Bachelor Thesis from the year 2008 in the subject Business economics - Accounting and Taxes, grade: 1.3, Wiesbaden University of Applied Sciences, language: English, abstract: Die Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit den besonderen Vorschriften des US-Steuerrechts für REITs. Außerdem werden das deutsch-amerikanische DBA und Provisionen des dt. Steuerrechts für Anleger des US-REITs betrachtet. - This thesis treats the provisions of the US tax lax concerning REITs and the provisions of the DTA and the US and the german tax law regarding the shareholders of those REITs.

The use of Real Estate Investment Trusts ("REITs") has transformed the ownership and operation of real estate in the United States. There are approximately two hundred exchange-listed REITs, fifty non-listed public REITs and a much larger number of privately-held REITs. Taxation of Real Estate Investment Trusts provides an exhaustive analysis of the complex tax rules that govern the organization and operation of the REIT vehicle, addresses cutting edge structuring techniques and planning ideas, considers the tax treatment of REIT shareholders, including pension trusts, foreign investors and foreign governments, and summarizes the evolution of the REIT rules since their enactment in 1960. In addition to other guidance, the large body of private letter rulings issued by the IRS with respect to REIT issues is described. Because many REITs own property through partnerships in a structure often referred to as an "UPREIT," pertinent partnership tax issues are discussed in detail, including various structuring techniques utilizing partnerships.

Diploma Thesis from the year 2005 in the subject Business economics - Investment and Finance, grade: 1,3, Otto Beisheim School of Management Vallendar (WHU - Dresdner Bank Chair of Finance), language: English, abstract: A Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) is a property stock that is taxed, not at the corporate but at the investor level, which can lead to tax advantages. The concept of REITs originated in the United States in 1960, allowing smaller investors access to large income-producing real estate, which facilitated the creation of a liquid asset class that has become a core part of institutional portfolio management. REITs have proven attractive to investors because: x Their returns have beaten most major equity benchmarks over three decades, with lower volatility x They have predictable cash flows and high dividend yields x They have a low correlation with other asset classes, aiding portfolio diversification As US-REITs proved successful, other countries have introduced similar property investment vehicles. The Netherlands started in 1969, followed by Australia (1985), Canada (1994), Belgium (1995), Japan (2000) Singapore (2002), Hong Kong (2003) and most recently France (2003). In Germany real estate has been the most popular investment theme of the past three years, despite its significant underperformance compared to European peers during the past 10 years, with open-end funds receiving almost all money inflows. The listed sector, however, is insignificant, both in terms of size and liquidity, and is in desperate need of a catalyst. The introduction of a G-REIT structure could potentially be the long-awaited saviour that could transfer the importance of German real estate into the listed sector. Given the significance of real estate in their respective markets, the German and UK governments are currently considering the introduction of REITs. Depending on the progress of the consultative and parliamentary process, REITs are expected to be enacted by legislation during 2006 in both countries. The REIT discussion in Germany has reached a serious stage, with all the mostinvolved parties seemingly agreed about the usefulness of a REIT structure. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the case for REITs in Germany, to analyse the progress of REITs in countries that have installed these structures, to consider the on-going debate in Germany and what these developments may eventually mean for the German real estate market.

The use of real estate investment trusts ("REITs") has transformed the ownership and operation of real estate in the United States. There are approximately two hundred exchange-listed REITs, fifty non-listed public REITs and a much larger number of privately-held REITs. Taxation of Real Estate Investment Trusts provides an exhaustive analysis of the complex tax rules that govern the organization and operation of the REIT vehicle, addresses cutting edge structuring techniques and planning ideas, considers the tax treatment of REIT shareholders, including pension trusts, foreign investors and foreign governments, and summarizes the evolution of the REIT rules since their enactment in 1960. In addition to other guidance, the large body of private letter rulings issued by the IRS with respect to REIT issues is described. Because many REITs own property through partnerships in a structure often referred to as an "UPREIT," pertinent partnership tax issues are discussed in detail, including various structuring techniques utilizing partnerships.

The use of real estate investment trusts ("REITs") has transformed the ownership and operation of real estate in the United States. There are approximately two hundred exchange-listed REITs, fifty non-listed public REITs and a much larger number of privately-held REITs. Taxation of Real Estate Investment Trusts provides an exhaustive analysis of the complex tax rules that govern the organization and operation of the REIT vehicle, addresses cutting edge structuring techniques and planning ideas, considers the tax treatment of REIT shareholders, including pension trusts, foreign investors and foreign governments, and summarizes the evolution of the REIT rules since their enactment in 1960. In addition to other guidance, the large body of private letter rulings issued by the IRS with respect to REIT issues is described. Because many REITs own property through partnerships in a structure often referred to as an "UPREIT," pertinent partnership tax issues are discussed in detail, including various structuring techniques utilizing partnerships.

The use of real estate investment trusts (REITs) has transformed the ownership and operation of real estate in the United States. There are approximately two hundred exchange-listed REITs, fifty non-listed public REITs and a much larger number of privately-held REITs. Taxation of Real Estate Investment Trusts provides an exhaustive analysis of the complex tax rules that govern the organization and operation of the REIT vehicle, addresses cutting edge structuring techniques and planning ideas, considers the tax treatment of REIT shareholders, including pension trusts, foreign investors and foreign governments, and summarizes the evolution of the REIT rules since their enactment in 1960. In addition to other guidance, the large body of private letter rulings issued by the IRS with respect to REIT issues is described. Because many REITs own property through partnerships in a structure often referred to as an UPREIT, pertinent partnership tax issues are discussed in detail, including various structuring techniques utilizing partnerships.

This work provides the investing public, real estate practitioners, regulators and real estate and finance academics with up-to-date information on what modern scholarly research tells us about Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). REITs are credited to allow institutional and individual investors to invest in real estate via a corporate entity. The increasing interest in REITs as indicated by their growth in market capitalization and institutional holdings in the United States and around the world suggests that REITs are becoming an increasingly important part of investors' diversified portfolio.