $13.83 | $13.76 | |||
January 30, 2018 | $13.72 | $13.82 | $13.75 | |||
January 31, 2018 | $13.75 | $13.85 | $13.77 |
Purchases and redemptions of shares of our common stock are made in accordance with our policies as set forth in our prospectus. Our NAV per share is posted daily on our website at www.rreefpropertytrust.com and is made available on our toll-free, automated telephone line at (855) 285-0508.
Please refer to “Net Asset Value Calculation and Valuation Guidelines” in our prospectus for important information about how our NAV is determined. Our NAV per share, which is updated at the end of each business day, along with our prospectus, as supplemented, are available on our website.
Updated Tax Disclosure
The paragraphs appearing under the heading “Will the distributions I receive be taxable as ordinary income?” on page 10 of the prospectus are hereby deleted in their entirety and replaced with the following:
The federal income tax treatment of distributions that you receive, including cash distributions that are reinvested pursuant to our distribution reinvestment plan, depends upon the extent to which they are paid from current or accumulated earnings and profits and, accordingly, treated as dividends and upon whether any portion of such distributions are designated as qualified dividends or capital gain dividends, both of which are subject at capital gains rates that do not exceed 20% for non-corporate stockholders. Distributions from REITs that are treated as dividends but are not designated as qualified dividends or capital gain dividends are treated as ordinary income. Under the recently passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the rate brackets for non-corporate taxpayer’s ordinary income are adjusted, the top tax rate is reduced from 39.6% to 37%, and ordinary REIT dividends are taxed at even lower effective rates. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, distributions from REITs that are treated as dividends but are not designated as qualified dividends or capital gain dividends are taxed as ordinary income after deducting 20% of the amount of the dividend in the case of non-corporate stockholders. At the maximum ordinary income of 37% applicable for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, the maximum tax rate on ordinary REIT dividends for non-corporate stockholders is 29.6%.
Dividends received from REITs are generally not eligible to be taxed at the lower capital gains rates applicable to individuals for “qualified dividends” from taxable corporations. In certain circumstances, we may designate a portion of our distributions as qualified dividends, e.g., if we receive qualified dividends, but we do not expect to designate a substantial portion of our distributions as qualified dividends. In addition, we may designate a portion of distributions as capital gain dividends taxable at capital gain rates to the extent we recognize net capital gains from sales of assets. A portion of your distributions may be considered return of capital for tax purposes. These amounts will not be subject to tax but will instead reduce the tax basis of your investment. This, in effect, defers a portion of your tax until your shares are redeemed, you sell your shares or we are liquidated, at which time you generally will be taxed at capital gains rates. Because each investor’s tax position is different, you should consult with your tax advisor. See “Federal Income Tax Considerations.”
The first risk factor appearing under the heading “Federal Income Tax Risks” on page 58 of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
Failure to maintain our REIT status would have significant adverse consequences to us.
We are organized and operated in a manner intended to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We first elected REIT status for our taxable year that ended December 31, 2013. Our on-going qualification as a REIT will depend upon our ability to meet on-going requirements regarding our organization and ownership, distributions of our income, the nature and diversification of our income and assets and other tests imposed by the Internal Revenue Code, or the Code. Our legal counsel does not review our compliance with the REIT qualification standards on an ongoing basis. Future legislative, judicial or administrative changes to the federal income tax laws could be applied retroactively, which could result in our disqualification as a REIT. If the IRS determines that we cannot maintain our REIT status, we will be subject to serious tax consequences that would cause a significant reduction in our cash available for distribution for each of the years involved because:
• | we would be subject to federal corporate income taxation on our taxable income and could be subject to higher state and local taxes; |
• | we would not be permitted to take a deduction for dividends paid to stockholders in computing our taxable income; and |
• | we could not elect to be taxed as a REIT for four taxable years following the year during which we failed to qualify (unless we are entitled to relief under applicable statutory provisions). |
The increased taxes would cause a reduction in our NAV and cash available for distribution to stockholders. In addition, if we do not maintain our REIT status, we will not be required to make distributions to stockholders. As a result of all these factors, our failure to maintain our REIT status also could hinder our ability to raise capital and grow our business.
The third full risk factor appearing on page 59 of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
Compliance with REIT requirements may force us to liquidate otherwise attractive investments.
To maintain our status as a REIT, at the end of each calendar quarter, at least 75% of our assets must consist of cash, cash items, government securities and qualified real estate assets. The remainder of our investments in securities (other than qualified real estate assets and government securities) generally cannot include more than 10% of the voting securities of any one issuer or more than 10% of the value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer. Additionally, no more than 5% of the value of our assets (other than government securities and qualified real estate assets) can consist of the securities of any one issuer, and no more than 20% (for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017) of the value of our assets may be represented by securities of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. Finally, no more than 25% of the value of our assets may consist of “nonqualified publicly offered REIT debt instruments.” In order to satisfy these requirements, we may be forced to liquidate otherwise attractive investments.
The third and fourth full risk factors appearing on page 61 of the prospectus are hereby deleted in their entirety and replaced with the following:
Generally, ordinary dividends payable by REITs do not qualify for reduced U.S. federal income tax rates.
The maximum U.S. federal income tax rate for “qualified dividends” payable by U.S. corporations to individual U.S. stockholders (as such term is defined under “Federal Income Tax Considerations” below) currently is 20%. However, ordinary dividends payable by REITs are generally not eligible for the reduced rates applicable to qualified dividends and generally are taxed at ordinary income rates. Taking into account the top ordinary income tax rate of 37% and the 20% deduction for ordinary REIT dividends, in both cases in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, the maximum effective federal income rate for ordinary dividends is 29.6%.
We may choose to pay dividends in our own stock, in which case our stockholders may be required to pay income taxes in excess of the cash dividends received.
Under IRS Revenue Procedure 2017-45, as a publicly offered REIT we may give stockholders a choice, subject to various limits and requirements, of receiving a dividend in cash or in common stock of the REIT. As long as at least 20% of the total dividend is available in cash and certain other requirements are satisfied, the IRS will treat the stock distribution as a dividend (to the extent applicable rules treat such distribution as being made out of the REIT’s earnings and profits). Taxable stockholders receiving such dividends will be required to include the full amount of the dividend income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits for federal income tax purposes. As a result, a U.S. stockholder may be required to pay income taxes with respect to such dividends in excess of the cash dividends received. If a U.S. stockholder sells the stock it receives as a dividend in order to pay this tax, the sales proceeds may be less than the amount included in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of our stock at the time of the sale. Furthermore, with respect to non-U.S. stockholders, we may be required to withhold U.S. tax with respect to such dividends, including in respect of all or a portion of such dividend that is payable in stock.
The last risk factor beginning on page 61 of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
Legislative, regulatory or administrative changes could adversely affect us or our stockholders.
Legislative, regulatory or administrative changes could be enacted or promulgated at any time, either prospectively or with retroactive effect, and may adversely affect us and/or our stockholders.
On December 22, 2017 the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act makes significant changes to the U.S. federal income tax rules for taxation of individuals and corporations, generally effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. In addition to reducing corporate and individual tax rates, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminates or restricts various deductions. Most of the changes applicable to individuals are temporary and apply only to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act makes numerous large and small changes to the tax rules that do not affect REITs directly but may affect our stockholders and may indirectly affect us.
While the changes in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act generally appear to be favorable with respect to REITs, the extensive changes to non-REIT provisions in the Code may have unanticipated effects on us or our stockholders. Moreover, Congressional leaders have recognized that the process of adopting extensive tax legislation in a short amount of time without hearings and substantial time for review is likely to have led to drafting errors, issues needing clarification and unintended consequences that will have to be revisited in subsequent tax legislation. At this point, it is not clear if or when Congress will address these issues or when the Internal Revenue Service will issue administrative guidance on the changes made in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
We urge you to consult with your own tax advisor with respect to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and other legislative, regulatory or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on an investment in shares of our common stock.
The following is hereby inserted at the top of page 156 of the prospectus:
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law on December 22, 2017. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act makes significant changes to the U.S. federal income tax rules for taxation of individuals and corporations, generally effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. In the case of individuals, the tax brackets are adjusted, the top federal income tax rate is reduced to 37%, special rules reduce taxation of certain income earned through pass-through entities and reduce the top effective rate applicable to ordinary dividends from REITs to 29.6% (through a 20% deduction for ordinary REIT dividends received) and various deductions are eliminated or limited, including limiting the deduction for state and local taxes to $10,000 per year. Most of the changes applicable to individuals are temporary and apply only to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026. The top corporate income tax rate is reduced to 21%. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act makes numerous other large and small changes to the tax rules that do not affect REITs directly but may affect our stockholders and may indirectly affect us.
While the changes in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act generally appear to be favorable with respect to REITs, the extensive changes to non-REIT provisions in the Code may have unanticipated effects on us or our stockholders. Moreover, Congressional leaders have recognized that the process of adopting extensive tax legislation in a short amount of time without hearings and substantial time for review is likely to have led to drafting errors, issues needing clarification and unintended consequences that will have to be revisited in subsequent tax legislation. At this point, it is not clear if or when Congress will address these issues or when the Internal Revenue Service will issue administrative guidance on the changes made in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Prospective stockholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors with respect to the status of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and any other regulatory or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on investment in our common stock.
The second bullet on page 157 of the prospectus is hereby deleted.
The fifth paragraph on page 159 of the prospectus is hereby replaced in its entirety with the following:
Certain restrictions imposed on taxable REIT subsidiaries are intended to ensure that such entities will be subject to appropriate levels of federal income taxation. For example, if amounts are paid to a REIT or deducted by a taxable REIT subsidiary due to transactions between a REIT, its lessees or a taxable REIT subsidiary, that exceed the amount that would be paid to or deducted by a party in an arm’s-length transaction, the REIT generally will be subject to a tax equal to 100% of such excess. The 100% tax will also apply to “redetermined services income,” i.e., non-arm’s-length income of a REIT’s TRS attributable to services provided to, or on behalf of, the REIT (other than services provided to REIT tenants, which are potentially taxed as redetermined rents).
The fifth bullet on page 164 of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
The aggregate value of all securities of taxable REIT subsidiaries held by us may not exceed 20% (for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017) of the value of our gross assets.
The second full paragraph on page 165 of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
After initially meeting the asset tests at the close of any quarter, we will not lose our qualification 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 the asset tests because we acquire securities during a quarter, we can cure this failure by disposing of the non-qualifying assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. If we fail the 5% asset test or the 10% asset test at the end of any quarter, and such failure is not cured within 30-days thereafter, we may dispose of sufficient assets or otherwise satisfy the requirements of such asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure to satisfy those asset tests occurred to cure the violation, provided that the non-permitted assets do not exceed the lesser of 1% of the total value of our assets at the end of the relevant quarter or $10,000,000. If we fail any of the other asset tests, or our failure of the 5% and 10% asset tests is in excess of this amount, as long as the failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and, following our identification of the failure, we filed a schedule in accordance with the Treasury Regulations describing each asset that caused the failure, we are permitted to avoid disqualification as a REIT, after the 30 day cure period, by taking steps to satisfy the requirements of the applicable asset test within six months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure to satisfy the REIT asset test occurred, including the disposition of sufficient assets to meet the asset tests and paying a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the product of the net income generated by the nonqualifying assets during the period in which we failed to satisfy the relevant asset test and the highest corporate income tax rate.
The following paragraph is hereby inserted on page 166 of the prospectus immediately prior to the heading “Failure to Maintain REIT Status.”
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act contains provisions that may change the way that we calculate our REIT taxable income and that our subsidiaries calculate their taxable income in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we will have to accrue certain items of income before they would otherwise be taken into income under the Internal Revenue Code if they are taken into account in our applicable financial statements. We have not yet identified any material import of this provision. Additionally, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act limits interest deductions for businesses, whether in corporate or pass-through form, to the sum of the taxpayer’s business interest income for the tax year and 30% of the taxpayer’s adjusted taxable income for the tax year. This limitation could apply to our operating partnership and our other subsidiaries. This limitation does not apply to an “electing real property trade or business.” We have not yet determined whether we or any of our subsidiaries will elect out of the new interest expense limitation or whether each of our subsidiaries is eligible to elect out. One consequence of electing to be an “electing real property trade or business” is that the new expensing rules will not apply to certain property used in an electing real property trade or business. In addition, in the case of an electing real property trade or business, real property and “qualified
improvement property” are depreciated under the alternative depreciation system, with 40-year useful life for nonresidential real property and a 20-year useful life for qualified improvement property (although a potential drafting error makes the useful life for qualified improvement property uncertain). Finally, there are new limitations on use of net operating losses arising in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.
The paragraph under the heading “Foreclosure Property” on page 167 of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
Foreclosure property is real property (including interests in real property) and any personal property incident to such real property (1) that is acquired by a REIT as a result of the REIT having bid in the property at foreclosure, or having otherwise reduced the property to ownership or possession by agreement or process of law, after there was a default (or default was imminent) on a lease of the property or a mortgage loan held by the REIT and secured by the property, (2) for which the related loan or lease was made, entered into or acquired by the REIT at a time when default was not imminent or anticipated; and (3) for which such REIT makes an election to treat the property as foreclosure property. REITs generally are subject to tax at the maximum corporate income tax rate on any net income from foreclosure property, including any gain from the disposition of foreclosure property, other than income that would otherwise be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Any gain from the sale of property for which a foreclosure property election has been made will not be subject to the 100% tax on gains from prohibited transactions, even if the property is held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business.
The last two paragraphs on page 168 of the prospectus and the first paragraph on page 169 of the prospectus are hereby deleted in their entirety and replaced with the following:
Distributions. As a REIT, distributions made to our taxable U.S. stockholders out of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, and not designated as capital gain dividends, will generally be taken into account by them as ordinary dividend income and will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporations. Dividends received from REITs are generally not eligible to be taxed at the preferential qualified dividend income rates applicable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders. However, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, non-corporate U.S. stockholders will be entitled to deduct 20% of ordinary REIT dividends they receive. In combination with the 37% maximum rate applicable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders in such years, ordinary REIT dividends are subject to a maximum tax rate of 29.6%, as compared with the 39.6% rate applicable in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2018.
Non-corporate U.S. stockholders are generally taxed on corporate dividends at a maximum rate of 20% (the same as long-term capital gains). With limited exceptions, however, dividends received by individual U.S. stockholders from us or from other entities that are taxed as REITs will continue to be taxed at rates applicable to ordinary income. The maximum ordinary income tax rate is 37% (for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026).
Distributions from us that are designated as capital gain dividends will be taxed to U.S. stockholders as long-term capital gains to the extent that they do not exceed our actual net capital gains for the taxable year, without regard to the period for which the U.S. stockholder has held its shares. To the extent that we elect under the applicable provisions of the Code to retain our net capital gains, U.S. stockholders will be treated as having received, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our undistributed capital gains as well as a corresponding credit for taxes paid by us on such retained capital gains. U.S. stockholders will increase their adjusted tax basis in our common stock by the difference between their allocable share of such retained capital gain and their share of the tax paid by us. Corporate U.S. stockholders may be required to treat up to 20% of some capital gain dividends as ordinary income. Long-term capital gains are generally taxable at maximum federal rates of 20% in the case of non-corporate U.S. stockholders and at regular corporate income tax rates for corporations. Capital gains attributable to the sale of depreciable real property held for more than 12 months are subject to a 25% maximum federal income tax rate to the extent of previously claimed depreciation deductions for non-corporate U.S. stockholders.
The paragraph titled “Dispositions of Our Common Stock” beginning on page 169 of the prospectus and continuing to page 170 of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
Dispositions of Our Common Stock. In general, a U.S. stockholder will realize gain or loss upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock in an amount equal to the difference between the sum of the fair value of any property and the amount of cash received in such disposition and the U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in the common stock at the time of the disposition. A U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis generally will equal the U.S. stockholder’s acquisition cost, increased by the excess of net capital gains deemed distributed to the U.S. stockholder (discussed above) less tax deemed paid on it and reduced by distributions that are treated as returns of capital. In general, capital gains recognized by individuals and other non-corporate U.S. stockholders upon the sale or disposition of our common stock will be subject to a maximum federal income tax rate of 20% if shares of our common stock are held for more than 12 months and will be taxed at ordinary income rates (of up to 37% for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026) if shares of our common stock are held for 12 months or less. Gains recognized by U.S. stockholders that are corporations are subject to U.S. federal income tax at a maximum rate of 21% (for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017), whether or not classified as long-term capital gains. The IRS has the authority to prescribe, but has not yet prescribed, regulations that would apply a higher capital gain tax rate of 25% to a portion of capital gain realized by a non-corporate holder on the sale of REIT shares that would correspond to the REIT’s “unrecaptured Section 1250 gain.” Capital losses recognized by a U.S. stockholder upon the disposition of shares of our common stock held for more than one year at the time of disposition will be considered long-term capital losses, and are generally available only to offset capital gain income of the U.S. stockholder (except in the case of individuals, who may offset up to $3,000 of ordinary income each year). In addition, any loss upon a sale or exchange of our common stock by a U.S. stockholder who has held the shares for six months or less, after applying certain holding period rules, will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of capital gain dividends received from us.
The first paragraph on page 171of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
Passive Activity Losses, Excess Business Losses and Investment Interest Limitations. Dividends that we distribute and gain arising from the sale, redemption or exchange by a U.S. stockholder of shares of our common stock will not be treated as passive activity income. As a result, U.S. stockholders will not be able to apply any “passive losses” against income or gain relating to shares of our common stock. Similarly, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, non-corporate U.S. holders cannot apply “excess business losses” against dividends that we distribute and gains arising from the disposition of our common stock. 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. A U.S. stockholder that elects to treat capital gain dividends, capital gains from the disposition of shares or qualified dividend income as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitation will be taxed at ordinary income rates on such amounts.
The third paragraph on page 172 of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
Capital Gain Dividends. Under FIRPTA, a distribution made by us to a non-U.S. stockholder, to the extent attributable to gains from dispositions of U.S. real property interests held by us directly or through pass-through subsidiaries, must be reported in U.S. federal income tax returns filed by, and are treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of, the non-U.S. stockholder. Such gains are subject to federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. stockholders and, in the case of a non-U.S. corporate stockholder, may be subject to an additional 30% branch profits tax (or a lower rate of tax under the applicable income tax treaty). We are required to withhold tax at the highest corporate income tax rate from distributions that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of U.S. real property interests. Treasury Regulations recognize that REITs generally make their capital gain dividend designations after the distributions have been made and, accordingly, apply the withholding obligation on a “catch-up” basis.
The second paragraph, including bullets, on page 173 of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety.
The fifth paragraph on page 173 of the prospectus is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
A redemption of shares generally will be taxable under FIRPTA to the extent the distribution in the redemption of the shares is attributable to gains from our dispositions of U.S. real property interests. To the extent the distribution is not attributable to gains from our dispositions of U.S. real property interests, the excess of the amount of money received in the redemption over the non-U.S. stockholder’s basis in the redeemed shares will be taxable if we are not a domestically controlled REIT. The IRS has recently confirmed that redemption payments may be attributable to gains from dispositions of U.S. real property interests (except when the 10% publicly traded exception would apply), but has not provided any guidance to determine when and what portion of a redemption payment is a distribution that is attributable to gains from our dispositions of U.S. real property interests. Due to the uncertainty, we may withhold at the highest corporate income tax rate (21% for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017) from all or a portion of redemption payments to non-U.S. stockholders. To the extent the amount of tax we withhold exceeds the amount of a non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, the non-U.S. stockholder may file a U.S. federal income tax return and claim a refund.
The three paragraphs under the heading “Special FIRPTA Rules” on page 174 are hereby deleted in their entirety and replaced with the following:
Qualified Foreign Pension Funds
“Qualified foreign pension funds” and entities that are wholly owned by a qualified foreign pension fund are exempted from FIRPTA and FIRPTA withholding. For these purposes, a “qualified foreign pension fund” is any trust, corporation, or other organization or arrangement if (i) it was created or organized under foreign law, (ii) it was established to provide retirement or pension benefits to participants or beneficiaries that are current or former employees (or persons designated by such employees) of one or more employers in consideration for services rendered, (iii) it does not have a single participant or beneficiary with a right to more than 5% of its assets or income, (iv) it is subject to government regulation and provides annual information reporting about its beneficiaries to the relevant tax authorities in the country in which it is established or operates, and (v) under the laws of the country in which it is established or operates, either contributions to such fund which would otherwise be subject to tax under such laws are deductible or excluded from the gross income of such fund or taxed at a reduced rate, or taxation of any investment income of such fund is deferred or such income is taxed at a reduced rate.
Qualified Shareholders
Stock of a REIT held (directly or through partnerships) by a “qualified shareholder” will not be a USRPI, and capital gain dividends from such a REIT will not be treated as gain from sale of a USRPI, unless a person (other than a qualified shareholder) that holds an interest (other than an interest solely as a creditor) in such qualified shareholder owns, taking into account applicable constructive ownership rules, more than 10% of the stock of the REIT. If the qualified shareholder has such an “applicable investor,” the portion of REIT stock held by the qualified shareholder indirectly owned through the qualified shareholder by the applicable investor will be treated as a USRPI, and the portion of capital gain dividends allocable to the applicable shareholder through the qualified investor will be treated as gains from sales of USRPIs. For these purposes, a “qualified shareholder” is foreign person which is in a treaty jurisdiction and satisfies certain publicly traded requirements, is a “qualified collective investment vehicle,” and maintains records on the identity of certain 5% owners. A “qualified collective investment vehicle” is a foreign person that is eligible for a reduced withholding rate with respect to ordinary REIT dividends even if such person holds more than 10% of the REIT’s stock, a publicly traded partnership that is a withholding foreign partnership that would be a US real property holding corporation if it were a US corporation, or is designated as a qualified collective investment vehicle by the Secretary of the Treasury and is either fiscally transparent within the meaning of Section 894 or required to include dividends in its gross income but entitled to a deduction for distributions to its investors. Finally, capital gain dividends and non-dividend redemption and liquidating distributions to a qualified shareholder that are not allocable to an applicable investor will be treated as ordinary dividends.