UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of the material United States (“U.S.”) federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to a holder of a note. This summary is based on provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), applicable U.S. Department of the Treasury regulations, laws, rulings and decisions (“U.S. Treasury Regulations”) now in effect, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. This summary deals only with beneficial owners of notes that will hold notes as capital assets and acquired notes upon original issuance at their original issue price. This summary does not address particular tax considerations that may be applicable to investors that are subject to special tax rules, such as banks, tax-exempt entities, insurance companies, regulated investment companies, dealers in securities or currencies, traders in securities electing to mark to market, persons that will hold notes as a position in a “straddle” or conversion transaction, or as part of a “synthetic security” or other integrated financial transaction, entities taxed as partnerships or the partners therein, U.S. expatriates, nonresident alien individuals present in the United States for more than 182 days in a taxable year, or persons that have a “functional currency” other than the U.S. dollar.
This summary addresses only U.S. federal income tax consequences, and does not address consequences arising under state, local, foreign tax laws, the alternative minimum tax or the Medicare tax on net investment income or under special timing rules prescribed under section 451(b) of the Code. Investors should consult their own tax advisors in determining the tax consequences to them of holding notes under such tax laws, as well as the application to their particular situation of the U.S. federal income tax considerations discussed below.
As used herein, a “U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of a note that is a citizen or resident of the United States or a U.S. domestic corporation or that otherwise will be subject to U.S. federal income taxation on a net income basis in respect of the note. A “Non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of a note that is an individual, corporation, foreign estate, or foreign trust that is not a U.S. holder.
U.S. Holders
Payments of Interest. Payments of stated interest will be taxable to a U.S. holder as ordinary interest income at the time it accrues or is actually or constructively received, in accordance with the holder’s method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes. It is expected, and this discussion assumes, that the notes will be issued without original issue discount (“OID”). In general, however, if the notes are issued with OID at or above a de minimis threshold, a U.S. holder will be required to include OID in gross income, as ordinary income, under a “constant-yield method” before the receipt of cash attributable to such income, regardless of the U.S. holder’s regular method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Sale, Exchange and Retirement of Notes. Upon the sale, exchange or retirement of a note, a U.S. holder generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale, exchange or retirement (less any accrued interest, which will be taxable as such) and the U.S. holder’s tax basis in such note.
A U.S. holder’s tax basis in a note will generally equal the cost of the note to such holder. Gain or loss recognized by a U.S. holder generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder has held the note for more than one year at the time of disposition. Long-term capital gains recognized by an individual holder generally are subject to tax at a lower rate than short-term capital gains or ordinary income. The deduction of capital losses is subject to limitations.
Non-U.S. Holders
Payments of Interest. Subject to the discussions below under “FATCA” and “Information Reporting and Backup Withholding,” payments of interest on the notes to a Non-U.S. holder generally will be exempt from withholding of U.S. federal income tax under the portfolio interest exemption provided that (i) the Non-U.S. holder properly certifies as to its foreign status by providing a properly executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or appropriate substitute form) to the applicable withholding agent;
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