Laws, Regulations & Annotations

C

220.0000 CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP

Annotation 220.0672

220.0672 Step Transaction. A transfer of real property by a dissolving partnership to the partners as tenants in common in the same proportion as their respective partnership interests is excluded from change in ownership under Revenue and Taxation Code section 62(a)(2). Subsequent transfers of interests in the real property among the tenants in common is a change in ownership only to the extent of the interests transferred, unless the step transaction doctrine applies.

If the evidence before the assessor demonstrates that the partners intended to dissolve their business relationship and transfer disproportionate fee simple interests in the property to themselves, the transfers would be stepped together, resulting in a change in ownership and reappraisal of the entire property. (See Munkdale v. Giannini (1995) 35 Cal.App.4th 1104.)

However, the step transaction doctrine does not permit the assessor to change the order of the steps in a series of transfer. It would be improper for the assessor to presume that partnership interests, rather than real property interests, were transferred and that the result was a change in control of the partnership under Revenue and Taxation Code section 64(c). C 1/3/1990; C 5/6/1997.