DEMUTUALIZATION Potential Tax Refund due-

Many taxpayers have paid taxes because they received stock for their equity interest in the mutual company when it "demutualized." But now there is a pending court case that may change the taxability of these exchanges.

If you have paid tax on demutualization exchanges you should READ THIS .

It may be best to file an amended 2003 return to claim the potential refund before the statute of limitations expires.

Nothing is final yet and the IRS Instructions still classify demutualizations, unless qualified as tax-free reorganizations as taxable. Here are the current IRS instructions:

Demutualization of a life insurance company occurs when a mutual life insurance company changes to a stock company. If you were a policyholder or annuitant of the mutual company, you may have received either stock in the stock company or cash in exchange for your equity interest in the mutual company. The basis of your equity interest in the mutual company is considered to be zero.

If the demutualization transaction qualifies as a tax-free reorganization, no gain is recognized on the exchange of your equity interest in the mutual company for stock. The company can advise you if the transaction is a tax-free reorganization. Because the basis of your equity interest in the mutual company is considered to be zero, your basis in the stock received is zero. Your holding period for the new stock includes the period you held an equity interest in the mutual company. If you received cash in exchange for your equity interest, you must recognize a capital gain in an amount equal to the cash received. If you held the equity interest for more than 1 year, report the gain as a long-term capital gain on line 8. If you held the equity interest for 1 year or less, report the gain as a short-term capital gain on line 1.

If the demutualization transaction does not qualify as a tax-free reorganization, you must recognize a capital gain in an amount equal to the cash and fair market value of the stock received. If you held the equity interest for more than 1 year, report the gain as a long-term capital gain on line 8. If you held the equity interest for 1 year or less, report the gain as a short-term capital gain on line 1. Your holding period for the new stock begins on the day after you received the stock.