Assuming the Notes are treated as indebtedness, Interest Payments on the Notes will be taxable to a U.S. Holder as ordinary interest income at the time it accrues or is received in accordance with the U.S. Holder’s normal method of accounting for tax purposes. Pursuant to the terms of the Notes, you agree to treat the Notes consistent with our treatment for all U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Sale, Exchange, Early Redemption or Maturity of the Notes
Upon the taxable disposition (including cash settlement) of a Note, you should generally recognize taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between (1) the amount realized on such taxable disposition (other than amounts attributable to accrued but untaxed interest) and (2) your adjusted tax basis in the Note. Your adjusted tax basis in a Note generally will equal your cost of the Note. Because the Note is held as a capital asset, as defined in Section 1221 of the Code, such gain or loss will generally constitute capital gain or loss. Capital gain of a noncorporate U.S. Holder is generally taxed at preferential rates where such holder has a holding period of greater than one year. The deductibility of a capital loss realized on the taxable disposition of a Note is subject to limitations.
Based on certain factual representations received from us, our special U.S. tax counsel, Ashurst LLP, is of the opinion that your Notes should be treated in the manner as described above. However, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Notes is uncertain. We do not plan to request a ruling from the IRS regarding the tax treatment of the Notes, and the IRS or a court may not agree with the tax treatment described in this Pricing Supplement. We urge you to consult your tax advisor as to the tax consequences of your investment in the Notes.
FATCA
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) was enacted on March 18, 2010, and imposes a 30% U.S. withholding tax on “withholdable payments” (i.e., certain U.S.-source payments, including interest (and original issue discount), dividends, other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gain, profits, and income, and on the gross proceeds from a disposition of property of a type which can produce U.S.-source interest or dividends) and “passthru payments” (i.e., certain payments attributable to withholdable payments) made to certain foreign financial institutions (and certain of their affiliates) unless the payee foreign financial institution agrees (or is required), among other things, to disclose the identity of any U.S. individual with an account at the institution (or the relevant affiliate) and to annually report certain information about such account. FATCA also requires withholding agents making withholdable payments to certain foreign entities that do not disclose the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of any substantial U.S. owners (or do not certify that they do not have any substantial U.S. owners) to withhold tax at a rate of 30%. Under certain circumstances, a holder may be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.
Pursuant to final and temporary Treasury regulations and other IRS guidance, the withholding and reporting requirements under FATCA will generally apply to certain “withholdable payments”, will not apply to gross proceeds on a sale or disposition and will apply to certain foreign passthru payments only to the extent that such payments are made after the date that is two years after final regulations defining the term “foreign passthru payment” are published. If withholding is required, we (or the applicable paying agent) will not be required to pay additional amounts with respect to the amounts so withheld. Foreign financial institutions and non-financial foreign entities located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. governing FATCA may be subject to different rules.
Investors should consult their own advisors about the application of FATCA, in particular if they may be classified as financial institutions (or if they hold their Notes through a foreign entity) under the FATCA rules.
Medicare Tax on Net Investment Income
U.S. Holders that are individuals, estates or certain trusts are subject to an additional 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” or “undistributed net investment income” in the case of an estate or trust, which may include any income or gain realized with respect to the Notes, to the extent of their net investment income or undistributed net investment income (as the case may be) that, when added to their other modified adjusted gross income, exceeds $200,000 for an unmarried individual, $250,000 for a married taxpayer filing a joint return (or a surviving spouse), $125,000 for a married individual filing a separate return or the dollar amount at which the highest tax bracket begins for an estate or trust. The 3.8% Medicare tax is determined in a different manner than the regular income tax. You should consult your tax advisor as to the consequences of the 3.8% Medicare tax with respect to your investment in the Notes.
Specified Foreign Financial Assets
Certain U.S. Holders that own “specified foreign financial assets” in excess of an applicable threshold may be subject to reporting obligations with respect to such assets with their tax returns, especially if such assets are held outside the custody of a U.S. financial institution. You are urged to consult your tax advisor as to the application of this reporting obligation to your ownership of the Notes.