Exhibit 99.1

UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a general summary of the U.S. federal income tax considerations regarding our election to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) and the ownership and disposition of our capital stock. The tax consequences of owning and disposing of debt securities and warrants are not summarized in this discussion. Since these provisions are highly technical and complex, if you are a prospective investor of our debt securities, rights, warrants, preferred stock or common stock, then you are urged to consult your own tax advisor with respect to the U.S. federal, state, local, foreign and other tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the debt securities, rights, warrants, preferred stock or common stock. This summary of material federal income tax considerations is for general information only and is not tax advice. The information in this summary is based on current law, including:

in each case, as of the date of this prospectus. In addition, the administrative interpretations and practices of the Internal Revenue Service include its practices and policies as expressed in private letter rulings which are not binding on the Internal Revenue Service except with respect to the particular taxpayers that requested and received those rulings. Future legislation, Treasury regulations, administrative interpretations and practices and/or court decisions may adversely affect the tax considerations described in this prospectus. Any such change could apply retroactively.

In addition, this summary does not consider the effect of any foreign, state, local or other tax laws that may be applicable to us or to our stockholders.

We have not requested, and do not plan to request, any rulings from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to matters contained in this discussion, and the statements in this prospectus are not binding on the Internal Revenue Service or any court. We can provide no assurance that the tax considerations described in this discussion will not be challenged by the Internal Revenue Service or, if so challenged, would be sustained by a court.

You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the specific tax consequences to you of:

Our qualification as a REIT

General. We elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code, commencing with our taxable year ending December 31, 1997. We believe that we have been organized and have operated in a manner that allows us to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code commencing with our taxable year ending December 31, 1997, and we currently intend to continue to be organized and operate in this manner. However, our qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, including through actual annual operating results, asset composition, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership, the results of which have not been and will not be reviewed by our tax counsel. Accordingly, the actual results of our operations during any particular taxable year may not satisfy those requirements, and no assurance can be given that we have operated or will continue to operate in a manner so as to qualify or remain qualified as a REIT. See “— Failure to Qualify.”

The sections of the Internal Revenue Code and the corresponding Treasury regulations that relate to the qualification and taxation as a REIT are highly technical and complex. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the applicable Internal Revenue Code provisions, relevant rules and Treasury regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code, and administrative and judicial interpretations of the Internal Revenue Code, and those rules and Treasury regulations.

Provided we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we generally will not be required to pay federal corporate income taxes on our net income that is currently distributed to our stockholders. This treatment substantially eliminates the “double taxation” that ordinarily results from investment in a “C corporation.” Double taxation means taxation once at the corporate level when income is earned and once again at the stockholder level when that income is distributed. We will, however, be required to pay federal income tax as follows:

Requirements for Qualification as a REIT. The Internal Revenue Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust or association:

The Internal Revenue Code provides that conditions (1) through (4), inclusive, must be met during the entire taxable year and that condition (5) must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year of twelve months, or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than twelve months. Conditions (5) and (6) above do not apply until after the first taxable year for which an election is made to be taxed as a REIT.

For purposes of condition (6), specified tax-exempt entities are treated as individuals, except that a “look-through” exception applies with respect to pension funds.

We believe that we have been organized, have operated and have issued sufficient shares of capital stock with sufficient diversity of ownership to allow us to satisfy conditions (1) through (7), inclusive, during the relevant time periods. In addition, our charter provides for restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our shares intended to assist us in continuing to satisfy the share ownership requirements described in conditions (5) and (6) above. These stock ownership and transfer restrictions may not ensure that we will, in all cases, be able to satisfy the share ownership requirements described in conditions (5) and (6) above. If we fail to satisfy these share ownership requirements, except as provided in the next sentence, our status as a REIT will terminate. If, however, we comply with the rules contained in applicable Treasury regulations that require us to ascertain the actual ownership of our shares and we do not know, or would not have known through the exercise of reasonable diligence, that we failed to meet the requirement described in condition (6) above, we will be treated as having met this requirement. See the section below entitled “— Failure to Qualify.”

In addition, we may not maintain our status as a REIT unless our taxable year is the calendar year. We have and intend to continue to have a calendar taxable year.

Ownership of a Partnership Interest. We own and operate one or more properties through partnerships and limited liability companies treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. Treasury regulations provide that if we are a partner in a partnership, we will be deemed to own our proportionate share of the assets of the partnership based on our interest in the partnership’s capital, subject to special rules relating to the 10% asset test described below. We also will be deemed to be entitled to our proportionate share of the income of the partnership. The character of the assets and gross income of the partnership retains the same character in our hands for purposes of Section 856 of the Internal Revenue Code, including satisfying the gross income tests and the asset tests. In addition, for these purposes, the assets and items of income of any partnership in which we directly or indirectly own an interest include such partnership’s share of assets and items of income of any partnership in which it owns an interest. Thus, our proportionate share of the assets and items of income of the Operating Partnership, including the Operating Partnership’s share of these items for any partnership in which the Operating Partnership owns an interest, are treated as our assets and items of income for purposes of applying the requirements described in this prospectus, including the income and asset tests described below. We have included a brief summary of the rules governing the federal income taxation of partnerships below in “— Tax Aspects of the Operating Partnership, the Subsidiary Partnerships and the Limited Liability Companies.”

We have direct control of the Operating Partnership and indirect control of some of our subsidiary partnerships, and we intend to continue to operate them in a manner consistent with the requirements for qualification as a REIT. However, we are a limited partner in certain partnerships. If a partnership in which we own an interest takes or expects to take actions that could jeopardize our status as a REIT or require us to pay tax, we may be forced to dispose of our interest in such entity. In addition, it is possible that a partnership could take an action that could cause us to fail a REIT income or asset test, and that we would not become aware of such action in time to dispose of our interest in the partnership or take other corrective action on a timely basis. In that case, we could fail to qualify as a REIT unless we were entitled to relief, as described below. See “— Failure to Qualify” below. The treatment described in this paragraph also applies with respect to our ownership of interests in limited liability companies or other entities or arrangements that are treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes.

Ownership of Interests in Qualified REIT Subsidiaries. We own 100% of the stock of a number of corporate subsidiaries that we believe will be treated as qualified REIT subsidiaries under the Internal Revenue Code, and may acquire additional qualified REIT subsidiaries in the future. A corporation will qualify as a qualified REIT subsidiary if we own 100% of its stock and it is not a “taxable REIT subsidiary,” as described below. A qualified REIT subsidiary is not treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes. All assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit of a qualified REIT subsidiary are treated as our assets, liabilities and such items (as the case may be) for all purposes under the Internal Revenue Code, including the REIT qualification tests. For this reason, references in this discussion to our income and assets include the income and assets of any qualified REIT subsidiary we own. A qualified REIT subsidiary is not required to pay federal income tax, and our ownership of the stock of a qualified REIT subsidiary will not violate the restrictions on ownership of securities, as described below under “— Asset Tests.”

Ownership of Interests in Taxable REIT Subsidiaries. Our taxable REIT subsidiaries are corporations other than REITs and qualified REIT subsidiaries in which we directly or indirectly hold stock, and that have made a joint election with us to be treated as taxable REIT subsidiaries. A taxable REIT subsidiary also includes any corporation other than a REIT with respect to which one of our taxable REIT subsidiaries owns more than 35% of the total voting power or value of the outstanding securities of such corporation. Other than some activities relating to lodging and health care facilities, a taxable REIT subsidiary may generally engage in any business, including the provision of customary or non-customary services to tenants of its parent REIT. A taxable REIT subsidiary is subject to federal income tax as a regular C corporation. In addition, our taxable REIT subsidiaries may be prevented from deducting interest on debt funded directly or indirectly by us if certain tests regarding the taxable REIT subsidiary’s debt to equity ratio and interest expense are not satisfied. We currently hold an interest in a number of taxable REIT subsidiaries, and may acquire securities in one or more additional taxable REIT subsidiaries in the future. Our ownership of securities of taxable REIT subsidiaries will not be subject to the 5% or 10% asset tests described below under “— Asset Tests.”

Affiliated REITs. We own an interest in certain corporate subsidiaries which have elected to be taxed as REITs. Provided each of these subsidiary REITs qualifies as a REIT, our interest in each subsidiary REIT will be treated as a qualifying real estate asset for purposes of the REIT asset tests and any dividend income or gains derived by us from each such subsidiary REIT will generally be treated as income that qualifies for purposes of the REIT gross income tests. To qualify as a REIT, each subsidiary REIT must independently satisfy the various REIT qualification requirements described in this summary. If a subsidiary REIT were to fail to qualify as a REIT, and certain relief provisions did not apply, such subsidiary REIT would be treated as a taxable C corporation and its income would be subject to federal income tax. In addition, a failure of a subsidiary REIT to qualify as a REIT could have an adverse effect on our ability to comply with the REIT income and asset tests, and thus could impair our ability to qualify as a REIT.

Income Tests. We must satisfy two gross income requirements annually to maintain our qualification as a REIT. First, in each taxable year, we must derive directly or indirectly at least 75% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, from certain hedging transactions entered into after July 30, 2008 and from certain foreign currency gains recognized after July 30, 2008) from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property, including “rents from real property” and, in certain circumstances, interest, or from certain types of temporary investments. Second, in each taxable year, we must derive at least 95% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, from certain hedges of indebtedness, from certain other hedges entered into after July 30, 2008 and from certain foreign currency gains recognized after July 30, 2008) from (a) these real property investments, (b) dividends, interest and gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities, or (c) any combination of the foregoing. For these purposes, the term “interest” generally does not include any amount received or accrued, directly or indirectly, if the determination of all or some of the amount depends in any way on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from the term “interest” solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales.

Rents we receive from a tenant will qualify as “rents from real property” for the purpose of satisfying the gross income requirements described above only if all of the following conditions are met:

We generally do not intend, and as the general partner of the Operating Partnership, do not intend to permit the Operating Partnership, to take actions we believe will cause us to fail to satisfy any of the rental conditions described above. However, we may intentionally have taken and may intentionally continue to take actions that fail to satisfy these conditions to the extent the failure will not, based on the advice of tax counsel, jeopardize our tax status as a REIT. In addition, with respect to the limitation on the rental of personal property, we have not obtained appraisals of the real property and personal property leased to tenants. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the IRS will agree with our determinations of value.

From time to time, we may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Our hedging activities may include entering into interest rate swaps, caps, and floors, options to purchase these items, and futures and forward contracts. Income from a hedging transaction, including gain from the sale or disposition of such a transaction, that is clearly and timely identified as a hedging transaction as specified in the Internal Revenue Code will not constitute gross income and thus will be exempt from the 95% gross income test to the extent such a hedging transaction was entered into on or after January 1, 2005, and will not constitute gross income and thus will be exempt from the 75% gross income test to the extent such hedging transaction was entered into after July 30, 2008. Income and gain from a hedging transaction, including gain from the sale or disposition of such a transaction, entered into on or prior to July 30, 2008 will be treated as nonqualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Income and gain from a hedging transaction, including gain from the sale or disposition of such a transaction, entered into prior to January 1, 2005 will be qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test. The term “hedging transaction,” as used above, generally means (A) any transaction we enter into in the normal course of our business primarily to manage risk of (1) interest rate changes or fluctuations with respect to borrowings made or to be made by us to acquire or carry real estate assets, and (2) for hedging transactions entered into after July 30, 2008, currency fluctuations with respect to an item of qualifying income under the 75% or 95% gross income test (or any property which generates such income and gain) and (B) for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, new transactions entered into to hedge the income or loss from prior hedging transactions, where the property or indebtedness which was the subject of the prior hedging transaction was extinguished or disposed of. To the extent that we do not properly identify such transactions as hedges or we hedge with other types of financial instruments, or hedge other types of indebtedness, the income from those transactions is not likely to be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the gross income tests. We intend to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that does not jeopardize our status as a REIT.

We have made investments in certain entities located outside the United States, and from time to time we may acquire additional properties outside of the United States, through a taxable REIT subsidiary or otherwise. These acquisitions could cause us to incur foreign currency gains or losses. Prior to July 30, 2008, the characterization of any such foreign currency gains for purposes of the REIT gross income tests was unclear, although the IRS had indicated that REITs may apply the principles of proposed Treasury Regulations to determine whether such foreign currency gain constitutes qualifying income under the REIT income tests. As a result, we anticipated that any foreign currency gain we recognized relating to rents we receive from any property located outside of the United States were qualifying income for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests. Any foreign currency gains recognized after July 30, 2008 to the extent attributable to specified items of qualifying income or gain, or specified qualifying assets, however, generally will not constitute gross income for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests, and will be exempt from these tests.

Our taxable REIT subsidiaries may provide certain services in exchange for a fee or derive other income that would not qualify under the REIT gross income tests. Such fees and other income do not accrue to us, but, to the extent our taxable REIT subsidiaries pay dividends, we generally will derive our allocable share of such dividend income through our interest in the Operating Partnership. Such dividend income qualifies under the 95%, but not the 75%, REIT gross income test. The Operating Partnership may provide certain management or administrative services to our taxable REIT subsidiaries. In addition, certain of our subsidiaries receive fees, which may include incentive fees, in exchange for the provision of certain services to asset management clients. The fees we derive as a result of the provision of such services will be non-qualifying income to us under both the 95% and 75% REIT income tests. The amount of such dividend and fee income will depend on a number of factors that cannot be determined with certainty, including the level of services provided by the subsidiaries receiving fees, our taxable REIT subsidiaries and the Operating Partnership. We will monitor the amount of the dividend income from our taxable REIT subsidiaries and the fee income (received by certain subsidiaries) described above, and will take actions intended to keep this income, and any other non-qualifying income, within the limitations of the REIT income tests. However, there can be no guarantee that such actions will in all cases prevent us from violating a REIT income test.

We believe that the aggregate amount of our nonqualifying income, from all sources, in any taxable year will not exceed the limit on nonqualifying income under the gross income tests. If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for the year if we are entitled to relief under certain provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. We generally may make use of the relief provisions if:

It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions. For example, if we fail to satisfy the gross income tests because non- qualifying income that we intentionally accrue or receive exceeds the limits on non-qualifying income, the Internal Revenue Service could conclude that our failure to satisfy the tests was not due to reasonable cause. If these relief provisions do not apply to a particular set of circumstances, we will not qualify as a REIT. As discussed above in “— Our Qualification as a REIT — General,” even if these relief provisions apply, and we retain our status as a REIT, a tax would be imposed with respect to our non-qualifying income. We may not always be able to comply with the gross income tests for REIT qualification despite periodic monitoring of our income.

Prohibited Transaction Income. Any gain we recognize (including any net foreign currency gain recognized after July 30, 2008) on the sale of property (other than foreclosure property) held as inventory or other property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, including our share of any such gain realized by our qualified REIT subsidiaries, partnerships or limited liability companies, will be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject to a 100% penalty tax. Such prohibited transaction income could also adversely affect our ability to satisfy the income tests for qualification as a REIT. Under existing law, whether property is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business is a question of fact that depends on all the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction. A sale of property will not be treated as a prohibited transaction if the sale meets the requirements of safe harbor provisions contained in the Internal Revenue Code. We intend to hold our properties for investment with a view to long-term appreciation, to engage in the business of acquiring, developing and owning our properties and to make occasional sales of the properties as are consistent with our investment objectives. We do not believe that any of our sales were prohibited transactions, but we may not always meet the safe harbor requirements described above. The Internal Revenue Service may contend that one or more of these sales is subject to the 100% penalty tax.

Redetermined Rents, Redetermined Deductions, Excess Interest, and Redetermined TRS Service Income. Any redetermined rents, redetermined deductions, excess interest or (for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015) redetermined TRS service income we generate will be subject to a 100% penalty tax. In general, redetermined rents are rents from real property that are overstated as a result of services furnished by one of our taxable REIT subsidiaries to any of our tenants, redetermined deductions and excess interest represent amounts that are deducted by a taxable REIT subsidiary for amounts paid to us that are in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arm’s length agreements, and redetermined TRS service income is income of a taxable REIT subsidiary attributable to services provided to us or on our behalf that is less than the income that would have been earned from such services based on arm’s length agreements. Rents we receive will not constitute redetermined rents if they qualify under the safe harbor provisions contained in the Internal Revenue Code.

We intend to deal with our taxable REIT subsidiaries on a commercially reasonable arm’s length basis, but we may not always satisfy the safe harbor provisions described above. These determinations are inherently factual, and the Internal Revenue Service has broad discretion to assert that amounts paid between related parties should be reallocated to clearly reflect their respective incomes. If the Internal Revenue Service successfully made such an assertion, we would be required to pay a 100% penalty tax on the excess of an arm’s length fee for tenant services over the amount actually paid.

Asset Tests. At the close of each quarter of our taxable year, we must also satisfy four tests relating to the nature and diversification of our assets. First, at least 75% of the value of our total assets, including assets held by our qualified REIT subsidiaries and our allocable share of the assets held by the partnerships and limited liability companies in which we own an interest, must be represented by real estate assets, cash, cash items and government securities. For purposes of this test, the term “real estate assets” generally means real property (including interests in real property and interests in mortgages on real property) and shares (or transferable certificates of beneficial interest) in other REITs, as well as any stock or debt instrument attributable to the investment of the proceeds of a stock offering or a public offering of debt with a term of at least five years, but only for the one-year period beginning on the date we receive such proceeds. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, the term “real estate assets” also includes debt instruments of publicly offered REITs, personal property securing a mortgage secured by both real property and personal property if the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of all such property, and personal property leased in connection with a lease of real property for which the rent attributable to personal property is not greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease.

Second, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by securities, other than those securities included in the 75% asset test.

Third, of the investments included in the 25% asset class, and except for investments in other REITs, our qualified REIT subsidiaries and our taxable REIT subsidiaries, the value of any one issuer’s securities may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets, and we may not own more than 10% of the total vote or value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer except, in the case of the 10% value test, securities satisfying the “straight debt” safe-harbor. Certain types of securities are disregarded as securities solely for purposes of the 10% value test, including, but not limited to, any loan to an individual or an estate, any obligation to pay rents from real property and any security issued by a REIT. In addition, solely for purposes of the 10% value test, the determination of our interest in the assets of a partnership or limited liability company in which we own an interest will be based on our proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership or limited liability company, excluding for this purpose certain securities described in the Internal Revenue Code.

Fourth, not more than 25% (20% for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2009 and for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017) of the value of our total assets may be represented by the securities of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. Through the Operating Partnership, we own an interest in several corporations which have jointly elected with us to be treated as taxable REIT subsidiaries. Some of these corporations own the stock of other corporations, which have also become our taxable REIT subsidiaries. So long as each of these corporations qualifies as a taxable REIT subsidiary, we will not be subject to the 5% asset test, the 10% voting securities limitation or the 10% value limitation with respect to our ownership of their securities. We may acquire securities in other taxable REIT subsidiaries in the future. We believe that the aggregate value of our taxable REIT subsidiaries has not exceeded and will not exceed 25% (or 20% for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2009 and for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017) of the aggregate value of our gross assets. Prior to the election to treat these corporations as taxable REIT subsidiaries, we did not own more than 10% of the voting securities of these corporations. In addition, we believe that prior to the election to treat these corporations as our taxable REIT subsidiaries, the value of the pro rata share of the securities of these corporations held by us did not, in any case, exceed 5% of the total value of our assets. With respect to each issuer in which we currently own securities, that does not qualify as a REIT, a qualified REIT subsidiary or a taxable REIT subsidiary, we believe that the value of the securities of each issuer does not exceed 5% of the total value of our assets and our ownership of the securities of each issuer complies with the 10% voting securities limitation and 10% value limitation. No independent appraisals have been obtained to support these conclusions, and there can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service will agree with our determinations of value.

Fifth, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by debt instruments of publicly offered REITs to the extent those debt instruments would not be real estate assets but for the treatment of debt instruments of publicly offered REITs as real estate assets effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, as described above.

The asset tests must be satisfied at the close of each quarter of our taxable year in which we (directly or through our qualified REIT subsidiaries, partnerships or limited liability companies) acquire securities in the applicable issuer, and also at the close of each quarter of our taxable year in which we increase our ownership of securities of such issuer, including as a result of increasing our interest in the Operating Partnership or other partnerships and limited liability companies which own such securities, or acquire other assets. For example, our indirect ownership of securities of each issuer will increase as a result of our capital contributions to the Operating Partnership or as limited partners exercise their redemption/exchange rights. After initially meeting the asset tests at the close of any quarter, we will not lose our status as a REIT for failure to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a later quarter solely by reason of changes in asset values (including, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2009, a change caused by changes in the foreign currency exchange rate used to value foreign assets). If we fail to satisfy an asset test because we acquire securities or other property during a quarter, we may cure this failure by disposing of sufficient non-qualifying assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. For this purpose, an increase in our interests in the Operating Partnership or any other partnership or limited liability company in which we directly or indirectly own an interest will be treated as an acquisition of a portion of the securities or other property owned by that partnership or limited liability company.

Certain relief provisions may be available to us if we discover a failure to satisfy the asset tests described above after the 30 day cure period. Under these provisions, we will be deemed to have met the 5% and 10% asset tests if the value of our nonqualifying assets (1) does not exceed the lesser of (a) 1% of the total value of our assets at the end of the applicable quarter or (b) $10,000,000, and (2) we dispose of the nonqualifying assets or otherwise satisfy such tests within (a) six months after the last day of the quarter in which the failure to satisfy the asset tests is discovered or (b) the period of time prescribed by Treasury regulations to be issued. For violations of any of the asset tests due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and that are, in the case of the 5% and 10% asset tests, in excess of the de minimis exception described above, we may avoid disqualification as a REIT after the 30 day cure period by taking steps including (1) the disposition of sufficient nonqualifying assets, or the taking of other actions, which allow us to meet the asset tests within (a) six months after the last day of the quarter in which the failure to satisfy the asset tests is discovered or (b) the period of time prescribed by Treasury regulations to be issued, (2) paying a tax equal to the greater of (a) $50,000 or (b) the highest corporate tax rate multiplied by the net income generated by the nonqualifying assets, and (3) disclosing certain information to the IRS.

Although we believe that we have satisfied the asset tests and plan to take steps to ensure that we satisfy such tests for any quarter with respect to which retesting is to occur, there can be no assurance that our efforts will always be successful, or will not require a reduction in the Operating Partnership’s overall interest in an issuer. If we fail to cure any noncompliance with the asset tests in a timely manner, and the relief provisions described above are not available, we would cease to qualify as a REIT. See “— Failure to Qualify” below.

Annual Distribution Requirements. To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we are required to distribute dividends, other than capital gain dividends, to our stockholders in an amount at least equal to the sum of:

Our “REIT taxable income” is computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital gain. In addition, for purposes of this test, non-cash income means income attributable to leveled stepped rents, original issue discount on purchase money debt, cancellation of indebtedness or a like-kind exchange that is later determined to be taxable.

In addition, if we dispose of any asset we acquired from a corporation which is or has been a C corporation in a transaction in which our initial basis in the asset is less than the fair market value of the asset at the time we acquire the asset, within the five-year period (ten-year period in the case of assets acquired on or after August 8, 2016) following our acquisition of such asset, we would be required to distribute at least 90% of the after-tax gain, if any, we recognized on the disposition of the asset, to the extent that gain does not exceed the excess of (a) the fair market value of the asset on the date we acquired the asset over (b) our adjusted basis in the asset on the date we acquired the asset.

We generally must pay the distributions described above in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if they are declared during the last three months of the taxable year, payable to stockholders of record on a specified date during such period and paid during January of the following year. Such distributions are treated as paid by us and received by our stockholders on December 31 of the year in which they are declared. In addition, at our election, a distribution will be treated as paid in a taxable year if it is declared before we timely file our tax return for that year and paid on or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration, provided such payment is made during the twelve month period following the close of that year. Except as provided below, these distributions are taxable to our stockholders, other than tax-exempt entities, as discussed below, in the year in which paid. This is so even though these distributions relate to the prior year for purposes of our 90% distribution requirement. The amount distributed, except as provided below, must not be preferential. To avoid being preferential, every stockholder of the class of stock to which a distribution is made must be treated the same as every other stockholder of that class, and no class of stock may be treated other than according to its dividend rights as a class. This limitation on preferential distributions will not apply to distributions made in our taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, provided we qualify as a “publicly offered REIT.” We believe that we are, and currently expect we will continue to be, a “publicly offered REIT.” To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain or distribute at least 90%, but less than 100%, of our “REIT taxable income,” as adjusted, we will be required to pay tax on the undistributed amount at regular ordinary and capital gain corporate tax rates. We believe we have made and intend to continue to make timely distributions sufficient to satisfy these annual distribution requirements. In this regard, the Operating Partnership agreement authorizes us, as general partner, to take such steps as may be necessary to cause the Operating Partnership to distribute to its partners an amount sufficient to permit us to meet these distribution requirements.

We expect that our “REIT taxable income” will be less than our cash flow because of depreciation and other non-cash charges included in computing our “REIT taxable income.” Accordingly, we anticipate that we will generally have sufficient cash or liquid assets to enable us to satisfy the distribution requirements described above. However, from time to time, we may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets to meet these distribution requirements due to timing differences between the actual receipt of income and actual payment of deductible expenses, and the inclusion of income and deduction of expenses in determining our taxable income. If these timing differences occur, we may be required to borrow funds to pay dividends or pay dividends in the form of taxable stock dividends in order to meet the distribution requirements.

In certain cases, we may decide to make distributions partly in cash and partly in stock. However, the circumstances under which a REIT is able to treat such part-stock and part-cash distributions as dividends for purposes of the REIT distribution requirements are unclear under current Internal Revenue Service guidance. If we make such a distribution, taxable stockholders would be required to include the full amount of the dividend (i.e., the cash and the stock portion) as ordinary income (subject to limited exceptions), to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as described below under the headings “Taxation of Our Stockholders — Taxable United States Stockholders — Distributions Generally” and “Taxation of Our Stockholders — Non-United States Stockholders — Distributions Generally.” As a result, our stockholders could recognize taxable income in excess of the cash received and may be required to pay tax with respect to such dividends in excess of the cash received. If a taxable stockholder sells the stock it receives as a dividend, the sales proceeds may be less than the amount included in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of the stock at the time of the sale. Furthermore, with respect to non-U.S. holders, we may be required to withhold U.S. tax with respect to such dividends, including in respect of all or a portion of such dividend that is payable in stock.

Under some circumstances, we may be able to rectify an inadvertent failure to meet the 90% distribution requirement for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to our stockholders in a later year, which we may include in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. Thus, we may be able to avoid being taxed on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends. However, we will be required to pay interest to the Internal Revenue Service based upon the amount of any deduction taken for deficiency dividends.

Furthermore, we will be required to pay a 4% excise tax to the extent we fail to distribute during each calendar year (or in the case of distributions with declaration and record dates falling in the last three months of the calendar year, by the end of January immediately following such year) at least the sum of 85% of our REIT ordinary income for such year, 95% of our REIT capital gain income for the year and any undistributed taxable income from prior periods. Any REIT taxable income and net capital gain on which this excise tax is imposed for any year is treated as an amount distributed during that year for purposes of calculating the tax in subsequent years.

Like-Kind Exchanges. We have in the past disposed of properties in transactions intended to qualify as like-kind exchanges under the Internal Revenue Code, and may continue this practice in the future. Such like-kind exchanges are intended to result in the deferral of gain for federal income tax purposes. The failure of any such transaction to qualify as a like-kind exchange could subject us to federal income tax, possibly including the 100% prohibited transaction tax, depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction.

Earnings and Profits Distribution Requirement. A REIT is not permitted to have accumulated earnings and profits attributable to non-REIT years. A REIT has until the close of its first taxable year in which it has non-REIT earnings and profits to distribute all such earnings and profits. Our failure to comply with this rule would require that we pay a “deficiency dividend” to our stockholders, and interest to the Internal Revenue Service, to distribute any remaining earnings and profits. A failure to make this deficiency dividend distribution would result in the loss of our REIT status. See “— Failure to Qualify.”

Failure to Qualify

Specified cure provisions will be available to us in the event that we violate a provision of the Internal Revenue Code that would result in our failure to qualify as a REIT. Except with respect to violations of the REIT income tests and asset tests (for which the cure provisions are described above), and provided the violation is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, these cure provisions generally impose a $50,000 penalty for each violation in lieu of a loss of REIT status.

If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year, and the relief provisions of the Internal Revenue Code do not apply, we will be required to pay tax, including any applicable alternative minimum tax, on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. Distributions to stockholders in any year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT will not be deductible by us and we will not be required to distribute any amounts to our stockholders. As a result, we anticipate that our failure to qualify as a REIT would reduce the cash available for distribution by us to our stockholders. In addition, if we fail to qualify as a REIT, all distributions to stockholders will be taxable as ordinary corporate dividends to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. In this event, subject to certain limitations of the Internal Revenue Code, corporate distributees may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Unless entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we will also be disqualified from taxation as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which we lost our qualification. It is not possible to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to this statutory relief.

Tax Aspects of the Operating Partnership, the Subsidiary Partnerships and the Limited Liability Companies

General. Substantially all of our investments are held indirectly through the Operating Partnership and subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies. In general, partnerships and limited liability companies that are classified as partnerships for federal income tax purposes are “pass-through” entities which are not required to pay federal income tax. Rather, partners or members of such entities are allocated their proportionate shares of the items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the entity, and are potentially required to pay tax on this income, without regard to whether they receive a distribution from the entity. We will include in our income our proportionate share of these partnership and limited liability company items for purposes of the various REIT income tests and in the computation of our REIT taxable income. Moreover, for purposes of the REIT asset tests and subject to special rules relating to the 10% asset test described above, we will include our proportionate share of assets held by the Operating Partnership and our subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies.

Entity Classification. Our ownership of an interest in the Operating Partnership involves special tax considerations, including the possibility that the Internal Revenue Service might challenge the status of the Operating Partnership or one or more of the subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies as partnerships, as opposed to associations taxable as corporations for federal income tax purposes. If the Operating Partnership or one or more of the subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies were treated as an association, they would be taxable as a corporation and therefore be required to pay an entity-level income tax. In this situation, the character of our assets and items of gross income would change and could prevent us from satisfying the asset tests and possibly the income tests. This, in turn, could prevent us from qualifying as a REIT. In addition, a change in the tax status of the Operating Partnership or one or more of the subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies might be treated as a taxable event, in which case, we might incur a tax liability without any related cash distributions.

Treasury regulations that apply for tax periods beginning on or after January 1, 1997, provide that a domestic business entity not otherwise organized as a corporation and which has at least two members may elect to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. Unless it elects otherwise, an eligible entity in existence prior to January 1, 1997, will have the same classification for federal income tax purposes that it claimed under the entity classification Treasury regulations in effect prior to this date. In addition, an eligible entity which did not exist, or did not claim a classification, prior to January 1, 1997, will be classified as a partnership (or disregarded entity) for federal income tax purposes unless it elects otherwise. We believe that the Operating Partnership and the subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies will be classified as partnerships (or disregarded entities) for federal income tax purposes.

Allocations of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction. The net proceeds from our issuance of any preferred stock will be contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for its preferred limited partnership units. In addition, to the extent we issue preferred stock in exchange for preferred limited partnership units of Prologis 2, L.P., we will contribute substantially all of such units to the Operating Partnership in exchange for additional preferred limited partnership units in the Operating Partnership. In each case, the Operating Partnership’s partnership agreement will provide for preferred distributions of cash and preferred allocations of income to us with respect to these newly issued preferred units. As a consequence, we will receive distributions from the Operating Partnership that we will use to pay dividends on substantially all of the shares of preferred stock that we issue before any of the other partners in the Operating Partnership (other than a holder of preferred units, if such units are not then held by us) receive a distribution.

In addition, if necessary, income will be specially allocated to us, and losses will be allocated to the other partners of the Operating Partnership, in amounts necessary to ensure that the balance in our capital account will at all times be equal to or in excess of the amount we are required to pay on the preferred stock then issued by us upon liquidation or redemption. Similar preferred distributions and allocations will be made for the benefit of other holders of preferred or other special limited partnership units in the Operating Partnership. Except as provided below, all remaining items of operating income and loss will be allocated to the holders of common units in the Operating Partnership in proportion to the number of units or performance units held by each such unitholder. All remaining items of gain or loss relating to the disposition of the Operating Partnership’s assets upon liquidation will be allocated first to the partners in the amounts necessary, in general, to equalize our and the limited partners’ per unit capital accounts, with any special allocation of gain to the holders of performance units being offset by a reduction in the gain allocation to us and to unitholders that were performance investors.

Certain limited partners have agreed to guarantee debt of our Operating Partnership, either directly or indirectly under limited circumstances. As a result of these guarantees, and notwithstanding the foregoing discussion of allocations of income and loss of our Operating Partnership to holders of units, such limited partners could under limited circumstances be allocated a disproportionate amount of gain or loss upon a liquidation of our Operating Partnership.

If an allocation of income of a partnership or limited liability company does not comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated according to the partners’ or members’ interests in the partnership or limited liability company. This reallocation will be determined by taking into account all of the facts and circumstances relating to the economic arrangement of the partners or members with respect to such item. Our Operating Partnership’s allocations of taxable income and loss are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder.

Tax Allocations With Respect to the Properties. Under Section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to appreciated or depreciated property that is contributed to a partnership or limited liability company in exchange for an interest in the partnership or limited liability company must be allocated in a manner so that the contributing partner or member is charged with the unrealized gain or benefits from the unrealized loss associated with the property at the time of the contribution. The amount of the unrealized gain or unrealized loss is generally equal to the difference between the fair market value and the adjusted tax basis of the contributed property at the time of contribution as adjusted from time to time. These allocations are solely for federal income tax purposes, and do not affect the book capital accounts or other economic or legal arrangements among the partners or members. The Operating Partnership was formed by way of contributions of appreciated property, i.e., property having an adjusted tax basis less than its fair market value at the time of contribution. Moreover, subsequent to the formation of the Operating Partnership, additional appreciated property has been contributed to it in exchange for Operating Partnership interests. The Operating Partnership agreement requires that these allocations be made in a manner consistent with Section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Treasury regulations issued under Section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code provide partnerships and limited liability companies with a choice of several methods of accounting for book-tax differences. We and our Operating Partnership have agreed to use the “traditional method” to account for book-tax differences for the properties initially contributed to the Operating Partnership and for some assets acquired subsequently. Under the “traditional method,” which is the least favorable method from our perspective, the carryover basis of contributed interests in the properties in the hands of our Operating Partnership (i) could cause us to be allocated lower amounts of depreciation deductions for tax purposes than would be allocated to us if all contributed properties were to have a tax basis equal to their fair market value at the time of the contribution and (ii) could cause us to be allocated taxable gain in the event of a sale of such contributed interests or properties in excess of the economic or book income allocated to us as a result of such sale, with a corresponding benefit to the other partners in our Operating Partnership. An allocation described in (ii) above might cause us or the other partners to recognize taxable income in excess of cash proceeds in the event of a sale or other disposition of property, which might adversely affect our ability to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. See “— Our Qualification as a REIT.” To the extent our depreciation is reduced, or our gain on sale is increased, stockholders may recognize additional dividend income without an increase in distributions. We and our Operating Partnership have not yet decided what method will be used to account for book-tax differences for properties to be acquired by the Operating Partnership in the future.

Any property acquired by the Operating Partnership in a taxable transaction will initially have a tax basis equal to its fair market value, and Section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code will not apply.

Partnership Audit Rules. The recently enacted Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 changes the rules applicable to U.S. federal income tax audits of partnerships. Under the new rules (which are generally effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017), among other changes and subject to certain exceptions, any audit adjustment to items of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit of a partnership (and any partner’s distributive share thereof) is determined, and taxes, interest, or penalties attributable thereto are assessed and collected, at the partnership level. Although it is uncertain how these new rules will be implemented, it is possible that they could result in partnerships in which we directly or indirectly invest being required to pay additional taxes, interest and penalties as a result of an audit adjustment, and we, as a direct or indirect partner of these partnerships, could be required to bear the economic burden of those taxes, interest, and penalties even though we, as a REIT, may not otherwise have been required to pay additional corporate-level taxes as a result of the related audit adjustment. The changes created by these new rules depend in many respects on the promulgation of future regulations or other guidance by the U.S. Treasury.

Taxation of Our Stockholders

The following summary describes certain of the United States federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of our capital stock. This summary assumes that you hold our stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code (generally, property held for investment).

This summary does not deal with all aspects of federal income taxation that may affect particular holders of capital stock in light of their individual circumstances, or with holders subject to special treatment under the federal income tax laws, including:

Taxable United States Stockholders

If you are a “United States stockholder,” as defined below, this section applies to you. Otherwise, the next section, “Non-United States Stockholders,” applies to you.

Definition of a United States Stockholder. A “United States stockholder” is a beneficial holder of capital stock who is, for United States federal income tax purposes:

Distributions Generally. Distributions out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, other than capital gain dividends discussed below, will constitute dividends generally taxable to our taxable United States stockholders as ordinary income. As long as we qualify as a REIT, these distributions will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of United States stockholders that are corporations. For purposes of determining whether distributions to holders of our stock are out of current or accumulated earnings and profits, our earnings and profits will be allocated first to distributions on our outstanding preferred stock and then to distributions on our outstanding common stock.

To the extent that we make distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, these distributions will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital to each United States stockholder. This treatment will reduce the adjusted tax basis which each United States stockholder has in its shares of our stock by the amount of the distribution, but not below zero. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and in excess of a United States stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in its shares will be taxable as capital gain, provided that the shares have been held as capital assets. Such gain will be taxable as long-term capital gain if the shares have been held for more than one year. Dividends we declare in October, November, or December of any year and payable to a stockholder of record on a specified date in any of these months will be treated as both paid by us and received by the stockholder on December 31 of that year, provided we actually pay the dividend on or before January 31 of the following year. Stockholders may not include in their own income or on their tax returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses.

In addition, certain dividends partially paid in our stock and partially paid in cash will be taxable to the recipient United States stockholder to the same extent as if entirely paid in cash. See Requirements for Qualification as a REIT — Annual Distribution Requirements” above.

Capital Gain Distributions. Distributions that we properly designate as capital gain dividends will be taxable to our taxable United States stockholders as gain from the sale or disposition of a capital asset to the extent that such gain does not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year and, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, to the extent such gain does not exceed our dividends paid for the taxable year, including dividends paid the following year that are treated as paid in the current year. If we properly designate any portion of a dividend as a capital gain dividend, then we intend to allocate a portion of the total capital gain dividends paid or made available to holders of all classes of our stock for the year to the holders of our stock in proportion to the amount that our total dividends, as determined for federal income tax purposes, paid or made available to the holders of our stock for the year bears to the total dividends, as determined for federal income tax purposes, paid or made available to holders of all classes of our stock for the year.

Retention of Net Long-Term Capital Gains. We may elect to retain, rather than distribute as a capital gain dividend, our net long-term capital gains. If we make this election, we would pay tax on our retained net long-term capital gains. In addition, to the extent we designate, a United States stockholder generally would:

Passive Activity Losses and Investment Interest Limitations. Distributions we make and gain arising from the sale or exchange by a United States stockholder of our shares will not be treated as passive activity income. As a result, United States stockholders generally will not be able to apply any “passive losses” against this income or gain. A United States stockholder may elect to treat capital gain dividends, capital gains from the disposition of stock and qualified dividend income as investment income for purposes of computing the investment interest limitation, but in such case, the stockholder will be taxed at ordinary income rates on such amount. Other distributions made by us, to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital, generally will be treated as investment income for purposes of computing the investment interest limitation.

Dispositions of Our Stock. If a United States stockholder sells or disposes of its shares of our stock to a person other than us, it will recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property it receives on the sale or other disposition and its adjusted basis in the shares for tax purposes. This gain or loss, except as provided below, will be long-term capital gain or loss if it has held the stock for more than one year. In general, if a United States stockholder recognizes loss upon the sale or other disposition of stock that it has held for six months or less, the loss recognized will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent the United States stockholder received distributions from us which were required to be treated as long-term capital gains.

Tax Rates. The maximum U.S. federal income tax rate on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends for individuals is generally 20%. In general, dividends payable by a REIT are not eligible for the reduced tax rate on qualified dividends, except to the extent the REIT’s dividends are attributable either to dividends received from taxable corporations (such as our taxable REIT subsidiaries), to income that was subject to tax at the corporate/REIT level (for example, if we distribute taxable income that we retained and paid tax on in the prior taxable year) or to dividends properly designated by us as “capital gain dividends” (although, depending on the characteristics of the assets which produced these gains and on designations which we may make, certain capital gain dividends may be taxed at a 25% rate). Ordinary REIT dividends that do not qualify for the reduced rate will be taxed at the higher tax rates applicable to ordinary income (the current maximum rate for non-corporate taxpayers is 39.6%).

A tax of 3.8% generally is imposed on the “net investment income” of certain individuals, trusts and estates. Among other items, net investment income generally includes gross income from dividends and net gain attributable to the disposition of certain property, such as our stock, less certain deductions. In the case of individuals, this tax will only apply to the extent such individual’s modified adjusted net income exceeds $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing a joint return and surviving spouses, and $125,000 for married individuals filing a separate return). Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible implications of these rules in their particular circumstances.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. We report to our United States stockholders and the Internal Revenue Service the amount of dividends paid during each calendar year, and the amount of any tax withheld. A United States stockholder may be subject to backup withholding with respect to dividends paid by us unless the holder is a corporation or is otherwise exempt and, when required, demonstrates this fact or provides a taxpayer identification number, certifies as to no loss of exemption from backup withholding, and otherwise complies with the backup withholding rules. A United States stockholder that does not provide us with its correct taxpayer identification number may also be subject to penalties imposed by the Internal Revenue Service. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount paid as backup withholding will be creditable against the stockholder’s income tax liability. In addition, we may be required to withhold a portion of distributions to any stockholders who fail to certify their non-foreign status.

Tax-Exempt Stockholders

Except as described below, dividend income from us and gain arising upon the sale of shares generally will not be unrelated business taxable income to a tax-exempt stockholder. This income or gain will be unrelated business taxable income, however, if the tax-exempt stockholder holds its shares as “debt financed property” within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code or if the shares are used in a trade or business of the tax-exempt stockholder. Generally, debt financed property is property the acquisition or holding of which was financed through a borrowing by the tax-exempt stockholder.

For tax-exempt stockholders that are social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, or qualified group legal services plans exempt from federal income taxation under Sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9), (c)(17) or (c)(20) of the Internal Revenue Code, respectively, income from an investment in our shares will constitute unrelated business taxable income unless the organization is able to properly claim a deduction for amounts set aside or placed in reserve for specific purposes so as to offset the income generated by its investment in our shares. These prospective investors should consult their tax advisors concerning these “set aside” and reserve requirements.

Notwithstanding the above, however, a portion of the dividends paid by a “pension-held REIT” will be treated as unrelated business taxable income as to some trusts that hold more than 10%, by value, of the interests of a REIT. A REIT will not be a “pension-held REIT” if it is able to satisfy the “not closely held” requirement without relying on the “look-through” exception with respect to certain trusts. As a result of limitations on the transfer and ownership of stock contained in our charter, we do not expect to be classified as a “pension-held REIT,” and as a result, the tax treatment described in this paragraph should be inapplicable to our stockholders. However, because our stock is publicly traded, we cannot guarantee that this will always be the case.

Non-United States Stockholders

The following discussion addresses the rules governing United States federal income taxation of the ownership and disposition of our stock by non-United States stockholders. When we use the term “non-United States stockholders,” we mean stockholders who are not United States stockholders, as described above in “— Taxable United States Stockholders — Definition of a United States Stockholder.” The rules governing the United States federal income taxation of the ownership and disposition of our stock by non-United States stockholders are complex, and no attempt is made herein to provide more than a brief summary. Accordingly, the discussion does not address all aspects of United States federal income taxation that may be relevant to a non-United States stockholder in light of such stockholder’s particular circumstances and does not address any state, local or foreign tax consequences. We urge non-United States stockholders to consult their tax advisors to determine the impact of federal, state, local and foreign income tax laws on the purchase, ownership, and disposition of shares of our stock, including any reporting requirements.

Distributions Generally. Distributions that are neither attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of United States real property interests nor designated by us as capital gain dividends will be treated as dividends of ordinary income to the extent that they are made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. Such distributions ordinarily will be subject to withholding of United States federal income tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty unless the distributions are treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the non-United States stockholder of a United States trade or business. Under certain treaties, however, lower withholding rates generally applicable to dividends do not apply to dividends from a REIT. Certain certification and disclosure requirements must be satisfied to be exempt from withholding under the effectively connected income exemption. Dividends that are treated as effectively connected with such a trade or business (and, in the case of an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment) will be subject to tax on a net basis at graduated rates, in the same manner as dividends paid to United States stockholders are subject to tax, and are generally not subject to withholding. Any such dividends received by a non-United States stockholder that is a corporation may also be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.

Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will not be taxable to a non-United States stockholder to the extent that such distributions do not exceed the non-United States stockholder’s adjusted basis in our stock, but rather will reduce the adjusted basis of such stock. To the extent that these distributions exceed a non-United States stockholder’s adjusted basis in our stock, they will generally give rise to gain from the sale or exchange of such stock. The tax treatment of this gain is described below under “— Sale of Our Stock.” However, recent legislation may cause such excess distributions to be treated as dividend income for certain non-United States stockholders.

Except as otherwise described below, we expect to withhold United States income tax at the rate of 30% on any distributions made to a non-United States stockholder unless:

However, amounts withheld should generally be refundable if it is subsequently determined that the distribution was, in fact, in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits.

Capital Gain Dividends and Distributions Attributable to a Sale or Exchange of United States Real Property Interests. Distributions to a non-United States stockholder that we properly designate as capital gain dividends, other than those arising from the disposition of a United States real property interest, generally should not be subject to United States federal income taxation, unless:

Pursuant to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, which we refer to as “FIRPTA,” distributions to a non-United States stockholder that are attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of United States real property interests (whether or not designated as capital gain dividends) will cause the non-United States stockholder to be treated as recognizing such gain as income effectively connected with a United States trade or business. Non-United States stockholders would generally be taxed at the same rates applicable to United States stockholders, subject to a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals. We also will be required to withhold and to remit to the Internal Revenue Service 35% (or less to the extent provided in applicable Treasury regulations) of any distribution to a non-United States stockholder that is designated as a capital gain dividend, or, if greater, 35% (or less to the extent provided in applicable Treasury regulations) of a distribution to the non-United States stockholder that could have been designated as a capital gain dividend. The amount withheld is creditable against the non-United States stockholder’s United States federal income tax liability. However, any distribution with respect to any class of stock which is “regularly traded” (as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations) on an established securities market located in the United States is not subject to FIRPTA, and therefore not subject to the 35% U.S. withholding tax described above, if the non-United States stockholder did not own more than 10% of such class of stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. Instead, such distributions will be treated as ordinary dividend distributions.

In addition, distributions to certain publicly traded non-United States stockholders that meet certain record-keeping and other requirements (“qualified shareholders”) are exempt from FIRPTA and will instead be treated as ordinary dividend distributions, except to the extent owners of such qualified shareholders that are not also qualified shareholders own, actually or constructively, more than 10% of our common stock. Furthermore, distributions to “qualified foreign pension funds” or entities all of the interests of which are held by “qualified foreign pension funds” are exempt from FIRPTA. Non-United States stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of these rules.

Retention of Net Capital Gains. Although the law is not clear on the matter, it appears that amounts we designate as retained capital gains in respect of the capital stock held by United States stockholders generally should be treated with respect to non-United States stockholders in the same manner as actual distributions by us of capital gain dividends. Under this approach, a non-United States stockholder would be able to offset as a credit against its United States federal income tax liability resulting from its proportionate share of the tax paid by us on such retained capital gains, and to receive from the Internal Revenue Service a refund to the extent of the non-United States stockholder’s proportionate share of such tax paid by us exceeds its actual United States federal income tax liability.

Sale of Our Stock. Gain recognized by a non-United States stockholder upon the sale or exchange of our stock generally will not be subject to United States taxation unless such stock constitutes a “United States real property interest” within the meaning of FIRPTA. Our stock will not constitute a “United States real property interest” so long as we are a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity.” A “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity” includes a REIT in which at all times during a specified testing period less than 50% in value of its stock is held directly or indirectly by non-United States stockholders. For this purpose, any person that at all times during the testing period holds less than 5% of a class of our stock that is regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States is treated as a United States stockholder unless we have actual knowledge that such person is a non-United States stockholder. We believe, but cannot guarantee, that we have been a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity,” but because our capital stock is publicly traded, no assurance can be given that we are or will continue to be a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity.”

Notwithstanding the foregoing, gain from the sale or exchange of our stock not otherwise subject to FIRPTA will be taxable to a non-United States stockholder if either (1) the investment in our stock is treated as effectively connected with the non-United States stockholder’s United States trade or business (and, in the case of an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment) or (2) the non-United States stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met. In addition, even if we are a domestically-controlled qualified investment entity, upon disposition of our stock (subject to the 10% exception applicable to “regularly traded” stock and the FIRPTA exemptions for “qualified shareholders” and “qualified foreign pension funds,” each as described above), a non-United States stockholder may be treated as having gain from the sale or exchange of United States real property interest if the non-United States stockholder (1) disposes of our stock within a 30-day period preceding the ex-dividend date of a distribution, any portion of which, but for the disposition, would have been treated as gain from the sale or exchange of a United States real property interest and (2) acquires, or enters into a contract or option to acquire, other shares of our stock within 30 days after such ex-dividend date.

Even if we do not qualify as a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity” at the time a non-United States stockholder sells or exchanges our stock, gain arising from such a sale or exchange would not be subject to United States taxation under FIRPTA as a sale of a “United States real property interest” if:

In addition, dispositions of our stock by “qualified shareholders” are exempt from FIRPTA, except to the extent owners of such qualified shareholders that are not also qualified shareholders own, actually or constructively, more than 10% of our stock. Furthermore, dispositions of our stock by “qualified foreign pension funds” or entities all of the interests of which are held by “qualified foreign pension funds” are exempt from FIRPTA. Non-United States stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of these rules.

If gain on the sale or exchange of our stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, the non-United States stockholder would be subject to regular United States federal income tax with respect to such gain in the same manner as a taxable United States stockholder (subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals). In addition, if the sale or exchange of our stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, and if shares of our stock were not “regularly traded” on an established securities market, the purchaser of the stock would be required to withhold and remit to the Internal Revenue Service 15% of the purchase price.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. Generally, we must report annually to the Internal Revenue Service the amount of dividends paid to a non-United States stockholder, such holder’s name and address, and the amount of tax withheld, if any. A similar report is sent to the non-United States stockholder. Pursuant to tax treaties or other agreements, the Internal Revenue Service may make its reports available to tax authorities in the non-United States stockholder’s country of residence.

Payments of dividends or of proceeds from the disposition of stock made to a non-United States stockholder may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless such holder establishes an exemption, for example, by properly certifying its non-United States status on an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or another appropriate version of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding and information reporting may apply if either we have or our paying agent has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that a non-United States stockholder is a United States person.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the United States income tax liability of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund or credit may be obtained, provided that the required information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.

FATCA Withholding. Pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“FATCA”), a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% is imposed on payments of certain U.S. source income (including dividends) and, beginning no earlier than January 1, 2019, on the gross proceeds from the sale or other taxable disposition of stock or property that can produce U.S. source interest or dividends paid to non-U.S. financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. non-financial entities (including, in some instances, where such an entity is acting as an intermediary) that fail to comply with certain information reporting obligations. Certain countries have entered into, and other countries are expected to enter into, agreements with the United States to facilitate the type of information reporting required under FATCA. While the existence of such agreements will not eliminate the risk of FATCA withholding on our distributions to non-United States stockholders, these agreements are expected to reduce the risk of the withholding for non-United States stockholders in (or non-United States stockholders indirectly holding our stock through financial institutions in) those countries. Non-United States stockholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding FATCA and whether it may be relevant to their purchase, ownership and disposition of our stock.

Other Tax Consequences

We may be subject to state or local taxation in various state or local jurisdictions, including those in which we transact business, and our stockholders may be required to pay tax in various state or local jurisdictions, including those in which they reside. Our state and local tax treatment may not conform to the federal income tax consequences discussed above. In addition, a stockholder’s state and local tax treatment may not conform to the federal income tax consequences discussed above. This discussion does not purport to describe any aspect of the tax laws of any state, local or foreign jurisdiction. Consequently, prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect of state, local or foreign tax laws on an investment in our shares.