Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 68A.djvu/253

 CH. 1—NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES

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or discharge of any part of such amount. Any expenditures (other than expenditures made after the repayment of such grant or loan) attributable to such grant or loan shall not be deductible by the taxpayer as an expense nor increase the basis of the taxpayer's property either for determining gain or loss on sale, exchange, or other disposition or for computing depletion or depreciation, but on the repayment of any portion of any such grant or loan which has been expended in accordance with the terms thereof such deductions and such increase in basis shall to the extent of such repayment be allowed as if made at the time of such repayment. PART III—SALES AND EXCHANGES Sec. 631. Gain or loss in the case of timber or coal. Sec. 632. Sale of oil or gas properties. SEC. 631. GAIN OR LOSS IN THE CASE OF TIMBER OR COAL. (a)

ELECTION TO CONSIDER CUTTING AS SALE OR EXCHANGE.—If

the taxpayer so elects on his return for a taxable year, the cutting of timber (for sale or for use in the taxpayer's trade or business) during such year by the taxpayer who owns, or has a contract right to cut, such timber (proTiding he has owned such timber or has held such contract right for a period of more than 6 months before the beginning of such year) shall be considered as a sale or exchange of such timber cut during such year. If such election has been made, gain or loss to the taxpayer shall be recognized in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of such timber, and the adjusted basis for depletion of such timber in the hands of the taxpayer. Such fair market value shall be the fair market value as of the first day of the taxable year in which such timber is cut, and shall thereafter be considered as the cost of such cut timber to the taxpayer for all purposes for which such cost is a necessary factor. If a taxpayer makes an election under this subsection, such election shall apply with respect to all timber which is owned by the taxpayer or which the taxpayer has a contract right to cut and shall be binding on the taxpayer for the taxable year for which the election is made and for all subsequent years, unless the Secretary or his delegate, on showing of undue hardship, permits the taxpayer to revoke his election; such revocation, however, shall preclude any further elections under this subsection except with the consent of the Secretary or his delegate. For purposes of this subsection and subsection (b), the term "timber" includes evergreen trees which are more than 6 years old at the time severed from the roots and are sold for ornamental purposes. (b)

DISPOSAL OF T I M B E R W I T H A R E T A I N E D ECONOMIC I N T E R E S T. —

In the case of the disposal of timber held for more than 6 months before such disposal, by the owner thereof under any form or type of contract by virtue of which such owner retains an economic interest in such timber, the difference between the amount realized from the disposal of such timber and the adjusted depletion basis thereof, shall be considered as though it were a gain or loss, as the case may be, on the sale of such timber. In determining the gross income, the adjusted gross income, or the taxable income of the lessee, the deductions allowable § 631(b)

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