XML 20 R11.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.5.0.2
Income Taxes
3 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
7. Income Taxes

There was no current tax benefit or provision for the three months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015 due to cumulative net operating and capital losses, and no income taxes have been paid by the GUC Trust. There also was no deferred tax benefit or provision in such periods as a result of the establishment of a full valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets at the beginning and end of such periods.

 

Deferred taxes in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation at June 30, 2016 are comprised of the following components:

 

Deferred tax assets:

  

Reserves for expected costs of liquidation

   $ 7,375   

Net operating and capital loss carryovers

     114,221   
  

 

 

 

Gross deferred tax assets

     121,596   

Less: Valuation allowance

     (121,282
  

 

 

 

Deferred tax asset, net of valuation allowance

     314   

Deferred tax liabilities:

  

Accrued investment income

     (314
  

 

 

 

Gross deferred tax liabilities

     (314
  

 

 

 

Net deferred taxes

   $ —     
  

 

 

 

As previously disclosed, during the quarter ended September 30, 2013, the GUC Trust made a determination to file its U.S. federal income tax returns taking the position that beneficial ownership for a substantial majority of New GM Securities was transferred from MLC to the GUC Trust on March 31, 2011, and that the tax basis of such New GM Securities should be determined with reference to the value of such securities on such date, instead of December 15, 2011, when record ownership of the remaining New GM Securities still held by MLC was transferred from MLC to the GUC Trust. For the remaining substantial minority of New GM Securities transferred from MLC to the GUC Trust, the GUC Trust determined that the transfer of beneficial ownership occurred on other dates for which the tax basis should be determined by reference to the value of such securities on such dates. This new tax position resulted in an increased tax basis of the New GM Securities from the prior tax position and, therefore, reduced taxable gains and increased taxable losses on distributions and sales of New GM Securities since March 31, 2011. The new tax position has not been sustained on examination by the Internal Revenue Service as of the date hereof. However, the GUC Trust believes, based on the available evidence and consultation with GUC Trust professionals, that it is more likely than not that the new tax position will be sustained on examination by the Internal Revenue Service based on the technical merits of the position. Accordingly, this new tax position has been recognized in the current and deferred income tax liabilities and the income tax provision in the GUC Trust’s financial statements since the quarter ended September 30, 2013.

Following the GUC Trust’s determination to utilize the new tax position set forth above, the GUC Trust filed its U.S. federal income tax returns for the years ended March 31, 2013 and thereafter with the Internal Revenue Service using such new tax position. Such tax returns were accompanied by requests for prompt determination of tax liability pursuant to Section 505(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, and the 60-day statutory notification periods set forth in Section 505(b) of the Bankruptcy Code with respect to the GUC Trust’s U.S. federal income tax returns for the year ended March 31, 2015 and prior years have expired. Accordingly, the tax liabilities set forth in the GUC Trust’s U.S. federal income tax returns for the year ended March 31, 2015 and prior years are no longer subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service. However, remaining capital loss carryovers that were generated in those years, combined with capital gains generated in the year ended March 31, 2016, from the new tax position, which aggregate $182.4 million, along with net operating loss carryovers generated through June 30, 2016 aggregating $106.0 million, could be subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service in subsequent years when those losses, if any, are utilized. The capital loss carryovers begin to expire on March 31, 2017 and the net operating loss carryovers begin to expire on March 31, 2032. These loss carryovers in the aggregate result in a deferred tax asset of $114.2 million (reflected in the table above).

On June 7, 2016, the GUC Trust filed its U.S. federal income tax return for the year ended March 31, 2016 with the Internal Revenue Service, and requested a prompt determination of tax liability pursuant to Section 505(b) of the Bankruptcy Code that same day. The 60-day statutory notification period expired on August 6, 2016, and, as of August 11, 2016, the GUC Trust has not received any communication from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to the GUC Trust’s request for prompt determination of its tax liability for the year ended March 31, 2016. As a result, the GUC Trust believes that its tax liability, as set forth on its tax return for the year ended March 31, 2016, is final. Accordingly, no income tax liability can be assessed for such year and no income taxes are expected to be paid in the future as a result of the liquidation of all the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities during the year ended March 31, 2016. As described above, the capital loss and net operating loss carryovers are still subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service in subsequent years if those losses are utilized, which is now not expected to occur. As described in “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates – Income Taxes” in Item 2 (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis”) below, such loss carryovers potentially could succeed to Claimants (as defined below pursuant to tax rules). Reference is made thereto for information regarding such potential distributable loss carryovers and the material uncertainties associated therewith.

A full valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets aggregating $121.3 million was established as of June 30, 2016 because, as a result of the liquidation of all of the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities, it has been determined that such deferred tax assets are not realizable. Such valuation allowance was decreased by $0.2 million from the full valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets established as of March 31, 2016.