The United States federal income tax treatment of our shareholders depends in some instances on determinations of fact and interpretations of complex provisions of federal income tax law for which no clear precedent or authority may be available. In addition, the tax consequences of holding common shares to any particular shareholder will depend on the shareholders particular tax circumstances. Accordingly, you should consult your own tax advisor regarding the United States federal, state, local, and non-U.S. tax consequences of acquiring, holding, exchanging, or otherwise disposing of common shares and of our treatment for United States federal income tax purposes as a partnership, and not as an association or a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation.
Federal Income Tax Opinion Regarding Partnership Status
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP has acted as our tax counsel. In connection with this prospectus, FTAI expects to receive an opinion from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP to the effect that based on current law FTAI will be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as a partnership and not as an association or publicly traded partnership (within the meaning of Section 7704 of the Code) subject to tax as a corporation. The opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate Meagher & Flom LLP is based on various assumptions and representations relating to FTAIs organization, operation, assets, activities and income, including that all such representations set forth in the officers certificate on which the opinion is based and all other factual information set forth in the relevant documents, records and instruments are true and correct, that all actions described in this offering are completed in a timely fashion and that we will at all times operate in accordance with the method of operation described in our organizational documents and this offering. Such opinion is conditioned upon representations and covenants made by our management regarding our organization, assets, activities, income, and present and future conduct of our business operations, and assumes that such representations and covenants are accurate and complete. You should be aware that opinions of counsel are not binding on the IRS, and no assurance can be given that the IRS will not challenge the conclusions set forth in such opinions.
Taxation of FTAI
FTAI intends to operate so that it will qualify to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a partnership, and not as an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation. Given the ongoing importance of our actual method of operation each year, and the possibility of future changes in our circumstances, no assurance can be given by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP or FTAI that FTAI will so qualify for any particular year. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom LLP will have no obligation to advise FTAI or FTAIs shareholders of any subsequent change in the matters stated, represented or assumed, or of any subsequent change in, or differing IRS interpretation of, the applicable law. FTAIs taxation as a partnership that is not a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation will depend on its ability to meet, on a continuing basis, through actual operating results, the Qualifying Income Exception (as described below), the compliance with which will not be reviewed by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP on an ongoing basis. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the actual results of our operations for any taxable year will satisfy the Qualifying Income Exception.
An entity that would otherwise be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes may nonetheless be taxable as a corporation if it is a publicly traded partnership, unless an exception applies. FTAI will be publicly traded for this purpose. Nevertheless, an exception, which we refer to as the Qualifying Income Exception, exists with respect to a publicly traded partnership if (i) at least 90% of such partnerships gross income for each taxable year consists of qualifying income and (ii) the partnership would not be required to register under the Investment Company Act if it were a U.S. corporation. Qualifying income generally includes dividends, interest, capital gains from the sale or other disposition of stock and securities and other forms of investment income. FTAI currently expects that a substantial portion of its income will constitute either Subpart F income (defined below) derived from CFCs or QEF Inclusions (each as defined below). Although the law is unclear, we intend to treat such income as qualifying income only to the extent amounts are actually distributed to FTAI in respect of such income in the year in which such income is earned. FTAI also expects that its return from investments will also include interest, dividends, capital gains and other types of qualifying income sufficient, in the aggregate, to satisfy the Qualifying Income Exception, although we cannot assure that this will in fact be the case.
While it is treated as a publicly traded partnership, FTAI intends to manage its investments so that it will satisfy the Qualifying Income Exception. There can be no assurance, however, that FTAI will do so or that the IRS would not challenge its compliance with the Qualifying Income Exception and, therefore, assert that FTAI should be taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.