As Maribeth has posted, you have to take the sale and break it down by types of assets. Then I think as well, not all of the assets of the sale can be placed on the installment sale, some might have to be recognized in the year of sale.
See TTB page 6-13 to 6-16 and SB Ed Tab 27 and See Pub 537 starting around page 8
Single Sale of Several Assets
If you sell different types of assets in a single sale, you must identify each asset to determine whether you can use the installment method to report the sale of that asset. You also have to allocate part of the selling price to each asset. If you sell assets that constitute a trade or business, see Sale of a Business, later.
Unless an allocation of the selling price has been agreed to by both parties in an arm's length transaction, you must allocate the selling price to an asset based on its FMV. If the buyer assumes a debt, or takes the property subject to debt, you must reduce the FMV of the property by the debt. This becomes the net FMV.
A sale of separate and unrelated assets of the same type under a single contract is reported as one transaction for the installment method.
However, if an asset is sold at a loss, its disposition cannot be reported on the install-
ment method. It must be reported separately.
If you sell different types of assets in a single sale, you must identify each asset to determine whether you can use the installment method to report the sale of that asset. You also have to allocate part of the selling price to each asset. If you sell assets that constitute a trade or business, see Sale of a Business, later.
Unless an allocation of the selling price has been agreed to by both parties in an arm's length transaction, you must allocate the selling price to an asset based on its FMV. If the buyer assumes a debt, or takes the property subject to debt, you must reduce the FMV of the property by the debt. This becomes the net FMV.
A sale of separate and unrelated assets of the same type under a single contract is reported as one transaction for the installment method.
However, if an asset is sold at a loss, its disposition cannot be reported on the install-
ment method. It must be reported separately.
I would hope your tax client used a business escrow or had a purchase/sale agreement that outlined both parties agreement on the valuations of each of the assets.
Sandy
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