Information letters.

• Author: Laffie, Lesli S.
• Position: IRS

The IRS has released nine "Information Letters" and plans subsequent releases on a quarterly basis. According to the Service, an information letter is "a statement that calls attention to a well-established interpretation or principle of tax law (including a tax treaty) without applying it to a specific set of facts." Names, addresses and other identifying information are deleted from the documents prior to their release. The documents are advisory only and have no binding effect on the IRS.

The nine information letters released addressed the following:

* Qualification of a corporate merger as a reorganization (INFO 2000-0001).

* Nonbusiness bad debts (INFO 2000-0002).

* Exclusion from income of educational benefits provided by a voluntary employee benefit association (INFO 2000-0003).

* Taxpayer's liability for excise tax on...