Partial Return of Capital Contributions from Polish Partnerships
Introduction
Entrepreneurs frequently elect to conduct business operations through partnership structures. To enable such partnerships to function, partners contribute various forms of capital—both monetary and in-kind. A significant number of partners, having established successful operations, subsequently seek to withdraw a portion of their contributed capital without dissolving the partnership or formally withdrawing from it.
The central question thus arises: does the partial return of a capital contribution constitute a taxable event under Polish personal income tax law?
The answer requires careful analysis of judicial precedent, as the Personal Income Tax Act (ustawa o PIT) does not expressly address this situation. One taxpayer’s case traversed the Polish court system for over four years before reaching final resolution in the Supreme Administrative Court (Naczelny Sąd Administracyjny, NSA).
Factual Background: Withdrawal of Real Property from a General Partnership
The taxpayer, a Polish tax resident, held a 50% participation interest in profits and losses of a general partnership (spółka jawna). The partners had contributed as capital in-kind (aport) ownership rights to land improved with a bakery building—previously held as marital co-ownership—together with additional rights including perpetual usufruct of real property and an internal roadway.
The partners contemplated a partial return of capital contribution: specifically, the return of the bakery building through reduction of their capital participation interests and transfer of this asset back to their joint marital property.
To confirm the tax treatment of this transaction, the partners submitted an application for an individual tax ruling (interpretacja indywidualna). The question presented: would the reduction of contribution and return of capital in kind trigger personal income tax liability?
In the partners’ assessment, it would not. The distribution of funds or transfer of partnership assets by reason of contribution reduction would not, they argued, generate taxable income for the recipient partner.
The Tax Authority’s Position: Return of Contribution Constitutes Taxable Income
The Director of the National Tax Information Office (Dyrektor Krajowej Informacji Skarbowej) determined the taxpayers’ position to be incorrect.
In the authority’s view, the contemplated withdrawal of a partnership asset and its return to the partners would generate taxable income subject to personal income tax. The reasoning: the taxpayer’s capital participation interest would be reduced, while the partnership’s assets—the partnership being a separate economic entity—would be diminished in favor of the taxpayer’s enrichment.
The authority classified such income under Article 10(1)(3) of the Personal Income Tax Act in conjunction with Article 5b(2), categorizing it as income from non-agricultural business activity.
The Regional Administrative Court’s Decision: Ruling Annulled
The Regional Administrative Court in Lublin (Wojewódzki Sąd Administracyjny w Lublinie), by judgment of March 8, 2019 (case no. I SA/Lu 820/18), annulled the challenged ruling, finding in favor of the taxpayer.
The court determined that the Personal Income Tax Act contains no provision expressly governing the taxation of capital contribution returns during the partnership’s existence. This situation falls outside the scope of Article 8 (governing income from partnership participation) and Article 14(2)(16) (governing tax consequences of partner withdrawal).
The Supreme Administrative Court Judgment of March 22, 2022 (II FSK 1693/19): A Consolidated Jurisprudential Line
The Supreme Administrative Court dismissed the Director’s cassation appeal, affirming the correctness of the Regional Court’s judgment.
Principal Holdings
Absence of economic enrichment. The NSA held that the partial return of a capital contribution does not generate economic enrichment within the meaning of Article 14(1) of the Personal Income Tax Act. The partner merely recovers a portion of assets previously contributed to the partnership. The amount received as return represents part of the value of previously contributed assets and simultaneously reduces the partner’s capital participation interest.
Tax neutrality of contribution and return. Given that contribution of capital to a partnership is tax-neutral, it cannot logically follow that the return of such contribution constitutes taxable income. The taxpayer receives no enrichment—merely recovering what was previously contributed.
Statutory lacuna and analogia legis. The NSA observed that the legislature failed to anticipate a situation in which partial reduction of capital participation would trigger taxation. An unintended statutory gap (luka ustawowa) thus exists, which must be filled through analogical application of Article 14(3)(11) of the Personal Income Tax Act.
Deferral of the taxable moment. Pursuant to Article 14(3)(11), upon withdrawal from a partnership, taxation applies to the excess of revenues over deductible costs, reduced by distributions made by reason of partnership participation. The NSA concluded that the taxation of distributions attributable to partnership participation is deferred until the moment of complete withdrawal from the partnership.
Cited Supreme Administrative Court Precedents
The March 22, 2022 judgment aligns with established jurisprudence. The NSA cited the following precedents:
- II FSK 1415/19 (February 15, 2022)
- II FSK 2814/18 (February 2, 2021)
- II FSK 2296/18 (December 18, 2020)
- II FSK 1790/18 (November 6, 2020)
- II FSK 3135/16 (November 13, 2018)
- II FSK 1721/16 (June 26, 2018)
- II FSK 1471/12 (May 22, 2014)
- II FSK 2046/12 (July 30, 2014)
- II FSK 1212/13 (May 27, 2015)
Practical Implications: Non-Taxable Return of Capital Contributions
The administrative courts’ position is uniform: the return of capital contribution from a transparent partnership (general partnership, professional partnership, or limited partnership prior to 2021) does not constitute a taxable event at the moment of distribution.
This means that partners contemplating partial withdrawal of contributions—whether in cash or in kind (real property, movable property, rights)—do not realize taxable income from such transaction. Taxation occurs only upon complete withdrawal from the partnership or its liquidation, pursuant to the mechanism established in Article 14(3)(11) of the Personal Income Tax Act.
Risk Considerations: The Tax Authorities’ Persistent Position
Notwithstanding the consolidated jurisprudential line, tax authorities continue to issue rulings unfavorable to taxpayers. The Director of the National Tax Information Office consistently maintains that return of capital contribution generates taxable income.
The practical implications are significant:
- Individual tax rulings will likely be negative
- Challenge before the Regional Administrative Court may be necessary
- Proceedings may extend over several years (in the analyzed case, over four years)
- Administrative courts consistently rule in taxpayers’ favor
Our Practice
We advise on partnership restructuring matters, including partial withdrawal of capital contributions. We prepare applications for individual tax rulings and represent clients in proceedings before administrative courts.
We assist in documenting transactions in a manner that minimizes the risk of disputes with tax authorities—and in preparing argumentation should dispute prove unavoidable.
The return of capital contributions and its tax treatment represents an area where statutory text diverges from administrative practice. Familiarity with NSA jurisprudence enables defense of the taxpayer-favorable position—though it requires readiness for potentially protracted proceedings.
Founder and Managing Partner of Skarbiec Law Firm, recognized by Dziennik Gazeta Prawna as one of the best tax advisory firms in Poland (2023, 2024). Legal advisor with 19 years of experience, serving Forbes-listed entrepreneurs and innovative start-ups. One of the most frequently quoted experts on commercial and tax law in the Polish media, regularly publishing in Rzeczpospolita, Gazeta Wyborcza, and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna. Author of the publication “AI Decoding Satoshi Nakamoto. Artificial Intelligence on the Trail of Bitcoin’s Creator” and co-author of the award-winning book “Bezpieczeństwo współczesnej firmy” (Security of a Modern Company). LinkedIn profile: 18 500 followers, 4 million views per year. Awards: 4-time winner of the European Medal, Golden Statuette of the Polish Business Leader, title of “International Tax Planning Law Firm of the Year in Poland.” He specializes in strategic legal consulting, tax planning, and crisis management for business.
