Determining a Partner\u27s Share on Unrealized Receivables at the Liquidation of the Partner\u27s Interest

Partnership law allows partners great freedom to vary the terms on which they share partnership profits from different sources. Partnership tax law, however, seems to presume, for purposes of the collapsible partner rules, that partners will share the revenue from the collection of receivables always in proportion to the value of their partnership interests. This counterfactual presumption exposes both the government and partner/taxpayers to unfortunate consequences. A substance-over-form approach to the attribution of unrealized receivables would certainly be unworkable, because too costly and intrusive to administer. Something between substance-over form and form-over-substance would best implement the policy of Subchapter K ? an approach modeled on that of the section 704(b) regulations. There is, unfortunately, insufficient legislative authority for the regulatory adoption of such an approach